Recently, peripheral nerve allograft was considered to be able to provide valuable nerve materials for large nerve defect. However, the rejection response and slow regeneration of graft have continued to be serious deterrent to application of nerve allograft. Although many studies for reducing graft immunogenicity have been reported, the method to promote nerve regeneration has not been reported. The purpose of this study is to investigate the promoting effects of the basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on the regeneration of allografted nerve.

Ninety-five female Wistar white rats and 90 allogenic Brown-Norway black rats were the recipients and the donors of 1.5 cm sciatic nerve grafts mutually. Recipient rats were randomly allocated to cyclosporin A immunosuppressed group or control group. And each group was subdivided into non-bFGF subgroup, 10 pg-bFGF subgroup and 100 pg-bFGF subgroup. Regeneration of grafted nerves graft was assessed by histological and electomicroscopic studies at 4th, 8th and 12th weeks.

Basic fibroblast growth factor showed its promoting effect on the regeneration of the allografted sciatic nerve at 4th week in CsA-treated group and 8th week in non-CsA group.

Basic fibroblast growth factor promotes the regeneration of the allografted nerve in rat.