Here, we investigated the effects of VEGF on DAPT sciatic nerve regeneration. Methods: Using light and electron microscopy, we evaluated sciatic nerve regeneration after

transection and VEGF gene therapy. We examined the survival of the neurones in the dorsal root ganglia and in lumbar 4 segment of spinal cord. We also evaluated the functional recovery using the sciatic functional index and gastrocnemius muscle weight. In addition, we evaluated the VEGF expression by immunohistochemistry. Results: Fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran (FITC-dextran) fluorescence of nerves and muscles revealed intense staining in the VEGF-treated group. Quantitative analysis showed that the numbers of myelinated fibres and blood vessels were significantly higher in VEGF-treated animals. VEGF also Selleckchem Erlotinib increased the survival of neurone cell bodies in dorsal root ganglia and in spinal cord. The sciatic functional index and gastrocnemius muscle weight reached significantly higher values in VEGF-treated animals. Conclusion: We demonstrate a positive relationship between increased vascularization and enhanced nerve regeneration, indicating that VEGF administration can support and enhance the growth of regenerating nerve fibres, probably through a combination of angiogenic, neurotrophic

and neuroprotective effects. “
“The antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune disease characterized by high titers of auto-antibodies (aPL) leading to thrombosis and consequent infarcts. However, many affected patients develop neurological symptoms in the absence of stroke. Similarly, in a mouse model of this disease (eAPS), animals consistently develop behavioral abnormalities despite lack of ischemic brain injury. Therefore, enough the present study was designed to identify structural alterations of hippocampal neurons underlying the neurological symptoms in eAPS. Adult female Balb/C mice were subjected to either induction of eAPS by immunization with ß2-Glycoprotein 1 or to a control group.

After sixteen weeks animals underwent behavioral and cognitive testing using Staircase test (experiment 1 and 2) and Y-maze alternation test (experiment 1) and were tested for serum aPL levels (both experiments). Animals of experiment 1 (n=7/group) were used for hippocampal neuron analysis using Golgi-Cox staining. Animals of experiment 2 (n=7/group) were used to analyse molecular markers of total dendritic integrity (MAP2), presynaptic plasticity (synaptobrevin 2/VAMP2) and dendritic spines (synaptopodin) using immunohistochemistry. eAPS mice developed increased aPL titers and presented with abnormal behavior and impaired short term memory. Further, they revealed a reduction of dendritic complexity of hippocampal CA1 neurons as reflected by decreased dendritic length, arborization and spine density, respectively. Additional decrease of the spine-associated protein expression of Synaptopodin points to dendritic spines as major targets in the pathological process.