Effects of FK506 on regeneration and macrophages in injured rat sciatic nerve

Effects of FK506 [5.0 mg/kg body weight (BW), subcutaneous, daily] on nerve regeneration and presence of macrophages in lesioned rat sciatic nerves were studied. Models of autologous nerve graft or a nerve crush lesion were used and regeneration was evaluated by immunocytochemistry (also used to detect ED1/ED2 macrophages) and sensory pinch reflex test, respectively. Treatment with FK506 did not increase regeneration distance or regeneration rate in the autologous nerve grafts. However, regeneration distances after nerve crush were significantly longer following treatment with FK506. The number of macrophages (ED1/ED2) in nerve grafts increased over time, but treatment with FK506 had limited effects only in the presence of ED2 macrophages. Present and previously published studies may imply that there is a time-related and type-of-injury-related profile of FK506's pro-regenerative effect.