title: Nerve Growth Factor Involves Mutual Interaction between Neurons and Satellite Glial Cells in the Rat Trigeminal Ganglion.
abstract: Nerve growth factor (NGF) plays a critical role in the trigeminal ganglion (TG) following peripheral nerve damage in the oral region. Although neurons in the TG are surrounded by satellite glial cells (SGCs) that passively support neural function, little is known regarding NGF expression and its interactions with TG neurons and SGCs. This study was performed to examine the expression of NGF in TG neurons and SGCs with nerve damage by experimental tooth movement. An elastic band was inserted between the first and second upper molars of rats. The TG was removed at 0-7 days after tooth movement. Using in situ hybridization, NGF mRNA was expressed in both neurons and SGCs. Immunostaining for NGF demonstrated that during tooth movement the number of NGF-immunoreactive SGCs increased significantly as compared with baseline and reached maximum levels at day 3. Furthermore, the administration of the gap junction inhibitor carbenoxolone at the TG during tooth movement significantly decreased the number of NGF-immunoreactive SGCs. These results suggested that peripheral nerve damage may induce signal transduction from neurons to SGCs via gap junctions, inducing NGF expression in SGCs around neurons, and released NGF may be involved in the restoration of damaged neurons.
authors.affiliation: Division of Orofacial Functions and Orthodontics, Kyushu Dental University.
authors.forename: Sayaka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kurata
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.forename: Kaori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: K Gunjigake
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kataoka
authors.forename: Kayoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: N Kuroishi
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Toyono
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Kazunori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
keywords: gap junction; nerve growth factor; neurons; satellite glial cells; trigeminal ganglion