Cx. Wang et al., PRODUCTION OF TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR IN SPINAL-CORD FOLLOWING TRAUMATIC INJURY IN RATS, Journal of neuroimmunology, 69(1-2), 1996, pp. 151-156
Production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in the spinal cord following
traumatic injury has been studied. In these experiments, the level of
TNF was examined in the homogenate of the spinal cord, cerebrospinal
fluid (CSF) and serum (n = 56). TNF could be detected in the injured s
pinal cord but not in the normal spinal cord. The TNF level increased
in the spinal cord after the injury. At the lesion site, a maximal TNF
concentration was observed 1 h after the injury, and the TNF concentr
ation remained at this level until 8 h after the injury. Thereafter, i
t decreased gradually. However, TNF still could be detected 72 h after
the injury. No TNF could be detected in the CSF and serum, collected
from rats both with and without spinal cord injury (SCI). This study t
hus suggests that TNF is produced locally in the spinal cord following
traumatic injury, and this TNF production is caused by the injury. Th
e present results also demonstrate that TNF production is an acute and
rapid reaction in the spinal cord following traumatic injury.