Expression of HGF/c-Met is dynamically regulated in the dorsal root ganglions and spinal cord of adult rats following sciatic nerve ligation.

Abstract

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and its receptor c-Met play pivotal roles in post-traumatic regeneration of the nervous system. However, following peripheral nerve injury, the role and regulation of the HGF/c-Met system is less clear. Therefore, using a sciatic nerve ligation (SNL) model, spatiotemporal changes in HGF and c-Met expression were detected in the dorsal root ganglions (DRGs) and lumbar spinal cords of adult rats. HGF expression following SNL was found to be significantly decreased in ipsilateral L4-L5 DRGs from day 3 to day 14, with the lowest levels of expression detected on days 5 and 7. In contrast, no significant change in HGF expression was detected in the lumbar spinal cords. c-Met expression in ipsilateral L4-L5 DRGs and within the ipsilateral dorsal horn was found to be significantly up-regulated following SNL, particularly from day 5 to day 14, with peak levels of expression detected on days 7 and 14. In contrast, c-Met levels following SNL consistently remained stable in the spinal ventral horn. These findings suggest that the HGF/c-Met system is spatiotemporally regulated by a unique pattern of signaling pathways induced by peripheral nerve injury, and these pathways have a role in promoting the survival of injured neurons, especially adult DRG sensory neurons.

• Authors: Lin-Feng Zheng, Rui Wang, Qing-Ping Yu, Han Wang, Xi-Nan Yi, Qi-Ben Wang, Jian-Wei Zhang, Gui-Xiang Zhang, Yuan-Zhong Xu
• Journal: Neuro-Signals (Neurosignals) Vol. 18 Issue 1 Pg. 49-56 ( 2010) ISSN: 1424-8638 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 20814222 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Chemical References

• Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein
• RNA, Messenger
• Serotonin
• Hepatocyte Growth Factor
• Choline O-Acetyltransferase
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met
• Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide

Topics

• Animals
• Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (metabolism)
• Choline O-Acetyltransferase (metabolism)
• Disease Models, Animal
• Functional Laterality
• Ganglia, Spinal (metabolism)
• Gene Expression Regulation (physiology)
• Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (metabolism)
• Hepatocyte Growth Factor (genetics, metabolism)
• Male
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met (genetics, metabolism)
• RNA, Messenger (metabolism)
• Rats
• Rats, Sprague-Dawley
• Sciatic Neuropathy (pathology)
• Serotonin (metabolism)
• Spinal Cord (metabolism)
• Time Factors