Assessment of the severity of delayed changes in the state of the neuromuscular system during correction of local cold injury of III-IV degree with pCMV-VEGF165 plasmid preparation in an experiment

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18413/rrpharmacology.11.550

Abstract

Introduction: The relevance of the topic is due to a wide range of clinical manifestations of frostbite, including long-term complications such as neuropathy, chronic pain, and functional impairments. Tissue recovery after frostbite depends on the degree of microvascular damage, and VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) is considered a promising agent for stimulating angiogenesis and improving tissue trophism. The aim of the study was to study the effectiveness of the use of a genetic construct – pCMV-VEGF165 plasmid in the correction of delayed complications of cold injury in rats.

Materials and Methods: Local frostbite of III-IV degree was modeled in 18 rats using a neodymium magnet cooled in liquid nitrogen. On days 2 and 7 after the injury, pCMV-VEGF165 (60 µg) was administered to the wound edges. The control group received a placebo. The state of the neuromuscular system was assessed using electromyography on days 28 and 60.

Results and Discussion: In the control group, a significant decrease in the amplitude of the M-response (1.75 times, p=0.001) and an increase in the latency period by 10% (p=0.004) were observed, indicating axonal damage and myelinopathy. The decrement index of the M-response increased (2.2 times), suggesting impaired neuromuscular conduction. In the pCMV-VEGF165 group, the amplitude of the M-response, latency period, and decrement index did not differ significantly from those in the intact animal group.

Conclusion: pCMV-VEGF165 promotes a reduction in the degree of tissue damage and accelerates their regeneration by restoring blood flow, confirming its effectiveness in preventing delayed complications of cold injury.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

EMG, frostbite, myelinopathy, VEGF

References

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Author Contribution

Darya A. Kostina, Belgorod State National Research University

Cand. Sci. (Med.), Associate Professor of the Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Belgorod State National Research University, Belgorod, Russia; e-mail: daria-f13@mail.ru; ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4505-3988. The author carried out the validation of the experimental methodology, took part in the planning of the experiment, conducting experimental work, analyzing the material, and writing the manuscript.

Olesya V. Shcheblykina, Belgorod State National Research University

Cand. Sci. (Med.), Associate Professor of the Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Belgorod State National Research University, Belgorod, Russia; e-mail: sheolvi31@gmail.com; ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0346-9835. The author took part in the development of the study, conducting experimental work, analyzing the material, and writing the manuscript.

Anna A. Peresypkina, Belgorod State National Research University

Doct. Habil. Sci. (Biology), Full Professor of the Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Belgorod State National Research University, Belgorod, Russia; e-mail: peresypkina_a@bsuedu.ru; ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2829-9860. The author edited the text of the manuscript.

Vladimir V. Molchanov, Belgorod State National Research University

Post-graduate student, Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Belgorod State National Research University, Belgorod, Russia; e-mail: molchanov_v_v@mail.ru; ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9741-1281. The author took part in the experimental work.

Vladimir V. Arkhipov, Belgorod State National Research University

Dосt. Habil. Sci. (Med.), Associate Professor, Professor of the Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Belgorod State National Research University, Belgorod, Russia; e-mail: vv-arkhipov@yandex.ru; ORCID ID:https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1441-3418. The author conceived the main idea of the study, he took part in the design of the experiment and the interpretation of the results.

Nina I. Zhernakova, Belgorod State National Research University

Dосt. Habil. Sci. (Med.), Full Professor, Deputy Director of the Medical Institute for Research, Belgorod State National Research University, Belgorod, Russia; e-mail: zhernakova@bsuedu.ru; ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7648-0774. The author edited the text of the manuscript.

Valeria S. Simokhina, Belgorod State National Research University

Undergraduate student of group 702-10, 6th year at N.F. Filatov Clinical Institute of Child Health, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (Sechenov University), Moscow, Russia; e-mail: sim.lera32@yandex.ru; ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-6818-7991. The author participated in the analysis of the literature on the research topic and the interpretation of the data obtained.

Chao Zhu, College of Medicine and Nursing

College of Medicine and Nursing, Dezhou University, Dezhou, China; e-mail: zhuchao830111@163.com. The  author analyzed the results and edited the text of the manuscript.

Oleg Gudyrev, Belgorod State National Research University

Cand. Sci. (Med.), Associate Professor of the Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Belgorod State National Research University, Belgorod, Russia; e-mail: gudyrev@mail.ru; ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0097-000X. The author took part in writing the article, developing a research design, and processing the results obtained.

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Published

30-03-2025

How to Cite

Kostina DA, Shcheblykina OV, Peresypkina AA, Molchanov VV, Arkhipov VV, Zhernakova NI, Simokhina VS, Zhu C, Gudyrev O (2025) Assessment of the severity of delayed changes in the state of the neuromuscular system during correction of local cold injury of III-IV degree with pCMV-VEGF165 plasmid preparation in an experiment: . Research Results in Pharmacology 11(1): 90–98. https://doi.org/10.18413/rrpharmacology.11.550

Issue

Vol. 11 No. 1 (2025)

Section

Experimental Pharmacology

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Copyright (c) 2025 Darya A. Kostina, Olesya V. Shcheblykina, Anna A. Peresypkina, Vladimir V. Molchanov, Vladimir V. Arkhipov, Nina I. Zhernakova, Valeria S. Simokhina, Chao Zhu, Oleg S. Gudyrev

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