FIG. 1.

Effects of rapamycin (RAP) treatment on mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) activity after spinal cord injury (SCI). Western blot analysis showed elevated mTOR activity after both SCI and colorectal distension (CRD) at 21 days post-injury (DPI), but prolonged treatment with RAP (3 mg/kg intraperitoneally, every other day) suppressed mTOR activity in the lumbosacral spinal cord. The ratio of phosphorylated-S6 ribosomal protein to total S6 is used as a downstream indicator of mTOR activity. As a loading control, α-tubulin was used, and values are expressed relative to naïve control values. Vertical grey lines separate lanes of groups not assessed (i.e., other days post-injury with no changes). Statistical analysis was not performed because of the low sample size (n = 2 per group). Symbols are means ± standard deviation.