title: GAP-43, aFGF, CCK and alpha- and beta-CGRP in rat spinal motoneurons subjected to axotomy and/or dorsal root severance.
abstract: The mRNA levels for growth-associated protein 43 (GAP-43), acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF), alpha- and beta-calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), cholecystokinin (CCK) and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) in rat lumbar spinal motoneurons were studied by in situ hybridization 1, 5 and 21 days and 20 weeks following unilateral peripheral nerve sectioning, ventral rhizotomy or dorsal rhizotomy. Furthermore, CGRP- and aFGF-like immunoreactivities in the ventral horn were studied using immunohistochemistry. One to 21 days after axotomy, GAP-43 and alpha-CGRP mRNAs increased in lesioned motoneurons, while the aFGF mRNA levels were marginally higher in motoneurons on the lesion side as compared to the control side. beta-CGRP, CCK and ChAT mRNA levels, on the other hand, decreased during the short-term response (1-21 days) to axotomy. After ventral rhizotomy, but not peripheral axotomy, there was complete disappearance of aFGF-like immunoreactivity in the ventral root proximal to the lesion. In animals subjected to long-term survival (20 weeks) after peripheral axotomy, the expression of all studied substances had returned to normal levels. Unilateral dorsal rhizotomy did not induce any substantial short- or long-term shifts in the cellular expression of the GAP-43, aFGF, CGRP and CCK peptides or their mRNAs in motoneurons of lesioned segments. These results indicate that peptides/proteins in motoneurons are expressed differentially after axotomy. Whereas alpha-CGRP and GAP-43 are up-regulated, CCK and beta-CGRP become down-regulated and aFGF is largely unaffected.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Piehl
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Arvidsson
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cullheim
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dagerlind
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ulfhake
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Elde
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Pettersson
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Terenius
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002766:Cholecystokinin / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016220:Fibroblast Growth Factor 1 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D019922:GAP-43 Protein; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000502:physiology*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism*; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D019922:GAP-43 Protein; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016220:Fibroblast Growth Factor 1; D002766:Cholecystokinin; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide