A cross section of the spinal cord. Credit: Getty Images
A specific small molecule can help regenerate sensory and motor neurons in the spinal cord of mice after severe injury1.
This finding is important because nerve regrowth and repair fail in chronic spinal cord injuries, says a team at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research in Bangalore, India.
Current physical rehabilitation provides limited benefits after moderate spinal cord injury, but fails to improve recovery after more severe and chronic injuries.
The scientists induced injuries to the spinal cord of mice. Twelve weekslater, one group of mice received a small molecule called TTK21 through injections once a week for 8 to 10 weeks. The molecule, attached to glucose-derived carbon nanospheres, was able to cross the blood-brain barrier, cells, and nuclear membranes. The control group only received the carbon nanospheres.
The treated mice lived in large cages with toys, tunnels and running wheels – an enriched environment that gave them opportunities to be physically active, as is encouraged in human patients.
The treatment, plus a stimulating environment, increased the expression of certain genes, causing more sensory axons to sprout in the spinal cord and halting the retraction of motor axons above the point of injury. This caused spinal cord neurons to change structurally and functionally.
Next the researchers want to devise ways to enhance these effects so that the animals can regain their ability to move with ease.
