Ursolic acid induces neural regeneration after sciatic nerve injury

• Published in: Neural regeneration research Vol. 8; no. 27; pp. 2510 - 2519
• Main Authors: Liu, Biao, Liu, Yan, Yang, Guang, Xu, Zemin, Chen, Jiajun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd 25.09.2013; Department of Hand Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130033, Jilin Province, China%Department of Neurology, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130033, Jilin Province, China; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd
• Subjects: Animal experimentation; Care and treatment; Gene expression; Injuries; Nervous system; Physiological aspects; Regeneration; Research and Report : Sciatic Nerve Injury and Neural Regeneration; S100蛋白; Sciatic nerve; 乌索酸; 大鼠; 实时定量PCR; 神经再生; 神经损伤; 诱导; 酶联免疫吸附试验; nerve myelin sheath; triterpenoid; neural regeneration; neuroregeneration; grants-supported paper; S100; muscular atrophy; traditional Chinese medicine; peripheral nerve injury; sciatic nerve; ursolic acid
• ISSN: 1673-5374; 1876-7958
• DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.27.002

In this study, we aimed to explore the role of ursolic acid in the neural regeneration of the injured sciatic nerve. BALB/c mice were used to establish models of sciatic nerve injury through unilateral sciatic nerve complete transection and microscopic anastomosis at 0.5 cm below the ischial tuber-osity. The successful y generated model mice were treated with 10, 5, or 2.5 mg/kg ursolic acid via intraperitoneal injection. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay results showed that serum S100 protein expression level gradual y increased at 1-4 weeks after sciatic nerve injury, and significantly decreased at 8 weeks. As such, ursolic acid has the capacity to significantly increase S100 protein expression levels. Real-time quantitative PCR showed that S100 mRNA expression in the L 4-6 segments on the injury side was increased after ursolic acid treatment. In addition, the muscular mass index in the soleus muscle was also increased in mice treated with ursolic acid. Toluidine blue staining revealed that the quantity and average diameter of myelinated nerve fibers in the injured sciatic nerve were significantly increased after treatment with ursolic acid. 10 and 5 mg/kg of ursolic acid produced stronger effects than 2.5 mg/kg of ursolic acid. Our findings indicate that ursolic acid can dose-dependently increase S100 expression and promote neural regeneration in BALB/c mice fol owing sciatic nerve injury.