Investigation of neuroprotective efficacy of Activated Protein C experimental spinal cord injury

Spinal cord injury is a major health problem which does not only affect individuals, but also concerning the families and communities. Prevention of secondary injury mechanisms are thought to play a role in the treatment of the diseases.Objective: In this study, we aimed to investigate the proctective effect of different periodly applied intravenous (iv) APC on rats whose spinal cord experimentally injuried.Material-Method: In our study, 32 Wistar Albino female rats weighing between 200-250 and having normal motor activity were included. A laminectomy group having two rats and five study groups having were six rats were planed. Before surgery ether anesthesia were applied to the rats. Group L (n: 2): Laminectomy was applied. Group APC 30 (n: 6):Single dose İV 100 µg/kg APC has injected and after 30 minutes spinal cord injury was induced. Group SF (n:6): Just after spinal cord injury has been induced, İV 1 mL %0,9 NaCl was injected. Group APC acut (n: 6): After spinal cord injury has been induced single dose İV 100 µg/kg APC was injected. Group APC 6 (n: 6): Six hours after spinal cord injury has been induced single dose İV 100 µg/kg APC was injected. Group APC 12 (n: 6): Twelve hours after spinal cord injury has been induced single dose İV 100 µg/kg APC was injected. Spinal cord injury was induced bandaging dura and spinal cord with Yasargil aneurysm clip (Aesculap FE 721 K) which applies 63 grams force. In order to evaluate the functional recovery BBB locomotive rating scale were done at 3., 5., 7., 14., 21., 28., and 35 days on all rats following surgical procedures and at the end of the 35 th days, samples taken from sacrificed subjects were evaluated histopathologically.Results: We have observed significant recovery on APC group as compared to the SF group at 28 and 35 days based on the results of locomotor activitiy tests. We have observed significant increase in the number of myelinated axons and neurons on APC groups as compared to the SF group, meanwhile in SF group we found out significant increase in glial cell numbers.