ObjectiveTo probe plasma calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP) levels during thrombolytic therapy in patients with iliofemoral venous thrombosis in order to investigate its regularity of the alteration and its clinical significance.MethodsFifty patients with acute iliofemoral venous thrombosis and 30 patients with chronic iliofemoral venous thrombosis were given urokinase and prostaglandin E1 from veins for 15 days. The CGRP levels were determined by radioimmunoassay before treatment and on the 6th hour, 1st day, 3rd day, 7th day, 14th day, 30th day after treatment.ResultsThe plasma CGRP levels were increased in patients with acute iliofemoral venous thrombosis compared with the contrast ones. The CGRP levels in serious group was lower than those in mild group. However, the CGRP levels of 30 chronic patients and 12 patients who received the second course of thrombolysis as on effective were not different from those of contrast ones. The plasma CGRP levels were increased at the 6th hour,reached the peak at the 3th day and returned to normal at the 14th day after thrombolytic therapy in acute group which just consistent with the therapeutic effectiveness.ConclusionIt is helpful to judge whether the thrombolytic therapy is effective and the illness has come to chronic stage according to the levels of plasma CGRP in patients with iliofemoral venous thrombosis.
Objective Tissue engineered bone implanted with sensory nerve can effectively promote angiogenesis and repair of bone defects. To investigate the effects of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) on proliferation and migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) for further revealing the mechanism of tissue engineered bone implanted with sensory nerve promoting angiogenesis. Methods HUVECs were collected from human umbilical core, and identified through von Willebrand factor (vWF) and CD31 immunofluorescence. The HUVECs were treated with CGRP and were ivided into 6 groups according to CGRP concentration: group A (0 mol/L), group B (1 × 10—12 mol/L), group C (1 × 10—11 mol/L), group D (1 × 10—10 mol/L), group E (1 × 10—9 mol/L), and group F (1 × 10—8 mol/L). The expression of the CGRP1 receptor (CGRP1R) was observed in HUVECs by cell immunofluorescence. The growth rate of HUVECs was detected through AlarmarBlue at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 days. Transwell chamber was used to detect the abil ity of cell migration. ELISA assay was used to detect the vascular endothel ial growth factor (VEGF) secretion and the protein expression of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) was examined using Western blot. Results HUVECs were identified through morphology, vWF and CD31 immunofluorescence. HUVECs expressed CGRP1R. CGRP could stimulate HUVECs prol iferation in a time- and concentration-dependent manners; the cell growth rates of groups B-F were significantly higher than that of group A at all time (P lt; 0.05); group F had highest cell growth rate. The number of cell migration of group B-F was significantly higher than that of group A (P lt; 0.05), which increased more than 3 times. Groups B-F had higher amount of VEGF than group A (P lt; 0.05), and groups C and D had highest amount of VEGF. FAK expression of groups B-F was significantly increased at 3, 7, and 10 days after CGRP treatment when compared with group A (P lt; 0.05). Conclusion CGRP may enhance the proliferation and migration of HUVECs by increasing the secretion of VEGF and expression of FAK.
Objective To investigate the significance of sensory neuropeptides [calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP) and substance P (SP)] in steroid-induced avascular necrosis of the femoral head (ANFH) by using a rabbit model. Methods Fifty-five adult female Japanese White rabbits (weighing 3 kg and aging 24 months) were randomly divided into experimental group (n=45) and control group (n=10). The rabbits in experimental group received a single intramuscularinjection of methylprednisolone at a dose of 4 mg/kg and then were sacrificed after 3 days (n=15), 1 week (n=15), and 2 weeks (n=15) of injection. The rabbits in control group were fed without any treatment. The necrosis of the femoral head was observed. And the expressions of the monoclonal antibodies CGRP and SP were observed with immunohistochemical staining. Also, the integrated absorbance (IA) value of the positive area was calculated. Results All rabbits survived to the end of the experiment. There was no necrosis of the bone or bone marrow in experimental group at 3 days; whereas ANFH was observed in 5 rabbits at 1 week (33%) and in 8 rabbits at 2 weeks (53%). There were significant differences in the rate of ANFH between 1 week, 2 weeks and 3 days (P lt; 0.05); but there was no significant difference between 1 week and 2 weeks (P gt; 0.05). The intensity of CGRP immunoreactivity increased and reached the peak at 1 week, and then decreased at 2 weeks in experimental group. The IA value of CGRP in experimental group at 1 week was significantly higher than that of control group and that of experimental group at 3 days (P lt; 0.05). The IA value of CGRP in experimental group at 2 weeks was significantly lower than those at 3 days and 1 week (P lt; 0.05). The intensity of SP immunoreactivity decreased and reached the lowest at 1 week, and then increased. The IA value of SP in experimental group at 1 week was significantly lower than that of control group and that of experimental group at 2 weeks (P lt; 0.05). Conclusion The sensory neuropeptides may be affected by the steroid, which may play a key role in the process of steroid-induced ANFH by imbalance of bone metabol ism, disturbance of the microcirculation of bone, and disorder of the protective pain-transmission.
Objective To review the effect of calcitonin on cartilage and subchondral bone of osteoarthritis. Methods Recent l iteratures about the effect of calcitonin on osteoarthritis was reviewed. Results Calcitonin could promotethe synthesis of important cartilage matrix such as proteoglycans and collagen II, propell ing the regeneration of cartilage and subchondral bone. Conclusion Calcitonin can protect articular cartilage through promoting the synthesis of cartilage and inhibiting its degradation.
Objective To explore the changes of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and substance P (SP) levels after end-toend and end-to-side neurorrhaphy. Methods Twenty female Wistar rats were divided into 4 experimental groups and control group. In the experimental groups, common peroneal nerves were transected on both sides. End-to-side coaptation was performed on the left, while end-to-end coaptation on the right. After 1, 2, 4 and 27 weeks, the rats were sacrificed, and immunoreactivities of CGRP and SP in suture sites, lumbar spine and dorsal root ganglia(DRGs) were evaluated respectively. Results The expression ofCGRP and SP decreased in dorsal horn and DRGs within 1 week postoperatively. After 4 -27 weeks, CGRP and SP in dorsal horn could return to almost normal level, but they had little recovery in DRGs. Although the trend of change between end-to-end and end-to-side was coincident, in most experimental groups, thereexisted differences in the dorsal horn between end-to-end and end-to-side. The sciatic nerve stained by acetylcholinesterase, SP, CGRP and PGP 9.5 showed that the fibers could pass through the suture site of either end-to-end or end-to-side. Conclusion Nerve regeneration can be achieved by end-to-side neurorrhaphy, andthe mechanism of sensory nerve recovery of these two methods is similar. But the recovery in end-to-side coaptation is insufficient to some degree.
To observe the change of morphology and neuropeptide in the spinal neurons in order to clarify the functional state after injury of peripheral nerves is especially in the late stage. Sciatic nerves were cut with their proximal segments in the preparation of a model of peripheral nerve injury. Combination of horseradish peroxidase retrograde tracing immunohistochemistry and computer image analysis the changes in the morphometry of the perikarya of ventral horn neurons of the spinal cord, the quantitative changes of substance P (SP). Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in dorsal horn and CGRP and choline acetyransferase (CHAT) in ventral horn of the spinal cord were examed. The results showd: (1) At the 3rd week after injury, swollen perikarya of the ventral horn neurons were observed, subseauently the swelling of perikarya was decreased tile the 6th week the neurons recovered to their normal size. At the 12th week the neurons were generally stable in their size, shortening of the dendrites was seen in 27% of the neurons. (2) The dendrites of the neurons progressively contracted till at the 12th week 53% of them were degenerated. The results of the 24th week were similar to the that at the 12th week. (3) CGRP in the ventral horn of the spinal cord was elevated to the highest point after 1 week of injury, that lasting for 4 weeks and 8 weeks later, the lever of CGRP returned to normal. From 20th to 24th week, there was no obvious changes of CHAT in the ventral horn of the spinal cord during observation. (4) SP went to the lowest point in the dorsal horn during 2-6 weeks, then recovered slowly, and beiny normal again after 16 weeks, however, CGRP was changed slightly. The results indicated that although a series of degenerating changes occurred in the neurons of the spinal cord during the late peripheral nerve injury, but the functional activity of the central meurons still was maintained at a certain level.
ObjectiveTo explore the efficacy of calcitonin combined with glucosamine hydrochloride on knee osteoarthritis. MethodsAccording to Kellgren-Lawrence radiographic scoring system, 156 patients with knee osteoarthritis diagnosed from November 2014 to April 2015 were classified as mild, moderate and severe cases. All of the patients were divided into control group (treated by glucosamine hydrochloride only) and trial group (treated by calcitonin combined with glucosamine hydrochloride) via table of random sampling numbers (with 78 patients in each group). The West Ontario and Manchester University (WOMAC) score was recorded at the 6th week and the 3rd month after the medication treatment. ResultsIn the patients with mild osteoarthritis, there were significant differences in WOMAC score of both groups at the 6th week and the 3rd month after treatment compared with those before the treatment (P<0.05); there were no significant differences between the two groups at the same time points after the treatment (P>0.05). In the patients with moderate osteoarthritis, WOMAC scores in the control group at the 3rd month differed much from that before the treatment (P<0.05); there were no significant differences between the two groups at the same time points after the treatment (P>0.05). In the patients with serious osteoarthritis, there was no significant difference in WOMAC scores in the control group after the treatment compared with that before the treatment (P>0.05); while in the trial group, the scores at the 3rd month after the treatment differed much from that before the treatment (P<0.05), and also from that in the control group (P<0.05). ConclusionFor mild knee osteoarthritis, the combined treatment is not superior to the single use of glucosamine hydrochloride. For moderate knee osteoarthritis, the combined treatment has faster effect than the single use of glucosamine hydrochloride. For severe osteoarthritis, the use of single glucosamine hydrochloride is not effective, while the combination of calcitonin and glucosamine hydrochloride is effective at the 3rd month after the treatment.
ObjectiveTo review the disc degeneration models and the current treatment status of calcitonin. MethodsRecent literature concerning the disc degeneration models and the calcitonin treatment of disc degeneration was extensively reviewed and summarized. ResultsDifferent models of disc degeneration have advantages and disadvantages; calcitonin can relieve disc degeneration at different degrees in vitro and in vivo studies. ConclusionDisc degeneration model for the study of disc degeneration mechanism offers a variety of ideas,and the results of calcitonin treatment in the disc degeneration model can provide the basis for future experiments.