Degradation of spectrin via calpains in the ventral horn after transient spinal cord ischemia in rabbits.

In the present study, we investigated chronological changes of mu-calpain, m-calpain and cleaved spectrin alphaII immunoreactivity in the ventral horn after transient spinal cord ischemia to investigate relationship between calpains and vulnerability to ischemia using abdominal aorta occlusion model in rabbits. Spinal cord sections at the level of L(7) were immunostained with calpains and cleaved spectrin alphaII monoclonal antibodies. mu-Calpain and m-calpain immunoreactivity was significantly increased in the ischemic ventral horn at 30 min and 1 h after ischemia/reperfusion, respectively.