The European journal of neuroscience
-
Injury to the spinal cord induces a complex cascade of cellular reactions at the local lesion area: secondary cell death and inflammatory reactions as well as scar and cavity formation take place. In order to investigate the molecular features underlying this local wounding response and to determine their pathophysiological implications, we studied the expression pattern of pro-inflammatory and chemoattractant cytokines in an experimental spinal cord injury model in mouse. We show by in situ hybridization that transcripts for the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF alpha and IL-1 as well as the chemokines MIP-1alpha and MIP-1beta are upregulated within the first hour following injury. ⋯ The defined cytokine pattern observed indicates that the inflammatory events upon lesioning the CNS are tightly controlled. The very early expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine and chemokine messages may represent an important element of the recruitment of inflammatory cells. Additional pathophysiological consequences of the specific cytokine pattern observed remain to be determined.