Fig. 1.

Functional behavior outcome by ultrahigh frequency transcutaneous electrical stimulation therapy. (A) Animal model of chronic constriction injury over the ipsilateral sciatic nerve. The device of UHF-TENS was applied on the skin of the treated side sciatic nerve under stimulation protocol. (B) Stimulation parameter and output waveform in UHF (C) Timeline and study design of UHF-TENS treatment in this study. (Arrowhead: time point for von Frey test; Arrow: time point for tissue collection for IF and nanostring) (D, E) The mechanical withdrawal force (g) indicated the forces that induced paw withdrawal by the Von Frey test for injured or uninjured nerves with or without UHF treatment. (n ​= ​6 per group in injured group; n ​= ​3 per group in uninjured group) Data were presented with mean ​± ​standard deviation, ∗∗∗∗ indicated statistical significance in UHF group as compared to the no UHF group; p ​< ​0.0001; ⁺⁺⁺⁺ indicated statistical significance at different time point as compared to day 0 in UHF group). (F, G) Immunofluorescent staining of uninjured sciatic nerve group. Mature axon staining with NF200 revealed no significant difference between the uninjured group with and without electrical stimulation therapy. Similar pattern was also observed in Schwann cell staining with MBP alone and colocalization image. NF200/MBP colocalization revealed that the amount of myelinated axon after UHF in the uninjured nerve group was no significant difference in the uninjured nerve group without UHF stimulation. (n ​= ​3 in UHF group and n ​= ​4 in control group; Scale bar: 50 ​μm; ns indicated no significant difference).