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Comprehensive Insights into Molecular Mechanisms and Pathophysiology of Spinal Cord Injury

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pathology, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 November 2024) | Viewed by 4225

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Jivko V. Stoyanov

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Swiss Paraplegic Research, 6207 Nottwil, Switzerland
Interests: spinal cord injury; biology of aging; molecular and cell biology; biobanking; immunity and infection

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the molecular mechanisms and pathophysiology of spinal cord injury (SCI) using both traditional and omics approaches. SCI is a devastating condition affecting millions of individuals worldwide; therefore, understanding its underlying molecular mechanisms is crucial for the development of effective therapies.

The scope of this Special Issue includes original research articles, reviews, and perspectives that cover topics such as the identification of biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis, the characterization of molecular pathways involved in SCI pathophysiology, and the development of novel therapeutics based on these molecular changes. Additionally, this Issue explores the challenges and opportunities associated with combining traditional and omics approaches in the study of SCI, including data integration, standardization, and analysis.

This Special Issue aims to bring together an interdisciplinary group of researchers and experts to provide a comprehensive perspective on the latest research on SCI, from traditional techniques to omics approaches. We believe that the contributions to this Special Issue will shed light on the potential for these technologies to lead to new diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic strategies for this debilitating condition. We invite researchers from diverse backgrounds to contribute to this Issue to enhance our understanding of SCI and its underlying molecular mechanisms.

Prof. Dr. Jivko V. Stoyanov
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • spinal cord injury
  • pathophysiology
  • molecular mechanisms
  • omics approaches
  • genomics
  • proteomics
  • metabolomics

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 3681 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Lower Limb Combined Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation on Skeletal Muscle Cross-Sectional Area and Inflammatory Signaling
by Amal Alharbi, Jia Li, Erika Womack, Matthew Farrow and Ceren Yarar-Fisher
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(20), 11095; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms252011095 - 16 Oct 2024
Viewed by 899
Abstract
In individuals with a spinal cord injury (SCI), rapid skeletal muscle atrophy and metabolic dysfunction pose profound rehabilitation challenges, often resulting in substantial loss of muscle mass and function. This study evaluates the effect of combined neuromuscular electrical stimulation (Comb-NMES) on skeletal muscle [...] Read more.
In individuals with a spinal cord injury (SCI), rapid skeletal muscle atrophy and metabolic dysfunction pose profound rehabilitation challenges, often resulting in substantial loss of muscle mass and function. This study evaluates the effect of combined neuromuscular electrical stimulation (Comb-NMES) on skeletal muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) and inflammatory signaling within the acute phase of SCI. We applied a novel Comb-NMES regimen, integrating both high-frequency resistance and low-frequency aerobic protocols on the vastus lateralis muscle, to participants early post-SCI. Muscle biopsies were analyzed for CSA and inflammatory markers pre- and post-intervention. The results suggest a potential preservation of muscle CSA in the Comb-NMES group compared to a control group. Inflammatory signaling proteins such as TLR4 and Atrogin-1 were downregulated, whereas markers associated with muscle repair and growth were modulated beneficially in the Comb-NMES group. The study’s findings suggest that early application of Comb-NMES post-SCI may attenuate inflammatory pathways linked to muscle atrophy and promote muscle repair. However, the small sample size and variability in injury characteristics emphasize the need for further research to corroborate these results across a more diverse and extensive SCI population. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Comprehensive Insights into Molecular Mechanisms and Pathophysiology of Spinal Cord Injury)
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15 pages, 2984 KiB  
Article
MicroRNA-133b Dysregulation in a Mouse Model of Cervical Contusion Injury
by James Young Ho Yu, Thomas C. Chen and Camelia A. Danilov
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(5), 3058; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25053058 - 6 Mar 2024
Viewed by 978
Abstract
Our previous research studies have demonstrated the role of microRNA133b (miR133b) in healing the contused spinal cord when administered either intranasally or intravenously 24 h following an injury. While our data showed beneficial effects of exogenous miR133b delivered within hours of a spinal [...] Read more.
Our previous research studies have demonstrated the role of microRNA133b (miR133b) in healing the contused spinal cord when administered either intranasally or intravenously 24 h following an injury. While our data showed beneficial effects of exogenous miR133b delivered within hours of a spinal cord injury (SCI), the kinetics of endogenous miR133b levels in the contused spinal cord and rostral/caudal segments of the injury were not fully investigated. In this study, we examined the miR133b dysregulation in a mouse model of moderate unilateral contusion injury at the fifth cervical (C5) level. Between 30 min and 7 days post-injury, mice were euthanized and tissues were collected from different areas of the spinal cord, ipsilateral and contralateral prefrontal motor cortices, and off-targets such as lung and spleen. The endogenous level of miR133b was determined by RT-qPCR. We found that after SCI, (a) most changes in miR133b level were restricted to the injured area with very limited alterations in the rostral and caudal parts relative to the injury site, (b) acute changes in the endogenous levels were predominantly specific to the lesion site with delayed miR133b changes in the motor cortex, and (c) ipsilateral and contralateral hemispheres responded differently to unilateral SCI. Our results suggest that the therapeutic window for exogenous miR133b therapy begins earlier than 24 h post-injury and potentially lasts longer than 7 days. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Comprehensive Insights into Molecular Mechanisms and Pathophysiology of Spinal Cord Injury)
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14 pages, 2638 KiB  
Article
Assessing the Feasibility of a Multimodal Approach to Pain Evaluation in Early Stages after Spinal Cord Injury
by Simona Capossela, Gunther Landmann, Mario Ernst, Lenka Stockinger and Jivko Stoyanov
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(13), 11122; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241311122 - 5 Jul 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1725
Abstract
This research evaluates the feasibility of a multimodal pain assessment protocol during rehabilitation following spinal cord injury (SCI). The protocol amalgamates clinical workup (CW), quantitative sensory testing (QST), and psychosocial factors (PSF) administered at 4 (T1), 12 (T2), and 24 (T3) weeks post [...] Read more.
This research evaluates the feasibility of a multimodal pain assessment protocol during rehabilitation following spinal cord injury (SCI). The protocol amalgamates clinical workup (CW), quantitative sensory testing (QST), and psychosocial factors (PSF) administered at 4 (T1), 12 (T2), and 24 (T3) weeks post injury and at discharge (T4). Molecular blood biomarkers (BB) were evaluated via gene expression and proteomic assays at T1 and T4. Different pain trajectories and temporal changes were identified using QST, with inflammation and pain-related biomarkers recorded. Higher concentrations of osteopontin and cystatin-C were found in SCI patients compared to healthy controls, indicating their potential as biomarkers. We observed altered inflammatory responses and a slight increase in ICAM-1 and CCL3 were noted, pointing towards changes in cellular adhesion linked with spinal injury and a possible connection with neuropathic pain. Despite a small patient sample hindering the correlation of feasibility data, descriptive statistical analyses were conducted on stress, depression, anxiety, quality of life, and pain interferences. The SCI Pain Instrument (SCIPI) was efficient in distinguishing between nociceptive and neuropathic pain, showing a progressive increase in severity over time. The findings emphasize the need for the careful consideration of recruitment setting and protocol adjustments to enhance the feasibility of multimodal pain evaluation studies post SCI. They also shed light on potential early adaptive mechanisms in SCI pathophysiology, warranting the further exploration of prognostic and preventive strategies for chronic pain in the SCI population. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Comprehensive Insights into Molecular Mechanisms and Pathophysiology of Spinal Cord Injury)
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