OBJECTIVE To study the protective effects of Schwann cell derived neurotrophic factor (SDNF) on motoneurons of spinal anterior horn from spinal root avulsion induced cell death. METHODS Twenty SD rats were made the animal model of C6.7 spinal root avulsion induced motoneuron degeneration, and SDNF was applied at the lesion site of spinal cord once a week. After three weeks, the C6.7 spinal region was dissected out for motoneuron count, morphological analysis and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) enzyme histochemistry. RESULTS 68.6% motoneurons of spinal anterior horn death were occurred after 3 weeks following surgery, the size of survivors was significantly atrophy and NOS positive neurons increased. However, in animals which received SDNF treatment, the death of motoneurons was significantly decreased, the atrophy of surviving motoneurons was prevented, and expression of NOS was inhibited. CONCLUSION SDNF can prevent the death of motoneurons following spinal root avulsion. Nitric oxide may play a role in these injury induced motoneuron death.
OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of Schwann cell cytoplasmic derived neurotrophic proteins (SDNF) on the regeneration of peripheral nerve in vivo. METHODS: Ninety adult SD rats were chosen as the experimental model of degenerated muscle graft with vascular implantation bridging the 10 mm length of right sciatic nerve. They were divided randomly into three groups, 30 SD rats in each groups. 25 microliters of 26 ku SDNF (50 micrograms/ml, group A), 58 ku SDNF (50 micrograms/ml, group B) and normal saline(group C) were injected respectively into the proximal, middle and distal part of the degenerated muscle grafts at operation, 7 and 14 days postoperatively. The motorial function recovery assessment was carried out every 15 days with the sciatic nerve function index(SFI) after 15 days to 6 months of operation. Histological and electrophysiological examination of regenerating nerve were made at 1, 3 and 6 months postoperatively. RESULTS: There were significant statistic differences between the both of experimental groups(group A and B) and control group(group C) in the respects of the histological, electrophysiological examination and SFI(P lt; 0.01). CONCLUSION: The 26 ku SDNF and 58 ku SNDF can improve the regeneration of the injured peripheral nerve in vivo.
This study aims to investigate the effect ofγ-Secretase Inhibitor DAPT, (N-[N-(3, 5-Difluorophenacetyl)-L-alanyl]-S-phenylglycine t-butyl ester), on the differentiation of neural precursor cells and the production of neurons in the neural precursor cell line GE6. GE6 was cultured in medium with 4μmol/L DAPT added as the experimental group and the untreated medium separately as the control group. After 4 days of differentiation, we carried out the following experiments. We used immuno-fluorescent staining to observe the ratio of Tuj1, GFAP and O4 positive cells. We also used qRT-PCR to detect the effect of the DAPT on Tuj1 and GFAP mRNA transcription in the GE6. The results of immuno-fluorescent staining indicated that the Tuj1 ratio of experimental group was higher compared to that of the control group, but the GFAP and O4 ratio of experimental group was lower than that of the control group. The differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The result of qRT-PCR was in accordance with immunofluorescent staining results. It was well concluded that DAPT could promote the neurogenic differentiation of neural precursor cell line rather than leading to gliogenic differentiation. More neurons could be obtained for transplantation with the addition of DAPT.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the protective effect of tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-alpha) on spinal motor neurons after peripheral nerve injury. METHODS: Twenty Wistar rats were divided into two groups, the right sciatic nerves of 20 Wistar rats were transected, the proximal stumps were inserted into a single blind silicone tube. 16 microliters of normal saline(NS) and TNF-alpha(30 U/ml) were injected into the silicone tubes. After 2 weeks, the 4th, 5th lumbar spinal cord were taken for examination. Enzyme histochemical technique and image analysis were used to show acetylcholinesterase(AChE) and nitric oxide synthase(NOS) activity of spinal motor neurons. RESULTS: The number of AChE and NOS staining neurons were 8.65 +/- 1.98 and 5.92 +/- 1.36 in the experimental group and 6.37 +/- 1.42 and 8.67 +/- 1.45 in the control group respectively, there were significant difference between the two groups(P lt; 0.01). CONCLUSION: It suggests that TNF-alpha has protective effect on motor neurons after peripheral nerve injury.
To investigate the mechanism of cAMP/Ca2+ signaling pathway inducing bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells to differentiate into neuronal cells, we cultured the bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells D1 cells in the present study. D1 cells were divided into two groups: control group and salidroside inducing groups. Control group was cultured with complete culture solution D/F12, while salidroside inducing groups were induced with 100 mg·L–1 salidroside for different time periods (24, 48 and 72 hours). PCR-array assay was used to detect expression of 84 calcium related mRNA, and significantly different genes were chosen to analyse. As a result, there were 4 significantly upregulated mRNAs inclu-ding DNA damage-inducible transcript 3 (Ddit3), heat shock protein 5 (Hspa5), protein phosphatase 1 regulatory subunit (Ppp1r15a) and prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (Ptgs-2), and 4 significantly downregulated mRNAs including glucagon (Gcg), interleukin 2 (Il2), tumor necrosis factor (Tnf) and somatostatin (Sst) in the cAMP/Ca2+ signaling pathway. They probably had an effect on the process of salidroside induced D1 cells differentiating into neuronal cells.
ObjectiveTo illustrate the role of epidermal growth factor (EGF) secreted by astrocytes in the process of tacrolimus (FK506) in promoting neurite outgrowth.
MethodsThe spinal cord astrocytes and neuronal cells were isolated respectively from 2-day-old Sprague Dawley (SD) rats and 15-day SD pregnant rats, and cultured in vitro and identified by immunofluorescence staining. The spinal cord astrocytes were cultured with 20 μmol/L FK506 medium in the experimental group, and with FK506 free medium in the control group. The supernatant was collected after 24 hours for preparing conditioned medium, and astrocytes were collected. EGF proteins in the conditioned medium were detected with ELISA, and EGF gene expressions of astrocytes were detected with real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). The spinal cord neurons were cultured respectively with conditioned medium from the experimental group (FK506-CM) and the control group (C-CM) in group A and group B, also with neutralized C-CM and neutralized FK506-CM with anti-EGF neutralizing antibodies in group C and group D. Both the total neurite length and the longest neurite length were measured and compared among groups.
ResultsBoth astrocytes and neurons were confirmed by immunofluorescence staining. The EGF content of experimental group (0.241±0.044) was significantly higher than that of the control group (0.166±0.014) (t=3.93, P=0.01); EGF gene expression of the experimental group (1.12±0.25) was significantly higher than that of the control group (0.46±0.11) (t=5.78, P=0.00). The neurite length measurement displayed that the total neurite length and the longest neurite length of groups C and D were significantly shorter than those of groups A and B (P<0.05). Both the total and longest neurite length of group A were significantly longer than those of group B (P<0.05), but no significant difference was shown between groups C and D (P>0.05).
ConclusionThe EGF secreted by spinal cord astrocytes can promote the neurite outgrowth. So spinal cord astrocytes can be used as an important intermediary target of FK506 to promote the recovery of neurological function.
ObjectiveTo explore the effect and mechanism of directive differentiation of microglia by SN50 on hypoxia-caused neurons injury in mice.MethodsThe microglia were isolated and purified from brain tissue of new-born BALB/c mice through differential velocity adherent and vibration technique. The quantity of the microglia was identified by immunofluorescence staining of inducible nitric oxide synthetase (iNOS) and ionized calcium binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba1) and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) for special expression genes [iNOS, CD32, and interlenkin 10 (IL-10)]. Then the microglia were cultured with SN50, and the expressions of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), differentiation-related genes (iNOS, CD11b, IL-10, and CD206), and apoptosis were detected by Western blot, qRT-PCR, and flow cytometry, respectively. The hypoxia model of neuron was established, and the cell apoptosis was evaluated by MTT after 0, 2, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours of anoxic treatment. The apoptosis related markers (Bcl-2 and Caspase-3) were measured by Western blot and flow cytometry. In addition, the neurons after anoxic treatment were co-cultured with SN50 treated microglia (experimental group) and normal microglia (control group) for 24 hours. And the cell viability and apoptosis related markers (Bcl-2 and Caspase-3) were also measured.ResultsImmunofluorescence staining and qRT-PCR analysis showed that the cells expressed the specific proteins and genes of microglia. Compared with the normal microglia, the relative expressions of NF-κB protein and iNOS and CD11b mRNAs in the microglia treated with SN50 significantly decreased (P<0.05), the relative expressions of IL-10 and CD206 mRNAs significantly increased (P<0.05), and the cell apoptosis rate had no significant change (P>0.05). Compared with the normal neurons, the cell viability, the relative expressions of Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 proteins after anoxic treatment significantly decreased (P<0.05), while the relative expressions of cleaved-Caspase-3 protein and cell apoptosis rate of neurons significantly increased (P<0.05). In the co-culture system, the cell viability, the relative expressions of Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 proteins were significantly higher in experimental group than those in control group (P<0.05), while the relative expressions of cleaved-Caspase-3 protein and cell apoptosis rate were significantly lower in experimental group than those in control group (P<0.05).ConclusionSN50 can induce the microglia differentiation into M2 type through NF-κB pathway. The SN50-induced microglia can protect neurons from hypoxic injury.
Objective To investigate the distribution of rats’ pelvic muscles motoneurons innervated by artifical somatic-autonomic reflex arc. Methods Thirty-five SD rats were randomly divided into normal group (n=10) and model group (n=25). The rats in the normal group were given no treatment. In the normal group, the artifical somatic-autonomic reflex arc was established. Six months after establishing the model, external urethral sphincter (EUS), ischiocavernosus (IC), bulbocavernosus (BS) and external anal sphincter (EAS) of the rats in normal group(n=10) and of the rats in model group A (n=20) were injected with fluorogold (FG). The reversal neural tracing was done. FG positive neural cells were observedby fluorescent microscope. Malt agglutinator binding horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) was injected into L4 spinal cord of the rats in model group B (n=5) as the anterograde tracer. After being treated with TMB-HRP reaction, the axon endings in the neuromuscular junction in pelvic striated muscles (EUS, IC, BS, EAS) were investigated with light microscopes. Results In normal group, EUS and IC injections resulted in transport of FG to neurons in the dorsolateral nucleus (DL) of the ventral horn of the L5～S1, and BS and EAS in the dorsomedial nucleus (DM) of ventral horn in the L5～S1. In the model group A, EUS, IC, BS andEAS injections resulted in transport of FG to neurons in the left ventral horn in the L4. In model group B, after WGA-HRP was injected into the L4 left ventral horn, HRP positive axon terminals were observed in the EUS, IC, BS and EAS. Conclusion In the normal rats, the pelvic striated muscles motoneurons locate in the ventral horn of L5～S1. In the model rats, the pelvic striated muscles motoneurons innervated by artificial somatic-autonomic reflex arc locate in the ventral horn of the L4. After the artificial somaticautonomic reflex arc is established, the isomerous nerve fiber innervates EUS, IC, BS and EAS.
Objective To study the method to inhibit perioperative internal mammary artery (IMA) spasm from the perspective of muscarinic receptor, and research the function of muscarinic cholinergic receptor subtypes of IMA. Methods IMA segments in vitro with intact endothelium were obtained from 30 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). According to muscarinic receptor antagonists of different concentrations， They were divided into control group (not using receptor antagonist), atropine group (nonselective M receptor antagonist), pirenzepine group (M1 receptor antagonist) and Methoctramine group(M2 receptor antagonist) by random number table. The effects of antagonists on vasodilatation were analyzed, Scott ratio was used to calculate affinity index (pD2) and Schild plot was used to count rivalry index (pA2). Results Acetylcholine (Ach)induced concentrationdependentrelaxation response of IMA segments with intact endothelium precontracted with potassium chloride (KCl). The pD2 was 6.92±0.05. The effects of atropine, pirenzepine and methoctramine on doseresponse curve induced by Ach with intact endothelium were all concentrationdependent. With the increase of the concentration of antagonists, the Achinduced doseresponse curves had a significant shift to right(Plt;0.05). Atropine, pirenzepine and Methoctramine competitively antagonized the reaction of vessel to Ach. The pA2 were 9.62±0.15,7.70±0.08 and 630±0.08, respectively. Conclusion The Achinduced relaxation response of IMA with intact endothelium is concentrationdependent. According to the affinity of different antagonist, IMA in Vitro Achinduced relaxation response is implemented by acting on nonneuronal muscarinic cholinergic M1 receptor subtype.
Neuron is the basic unit of the biological neural system. The Hodgkin-Huxley (HH) model is one of the most realistic neuron models on the electrophysiological characteristic description of neuron. Hardware implementation of neuron could provide new research ideas to clinical treatment of spinal cord injury, bionics and artificial intelligence. Based on the HH model neuron and the DSP Builder technology, in the present study, a single HH model neuron hardware implementation was completed in Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). The neuron implemented in FPGA was stimulated by different types of current, the action potential response characteristics were analyzed, and the correlation coefficient between numerical simulation result and hardware implementation result were calculated. The results showed that neuronal action potential response of FPGA was highly consistent with numerical simulation result. This work lays the foundation for hardware implementation of neural network.
