Glial scar formed by central nervous system (CNS) injury is the main inhibitory barrier of nerve regeneration. How to promote axonal regeneration after injury,how to accelerate neural network reconstruction and how to improve brain function recovery have become a hot problem to be solved in the field of neuroscience. This article focuses on the recent advances of therapeutic strategies for axonal regeneration.
Animals ; Astrocytes ; pathology ; Brain Injuries ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Cicatrix ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Nerve Regeneration ; Neuroglia ; pathology ; Neuronal Plasticity ; physiology ; Neurons ; physiology ; Proteoglycans ; metabolism ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; pathology ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of one dressing of porcine acellular dermal matrix on deep partial thickness burns.

METHODSFrom January 1997 to January 2004, sixty-seven cases of deep partial thickness total burned surface area (TBSA) from 50% to 90% burn wound were treated by a single dressing of porcine acellular dermal matrix (the porcine acellular dermal matrix group). Ten cases of deep partial thickness burned patients with the same TBSA treated by exposure method served as the exposure method group. The healing time of the wound was observed. The patients were followed up for 3 months to 2 years, and the scar proliferation was observed.

RESULTSThe deep partial-thickness wound would be healed without dressing change in the porcine acellular dermal matrix group, and the average healing time was (12.2 +/- 2.6) days. The average healing time of the exposure method group was (27.4 +/- 3.5) days. Follow up of the patients within 3 months to 2 years showed that scar proliferation in the porcine acellular dermal matrix group was much less than that in the exposure method group, even no scar proliferation was observed in some patients.

CONCLUSIONWithout tangential excision, autografting and dressing change, a single dressing of porcine acellular dermal matrix on deep partial thickness burn wound could shorten the healing time and inhibit scar proliferation.

Animals ; Biological Dressings ; Burns ; pathology ; therapy ; Cicatrix ; prevention & control ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Swine ; Treatment Outcome ; Wound Healing

The wound healing time, tension of wound edge, proliferation of fibroblast, and extracellular matrix deposition are the important factors of scar formation, and botulinum toxin type A can regulate the above. Prevention and treatment of scar with botulinum toxin type A is one of the hot topics of clinical research in recent years. This paper briefly reviews researches by scholars at home and abroad on the mechanism, clinical application, complications, and adverse effects of botulinum toxin type A in scar prevention and treatment.
Botulinum Toxins, Type A/therapeutic use* ; Cicatrix/prevention & control* ; Extracellular Matrix/pathology* ; Fibroblasts/drug effects* ; Humans ; Wound Healing/drug effects*

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical effect of eschar grinding and wound coverage by biological dressing A in the management of deep partial-thickness burn wound on the extremities.

METHODSSeventy-three patients with deep partial-thickness burns on the extremities were divided into two groups to receive different managements. The patients in group 1 were treated with eschar grinding and wound coverage with biological dressing A, and group 2 received conventional treatment. The white blood cell count, body temperature, incidence of wound infection and wound healing time were observed.

RESULTSCompared with conventional treatment, wound management with eschar grinding and coverage by biological dressing A could increase the effective rate (29/32 vs 31/41, P<0.05), inhibit systemic inflammation and scar hypertrophy, and shorten the wound healing time (13.79-/+5.72 vs 17.08-/+8.39, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONEschar grinding and wound coverage by biological dressing A can be effective for management of deep partial-thickness burns on the extremities, and earlier treatment with the dressing A achieves better effect.

Biological Dressings ; Burns ; pathology ; prevention & control ; surgery ; Cicatrix ; prevention & control ; Debridement ; instrumentation ; methods ; Extremities ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To explore the importance and preventive measure of vocal scar after fiber laryngoscope surgery. METHOD: The preventive measures such as treatment of the pathogeny, voice exercise, adjustment of operative skill, vocal rest after operation and drug treatment for vocal scars in 350 patients with polyps of vocal cord, vocal nodules and vocal cyst after fiber laryngoscope surgery were adopted in order to reduce the rate of vocal scar. The rate of vocal scar was calculated and analysed to evaluate the effect of preventive measures two month later. RESULT: The incidence rate of vocal scar after fiber laryngoscope surgery was 12.3%. And vocal scar was the main difficulty in vocalizing after operation. There is yet no specific treatment for vocal scar. Prevention is more important. Preventive measures should be carried out through the perioperative period, i. e., before, in and after the surgery. CONCLUSION The prevention of vocal scar complication is very important in the perioperative period of fiber laryngoscope surgery. And as the preventive measures are adopted, the incidence rate of vocal scar will be significantly reduced.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Cicatrix ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Female ; Humans ; Laryngoscopy ; adverse effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; prevention & control ; Vocal Cords ; pathology ; Voice Quality ; Young Adult

A visible cutaneous scar develops from the excess formation of immature collagen in response to an inflammatory reaction. This study examined the role of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in the formation of cutaneous scars. Twenty Crl:CD-1 (ICR) mice were used and 2 full-thickness skin wounds were made on the dorsum of each mouse. One of the wounds was treated with recombinant human EGF by local application and the other was treated with saline for control until complete healing was achieved. The EGF-treated group's wounds healed faster than the control group's. The width of the scar was smaller by 30% and the area was smaller by 26% in the EGF-treated group. Inflammatory cell numbers were significantly lower in the EGF-treated group. The expression of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 in the EGF-treated group was increased. It was observed that the amount of collagen in the EGF-treated group was larger than the control group. In the EGF-treated group, the visible external scars were less noticeable than that in the control group. These results suggest that EGF can reduce cutaneous scars by suppressing inflammatory reactions, decreasing expression of TGF-beta1, and mediating the formation of collagen.
Animals ; Cicatrix/pathology/*prevention & control ; Collagen/metabolism ; Epidermal Growth Factor/*pharmacology ; Humans ; Inflammation/metabolism ; Mice ; Recombinant Proteins/*pharmacology ; Skin/drug effects/metabolism/pathology ; Wound Healing/*drug effects

In repeat lumbar surgery for failed back syndrome, well organized fibrous scar tissue is often noted, binding together the dura, nerve roots, and paraspinal muscles. An animal experimental study was done to investigate the prevention of scar formation after lumbar laminectomy by using dacron and sodium hyaluronate. The experimental animals consisted of three groups: 1) control group, 2) D group (covering the laminectomy defect with dacron sheet), and 3) H group (covering the laminectomy defect with sodium hyaluronate gel). Animals were sacrificed at varying intervals (3-12 weeks) and the lumbar spines were evaluated with histologic preparations. Scar adhesion to the dura was most significantly suppressed in the D group, followed by the H group and the control group.
Animal ; Cicatrix/etiology/*prevention & control ; Connective Tissue/pathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Dura Mater/pathology ; Hyaluronic Acid ; *Laminectomy ; Polyethylene Terephthalates ; Postoperative Complications ; Rabbits ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Surgical Mesh

OBJECTIVETo investigate the feasibility of prevention and treatment of early scar through observing the effect of feeding immunosuppressive drug cyclophosphamide on rabbit ears hypertrophic scar tissue in early stage.

METHODSThirty-two Rabbit ears were used to establish animal models for hypertrophic scar and randomly divided into four groups: group of distilled water (A), group of cyclophosphamide 5 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) (B), group of 10 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) (C), group of 30 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) (D). Before animal models were built and after administration for 14 days, 28 days, leukocytes and lymphocytes were detected. After 28 days, specimens were harvested and underwent HE staining and VG staining in order to assess HI, NA, AA value changes. The data (HI, NA, AA) from each group were compared by analysis of variance, and the variance for the rank sum test when missing.

RESULTSOn the 14th day, the number of leukocytes in group A, B, C, D were (8.62 +/- 0.58) x 10(9)/L, (4.48 +/- 0.41) x 10(9)/L, (2.7 +/- 0.26) x 10(9)/L, (1.33 +/- 0.27) x 10(9)/L; the number of lymphocytes in group A, B, C, D were (3.11 +/- 0.21) x 10(9)/L, (1.67 +/- 0.16) x 10(9)/L, (0.42 +/- 0.10) x 10(9)/L, (0.40 +/- 0.09) x 10(9)/L. On the 28th day, the number of leukocytes in group A, B, C, D was (8.63 +/- 0.53) x 10(9)/L, (5.10 +/- 0.27) x 10(9)/L, (3.10 +/- 0.26) x 10(9)/L, (1.98 +/- 0.20) x 10(9)/L; the number of lymphocytes A, B, C, D was (3.06 +/- 0.16) x 10(9)/L, (2.08 +/- 0.14) x 10(9)/L, (0.96 +/- 0.19) x 10(9)/L, (0.14 +/- 0.07) x 10(9)/L. On the 14th day and 28th day, the number of leukocytes and lymphocytes in experimental groups was reduced, showing a negative relation with cyclophosphamide dose (P < 0.05). The HI in group of A, B, C, D was 3.02 +/- 0.24, 2.59 +/- 0.43, 2.06 +/- 0.19, 1.63 +/- 0.11; the AA was 40.49 +/- 2. 07, 35.29 +/- 1.99, 28.36 +/- 1.87, 24.99 +/- 1.82; the NA was 4570.5 +/- 259.3, 4222.5 +/- 199.6, 3540.3 +/- 170.3, 3341.4 +/- 228.8. The difference in HI, AA, NA between control group and any of the experimental groups was statistically significant (P < 0.01). Each group, with the dose increased, except NA content of group C and D, the HI, AA, NA was more smaller, negative correlation, the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSFeeding cyclophosphamide can inhibit leukocytes and lymphocytes number, so as to inhibit the proliferative activity of hypertrophic scar. It has significant effect on prevention of hypertrophic scar on rabbit ears in early stage.

Animals ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic ; drug therapy ; prevention & control ; Cyclophosphamide ; pharmacology ; Ear ; pathology ; Female ; Leukocyte Count ; Leukocytes ; drug effects ; Lymphocyte Count ; Lymphocytes ; drug effects ; Male ; Rabbits

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of lanthanum chloride on the apoptosis of fibroblasts in trauma tissue.

METHODSFifty adult female SD rats were used and linear incisions were made on the back near the joints of extremities of the rats. One of the cuts receiving no treatment was designated as blank control (C). 0.25 ml of distilled water, lanthanum chloride (50 mmol/L) and the antibody of (TGFbeta(1)) transforming growth factor beta(1) (0.2 mg/ml) were respectively injected into the both sides of the other three wounds subcutaneously and the wounds were divided into simulating control (SC), lanthanum chloride (LC) and antibody (A) groups. The fibroblast apoptosis in the wound tissue samples and the change in intracellular calcium concentration (Ca(2+)) were determined by flow cytometry (FCM) and TUNEL methods on the 14th and 28th day after the injection.

RESULTSApoptosis of fibroblasts was enhanced significantly after 14 days of injection in LC and A groups compared with that in C and SC groups (P < 0.05 approximately 0.01). Furthermore, intracellular Ca(2+) was increased evidently in LC group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONIt is indicated that lanthanum chloride might be effective in preventing scar development.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Cicatrix ; prevention & control ; Female ; Fibroblasts ; drug effects ; pathology ; Flow Cytometry ; Lanthanum ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Wound Healing ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of matrix metalloproteinases inhibitor GM6001 in suppressing scar tissue formation in the filtering passage after glaucoma filtration surgery.

METHODSTwenty-four pigmented rabbits (48 eyes) underwent trabeculectomy followed by subconjunctival injection of GM6001 in the right eye (treated eyes) and injection of PBS in the left eye (control) once a day. The intraocular pressure was monitored postoperatively and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)- and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA)-positive cells in the filtering pathway were detected using immunohistochemistry.

RESULTSOn postoperative days 7, 14, 21, and 28, the intraocular pressure was significantly lower in the treated eyes (GM6001) than in the control eyes (P<0.01). The counts of PCNA- and α-SMA-positive cells were also significantly lowered in the treated than in the control eyes (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONGM6001 can inhibit excessive proliferation of the fibroblasts in the filtering pathway to suppress scar tissue formation and prolong the existence of the functional filtration bleb in rabbits.

Actins ; metabolism ; Animals ; Cicatrix ; pathology ; prevention & control ; Dipeptides ; pharmacology ; Filtering Surgery ; adverse effects ; Glaucoma ; surgery ; Intraocular Pressure ; Postoperative Complications ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; metabolism ; Rabbits