title: Ganglioside treatment and improved axonal regeneration capacity in experimental diabetic neuropathy.
abstract: The efficacy of gangliosides in enhancing axonal regeneration and maturation in the early stages of diabetic neuropathy was assessed by quantitative analysis of immunostained serial sections of the sciatic nerve. Sprague-Dawley rats were made diabetic with a single injection of alloxan (100 mg/kg). One week later they were injected daily intraperitoneally with either a highly purified ganglioside mixture (10 mg/kg) or sterile saline for 4 wk. At the end of the treatment, sciatic nerves were crushed and allowed to regenerate for 1 wk without ganglioside treatment. The animals were then killed, and the nerves were frozen and processed for immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. The number of regrowing axons was counted with a computerized image-analysis system on cross sections taken at predefined distances along the regenerating stump and stained with monoclonal antibody iC8 specific for the 145,000-Mr subunit of the neurofilaments. In untreated diabetic animals the number of axons able to regenerate and sustain elongation for greater than or equal to 13 mm from the crush point was reduced by 40% with respect to control rats. Ganglioside treatment was effective in compensating almost completely for this dramatic reduction. Electron microscopy confirmed that the immunofluorescence counts corresponded to regenerating axons containing neurofilaments. These results suggest that gangliosides are able to compensate for the derangements of axonal transport of cytoskeletal proteins reported in experimental diabetic neuropathy.
authors.affiliation: Fidia Research Laboratories, Abano Terme, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Triban
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Guidolin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fabris
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schiavinato
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Donà
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Bortolami
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Di Giamberardino
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Fiori
mesh_terms: D000496:Alloxan; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001835:Body Weight; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007382:Intermediate Filaments / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001786:Blood Glucose; D005732:Gangliosides; D000496:Alloxan