Drug Spurs Neuron Growth in Mice with Chronic Spinal Cord Injury

Good news, but progress is slow! I guess, we have to wait for the next breakthrough!

However, this study shows that neuron growth can be stimulated even long after the injury occurred.

"A weekly drug treatment strengthens neural connections and enhances neuron regeneration in mice with chronic spinal cord injuries ...
The new study finds that activating the CREB-binding protein (CBP) and a related protein called p300 can promote axon regeneration at the lesion site long after the initial injury. CBP/p300 are histone acetyltransferases, meaning they can modify histones and unwind DNA, promoting the transcription of a number of genes, including growth-associated ones, by making them more physically accessible to cellular machinery. But the study, which involved treating mice with a drug that activates CBP/p300, did not find that the proteins’ effects led to any improvements in the mice’s ability to move or walk. ...
this is the first study to show that epigenetic activation can boost neural growth in a near-complete spinal lesion long after the initial injury. ..."

From the abstract:

"The interruption of spinal circuitry following spinal cord injury (SCI) disrupts neural activity and is followed by a failure to mount an effective regenerative response resulting in permanent neurological disability. ... Here, we have investigated whether the epigenetic stimulation of the regenerative gene expression program can overcome the current inability to promote neurological recovery in chronic SCI with severe disability. We delivered the CBP/p300 activator CSP-TTK21 or vehicle CSP weekly between week 12 and 22 following a transection model of SCI in mice housed in an enriched environment. Data analysis showed that CSP-TTK21 enhanced classical regenerative signalling in dorsal root ganglia sensory but not cortical motor neurons, stimulated motor and sensory axon growth, sprouting, and synaptic plasticity, but failed to promote neurological sensorimotor recovery. This work provides direct evidence that clinically suitable pharmacological CBP/p300 activation can promote the expression of regeneration-associated genes and axonal growth in a chronic SCI with severe neurological disability."

Drug Spurs Neuron Growth in Mice with Chronic Spinal Cord Injury | The Scientist Magazine® A protein duo increases transcription of growth-related genes to enhance axon regeneration and boost plasticity, a study finds—but fails to improve mobility.

CBP/p300 activation promotes axon growth, sprouting, and synaptic plasticity in chronic experimental spinal cord injury with severe disability (open access)

Fig 3. Axonal growth and synaptic plasticity in CSP-TTK21-treated mice in a chronic SCI.