Imaging analysis of the effect of glucocorticoid on peripheral nerve regeneration

2011 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21500412
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Biomedical engineering/Biological material science
• Research Institution: Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine
• Principal Investigator: FUJIWARA Hiroyoshi 京都府立医科大学, 医学研究科, 講師 (90381962)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): NISHI Mayumi 奈良県立医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (40295639) ; ODA Ryo 京都府立医科大学, 医学研究科, 助教 (80516469)
• Project Period (FY): 2009 – 2011
• Keywords: 末梢神経 / イメージング

Research Abstract

Glucocorticoids improve the symptoms of peripheral nerve disorders, such as carpal tunnel syndrome and peripheral neuropathy. The effects of glucocorticoids are mainly antiinflammatory, but the mechanisms of their effects in peripheral nerve disorders remain unclear. Schwann cells of the peripheral nerves express glucocorticoid receptors(GR), and glucocorticoids enhance the rate of myelin formation in vitro. Therefore, it is possible that the clinical improvement of peripheral nerve disorders by glucocorticoids is due, at least in part, to the modulation of myelination. In this study, an adrenalectomy(ADX) was performed, and followed by a daily injection of either low dose(1 mg/kg) or high dose(10 mg/kg) corticosterone(CORT). We then simulated a crush injury of the sciatic nerves. A sham ADX operation, followed by a simulated crush injury, was conducted as a control. Immunohistochemistry showed that the nuclei of in vivo Schwann cells expressed GR and that glucocorticoids impacted the GR immunoreactivity of the Schwann cells. The mRNA and protein expression of myelin basic protein was significantly lower in the animals given ADX with vehicle than in the sham operation group. However, the expression was restored in the low-dose CORT replacement group. Morphological analyses showed that the ADX with vehicle group had a significantly lower myelin thickness than did the low-dose CORT replacement group and the sham operation group. These results suggest that endogenous glucocorticoids have an important role in myelination through the GR in Schwann cells after an in vivo peripheral nerve injury.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] In Vivo Assessment of Peripheral Nerve Regeneration by Diffusion Tensor Imaging (2011)
  • Author(s): Morisaki S, Kawai Y, Umeda M, Nishi M, Oda R, Fujiwara H, Yamada K, Higuchi T, Tanaka C, Kawata M, Kubo T
  • Journal Title: Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Volume: 33(3) Pages: 535-42
• [Journal Article] Endogenous glucocorticoids improve myelination via Schwann cells after peripheral nerve injury : An in vivo study using a crush injury model (2010)
  • Author(s): Morisaki S, Nishi M, Fujiwara H, Oda R, Kawata M, Kubo T.
  • Journal Title: GLIA Volume: 58 Pages: 954-63
• [Presentation] The Effects of Glucocorticoids on Myelination after Peripheral Nerve Injury (2010)
  • Author(s): Morisaki, S., Fujiwara, H., Nishi, M., Oda, R., Kawata, M., Kubo, T
  • Organizer: 56^<th> Annual Meeting of the Orthopaedic Research Society New Orleans
  • Place of Presentation: Louisiana, USA
  • Year and Date: 20100305-11
• [Presentation] NEW ROLE OF GLUCOCORTICOID AND GLUCOCORTICOID RECEPTOR IN THE PERIPHERAL NERVE INJURY (2009)
  • Author(s): Morisaki, S., Fujiwara, H., Nishi, M., Oda, R., Kawata, M., Kubo, T
  • Organizer: 55^<th> Annual Meeting of the Orthopaedic Research Society
  • Place of Presentation: Las Vegas, USA
  • Year and Date: 20090222-25
• [Presentation] The Effectiveness of in vivo Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Peripheral Nerve Injury (2009)
  • Author(s): Morisaki S, Oda R, Fujiwara H, Itoi K, Kawai Y, Umeda M, Higuchi T, Tanaka C, Kubo T
  • Organizer: 37^<th> Japan NMR conference
  • Place of Presentation: Yokohama, Japan
  • Year and Date: 2009-11-05
• [Presentation] 末梢神経障害におけるグルココルチコイド作用の新たな機能解析 (2009)
  • Author(s): 森崎真介, 西真弓, 藤原浩芳, 小田良, 河田光博, 久保俊一
  • Organizer: 第24回日本整形外科学会基礎学術集会
  • Place of Presentation: 横浜
  • Year and Date: 2009-11-05
• [Presentation] 末梢神経障害におけるin vivo拡散テンソル法の有用性 (2009)
  • Author(s): 森崎真介, 小田良, 藤原浩芳, 糸井恵, 河合裕子, 梅田雅宏, 樋口敏宏, 田中忠蔵, 久保俊一
  • Organizer: 第37回日本磁気共鳴医学会大会
  • Place of Presentation: 横浜
  • Year and Date: 2009-10-01
• [Presentation] The Effects of Glucocorticoids on Peripheral Nerve Injury (2009)
  • Author(s): Morisaki, S., Fujiwara, H., Nishi, M., Oda, R., Kawata, M., Kubo, T
  • Organizer: 32^<th> Japan Neuroscience
  • Place of Presentation: Nagoya, Japan
  • Year and Date: 2009-09-16
• [Presentation] 末梢神経障害におけるグルココルチコイドの効果 (2009)
  • Author(s): 森崎真介, 西真弓, 藤原浩芳, 小田良, 河田光博, 久保俊一
  • Organizer: 第32回日本神経科学大会
  • Place of Presentation: 名古屋
  • Year and Date: 2009-09-16