Peripheral nerve and transgene cells transplantation in the treatment of experimental neuropathy of SD rats.
OBJECTIVE
To observe whether optic nerve can regenerate by peripheral nerve transplantation and GDNF gene transfer.


METHODS
Optic nerve was transected about 2 mm posterior to the eye to establish experimental models of optic neuropathy. Sciatic nerve was sutured to the sheath of injury optic nerve by a 10-0 nylon, pcDNA3-GDNF was smeared to the joint and injected to the vitreous cavity. The regenerated retinal ganglion cells axons were observed by HRP. The retina and optic nerve were observed by pathohistological methods.


RESULTS
Some retinal ganglion cells with regenerated axons could be seen a week after transplantation with large cell bodies. The cells could be identified by HRP. The regenerated nerve fibers grew to the transplanted sciatic nerve. Then the number of retinal ganglion cells with regenerated axons increased with time going. Only a few regenerated retinal ganglion cells could be seen two months after transplantation. The large retinal ganglion cells were seen to have plenty of cytoplasms and be in an active state under electron microscope. Some nerve fibers could be seen in the joint. Sciatic nerve transplantation combined with GDNF gene therapy could increase the amount of retinal ganglion cells with regenerated axons compared with those without GDNF transgene.


CONCLUSIONS
Optic nerve could regenerate by peripheral nerve transplantation and GDNF gene transfer.
Ge
J
J
Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510060, China.
Li
Y
Y
Zhuo
Y
Y
Guo
Y
Y
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001369:Axons; D017690:Cell Transplantation; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D016067:Nerve Transfer; D009901:Optic Nerve Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D020221:Optic Nerve Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000637:transplantation*; D019076:Transgenes / Q000235:genetics
C495041:Gdnf protein, rat; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors