Synergistic Effects of Acetyl-l-Carnitine and Adipose-Derived Stromal Cells on Improving Regenerative Capacity of Acellular Nerve Allograft in Sciatic Nerve Defect.

The combination of decellularized nerve allograft and adipose-derived stromal cells (ASCs) represents a good alternative to nerve autograft for bridging peripheral nerve defects by providing physical guidance and biologic cues. However, the regeneration outcome of acellular nerve allograft (ANA) is often inferior to autograft. Therefore, we hypothesized that acetyl-l-carnitine (ALCAR) treatment and implantation of ASC-embedded ANA would work synergistically to promote nerve regeneration. Seventy rats were randomly allocated into seven experimental groups (n = 10), including the healthy control group, sham surgery group, autograft group, ANA group, ANA + ASCs group, ANA + ALCAR group (50 mg/kg for 2 weeks), and ANA + ASCs + ALCAR (50 mg/kg for 2 weeks) group. All grafts were implanted to bridge long-gap (10-mm) sciatic nerve defects. Functional, electrophysiological, and morphologic analysis was conducted during the experimental period. We found that ALCAR potentiated the survival and retention of transplanted ASCs and upregulated the expression of neurotrophic factor mRNAs in transplanted grafts. Sixteen weeks following implantation in the rat, the ANA supplemented by ASCs was capable of supporting reinnervation across a 10-mm sciatic nerve gap, with results close to that of the autografts in terms of functional, electrophysiological, and histologic assessments. Results demonstrated that ALCAR treatment improved regenerative effects of ANA combined with ASCs on reconstruction of a 10-mm sciatic nerve defect in rat comparable to those of autograft.

Effects of hydro-alcoholic extract of Launaea acanthodes on serum gonadotropin and testosterone levels and the structure of seminiferous tubules in hyperglycemic rats / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of hydro-alcoholic extract of Launaea acanthodes, a blood glucose lowering plant in folk medicine of Iran, on the structure of seminiferous tubules and serum gonadotropin and testosterone levels in hyperglycemic rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty-four Wistar rats were randomly allocated into 4 groups (n=6): control, streptozotocin (STZ), STZ + insulin [STZ + Ins, 5 IU/(kg•day)], and STZ + Launaea acanthodes extract [STZ + Ext, 150 mg/(kg•day)]. Blood samples were collected at the 2nd and 4th weeks for detection of testosterone, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) with enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA), and the right testes of rats were removed at the 7th week for the evaluation of diameter and wall thickness of seminiferous tubules and number of Leydig cells using unbiased stereological techniques.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In comparison with the control group, at the 2nd week FSH (0.45 vs 0.03, 0.02, 0.02 IU/L in STZ, STZ + Ins and STZ + Ext groups, respectively) and LH (1.02 vs 0.37, 0.2, 0.29 IU/L) showed significant decreases (all P<0.05) and testosterone (4.2 vs 8.37, 7.78, 11.8 ng/mL) showed a remarkable increase (all P<0.05). The levels of these hormones became closer in the STZ + Ext and the STZ + Ins groups to the control at the 4th week. A significant decrease in diameter and wall thickness of seminiferous tubules and number of Leydig cells were observed in the STZ group as compared with the control (P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Administration of Launaea extract demonstrated a beneficial impact on the protection of testis from pathogenic and degenerative effects of hyperglycemia which may be partly due to its potential antioxidative effects.</p>