1.Relation of ethanol treatment with dopaminergic system in rat brain
Shuangcheng LI ; Yunxiao KANG ; Geming SHI ; Huixian CUI
Acta Anatomica Sinica 2010;41(1):27-31
Objective To study the effect of ethonal on the dopaminergic system by analyzing the altered expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and dopamine transporter (DAT) in the brain of ethanol-treated rats. Methods Sixty Wistar rats were selected and divided into control group and ethanol-treated group, 30 per group, the ethanol-treated rats were treated with 20% ethanol for 6 months. Immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry and Western blotting were used to analyze the altered expression of TH and DAT in the DA energic system in different brain regions of the ethanol treated rats. Results 1. Immunohistochemistry showed the mean gray value of TH in substantia nigra(SN)-ventrotegmental area (VTA), caudae putamen (Cpu) and nucleus accumbens (NACC), DAT in Cpu and NACC of the ethanol were smaller than those in control (P<0.05). 2. Flow cytometry showed the expression of TH in middle brain of the ethanol-treated rats increased significantly compared with the control(P<0.05). 3. Western blotting showed the ratio of IA of TH/β-actin and DAT/β-actin in different brain regions of the ethanol-treated rats were larger than those in control(P<0.05).Conclusion Ethanol treatment increases the expression of TH and DAT in rat brain.
2.Effect of Ginsenoside Rg1 on Biological Activity of Cryopreserved Schwann Cells and Nerve Regeneration After Allograft in Rat Sciatic Nerve
Yunxiao LIU ; Yingru HUANG ; Yifeng SHI ; Song ZHANG ; Kang YANG ; Hua XIAN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2022;28(13):52-61
ObjectiveTo observe the effect of ginsenoside Rg1 (G-Rg1) on the biological activity of cryopreserved Schwann cells (SCs) of the rat sciatic nerve and explore the feasibility of G-Rg1 in reducing the cryopreservation-induced injury in SCs. MethodBilateral sciatic nerves of SD rats were randomly divided into a fresh group, a blank group, and five G-Rg1 groups of different doses (1×10-7, 1×10-6, 1×10-5, 1×10-4, and 1×10-3 mol·L-1). The nerves in the blank group and the G-Rg1 groups were preserved in liquid nitrogen solutions containing 0, 1×10-7, 1×10-6, 1×10-5, 1×10-4, and 1×10-3 mol·L-1 G-Rg1 for four weeks. The apoptosis of SCs was detected by TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL)/S100 immunofluorescence staining. The expression of cysteinyl aspartate-specific protease (Caspase)-9, Caspase-3, major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-Ⅰ, and MHC-Ⅱ was detected by Western blot. Subsequently, all nerves were cultured in the incubator at 37 ℃ with 5% CO2 for 7 days. The expression of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) was detected by Western blot. In addition, the above cryopreserved nerves in the blank group and the 1×10-6, 1×10-5, and 1×10-4 mol·L-1 G-Rg1 groups were transplanted to the Wistar rats by allografting (blank transplantation group and the 1×10-6, 1×10-5, and 1×10-4 mol·L-1 G-Rg1 transplantation groups), and fresh sciatic nerve allograft and isograft control group were set up. Sixteen weeks after transplantation, compound muscle action potential (CMAP) and nerve conduction velocity (NCV) were measured by electrophysiology. Nerve filament (NF)200 immunofluorescence staining, transmission electron microscopy, and toluidine blue staining were used to analyze the histology of the regenerated nerves. ResultCompared with the fresh group, the blank group and the G-Rg1 groups showed increased expression of Caspase-9, Caspase-3, and the apoptosis of SCs (P<0.05,P<0.01) and decreased expression of GDNF, NGF, MHC-Ⅰ, and MHC-Ⅱ (P<0.01). Compared with the results in the blank group, the expression of Caspase-9 and Caspase-3 decreased in the 1×10-7, 1×10-6, 1×10-5,1×10-4 mol·L-1 G-Rg1 groups (P<0.01), and the apoptosis of SCs was reduced in the 1×10-7-1×10-4 mol·L-1 G-Rg1 groups(P<0.05,P<0.01) and increased in the 1×10-3 mol·L-1 group (P<0.05), while the expression of GDNF and NGF increased in the 1×10-7, 1×10-6, 1×10-5,1×10-4 mol·L-1 G-Rg1 groups and decreased in the 1×10-3 mol·L-1 group (P<0.05). There was no statistical significance in the expression of MHC-Ⅰ and MHC-Ⅱ between the blank group and the G-Rg1 groups. Compared with the 1×10-7 mol·L-1 and 1×10-3 mol·L-1 G-Rg1 groups, the 1×10-6 1×10-5, 1×10-4 mol·L-1 G-Rg1 groups showed decreased expression of Caspase-3 and the apoptosis of SCs (P<0.05,P<0.01) and increased expression of GDNF and NGF (P<0.05,P<0.01). There was no statistical significance in MHC-Ⅰ and MHC-Ⅱ expression among G-Rg1 groups. Sixteen weeks after transplantation, compared with the isograft group, the blank transplantation group and the G-Rg1 transplantation groups showed decreased CMAP, NCV, myelin sheath thickness, and number of myelinated nerve fibers (P<0.01), and the 1×10-6 and 1×10-4 mol·L-1 G-Rg1 transplantation groups showed decreased NF200 (P<0.01). Compared with the allograft group, the blank transplantation group and the G-Rg1 transplantation groups showed increased CMAP, NCV, NF200, myelin sheath thickness, and number of myelinated nerve fibers (P<0.05,P<0.01). Compared with the blank transplantation group, the G-Rg1 transplantation groups showed increased CMAP, NCV, NF200, myelin sheath thickness, and number of myelinated nerve fibers (P<0.05,P<0.01). Among all groups of G-Rg1 transplantation, each index of the 1×10-5 mol·L-1 G-Rg1 transplantation group was superior to that of the 1×10-4 and 1×10-6 mol·L-1 G-Rg1 transplantation group (P<0.05). ConclusionG-Rg1 at a certain centration can maintain the biological activity of cryopreserved SCs of rat sciatic nerve, alleviate the cryopreservation-induced injury of rat sciatic nerve, and promote nerve regeneration after allograft.