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22 March 2014, Volume 9 Issue 6 Previous Issue    Next Issue

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Mechanisms of secondary degeneration after partial optic nerve transection Hong-Ying Li,Yi-Wen Ruan, Chao-Ran Ren,Qi Cui,Kwok-Fai So 2014, 9 (6):  565-574.  doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.130093 Abstract ( 199 )   PDF (788KB) ( 965 )   Save Secondary degeneration occurs commonly in the central nervous system after traumatic injuries and following acute and chronic diseases, including glaucoma. A constellation of mechanisms have been shown to be associated with secondary degeneration including apoptosis, necrosis, autophagy, oxidative stress, excitotoxicity, derangements in ionic homeostasis and calcium influx. Glial cells, such as microglia, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, have also been demonstrated to take part in the process of secondary injury. Partial optic nerve transection is a useful model which was established about 13 years ago. The merit of this model compared with other optic nerve injury models used for glaucoma study, including complete optic nerve transection model and optic nerve crush model, is the possibility to separate primary degeneration from secondary degeneration in location. Therefore, it provides a good tool for the study of secondary degeneration. This review will focus on the research progress of the mechanisms of secondary degeneration using partial optic nerve transection model. Related Articles | Metrics

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Dipping cells in acidic bath could make stem cells Jinhui Chen, Yiwen Ruan, Kwok-fai So, Xiao-Ming Xu 2014, 9 (6):  575-576.  doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.130087 Abstract ( 240 )   PDF (359KB) ( 650 )   Save References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Dental pulp stem cells, a paracrine-mediated therapy for the retina Ben Mead, Ann Logan, Martin Berry, Wendy Leadbeater, Ben A. Scheven 2014, 9 (6):  577-578.  doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.130089 Abstract ( 330 )   PDF (217KB) ( 1075 )   Save Injury to the retina and optic nerve leads to irreversible loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and irreparable damage to their axons which ultimately leads to blindness. Providing a sustained source of neurotrophic growth factors is required to promote their survival and regeneration. Transplanted dental pulp stem cells secrete multiple growth factors which protect RGCs from death after optic nerve injury and promote regeneration of their axons. Related Articles | Metrics

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Role of P2X7 receptors in neuronal death in the retina Tetsuya Sugiyama 2014, 9 (6):  579-581.  doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.130090 Abstract ( 239 )   PDF (712KB) ( 837 )   Save The P2X7 receptor is a member of the family of purinoceptors. In addition to its physiological roles, its stimulation has been reported to be involved in neuronal death in the retina. Its stimulation may also exert a deleterious effect on retinal ganglion cells in glaucomatous eyes, being associated with the up-regulation of inflammatory cytokine expression. P2X7 receptor is a potential therapeutic target of pharmacological strategies designed to prevent neuronal death in ocular diseases including glaucoma. Related Articles | Metrics

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Follow-up evaluation with ultrasonography of peripheral nerve injuries after an earthquake Man Lu, Yue Wang, Linxian Yue, Jack Chiu, Fanding He, Xiaojing Wu, Bin Zang, Bin Lu, Xiaoke Yao, Zirui Jiang 2014, 9 (6):  582-588.  doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.130095 Abstract ( 179 )   PDF (1584KB) ( 1291 )   Save Published data on earthquake-associated peripheral nerve injury is very limited. Ultrasonography has been proven to be efficient in the clinic to diagnose peripheral nerve injury. The aim of this study was to assess the role of ultrasound in the evaluation of persistent peripheral nerve injuries 1 year after the Wenchuan earthquake. Thirty-four patients with persistent clinical symptoms and neurologic signs of impaired nerve function were evaluated with sonography prior to surgical repair. Among 34 patients, ultrasonography showed that 48 peripheral nerves were entrapped, and 11 peripheral nerves were disrupted. There was one case of misdiagnosis on ultrasonography. The concordance rate of ultrasonographic findings with those of surgical findings was 98%. A total of 48 involved nerves underwent neurolysis and the symptoms resolved. Only five nerves had scar tissue entrapment. Preoperative and postoperative clinical and ultrasonographic results were concordant, which verified that ultrasonography is useful for preoperative diagnosis and postoperative evaluation of injured peripheral nerves. Related Articles | Metrics

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Puerarin accelerates neural regeneration after sciatic nerve injury Minfei Wu, Guanjie Zhao, Xiaoyu Yang, Chuangang Peng, Jianwu Zhao, Jun Liu, Rui Li, Zhongli Gao 2014, 9 (6):  589-593.  doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.130097 Abstract ( 279 )   PDF (1854KB) ( 841 )   Save Puerarin is a natural isoflavone isolated from plants of the genus Pueraria and functions as a protector against cerebral ischemia. We hypothesized that puerarin can be involved in the repair of peripheral nerve injuries. To test this hypothesis, doses of 10, 5, or 2.5 mg/kg per day puerarin (8-(β-D-Glucopyranosyl-7-hydroxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one) were injected intraperitoneally into mouse models of sciatic nerve injury. Puerarin at the middle and high doses significantly up-regulated the expression of growth-associated protein 43 in the L4–6 segments of the spinal cord from mice at 1, 2, and 4 weeks after modeling, and reduced the atrophy of the triceps surae on the affected side and promoted the regeneration of nerve fibers of the damaged spinal cord at 8 weeks after injury. We conclude that puerarin exerts an ongoing role to activate growth-associated protein 43 in the corresponding segment of the spinal cord after sciatic nerve injury, thus contributing to neural regeneration after sciatic nerve injuries. References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Sciatic nerve repair using adhesive bonding and a modified conduit Xiangdang Liang, Hongfei Cai, Yongyu Hao, Geng Sun, Yaoyao Song, Wen Chen 2014, 9 (6):  594-601.  doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.130099 Abstract ( 252 )   PDF (2023KB) ( 796 )   Save When repairing nerves with adhesives, most researchers place glue directly on the nerve stumps, but this method does not fix the nerve ends well and allows glue to easily invade the nerve ends. In this study, we established a rat model of completely transected sciatic nerve injury and repaired it using a modified 1 cm-length conduit with inner diameter of 1.5 mm. Each end of the cylindrical conduit contains a short linear channel, while the enclosed central tube protects the nerve ends well. Nerves were repaired with 2-octyl-cyanoacrylate and suture, which complement the function of the modified conduit. The results demonstrated that for the same conduit, the average operation time using the adhesive method was much shorter than with the suture method. No significant differences were found between the two groups in sciatic function index, motor evoked potential latency, motor evoked potential amplitude, muscular recovery rate, number of medullated nerve fibers, axon diameter, or medullary sheath thickness. Thus, the adhesive method for repairing nerves using a modified conduit is feasible and effective, and reduces the operation time while providing an equivalent repair effect. References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Rapamycin promotes Schwann cell migration and nerve growth factor secretion Fang Liu, Haiwei Zhang, Kaiming Zhang, Xinyu Wang, Shipu Li, Yixia Yin 2014, 9 (6):  602-609.  doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.130101 Abstract ( 228 )   PDF (2262KB) ( 879 )   Save Rapamycin, similar to FK506, can promote neural regeneration in vitro. We assumed that the mechanisms of action of rapamycin and FK506 in promoting peripheral nerve regeneration were similar. This study compared the effects of different concentrations of rapamycin and FK506 on Schwann cells and investigated effects and mechanisms of rapamycin on improving peripheral nerve regeneration. Results demonstrated that the lowest rapamycin concentration (1.53 nmol/L) more significantly promoted Schwann cell migration than the highest FK506 concentration (100 μmol/L). Rapamycin promoted the secretion of nerve growth factors and upregulated growth-associated protein 43 expression in Schwann cells, but did not significantly affect Schwann cell proliferation. Therefore, rapamycin has potential application in peripheral nerve regeneration therapy. References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Sensory reinnervation of muscle spindles after repair of tibial nerve defects using autogenous vein grafts Youwang Pang, Qingnan Hong, Jinan Zheng 2014, 9 (6):  610-615.  doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.130103 Abstract ( 210 )   PDF (630KB) ( 810 )   Save Motor reinnervation after repair of tibial nerve defects using autologous vein grafts in rats has previously been reported, but sensory reinnervation after the same repair has not been fully investigated. In this study, partial sensory reinnervation of muscle spindles was observed after repair of 10-mm left tibial nerve defects using autologous vein grafts with end-to-end anastomosis in rats, and functional recovery was confirmed by electrophysiological studies. There were no significant differences in the number, size, or electrophysiological function of reinnervated muscle spindles between the two experimental groups. These findings suggest that repair of short nerve defects with autologous vein grafts provides comparable results to immediate end-to-end anastomosis in terms of sensory reinnervation of muscle spindles. Related Articles | Metrics

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Heat shock protein 90 is a potential therapeutic target for ameliorating skeletal muscle abnormalities in Parkinson’s disease Nour Erekat, Ahed Al-Khatib, Muhammed Al-Jarrah 2014, 9 (6):  616-621.  doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.130105 Abstract ( 224 )   PDF (511KB) ( 692 )   Save Previous studies have confirmed that heat shock protein 90 overexpression can lead to dopaminergic neuronal death. This study was designed to further investigate what effects are produced by heat shock protein 90 after endurance exercise training. Immunohistochemistry results showed that exercise training significantly inhibited heat shock protein 90 overexpression in the soleus and gastrocnemius in Parkinson’s disease rats, which is a potential therapeutic target for ameliorating skeletal muscle abnormalities in Parkinson’s disease. Related Articles | Metrics

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Vasopressin decreases neuronal apoptosis during cardiopulmonary resuscitation Chi Ma, Zhe Zhu, Xu Wang, Gang Zhao, Xiaoliang Liu, Rui Li 2014, 9 (6):  622-629.  doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.130107 Abstract ( 276 )   PDF (4735KB) ( 638 )   Save The American Heart Association and the European Resuscitation Council recently recommended that vasopressin can be used for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, instead of epinephrine. However, the guidelines do not discuss the effects of vasopressin during cerebral resuscitation. In this study, we intraperitoneally injected epinephrine and/or vasopressin during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in a rat model of asphyxial cardiac arrest. The results demonstrated that, compared with epinephrine alone, the pathological damage to nerve cells was lessened, and the levels of c-Jun N-terminal kinase and p38 expression were significantly decreased in the hippocampus after treatment with vasopressin alone or the vasopressin and epinephrine combination. No significant difference in resuscitation effects was detected between vasopressin alone and the vasopressin and epinephrine combination. These results suggest that vasopressin alone or the vasopressin and epinephrine combination suppress the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase and c-Jun N-terminal kinase signaling pathways and reduce neuronal apoptosis during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Baicalin suppresses iron accumulation after substantia nigra injury: relationship between iron concentration and transferrin expression Chunyan Guo, Xin Chen, Pei Xiong 2014, 9 (6):  630-636.  doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.130108 Abstract ( 182 )   PDF (1035KB) ( 1011 )   Save Previous studies have shown that baicalin prevented iron accumulation after substantia nigra injury, reduced divalent metal transporter 1 expression, and increased ferroportin 1 expression in the substantia nigra of rotenone-induced Parkinson’s disease rats. In the current study, we investigated the relationship between iron accumulation and transferrin expression in C6 cells, to explore the mechanisms of the inhibitory effect of baicalin on iron accumulation observed in Parkinson’s disease rats. Iron content was detected using inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy. Results showed that iron content decreased 41% after blocking divalent metal transporter 1 and ferroportin 1 proteins. After treatment with ferric ammonium citrate of differing concentrations (10, 50, 100, 400 µg/mL) in C6 glioma cells, cell survival rate and ferroportin 1 expression were negatively correlated with ferric ammonium citrate concentration, but divalent metal transporter 1 expression positively correlated with ferric ammonium citrate concentration. Baicalin or deferoxamine reduced divalent metal transporter 1 expression, but increased ferroportin 1 expression in the 100 µg/mL ferric ammonium citrate-loaded C6 cells. These results indicate that baicalin down-regulated iron concentration, which positively regulated divalent metal transporter 1 expression and negatively regulated ferroportin 1 expression, and decreased iron accumulation in the substantia nigra. Related Articles | Metrics

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Effect of dexamethasone on intelligence and hearing in preterm infants: a meta-analysis Ruolin Zhang, Tao Bo, Li Shen, Senlin Luo, Jian Li 2014, 9 (6):  637-645.  doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.130085 Abstract ( 319 )   PDF (908KB) ( 1002 )   Save OBJECTIVE: A meta-analysis of published randomized controlled trials investigating the long-term effect of dexamethasone on the nervous system of preterm infants. DATA SOURCES: Online literature retrieval was conducted using The Cochrane Library (from January 1993 to June 2013), EMBASE (from January 1980 to June 2013), MEDLINE (from January 1963 to June 2013), OVID (from January 1993 to June 2013), Springer (from January 1994 to June 2013) and Chinese Academic Journal Full-text Database (from January 1994 to June 2013). Key words were preterm infants and dexamethasone in English and Chinese. STUDY SELECTION: Selected studies were randomized controlled trials assessing the effect of intravenous dexamethasone in preterm infants. The quality of the included papers was evaluated and those without the development of the nervous system and animal experiments were excluded. Quality assessment was performed through bias risk evaluation in accordance with Cochrane Handbook 5.1.0 software in the Cochrane Collaboration. The homogeneous studies were analyzed and compared using Revman 5.2.6 software, and then effect model was selected and analyzed. Those papers failed to be included in the meta-analysis were subjected to descriptive analysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Nervous system injury in preterm infants. RESULTS: Ten randomized controlled trials were screened, involving 1,038 subjects. Among them 512 cases received dexamethasone treatment while 526 cases served as placebo control group and blank control group. Meta-analysis results showed that the incidence of cerebral palsy, visual impairment and hearing loss in preterm infants after dexamethasone treatment within 7 days after birth was similar to that in the control group (RR = 1.47, 95%CI: 0.97–2.21; RR = 1.46, 95%CI: 0.97–2.20; RR = 0.80, 95%CI: 0.54–1.18; P > 0.05), but intelligence quotient was significantly decreased compared with the control group (MD = −3.55, 95%CI: −6.59 to −0.51; P = 0.02). Preterm infants treated with dexamethasone 7 days after birth demonstrated an incidence of cerebral palsy and visual impairment, and changes in intelligence quotient similar to those in the control group (RR = 1.26, 95%CI: 0.89–1.79; RR = 1.37, 95%CI: 0.73–2.59; RR = 0.53, 95%CI: 0.32–0.89; RR = 1.66, 95%CI: −4.7 to 8.01; P > 0.05). However, the incidence of hearing loss was significantly increased compared with that in the control group (RR = 0.53, 95%CI: 0.32–0.89; P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Dexamethasone may affect the intelligence of preterm infants in the early stages after birth, but may lead to hearing impairment at later stages after birth. More reliable conclusions should be made through large-size, multi-center, well-designed randomized controlled trials. References | Related Articles | Metrics

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Mifepristone modulates serotonin transporter function Chaokun Li, Linlin Shan, Xinjuan Li, Linyu Wei, Dongliang Li 2014, 9 (6):  646-652.  doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.130112 Abstract ( 268 )   PDF (959KB) ( 1309 )   Save Regulating serotonin expression can be used to treat psychotic depression. Mifepristone, a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, is an effective candidate for psychotic depression treatment. However, the underlying mechanism related to serotonin transporter expression is poorly understood. In this study, we cloned the human brain serotonin transporter into Xenopus oocytes, to establish an in vitro expression system. Two-electrode voltage clamp recordings were used to detect serotonin transporter activity. Our results show that mifepristone attenuates serotonin transporter activity by directly inhibiting the serotonin transporter, and suggests that the serotonin transporter is a pharmacological target of mifepristone for the treatment of psychotic depression. References | Related Articles | Metrics

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APOE and APOC1 gene polymorphisms are associated with cognitive impairment progression in Chinese patients with late-onset Alzheimer’s disease Qin Zhou, Dantao Peng, Xinrui Yuan, Zeping Lv, Shenghang Pang, Wenyu Jiang, Chuyu Yang, Xiaohong Shi, Guofang Pang, Yige Yang, Haiqun Xie, Wandong Zhang, Caiyou Hu, Ze Yang 2014, 9 (6):  653-660.  doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.130117 Abstract ( 355 )   PDF (434KB) ( 992 )   Save Current evidence shows that apolipoprotein E (APOE), apolipoprotein CI (APOC1) and low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP) variations are related to late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. However, it remains unclear if genetic polymorphisms in these genes are associated with cognitive decline in late-onset Alzheimer’s disease patients. We performed a 30-month longitudinal cohort study to investigate the relationship between Alzheimer’s disease and APOE, APOC1, and LRP. In this study, 78 Chinese Han patients with late-onset Alzheimer’s disease were recruited form Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in China. APOE, APOC1, and LRP genotyping was performed using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphisms. The Mini-Mental State Examination and Clinical Dementia Rating Scale were used to assess patients’ cognitive function. After a 30-month follow-up period, we found a significant reduction in Mini-Mental State Examination total score, a higher proportion of patients fulfilling cognitive impairment progression criteria, and a higher proportion of APOC1 H2 carriers in APOE ε4 carriers compared with non-carriers. In addition, the APOE ε4 allele frequency was significantly higher in the cognitive impairment progression group compared with the non-cognitive impairment progression group. In conclusion, APOE ε4 plays an important role in augmenting cognitive decline, and APOC1 H2 may act synergistically with APOE ε4 in increasing the risk of cognitive decline in Chinese patients with late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Related Articles | Metrics

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Factors predicting sensory and motor recovery after the repair of upper limb peripheral nerve injuries Bo He, Zhaowei Zhu, Qingtang Zhu, Xiang Zhou, Canbin Zheng, Pengliang Li, Shuang Zhu, Xiaolin Liu, Jiakai Zhu 2014, 9 (6):  661-672.  doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.130094 Abstract ( 218 )   PDF (428KB) ( 857 )   Save OBJECTIVE: To investigate the factors associated with sensory and motor recovery after the repair of upper limb peripheral nerve injuries. DATA SOURCES: The online PubMed database was searched for English articles describing outcomes after the repair of median, ulnar, radial, and digital nerve injuries in humans with a publication date between 1 January 1990 and 16 February 2011. STUDY SELECTION: The following types of article were selected: (1) clinical trials describing the repair of median, ulnar, radial, and digital nerve injuries published in English; and (2) studies that reported sufficient patient information, including age, mechanism of injury, nerve injured, injury location, defect length, repair time, repair method, and repair materials. SPSS 13.0 software was used to perform univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses and to investigate the patient and intervention factors associated with outcomes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Sensory function was assessed using the Mackinnon-Dellon scale and motor function was assessed using the manual muscle test. Satisfactory motor recovery was defined as grade M4 or M5, and satisfactory sensory recovery was defined as grade S3+ or S4. RESULTS: Seventy-one articles were included in this study. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that repair time, repair materials, and nerve injured were independent predictors of outcome after the repair of nerve injuries (P < 0.05), and that the nerve injured was the main factor affecting the rate of good to excellent recovery. CONCLUSION: Predictors of outcome after the repair of peripheral nerve injuries include age, gender, repair time, repair materials, nerve injured, defect length, and duration of follow-up. Related Articles | Metrics