复合他克莫司聚乳酸-乙醇酸缓释导管修复大鼠胫神经缺损

背景：虽然单纯聚乳酸-乙醇酸导管修复大鼠神经缺损可部分恢复大鼠神经功能,但神经直径、再生纤维数量、髓鞘成熟度及功能恢复上均较自体神经移植差。 目的：观察复合他克莫司的聚乳酸-乙醇酸缓释导管修复大鼠胫神经缺损的可行性。 方法：制作SD大鼠右侧胫神经缺损模型,随机分为3组,分别植入自体胫神经、单纯聚乳酸-乙醇酸导管及复合他克莫司的聚乳酸-乙醇酸缓释导管修复。植入后3,6,12周行坐骨神经功能指数检查、电生理检查、组织学观测、腓肠肌湿质量测量。 结果与结论：植入后第6,12周复合他克莫司的聚乳酸-乙醇酸缓释导管组、自体胫神经组坐骨神经功能指数检查、电生理检查、组织学观测、腓肠肌湿质量测量结果优于单纯聚乳酸-乙醇酸导管组(P < 0.05),自体胫神经组、复合他克莫司的聚乳酸-乙醇酸缓释导管组比较差异无显著性意义。说明复合他克莫司的聚乳酸-乙醇酸缓释导管桥接修复大鼠胫神经缺损可明显促进断端神经的再生,在晚期功能恢复上取得接近自体神经移植的效果。 关键词：聚乳酸-乙醇酸;他克莫司;神经导管;大鼠;坐骨神经 doi:10.3969/j.issn.1673-8225.2012.12.003     

合成材料神经导管与自体神经移植修复周围神经缺损的比较

背景：生物可降解材料制成的神经导管可在体内降解,避免出现的神经卡压等问题,因而受到越来越多的关注。 目的：比较自体神经移植与3种合成可生物降解材料神经导管在修复周围神经损伤的效果差异。 方法：通过电生理学检测,形态学观察等神经恢复效果评价方法,对比分析近年来常用的胶原神经导管、DL-乳酸-ε-己内酯神经导管、聚乙醇酸神经导管与自体神经移植修复周围神经缺损的效果。 结果与结论：虽然神经导管与自体神经移植相比在理论上有其优势的一面,但不同合成材料的神经导管之间在神经功能恢复中存在明显差异性,DL-乳酸-ε-己内酯神经导管修复效果与自体神经移植无明显差异,是较为理想的神经导管材料,聚乙醇酸神经导管因自身的因素影响其降解性能,在3种神经导管中的修复周围神经损伤效果最差,胶原神经导管需要交联剂改善其机械性能,其修复周围神经损伤效果居于前两者之间,因此,这3种神经导管在神经功能再生方面还有潜在的缺陷,不能完全替代自体神经移植,而且3者之间的性价比,还缺少足够的大样本长期随机对照实验结果来验证,还需要进一步的实验观察。     

Effect of skilled and unskilled training on nerve regeneration and functional recovery

The most disabling aspect of human peripheral nerve injuries, the majority of which affect the upper limbs, is the loss of skilled hand movements. Activity-induced morphological and electrophysiological remodeling of the neuromuscular junction has been shown to influence nerve repair and functional recovery. In the current study, we determined the effects of two different treatments on the functional and morphological recovery after median and ulnar nerve injury. Adult Wistar male rats weighing 280 to 330 g at the time of surgery (N = 8-10 animals/group) were submitted to nerve crush and 1 week later began a 3-week course of motor rehabilitation involving either “skilled” (reaching for small food pellets) or “unskilled” (walking on a motorized treadmill) training. During this period, functional recovery was monitored weekly using staircase and cylinder tests. Histological and morphometric nerve analyses were used to assess nerve regeneration at the end of treatment. The functional evaluation demonstrated benefits of both tasks, but found no difference between them (P > 0.05). The unskilled training, however, induced a greater degree of nerve regeneration as evidenced by histological measurement (P < 0.05). These data provide evidence that both of the forelimb training tasks used in this study can accelerate functional recovery following brachial plexus injury.     

Muscle recovery after repair of short and long peripheral nerve gaps using fibrin conduits

Peripheral nerve injuries with loss of nervous tissue are a significant clinical problem and are currently treated using autologous nerve transplants. To avoid the need for donor nerve, which results in additional morbidity such as loss of sensation and scarring, alternative bridging methods have been sought. Recently we showed that an artificial nerve conduit moulded from fibrin glue is biocompatible to nerve regeneration. In this present study, we have used the fibrin conduit or a nerve graft to bridge either a 10 mm or 20 mm sciatic nerve gap and analyzed the muscle recovery in adult rats after 16 weeks. The gastrocnemius muscle weights of the operated side were similar for both gap sizes when treated with nerve graft. In contrast, muscle weight was 48.32 ± 4.96% of the contra-lateral side for the 10 mm gap repaired with fibrin conduit but only 25.20 ± 2.50% for the 20 mm gap repaired with fibrin conduit. The morphology of the muscles in the nerve graft groups showed an intact, ordered structure, with the muscle fibers grouped in fascicles whereas the 20 mm nerve gap fibrin group had a more chaotic appearance. The mean area and diameter of fast type fibers in the 20 mm gap repaired with fibrin conduits were significantly (P < 0.01) worse than those of the corresponding 10 mm gap group. In contrast, both gap sizes treated with nerve graft showed similar fiber size. Furthermore, the 10 mm gaps repaired with either nerve graft or fibrin conduit showed similar muscle fiber size. These results indicate that the fibrin conduit can effectively treat short nerve gaps but further modification such as the inclusion of regenerative cells may be required to attain the outcomes of nerve graft for long gaps.     

Ginsenoside Rg1 promotes peripheral nerve regeneration in rat model of nerve crush injury

Searching for effective drugs which are capable of promoting nerve regeneration after nerve injuries has gained extensive attention. Ginsenoside Rg1 (GRg1) is one of the bioactive compounds extracted from ginseng. GRg1 has been shown to be neuroprotective in many in vitro studies, which raises the possibility of using GRg1 as a neuroprotective agent after nerve injuries. However, such a possibility has never been tested in in vivo studies. The present study was designed to investigate the efficacy of GRg1 in promoting nerve regeneration after nerve crush injury in rats. All rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 8 in each group) after crush injury and were intraperitoneally administrated daily for 4 weeks with 1 mg/kg, or 5 mg/kg GRg1 (low or high dose GRg1 groups), or 100 μg/kg mecobalamin or normal saline, respectively. The axonal regeneration was investigated by retrograde labeling and morphometric analysis. The motor functional recovery was evaluated by electrophysiological studies, behavioral tests and histological appearance of the target muscles. Our data showed that high dose GRg1 achieved better axonal regeneration and functional recovery than those achieved by low dose GRg1 and mecobalamin. The final outcome of low dose GRg1 and mecobalamin was similar in both morphological and functional items, which was significantly better than that in saline group. These findings show that GRg1 is capable of promoting nerve regeneration after nerve injuries, suggesting the possibility of developing GRg1 a neuroprotective drug for peripheral nerve repair applications.     

吡非尼酮对大鼠坐骨神经损伤后瘢痕形成及功能恢复的实验研究

目的探讨大鼠坐骨神经损伤后细胞因子抑制剂吡非尼酮对神经吻合口处瘢痕形成及神经功能恢复的影响。方法选用健康雄性SD大鼠60只,制作右侧坐骨神经损伤模型,术后随机分为3组,分别为对照组、低剂量组和高剂量组,每组20只,分别给予0 mg/kg、25 mg/kg、100 mg/kg吡非尼酮混悬液灌胃。术后于第4、12周分别行坐骨神经功能指数、神经电生理测定,然后取材进行Ⅰ型胶原蛋白免疫组织化学染色,最终对实验结果进行图像分析和统计学处理。结果坐骨神经功能指数:术后第4周,三组之间两两比较,差异无统计学意义(P0.05);术后第12周,低剂量组优于对照组(P0.01),高剂量组优于低剂量组(P0.01);神经电生理:术后第4周,三组之间神经传导速度、潜伏期、波幅两两比较,差异无统计学意义(P0.05);术后第12周,与对照组相比,低剂量组和高剂量组神经传导速度显著增快(P0.05),潜伏期缩短(P0.05),波幅升高(P0.05),且高剂量组优于低剂量组(P0.05);Ⅰ型胶原蛋白沉积量:术后第4周,与对照组相比,低剂量组和高剂量组神经吻合口处Ⅰ型胶原蛋白沉积量明显减少(P0.01),低剂量组与高剂量组相比,差异无统计学意义(P0.05);术后第12周,与对照组相比,低剂量组和高剂量组神经吻合口处Ⅰ型胶原蛋白沉积量明显减少(P0.01),且高剂量组比低剂量组减少更明显(P0.05)。结论吡非尼酮能明显减少神经吻合口处Ⅰ型胶原蛋白沉积,有效抑制瘢痕形成,促进神经功能恢复。     

Functional recoveries of sciatic nerve regeneration by combining chitosan-coated conduit and neurosphere cells induced from adipose-derived stem cells

Suboptimal repair occurs in a peripheral nerve gap, which can be partially restored by bridging the gap with various biosynthetic conduits or cell-based therapy. In this study, we developed a combination of chitosan coating approach to induce neurosphere cells from human adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) on chitosan-coated plate and then applied these cells to the interior of a chitosan-coated silicone tube to bridge a 10-mm gap in a rat sciatic nerve. Myelin sheath degeneration and glial scar formation were discovered in the nerve bridged by the silicone conduit. By using a single treatment of chitosan-coated conduit or neurosphere cell therapy, the nerve gap was partially recovered after 6 weeks of surgery. Substantial improvements in nerve regeneration were achieved by combining neurosphere cells and chitosan-coated conduit based on the increase of myelinated axons density and myelin thickness, gastrocnemius muscle weight and muscle fiber diameter, and step and stride lengths from gait analysis. High expressions of interleukin-1β and leukotriene B4 receptor 1 in the intra-neural scarring caused by using silicone conduits revealed that the inflammatory mechanism can be inhibited when the conduit is coated with chitosan. This study demonstrated that the chitosan-coated surface performs multiple functions that can be used to induce neurosphere cells from ASCs and to facilitate nerve regeneration in combination with a cells-assisted coated conduit.     

Electrical stimulation of paralyzed vibrissal muscles reduces endplate reinnervation and does not promote motor recovery after facial nerve repair in rats

The outcome of peripheral nerve injuries requiring surgical repair is poor. Recent work has suggested that electrical stimulation (ES) of denervated muscles could be beneficial. Here we tested whether ES has a positive influence on functional recovery after injury and surgical repair of the facial nerve. Outcomes at 2 months were compared to animals receiving sham stimulation (SS). Starting on the first day after end-to-end suture (facial–facial anastomosis), electrical stimulation (square 0.1 ms pulses at 5 Hz at an ex tempore established threshold amplitude of between 3.0 and 5.0 V) was delivered to the vibrissal muscles for 5 min a day, 3 times a week. Restoration of vibrissal motor performance following ES or SS was evaluated using the video-based motion analysis and correlated with the degree of collateral axonal branching at the lesion site, the number of motor endplates in the target musculature and the quality of their reinnervation, i.e. the degree of mono- versus poly-innervation. Neither protocol reduced collateral branching. ES did not improve functional outcome, but rather reduced the number of innervated motor endplates to approximately one-fifth of normal values and failed to reduce the proportion of poly-innervated motor endplates. We conclude that ES is not beneficial for recovery of whisker function after facial nerve repair in rats.     

Development and evaluation of silk fibroin-based nerve grafts used for peripheral nerve regeneration

Silk fibroin (SF), derived from natural silk long used as a textile material, has recently become an important biomaterial for tissue engineering applications. We have previously reported on good in vitro biocompatibility of SF fibers with peripheral nerve tissues and cells. In the present study, we developed a novel biomimetic design of the SF-based nerve graft (SF graft) which was composed of a SF-nerve guidance conduit (NGC) inserted with oriented SF filaments. The SF-NGC prepared via well-established procedures exhibits an eggshell-like microstructure that is responsible for its superior mechanical and permeable properties beneficial to nerve regeneration. The SF graft was used for bridge implantation across a 10-mm long sciatic nerve defect in rats, and the outcome of peripheral nerve repair at 6 months post-implantation was evaluated by a combination of electrophysiological assessment, FluoroGold retrograde tracing and histological investigation. The examined functional and morphological parameters show that SF grafts could promote peripheral nerve regeneration with effects approaching those elicited by nerve autografts which are generally considered as the gold standard for treating large peripheral nerve defects, thus raising a potential possibility of using these newly developed nerve grafts as a promising alternative to nerve autografts.     

Chemical ablation of sensory afferents in the walking system of the cat abolishes the capacity for functional recovery after peripheral nerve lesions

Weakening the ankle extensor muscles of cats by denervation of the synergists of the medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscle results in transient increase in yield at the ankle during early stance. Recovery of ankle function occurs over a period of 1–2 weeks, is use-dependent, and is associated with increases in the strength of reflexes from MG group I muscle afferents and an increase in the magnitude of bursts in the MG muscles during stance. These observations have led to the hypothesis that feedback from large muscle afferents is necessary for functional recovery. In this investigation we have tested this hypothesis by examining functional recovery in animals treated with pyridoxine, a drug known to destroy large muscle afferents. In four adult animals we confirmed that pyridoxine abolished the group I-mediated tendon-tap reflex in the ankle extensor muscle, and subsequently found that group I afferents from MG were either destroyed or non-conducting. Immediately after pyridoxine treatment the animals showed severe locomotor dysfunction but all recovered significantly over a period of 1 or 2 months and showed only minor kinematics deficits at the time of the muscle denervations. In all four pyridoxine-treated animals, weakening of the ankle extensors by denervation of the synergists of the MG muscle resulted in a large increase in yield at the ankle that persisted almost unchanged for a month after the operation. The magnitude of burst activity in the MG muscle during early stance of the pyridoxine-treated animals either did not increase or increased only slightly after the denervation of synergists. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that feedback from group I afferents is necessary for functional recovery in untreated animals. Electronic Publication     

Thermographic evaluation of hind paw skin temperature and functional recovery of locomotion after sciatic nerve crush in rats

INTRODUCTION:

Peripheral nerves are often damaged by direct mechanical injury, diseases, and tumors. The peripheral nerve injuries that result from these conditions can lead to a partial or complete loss of motor, sensory, and autonomic functions, which in turn are related to changes in skin temperature, in the involved segments of the body. The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in hind paw skin temperature after sciatic nerve crush in rats in an attempt to determine whether changes in skin temperature correlate with the functional recovery of locomotion.

METHODS:

Wistar rats were divided into three groups: control (n = 7), sham (n = 25), and crush (n = 25). All groups were subjected to thermographic, functional, and histological assessments.

RESULTS:

ΔT in the crush group was different from the control and sham groups at the 1^st, 3^rd and 7^rd postoperative days (p<0.05). The functional recovery from the crush group returned to normal values between the 3^rd and 4^th week post-injury, and morphological analysis of the nerve revealed incomplete regeneration at the 4^th week after injury.

DISCUSSION:

This study is the first demonstration that sciatic nerve crush in rats induces an increase in hind paw skin temperature and that skin temperature changes do not correlate closely with functional recovery