Effect of Sirtuin-1 and Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway in Rat Model of Spinal Cord Injury

Abstract

Sirtuin-1 (SIRT1) has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects and has been reported to be involved in spinal cord injury (SCI). Wnt/β-catenin signal has been shown to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of chronic diseases, and it participated in the recovery of nerve function after SCI. However, the specific link between them in SCI is unclear. In addition, targeting posttraumatic astrocyte apoptosis is crucial for improving neural degeneration and locomotor function. Therefore, in this article, we studied the relationship of β-catenin and SIRT1 using in the SCI rat model and primary astrocyte treated with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) or lithium chloride (LiCl). Results showed that after SCI, SCI area and motor function recover over time, and β-catenin is gradually increased to the seventh day and then in turn decreases until 4 weeks, positively correlated with cell apoptosis. The expression of SIRT1 and downstream FOXO4 gradually increased, and β-catenin is negatively correlated with SIRT1 expression. Moreover, treatment with H2O2 in primary cultured astrocyte significantly increased β-catenin and Caspase-3 expression, while decreased SIRT1 and Forkhead box O- (FOXO-) 4. The immunofluorescence results are consistent with this. Administration of LiCl further aggravates the above results. These findings suggest that SIRT1 is negatively correlated with β-catenin in SCI, which promotes the apoptosis of motor neuron cells, which may be related to the participation of FOXO4.