Administration of an antagonist of the
ATP-sensitive receptor P2X7
Results of Spinal Cord Injury
 Excess of Extracellular ATP
 Activation of P2X7 acceptors
 Change in astrocytes
 Motor neuron death
Effects of Extracellular ATP
 1 Treatment– No Change
 2 Treatments – 27%
Degradation
 3 Treatments – 36%
Degradation
Comparison of ATP to Degradation
products of ATP
Activation of P2X7 Through Other
Means
 P2X7 agonist 2',3'-O-(4-benzoylbenzoyl)ATP(BzATP)
used to activate P2X7
 30% motor neuron attrition
Inhibition of P2X7
 Based on previous experiments using P2X7 agonists,
researchers posited the use of an antagonist would
block the phenotype change in the astrocytes.
 OxATP
 Brilliant Blue G(BBG)
 Also known as FD&C Blue #1
 Lab rats paralyzed by dropping a 10 gram weight from
a height of 12.5 mm onto the spinal cord
 Three test groups
 Vehicle
 10 mg/kg
 50 mg/kg
Surprising Results
 Treatment with BBG for
3 consecutive days
 Regained ability to walk
 Turned Eyes and Skin
Blue!
Results at 42 Days
BBG Treated
Vehicle Treated
 Movement of hind legs
 Movement of hind legs
 Coordinated movement of
 Not coordinated
front and rear legs
 Could not support plantar
 Ability to support plantar
steps
steps
Comparing results
Untreated
Treated