title: Induction of activated caspase-3-immunoreactivity and apoptosis in the trigeminal ganglion neurons by neonatal peripheral nerve injury.
abstract: Immunohistochemistry for activated caspase-3 and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferease-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) was performed on the trigeminal ganglion after infraorbital nerve transection in newborn rats. The injury induced caspase-3-immunoreactivity and DNA fragmentation in neuronal cell bodies in the maxillary division of the ganglion ipsilateral to the injury. Starting at 16 h post-injury the immunoreactive and TUNEL-positive neurons increased and reached the peak at 24 h (7.9% and 8.9%, respectively). Thereafter they decreased and returned to the normal control level (<<1%) by 72 h. A double staining procedure revealed coexpression of caspase-3-immunoreactivity and DNA fragmentation. 75.5% (114/151) of TUNEL-positive neurons expressed the immunoreactivity, while 84.4% (114/135) of immunoreactive neurons exhibited DNA fragmentation signal. These results suggest that caspase-3 plays an important role in apoptotic elimination of neonatally axotomized rodent primary neurons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Function and Anatomy, Okayama University, Graduate School of Medicine and Dentistry, Japan. tsugi@md.okayama-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Tomosada
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sugimoto
authors.forename: Haiwei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Masako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fijita
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fukunaga
authors.forename: Noriyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nagaoka
authors.forename: Tomoichiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamaai
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ichikawa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism*; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology; D009915:Orbit / Q000294:innervation*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013997:Time Factors; D012668:Trigeminal Ganglion / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C505410:Casp3 protein, rat; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases