Drug screening in zebrafish larvae reveals inflammation-related modulators of secondary damage after spinal cord injury in mice.

ABSTRACT: Prolonged inflammation after spinal cord injury is detrimental to recovery. To find pharmacological modulators of the inflammation response, we designed a rapid drug screening paradigm in larval zebrafish followed by testing of hit compounds in a mouse spinal cord injury model. Methods: We used reduced il-1β linked green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter gene expression as a read-out for reduced inflammation in a screen of 1081 compounds in larval zebrafish. Hit drugs were tested in a moderate contusion model in mice for cytokine regulation, and improved tissue preservation and locomotor recovery. Results: Three compounds robustly reduced il-1β expression in zebrafish. Cimetidine, an over-the-counter H2 receptor antagonist, also reduced the number of pro-inflam

SUBMITTER: Oprisoreanu AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10196818 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature