Systemic treatment with a novel basic fibroblast growth factor mimic small-molecule compound boosts functional recovery after spinal cord injury.

Neurotrophic factors have been regarded having promising potentials for neuronal protection and regeneration, and thus promoting beneficial effects of kinesiological functions. They can be suspected to play important roles in cell/tissue grafting for various neural diseases. The clinical applications of such trophic factors to the central nervous system (CNS), however, have caused problematic side effects on account of the distinctive bioactive properties. In the course of developing synthetic compounds reflecting beneficial properties of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), we conducted screening candidates that stimulate to trigger the intracellular tyrosine phosphorylation of FGF receptor and lead to the subsequent intracellular signaling in neurons. A small synthetic molecule SUN13837 was characterized by mimicking the beneficial properties of bFGF, which have been known as its specific activities when applied to CNS. What is more remarkable is that SUN13837 is eliminated the bioactivity to induce cell proliferation of non-neuronal somatic cells. On the bases of studies of pharmacology, behavior, physiology and histology, the present study reports that SUN13837 is characterized as a promising synthetic compound for treatment of devastating damages onto the rat spinal cord.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

The authors have read the journal's policy and the authors of this manuscript have the following competing interests: S.I., K.K., Y.Ma. and Y.Mo. received research funding from Asubio Pharma Co. Ltd. R.O., S.U., N.M., N.T., Y.S., T.K., S.T.,M.K. and T.I. are employed by Asubio Pharma Co., Ltd. N.M. and N.T. are inventors on a patent granted (“Nitrogenated aromatic 6-membered ring derivative, and pharmaceutical agent comprising the same” Publication of US9139559B2). This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials