Local Administration of Insulin-like Growth Factor I into Silicon Rubber Chamber Improves Peripheral Nerve Repair in Rats

Rahim Mohammadi*, Masoume Masoumi-Verki, Sima Ahsan and Keyvan Amini

Introduction: Organ reinnervation and functional recovery following peripheral nerve injury still remains a major challenge and return of functional recovery to the preinjured level rarely occurs.The aim was to evaluate the effect of locally administered insulin-like growth factor (IGF I) on nerve regeneration.

Methods: Eighty male white Wistar rats were divided into four groups (n = 20), randomly: Intransected group (TC), left sciatic nerve was transected and stumps were fixed in the adjacent muscle.In treatment group defect was bridged using a silicone conduit (SIL/IGF) and filled with 10 μL IGF I (100 ng/kg). In silicone graft group (SIL), the graft was filled with phosphate-buffered saline alone. In shamoperated group (SHAM), sciatic nerve was exposed and manipulated. Each group was subdivided into three subgroups of five animals each and studied 4, 8 and 12 weeks after surgery.

Results: Behavioral testing, sciatic nerve functional study, gastrocnemius muscle mass and morphometric indices confirmed faster recovery of regenerated axons in SIL/IGF than in SIL group (p< 0.05). In immunohistochemistry, location of reactions to S-100 in SIL/IGF was clearly more positive than that in SIL group.

Conclusion: When loaded in a silicone graft, IGF I accelerated and improved functional recovery and morphometric indices of sciatic nerve. Thus, dose–response studies should be conducted for IGF I to determine the combination of the graft and the compound that achieve maximal efficacy in nerve transection models.

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Published on: Apr 13, 2015 Pages: 4-10

Full Text PDF Full Text HTML DOI: 10.17352/2455-2968.000002
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