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Published on: November 20, 2009
Effects of Systemically Applied IGF-1 on Motor Nerve Recovery After Peripheral Nerve Transection and Repair in the
1FACS, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, College of Medicine & Chang Gung University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
Abstract:
The trophic effects of systemically applied Rh insulin-like growth factor-1 (rhIGF-1) on peripheral motor nerve regeneration following transection and epineural repair in rats median nerve have been examined. RhIGF-1 (0.5 mg/kg/rat) was administered subcutaneously to the neck region of the repaired side for 14 days post-operation. Motor recovery was tested with the grasping test that is an objective quantitative behavioural assessment of regeneration of the rats median nerve. Muscle twitch tension and muscle weight were measured in the flexor digitorum sublimus muscle. No significant differences between experimental and control animals regarding onset of muscle function, recovery of muscle power, and muscle weight were found. These results demonstrate that subcutaneously applied rhIGF-1 cannot improve functional motor recovery after nerve transection and repair in the rat as has been demonstrated after nerve crushing injury. This is regarded as a consequence of specificity failure during reinnervation, which occurs after nerve transection and repair, whereas after crushing injury specific reinnervation is a common feature.
