Xenon post-conditioning protects against spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats by downregulating mTOR pathway and inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced neuronal apoptosis

This study investigates how xenon post-conditioning, a treatment given after a spinal cord injury, can protect the spinal cord in rats. The researchers focused on two pathways: the mTOR pathway and the endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS)-apoptosis pathway. Rats were subjected to spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury (SCIRI), and then treated with either xenon, a drug called rapamycin (which inhibits the mTOR pathway), or both. The researchers then observed the rats' motor function and examined their spinal cord tissue. The study found that xenon post-conditioning improved motor function after SCIRI and reduced markers of ERS and apoptosis (cell death) in the spinal cord. The benefits of xenon were partially mediated by the mTOR pathway, suggesting it plays a role in spinal cord protection.

• 1
  Xenon post-conditioning significantly improved hind limb motor function following SCIRI, as indicated by increased BBB and Tarlov scores.
• 2
  Xenon post-conditioning decreased the mRNA and protein levels of ERS-related factors (GRP78, ATF6, IRE1α, PERK) and caspase-3 in rats with SCIRI.
• 3
  Xenon post-conditioning reduced p-mTOR/mTOR and Bax/Bcl-2 ratios in rats with SCIRI, indicating downregulation of the mTOR pathway and inhibition of apoptosis.