近5年国家自然科学基金资助耳鼻咽喉科学研究结题分析及成果简介

This paper reviewed and analyzed the 72 fulfilled projects in the discipline of Otorhinolar-yngology supported in division Ⅱ of basic research of clinical medicine by the National Natural Science Foun-dation of China (NSFC) from year 2002 to 2006, and gave a brief introduction to the part of research a-chievements. The science foundation promotes Otorhinolaryngology to a quick development, and produces some outstanding research achievements with international recognition. Thus, it plays an important role in el-evating the level of discipline and bringing up specialists. According to the retrospection and analysis of the fulfilled projects and their research achievements, we hope it can objective and overall reflect research pro-gress in the field of Otorhinolaryngology, and offer as a reference to the relevant researchers and scientific re-search managers.     

NSFC资助下的阿尔采末病药物作用靶点的研究

阿尔采末病(Alzheimesdisease,AD)是一种神经退行性病变,最近几年对AD的研究主要集中在其两个标志性的病理改变上即β样淀粉蛋白和神经纤维缠结。该文主要是根据国内外对AD的研究进展,结合国家自然科学基金委员会(NationalNatureScienceFoundationofChina,NSFC)近10年来资助的有关AD的基金项目,针对AD的药物治疗靶点作一综述。     

Autophagy： a double-edged sword for neuronal survival after cerebral ischemia

Evidence suggests that autophagy may be a new therapeutic target for stroke, but whether acti- vation of autophagy increases or decreases the rate of neuronal death is still under debate. This review summarizes the potential role and possible signaling pathway of autophagy in neuronal survival after cerebral ischemia and proposes that autophagy has dual effects.     

Large animal models of human cauda equina injury and repair: evaluation of a novel goat model

Previous animal studies of cauda equina injury have primarily used rat models, which display significant differences from humans. Furthermore, most studies have focused on electrophysiological examination. To better mimic the outcome after surgical repair of cauda equina injury, a novel animal model was established in the goat. Electrophysiological, histological and magnetic resonance imaging methods were used to evaluate the morphological and functional outcome after cauda equina injury and end-to-end suture. Our results demonstrate successful establishment of the goat experimental model of cauda equina injury. This novel model can provide detailed information on the nerve regenerative process following surgical repair of cauda equina injury.     

Short-term environmental enrichment exposure induces proliferation and maturation of doublecortin-positive cells in the prefrontal cortex

Previous studies have demonstrated that doublecortin-positive immature neurons exist pre- dominantly in the superficial layer of the cerebral cortex of adult mammals such as guinea pigs, and these neurons exhibit very weak properties of self-proliferation during adulthood under physiological conditions. To verify whether environmental enrichment has an impact on the proliferation and maturation of these immature neurons in the prefrontal cortex of adult guinea pigs, healthy adult guinea pigs were subjected to short-term environmental enrichment. Animals were allowed to play with various cognitive and physical stimulating objects over a period of 2 weeks, twice per day, for 60 minutes each. Immunofluorescence staining results indicated that the number of doublecortin-positive cells in layer II of the prefrontal cortex was significantly increased after short-term environmental enrichment exposure. In addition, these doublecortin-positive cells co-expressed 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine （a marker of cell prolifera- tion）, c-Fos （a marker of cell viability） and NeuN （a marker of mature neurons）. Experimental findings showed that short-term environmental enrichment can induce proliferation, activation and maturation of doublecortin-positive cells in layer II of the prefrontal cortex of adult guinea pigs.     

The occurrence of diffuse axonal injury in the brain：associated with the accumulation and clearance of myelin debris

The accumulation of myelin debris may be a major contributor to the inlfammatory response after diffuse axonal injury. In this study, we examined the accumulation and clearance of myelin debris in a rat model of diffuse axonal injury. Oil Red O staining was performed on sections from the cerebral cortex, hippocampus and brain stem to identify the myelin debris. Seven days after diffuse axonal injury, many Oil Red O-stained particles were observed in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus and brain stem. In the cerebral cortex and hippocampus, the amount of myelin debris peaked at 14 days after injury, and decreased signiifcantly at 28 days. In the brain stem, the amount of myelin debris peaked at 7 days after injury, and decreased signiifcantly at 14 and 28 days. In the cortex and hippocampus, some myelin debris could still be observed at 28 days after diffuse axonal injury. Our ifndings suggest that myelin debris may persist in the rat central ner-vous system after diffuse axonal injury, which would hinder recovery.     

Neuroprotective effect of interleukin-6 regulation of voltage-gated Na~+ channels of cortical neurons is time-and dose-dependent

Interleukin-6 has been shown to be involved in nerve injury and nerve regeneration, but the effects of long-term administration of high concentrations of interleukin-6 on neurons in the central nervous system is poorly understood. This study investigated the effects of 24 hour exposure of interleukin-6 on cortical neurons at various concentrations(0.1, 1, 5 and 10 ng/m L) and the effects of 10 ng/m L interleukin-6 exposure to cortical neurons for various durations(2, 4, 8, 24 and 48 hours) by studying voltage-gated Na+ channels using a patch-clamp technique. Voltage-clamp recording results demonstrated that interleukin-6 suppressed Na+ currents through its receptor in a time- and dose-dependent manner, but did not alter voltage-dependent activation and inactivation. Current-clamp recording results were consistent with voltage-clamp recording results. Interleukin-6 reduced the action potential amplitude of cortical neurons, but did not change the action potential threshold. The regulation of voltage-gated Na+ channels in rat cortical neurons by interleukin-6 is time- and dose-dependent.     

Resuscitation therapy for traumatic brain injuryinduced coma in rats:mechanisms of median nerve electrical stimulation

In this study, rats were put into traumatic brain injury-induced coma and treated with median nerve electrical stimulation. We explored the wake-promoting effect, and possible mechanisms, of median nerve electrical stimulation. Electrical stimulation upregulated the expression levels of orexin-A and its receptor OX1 R in the rat prefrontal cortex. Orexin-A expression gradually increased with increasing stimulation, while OX1 R expression reached a peak at 12 hours and then decreased. In addition, after the OX1 R antagonist, SB334867, was injected into the brain of rats after traumatic brain injury, fewer rats were restored to consciousness, and orexin-A and OXIR expression in the prefrontal cortex was downregulated. Our findings indicate that median nerve electrical stimulation induced an up-regulation of orexin-A and OX1 R expression in the prefrontal cortex of traumatic brain injury-induced coma rats, which may be a potential mechanism involved in the wake-promoting effects of median nerve electrical stimulation.     

Dorsal root ganglion neurons promote proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells

Preliminary animal experiments have confirmed that sensory nerve fibers promote osteoblast differentiation, but motor nerve fibers have no promotion effect. Whether sensory neurons promote the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells remains unclear. No results at the cellular level have been reported. In this study, dorsal root ganglion neurons(sensory neurons) from Sprague-Dawley fetal rats were co-cultured with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells transfected with green fluorescent protein 3 weeks after osteogenic differentiation in vitro, while osteoblasts derived from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells served as the control group. The rat dorsal root ganglion neurons promoted the proliferation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell-derived osteoblasts at 3 and 5 days of co-culture, as observed by fluorescence microscopy. The levels of m RNAs for osteogenic differentiation-related factors(including alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, osteopontin and bone morphogenetic protein 2) in the co-culture group were higher than those in the control group, as detected by real-time quantitative PCR. Our findings indicate that dorsal root ganglion neurons promote the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, which provides a theoretical basis for in vitro experiments aimed at constructing tissue-engineered bone.     

Sleeve bridging of the rhesus monkey ulnar nerve with muscular branches of the pronator teres: multiple amplification of axonal regeneration

Multiple-bud regeneration, i.e., multiple amplification, has been shown to exist in peripheral nerve regeneration. Multiple buds grow towards the distal nerve stump during proximal nerve fiber regeneration. Our previous studies have verified the limit and validity of multiple amplification of peripheral nerve regeneration using small gap sleeve bridging of small donor nerves to repair large receptor nerves in rodents. The present study sought to observe multiple amplification of myelinated nerve fiber regeneration in the primate peripheral nerve. Rhesus monkey models of distal ulnar nerve defects were established and repaired using muscular branches of the right forearm pronator teres. Proximal muscular branches of the pronator teres were sutured into the distal ulnar nerve using the small gap sleeve bridging method. At 6 months after suture, two-finger flexion and mild wrist flexion were restored in the ulnar-sided injured limbs of rhesus monkey. Neurophysiological examination showed that motor nerve conduction velocity reached 22.63 ± 6.34 m/s on the affected side of rhesus monkey. Osmium tetroxide staining demonstrated that the number of myelinated nerve fibers was 1,657 ± 652 in the branches of pronator teres of donor, and 2,661 ± 843 in the repaired ulnar nerve. The rate of multiple amplification of regenerating myelinated nerve fibers was 1.61. These data showed that when muscular branches of the pronator teres were used to repair ulnar nerve in primates, effective regeneration was observed in regenerating nerve fibers, and functions of the injured ulnar nerve were restored to a certain extent. Moreover, multiple amplification was subsequently detected in ulnar nerve axons.