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Updated: Aug 8, 2025
Combining Peripheral Nerve Grafting and Matrix Modulation to Repair the Injured Rat Spinal Cord
Published on: November 20, 2009
Neurotropin® accelerates peripheral nerve regeneration in a rat sciatic nerve crush injury model
Toru Iwahashi1, Koji Suzuki2, Hiroyuki Tanaka3
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
Background:
Peripheral nerve injuries are common and serious conditions. The effect of Neurotropin® (NTP), a nonprotein extract derived from the inflamed skin of rabbits inoculated with vaccinia virus, on peripheral nerve regeneration has not been fully elucidated. However, it has analgesic properties via the activation of descending pain inhibitory systems. Therefore, the current study aimed to determine the effects of NTP on peripheral nerve regeneration.
Methods:
We examined axonal outgrowth of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons using immunocytochemistry in vitro. In addition, nerve regeneration was evaluated functionally, electrophysiologically, and histologically in a rat sciatic nerve crush injury model in vivo. Furthermore, gene expression of neurotrophic factors in the injured sciatic nerves and DRGs was evaluated.
Results:
In the dorsal root ganglion neurons in vitro, NTP promoted axonal outgrowth at a concentration of 10 mNU/mL. Moreover, the systemic administration of NTP contributed to the recovery of motor and sensory function at 2 weeks, and of sensory function, nerve conduction velocity, terminal latency, and axon-remyelination 4 weeks after sciatic nerve injury. In the gene expression assessment, insulin-like growth factor 1 and vascular endothelial growth factor expressions were increased in the injured sciatic nerve 2 days postoperatively.
Conclusions:
Therefore, NTP might be effective in not only treating chronic pain but also promoting peripheral nerve regeneration after injury.
