Effect of cervical spinal cord hemisection on the expression of axon growth markers.
To evaluate the plasticity processes occurring in the spared and injured tissue after partial spinal cord injury, we have compared the level of axon growth markers after a C2 cervical hemisection in rats between the contralateral (spared) and ipsilateral (injured) cervical cord using western blotting and immunohistochemical techniques. In the ipsilateral spinal cord 7 days after injury, although GAP-43 levels were increased in the ventral horn caudal to the injury, they were globally decreased in the whole structure (C1-C6). By contrast, in the contralateral intact side 7 days and 1 month after injury, we have found an increase of GAP-43 and betaIII tubulin levels, suggesting that processes of axonal sprouting may occur in the spinal region contralateral to the injury. This increase of GAP-43 in the contralateral spinal cord after cervical hemisection may account, at least partially, to the spontaneous ipsilateral recovery observed after a cervical hemisection.
Vinit
Stéphane
S
Université Paul Cézanne Aix-Marseille III, UMR-CNRS 6231, CRN2M, Marseille, France. vinit@wisc.edu
Darlot
Fannie
F
Stamegna
Jean-Claude
JC
Gauthier
Patrick
P
Kastner
Anne
A
D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D019922:GAP-43 Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014404:Tubulin / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D015415:Biomarkers; D019922:GAP-43 Protein; C488416:Tubb3 protein, rat; D014404:Tubulin