Effects of a novel tripeptide on neurological outcomes after spinal cord injury.
Neuroreport 2006 Nov 27; 17(17):1793-6
John S SM, Bao F, Chen Y, Mathison R RD, Weaver L LC
Spinal Cord Injury Team, BioTherapeutics Research Group, Robarts Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada.
A biologically active tripeptide [phenylalanine glutamate glycine (feG)] derived from the submandibular gland has anti-inflammatory actions. We have shown that intravenous treatment with feG after spinal cord injury decreases the intraspinal infiltration of leukocytes and associated oxidative damage within 72 h after injury. The present study assessed effects of this treatment on chronic neurological outcomes after clip-compression spinal cord injury at the 12th thoracic segment. Locomotor scores of feG-treated rats were significantly higher than those of controls at 7 weeks after spinal cord injury. Treated rats had significantly less hind paw mechanical allodynia than controls at this time. In conclusion, the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative actions of feG treatment correlate with improved neurological outcomes after spinal cord injury.