title: Changes in Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor expression in the rostral and caudal stumps of the transected adult rat spinal cord.
abstract: Limited information is available regarding the role of endogenous Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) in the spinal cord following transection injury. The present study investigated the possible role of GDNF in injured spinal cords following transection injury (T(9)-T(10)) in adult rats. The locomotor function recovery of animals by the BBB (Basso, Beattie, Bresnahan) scale score showed that hindlimb support and stepping function increased gradually from 7 days post operation (dpo) to 21 dpo. However, the locomotion function in the hindlimbs decreased effectively in GDNF-antibody treated rats. GDNF immunoreactivty in neurons in the ventral horn of the rostral stump was stained strongly at 3 and 7 dpo, and in the caudal stump at 14 dpo, while immunostaining in astrocytes was also seen at all time-points after transection injury. Western blot showed that the level of GDNF protein underwent a rapid decrease at 7 dpo in both stumps, and was followed by a partial recovery at a later time-point, when compared with the sham-operated group. GDNF mRNA-positive signals were detected in neurons of the ventral horn, especially in lamina IX. No regenerative fibers from corticospinal tract can be seen in the caudal segment near the injury site using BDA tracing technique. No somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) could be recorded throughout the experimental period as well. These findings suggested that intrinsic GDNF in the spinal cord could play an essential role in neuroplasticity. The mechanism may be that GDNF is involved in the regulation of local circuitry in transected spinal cords of adult rats.
authors: Institute of Neurological Disease, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors: Hao-Li
authors: HL
authors: Zhou
authors: Hui-Juan
authors: HJ
authors: Yang
authors: Yong-Mei
authors: YM
authors: Li
authors: Ying
authors: Y
authors: Wang
authors: Ling
authors: L
authors: Yan
authors: Xi-Liang
authors: XL
authors: Guo
authors: Ying-Chun
authors: YC
authors: Ba
authors: Su
authors: S
authors: Liu
authors: Ting-Hua
authors: TH
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002460:Cell Line; D017931:DNA Primers; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers