Effects of insulin-like growth factor-I and platelet-rich plasma on sciatic nerve crush injury in a rat model.

Abstract

OBJECT:

Local administration of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) has been shown to increase the rate of axon regeneration in crush-injured and freeze-injured rat sciatic nerves. Local administration of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has been also shown to have a measurable effect on facial nerve regeneration after transection in a rat model. The objective of the study was to compare the effects of locally administered IGF-I and PRP on the parameters of the Sciatic Function Index (SFI), sensory function (SF), axon count, and myelin thickness/axon diameter ratio (G-ratio) in a rat model of crush-injured sciatic nerves.

METHODS:

The right sciatic nerve of Wistar albino rats (24 animals) was crushed using a Yasargil-Phynox aneurysm clip for 45 minutes. All animals were randomly divided into 3 groups: Group 1 (control group) was treated with saline, Group 2 was treated with IGF-I, and Group 3 was treated with PRP. Injections were performed using the tissue expander's injection port with a connecting tube directed at the crush-injured site. Functional recovery was assessed with improvement in the SFI. Recovery of sensory function was using the pinch test. Histopathological examination was performed 3 months after the injury.

RESULTS:

The SFI showed an improved functional recovery in the IGF-I-treated animals (Group 2) compared with the saline-treated animals (Group 1) 30 days after the injury. In IGF-I-treated rats, sensory function returned to the baseline level significantly faster than in saline-treated and PRP-treated rats as shown in values between SF-2 and SF-7. The G-ratios were found to be significantly higher in both experimental groups than in the control group.

CONCLUSIONS:

This study suggests that the application of IGF-I to the crush-injured site may expedite the functional recovery of paralyzed muscle by increasing the rate of axon regeneration.

• Authors: Erhan Emel, Selma Sönmez Ergün, Dilcan Kotan, Esra Başar Gürsoy, Yeşim Parman, Asli Zengin, Asiye Nurten
• Journal: Journal of neurosurgery (J Neurosurg) Vol. 114 Issue 2 Pg. 522-8 (Feb 2011) ISSN: 1933-0693 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 21029038 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Insulin-Like Growth Factor I

Topics

• Animals
• Axons (drug effects, pathology)
• Insulin-Like Growth Factor I (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Motor Activity (drug effects, physiology)
• Nerve Crush
• Nerve Regeneration (drug effects, physiology)
• Platelet-Rich Plasma
• Random Allocation
• Rats
• Rats, Wistar
• Recovery of Function
• Sciatic Nerve (drug effects, injuries, pathology, physiopathology)
• Sciatic Neuropathy (pathology, physiopathology, therapy)
• Statistics, Nonparametric
• Treatment Outcome