RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Effect of Fasudil, a Selective Inhibitor of Rho Kinase Activity, in the Secondary Injury Associated with the Experimental Model of Spinal Cord Trauma JF Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics JO J Pharmacol Exp Ther FD American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics SP 21 OP 33 DO 10.1124/jpet.111.191239 VO 343 IS 1 A1 Daniela Impellizzeri A1 Emanuela Mazzon A1 Irene Paterniti A1 Emanuela Esposito A1 Salvatore Cuzzocrea YR 2012 UL http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/343/1/21.abstract AB Rho kinase (ROK) may play an important role in regulating the biological events of cells, including proliferation, differentiation, and survival/death. Blockade of ROK promotes axonal regeneration and neuron survival in vivo and in vitro, thereby exhibiting potential clinical applications in spinal cord damage and stroke. The aim of this experimental study was to determine the role of ROK signaling pathways in the inflammatory response, in particular in the secondary injury associated with the experimental model of spinal cord trauma. The injury was induced by application of vascular clips to the dura via a four-level T5 to T8 laminectomy in mice. Fasudil was administered in mice (10 mg/kg i.p.) 1 and 6 h after the trauma. The treatment with fasudil significantly decreased 1) histological damage; 2) motor recovery; 3) nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) expression; 4) ROK activity; 5) inflammasome activation (caspase-1 and NOD-like receptor family, pyrin domain-containing 3 expression); 6) production of proinflammatory cytokine such as tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-1β (IL-1β); 7) neutrophil infiltration; 8) nitrotyrosine and poly-ADP-ribose formation; 9) glial fibrillary acidic protein expression; 10) apoptosis (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling staining, FAS ligand expression, and Bax and Bcl-2 expression); and 11) mitogen-activated protein kinase activation (phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinase and phospho-c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase expression). Our results indicate that inhibition of ROK by fasudil may represent a useful therapeutic perspective in the treatment of inflammation associated with spinal cord trauma.