High-Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1) Is Elevated Systemically in Persons with Acute or Chronic Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury

This study investigates HMGB1, a protein that promotes inflammation, in patients with spinal cord injuries (SCI). HMGB1 is found to be elevated in preclinical models. The research measures HMGB1 levels in the plasma of adults with acute (within 1 week post-SCI) or chronic (1+ year post-SCI) injuries, comparing them to uninjured individuals. The data suggests that HMGB1 could be an early and persistent signal causing inflammation in SCI patients.

• 1
  HMGB1 levels are significantly elevated in individuals with acute SCI within 0-3 days and 4-7 days post-injury, compared to uninjured controls.
• 2
  Individuals with chronic SCI also showed significantly elevated HMGB1 levels compared to uninjured persons.
• 3
  In acute SCI, HMGB1 levels tend to be higher in participants who did not survive acute hospitalization.