title: [Effects of mecobalamin on Bax and Bcl-2 in neurons after peripheral nerve injury].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the effects of mecobalamin on the expression of apoptosis-related proteins, Bax and Bcl-2, in neurons after peripheral nerve injury, and to explore the role of neuron apoptosis in peripheral nerve regeneration after injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty healthy adult male wistar rats were randomly divided into sham-operation group, model group, and mecobalamin group, with 10 rats in each group. A rat model of left sciatic nerve semi-injury was established using forceps. Rats in the mecobalamin group were fed mecobalamin, while rats in the sham-operation group and model group were given the same dose of normal saline. The protein expression of Bax and Bcl-2 in neurons was measured at 14 days after operation. A semi-quantitative analysis of Bax and Bcl-2 proteins was performed by image analysis technology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The model group had significantly increased Bax protein expression and significantly reduced Bcl-2 protein expression in spinal cord anterior horn motor neurons and ganglion sensory neurons compared with the sham-operation group (P<0.05). Compared with the model group and sham-operation group, the mecobalamin group had significantly reduced Bax protein expression and significantly increased Bcl-2 protein expression in spinal cord anterior horn motor neurons and ganglion sensory neurons (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mecobalamin has anti-apoptotic effect, and it contributes to neurological function recovery possibly by inhibiting the death of injured neurons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated traditional and Western medicine, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin 300192, China.
authors.forename: Dongqiang
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated traditional and Western medicine, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin 300192, China.
authors.forename: Pingping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated traditional and Western medicine, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin 300192, China; E-mail: doctorzhijun@aliyun.com.
authors.forename: Zhijun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated traditional and Western medicine, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin 300192, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D059348:Peripheral Nerve Injuries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000473:pathology; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C494828:Bax protein, rat; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; C019476:mecobalamin; D014805:Vitamin B 12