SCIATIC-NERVE INJURY IN THE ADULT-RAT - COMPARISON OF EFFECTS ON OLIGOSACCHARIDE, CGRP AND GAP43 IMMUNOREACTIVITY IN PRIMARY AFFERENTS FOLLOWING 2 TYPES OF TRAUMA

Using immunocytochemical and morphometric techniques, the localisation of three neuronal oligosaccharide antigens (two lactoseries and one g loboseries oligosaccharide) were studied in the spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia of adult rats following unilateral crushing or transecti on of the sciatic nerve. The expression of CGRP and GAP43 was also stu died for comparison. We found that following transection of the nerve the expression of lactoseries oligosaccharides and CGRP was permanentl y depressed, whilst that of the globoseries antigen (SSEA4) was unaffe cted. However following crush trauma and subsequent regeneration after 2 months, only the expression of one lactoseries antigen, LA4 remaine d significantly depressed. Our results suggest that different subsets of sensory neurons vary in the rate of reaction to injury and that one subset of neurons expressing a lactoseries oligosaccharide antigen is particularly susceptible to axotomy-induced changes. Furthermore neur ons expressing the globoseries oligosaccharide antigen SSEA4 appear to be relatively unaffected by peripheral axotomy.