4-Aminopyridine promotes functional recovery and remyelination in acute peripheral nerve injury.

ABSTRACT: Traumatic peripheral nerve damage is a major medical problem without effective treatment options. In repurposing studies on 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), a potassium channel blocker that provides symptomatic relief in some chronic neurological afflictions, we discovered this agent offers significant promise as a small molecule regenerative agent for acute traumatic nerve injury. We found, in a mouse model of sciatic crush injury, that sustained early 4-AP administration increased the speed and extent of behavioral recovery too rapidly to be explained by axonal regeneration. Further studies demonstrated that 4-AP also enhanced recovery of nerve conduction velocity, promoted remyelination, and increased axonal area post-injury. We additionally found that 4-AP treatment enables distinction between

SUBMITTER: Tseng KC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5167128 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature