PAF antagonist treatment reduces pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNA after spinal cord injury

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Abstract
Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a pro-inflammatory molecule which contributes to secondary damage after spinal cord injury (SCI). To test if PAF contributes to cytokine induction following SCI, female Long-Evans rats were pretreated with the PAF antagonist WEB 2170 prior to receiving a contusion injury at spinal cord level T10 using the NYU impactor. RNase protection assay (RPA) analysis revealed that IL-1α mRNA peaked at 1 h post-injury while IL-1β and IL-6 mRNA levels were higher and peaked at 6 h. TNF-α mRNA was almost undetectable. All mRNA levels approached baseline by 24 h. Treatment with WEB 2170 (1 mg/kg, i.p.) 15 min prior to injury significantly decreased mRNA levels for all three cytokines at 6 h post-injury, but not at 1 h post-injury. These results demonstrate a role for PAF in proinflammatory cytokine induction after SCI.