Barrier-breaking drug may lead to spinal cord injury treatments

Injections of a new drug may partially relieve paralyzing spinal cord injuries, based on indications from a study in rats. Every year, tens of thousands of people are paralyzed by spinal cord injuries. The injuries crush and sever the long axons of spinal cord nerve cells, blocking communication between the brain and the body and resulting in paralysis below the injury. Researchers came up with the idea of designing a drug that would help axons regenerate without having to touch the healing spinal cord, as current treatments may require. The results were amazing. Scientists developed a drug that allows axons to cross impenetrable barriers leading to the treatment of spinal cord injuries. From this study researchers found how interactions between PTP sigma and chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans prevent axon growth. Drugs were designed to mimic the shape of a critical part of PTP sigma, called the wedge. Different designs were tested on neurons grown in petri dishes alongside impenetrable barriers of proteoglycans. Treatment with ISP freed axon growth.