ABSTRACT
Objective To observe the expression and distribution the low affinity receptor p75 of nerve growth factor in the traumatic neuroma and investigate its significance and relationship with the growth of peripheral nerve and the formation of the traumatic neuroma.Methods Fifty-one cases of traumatic neuro- ma were collected and were divided into four groups according to its course,i.e,groupⅠ(less than one month),groupⅡ(1～3 months),groupⅢ(3～6 months) and groupⅣ(more than six months).Fifteen cases of normal nerve samples were harvested as the control group(n=15).Immunohistochemical studies were performed to observe the expression of p75.the expression level was detected by the computer graph analysis system.Results There was no significant expression of p75 in the normal nerve while in the four studied groups,significant expression of p75 waspositively observed.The level of p75 was weak in the early time and achieved its peak in three months,but the high level state was maintained even after six months.The one-way ANOVA statistic analysis manifests that there were no significant differences of the expression of p75 among the groupⅡ,ⅢandⅣ(P＞0.05),but the differences among the groupⅠand the latter three groups were signifi- cant (P＜0.05).p75 was mainly distributed in the Schwans cell.Conclusion p75 is expressed in the traumatic neuroma and may play an important role in the modulation progress of the formation of traumatic neu- roma with an unknown mechanism.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the expression and distribution of substance P (SP), neurofilament-H (NFH) in glomus tumors with chronic pain, and to discuss the process of chronic pain and the relationship with pain degree.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty-seven patients diagnosed as glomus tumor with chronic pain were enrolled as case group, and divided into light pain symptomatic group (LPSG) (n = 12) and severe pain symptomatic group (SPSG) (n = 15) according to clinical manifestations. Control group (CG) were enrolled by 30 patients with amputated extremities or hands after trauma. Immunohistochemical methods were used to determine the expression of SP, NFH which were detected quantitatively by computer graph analysis system too.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The positive expression and distribution of SP, NFH existed in all the three groups and SPSG expression level was the highest [Grayscale Value(SP) (143.3 +/- 7.5), Grayscale Value(NFH) (167.7 +/- 4.4)], LPSG followed [Grayscale Value(SP) (156.2 +/- 8.2), Grayscale Value(NFH) (194.8 +/- 4.0)], control group was the third [Grayscale Value(SP) (208.2 +/- 16.6), Grayscale Value(NFH) (225.1 +/- 8.3)]; The difference of expression level among three groups was significant [SPSG vs LPSG (P(SP) = 0.002, P(NFH) < 0.0001), SPSG vs CG (P(SP) < 0.0001, P(NFH) < 0.0001), LPSG vs CG (P(SP) < 0.0001, P(NFH) < 0.0001)]. The findings of Pearson product-moment correlation analysis between quantitative grayscale value of SP, NFH respectively and pain score in all the patients with glomus tumor showed linear negative correlation (r(SP) = -0.8974, P(SP) = 0.000001; r(NFH) = -0.6545, P(NFH) = 0.000212).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>SP is the mainly afferent pain transmitter in the process of chronic pain in glomus tumor, and NFH plays an important role in pain-transmitted activities.</p>