OBJECTIVE Spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury (SCII) is a devastating complication following thoracoabdominal aortic surgeries, often leading to severe neurological deficits. We sought to examine the effects of lycopene, a naturally existing carotenoid with anti-inflammatory properties, in the treatment against SCII. METHODS Rats were assigned into four treatment groups: Sham (sham operation), SCII (SCII-induction), LY25, and LY50 (lycopene treatment at 25 or 50 mg/kg following SCII induction, respectively). RESULTS Lycopene treatment improved the recovery of neurological functions following SCII and suppressed the neuronal cell death and neuroinflammation at 14 days after SCII. Furthermore, Western blot assay revealed that lycopene treatment attenuated the SCII-induced increase in the protein levels of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), nuclear factor-κB, and activate protein-1, as well as the reduction of heme oxygenase-1. CONCLUSION Lycopene exerted neuroprotective functions in SCII and inhibited SCII-elicited neuroinflammation via COX-2 suppression.

中文翻译：

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番茄红素通过环氧合酶2抑制对实验性脊髓缺血损伤的抗炎作用。

目的脊髓缺血/再灌注损伤（SCII）是胸腹主动脉手术后的毁灭性并发症，通常导致严重的神经功能缺损。我们试图研究番茄红素（一种天然存在的具有抗炎特性的类胡萝卜素）在针对SCII的治疗中的作用。方法将大鼠分为四个治疗组：假手术（假手术），SCII（SCII诱导），LY25和LY50（SCII诱导后分别以25或50 mg / kg的番茄红素处理）。结果番茄红素治疗改善了SCII后14天神经功能的恢复，并抑制了神经元细胞死亡和神经炎症。此外，Western blot分析显示番茄红素处理减弱了SCII诱导的环氧合酶2（COX-2）蛋白质水平的增加，核因子-κB，激活蛋白1，以及血红素加氧酶1的减少。结论番茄红素在SCII中发挥神经保护功能，并通过抑制COX-2抑制SCII引起的神经炎症。