Kallikrein-binding protein promotes axonal regeneration and protect rat retinal ganglion cells following optic nerve injury / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effect of kallikrein-binding protein (KPB) in protecting retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and promoting axonal regeneration following optical nerve injury in rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Crush injury of the optic nerve at 0.5-1.0 mm from the eyeball was induced in rats, which received subsequent KBP injection into the vitreous cavity (experimental group) and PBS injection (control group). At 7, 14 and 21 days after the injury, the rats were sacrificed and frozen sections of the eyeball were prepared to observe the structure and thickness of the retina and count the number of survival RGCs with HE staining. The optic nerves were collected for Western blotting to assess the effect of KBP on the RGCs and axonal regeneration.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>RGC counts and retinal thickness showed significant differences between the two groups. Western blotting also demonstrated a significant difference in the expression of the nerve regeneration marker protein GAP-43 between the two groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>KBP offers protection on RGCs and promotes regeneration of the optic nerve axons after optic nerve injury in rats.</p>

Changes in glial fibrillary acidic protein and growth-associated protein-43 expressions in retinal ganglial cells during axonal regeneration / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the changes in the expressions of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and growth- associated protein-43 (GAP-43) in retinal ganglial cells after neural transplantation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-nine rats were randomized into normal control group, nerve amputation group and nerve amputation with peripheral nerve transplantation group. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the changes in the expressions of GFAP and GAP-43 at different time points after the operations, and real-time PCR was employed to detect the mRNA expressions of 13 genes in the retinal ganglial cells of the rats.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Immunohistochemistry showed obviously increased GFAP expressions in the retina following the nerve amputation. GFAP expression was down-regulated while GAP-43 expression upregulated in the retinal ganglial cells after peripheral nerve transplantation. Real-time PCR results showed that 5 days after the operations, retinal GFAP and GAP-43 expressions increased significantly in the nerve amputation group and peripheral nerve transplantation groups as compared with those in the control group, but GAP-43 expression decreased significantly in the former two groups afterwards.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The regenerated retina may adjust the production of GFAP. The retinal ganglial cells express GAP-43 during retinal regeneration. Up-regulation of the expression of GAP-43 provides the evidence for nerve regeneration following the nerve transplantation.</p>