Hypoxia and reperfusion produces overproduction of ROS (reactive oxygen species), which may lead to mitochondrial dysfunction leading to cell death and apoptosis. Here, we explore the hypothesis that Prdx6 protects the spinal cord white matter from hypoxia-reperfusion injury and elucidate the possible mechanism by which Prdx6 elicits its protective effects. Briefly, rats were deeply anesthetized with isoflurane. A 30-mm section of the spinal cord was rapidly removed and placed in cold Ringer's solution (2-4 °C). The dissected dorsal column was exposed to hypoxia with 95% N2 and 5% CO2 and reperfusion with 95% O2 and 5% CO2. The expression of Prdx6 significantly upregulated in white matter after hypoxia compared to the sham group, whereas reperfusion caused a gradual decrease in Prdx6 expression after reperfusion injury. For the first time, our study revealed the novel expression and localized expression of Prdx6 in astrocytes after hypoxia, and possible communication of astrocytes and axons through Prdx6. The gradual increase in Nrf2 expression suggests a negative regulation of Prdx6 through Nrf2 signaling. Furthermore, inhibition of aiPLA2 activity of Prdx6 by MJ33 shows that the regulation of Prdx6 by Nrf2 is mediated through aiPLA2 activity. The present study uncovers a differential distribution of Prdx6 in axons and astrocytes and regulation of Prdx6 in hypoxia-reperfusion injury. The low levels of Prdx6 in reperfusion injury lead to increased inflammation and apoptosis in the white matter; therefore, the results of this study suggest that Prdx6 has a protective role in spinal hypoxia-reperfusion injury.
Keywords: Hypoxia; Neuroprotection; Prdx6; Reperfusion; Spinal cord injury; White matter.