Photomechanical Wave-Driven Delivery of siRNAs Targeting Intermediate Filament Proteins Promotes Functional Recovery after Spinal Cord Injury in Rats

After a spinal cord injury, glial scars can form and prevent nerve regeneration. These scars are made of cells called astrocytes that produce too much of certain proteins (GFAP and vimentin). This study used photomechanical waves (PMWs) to deliver small pieces of RNA (siRNAs) that target and reduce the production of these scar-forming proteins in rats with spinal cord injuries. The PMWs help the siRNAs get into the cells. By reducing these proteins, the treatment helped the rats recover some motor function.

• 1
  PMW-mediated delivery of siRNAs targeting GFAP and vimentin resulted in significant improvement in locomotive function from five days post-injury.
• 2
  The treatment led to moderate silencing of the IF proteins (GFAP and vimentin).
• 3
  PMW-based siRNA delivery significantly reduced the cavity area in the injured spinal tissue.