Summary
This study is to investigate the effect of local phVEGF165 injection on sciatic nerve regeneration in the rats and to search for a new way in the further treatment of peripheral nerve injuries. Forty-five adult male Wistar rats received a neurotomy to bilateral sciatic nerves, which were subsequently reconnected with 10/0 epineurial nylon sutures. The injured segments was locally injected with normal saline (group A), or 25 μg of phVEGF165 (group B) or 50 μg phVEGF165 (group C). Nerve conduction and regeneration were evaluated in terms of the histological changes, weight of gastrocnemius muscles, electrophysiology and morphometric results. Our study demonstrated that rats of group C showed the best results in terms of nerve regeneration, followed by group B and group A. Our findings suggested that local injection of phVEGF165 can facilitate nerve regeneration and promote functional recovery in a dose-dependent manner.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Leung D W, Cachianes G, Kuang W J et al. Vascular endothelial growth factor is a secreted angiogenic mitogen. Science, 1989,246:1306–1309
Jin K, Zhu Y, Sun Y et al. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) stimulates neurogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 2002; 99:11946–11950
Hsieh P S, Bochinski D J, Lin G T et al. The effect of vascular endothelial growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor on cavernosal nerve regeneration in a nerve-crush rat model. BJU Int, 2003;92:470–475
Jin K L, Mao X O, Greenberg D A. Vascular endothelial growth factor rescues HN33 neural cells from death in-duced by serum withdrawal. J Mol Neurosci, 2000, 14:197–203
Lin G, Chen K C, Hsieh P S et al. Neurotrophic effects of vascular endothelial growth factor and neurotrophins on cultured major pelvic ganglia. BJU Int, 2003, 92:631–635
Sondell M, Lundborg G, Kanje M. Vascular endothelial growth factor stimulates Schwann cell invasion and neovascularization of acellular nerve grafts. Brain Res. 1999, 6, 846:219–228
Hobson M I. Increased vascularisation enhances axonal regeneration within an acellular nerve conduit. Ann R Coll Surg Engl, 2002, 84:47–53
Sondell M, Kanje M. Postnatal expression of VEGF and its receptor flk-1 in peripheral ganglia. Neuroreport, 2001, 12:105–108
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
FU Chongyang, born in 1975, Doctor in Charge
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fu, C., Hong, G. & Wang, F. Favorable effect of local VEGF gene injection on axonal regeneration in the rat sciatic nerve. J. Huazhong Univ. Sc. Technol. 27, 186–189 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-007-0221-z
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-007-0221-z