The Effect of Low Energy Laser Irradiation on the Sciatic Nerve Regeneration of the Rat.

, Hyun, Jung Keun; , Park, Seok Gun; , Lee, Seong Jae; , Kwon, Bum Sun

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine 2004;28(1):64-70.

Hyun, Jung Keun , Park, Seok Gun , Lee, Seong Jae , Kwon, Bum Sun

¹Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Dankook University College of Medicine, Korea. bskwon@dankook.ac.kr
²Department of Nuclear Medicine, Dankook University College of Medicine, Korea.

저출력 레이저 치료가 흰쥐 좌골신경의 재생에 미치는 효과

현정근, 박석건¹, 이성재, 권범선

단국대학교 의과대학 재활의학교실 및 ¹핵의학교실

Abstract

Objective
To verify the effect of low energy laser irradiation (LELI) on the regeneration of injured sciatic nerve of the rat by showing the functional improvement and the elevated immunoreactivities (IRs) of growth-associated protein 43 (GAP-43).
Method
Twenty rats, which had standardized compression injuries to the sciatic nerves, received the calculated LELI therapy immediately after the nerve injury and four consecutive days. The functional status was evaluated by sciatic functional index (SFI), and GAP-43-IRs was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR.
Results
The SFI was recovered in LELI rats faster than in the control group. Although expression of GAP-43 in the injured sciatic nerve was increased both in the LELI and control groups, the intensities of GAP-43-IRs were much greater in LELI treated group at 1 and 3 weeks after nerve injury. Both SFI and GAP-43-IRs reached the same level at 5 weeks after the nerve injury.
Conclusion
LELI enhanced the neural regeneration after experimentally induced sciatic nerve injury at the early stage of recovery. Considering the effect of LELI on nerve regeneration was not fully explained until now, this study could suggest the meaningful explanation on the mechanism of LELI effectiveness on neural regeneration. (J Korean Acad Rehab Med 2004; 28: 64-70)

Key Words: Low energy laser, Peripheral nerve injury, Neural regeneration, Growth associated protein-43, Sciatic functional index