Application of neurotrophic and proangiogenic factors as therapy after peripheral nervous system injury

Abstract

The intrinsic ability of peripheral nerves to regenerate after injury is extremely limited, especially in case of severe injury. This often leads to poor motor function and permanent disability. Existing approaches for the treatment of injured nerves do not provide appropriate conditions to support survival and growth of nerve cells. This drawback can be compensated by the use of gene therapy and cell therapy-based drugs that locally provide an increase in the key regulators of nerve growth, including neurotrophic factors and extracellular matrix proteins. Each growth factor plays its own specific angiotrophic or neurotrophic role. Currently, growth factors are widely studied as accelerators of nerve regeneration. Particularly noteworthy is synergy between various growth factors, that is essential for both angiogenesis and neurogenesis. Fibroblast growth factor 2 and vascular endothelial growth factor are widely known for their proangiogenic effects. At the same time, fibroblast growth factor 2 and vascular endothelial growth factor stimulate neural cell growth and play an important role in neurodegenerative diseases of the peripheral nervous system. Taken together, their neurotrophic and angiogenic properties have positive effect on the regeneration process. In this review we provide an in-depth overview of the role of fibroblast growth factor 2 and vascular endothelial growth factor in the regeneration of peripheral nerves, thus demonstrating their neurotherapeutic efficacy in improving neuron survival in the peripheral nervous system.

Potential protective effects of red grape seed extract in a rat model of malathion-induced neurotoxicity

“…As the most abundant and widely expressed trophic factor in the developing and mature mammalian brain [ 20 ], BDNF supports neuronal survival by regulating their growth, maturation (differentiation), and maintenance [ 20 ]. In this study, we found that malathion did not significantly increase BDNF protein levels in the rat brain.…”

Mitigation of Paeoniae Radix Alba extracts on H2O2-induced oxidative damage in HepG2 cells and hyperglycemia in zebrafish, and identification of phytochemical constituents

“…Peripheral neuropathy is one of the typical chronic complications of diabetes, approximately 50% of adult patients suffering from diabetes developed various degrees of peripheral neuropathy in their lifetime (31). Dorsemans et al (32) found that acute and chronic hyperglycemia impaired the regeneration and de novo formation of zebrafish neuronal cells, resulting to adverse effects on neurogenesis and brain healing.…”

ZNF667 facilitates angiogenesis after myocardial ischemia through transcriptional regulation of VASH1 and Wnt signaling pathway

“…Angiogenesis is a co-regulated and balanced process of pro-angiogenic factors [e.g., vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)] and anti-angiogenic factors [e.g., angiostatin, vasohibin 1 (VASH1) and thrombospondins (TSP)] (7,(11)(12)(13). To date, numerous studies have been conducted to understand the roles of these angiogenic factors in the pro-angiogenic and anti-angiogenic therapy (11,12,(14)(15)(16). However, the regulation of these gene expressions during angiogenesis has not been extensively elucidated.…”