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Evaluating the role of IL-11, a novel cytokine in the IL-6 family, in a mouse model of spinal cord injury.
- Source :
- Journal of Neuroinflammation; 2012, Vol. 9 Issue 1, p134-145, 12p, 1 Chart, 6 Graphs
- Publication Year :
- 2012
-
Abstract
- Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating condition with substantial functional and social morbidity. Previous research has established that the neuroinflammatory response plays a significant role in cord damage post-SCI. However, global immunosuppressive therapies have demonstrated mixed results. As a result, more specific therapies modulating inflammation after injury are needed. In this regard, research into cytokine signaling has demonstrated that cytokines of the gp130 family including IL-6 and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) play key roles in mediating damage to the spinal cord. Since members of the gp130 family all share a common signal transduction pathway via the JAK/STAT system, we performed the first study of a relatively new member of the gp130 family, IL-11, in SCI. Methods: A validated clip-compression mouse model of SCI was used to assess for temporal changes in expression of IL-11 and its receptor, IL-11Rα, post-SCI. To elucidate the role of IL-II in the pathophysiology of SCI, we compared differences in locomotor recovery (Basso Mouse Score; CatWalk), electrophysiological spinal cord signaling, histopathology, and the acute inflammatory neutrophil response in IL-11Rα knockouts with littermate wild-type C57BL/6 mice. Results: We found an increase in gene expression of IL-11 in the spinal cord to a peak at twenty-four hours post-SCI with increases in IL-11Rα gene expression, peaking at seven days post-SCI. In spite of clear changes in the temporal expression of both IL-11 and its receptor, we found that there were no significant differences in motor function, electrophysiological signaling, histopathology, or neutrophil infiltration into the spinal cord between wild-type and knockout mice. Conclusions: This is the first study to address IL-11 in SCI. This study provides evidence that IL-11 signaling may not play as significant a role in SCI as other gp130 cytokines, which will ideally guide future therapy design and the signaling pathways those therapies target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 17422094
- Volume :
- 9
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Journal of Neuroinflammation
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 79827124
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1186/1742-2094-9-134