Valproic Acid Ameliorates Locomotor Function in the Rat Model of Contusion via Alteration of Mst1, Bcl-2, and Nrf2 Gene Expression

BACKGROUND: In animal models of inflammatory diseases, Mst1 facilitates the programmed cell death as a novel pro-apoptotic kinase. This research aimed to determine the expression level of Mst1 gene in a rat model of SCI treated with VPA. METHODS: Severe rat model contusion was used for evaluation of the neuroprotective effect of valproic acid. The BBB test, was performed to determine locomotor functions. H&E staining and TUNEL assay were performed to detect cavity formation and apoptosis, respectively. The mRNA levels of the genes Mst1, Nrf2, and Bcl-2 were evaluated, using quantitative RT-PCR. RESULTS: The results revealed that Mst1 gene expression and TUNEL-positive cells in the VPA-treated group were significantly reduced as compared to the untreated group (p ≤ 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that VPA has therapeutic potential and can be a candidate for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders and traumatic injury as a promising drug.