Figure 4

BBB score and the diffusion of exogenous ADAMTS-4 after SCI. The graph of BBB score shows data from nine rats for each group at each time point (A). Values are presented as the means ± SEM. *, P < 0.05 (versus vehicle: repeated-measures ANOVA). ADAMTS-4 retained enzymatic activity after two weeks incubation at 37°C (B). Brevican and neurocan were regionally degraded by ADAMTS-4 around the infused area of the spinal cord (C). His-tagged recombinant ADAMTS-4 (58 kDa: arrow) was detected at the epicenter of the injured spinal cord of the ADAMTS-4 treated rat. ANOVA, analysis of variance; BBB, Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan; d, day; SCI, spinal cord injury; SEM, standard error of the mean; w, week.