[An experiment study on repair of peripheral nerve defects by GDNF gene modified Schwann cells].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate an effective treatment of peripheral nerve injuries by means of gene transference.


METHODS
48 adult Wister rats were divided evenly into 3 groups. A 10 mm sciatic nerve gap was created and bridged with a silicone chamber. The silicone chamber was filled with glial cell-line derived neurotrophic factor(GDNF) gene modified Schwann cells(SCs) (group 1), the normal SCs(group 2) and nothing(the control). At 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks after the operation, the general and histological observations, the electromyographic and immunohistochemical examinations were performed to the regenerated nerves.


RESULTS
The GDNF-SCs group was significantly better than the SCs and the control groups in nerve conduction velocity, the number and density of reinnervation, the area of regenerated nerve and the thickness of myelin sheath of the regenerated nerves.


CONCLUSIONS
GDNF gene modified SCs secrete higher levels of neurotrophic factors for a prolonged time, which are more effective in peripheral nerve repair than the normal SCs.
Ping
Ping
P
Department of Plastic Surgery, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai 200011, China.
Li
Qing-feng
QF
Zhang
Di-sheng
DS
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000737:chemistry / Q000503:physiopathology; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000637:transplantation
C495041:Gdnf protein, rat; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors