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Inhibiting tau protein improves the recovery of spinal cord injury in rats by alleviating neuroinflammation and oxidative stress

Neural Regeneration Research, 2023 · DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/1673-5374.363183 · Published: August 1, 2023

Spinal Cord InjuryImmunologyNeurology

Simple Explanation

After a spinal cord injury, levels of a protein called tau increase, which can worsen the damage. This study looked at whether reducing tau could help rats recover from spinal cord injuries. The researchers used a virus to deliver a substance that lowered tau levels in rats with spinal cord injuries. They found that this reduced inflammation and oxidative stress, which are harmful processes that occur after injury. By reducing inflammation and oxidative stress, inhibiting tau helped protect nerve cells, promote nerve regeneration, and improve the rats' ability to move. This suggests that targeting tau could be a useful treatment for spinal cord injuries.

Study Duration
8 weeks
Participants
120 adult female Sprague-Dawley rats
Evidence Level
Not specified

Key Findings

  • 1
    Tau inhibition after spinal cord injury down-regulated the levels of inflammatory mediators, including tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6 and interleukin-1β.
  • 2
    Tau inhibition led to a shift of activated microglial polarization from the M1 pro-inflammatory phenotype to the M2 anti-inflammatory phenotype.
  • 3
    Inhibition of tau enhances neurological recovery by 8 weeks after SCI

Research Summary

This study demonstrates the positive effects of inhibiting tau expression in the treatment of SCI, showing improved nerve tissue repair and functional recovery. Tau inhibition reduces inflammation, alleviates oxidative stress, enhances the survival of residual neurons, and facilitates neuron and axon regeneration. The improvements observed might be related to down-regulation of the p38 MAPK signal pathway after tau has been inhibited, suggesting tau as a potential molecular target for SCI therapy.

Practical Implications

Therapeutic Target

Tau could be a good molecular target for spinal cord injury therapy.

Reduce Inflammation

Tau inhibition can attenuate neuroinflammation and alleviate oxidative stress.

Promote Recovery

Tau inhibition can improve functional recovery after spinal cord injury.

Study Limitations

  • 1
    Source of abnormal tau needs further study.
  • 2
    Phosphorylated residues and phosphorylation sites on tau need further study.
  • 3
    Mechanisms through which tau inhibition influences the M1/M2 polarization require further study.

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