Effects Of EGF And CNTF Gene Co-transfection To The Motor Function Recovery And Its Mechanism Of Rats With Spinal Cord Injury

Objective To explore the effects of EGF and CNTF gene co-transfection to the motorfunction recovery and its mechanism of rats with spinal cord injury.Methods Ninety-six rats (weighing230g and being male or female), were randomlydivided into four groups,and each group contained24rats.The rats in EGFuni-transfection group (group A), CNTF uni-transfection group (group B), EGF andCNTF co-transfection group (group C) and control group (group D) received a spinalcord contusive injury at T10level using modified Allen’s method.EGF and CNTFrecombinant plasmid and blank plasmid were transfected into the damaged areas ofexprimental group and control group respectively by Alzet pumps.At1,2,4,6weeks,Basso-Beattle-Bresnahan (BBB) Rating Scale was used to observe the recovery ofmotor function. The expressions of EGF and CNTF DNA and protein in injured spinalcord were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot techniques. And doubleimmunofluorescence and histopathologic examinations were performed to study theproliferation and differentiation of the reactive astrocyte and pathological change afterSCI.Results At2,4,6weeks after SCI, the BBB scores in the group C was significantlyhigher than that in other three groups (P<0.05). RT-PCR and Western blot showed thatthe DNA and protein expressions of EGF and CNTF were observed in group A, B, C and no expression was seen in group D. Histologic observation showed that themorphology of spinal cord and neurons in group C was better than that in the other threegroups and was close to the normal tissue. The number of Nestin+astrocytes in group Cwas significantly more than that in other three groups (P<0.05).Conclusion EGF and CNTF gene could promote the de-differentiation of reactiveastrocyte, which enhances the repair of the motor function after SCI.