A QUANTITATIVE IMMUNOFLUORESCENCE ANALYSIS OF SOME ECM MOLECULES AND NEUROTROPHINS ALONGSIDE AFFERENT AND MOTOR AXONS IN THE DORSAL AND VENTRAL SPINAL ROOTS
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2002 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Glia |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Neurology, neurosurgery, neurosciences |
| Keywords | endoneurium; extracellular; matrix; neurotrophins |
| Description | The dorsal and ventral spinal roots contain a dominant amount of afferent and motor axons, respectively. Besides differences of intrinsic capacities of the motor and primary sensory neurons for axon regeneration, we hypothesize different cellular and extracellular conditions in the dorsal and ventral roots based on various types of axons. Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan (CSPG), fibronectin (FN), tenascin (TN) and thrombospondin (TSP) as well as BDNF, NGF and NT-3 were investigated by optimized indirect immunofluorescence method. Intensity of immunofluorescence staining was compared using the computer-assisted image analysis. The measurement of immunofluorescence intensity revealed that the endoneurial ECM of the dorsal roots was immunostained for the studied molecules at a higher intensity than in the ventral roots. Two weeks after root transection, the immunofluorescence intensity for ECM molecules decreased in comparison to intact roots. In addition, a higher intensity for CSPG remained in the dorsal compared to ventral roots, the intensity for FN and TN was higher in the ventral roots, and that for TSP was similar in both roots. The immunofluorescence intensity for all investigated neurotrophins was very similar in Schwann cells of both roots. However, two weeks after root transection the immunofluorescence for BDNF and NT-3 was significantly higher in the Schwann cells of the ventral than in those of dorsal roots, while NGF immunofluorescence was significantly increased in the Schwann cells of the dorsal in comparison to ventral roots. Our results suggest quantitative differences of the endoneurial ECM content in the spinal dorsal and ventral roots corresponding to various types of axons. By a decreased immunofluorescence staining after root transection, the endoneurial ECM content is not probably related with axon-promoting condition. On the other hand, a different elevation of immunofluorescence for neurotrophins in the Schwann cells of dorsal and ventral roots indicates their predominant neurite-promotion effect to afferent (NGF) and motor (BDNF, NT-3) axons. |
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