Identification of differentially expressed genes in dorsal root ganglion in early diabetic rats.
OBJECTIVE
To screen and identify differentially expressed genes in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) in early experimental diabetic rats.


METHODS
Diabetic model rats were induced by single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ). At the second week after STZ injection, the sensory nerve conduction velocities (SNCV) of sciatic nerve were measured as an indicator of neuropathy. The technique of silver-staining mRNA differential display polymerase chain reaction (DD-PCR) was used to detect the levels of differentially expressed genes in rat DRG. The cDNA fragments that displayed differentially were identified by reverse-hybridization, cloned and sequenced subsequently, and then confirmed by Northern blot.


RESULTS
The SNCV in the diabetic model group [n = 9, (45.25+/-10.38) m/s] reduced obviously compared with the control group [n = 8, (60.10+/-11.92) m/s] (P < 0.05). Seven distinct cDNA clones, one was up-regulated gene and the others were down-regulated ones, were isolated by silver-staining mRNA differential display method and confirmed by Northern blot. According to the results of sequence alignment with GenBank data, majority of the clones had no significant sequence similarity to previously reported genes except only one that showed high homology to 6-pyruvoyl-tetrahydropterin synthase mRNA (accession No. BC059140), which had not been reported to relate to diabetic neuropathy.


CONCLUSIONS
These differentially expressed genes in the diabetic DRG may contribute to the pathogenesis of diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
Zhu
Qing
Q
Department of Pharmacology, Medical College, Nantong University, Nantong, China.
Gu
Jin-Hua
JH
Zhu
Hong-Yan
HY
Xu
Ji-Liang
JL
D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015870:Gene Expression; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology
D012333:RNA, Messenger