Abstract: Peripheral nerve injuries result in the rapid degeneration of distal nerve segments and immediate loss of motor and sensory functions; behavioral recovery is typically poor. We used a plasmalemmal fusogen, polyethylene glycol (PEG), to immediately fuse closely apposed open ends of severed proximal and distal axons in rat sciatic nerves. We have previously reported that sciatic nerve axons repaired by PEGfusion do not undergo Wallerian degeneration, and PEG-fused animals exhibit rapid (within 2–6 weeks) and extensive locomotor recovery. Furthermore, our previous report showed that PEG-fusion of severed sciatic motor axons was non-specific, i.e., spinal motoneurons in PEGfused animals were found to project to appropriate as well as inappropriate target muscles. In this study, we examined the consequences of PEG-fusion for sensory axons of the sciatic nerve. Young adult male and female rats (Sprague–Dawley) received either a unilateral single cut or ablation injury to the sciatic nerve and subsequent repair with or without (Negative Control) the application of PEG. Compound action potentials recorded immediately after PEG-fusion repair confirmed conduction across the injury site. The success of PEG-fusion was confirmed through Sciatic Functional Index testing with PEG-fused animals showing improvement in locomotor function beginning at 35 days postoperatively. At 2–42 days postoperatively, we anterogradely labeled sensory afferents from the dorsal aspect of the hindpaw following bilateral intradermal injection of wheat germ agglutinin conjugated horseradish peroxidase. PEG-fusion repair reestablished axonal continuity. Compared to unoperated animals, labeled sensory afferents ipsilateral to the injury in PEG-fused animals were found in the appropriate area of the dorsal horn, as well as inappropriate mediolateral and rostrocaudal areas. Unexpectedly, despite having intact peripheral nerves, similar reorganizations of labeled sensory afferents were also observed contralateral to the injury and repair. This central reorganization may contribute to the improved behavioral recovery seen after PEG-fusion repair, supporting the use of this novel repair methodology over currently available treatments.

Key words: axotomy,  dorsal horn,  peripheral nerve injury,  plasticity,  polyethylene glycol (PEG),  sciatic nerve,  sensory terminals,  wheat germ agglutinin horseradish peroxidase