title: Effect of FK506 on expression of hepatocyte growth factor in murine spinal cord following peripheral nerve injury.
abstract: This study is to investigate the effect of FK506 on expression of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in rats' spinal cord following peripheral nerve injury and to elucidate the mechanisms for neuroprotective property of FK506. Fifty male rats were randomly divided into normal group, injury group and treatment group. Models of peripheral nerve injury were established by bilateral transection of sciatic nerve 0.5 cm distal to piriform muscle. Then the treatment group received subcutaneous injection of FK506 (1 mg/kg) at the back of neck, while the injury group was given 0.9% saline. The L(4-6) spinal cords were harvested at various time points after the surgery. Western blotting and immunofluorescent staining were used to detect the level and position of HGF in spinal cord. Immunofluorescent staining showed that HGF-positive neurons were located in anterior horn, intermediate zone and posterior horn of gray matter in normal spinal cord. Western blotting revealed that there was no significant difference in the expressions of HGF between the injury group and the normal group, while the expression of HGF was significantly higher in the treatment group than in the injury group 7 and 14 days after surgery. It is suggested that peripheral nerve injury does not result in up-regulation of the expression of HGF in spinal cord, while FK506 may induce high expression of endogenous HGF after injury thereby protecting neurons and promoting axonal outgrowth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China. panmountains@126.com
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Anmin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Fengjing
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Chenliang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Fenghua
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D017933:Peripheral Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000378:metabolism; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D016559:Tacrolimus