OBJECTIVE: To ascertain whether Premarin improves spinal cord injury outcomes in male rats by stimulating both angiogenesis and neurogenesis. DESIGN: Chi Mei Medical Center research laboratory. SUBJECTS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats 240-258 g. INTERVENTIONS: Anesthetized rats, after the onset of spinal cord injury, were divided into two groups and given the vehicle solution (1 mL/kg of body weight) or Premarin (1 mg/kg of body weight). Saline or Premarin solutions were administered intravenously and immediately after spinal cord injury. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Premarin (an estrogen sulfate) causes attenuation of spinal cord injury-induced spinal cord infarction and hind limb locomotor dysfunction. Spinal cord injury-induced apoptosis as well as activated inflammation was also significantly Premarin-reduced. In injured spinal cord, angiogenesis, neurogenesis, and production of an antiinflammatory cytokine were all Premarin therapy-promoted. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that Premarin therapy may protect against spinal cord apoptosis after spinal cord injury through mechanisms stimulating both angiogenesis and neurogenesis in male rats.
OBJECTIVE: To ascertain whether Premarin improves spinal cord injury outcomes in male rats by stimulating both angiogenesis and neurogenesis. DESIGN: Chi Mei Medical Center research laboratory. SUBJECTS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats 240-258 g. INTERVENTIONS: Anesthetized rats, after the onset of spinal cord injury, were divided into two groups and given the vehicle solution (1 mL/kg of body weight) or Premarin (1 mg/kg of body weight). Saline or Premarin solutions were administered intravenously and immediately after spinal cord injury. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Premarin (an estrogen sulfate) causes attenuation of spinal cord injury-induced spinal cord infarction and hind limb locomotor dysfunction. Spinal cord injury-induced apoptosis as well as activated inflammation was also significantly Premarin-reduced. In injured spinal cord, angiogenesis, neurogenesis, and production of an antiinflammatory cytokine were all Premarin therapy-promoted. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that Premarin therapy may protect against spinal cord apoptosis after spinal cord injury through mechanisms stimulating both angiogenesis and neurogenesis in male rats.