[Animal modeling] - Establishment of rat lumbar ventral nerve root traction model

  Objective: In order to study the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and drug development, the rat model of ventral nerve root traction of the fourth lumbar spine was established, and the validity of the model was verified with brain-derived neurotrophic factor as a positive drug?

  Methods: At first, 5 SD male rats were operated on. One week later, the number of motor neurons in the anterior horn of spinal cord was observed by immunohistochemical staining with anti choline acetyltransferase antibody; After the preliminary experiment proved that the operation model was successful, 40 male SD rats aged 7 weeks were randomly divided into four groups, two model control groups and two treatment groups of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (preventive administration group immediately after operation and therapeutic administration group one week after operation)? Using anticholinergic acetyltransferase immunohistochemical staining to observe the changes in the number of motor neurons?

  Results: The rats recovered well after operation, and there was no abnormality in clinical observation? The staining results showed that after surgical traction, the motoneurons in the anterior horn of spinal cord were obviously degenerated and died? Compared with the control group, the nerve root traction animals treated with brain-derived neurotrophic factor achieved good therapeutic effect, whether by preventive administration or by therapeutic administration after one week of surgery. The number of cholinesterase positive neurons increased significantly (P<0.0001), the results were 17.85% vs 93.06%, respectively; 26.6% vs 87.27%?

  Conclusion: The successful establishment of the rat ventral nerve root traction model of the fourth lumbar spine provides a valuable animal model for the study of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis?