Transcriptome of rat subcortical white matter and spinal cord after spinal injury and cortical stimulation

Bethany R Kondiles,Steve I Perlmutter,Jia Qian Wu,Lesley S Chaboub,Philip J Horner,Haichao Wei

doi:10.1038/s41597-021-00953-4

Abstract

Spinal cord injury disrupts ascending and descending neural signals causing sensory and motor dysfunction. Neuromodulation with electrical stimulation is used in both clinical and research settings to induce neural plasticity and improve functional recovery following spinal trauma. However, the mechanisms by which electrical stimulation affects recovery remain unclear. In this study we examined the effects of cortical electrical stimulation following injury on transcription at several levels of the central nervous system. We performed a unilateral, incomplete cervical spinal contusion injury in rats and delivered stimulation for one week to the contralesional motor cortex to activate the corticospinal tract and other pathways. RNA was purified from bilateral subcortical white matter and 3 levels of the spinal cord. Here we provide the complete data set in the hope that it will be useful for researchers studying electrical stimulation as a therapy to improve recovery from the deficits associated with spinal cord injury.

Highlights

Background & SummarySpinal cord injury (SCI) disrupts motor and sensory signaling below the lesion and negatively impacts the quality of life of affected individuals
Electrical stimulation is an intervention used to modulate the excitability of neurons, induce neural plasticity, and promote functional recovery after damage to the central nervous system (CNS)
Other studies have examined the effects of electrical stimulation on transcription in CNS neurons, such as cultured dorsal root ganglion cells[7] and hippocampal neurons in freely moving rats[8]

Summary

Introduction

Spinal cord injury (SCI) disrupts motor and sensory signaling below the lesion and negatively impacts the quality of life of affected individuals. After SCI, direct stimulation of the spinal cord[1,2] and brain[3,4] can aid functional recovery. Other studies have examined the effects of electrical stimulation on transcription in CNS neurons, such as cultured dorsal root ganglion cells[7] and hippocampal neurons in freely moving rats[8]. One study endeavored to detail the effects of a brief stimulation of the brain stem on transcription after thoracic SCI9.

Results

Conclusion