Thyrotropin releasing hormone augments growth of spinal cord transplants in oculo

The effects of thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) on spinal cord growth were evaluated using the in oculo transplant model. The growth of fetal spinal cord allografts, placed into the anterior eye chamber of Sprague-Dawley rats, was markedly augmented by acute exposure of the graft and host animal to TRH at the time of transplantation. No significant growth augmentation was seen after equimolar administration of a mixture of the amino acids that comprise the TRH molecule. It is concluded that acutely administered TRH, at the time of grafting, elicits a significant stimulation of the growth of spinal cord tissue. Our data strengthen the rationale for continued clinical trials of this peptide in spinal cord injury.