Figure 5.

A) Western blot showing sPLA₂ GIIA protein expression after SCI. B) Quantification of sPLA₂ group GIIA protein levels from 1 to 28 d after SCI, assessed by Western blotting (n=3/time point) shows that expression is significantly increased at 3 and 7 d after SCI. C) Line drawing of the contused spinal cord shows the lesion in dark shade. The 3 areas outlined by the rectangles indicate regions from which the micrographs shown in panels C1–C12 were obtained. Panels illustrate double immunofluorescence images of sPLA₂ GIIA (green; C1, C4, C7, C10) colabeled with anti-CC-1 (oligodendrocytes; C2, C3), astrocytes; C5, C6), anti-Mac-1 (microglia/macrophages; C8, C9), and anti-NeuN (neurons; C11, C12). sPLA₂ GIIA is mainly expressed in astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, although some microglia/macrophages and neurons also express it (arrows). D) Time course of locomotor recovery evaluated by the BMS scores. Treatment with GK115 (n=8) shows significant improvement in the BMS scores starting from 5 d after SCI as compared to vehicle-treated mice (n=8). E) GK115-treated mice also display improvement in the finer aspects of locomotor control. F) GK115-treated animals show significantly greater tissue sparing at the lesion epicenter and adjacent regions. G) Mice treated with GK115 also have significantly greater neuron survival in the ventral horn in regions located at 500 μm rostral and caudal to the lesion epicenter. H) Mice treated with GK115 show a marked reduction of myelin loss in the epicenter and 300 μm rostral and caudal to the lesion site. I) Serotonergic innervation 1000 μm caudal to the lesion epicenter was also significantly greater in mice treated with GK115. Scale bar = 50 μm. *P < 0.05.