Figure 2.

Gene delivery of ChABC leads to improved injury pathology and neuroprotection following spinal contusion. A–C, Eriochrome cyanine histochemistry in transverse spinal cord sections 12 weeks following spinal contusion shows a marked reduction in cavity formation at the lesion epicenter following LV-ChABC treatment (C), compared with contusion only (A) or LV-GFP treatment (B). D, Quantification of cavity area reveals a significant reduction in cavity size at the epicenter following LV-ChABC treatment as well as in the rostrocaudal spread of the cavity (asterisks indicate a significant difference compared with both contusion only and contusion plus LV-GFP; p < 0.05, 2-way repeated-measures ANOVA, Bonferroni's post hoc). E, F, Merged images of GFAP (astrocytes, red) and NeuN (neurons, green) immunoreactivity throughout the rostrocaudal axis. Dramatic changes in reactive gliosis and neuronal cell survival after contusion injury and LV-ChABC treatment (F) compared with contusion-only controls (E) were observed. I, Quantification of averaged NeuN-positive cells counted over a series of sections from 1 mm rostral to 1 mm caudal to the epicenter revealed a significant preservation of spinal neurons following LV-ChABC treatment, compared with contusion only and LV-GFP treatment; *p < 0.05, one-way ANOVA, Tukey's post hoc. G, H, The much reduced lesion epicenter in LV-ChABC-treated spinal cord contains numerous blood vessels, indicated by RECA-1 immunoreactivity (green). J–L, While large cystic cavities are apparent in chronically injured spinal cords (12 weeks postinjury) that are untreated or received LV-GFP treatment, numerous NF 200-positive axons (green) are apparent coursing through the lesion epicenter in LV-ChABC-treated spinal cords. A'–D', High-magnification images of the areas indicated in E and F. Scale bars: (in C) A–C, 500 μm; (in E) E, F, 500 μm; H, 500 μm; (in L) J–L, 500 μm; (in D') A'–D', 100 μm.