Temporal Characterization of Mitochondrial Bioenergetics after Spinal Cord Injury

Mitochondrial dysfunction following spinal cord injury (SCI) may be critical for the development of secondary pathophysiology and neuronal cell death. Previous studies have demonstrated a loss of mitochondrial bioenergetics at 24 h following SCI. To begin to understand the evolution and study the contribution of mitochondrial dysfunction in pathophysiology of SCI, we investigated mitochondrial bioenergetics in the mid-thoracic region at 6, 12, and 24 h following contusion SCI. It is widely accepted that increased free radical generation plays a critical role in neuronal damage after SCI. Hence, to ascertain the role of free radicals in SCI-induced mitochondrial dysfunction, markers for oxidative damage, including nitrotyrosine (3-NT), lipid peroxidation byproduct (4-hydroxynonenal HNE), and protein oxidation (protein carbonyls) were quantified in the same samples of isolated mitochondria during the 24-h time course. The results demonstrate that a significant decline in mitochondrial function begins to occur 12 h post-injury and persists for a least 24 h following SCI. Furthermore, there was a progressive increase in mitochondrial oxidative damage that preceded the loss of mitochondrial bioenergetics, suggesting that free radical damage may be a major mitochondrial secondary injury process. Based on the present results, the temporal profile of mitochondrial dysfunction indicates that interventions targeting mitochondrial oxidative damage and dysfunction may serve as a beneficial pharmacological treatment for acute SCI.