Since peripheral nerves injuries have high worldwide prevalence and incidence, in the last decade the experimental investigation about nerve function recovery is rising. Unlike central nervous tissue, peripheral nerve fibers are able to functionally regenerate due to their permissive environment. This property is used in surgery in order to allow the damaged nerves repair, hence surgical procedures are continuously evolving. Indentify new molecular targets to facilitate and speed up the physiological injury recover is a critical step to improve the post-operative outcome, avoiding further complications such as muscle atrophy: genetically modified animal models could aid preclinical trials. Recent data shown Neuregulin-mediated HER family (Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor) was involved in molecular response to peripheral nerve injuries. Indeed, Schwann cells HER3 and oligodendrocytes HER4 expression was modulated in post-injured nerve models, both co-expressed with ligand-orphan HER2 (also named neu in mice); anywhere the HER2 nerve restore rule is still unknown. To further address this issue, we have investigated by behavioral test (grasping test) and by immuno-histochemistry and histomorphometry the median nerve function and morphology in genetically modified neu over-expressing mice both in normal conditions and after nerve repair and regeneration. Results showed that median nerves of genetically modified neu over-expressing mice have a lesser fiber number with respect to wild-type strain ones while no significant differences were detected regarding function in normal conditions. However, preliminary results on regenerated nerves showed the involvement of neu in tissue recovery, inasmuch as neu mice have better lesions recovery with respect to wild-type.
Injured peripheral nerve of transgenic animal models: a new tool to investigate tissue regeneration
SALAMONE, PAOLINA;DI SCIPIO, FEDERICA;RONCHI, GIULIA;SPRIO, ANDREA ELIO;TOS, PIERLUIGI
2009-01-01
Abstract
Since peripheral nerves injuries have high worldwide prevalence and incidence, in the last decade the experimental investigation about nerve function recovery is rising. Unlike central nervous tissue, peripheral nerve fibers are able to functionally regenerate due to their permissive environment. This property is used in surgery in order to allow the damaged nerves repair, hence surgical procedures are continuously evolving. Indentify new molecular targets to facilitate and speed up the physiological injury recover is a critical step to improve the post-operative outcome, avoiding further complications such as muscle atrophy: genetically modified animal models could aid preclinical trials. Recent data shown Neuregulin-mediated HER family (Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor) was involved in molecular response to peripheral nerve injuries. Indeed, Schwann cells HER3 and oligodendrocytes HER4 expression was modulated in post-injured nerve models, both co-expressed with ligand-orphan HER2 (also named neu in mice); anywhere the HER2 nerve restore rule is still unknown. To further address this issue, we have investigated by behavioral test (grasping test) and by immuno-histochemistry and histomorphometry the median nerve function and morphology in genetically modified neu over-expressing mice both in normal conditions and after nerve repair and regeneration. Results showed that median nerves of genetically modified neu over-expressing mice have a lesser fiber number with respect to wild-type strain ones while no significant differences were detected regarding function in normal conditions. However, preliminary results on regenerated nerves showed the involvement of neu in tissue recovery, inasmuch as neu mice have better lesions recovery with respect to wild-type.
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