Immunomodulatory Strategies for Spinal Cord Injury

Neuroinflammation is a key secondary event after spinal cord injury (SCI) and can increase barriers to regeneration, leading to various neurological disorders. Infiltrated hematogenous innate immune cells into the injured site are considered the main effector cells of the inflammatory responses after SCI. Glucocorticoids were the standard of care for spinal cord trauma for years due to their anti-inflammatory properties yet were also associated with unwanted side effects. While the administration of glucocorticoids is controversial, immunomodulatory strategies that limit inflammatory responses provide the potential therapeutic approaches to promote functional regeneration following SCI. Herein, we will discuss emerging therapeutic strategies to modulate inflammatory responses to enhance nerve recovery after spinal cord trauma.