Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2020, Vol. 15 ›› Issue (8): 1502-1509.doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.274343

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Biological characteristics of dynamic expression of nerve regeneration related growth factors in dorsal root ganglia after peripheral nerve injury

Yin-Ying Shen1, #, Xiao-Kun Gu1, 2, #, Rui-Rui Zhang1 , Tian-Mei Qian1 , Shi-Ying Li1 , Sheng Yi1, *   

  1. 1 Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China 2 Department of Hand Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
  • Online:2020-08-15 Published:2020-09-16
  • Contact: Sheng Yi, PhD, syi@ntu.edu.cn.
  • Supported by:
    This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions of China (Major Program), No. 16KJA310005 (to SYL); the Natural Science Foundation of Nantong City of China, No. JC2018058 (to TMQ); the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions of China.

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Abstract: The regenerative capacity of peripheral nerves is limited after nerve injury. A number of growth factors modulate many cellular behaviors, such as proliferation and migration, and may contribute to nerve repair and regeneration. Our previous study observed the dynamic changes of genes in L4–6 dorsal root ganglion after rat sciatic nerve crush using transcriptome sequencing. Our current study focused on upstream growth factors and found that a total of 19 upstream growth factors were dysregulated in dorsal root ganglions at 3, 9 hours, 1, 4, or 7 days after nerve crush, compared with the 0 hour control. Thirty-six rat models of sciatic nerve crush injury were prepared as described previously. Then, they were divided into six groups to measure the expression changes of representative genes at 0, 3, 9 hours, 1, 4 or 7 days post crush. Our current study measured the expression levels of representative upstream growth factors, including nerve growth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, fibroblast growth factor 2 and amphiregulin genes, and explored critical signaling pathways and biological process through bioinformatic analysis. Our data revealed that many of these dysregulated upstream growth factors, including nerve growth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, fibroblast growth factor 2 and amphiregulin, participated in tissue remodeling and axon growth-related biological processes Therefore, the experiment described the expression pattern of upstream growth factors in the dorsal root ganglia after peripheral nerve injury. Bioinformatic analysis revealed growth factors that may promote repair and regeneration of damaged peripheral nerves. All animal surgery procedures were performed in accordance with Institutional Animal Care Guidelines of Nantong University and ethically approved by the Administration Committee of Experimental Animals, China (approval No. 20170302- 017) on March 2, 2017.

Key words: axon growth, bioinformatic analysis, dorsal root ganglia, growth factors, Ingenuity Pathway Analysis, nerve regeneration, peripheral nerve injury, rat sciatic nerve crush injury, transcriptome sequencing, upstream regulators