The recovery effect of neuregulin on the sciatic nerve constriction injury as well as its molecular mechanism

Objective:To study the recovery effect of neuregulin (Nrg-1) on the sciatic nerve constriction injury as well as the expression of Nrg-1 downstream signaling molecules in sciatic nerve tissue.Methods: SD rats were selected as the experimental animals and divided into sham operation + saline intervention group (group A), sciatic nerve constriction model + saline intervention group (group B) and sciatic nerve constriction model + Nrg-1 intervention group (group C). 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 8 weeks after intervention, the sciatic nerve function parameters were detected;8 weeks after intervention, the levels of fibrosis molecules and Nrg-1 downstream molecules in sciatic nerve tissue were determined.Results: 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 8 weeks after intervention, sciatic nerve MCV and CMAP amplitudes of group B were significantly lower than those of group A, and the sciatic nerve MCV and CMAP amplitudes of group C were significantly higher than those of group B;8 weeks after intervention, CTGF, Col-I, Col-III, MMP2, MMP9 and PTEN levels in sciatic nerve tissue of group B were significantly higher than those of group A while ErbB, Akt and PI3K levels were significantly lower than those of group A;CTGF, Col-I, Col-III, MMP2, MMP9 and PTEN levels in sciatic nerve tissue of group C were significantly lower than those of group B while ErbB, Akt and PI3K levels were significantly higher than those of group B.Conclusion: Neuregulin can activate the PI3K/Akt to exert the recovery effect on sciatic nerve constriction injury.