Resuscitation
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The aim of present study was to examine whether systemically delivered glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) was beneficial in reversing the spinal cord injury (SCI) in a spinal cord compression model. Rats were divided into three major groups: (1) sham operation (laminectomy only); (2) laminectomy+SCI+normal saline (1 ml/kg, i.v.); (3) laminectomy+SCI+GDNF (50 ng/kg, i.v.). Spinal cord injury was induced by compressing the spinal cord for 1 min with an aneurysm clip calibrated to a closing pressure of 55 g. ⋯ It was found that systemically delivered GDNF, but not vehicle solution, significantly attenuated the SCI-induced hind limb dysfunction and spinal cord infarction and apoptosis. Both GDNF and VEGF could be detected in the injury spinal cord after GDNF, but not vehicle solution, therapy. The results indicate that GDNF treatment may be beneficial in reversing hind limb dysfunction by reducing spinal cord infarction and apoptosis in a spinal cord compression model.