Expression and significance of caveolin-1 in femoral nerve of diabetic foot amputation patients

Abstract

Objective To investigate the expression and significance of caveolin-1 in femoral nerve of diabetic patients with foot amputation. Methods Forty patients with foot amputation were assigned to 3 groups according to their duration of type 2 diabetes: group A ( ＜6 years＝, group B (6-10 years), and group C ( ＞10 years). Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) stain and Weil's stain were used to examine the femoral nerve. Silver staining was used to observe the axons and to count the nerve fiber density. The expression of caveolin-1 in Schwann cells of femoral nerve was tested by immunohistochemisty. Results There were evident progressive pathological changes in femoral nerve in the 3 groups. The variance of nerve fiber density in the 3 groups reached statistical significance ( P＜0. 05 ＝, the nerve fiber density showed negative correlation with HbA1C( r =-0. 792, P＜0. 01 ＝ and duration ( r=-0.592, P＜0. 01 ＝. The expression of caveolin-1 in Schwann cells of femoral nerve was positive in all the 3 groups and the variance with statistical significance (P＜0. 01 ), it was negatively correlated with HbA1C (r=-0. 762, P＜0. 01 )and duration (r=-0. 532, P＜0. 01 ), and it was positively correlated with nerve fiber density (r=0. 721, P＜0.01 ), the partial correlation coefficient of caveolin-1 and HbA1Cwas-0. 505 ( P＜0. 01 ).Conclusion In patients with diabetic foot amputation, caveolin-1 may play a role in the development of diabetic peripheral neuropathy and diabetic foot. Key words: Caveolin-1; Diabetic foot; Diabetic peripheral neuropathy; Femoral nerve; Diabetes mellitus, type 2