Effects of Aquaporin 4 and Inward Rectifier
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9-Experimental Surgery Effects of aquaporin 4 and inward rectifier potassium channel 4.1 on medullospinal edema after methylprednisolone treatment to suppress acute spinal cord injury in rats1 Ye LiI, Haifeng HuII, Jingchen LiuIII, Qingsan ZhuIV, Rui GuV IAssociate Professor, Department of Orthopaedics, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China. Conception, design, intellectual and scientific content of the study; acquisition of data; manuscript writing; critical revision. IIAttending Doctor, Department of Orthopaedics, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China. Acquisition of data, manuscript writing. IIIProfessor, Department of Orthopaedics, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China. Scientific content of the study, acquisition of data, manuscript writing. IVProfessor, Department of Orthopaedics, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China. Acquisition of data. VProfessor, Department of Orthopaedics, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China. Intellectual, scientific, conception and design of the study; critical revision. Abstract Purpose: To investigate the effects of aquaporin 4 (AQP4) and inward rectifier potassium channel 4.1 (Kir4.1) on medullospinal edema after treatment with methylprednisolone (MP) to suppress acute spinal cord injury (ASCI) in rats. Methods: Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into control, sham, ASCI, and MP- treated ASCI groups. After the induction of ASCI, we injected 30 mg/kg MP via the tail vein at various time points. The Tarlov scoring method was applied to evaluate neurological symptoms, and the wet–dry weights method was applied to measure the water content of the spinal cord. Results: The motor function score of the ASCI group was significantly lower than that of the sham group, and the spinal water content was significantly increased. In addition, the levels of AQP4 and Kir4.1 were significantly increased, as was their degree of coexpression. Compared with that in the ASCI group, the motor function score and the water content were significantly increased in the MP group; in addition, the expression and coexpression of AQP4 and Kir4.1 were significantly reduced. Conclusion: Methylprednisolone inhibited medullospinal edema in rats with acute spinal cord injury, possibly by reducing the coexpression of aquaporin 4 and Kir4.1 in medullospinal tissues. Key words: Methylprednisolone. Spinal Cord Injuries. Aquaporin 4. Potassium Channels. Rats. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/s0102-865020180020000009 Acta Cir Bras. 2018;33(2):175-184 175 Effects of aquaporin 4 and inward rectifier potassium channel 4.1 on medullospinal Acta Cir Bras. 2018;33(2):175-184 edema after methylprednisolone treatment to suppress acute spinal cord injury in rats Li Y et al. ■ Introduction with the degree of brain edema, and Kir4.1 was transported by AQP4-coupled mediating Acute spinal cord injury (ASCI) is a water6. However, the combined effects of Kir4.1 trauma-induced spinal cord disorder; current and AQP4 on medullospinal edema secondary research mainly focuses on preventing to spinal cord injury have not been reported. secondary spinal cord injuries, promoting Methylprednisolone (MP) is the most regeneration of the spinal cord, and replacing widely studied and recognized glucocorticoid the injured medullospinal tissues1. Spinal cord drug for the treatment of spinal cord injury; it injuries are usually divided into primary and is also the only Food and Drug Administration- secondary injuries; the former refers to direct approved drug for the clinical treatment of and irreversible tissue injury to the spinal cord, ASCI in the United States7. In response to spinal which may be followed by secondary spinal cord cord injury, MP mediates antioxidative, anti- injury. Injury results in the release of a large inflammatory, and immunosuppressive effects; number of self-destructive mediators that lead stabilizes cell and lysosomal membranes; to hypoxia–ischemia, edema, degeneration, reduces medullospinal tissue deficiency at and necrosis of the spinal cord2. Therefore, the injured site; improves blood flow to the protecting the uninjured portions of the spinal injured spinal cord segment; reduces edema; cord and suppressing medullospinal edema are increases the activity of Na+/K+-dependent the key early treatments for ASCI. However, the ATP enzyme; increases the resting potentials mechanisms of ASCI-induced medullospinal and excitabilities of spinal cord motor fibers; edema are still unclear. Aquaporins (AQPs) and promotes the generation and conduction are closely related to tissue edema and AQP4 of spinal cord impulses8. In this study, we is the most studied isoform in the central observed the impact of MP on medullospinal nervous system, as it is widely distributed in edema in rats with ASCI, and investigated the the brain and spinal cord; it is closely related Kir4.1- and AQP4-related mechanisms of MP- to trauma-induced brain and medullospinal mediated suppression of medullospinal edema edema. Oklinski et al.3 found that AQP4 is in rats with ASCI. mainly expressed in the astrocytes of the rat spinal cord, as well as in the gray matter and ■ Methods white matter of the spinal cord; it is most highly expressed on the membranes of perivascular This study was carried out in strict astrocytes in the gray matter. AQP4 participates accordance with the recommendations in in the transportation of water molecules in the the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory brain, as well as the regulation of electrolytes Animals of the National Institutes of Health. and osmotic pressure, in the physiological state; The animal use protocol has been reviewed under pathological conditions, it is involved and approved by the Institutional Animal Care in tissue edema caused by bodily injury4. and Use Committee (IACUC) of Jilin University. Overexpression of AQP4 in the gray matter Healthy, male Sprague Dawley (SD) of the spinal cord indicates that AQP4 might rats (250–300 g) were provided by the play an important role in regulating the water Experimental Animal Center of Jilin University; balance of the spinal cord. Inward rectifier rat breeding and experimental manipulations potassium channel 4.1 (Kir4.1) participates in were performed in accordance with the not only the formation of action potentials, but management and protection requirements also water transportation, in brain tissues5. The for experimental animals. The rats were expression of Kir4.1 in rats with focal cerebral bred by special individuals, and maintained ischemia/reperfusion positively correlated with 6 rats to a cage, with free access to 176 Acta Cir Bras. 2018;33(2):175-184 Effects of aquaporin 4 and inward rectifier potassium channel 4.1 on medullospinal edema after methylprednisolone treatment to suppress acute spinal cord injury in rats Li Y et al. food and drinking water on a 12-h light/dark the sham-group rats were incised to expose the cycle, at 22°C±3°C. We utilized MP (Sigma- dural sac without the use of a spinal cord clip to Aldrich, USA); a BCA protein concentration damage the spinal cord. After the surgery, the detection kit, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) rats from each group were fed separately, and membranes, 100 ug of protein were loaded per assisted with urination and defecation in the lane, and protein molecular weight standards early post-operative stages. The rats in the MP (Invitrogen, USA); anti-AQP4 (PA1220, BOSTER, group were slowly injected with 30 mg/kg MP China) and anti--Kir4.1 (A02619, BOSTER, solution via the tail vein within 1 h of the ASCI China) monoclonal antibodies, anti-β-actin surgery; the total, 23-h dose was calculated primary antibody (1:1000 dilution, WL0002, according to 5.4 mg/kg/h, and injected once wanleibio, China), and horseradish peroxidase every 8 h; the injection time points were post- conjugated anti-rabbit secondary antibody (0.2 operative days 3 and 7. µg/ml, WLA023, wanleibio, China), a vertical electrophoresis and membrane-transferring Tarlov scoring system (Hoefer, USA); and a quantitative A modified Tarlov scoring method was polymerase chain reaction (PCR) instrument applied to score the motor functions of the (Exicycler 96, BIONEER). rats in each group at 8 h, 24 h, 3 d, and 7 d Experimental grouping and the establishment post-surgery, to determine the success of the of an ASCI animal model modeling. The scoring criteria were as follows: 0, complete paralysis without reaction to SD rats were randomly divided into lower limb acupuncture; 1, complete paralysis control, sham, ASCI, and MP groups, with with reaction to lower limb acupuncture, but 10 rats in each group. After weighing them, inability to move limbs; 2, limb movement, but we anesthetized the rats by intraperitoneal inability to stand or stand stably (<5 s); 3, ability injection of 10% chloral hydrate (3 mg/kg); to stand, but not walk; 4, ability to walk a few we then fixed them in the prone position on unstable steps; 5, ability to walk slowly but the operating table, removed their back fur, inflexibly with some defects; 6, ability to walk and disinfected their skin. The T6 spinous normally. The rats with motor nerve function process was set as the center, and a single, scores from 0 to 2 were deemed to successfully approximately 5-cm incision was made along model ASCI, and were selected for subsequent the middle of the back to expose the T5 to T7 experiments. spinous processes and lamina; the T6 spinous Water content detection in medullospinal process and lamina were removed to reveal tissues approximately 0.5 cm of dural sac. The width of a spinal cord clip was adjusted to 1 mm and its Five rats in each group were randomly 2 blades were placed along the bilateral sides selected, and anesthetized with 10% chloral of the dural sac of the rats in the ASCI and MP hydrate (3 mg/kg); the incision of the original groups, then quickly adjusted to 2 mm and approach was reopened, the paraspinal clipped to the spinal cord for approximately muscles were peeled to expose the T5 to T7 1 min; spasm and swing of the rats’ lower lamina, then the T5 to T7 spinal cord segments limbs and tail indicated that the spinal cord were removed.