Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate whether (1) fibrin sealant (FS) can be combined with nerve growth factor (NGF) in order to release NGF from the biodegradable fibrin matrix to the surrounding area; (2) the presence of NGF locally could affect axonal outgrowth in the early phase of regeneration.
A total of 36 (three groups of 12) male Sprague-Dawley rats, each weighing 300–320 g, were used. Sciatic nerves were transected at the level of the great trochanter and coapted with two standard epineural sutures. FS matrix with (FS-NGF group) and without (FS group) NGF (2 µg/ml) was placed around the suture line and the surrounding area. Suture only served as a control group. Regeneration was measured by pinch test at 3, 4 and 6 days after surgery. In addition, the NGF release characteristics from the NGF-FS matrix were investigated in vitro by ELISA. The results revealed significantly faster regeneration of the leading sensory nerves at 3 and 4 days postoperatively in both the FS and FS-NGF groups than in the suture group only. In vitro, a high peak of NGF release was seen within the first 18 h; afterwards release remained slow for 2 weeks. We conclude that: (1) FS as a carrier can be combined with exogenous NGF without destroying the activities of the NGF; (2) local application of a FS-NGF matrix could be beneficial for regeneration of leading sensory fibers in peripheral nerves.
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Worseg, A., Zeng, L., Leichtfried, G., Redl, H., Schlag, G. (1995). A Combination of Fibrin Sealant and Nerve Growth Factor Accelerates the Regeneration of Leading Sensory Fibers in Experimental Peripheral Nerve Repair. In: Schlag, G., Holle, J. (eds) Fibrin Sealing in Surgical and Nonsurgical Fields. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-79346-2_12
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-79346-2_12
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