重组水蛭素对大鼠坐骨神经损伤后神经功能的影响及可能机制

目的探讨重组水蛭素对大鼠坐骨神经损伤后神经功能的影响及对坐骨神经微管相关蛋白-2(MAP-2)、神经丝蛋白(NF-M)与生长相关蛋白43(GAP-43)蛋白表达的影响。方法 60只SD大鼠,雌雄不限,随机分为随机分为假手术组、实验组与重组水蛭素处理组。通过钳夹大鼠坐骨神经制备周围神经损伤大鼠模型,对各组大鼠进行坐骨神经指数与小腿三头肌湿重比测定,western blot方法检测坐骨神经MAP-2、NF-M与GAP-43的表达,Real time-PCR方法检测坐骨神经MAP-2 mRNA、NF-M mRNA与GAP-43 mRNA的表达水平。结果给予重组水蛭素处理后,坐骨神经损伤大鼠的坐骨神经指数明显升高,小腿三头肌湿重比减小(P<0.05);坐骨神经MAP-2、NF-M与GAP-43蛋白与mRNA的表达升高(P<0.05)。结论重组水蛭素能促进周围神经损伤后再生和功能恢复,其机制可能与上调MAP-2、NF-M与GAP-43表达相关。     

Growth-associated protein-43 is elevated in the injured rat sciatic nerve after low power laser irradiation

Low power laser irradiation (LPLI) has been used in the treatment of peripheral nerve injury. In this study, we verified its therapeutic effect on neuronal regeneration by finding elevated immunoreactivities (IRs) of growth-associated protein-43 (GAP-43), which is up-regulated during neuronal regeneration. Twenty Sprague-Dawley rats received a standardized crush injury of the sciatic nerve, mimicking the clinical situations accompanying partial axonotmesis. The injured nerve received calculated LPLI therapy immediately after injury and for 4 consecutive days thereafter. The walking movements of the animals were scored using the sciatic functional index (SFI). In the laser treated rats, the SFI level was higher in the laser treated animals at 3-4 weeks while the SFIs of the laser treated and untreated rats reached normal levels at 5 weeks after surgery. In immunocytochemical study, although GAP-43 IRs increased both in the untreated control and the LPLI treated groups after injury, the number of GAP-43 IR nerve fibers was much more increased in the LPLI group than those in the control group. The elevated numbers of GAP-43 IR nerve fibers reached a peak 3 weeks after injury, and then declined in both the untreated control and the LPLI groups at 5 weeks, with no differences in the numbers of GAP-43 IR nerve fibers of the two groups at this stage. This immunocytochemical study using GAP-43 antibody study shows for the first time that LPLI has an effect on the early stages of the nerve recovery process following sciatic nerve injury.     

The promotion of peripheral nerve regeneration by chitooligosaccharides in the rat nerve crush injury model

Chitooligosaccharides (COSs), the biodegradation product of chitosan, have shown many biological functions. In this study, we examined the possible benefits of treatment with COSs (M.W. 800) on regeneration of rat crushed sciatic nerves. The rats with sciatic nerve crush injury were administered intraperitoneally daily with 3 or 6 mg/kg body weight of COSs over a 3-week period. During and at the end of COSs treatment, a series of functional and histological examinations, including the measurement of withdrawal reflex latency (WRL) values, walking track analysis, electrophysiological assessments, morphometric analysis of gastrocnemius muscle, as well as immunohistochemistry and electromicroscopy to regenerated sciatic nerves, were performed to evaluate the therapeutic outcomes of COSs. The experimental data demonstrated that COSs promoted peripheral nerve regeneration with the desired functional recovery in the rat sciatic nerve crush injury model. This study raises a possibility of developing COSs as a potential neuroprotective agent for peripheral nerve repair applications.     

The growth-associated protein GAP-43 appears in dorsal root ganglion cells and in the dorsal horn of the rat spinal cord following peripheral nerve injury

When adult dorsal root ganglion cells are dissociated and maintained in vitro, both the small dark and the large light neurons show increases in the growth-associated protein GAP-43, a membrane phosphoprotein associated with neuronal development and plasticity. Immunoreactivity for GAP-43 appears in the cytoplasm of the cell bodies as early as 3.5 h post axotomy and is present in neurites and growth cones as soon as they develop. At early stages of culture (4 h to eight days) satellite/Schwann cells are also immunoreactive for GAP-43. Neurons in isolated whole dorsal root ganglion maintained in vitro become GAP-43-immunoreactive between 2 and 3 h after axotomy. It takes three days however, after cutting or crushing the sciatic nerve in adult rats in vivo, for GAP-43 immunoreactivity to appear in the axotomized dorsal root ganglion cells. GAP-43 immunoreactivity can be detected in the central terminals of primary afferent neurons in the superficial laminae of the dorsal horn of the lumbar enlargement four days after sciatic cut or crush. The intensity of the GAP-43 staining reaches a peak at 21 days and becomes undetectable nine weeks following crush injury and 36 weeks following sciatic nerve cut. The pattern of GAP-43 staining is identical to the distribution of sciatic small-calibre afferent terminals. Little or no staining is present in the deep dorsal horn, but GAP-43 does appear in the ipsilateral gracile nucleus 22 days after sciatic injury. In investigating the mechanism of GAP-43 regulation, blockade of axon transport in the sciatic nerve with vinblastine (10(-5) M-10(-4) M) or capsaicin (1.5%) was found to produce a pattern of GAP-43 immunoreactivity in the dorsal horn identical to that found with crush, while electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve had no effect. Axotomy of primary sensory neurons or the interruption of axon transport in the periphery therefore acts to trigger GAP-43 production in the cell body. The GAP-43 is transported to both the peripheral and the central terminals of the afferents. In the CNS the elevated GAP-43 levels may contribute to an inappropriate synaptic reorganization of afferent terminals that could play a role in the sensory disorders that follow nerve injury.     

大鼠坐骨神经损伤后Src抑制的蛋白激酶C的底物在背根神经节中的表达变化

目的:探讨大鼠坐骨神经损伤后,Src抑制的蛋白激酶C的底物(SSeCKS)在背根神经节(DRG)中的表达变化及其意义。方法:制备成年SD(Sprague-Dawley)大鼠坐骨神经夹伤及切断模型。通过Western印迹法、Real-time PCR及免疫组织化学方法检测坐骨神经损伤后SSeCKS在DRG中表达的时空变化。结果:大鼠坐骨神经夹伤后6h,DRG中可检测到SSeCKS的表达并逐步升高,伤后12h达到高峰,2d后逐渐下降;而大鼠坐骨神经切断后DRG中SSeCKS的表达高峰发生在伤后2周,1d时最低;SSeCKS主要分布于DRG大、中、小神经元胞质;SSeCKS与NeuN、NF200以及GAP43存在共定位。结论:大鼠坐骨神经损伤后,引起DRG中SSeCKS的表达变化,其可能参与疼痛信号转导通路并与周围神经损伤后的再生有关。     

Treatment of the neuromuscular junction with 4-aminopyridine results in improved reinnervation following nerve injury in neonatal rats

During early postnatal development, nerve injury results in the death of a large proportion of motoneurones and poor recovery of muscle function. Our previous results have shown that premature enhancement of transmitter release from nerve terminals prevents the death of motoneurones following neonatal nerve injury. Whether this increase in motoneurone survival is reflected in an improvement in the reinnervation of muscle was studied here. The muscles in one hindlimb of newborn rats were treated with 4-aminopyridine. Three days later, the sciatic nerve was crushed in the treated leg. When the animals were seven, 14 and 21days of age, the soleus and extensor digitorum longus muscles were removed and processed for GAP-43 (a 43-kDa growth-associated protein) and synaptophysin immunocytochemistry. Both GAP-43 and synaptophysin were expressed in normal soleus and extensor digitorum longus muscles at seven days. Synaptophysin was still expressed at 14 days, but GAP-43 expression had declined. Following nerve injury at three days of age, there was no GAP-43 or synaptophysin immunoreactivity in nerve terminals at seven days. By 21 days, there were 17.3+/-2.1 GAP-43-positive terminals per section in the soleus and 17.7+/-1.4 in the extensor digitorum longus, with mean terminal areas of 47.5+/-3.3 and 49.8+/-2.6 microm(2), respectively. In animals in which nerve crush was preceded by 4-aminopyridine treatment, at 21 days there were 32.9+/-2.6 GAP-43-immunoreactive terminals in the soleus and 44.9+/-2.3 in the extensor digitorum longus, with a mean area of 122.7+/-6.6 microm(2) in the soleus and 136.2+/-9.7 microm(2) in the extensor digitorum longus. These results indicate that in muscles pretreated with 4-aminopyridine, prior to nerve crush at three days, there are significantly more terminals, which occupy a larger area than in untreated muscles. Thus, increasing transmitter release prior to nerve injury significantly improved the ability of axons to reinnervate muscle.     

Growth-associated proteins and regeneration-induced gene expression in the aging neuron

Axonal elongation and sprouting during regeneration are retarded with aging but the etiology of this is unclear. We investigated whether this age-associated decline is related to a decline in expression of three different growth-associated proteins (GAPs): alpha(1)-tubulin, neurofilament (NF) light subunit (NF-L) and GAP-43. Northern analysis was performed on L4-L5 dorsal root ganglia (DRG) of young (3 months) and aged (23 months) rats following a sciatic nerve crush and compared to their age-matched controls. The results show that initial mRNA levels of alpha(1)-tubulin and NF-L in the control aged rat DRG were half those of the control young adults, whereas expression of GAP-43 was unchanged. Two weeks after axotomy, the expression of alpha(1)-tubulin and GAP-43 in the aged DRG was induced to the same levels as in the axotomized young adult, and the expression of NF-L decreased proportionately in both age groups. These results indicate that certain neuronal mRNAs, such as alpha(1)-tubulin and NF-L may be maintained at lower levels in aging DRG neurons, whereas others, such as GAP-43 appear to be unaltered. However, during regeneration, the aging DRG neuron appears capable of inducing alpha(1)-tubulin, NF-L and GAP-43 as well as the young adult.     

Ganglioside 9-O-acetyl GD3 expression is upregulated in the regenerating peripheral nerve

Evidence accumulates suggesting that 9-O-acetylated gangliosides, recognized by a specific monoclonal antibody (Jones monoclonal antibody), are involved in neuronal migration and axonal growth. These molecules are expressed in rodent embryos during the period of axon extension of peripheral nerves and are absent in adulthood. We therefore aimed at verifying if these molecules are re-expressed in adult rats during peripheral nerve regeneration. In this work we studied the time course of ganglioside 9-O-acetyl GD3 expression during regeneration of the crushed sciatic nerve and correlated this expression with the time course of axonal regeneration as visualized by immunohistochemistry for neurofilament 200 in the nerve. We have found that the ganglioside 9-O-acetyl GD3 is re-expressed during the period of regeneration and this expression correlates spatio-temporally with the arrival of axons to the lesion site. Confocal analysis of double and triple labeling experiments allowed the localization of this ganglioside to Schwann cells encircling growing axons in the sciatic nerve. Explant cultures of peripheral nerves also revealed ganglioside expressing reactive Schwann cells migrating from the normal and previously crushed nerve. Ganglioside 9-O-acetyl GD3 is also upregulated in DRG neurons and motoneurons of the ventral horn of spinal cord showing that the reexpression of this molecule is not restricted to Schwann cells. These results suggest that ganglioside 9-O-acetyl GD3 may be involved in the regrowth of sciatic nerve axons after crush being upregulated in both neurons and glia.     

Peripheral nerve explants grafted into the vitreous body of the eye promote the regeneration of retinal ganglion cell axons severed in the optic nerve

Summary We have conducted experiments in the adult rat visual system to assess the relative importance of an absence of trophic factors versus the presence of putative growth inhibitory molecules for the failure of regeneration of CNS axons after injury. The experiments comprised three groups of animals in which all optic nerves were crushed intra-orbitally: an optic nerve crush group had a sham implant-operation on the eye; the other two groups had peripheral nerve tissue introduced into the vitreous body; in an acellular peripheral nerve group, a frozen/thawed teased sciatic nerve segment was grafted, and in a cellular peripheral nerve group, a predegenerate teased segment of sciatic nerve was implanted. The rats were left for 20 days and their optic nerves and retinae prepared for immunohistochemical examination of both the reaction to injury of axons and glia in the nerve and also the viability of Schwann cells in the grafts. Anterograde axon tracing with rhodamine-B provided unequivocal qualitative evidence of regeneration in each group, and retrograde HRP tracing gave a measure of the numbers of axons growing across the lesion by counting HRP filled retinal ganglion cells in retinal whole mounts after HRP injection into the optic nerve distal to the lesion. No fibres crossed the lesion in the optic nerve crush group and dense scar tissue was formed in the wound site. GAP-43-positive and rhodamine-B filled axons in the acellular peripheral nerve and cellular peripheral nerve groups traversed the lesion and grew distally. There were greater numbers of regenerating fibres in the cellular peripheral nerve compared to the acellular peripheral nerve group. In the former, 0.6–10% of the retinal ganglion cell population regenerated axons at least 3–4 mm into the distal segment. In both the acellular peripheral nerve and cellular peripheral nerve groups, no basal lamina was deposited in the wound. Thus, although astrocyte processes were stacked around the lesion edge, a glia limitans was not formed. These observations suggest that regenerating fibres may interfere with scarring. Viable Schwann cells were found in the vitreal grafts in the cellular peripheral nerve group only, supporting the proposition that Schwann cell derived trophic molecules secreted into the vitreous stimulated retinal ganglion cell axon growth in the severed optic nerve. The regenerative response of acellular peripheral nerve-transplanted animals was probably promoted by residual amounts of these molecules present in the transplants after freezing and thawing. In the optic nerves of all groups the astrocyte, microglia and macrophage reactions were similar. Moreover, oligodendrocytes and myelin debris were also uniformly distributed throughout all nerves. Our results suggest either that none of the above elements inhibit CNS regeneration after perineuronal neurotrophin delivery, or that the latter, in addition to mobilising and maintaining regeneration, also down regulates the expression of axonal growth cone-located receptors, which normally mediate growth arrest by engaging putative growth inhibitory molecules of the CNS neuropil.     

银杏酮酯对大鼠坐骨神经损伤后生长相关蛋白43表达的影响

目的:研究银杏酮酯对大鼠坐骨神经损伤后生长相关蛋白43(GAP-43)表达的影响。方法:SD大鼠78只,随机分成正常组、损伤对照组与实验组,给予不同处理,后两组切断右侧坐骨神经并缝合。实验组给予银杏酮酯200mg·kg-1.d-1溶于1ml生理盐水中灌胃,损伤对照组给予生理盐水1ml灌胃,正常组不做处理。分别于术后1、3、7、14、21及28d取吻合口远段的神经、相应节段的脊神经节及脊髓,应用免疫组织化学和图像分析的方法研究所取组织中GAP-43蛋白的表达并进行定量分析。结果:实验组坐骨神经、脊神经节及脊髓中GAP-43蛋白免疫阳性区域面积和平均光密度值在术后7、14和21d明显高于对照组。结论:大鼠坐骨神经损伤后用银杏酮酯治疗,在早期可促使坐骨神经及相应节段脊神经节和脊髓组织中的GAP-43蛋白表达增加。     

大鼠坐骨神经压榨损伤后早期降钙素基因相关肽的变化

目的：研究大鼠坐骨神经压榨损伤后早期降钙素基因相关肽(CGRP)的动态变化及与神经再生的关系。方法：SD大鼠坐骨神经压榨损伤后分别存活1d到21d,免疫组化技术观察CGRP分布和含量的变化。结果：(1)1d组神经CGRP大量堆积,压榨近端明显多于远端,随即下降,21d组基本消失。(2)1d组背根节、脊髓后角和前角CGRP开始增高,并分别在3～5d、5～7d和7d组达峰值,随后渐降,21d组脊髓前角CGRP阳性运动神经元仍明显高于假手术组和对照侧。结论：神经压榨损伤后CGRP表达变化呈明显的时空模式,可能参与了神经元保护并介导了损伤信号的传导。     

重组睫状神经营养因子对受损周围神经施万细胞相关基因表达的作用

目的研究重组睫状神经营养因子(CNTF)对受损周围神经施万细胞基因表达的作用。方法用硅管套接切断的大鼠坐骨神经，在受损神经局部给予重组CNTF，术后用免疫组织化学ABC法结合计算机图像分析观测S100蛋白(S100)、生长相关蛋白-43(GAP-43)、磷酸化酪氨酸(PTyr)、信号转导子和转录激活子(STAT)3的免疫反应阳性物质在修复侧远段神经的分布和相对含量。结果CNTF组修复侧远段神经相应区域S100、GAP-43、PTyr、STAT3阳性物质的含量显著或非常显著高于生理盐水组。结论重组CNTF能上调受损神经施万细胞S100、GAP-43、PTyr和STAT3的表达，提示重组CNTF通过强化受损神经施万细胞JAK-STAT途径，E调其S100和GAP-43的基因表达。     

局麻药长时间阻滞外周神经对神经源性疼痛发生过程中背根神经节内GAP-43表达的影响

用免疫组织化学方法观察了局麻药长时间阻滞外周神经对神经源性疼痛发生过程中生长相关蛋白(GAP-43)在背根神经节内表达的影响。实验选用SD大鼠35只,随机分成正常对照组、单纯坐骨神经横切组、坐骨神经横切前阻滞组、坐骨神经横切后阻滞组4大组,后三大组再按术后取材时间分为3、7d两个时间组。暴露大鼠右侧坐骨神经,于坐骨结节远端约1cm处横断坐骨神经。根据分组,阻滞组分别从横切前1h和横切后4h开始对神经横切的近心端进行长效局麻药阻滞,持续整个观察期。术后不同时间取与伤侧坐骨神经相连的背根神经节(DRG),应用免疫组织化学和图像分析的方法研究背根神经节中GAP-43的表达并进行定量分析。结果表明:术后3、7d,单纯坐骨神经横切组背根神经节内的GAP-43表达增高,而阻滞组内的GAP-43表达与正常组无差别。本研究结果提示坐骨神经横切前1h或之后4h开始局麻药阻滞神经均能抑制神经源性疼痛发生过程中GAP-43的高表达。     

神经损伤与再生中神经元GAP-43mRNA表达的原位杂交研究

目的：研究周围神经损伤过程中生长相关蛋白（GAP-43）mRNA表达的变化规律。方法：建立大鼠坐骨神经中段钳夹损伤模型，用原位杂交技术对大鼠的腰髓和背根神经节的GAP-43mRNA表达进行观察。结果：大鼠坐骨神经损伤2d后，腰髓腹角运动神经元和背根节感觉神经元可检测到GAP-43mRNA杂交信号；术后4、7和14d明显增强；术后30d减弱，60d已恢复正常。结论：周围神经损伤诱导神经元胞体GAP-43mRNA表达显著增强，表明GAP-43在神经再生过程中起重要作用。     

抗BDNF血清对小鼠坐骨神经损伤后脊髓前角运动神经元内GAP-43表达的影响

小鼠坐骨神经压榨损伤后 ,腹腔注射抗 BDNF血清 ,动物存活 2周。用组织原位杂交技术与免疫组织化学方法观察生长相关蛋白 ( GAP-4 3)在脊髓腰骶膨大部前角运动神经元的表达 ,并对实验结果进行图像分析。结果发现 ,注射抗 BDNF血清后坐骨神经损伤侧脊髓前角 GAP-4 3m RNA的阳性神经元与 GAP-4 3免疫反应阳性神经元的数目减少 ,阳性神经元的光密度也降低 ,上述改变在统计学上均有显著意义。结果提示 ,小鼠坐骨神经损伤后内源性 BDNF可能参与脊髓前角运动神经元 GAP-4 3的表达     

Acceleration of peripheral nerve regeneration after crush injury in rat

It the sciatic nerve of a rat is crushed in the thigh, axons from the proximal side of the crush will regenerate so that the toe-spreading reflex becomes observable again after 10.4 +/- 1.7 (mean +/- S.D.) days. If the nerve is electrically stimulated for 0.25-1.0 h at the crush site, just after the crush occurs, the toe-spreading reflex first becomes observable 4.14 +/- 1.6 (mean +/- S.D.) days after the crush. Stimulation is most effective if delivered immediately after the crush but can be delayed up to an hour and still cause significantly faster regeneration. This phenomenon could be useful in clinical management of crushed peripheral nerves.     

Survival and regeneration of cutaneous and muscular afferent neurons after peripheral nerve injury in adult rats

Peripheral nerve injury induces the retrograde degeneration of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cells, which affects predominantly the small-diameter cutaneous afferent neurons. This study compares the time-course of retrograde cell death in cutaneous and muscular DRG cells after peripheral nerve transection as well as neuronal survival and axonal regeneration after primary repair or nerve grafting. For comparison, spinal motoneurons were also included in the study. Sural and medial gastrocnemius DRG neurons were retrogradely labeled with the fluorescent tracers Fast Blue (FB) or Fluoro-Gold (FG) from the homonymous transected nerves. Survival of labeled sural and gastrocnemius DRG cells was assessed at 3 days and 1–24 weeks after axotomy. To evaluate axonal regeneration, the sciatic nerve was transected proximally at 1 week after FB-labeling of the sural and medial gastrocnemius nerves and immediately reconstructed using primary repair or autologous nerve grafting. Twelve weeks later, the fluorescent tracer Fluoro-Ruby (FR) was applied 10 mm distal to the sciatic lesion in order to double-label sural and gastrocnemius neurons that had regenerated across the repair site. Counts of labeled gastrocnemius DRG neurons did not reveal any significant retrograde cell death after nerve transection. In contrast, sural axotomy induced a delayed loss of sural DRG cells, which amounted to 22% at 4 weeks and 43–48% at 8–24 weeks postoperatively. Proximal transection of the sciatic nerve at 1 week after injury to the sural or gastrocnemius nerves neither further increased retrograde DRG degeneration, nor did it affect survival of sural or gastrocnemius motoneurons. Primary repair or peripheral nerve grafting supported regeneration of 53–60% of the spinal motoneurons and 47–49% of the muscular DRG neurons at 13 weeks postoperatively. In the cutaneous DRG neurons, primary repair or peripheral nerve grafting increased survival by 19–30% and promoted regeneration of 46–66% of the cells. The present results suggest that cutaneous DRG neurons are more sensitive to peripheral nerve injury than muscular DRG cells, but that their regenerative capacity does not differ from that of the latter cells. However, the retrograde loss of cutaneous DRG cells taking place despite immediate nerve repair would still limit the recovery of cutaneous sensory functions.     

Spatiotemporal Expression of SSeCKS in Injured Rat Sciatic Nerve

SSeCKS (src suppressed C kinase substrate) functions in the control of cell signaling and cytoskeletal arrangement. It is expressed in brain and spinal cord, but little is known about its expression in peripheral nerves. In this study, in rats, real‐time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis showed that expression of SSeCKS in crushed sciatic nerve reached its highest level 6 hr after crushing, whereas in a transection model, SSeCKS peaked at 2 days in the proximal stump and 12 hr in the distal stump. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated up‐regulation of SSeCKS protein surrounding the crush site and in the two stumps of the transected nerve. In addition, SSeCKS colocalized with growth‐associated protein 43 and with S100, which also changed with time after injury. These findings support the idea that SSeCKS participates in the adaptive response to peripheral nerve injury and may be associated with regeneration. Anat Rec, 291:527–537, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Neurite extension of DRG neurons by gicerin expression is enhanced by nerve growth factor

Gicerin, a cell adhesion molecule, is expressed in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and sciatic nerves during chick development. This molecule re-appears in these tissues after an injury to the sciatic nerve. In the present study, we investigated the expression of nerve growth factor (NGF) in the regenerating sciatic nerve of chicks and the effects of NGF on the expression and neurite activities of gicerin in DRG. In the sciatic nerve after a crush injury, the expression of NGF and gicerin increased in the Schwann cells and in the nerve fibers, respectively. NGF promoted the neurite projections from in vitro DRG on the gicerin ligands, which were inhibited by anti-NGF antibody. The gicerin mRNA expression increased in the DRG with NGF, which was inhibited by the co-incubation with anti-NGF antibody. These results indicate that NGF might therefore enhance the expression of gicerin in DRG, thereby promoting the gicerin-dependent neurite extension during sciatic nerve regeneration.