Effects of 660-nm gallium-aluminum-arsenide low-energy laser on nerve regeneration after acellular nerve allograft in rats.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to explore and discuss the effects of 660-nm gallium-aluminum-arsenide low-energy laser (GaAlAs LEL) irradiation on neural regeneration after acellular nerve allograft repair of the sciatic nerve gap in rats.


METHODS
Eight male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were used as nerve donors, and 32 healthy Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: normal control group, acellular rat sciatic nerve (ARSN) group, laser group, and autograft group. Twelve weeks after surgery, nerve conduction velocity, restoration rate of tibialis anterior wet muscle weight, myelinated nerve number, and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) protein and mRNA expression of the spinal cord and muscle at the injury site were quantified and statistically analyzed.


RESULTS
Compared with the ARSN group, laser therapy significantly increased nerve conduction velocity, restoration rate of tibialis anterior wet muscle weight, myelinated nerve number, and CGRP protein and mRNA expression of the L(4) spinal cord at the injury site.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings demonstrate that 660-nm GaAlAs LEL therapy upregulates CGRP protein and mRNA expression of the L(4) spinal cord at the injury site and increases the rate of regeneration and target reinnervation after acellular nerve allograft repair of the sciatic nerve gap in rats. Low-energy laser irradiation may be a useful, noninvasive adjunct for promoting nerve regeneration in surgically induced defects repaired with ARSN.
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, China. uzlx@yahoo.com.cn
Li-Xin
LX
Zhang
Xiao-Jie
XJ
Tong
Xiu-Hua
XH
Yuan
Xiao-Hong
XH
Sun
Hua
H
Jia
D000818:Animals; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D054023:Lasers, Semiconductor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000502:physiology / Q000637:transplantation / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D009431:Neural Conduction; D009929:Organ Size; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000637:transplantation*; D020426:Sciatic Neuropathy / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000379:methods
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide