caspase-3 mRNA expression was measured by qRT-PCR in laser-
captured cortical neurons. Microglia activation and neuronal injury
was assessed in brain sections by immunofluorescence using specific
antibodies against CD11b and activated caspase-3 respectively.
Results:
In the vestibulomotor and cognitive tests, SPL-treated
animals performed significantly better than the BINT group and
similarly to SHAM animals (one-way ANOVA,
P
<
0.05). SPLT up-
regulated mRNA encoding BDNF and down-regulated the pro-apo-
ptotic protein caspase-3 in cortical neurons (one-way ANOVA,
P
<
0.05). Immunofluorescence demonstrated that SPLT inhibited
microglia activation and reduced the number of cortical neurons ex-
pressing the activated form of caspase-3 (one-way ANOVA,
P
<
0.05).
Conclusions:
These data strongly support the neuroprotective ef-
fect of SPLT and it prompts further studies aimed at developing SPLT
as a therapeutic intervention after TBI.
Support: These studies were completed as part of an interdisci-
plinary research team funded by The Moody Project for Translational
Traumatic Brain Injury.
Keywords: Pulsed Laser Therapy, Neurotrauma, Ultrasound,
Traumatic Brain Injury
D8-22
FUNCTIONAL PRESERVATION OF RETINAL GANGLION
CELLS WITH P7C3-S243 FOLLOWING BLAST MEDIATED
TBI
Matthew Harper
1
, Terry Yin
2
, Laura Dutca
1
, Danielle Rudd
1
,
Andrew Pieper
2
1
VA Health Care System; University of Iowa, Department of Oph-
thalmology and Visual Sciences, Iowa City, USA
2
VA Health Care System; University of Iowa, Department of Psy-
chiatry, Iowa City, USA
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) frequently leads to chronic visual
dysfunction. The goal of this study was to evaluate potential
neuroprotection of retinal ganglion cell (RGC) function by the
neuroprotective molecule P7C3-S243 after blast-mediated TBI.
Blast-mediated TBI was modeled using an enclosed blast chamber
to generate a blast wave. Analysis of RGC function was performed
using the neutral position and provocative pattern electro-
retinogram (PERG) 1, 4 and 16 weeks post injury. Decrements in
neutral position PERG after blast-mediated TBI occur in a tem-
porally bimodal fashion, with a temporary recovery 4 weeks after
injury followed by chronically persistent dysfunction 16 weeks
following induction of injury. However, analysis of the provocative
PERG demonstrated a decreased amplitude 4 weeks post injury.
Taken together these results indicates persistent sub-clinical RGC
dysfunction. We have also shown that treatment with P7C3-S243
prevented a decrease in the provocative PERG 4 weeks post injury.
Chronic treatment with P7C3-S243 also prevented chronic changes
in the PERG 16 weeks post injury. These results suggest that
provocative PERG testing may serve as a noninvasive test in the
living organism to identify early damage to the visual system, and
may also reflect corresponding damage in the brain that is not
otherwise easily detectable. These findings might provide the basis
for developing an earlier diagnostic test to identify patients at risk
for developing chronic visual dysfunction after TBI at an earlier
stage when treatments may be more effective in preventing chronic
dysfunction. In addition, we have shown tht treatment with the
neuroprotective agent P7C3-S243 after TBI protects the visual
system dysfunction after TBI.
Keywords: Retina, Vision, Ganglion Cell, electroretinography
D8-23
EVALUATION OF KOLLIDON VA64 IN THE WRAIR PBBI
MODEL: STUDIES FROM THE OPERATION BRAIN TRAU-
MA THERAPY (OBTT) CONSORTIUM
Krista Caudle
1
, Stefania Mondello
2
, Janice Gilsdorf
1
, Frank
Tortella
1
, Deborah Shear
1
1
Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Brain Trauma Neuropro-
tection and Neurorestoration, Silver Spring, USA
2
University of Messina, Neurosciences Department, Messina, Italy
Operation Brain Trauma Therapy (OBTT) is a multi-center con-
sortium established to provide cross-model preclinical screening of
emerging traumatic brain injury (TBI) therapies. Kollidon VA64, the
7
th
drug selected for testing by the OBTT, is a novel agent that has
demonstrated cell membrane-resealing properties that decrease TBI
induced blood brain barrier permeability as well as cytotoxic and
traumatic brain edema in both
in-vitro
and
in-vivo
TBI models.
Using the standard OBTT protocol, we assessed therapeutic efficacy
of Kollidon VA64 on neurobehavioral and neuropathological out-
comes in the WRAIR PBBI model of severe TBI. Unilateral frontal
PBBI was produced in the right hemisphere of isoflurane anesthe-
tized rats (10% injury severity level). Low (0.2 g/5 mL) or high
(0.4 g/5 mL) doses of VA64 were administered as a single intrave-
nous (IV) infusion 15 m post-injury. Motor and cognitive testing was
conducted using the rotarod at 7 and 10 days, and Morris water maze
(MWM) from 13–17 days post-PBBI, respectively. Rotarod testing
revealed similar deficits across all injury groups with mean latencies
reduced by 51
–
7% (vehicle), 46
–
9% (low), and 48
–
9% (high) vs.
sham; however no significant improvement in motor outcome was
detected across animals treated with VA64. MWM results revealed
significant deficits in all injury groups with the average latency to
find the hidden platform (across testing days) increased by 85
–
16%
(vehicle), 123
–
21% (low), and 106
–
18% (high) vs. sham. Al-
though no significant therapeutic effect was detected on spatial
learning for MWM acquisition trials, intermediate beneficial effects
were observed on the probe (missing platform) trials and thigmo-
taxis testing where animals treated with the high dose
did not
differ
from sham. Overall, the results of the current study indicate that a
single post-injury infusion of VA64 conferred only very modest
cognitive benefit in the PBBI model. Histology and biomarker re-
sults are pending. Supported by U.S. Army Grant W81XWH-10-1-
0623.
Keywords: traumatic brain injury (TBI), Kollidon VA64, Operation
Brain Trauma Therapy (OBTT), neurobehavior motor cognitive
D8-24
THE EFFECTS OF SLEEP-ALTERING DRUGS ON SLEEP
ARCHITECTURE RELATIVE TO TRAUMATIC BRAIN IN-
JURY IN RATS
Andrea Mountney
1
, Deborah Shear
1
, Chanyang Rho
1
, William
Flerlage
1
, Jacqueline Dougherty
1
, Kara Schmid
1
, Thomas Balkin
2
,
Frank Tortella
1
1
Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, BTNN, Silver Spring, USA
2
Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Behavioral Biology, Silver
Spring, USA
Service members often rely on sleep-altering drugs (caffeine/zolpi-
dem) to counteract the effects of sleep-loss and/or insomnia. However,
their impact on traumatic brain injury (TBI) recovery is unknown.
This study aimed to (1) determine the effects of caffeine/zolpidem on
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