Neuroprotective Effects And Impact On Caspase-12 Expression Of Tauroursodeoxycholic Acid After Acute Spinal Cord Injury In Rats

Objective : To observe the effects of tauroursodeoxycholic acid(TUDCA) on nerve function after acute spinal cord injury(SCI) in rats, observe its effect on neuronal apoptosis and caspase-12 expression levels, and investigate the underlying mechanism.Methods : We used a modified Allen's weight-drop trauma method to establish a rat acute SCI model. The rats were randomly divided into three groups: group A(sham surgery group), group B(DMSO control group) and group C(TUDCA treatment group), with 36 rats in each group. At one minute and at 24 hours after successfully establishing the model, rats in group C received an intraperitoneal injection of TUDCA(200 mg/kg), while rats in group B received an equal amount of DMSO at the same time points. At 24 hours, three days, and five days after injury, a modified Tarlov scoring method and Rivlin's oblique plate test were used to evaluate rat spinal cord nerve function recovery. Animals were sacrificed at 24 hours, three days, and five days after injury. Specimens were obtained from the center of the injury sites; the pathological changes in spinal cord tissue were observed after hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining; apoptosis was detected using the TUNEL method, and the expression of caspase-12 was measured at the protein level using immunohistochemistry and Western blots.Results :Group C differed significantly from group B in Tarlov scores and the oblique table test as early as 24 hours after the injury(P < 0.05). The TUNEL assay test results showed that neurons underwent apoptosis after SCI, which peaked at 24 hours. The ratios of apoptotic cells in group C were significantly lower than those in group B at 24 hours, three days, and five days after injury(P < 0.01). The immunohistochemistry and Western blot results showed that the caspase-12 expression levels of group C were lower than those of group B at 24 hours, three days, and five days after injury(P < 0.05)..Conclusions : TUDCA can inhibit the expression of caspase-12 in rat neurons after SCI, reduce cell apoptosis, and exert neuroprotective effects on rat secondary nerve injuries after SCI.