학술논문
Relatively low levels of calpain expression in juvenile rat correlate with less neuronal apoptosis after spinal cord injury
Document Type
Academic Journal
Author
Source
Experimental Neurology. Jun 01, 2004 187(2):529-532
Subject
Language
English
ISSN
0014-4886
Abstract
Approximately 5% of spinal cord injuries in the US occur in patients younger than 16 years. These young patients have an increased mortality within the 24 h after trauma but have a greater capacity for functional recovery than adults, suggesting age-related differences in injury tolerance. Unfortunately, the response of the developing cord to secondary injury has not been thoroughly investigated. Calpain, a Ca-dependent protease, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats. Our current investigation revealed that following SCI, calpain upregulation was qualitatively less in the 21-day-old rats than in adult rats, as shown by immunofluorescent labeling. Decreased levels of TUNEL+ neurons were also noted in juvenile rat spinal cord, indicating that the developing cord may have an increased resistance to injury.