Protective effect and mechanism of acellular nerve allografts combined with electroacupuncture on spinal ganglia in rats with sciatic nerve injury

ZHOU Ze-Yu; MA Yun-Han; LI Jia-Rui; HU Yu-Meng; YUAN Bo; ZHANG Yin-Juan; YU Xiao-Min; FU Xiu-Mei

doi:10.16098/j.issn.0529-1356.2024.02.003

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Acta Anatomica Sinica ›› 2024, Vol. 55 ›› Issue (2) : 143-149. DOI: 10.16098/j.issn.0529-1356.2024.02.003

Protective effect and mechanism of acellular nerve allografts combined with electroacupuncture on spinal ganglia in rats with sciatic nerve injury

ZHOU Ze-yu¹ MA Yun-han¹ LI Jia-rui¹ HU Yu-meng¹ YUAN Bo¹ ZHANG Yin-juan² YU Xiao-min³ FU Xiu-mei^1,4*

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Abstract

Objective To investigate the protective effect and mechanism of acellular nerve allografts (ANA) combined with electroacupuncture on spinal ganglia in rats with sciatic nerve injury (SNI). Methods Totally 50 male adult SD rats were randomly selected for this experiment. Ten rats were prepared for the ANA. Forty male SD rats were randomly divided into normal group, model group, ANA group and combinational group, with 10 rats in each group. The SNI model was established by cutting off the nerves 10 mm at the 5 mm on the inferior border of piriformis after separating the right sciatic nerves. The rats in the ANA group were bridged with ANA to the two broken ends of injured nerves. The rats in the combinational group were treated with electroacupuncture 2 days after ANA bridging, Huantiao (GB30) and Yanglingquan (GB34) were performed as the acupuncture points, each electroacupuncture lasted 15 minutes and 7 days as a course of treatment, 4 courses in all. Sciatic nerve conduction velocity was measured by electrophysiology to evaluate the regeneration of damaged axons. Morphology of spinal ganglia was observed by Nissl staining. The expression of nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were detected by Western blotting and immunofluorescent staining. Results Compared with the normal group, the sciatic nerve conduction velocity in model group decreased significantly (P<0.01), Nissl bodies in neurons of spinal ganglia were swollen and dissolved, with incomplete structure and the number decreased dramatically (P<0.01), while the level of NGF and BDNF also decreased significantly(P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the sciatic nerve conduction velocity in ANA and combinational groups strongly increased (P<0.01), the damage of Nissl bodies in neurons of spinal ganglia reduced and the number obviously increased (P<0.01), the level of NGF and BDNF increased considerably (P<0.01). Compared with the ANA group, the sciatic nerve conduction velocity in combinational group increased significantly (P<0.01), the morphology of Nissl bodies in neurons of spinal ganglia were more regular and the number increased (P<0.01), moreover, the level of NGF also increased significantly (P<0.01). Conclusion ANA combined with electroacupuncture can enhance the sciatic nerve conduction velocity, improve the morphology of neurons in spinal ganglia and play a protective effect on spinal ganglia. The mechanism can be related to the higher expression of NGF and BDNF proteins, especially the expression of NGF protein.

Key words

Acellular nerve allograft / Electroacupuncture / Spinal ganglion / Nerve growth factor / Brainderived neurotrophic factor / Sciatic nerve injury / Western blotting / Rat

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ZHOU Ze-yu MA Yun-han LI Jia-rui HU Yu-meng YUAN Bo ZHANG Yin-juan YU Xiao-min FU Xiu-mei. Protective effect and mechanism of acellular nerve allografts combined with electroacupuncture on spinal ganglia in rats with sciatic nerve injury[J]. Acta Anatomica Sinica. 2024, 55(2): 143-149 https://doi.org/10.16098/j.issn.0529-1356.2024.02.003

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