J Korean Neurosurg Soc.  2015 May;57(5):335-341. 10.3340/jkns.2015.57.5.335.

The Neuroprotective Effect of Kefir on Spinal Cord Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Rats

• Guven M
• Akman T
• Yener AU
• Sehitoglu
• Yuksel Y
• Cosar M

• KMID: 1881730
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3340/jkns.2015.57.5.335

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
The main causes of spinal cord ischemia are a variety of vascular pathologies causing acute arterial occlusions. We investigated neuroprotective effects of kefir on spinal cord ischemia injury in rats.
METHODS
Rats were divided into three groups : 1) sham operated control rats; 2) spinal cord ischemia group fed on a standard diet without kefir pretreatment; and 3) spinal cord ischemia group fed on a standard diet plus kefir. Spinal cord ischemia was performed by the infrarenal aorta cross-clamping model. The spinal cord was removed after the procedure. The biochemical and histopathological changes were observed within the samples. Functional assessment was performed for neurological deficit scores.
RESULTS
The kefir group was compared with the ischemia group, a significant decrease in malondialdehyde levels was observed (p<0.05). Catalase and superoxide dismutase levels of the kefir group were significantly higher than ischemia group (p<0.05). In histopathological samples, the kefir group is compared with ischemia group, there was a significant decrease in numbers of dead and degenerated neurons (p<0.05). In immunohistochemical staining, hipoxia-inducible factor-1alpha and caspase 3 immunopositive neurons were significantly decreased in kefir group compared with ischemia group (p<0.05). The neurological deficit scores of kefir group were significantly higher than ischemia group at 24 h (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION
Our study revealed that kefir pretreatment in spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion reduced oxidative stress and neuronal degeneration as a neuroprotective agent. Ultrastructural studies are required in order for kefir to be developed as a promising therapeutic agent to be utilized for human spinal cord ischemia in the future.

Keyword

Spinal cord ischemia; Cultured milk products; Reperfusion injury

MeSH Terms

Animals
Aorta
Caspase 3
Catalase
Cultured Milk Products*
Diet
Humans
Ischemia
Malondialdehyde
Neurons
Neuroprotective Agents*
Oxidative Stress
Pathology
Rats*
Reperfusion Injury
Spinal Cord Ischemia
Spinal Cord*
Superoxide Dismutase
Caspase 3
Catalase
Malondialdehyde
Neuroprotective Agents
Superoxide Dismutase

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Representative photomicrographs showing dead and degenerated neurons stained with toluidine blue in the ischemic spinal cord area of rats. A : Sham group showing normal architecture. B : Ischemia group showing degenerated neurons (arrowheads). C : Kefir group showing degenerated neurons (arrowhead). Toluidine blue, ×400.

• 

  Fig. 2 The representative example of caspase 3 immunohistochemical images in ischemic spinal cord section. A : Sham group showing lower caspase 3 immunopositive neurons. B : Ischemia group showing many caspase 3 immunopositive neurons (thick arrows). C : Sham and kefir group showing fewer caspase 3 immunopositive neurons than ischemia group (thick arrows). Caspase 3 primary antibody, ×200.

• 

  Fig. 3 The representative example of HIF1-α immunohistochemical images in ischemic spinal cord section. A : Sham group showing no HIF1-α immunopositive neuron. B : Ischemia group showing many HIF1-α immunopositive neurons (thin arrows). C : Kefir group showing lower HIF1-α immunopositive neurons than ischemia group (thin arrow). HIF1-α, ×200.

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