title: Expression and role of PAK6 after spinal cord injury in adult rat.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe p21-activated kinase 6 (PAK6) expression and its possible role after spinal cord injury (SCI) in adult rat.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to spinal cord injury. To explore the pathological and physiological significance of PAK6, the expression patterns and distribution of PAK6 were observed by Western blot, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Western blot analysis showed PAK6 protein level was significantly up-regulated on day 2 and day 4, then reduced and had no up-regulation till day 14. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that the expression of PAK6 was significantly increased on day 4 compared with the control group. Besides, double immunofluorescence staining showed PAK6 was primarily expressed in the neurons and astrocytes in the control group. While after injury, the expression of PAK6 was increased significantly in the astrocytes and neurons, and the astrocytes were largely proliferated. We also examined the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and found its change was correlated with the expression of PAK6. Importantly, double immunofluorescence staining revealed that cell proliferation evaluated by PCNA appeared in many PAK6-expressing cells on day 4 after injury.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The up-regulation of PAK6 in the injured spinal cord may be associated with glial proliferation.
authors: Department of Orthopedics, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China.
authors: Xiang-Dong
authors: XD
authors: Chen
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Zhao
authors: Ai-Guo
authors: AG
authors: Shen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation; D054462:p21-Activated Kinases
chemical_list: D054462:p21-Activated Kinases