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Automated Impactor for Contusive Spinal Cord Injury Model in Mice
Published on: January 19, 2024
Improved functional outcome after spinal cord injury in iNOS-deficient mice
J Isaksson1, M Farooque, Y Olsson
1Research Group of Neuropathology, Department of Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University Hospital, Sweden.
Study Design:
Functional outcome was evaluated following experimental compression-type spinal cord injury (SCI) in wild-type mice and knockout mice, lacking the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) gene.
Objectives:
To evaluate the role of the nitric oxide generating enzyme iNOS in SCI.
Methods:
The experimental animals were subjected to an extradural compression of the thoracic spinal cord. Functional outcome was studied during the first 2 weeks post-injury using a scoring system for assessment of hind limb motor function.
Results:
Injury resulted in initial paraplegia followed by gradual improvement of motor function in most cases. Mice lacking the iNOS gene (iNOS-/-) clearly tended to have a better functional outcome than wild-type mice. The difference was significant on day 14 after injury.
Conclusion:
In accordance with a few earlier experimental studies, showing beneficial effects of pharmacological iNOS inhibition, the present report would indicate a destructive influence of iNOS following spinal cord trauma.
