Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and its fetal liver kinase-1 receptor in spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia after neurotomy of sciatic nerve in rats

作     者：傅重洋 洪光祥 王发斌 

作者机构：Department of Hand Surgery Union Hospital Tongji Medical College Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan 430022 China 

出 版 物：《Chinese Journal of Traumatology》 (中华创伤杂志（英文版）)

年 卷 期：2005年第8卷第1期

页      面：17-22页

学科分类：1002[医学-临床医学] 100210[医学-外科学(含：普外、骨外、泌尿外、胸心外、神外、整形、烧伤、野战外)] 10[医学] 

主　　题：Vascular endothelial growth factors Nerve regeneration Spinal cord Ganglia, spinal Rats 

摘      要：Objective: To investigate the expression and pattern of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its fetal liver kinase-1 (Flk-1) receptor in spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia after neurotomy of sciatic nerve in rats. Methods: Forty-five adult male Wistar rats were divided randomly into a control group (n=5) and an experimental group (n=40). The bilateral sciatic nerves of the rats in the experimental group underwent neurotomy and the L 4-L 6 spinal cord and the corresponding dorsal root ganglia were harvested respectively at 8 hours, and 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 14 and 21 days (8 subgroups with 5 rats each) after operation. The rats in the control group only underwent an exposure of sciatic nerve without neurotomy. Immunohistochemistry and image analysis were used to study the expression of VEGF and its Flk-1 receptor. Results: Both VEGF and Flk-1 receptor expressed in the normal rat spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia. In response to neurotomy, their expression reached a higher level and persisted for a short time then declined to the normal level rapidly. Besides, positive staining of Flk-1 was observed in both glial cells and nerve fibers, which located in the white matter of the spinal ***: VEGF can promote the regeneration of peripheral nerves from the angle of central neurons, which establishes the experimental and theoretical foundation for VEGF treating peripheral nerve injuries.