Evaluation of Enzyme Histochemistry and Immunohistochemistry on TRH in Treating Experimental Spinal Cord Injury

Aim To provide reliable morphological evidence for therapeutic effects of thyrotropinreleasing hormone (TRH) on the experimental spinal cord injury. Methods Wistar rats were subjected to incomplete spinal cord injury with the modified Allen methods; Acetylcholinesterase (AchE) activity and acid phosphatase (ACP) activity of anterior horn cells in the normal group, the treated group and the control group were measured respectively with the quantitative enzyme histochemistry; The number of axon in the spinal white matter was surveyed in the three groups by means of the quantitative immunohistochemistry; The spinal tissue injury was also observed ultrastructurally. Results (1) AchE activity of anterior horn cells in the treated group was higher than that of the control group at various time, and its activity restored to normal level basically two weeks after injury; ACP activity was lower than that of the control group in various time, and its activity restored to normal level basically four weeks after injury. (2) The number of axon in a certain area of spinal white matter in the treated group was more than that of the control group. (3) Ultrastructural observation showed that both the nerve tissue injury and the extent of hemorrhage were milder in the treated group than that of the control group. Conclusion The therapeutic effects of TRH on the experimental spinal cord injury have the reliable morphological evidence.