Alteration in messenger RNA neurotrophin 4 and tyrosine kinase receptors B expression levels following spinal cord injury.

Background: Neurotrophins as polypeptide growth factors have important roles during nervous system development and are involved in neuronal differentiation and survival and spinal cord reorganization. Neurotrophins have been recognized as factors which are involved in the development of damaged axons and increase the axon growth ability and neuroplasticity. Spinal cord injury (SCI) is associated with numerous physiological damages, leading to neuron death, axon extended destruction healthy and intact neurons demyelination, inflammation, cell death and severe motor/sensory defects. The aim of this study was to investigate the alteration in messenger RNA neurotrophin 4 and tyrosine kinase receptors B expression levels following SCI.

Methods: In this research, to know expression level alterations of neurotrophin 4 mRNA and its receptor Trk- B at 6 hours and 1, 3, 7 and 10 days after SCI, we developed competitive RT-qPCR. mRNA was extracted from T9 injury site (epicenter, rostral and caudal to the epicenter) and reversed to cDNA.

Results: The results showed that the expression of these genes changed after SCI. The NT4 mRNA expression level in the rostral to the epicenter decreased after enhancement in the 1st 6 hours. At the epicenter and in the caudal to the epicenter, it decreased. mRNA expression level of Trk-B decreased after an increase in the initial hours in all the areas.

Conclusions: The present results showed that NT4 and Trk-B are expressed temporary and spatially following SCI and the adjustment of these neurotrophins rate in SCI may provide therapeutic benefits.