title: Changes in sciatic nerve cathepsin D after ligation or exposure to neurotoxins.
abstract: The content and distribution of cathepsin D, a lysosomal acidic endopeptidase, were determined by immunochemical methods in rat sciatic nerve near the site of a ligature or after exposure of animals to neurotoxins. In normal sciatic nerve, cathepsin D was localized predominantly in the perinuclear regions of Schwann cells. In ligated nerve, cathepsin D increased equally in both the proximal and distal nerve segments adjacent to the ligature. Although orthograde and retrograde axonal transport of cathepsin D may have contributed to this increase, immunocytochemical methods indicated that Schwann cells or other phagocytic cells accounted for the bulk of the increased cathepsin D content of nerve. Axonal function was nontraumatically altered by the administration of 2,5-hexanedione, acrylamide, B,B'-iminodipropionitrile or zinc pyridinethione. Exposure to any of these neurotoxins raised cathepsin D content throughout the sciatic nerve twofold or more, and greater amounts of immunoreactive cathepsin D in the cytoplasm of Schwann cells could be demonstrated immunocytochemically. These results indicate that changes in cathepsin D content of Schwann cells may be a reflection of their catabolic activity. The increased Schwann cell cathepsin D content in toxic axonopathies is further proof for an enhanced Schwann cell role as a phagocyte resulting from axonal injury.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001370:Axonal Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D002402:Cathepsin D; D002403:Cathepsins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology; D008026:Ligation; D008297:Male; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000032:analysis* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D009498:Neurotoxins; D002403:Cathepsins; D002402:Cathepsin D