A novel CX3CR1 inhibitor AZD8797 facilitates early recovery of rat acute spinal cord injury by inhibiting inflammation and apoptosis

This study investigates a new drug, AZD8797, to help rats recover from spinal cord injuries. The drug works by blocking a specific protein (CX3CR1) that causes inflammation and cell death. The research found that AZD8797, when given after a spinal cord injury, helps rats regain movement better than if they received no treatment. The drug's effect is comparable to that of methylprednisolone, a common treatment for spinal cord injuries. Further analysis revealed that AZD8797 achieves this improvement by reducing inflammation and preventing cell death (apoptosis and necrosis) in the injured spinal cord tissue. This suggests that targeting CX3CR1 could be a promising approach for treating spinal cord injuries.

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  CX3CR1 and CX3CL1 expression levels increase after spinal cord injury, peaking at 10 days, suggesting their involvement in the inflammatory response.
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  AZD8797 treatment enhances early behavioral recovery after spinal cord injury in rats, as evidenced by improved Basso Beattie Bresnahan (BBB) scores.
• 3
  AZD8797 treatment suppresses apoptosis and necrosis, and inhibits the inflammatory response by reducing levels of cytokines like IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α after spinal cord injury.