Abstract

MATAMALA, Fernando; PAREDES, Marco  and  CORNEJO, Ricardo. Low-Energy Laser Effect on Expression of GAP-43 (Growth Associated Protein 43) in Rat Isquiatic Nerve Injury. Int. J. Morphol. [online]. 2010, vol.28, n.3, pp. 815-821. ISSN 0717-9502.  http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0717-95022010000300024.

The Low-energy laser has been used in therapy for rheumatoid arthritis, musculoskeletal pain, dental disease and bone disease. At the level of nerve injury has been used as an adjunct to conservative and surgical treatments is not clear yet although the molecular mechanisms associated with the regenerative process. Several genes and their expression products associated with axonal regeneration are being investigated between these the protein GAP-43 (Growth associated protein 43) has been detected in different types of peripheral nerve injuries, where its expression increases markedly during the recovery process. In order to evaluate the expression of GAP-43 transcript in rat injured sciatic nerve and then irradiated with infrared laser of 2 J/cm2 was evaluated by RT-PCR in real time transcript expression of GAP-43 in nerve treated and untreated injuries. The results indicate that the expression level of GAP-43 in nerve treated with 2 J/cm2 laser is higher than in untreated injured nerve him. There was also an increased expression up to two weeks post-treatment. These results suggest a stimulatory effect of 2 J/cm2 infrared laser on the expression of GAP-43 in rat injured nerve compression, which could be related to a shorter time of regeneration of injured nerve.

Keywords : Low-energy laser; Isquiatic nerve; GAP-43.