Protective Effects Of Schwann Cell Genetically Modified With Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor Gene By Adenoviral Vector On Injured Optic Nerve Of Rats

Optic nerve injury is a kind of frequent ocular injuries clinically, and it can make irreversible loss of the visual function. Now, no effective treatment is available yet. Apoptosis of retinal ganglion cells (RGC) was known as the main reason of the visual function loss after optic nerve injury. In vivo and vitro, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and Schwann cells (SC) could promote RGC survival, and prevent RGC from apoptosis, but either effect was limited. In the present study, we tried to investigate a new treatment of optic nerve injury with SC modified by BDNF gene.Purpose (1) To transfer exogenous BDNF gene by recombinant adenovirus into SC origined from Sprague-Dawley rat in vitro, then prepare safe SC which can express more BDNF. (2) To combine infected SC with bovine acellular matrix (BAM) into the compound, then investigate the growth state and expression of BDNF in infected SC in the compound. (3) To establish optic nerve clamping model of Sprague-Dawley rats, and fill the compound around clamping part in order to investigate protective effects of infected SC in the compound on RGC and visual function after optic nerve injury.Methods (1) With different adenovirusal quantities of different multiplicities of infection (MOI), human BDNF gene was transferred into the SC origined from Sprague-Dawley rat by recombinant adenovirus in vitro. RT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect the efficiency of infection 72 h after infection. Furthermore, SC was infected with adenovirusal quantity according to MOI, with which the efficiency of infection was highest. ELISA...