The effect of 810 nm low-power Ga-Al-As laser treatment on the regeneration of a damaged optic nerve / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To determine whether or not 810 nm low power Ga-Al-As laser treatment can stimulate the regeneration of damaged optic nerves by measuring the expression of growth associated protein 43 ( GAP-43 )and flash-visual evoked potential (F-VEP). Methods Eighty-eight Wistar rats weighing (180-220) g were randomly divided into a laser therapy group with 40 rats,an injury group with 32 rats,and a normal control group with 16 rats.Each group was subdivided into 1st,3rd,6th and 9th week subgroups.A standardized crushing of the optic nerve was applied to make the model.After this,the laser therapy group was treated for 3 minutes daily at 60 mW applied transcutaneously to a 5 mm diameter spot on the injured optic nerve.The injury and normal control groups received the same treatment with no laser output.The expression of GAP-43 was detected by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR after 1,3,6 and 9 weeks of treatment.F-VEP was measured pre-injury,immediately after injury and 1,3,6 and 9 weeks post injury. Results After the optic nerve was injured,obvious changes in F-VEP were detected,including significantly prolonged latencies of N1,P1 and N2 waves.The latency increased immediately after the optic nerve injured,and then recovered,but after 1 and 3 weeks the latency was still prolonged.There was significant recovery from the 3rd to the 9th week.In the laser therapy group,the peak latencies of the N1,P1 and N2 waves were also prolonged,but the changes were less than those in the injury group.Expression of GAP-43 was hardly detectable in normal retinas and optic nerves.GAP-43 had its highest expression level at 1 week post-injury,and then decreased.At the 1st,3rd and 6th week post-injury,the expression of GAP-43 in the laser therapy group was significantly higher than in the injury group.GAP-43 mRNA content in the retina showed the same tendency as GAP-43 protein. Conclusion A 810 nm low power Ga-Al-As laser can promote neural repair and axonal regeneration after optic nerve injury.