title: Cell death after dorsal root injury.
abstract: Flow cytometry and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated biotinylated uridine triphosphate nick end-labelling (TUNEL) immunohistochemistry have been used to assess cell death in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) or spinal cord 1, 2 or 14 days after multiple lumbar dorsal root rhizotomy or dorsal root avulsion injury in adult rats. Neither injury induced significant cell death in the DRG compared to sham-operated or naïve animals at any time point. In the spinal cord, a significant increase in death was seen at 1-2 days, but not 14 days, post injury by both methods. TUNEL staining revealed that more apoptotic cells were present in the dorsal columns and dorsal horn of avulsion animals compared to rhizotomised animals. This suggests that avulsion injury, which can often partially damage the spinal cord, has more severe effects on cell survival than rhizotomy, a surgical lesion which does not affect the spinal cord. The location of TUNEL positive cells suggests that both neuronal and non-neuronal cells are dying.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Centre, Institute of Cell and Molecular Science, Bart's and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, 4 Newark Street, London E1 2AT, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Chew
authors.forename: Veronica H L
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Leinster
authors.forename: Mathuri
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sakthithasan
authors.forename: Lesley G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Robson
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Carlstedt
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Shortland
mesh_terms: D000344:Afferent Pathways / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D001369:Axons / Q000473:pathology; D016923:Cell Death / Q000502:physiology; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000473:pathology; D020671:Posterior Horn Cells / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011843:Radiculopathy / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D019051:Rhizotomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013534:Survival / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014855:Wallerian Degeneration / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology