Long-term treatment with PP2 after spinal cord injury resulted in functional locomotor recovery and increased spared tissue

This study investigates how blocking a type of enzyme called Src family kinase (SFK) affects recovery after spinal cord injury in rats. The researchers used a drug called PP2 to inhibit SFK and observed its impact on the rats' ability to move and on the tissue in their spinal cords. The main idea is that reducing SFK activity after a spinal cord injury might create a better environment for nerve cells to regrow or sprout new connections, which could improve movement. PP2 was given to the rats for a long time (28 days) to see if it could help with recovery. The study also looked at how SFK affects a protein called ephexin1, which is involved in nerve cell growth. By understanding this, the researchers hope to find new ways to help people recover from spinal cord injuries.

• 1
  Long-term blockade of SFK activation with PP2 increases locomotor activity at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days post-injury in the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan open field test, round and square beam crossing tests.
• 2
  An increase in white matter spared tissue and serotonin fiber density was observed in animals treated with PP2.
• 3
  A reduced SFK activity with PP2 diminished Ephexin (a guanine nucleotide exchange factor) phosphorylation in the acute phase (4 days post-injury) after trauma.