Effects of extracellular ATP and its receptors on peripheral nerve regeneration in SD rats

Summary

To explore the effect of the extracellular ATP and its receptors on axon regeneration in the sciatic nerve defect in rats, 0.5 cm defect of the sciatic nerve was made and repaired with long arm silicon tube like a “Y” type. The single arm of the silicon tube was sutured to proximal of the sciatic nerve. 10 μl 1 mmol/L ATP in physiological saline was injected into the left chamber of the silicon tube (experimental group) and physiological saline injected into another silicon tube as a control group. In another model 1 mmol/L 10 μl ATP and 1 mmol/L 10 μl ATP+0.2 mg/ml suramin were injected respectively into two arms of the silicon tube. After 4 and 8 weeks the specimens were obtained from the silicon tube for examining the axon regeneration histologically and image analysis. All the regeneration axons grew into the silicon tube containing the ATP, but there was no axon regeneration in the silicon tube containing the ATP+Suramin or physiological saline. It was demon-strated that extracellular ATP had a powerful attraction to the regenerated axon of peripheral nerve. The suramin inhibited the axon induction of the extracellular ATP completely via the ATP receptors.