An upregulation of SENP3 after spinal cord injury: implications for neuronal apoptosis

SENP3 (SUMO-specific proteases 3), a member of the small ubiquitin-like modifier specific protease family, was identified as a molecule that deconjugates SUMOylation of modified protein substrates and functions as an isopeptidase by disrupting SUMO homeostasis to facilitate cancer development and progression. However, its expression and function in nervous system injury and repair are still unclear. In this study, we employed an acute spinal cord injury (SCI) model in adult rats and investigated the dynamic changes of SENP3 expression in the spinal cord. Western blot analysis indicated a gradual increase in SENP3 expression, which peaked 3 days after SCI, and then declined over the following days. Immunohistochemistry results further confirmed that SENP3 was expressed at low levels in the gray and white matter in the non-injured condition and increased after SCI. Moreover, immunofluorescence double-labeling showed that SENP3 was co-expressed with the neuronal marker, NeuN. Furthermore, the SENP3-positive cells that were co-expressed with NeuN had also expressed active caspase-3 after injury. To investigate whether SENP3 plays a role in neuronal apoptosis, we applied H(2)O(2) to induce neuronal apoptosis in vitro. Western blot analysis showed a significant upregulation of SENP3 and active caspase-3 following H(2)O(2) stimulation. Taken together, these results suggest that SENP3 may play important roles in the pathophysiology of SCI.