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Glycosaminoglycan Supplementation Promotes Nerve Regeneration and Muscle Reinnervation
Author(s) -
Gorio A.,
Lesma E.,
Vergani L.,
Giulio A. M.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
european journal of neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.346
H-Index - 206
eISSN - 1460-9568
pISSN - 0953-816X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1460-9568.1997.tb01532.x
Subject(s) - reinnervation , sciatic nerve , axon , regeneration (biology) , glycosaminoglycan , myelin , anatomy , chemistry , collagenase , stimulation , medicine , endocrinology , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , central nervous system , biochemistry , enzyme
This study shows that treatment of rats with exogenous glycosaminoglycans stimulates peripheral nerve regeneration, increases the abundance of mRNAs for myelin proteins and promotes muscle reinnervation. After the sciatic nerve had been crushed the number of regenerating axons in the distal stump was markedly and highly significantly increased by glycosaminoglycan treatment throughout the experimental period. The increased number of axons was correlated with increased axon and fibre (axon + myelin) diameter. The abundance of mRNAs for P o protein and myelin basic protein of regenerating nerves was also affected by treatment with glycosaminoglycans. The increase in mRNA was also observed in the contralateral unlesioned nerve. Such a phenomenon did not occur in saline‐treated rats. Glycosaminoglycan treatment markedly increased the number of muscle fibres reinnervated and accelerated the restoration of muscle twitch tension elicited by nerve stimulation. The effect was particularly evident during the early stages (16 and 21 days after nerve crush) of muscle reinnervation.