Effect of a spinal cord photolesion injury on catalase

Ischemic injury to the spinal cord results in cell and tissue damage. Oxygen free radicals have been implicated in post-ischemic cell injury and death while free radical scavengers like superoxide dismutase and catalase are associated with an amelioration of ischemic injury. Measurement of catalase enzyme activity or protein in ischemic tissue presents mechanical problems due to extensive tissue destruction. Therefore, we looked at the effects of a photochemical lesion (which reproduces ischemic injury) on the levels of catalase mRNA in the spinal cord tissues of rodents under various experimental conditions. A significant depletion in the levels of catalase mRNA was observed in the spinal cord tissues of rats that received a severe lesion and were sacrificed 6 days post-lesion, while levels of catalase mRNA in the spinal cord tissues of similarly lesioned rats sacrificed 14 days post-lesion showed a return to control values.