| First Author | Coll-Miró M | Year | 2016 |
| Journal | Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A | Volume | 113 |
| Issue | 5 | Pages | 1411-6 |
| PubMed ID | 26787859 | Mgi Jnum | J:229969 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:5755176 | Doi | 10.1073/pnas.1523212113 |
| Citation | Coll-Miro M, et al. (2016) Beneficial effects of IL-37 after spinal cord injury in mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 113(5):1411-6 |
| abstractText | IL-37, a member of the IL-1 family, broadly reduces innate inflammation as well as acquired immunity. Whether the antiinflammatory properties of IL-37 extend to the central nervous system remains unknown, however. In the present study, we subjected mice transgenic for human IL-37 (hIL-37tg) and wild-type (WT) mice to spinal cord contusion injury and then treated them with recombinant human IL-37 (rIL-37). In the hIL-37tg mice, the expression of IL-37 was barely detectable in the uninjured cords, but was strongly induced at 24 h and 72 h after the spinal cord injury (SCI). Compared with WT mice, hIL-37tg mice exhibited increased myelin and neuronal sparing and protection against locomotor deficits, including 2.5-fold greater speed in a forced treadmill challenge. Reduced levels of cytokines (e.g., an 80% reduction in IL-6) were observed in the injured cords of hIL-37tg mice, along with lower numbers of blood-borne neutrophils, macrophages, and activated microglia. We treated WT mice with a single intraspinal injection of either full-length or processed rIL-37 after the injury and found that the IL-37-treated mice had significantly enhanced locomotor skills in an open field using the Basso Mouse Scale, as well as supported faster speed on a mechanical treadmill. Treatment with both forms of rIL-37 led to similar beneficial effects on locomotor recovery after SCI. This study presents novel data indicating that IL-37 suppresses inflammation in a clinically relevant model of SCI, and suggests that rIL-37 may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of acute SCI. |
