Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2014, Vol. 9 ›› Issue (24): 2151-2158.doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.147946

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The effects of claudin 14 during early Wallerian degeneration after sciatic nerve injury

Leilei Gong 1, Yun Zhu 1, Xi Xu 1, Huaiqin Li 1, Weimin Guo 1, Qin Zhao 3, Dengbing Yao 1, 2   

  1. 1 Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
    2 School of Life Sciences, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
    3 Key Laboratory of People’s Liberation Army, Institute of Orthopedics, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
  • Received:2014-11-22 Online:2014-12-25 Published:2014-12-25
  • Contact: Dengbing Yao, M.D., Ph.D., Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong 226019, Jiangsu Province, China; School of Life Sciences, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, Jiangsu Province, China, yaodb@ntu.edu.cn.
  • Supported by:

    This research was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Grant No. 81370982, 31170946, Key Program, Grant No. 81130080; the Scientific Research Foundation for Returned Scholars, Ministry of Education of China; the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions.

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Abstract:

Claudin 14 has been shown to promote nerve repair and regeneration in the early stages of Wallerian degeneration (0–4 days) in rats with sciatic nerve injury, but the mechanism underlying this process remains poorly understood. This study reported the effects of claudin 14 on nerve degeneration and regeneration during early Wallerian degeneration. Claudin 14 expression was up-regulated in sciatic nerve 4 days after Wallerian degeneration. The altered expression of claudin 14 in Schwann cells resulted in expression changes of cytokines in vitro. Expression of claudin 14 affected c-Jun, but not Akt and ERK1/2 pathways. Further studies revealed that enhanced expression of claudin 14 could promote Schwann cell proliferation and migration. Silencing of claudin 14 expression resulted in Schwann cell apoptosis and reduction in Schwann cell proliferation. Our data revealed the role of claudin 14 in early Wallerian degeneration, which may provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of Wallerian degeneration.

Key words: nerve regeneration, peripheral nerve injury, Wallerian degeneration, sciatic nerve injury, Claudin 14, rat, Schwann cell, Signal pathways, c-Jun, Akt, ERK1/2, NSFC grant, neural regeneration