title: Expression of alpha2a-2b neuregulin-1 is associated with early peripheral nerve repair along muscle-enriched tubes.
abstract: Using RT-PCR, we have investigated expression of isoforms beta1 (the axonal isoform) and alpha2a-2b (the mesenchymal isoform) of neuregulin-1, one of the most important known trophic factors for Schwann cells, in the rat sciatic nerve repaired by muscle-enriched non-nervous conduits (made by a vein filled with fresh skeletal muscle). Repaired nerves were harvested 2, 6 and 13 days post-operatively. Results showed that while muscle-vein combined grafts were enriched in mRNA coding for alpha2a-2b since the very early regeneration stages, isoform beta1 mRNA was not detectable inside the tubes at day 2 and 6 post-operatively while its expression at day 13 was very slight. These results suggest that Schwann cell survival and activity inside a fresh muscle-enriched non-nervous conduit graft (a key factor for successful nerve regeneration along the graft) may be supported by the mesenchymal isoform of neuregulin-1 during very early repair phases, i.e. when axons are still not present along the tube.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e dell'Uomo, Università di Torino, Ospedale San Luigi, Regione Gonzole 10, Orbassano, Turin I-10043, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nicolino
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Raimondo
authors.forename: Pierluigi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tos
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Battiston
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fornaro
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Geuna
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Perroteau
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival; D017931:DNA Primers; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D003720:Densitometry; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation* / Q000502:physiology; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000294:innervation; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D020890:Neuregulin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics*; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000502:physiology; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D020890:Neuregulin-1