Lentivirus-mediated Inhibition of Tumour Necrosis Factor-α improves motor function associated with PRDX6 in spinal cord contusion rats

The recovery of motor function in rats is inhibited following contusion spinal cord injury (cSCI). However, the mechanism of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) in motor function after cSCI associated with peroxiredoxin 6 (PRDX6) remains unknown. We randomly divided rats into four groups: sham, cSCI, vector and lentivirus mediating TNF-alpha RNA interference (TNF-alpha-RNAi-LV) group. The Basso, Beattie, Bresnahan (BBB) scale was used to evaluate motor function. Real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blotting were used to detect the expression of TNF-alpha and PRDX6, which were located in neurons using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and immunofluorescence. Subsequently, lentiviral-mediated TNF-alpha was used to determine the role of TNF-alpha and the relationship of PRDX6 and TNF-alpha in cSCI. After cSCI, the motor capability of hind limbs disappeared and was followed by recovery of function. IHC analysis indicated that TNF-alpha and PRDX6 were primarily located in spinal cord neurons. TNF-alpha interference significantly improved neural behaviour and increased expression of PRDX6. Our study suggests that inhibition of TNF-alpha can promote the recovery of motor function. The underlying mechanism of TNF-alpha-promoted motor function may be connected with the up-regulation of PRDX6. This provides a new strategy or target for the clinical treatment of SCI in future.