Noguchi Takashi, Ohta Souichi, Kakinoki Ryosuke, Ikeguchi Ryosuke, Kaizawa Yukitoshi, Oda Hiroki, Matsuda Shuichi
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Kindai University, Osaka, Japan.
Restor Neurol Neurosci. 2015;33(4):461-70. doi: 10.3233/RNN-140481.
The rapid death of many spinal motor neurons after nerve root avulsion injury results in limited functional recovery following replantation surgery of avulsed nerves into the spinal cord. Therefore, we investigated the neuroprotective effect of erythropoietin (EPO) on motor neurons after nerve root avulsion injury using a rat model.
After C6 nerve root avulsion injury, EPO (2680 U/kg) was injected subcutaneously once a day for 3 consecutive days with various starting time points. At 28 and 56 days after injury, histological and immunohistological investigations were performed.
EPO-treated rats showed a significant increase in the number of surviving motor neurons at day 28 when the initial dose was started within 96 h after injury. In EPO-treated rats, superoxide formation in the motor neurons and proliferation of microglia were markedly suppressed in the acute phase. GAP-43-positive surviving motor neurons were significantly increased in EPO-treated rats at day 28. However, at 56 days after surgery, EPO-treated rats showed a much greater decrease of surviving motor neurons compared with those at day 28.
The neuroprotective effect of EPO is not long lasting, but may prolong the time before replantation surgery.
神经根撕脱伤后许多脊髓运动神经元迅速死亡，导致撕脱神经再植手术后脑功能恢复有限。因此，我们使用大鼠模型研究了促红细胞生成素（EPO）对神经根撕脱伤后运动神经元的神经保护作用。
在C6神经根撕脱伤后，在不同起始时间点连续3天每天皮下注射EPO（2680 U/kg）。在损伤后28天和56天进行组织学和免疫组织学研究。
当在损伤后96小时内开始初始剂量时，EPO治疗的大鼠在第28天存活的运动神经元数量显著增加。在EPO治疗的大鼠中，急性期运动神经元中的超氧化物形成和小胶质细胞增殖明显受到抑制。在第28天，EPO治疗的大鼠中GAP-43阳性存活运动神经元显著增加。然而，在手术后56天，与第28天相比，EPO治疗的大鼠存活运动神经元的减少幅度更大。
EPO的神经保护作用不持久，但可能延长再植手术前的时间。
