HMGB1 as a therapeutic target in spinal cord injury: A hypothesis for novel therapy development

• Published in: Experimental and therapeutic medicine Vol. 2; no. 5; pp. 767 - 770
• Main Authors: KIKUCHI, KIYOSHI, UCHIKADO, HISAAKI, MIURA, NAOKI, MORIMOTO, YOKO, ITO, TAKASHI, TANCHAROEN, SALUNYA, MIYATA, KEI, SAKAMOTO, ROKUDAI, KIKUCHI, CHIEMI, IIDA, NARUMI, SHIOMI, NAOTO, KURAMOTO, TERUKAZU, MIYAGI, NAOHISA, KAWAHARA, KO-ICHI
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Greece D.A. Spandidos 01.09.2011
• Subjects: high mobility group box 1; Review; spinal cord injury; transplantation
• ISSN: 1792-0981; 1792-1015
• DOI: 10.3892/etm.2011.310

Historically, clinical outcomes following spinal cord injury (SCI) have been dismal. Severe SCI leads to devastating neurological deficits, and there is no treatment available that restores the injury-induced loss of function to a degree that an independent life can be guaranteed. To address all the issues associated with SCI, a multidisciplinary approach is required, as it is unlikely that a single approach, such as surgical intervention, pharmacotherapy or cellular transplantation, will suffice. High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is an inflammatory cytokine. Various studies have shown that HMGB1 plays a critical role in SCI and that inhibition of HMGB1 release may be a novel therapeutic target for SCI and may support spinal cord repair. In addition, HMGB1 has been associated with graft rejection in the early phase. Therefore, HMGB1 may be a promising therapeutic target for SCI transplant patients. We hypothesize that inhibition of HMGB1 release rescues patients with SCI. Taken together, our findings suggest that anti-HMGB1 monoclonal antibodies or short hairpin RNA-mediated HMGB1 could be administered for spinal cord repair in SCI patients.