We employed 54 rats to devise a model of neuroma-in-continuity and explore the effect of the immunotoxin OX7-saporin on the neuroma. The left common peroneal, tibial or sciatic nerves were crushed by one 10-s application of a micro-artery forceps. At 3 and 6 weeks, the nerve was cut distal to the site of nerve crush, and retrograde fluorescent labeling was done. Pressure microinjection of 2 μl of natural saline or 2 μl of the immunotoxin conjugate OX7-saporin was done at the nerve stump 2 days later. Sacrifice was done after 3 weeks. In all control and saline-injection nerve specimens, gross observation and histology showed a neuroma-in-continuity. In 19 of the 24 OX7-saporin nerve specimens, gross observation showed a narrowed area at the site of nerve crush. Histology showed inhibition of neuroma-in-continuity formation. Fluorescent microscopy showed ablation of the labeled neurons in the dorsal root ganglia corresponding to the OX7-saporin subgroups.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.