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Beneficial Effect of Metformin on Nerve Regeneration and Functional Recovery After Sciatic Nerve Crush Injury in Diabetic Rats

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Abstract

Neuroprotective effects of metformin have been increasingly recognized in both diabetic and non-diabetic conditions. Thus far, no information has been available on the potential beneficial effects of metformin on peripheral nerve regeneration in diabetes mellitus. The present study was designed to investigate such a possibility. Diabetes was established by a single injection of streptozotocin at 50 mg/kg in rats. After sciatic nerve crush injury, the diabetic rats were intraperitoneally administrated daily for 4 weeks with metformin (30, 200 and 500 mg/kg), or normal saline, respectively. The axonal regeneration was investigated by morphometric analysis and retrograde labeling. The functional recovery was evaluated by electrophysiological studies and behavioral analysis. It was found that metformin significantly enhanced axonal regeneration and functional recovery compared to saline after sciatic nerve injury in diabetic rats. In addition, metformin at 200 and 500 mg/kg showed better performance than that at 30 mg/kg. Taken together, metformin is capable of promoting nerve regeneration after sciatic nerve injuries in diabetes mellitus, highlighting its therapeutic values for peripheral nerve injury repair in diabetes mellitus.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81501079), the Young Medical Scientists Training Project of Chinese PLA (14QNP002) and the Doctoral Scientific Research Foundation of Liaoning Province of China (201501028).

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Department of Orthopedics, General Hospital of Shenyang Military Area Command of Chinese PLA, Rescue Center of Severe Wound and Trauma of Chinese PLA, Shenyang, 110016, Liaoning, China

      Junxiong Ma, Jun Liu, Hailong Yu, Yu Chen, Qi Wang & Liangbi Xiang

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    1. Junxiong Ma
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    2. Jun Liu
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    Correspondence to Liangbi Xiang.

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    The authors declared that they have no competing interest exists.

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    Junxiong Ma and Jun Liu have equally contributed to this work.

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    Ma, J., Liu, J., Yu, H. et al. Beneficial Effect of Metformin on Nerve Regeneration and Functional Recovery After Sciatic Nerve Crush Injury in Diabetic Rats. Neurochem Res 41, 1130–1137 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-015-1803-y

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