Gene expression profiles in the spinal cord below the lesion level and influence of treadmill locomotor training

Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) often leads to loss of locomotor function. Neuroplasticity of spinal circuitry underlies some functional recovery and therefore represents a therapeutic target to improve locomotor function following SCI. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms mediating neuroplasticity below the lesion level are not fully understood. The present study performed a gene expression profiling in the rat lumbar spinal cord at 1 and 3 weeks after contusive SCI at T9. The below-level gene expression profiles were compared with those of animals that were subjected to treadmill locomotor training.创伤性脊髓损伤（traumatic spinal cord injury, SCI）常引发运动功能丧失。脊髓环路的神经可塑性是部分功能恢复的生物学基础，因此可作为SCI后改善运动功能的潜在治疗靶点。然而，损伤节段以下介导神经可塑性的细胞与分子机制尚未完全明确。本研究对T9节段挫伤性SCI后1周及3周的大鼠腰段脊髓开展了基因表达谱分析，并将损伤节段以下的基因表达谱与接受跑步机运动训练的实验动物的基因表达谱进行了对比分析。