J Korean Neurosurg Soc.  2003 Aug;34(2):146-152.

The Effect of Transglutaminase on the Recovery of Somatosensory Evoked Potentials in the Rat Model of Spinal Cord Injury

• Lee HY
• Kwun BD
• Kim SY

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
The authors present an investigation of the effect of transglutaminase(TG) on the recovery of somatosensory evoked potentials in the rat model of spinal cord injury. METHODS: Female Sprague-Dawley rats(280-310g) were used for this study. Rats were divided into two groups: TG treated and control. The lesion was made by transecting the right dorsal column of the thoracic spinal cord without damage to the vasculature using specially devised micro-glass pipette after laminectomy. For TG treated group, normal saline with TG were injected into the lesion site using micro-pipette through the opening of the dura. Saltatory repetitive somatosensory evoked potentials(SSEPs) recording were carried out on post-injury 6th and 12th week.
RESULTS
The amplitudes of N19 were 1.28+/-1.60 microV on 6th week, 3.45+/-3.63 microV on 12th week in control group(n=10) and 1.46+/-1.75 microV on 6th week and 5.01+/-2.65 microV on 12th week in TG-treated group(n=11). Statis-tically significant recovery of SSEPs were seen in TG-treated group(p=0.003, Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test). In TG-treated group, vacuolated degeneration around the lesion site was rarely observed on histological evaluation.
CONCLUSION
This study demonstrates the possibility of long-term survival and saltatory recording of SSEPs in small animals like rats, after selective spinal cord injury. In addition, this study shows that TG is a factor facilitating the recovery of injured axon of central nervous system.

Keyword

Rat; Somatosensory evoked potentials; Spinal cord injury; Transglutaminase

MeSH Terms

Animals
Axons
Central Nervous System
Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory*
Female
Humans
Laminectomy
Models, Animal*
Rats*
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Spinal Cord Injuries*
Spinal Cord*