Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Several studies have demonstrated that Rho kinase can lead to collapse of nerve growth cone and exhibits an inhibitory effect on nerve repair.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Rho kinase inhibitor Fasudil and RNAi-mediated RhoA gene silencing on nerve repair in a rat model of spinal cord injury.
METHODS: Sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats were prepared into spinal cord hemisection and then were randomly divided into control, Fasudil and RhoA siRNA groups. The Fasudil group rats were intraperitoneally injected with 10 mg/kg Fasudil, twice a day, for successive 1 week. The RhoA siRNA group rats were injected with RhoA siRNA expression plasmid into spinal cord injury area.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: At 4 weeks after injection, the hind limb motor function of the Fasudil and RhoA siRNA group rats was obviously recovered, neuronal axon-like structure was observed, horseradish peroxidase-positive nerve fibers were increased (P < 0.05), somatosensory evoked potential latency was obviously shortened, and amplitude was significantly increased (P < 0.05). These results showed that after spinal cord injury, Rho kinase inhibitor Fasudil and RNAi-mediated RhoA gene silencing can promote the neurofunctional recovery of injured spinal cord.