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Degradation of cytoskeletal proteins in experimental spinal cord injury

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Abstract

Spinal cord injury was produced in rats by dropping a 10 g weight from 30 cm upon dura-invested exposed spinal cord. Examination of the fine structure of the traumatic lesion (15 min to 30 min) revealed granular degeneration of axons and occasional loosening of myelin lamellae. Older lesions (4 to 72 hours) showed degeneration of axons and vesiculation of myelin. At 15 minutes there is more loss of neurofilament proteins than of myelin proteins. Substantial decreases in the neurofilament and myelin proteins were observed at 30 minutes and the losses were even greater 2–72 hours after injury. This indicates that degeneration of axons may precede degradation of the myelin sheath and also that increased proteinase(s) activity, possibly activated by calcium, mediates the traumatic axonolysis and myelinolysis in experimental spinal cord trauma.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Neurology and Pathology (Neuropathology), Medical University of South Carolina, 29425, Charleston, South Carolina

    Naren L. Banik, Edward L. Hogan, James M. Powers & Lily J. Whetstine

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  1. Naren L. Banik
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  2. Edward L. Hogan
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  3. James M. Powers
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  4. Lily J. Whetstine
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Banik, N.L., Hogan, E.L., Powers, J.M. et al. Degradation of cytoskeletal proteins in experimental spinal cord injury. Neurochem Res 7, 1465–1475 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00965089

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