The experimental study of repair of spinal tracts with peripheral nerve graft combined with neurotrophic factors / 中华骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the feasibility of repairing spinal tracts with peripheral nerve graft combing neurotrophic factors in rats following complete spinal cord transection.Methods One hundred and twenty-one male Wistar Rats were transection at T9 level of spinal cord, and randomly divided into five groups. Group A with spinal cord transection was underwent acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF) treatment and peripheral nerve grafts (n=25); Group B spinal cord transection was underwent aFGF treatment only (n=25); Group C spinal cord transection was underwent peripheral nerve grafts only (n=25); Group D spinal cord transaction only (n=25); and Group E sham control (laminectomy only, n=21). The locomotor behavior of all rats was analyzed by the BBB open field locomotor test over the six months of survival time. Motor evoked potentials (MEP) were used to evaluate axon growth across the damage site. Biotinylated Dextran Amine (BDA) and retrograde tracing with fluorogold were used to evaluate the presence of axons through the damage site after treatment. Results The presence of anterograde BDA labeling of corticospinal tract axons at the graft site and fluorogold retrograde labeling of neuron populations was found in motor cortex and in red nucleus, reticulospinal nuclei, raphe nuclei, and vestibular nuclei in Group A. The average latency and amplitude of MEP were improved significantly in Group C. The mean of BBB scores showed significant improvement in Group A. Statistical analysis indicated that Group A had significant improvement compared to Group BC and D at 6 months post-surgery (P