Effect of co-ultramicronized palmitoylethanolamide and luteolin association on neurogenesis in a mouse model of spinal cord injury

Neurogenesis has been described in various regions of the CNS throughout life. Little is known, however, regarding the nature or extent of new cell division after spinal cord injury (SCI) in mice and about its potential to contribute to endogenous repair mechanisms. In a recent study, we have demonstrated that treatment with a new compound, a formulation including palmitoylethanolamide and luteolin, co-ultraPEALut, significantly reduced inflammatory secondary damage associated with SCI. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the neuroprotective effect of co-ultraPEALut in the injury-stimulate neurogenesis in a mouse model of SCI. SCI was induced in mice by the application of vascular clips to the dura via a four-level T5 to T8 laminectomy. The results of the present study demonstrated that the administration of co-ultraPEALut increased bromodeoxyuridine and doublecortin immunoreactive cells in the spinal cord from mice subjected to SCI. This neuronal development correlated with synaptic plasticity, identified using the Golgi impregnation method to quantify dendritic spines in spinal cord. In addition, co-ultraPEALut treatment also increased the expression of several neurotrophic factors such as BDNF, GDNF, NGF and NT3. The present study demonstrated that co-ultraPEALut could have a role on birth, survival, and differentiation of new neurons and maturation of spines in the spinal cord and could represent could represent a promising strategy for traumatic diseases