Abstract To observe the effect of exogenous high molecular weight nerve growth factor (HMW-NGF) mixed with bletilia striata gelatin (BSG) in the promotion of healing, the experiment was performed as follow: (1) In serumfree medium, the normal saline, BSG, HMWNGF, and BSG+HMW-NGF were added separately, and then, the chick embryo root ganglions (DRGs) were cultivated in the above prepared media and the axonal growth was observed. (2) 40 SD rats were divided into 4 groups. A wound of 2cm×2cm was made on the back of every rat. No treatment was given in group one. In other groups, BSG, HMW-NGF, andBSG+HMW-NGF were given separately to the wounds once daily. After 3 and 10 days, the wound area of every rat was measured, cells in the wounds were observed under light microscope and were calculated, and the time of healing was recorded. The results showed that BSG, HMW-NGF, especially BSG+HMW-NGF could promote wound healing.
Abstract In case of sciatic nerve injury, there is degeneration of neuron in the corresponding segment of spinal cord. To study whether NGF could protect the dorsal root ganglia in this situation, the following experiments were performed: 72 SD mice were divided into 2 groups. In each mouse, the sciatic nerve was sectioned at the middle of the right thigh, and then,the proximal end of the sciatic nerve was inserted into a one ended silastic tube. The NGF 0.15ml (contain 2.5S NGF 0.15mg) was injected into the tubes of the experimental group, while a equal amount of normal saline was injected into the tubes of the control group. After 1, 3, 5, 9, 20 and 30 days, 6 mice of each groupwere sacrificed respectively, and 5th to 6th lumbar segments of the spinal cords were resected for examination. By histochemical study, the activity of fluoride resistant acid phosphatase (FRAP) of each animal was detected. The results showed: (1) Excision of the sciatic nerve led to decrease of FRAP activity, it suggested that the injury of sciatic nerve could damage the dorsal root ganglia; (2) The use of exogenous NGF could protect the FRAP activity. It was concluded that NGF played an important role in protecting the dorsal root ganglia in peripheral nerve injury, in vivo.