Neuroprotective effects of P7C3 against spinal cord injury in rats

Spinal cord injury (SCI), a serious neurological disease, has few therapeutic interventions. A small molecule, P7C3, has been confirmed to play a role in neuroprotection of some neurological diseases. But the effect of P7C3 on acute SCI has not been investigated. Here, we observed the therapeutic effect of P7C3 for alleviating the neurological damage by direct subcutaneous injection after SCI once daily for 7 or 14 days in a rat model. The locomotion and histopathological changes were evaluated. Our results demonstrated that P7C3 treatment contributed to functional recovery and tissue repair following SCI. Improved locomotor function with P7C3 treatment was correlated with increased survival of neurons and oligodendrocytes (OLs) and proliferation of OLs and their progenitors, which resulted in tissue repair and myelination in the injured SC. P7C3 treatment also restored the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide level in the SC, which was reduced by SCI. These results suggest that P7C3 plays a role in improving neurological outcome following SCI. Impact statement Spinal cord injury (SCI), a serious neurological disease, has few therapeutic interventions. This study confirms for the first time that P7C3 is conducive to functional recovery and tissue repair after SCI. P7C3 treatment can rescue the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide level of the injured spinal cord, which results in more survival of neurons and oligodendrocytes (OLs) and proliferation of OLs and their progenitors, and thus increase myelination and tissue repair. This result indicates that P7C3 plays a role in improving neurological outcome following SCI.