The role of erythropoietin alginate/chitosan hydrogel on spinal cord injury in rats: A Stereological study

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a disabling neurological condition. In this study, first, the total volume of the thoracic spinal cord of healthy rats was calculated using stereology. In the next step, the volume of the thoracic spinal cord in the T9 area, the volume of the gray matter, white matter, vacuole, scar, and the locomotor function of animals after SCI were calculated. Erythropoietin (EPO) is a glycoprotein that protects cells in various tissues, including the spinal cord, by activating multiple signaling pathways. This study aimed to investigate the role of chitosan alginate hydrogel containing EPO on SCI. We observed that injured rats receiving EPO had improved functional recovery as assessed by the BBB Locomotor Rating in compared sham and negative control groups. Stereological estimates of the thoracic region show that the total volume of gray and white matter in the thoracic region of the rat averaged 126.2886 and 295.1914 mm3, respectively. The mean obtained from the dorsal horn in the thoracic part of the rat was 52.35028 mm3, and the abdominal horn was 60.79638 mm3, or in other words, the mean total volume of the thoracic spinal cord in the rat was 514.06 mm3. In the groups treated with a hydrogel, the amount of vacuole and scar in the spinal cord tissue was significantly reduced compared to the negative control group. Hydrogels containing EPO (1000 IU/kg) can significantly improve the tissue repair of the spinal cord at the injury site.