Adenovirus-mediated delivery of GDNF ameliorates corticospinal neuronal atrophy and motor function deficits in rats with spinal cord injury

Neuroreport. 2004 Mar 1;15(3):425-9. doi: 10.1097/00001756-200403010-00009.

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) delivery mediated by a recombinant adenovirus (AdCMVgdnf or AdCMVlacZ) on the functional recovery and central neuronal atrophy in adult rats with spinal cord injury. Bilateral electrolytic lesions were made in the corticospinal tracts at the T10 vertebral level in a rat model. AdCMVgdnf or AdCMVlacZ was injected at the lesion site immediately after operation. After 2-3 weeks the neurological score and the inclined plane angle were significantly higher and the soma size of corticospinal motoneurons was larger in the AdCMVgdnf group compared with the AdCMVlacZ group. These results demonstrated that adenovirus-mediated delivery of GDNF could prevent the retrograde atrophy of corticospinal motoneurons and improve the motor function in rats with spinal cord injury.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenoviridae / genetics*
  • Animals
  • Atrophy
  • Behavior, Animal / physiology
  • Female
  • Genetic Therapy*
  • Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
  • Lac Operon / genetics
  • Motor Neurons / pathology
  • Movement Disorders / etiology*
  • Movement Disorders / therapy*
  • Nerve Growth Factors / biosynthesis
  • Nerve Growth Factors / genetics*
  • Pyramidal Tracts / pathology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Spinal Cord Injuries / complications*
  • Spinal Cord Injuries / therapy*
  • Stereotaxic Techniques

Substances

  • Gdnf protein, rat
  • Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
  • Nerve Growth Factors