title: Improvement of functional recovery of transected peripheral nerve by means of chitosan grafts filled with vitamin E, pyrroloquinoline quinone and their combination.
abstract: Effects of vitamin E and pyrroloquinoline quinone on peripheral nerve regeneration were studied using a rat sciatic nerve transection model. Ninety male healthy White Wistar rats were divided into three experimental groups (n = 15), randomly: Sham-operation (SHAM), transected control (TC), chitosan conduit (Chit) and three treatment groups (Vit E, PQQ and PQQ + Vit E). In SHAM group after anesthesia, left sciatic nerve was exposed through a gluteal muscle incision and after homeostasis muscle was sutured. In Chit group left sciatic nerve was exposed the same way and transected proximal to tibio-peroneal bifurcation leaving a 10-mm gap. Proximal and distal stumps were each inserted into a chitosan tube. In treatment groups the tube was implanted the same way and filled with Vit E, PQQ and PQQ + Vit E. Each group was subdivided into three subgroups of six animals each and were studied 4, 8, 12 weeks after surgery. Functional and electrophysiological studies, and gastrocnemius muscle mass measurement confirmed faster and better recovery of regenerated axons in Vit E + PQQ combination compared to Vit E or PQQ solely (P < 0.05). Morphometric indices of regenerated fibers showed number and diameter of the myelinated fibers in PQQ + Vit E was significantly higher than in other treatment groups. In immunohistochemistry, location of reactions to S-100 in PQQ + Vit E was clearly more positive than in other treatment groups. Response to PQQ + Vit E treatment demonstrates that it influences and improves functional recovery of peripheral nerve regeneration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.
authors.forename: Asghar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Azizi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran. Electronic address: s.azizi@urmia.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Saeed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Azizi
authors.affiliation: Neurophysiology Research Center, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
authors.forename: Behnam
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Heshmatian
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pathology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
authors.forename: Keyvan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Amini
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000494:pharmacology; D048271:Chitosan / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects*; D045542:PQQ Cofactor / Q000494:pharmacology*; D059348:Peripheral Nerve Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects*; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000293:injuries / Q000503:physiopathology; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D014810:Vitamin E; D045542:PQQ Cofactor; D048271:Chitosan
keywords: Chitosan; Nerve repair; PQQ; Vit E