title: Quantitative and qualitative analysis of proteins in rat peripheral nerves predegenerated for 7 days.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In contrast to peripheral nerves, central neurons do not regrow spontaneously after injury. Our previous studies showed that transplantation of degenerating peripheral nerves or their extracts can induce regeneration in the injured central nervous system. Non-predegenerated nerves show much weaker neurotrophic activity. The aim of the present work was to examine quantitatively and qualitatively the protein composition of rat sciatic nerve extracts.
  
  
  METHODS
  The experiments were carried out on male Wistar C rats. Distal fragments were collected immediately after transection or after 7 day-long predegeneration. The nerves were homogenized, centrifuged and ultracetrifuged. Extracts were analyzed by means of two-dimensional electrophoresis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The two-dimensional electrophoresis showed 69 protein subfractions with isoelectric points ranging from 4.2 to 7.0 pH and molecular weight ranging from 13.5 kDa to 335.4 kDa in extracts obtained from nonpredegenerated nerves. In predegenerated nerve extracts 114 subfractions with isoelectric points ranging from 4.2 to 7.4 pH and molecular weight from 21.1 kDa to 335.4 kDa were found. Fractions: 25.5 kDa, 31.6 kDa, 36 kDa, 38.4 kDa, 42.4 kDa, 46.6 kDa, and 50.5 kDa showed significant increase and two fractions: 68.5 kDa and 335.4 kDa demonstrated significant decrease in the number of subfractions in predegenerated nerves. Fractions 160.8 kDa, 236.1 kDa, and 5 fractions below 21.1 kDa were present only in extracts from non-predegenerated nerves.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, the results of our study demonstrate that the most intense changes in protein composition in degenerating nerves take place in low molecular weight fractions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland. Vie@alpha.net.pl
authors.forename: Marita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pietrucha-Dutczak
authors.forename: Wieslaw
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Marcol
authors.forename: Dariusz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gorka
authors.forename: Beata
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Golka
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kotulska
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lewin-Kowalik
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000378:metabolism*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins