Expression of Schwann cell derived neurotrophic factor in developing lumbar spinal cord of rats

Xiping ZHANG; Zhiyue LI

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

Schwann cell can excrete many neurotrophic factors,protect neuron, and be nutritious to neuron. It also can promote the recover of injury of nerve.

OBJECTIVE:

To observe the expression of Schwann cell derived neurotrophic factor(SDNF) in developing lumber spinal cord of normal adult and different embryo rats as well as immature rats, and the effect on spinal cord in various developing period.

DESIGN:

Randomized and Controlled animal study.MATERIALS The experiment was completed in the Animal Laboratory of Nanhua University in September 2003. Totally 30 Wister rats, in each gender,weighing 150-300 g, were selected from Animal Laboratory of Nanhua University.

INTERVENTIONS:

① Selection and section The normal lumbar spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia of normal adults rats with body mass in 180-220 g and 4-6 mature stages were fixed. Frozen sections were selected from 8 pregnant female rats including various embryol rats and immature rats. ② Immunohistochemical staining Regarding protein antibody of SDNF as the first antibody,avidin-biotin peroxidase method was used to stain, the ash value was observed and the demi-quantitative value was worked out by scanning staining depth in order to analyze the expression of SDNF in lumbar spinal cord.MAIN OUTCOME

MEASURES:

① Immunohistochemical staining of normal lumbar spinal cord; ② Immunohistochemical staining of developing lumbar spinal cord.

RESULTS:

Eight female rats were pregnant, and all samples were selected from the fetal rats and the immature rats. ① There appeared well-distributed SDNF, staining the whole white matter and Ⅲ, Ⅳ, Ⅴ stratum of the poster horn of gray matter of adult rats, and the dorsal root ganglia is much more intensively stained than lumber spinal cord. ② There was a inclination of early increase and late declination of SDNF immunoreactivity and the staining reaches a maximum at 21-day embryo, and then decreased at 7-day embryo and 12-day embryo after birth.

CONCLUSION:

There is lower expression of SDNF in lumber spinal cord of adult rats. But the expression of SDNF decreases gradually in the developing lumber spinal cord of rats. This means that SDNF may promote the development of spinal cord of embryo rats.