The role of thrombospondin-1 and transforming growth factor-β after spinal cord injury in the rat

Spinal cord injury (SCI) continues to result in high morbidity and mortality throughout the world. An effective neuroprotective agent is still not available to counteract secondary damage caused by traumatic injury. Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) have a role in angiogenesis, scar deposition, inflammation and may affect astrocyte phenotype and mobility. We investigated the role of TSP-1 and TGF-β in a model of spinal cord injury in rats. Forty female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into two equal groups: the experimental group was subject to SCI using an impactor and the sham-operated group was not subject to SCI. These animals were sacrificed at 12 h and 24 h after SCI for immunochemistry and Western blot analysis of the injured spinal segment for the expression of the TSP-1 and TGF-β proteins. We found that TSP-1 and TGF-β expression increased immediately after SCI in the injured segment. After 12 h, TSP-1 concentrations increased more rapidly and dramatically than TGF-β in the injured segment of the spinal cord. Elevations in TSP-1 and TGF-β concentrations persisted for 24 h after injury. These results show that elevated expression of TSP-1 and TGF-β can be detected in the injured segment of the spinal cord 12 and 24 h after injury. Thus, TSP-1 and TGF-β may have a role in SCI.