Síndrome de Down e o metabolismo do folato: análise genética e metabólica

Abstract

Peripheral nerves injuries are frequent and can result in permanent loss of function. Currently, cell therapy constitutes a great possibility of improving nerve regeneration, increasing the success of the nerve repair. Objective: To evaluate the use of mononuclear cells in the regeneration process of the sciatic nerve after its section and followed by end-to-end neurorrhaphy. Material and Methods: Forty adult male Wistar rats (250 to 300 g) were divided into four groups: 1 - Sham; 2 after nerve section, neurorrhaphy was immediately performed; 3 - after neurorrhaphy, a culture medium was injected into the nerve segment distal to the suture; 4 - after neurorrhaphy, mononuclear cells were injected. Mononuclear cells were obtained from the bone marrow and separated by Ficoll-Hypaque method. The immunohistochemical and histological analyses were perfomed at the 4th postoperative day. The sciatic functional index, histological and morphometric analyses were used to evaluate nerve regeneration at the 6th. Results: The histological analysis showed that the nerves in which mononuclear cells were used presented a more accelerated degenerative process at the 4th postoperative day. According to the immunohistochemical evaluation, an increase of the neurotrophic factors was observed in the same period. In the 6th postoperative week, all the morphometric results of the mononuclear cell group were statistically higher compared to groups 2 and 3. In the 6th postoperative week there was a statistically significant improvement in the sciatic functional index for group 4 (mononuclear cell) compared to groups 2 and 3. Conclusion: Mononuclear cells have stimulated nerve regeneration. These cells have contributed to an increase in the cellularity and the neurotrophic factors in the microenvironment of the axotomized nerve.