Propofol combined with hyperbaric oxygen improves the prognosis of spinal cord injury in rats via MAPK/ERK signaling pathway

Purpose: To determine the effect of propofol combined with hyperbaric oxygen on spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats.Methods: A total 36 Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into sham group (S group), model (M and (P group). The Basso, Beattie Bresnahan (BBB) scoring system was adopted to evaluate recovery motor function rats. Subsequently, levels interleukin-18 (IL-18) IL-1β tissues determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Nerve cell apoptosis examined via terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Finally, protein expression MAPK/ERK assessed by Western blotting.Results: Compared S group, BBB score M decreased at days 3 10 after treatment. While P significantly increased (p < 0.05), compared group. expressions IL-18 lower groups than 0.05). had rate Furthermore, blotting results showed that pathway higher 0.05).Conclusion: Propofol, improves prognosis SCI probably regulating signaling pathway, thus paving way for development a potential treatment management humans.