Lumbar sympathectomy regulates vascular cell turnover in rat hindfoot plantar skin

BACKGROUND: Sympathetic denervation and impaired angiogenesis cause skin diseases. However, the relationship between the sympathetic nervous system and vascular cell turnover in normal skin remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of sympathetic denervation on vascular cell turnover in normal skin. METHODS: Rats underwent bilateral L2-4 sympathetic trunk resection (sympathectomy group) or sham operation (control). Hindfoot plantar skin was analyzed 2 weeks and 3 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Mural cell marker (α-smooth muscle actin; p   0.05). CD31 levels were lower in the experimental group than in the control group at 2 weeks (p = 0.009), but not at 3 months. Von Willebrand factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, and angiopoietin-2 expression were not significantly different between the groups (p > 0.05). Angiopoietin-1 expression levels were higher in the experimental group than in the control group at 2 weeks (p = 0.035), but not at 3 months. CONCLUSIONS: Lumbar sympathectomy regulates vascular cell turnover in rat hindfoot plantar skin by inhibiting mural cell proliferation and increasing angiopoietin-1 expression. Sympathetic nerves therefore play an important role in plantar skin vascular cell turnover.