Detection of adhesion molecule in regeneration process of peripheral nerve.

神经重建的方法有三种，即神经缝合、神经游离移植和带血管神经移植。然而，在分子水平上，神经重建后再生机制的细节仍不清楚。本研究检测了E-钙粘附素、N-钙粘附素和α-连环素在神经重建后神经再生中的表达。以大鼠坐骨神经为研究对象。免疫印迹法检测E-钙粘蛋白、N-钙粘蛋白和α-连环素的表达，免疫组织化学染色检测E-钙粘蛋白、N-钙粘蛋白和α-连环素的表达。甲苯胺蓝染色观察神经组织结构修复情况。因此，E-钙粘素水平呈先下降后逐渐升高的趋势。N-钙粘蛋白表达水平在重建后即刻逐渐升高。α-连环蛋白表达水平无明显变化。免疫组织化学染色显示，在轴突周围增生的雪旺细胞中，E-钙粘附素表达增强。再生轴突周围N-钙粘蛋白表达增强。这些结果表明，E-钙粘蛋白表达增加可能在雪旺细胞增殖、雪旺细胞-细胞接触、雪旺细胞-轴突接触等导致Bungner‘s带形成的过程中起重要作用。此外，在神经再生过程中，N-钙粘附素可能在再生轴突的延长和成熟过程中发挥重要作用。此外，α-catenin可能与这些钙粘附素的表达增加无关。

There are three methodsfor nerve reconstruction, such as nerve suture, free nerve graft, and vascularized nerve graft. However, the details of regenerative mechanism have not been still clarified after nerve reconstruction in the molecular level. In this study, we examined the expression of E-cadherin, N-cadherin and α-catenin in the nerve regeneration after nerve reconstruction. The rat sciatic nerve was used for the study. E-cadherin, N-cadherin and α-catenin expression were detected by Western blot analysis and the immunohistochemical staining with anti E-cadherin, N-cadherin and α-catenin monoclonal antibody. Furthrmore, the repair of the neural tissue structure was examined by toluidine blue staining. Consequently, the level of E-cadherin was decreased at first, and then gradually increased. The level of N-cadherin expression was gradually increased immediately after the reconstruction. The level of α-catenin expression showed no remarkable change. In the immunohistochemical staining, the increased expression of E-cadherin was detected in the proliferated Schwann cells around the axons. The increased expression of N-cadherin was detected around the regenerating axons. These results demonstrated that increased E-cadherin expression may play an important role in the Schwann cell proliferation, Schwann cell-cell contacts, and Schwann cell-axon contacts that lead to the formation of Bungner's band. Furthermore, N-cadherin may play an important role in the elongation and maturation of regenerating axon in the process of nerve regeneration. Moreover, it is suggested that α-catenin might not be correlated with these increased expression of cadherins.