Effects of suppression of GFAP and vimentin at five days after trauma.

<p>The siRNAs targeting the IF proteins were delivered into the injured spinal cord using PMWs. Immunohistological images of longitudinal sections of injured spinal cords (A; GFAP, B; vimentin). Scale bars represent 200 µm. Results of western blot analysis of proteins extracted from 10-mm longitudinal spinal tissue segments centered on the injury site at five days after SCI (C; GFAP, D; vimentin). Relative expression levels of GFAP and vimentin in the SCI group, siRNA group and PMW group. Results are expressed as means+S.E.M (n = 4, each group). The expression levels of both GFAP and vimentin were standardized to those in intact spinal cords from sham-operated rats. The expression levels of these proteins increased remarkably after spinal injury, but significant suppression was observed when PMWs were applied after siRNA injection (*<i>P</i><0.05).