Rb. Illing et al., PLASTICITY OF THE AUDITORY BRAIN-STEM - EFFECTS OF COCHLEAR ABLATION ON GAP-43 IMMUNOREACTIVITY IN THE RAT, Journal of comparative neurology, 382(1), 1997, pp. 116-138
In the adult brain, expression of the growth associated protein GAP-43
may serve as an indicator of synaptic remodeling. We have studied loc
alization and time course of the re-expression of GAP-43 following dea
fening through cochlear ablation. As a consequence of unilateral cochl
ear lesioning. a substantial increase in the expression of GAP-43 was
observed in the neuropil of all subnuclei of the ipsilateral cochlear
nuclear complex. This expression of GAP-43 occurred in well-defined fi
bers and boutons. In the ventral cochlear nuclei, boutons immunoreacti
ve for GAP-43 were often localized on cell bodies. However, they were
found only on selected subpopulations of cochlear nucleus neurons, i.e
., on cell bodies containing glutamate or calretinin immunoreactivity,
but apparently not on GABAergic neurons. Olivocochlear neurons must h
ave been axotomized by the operation. Following cochlear ablation, a d
ramatic re-expression of GAP-43 occurred in cell bodies of the ipsilat
eral lateral superior olive but not in the ventral nucleus of the trap
ezoid body. Position and number of these cells suggested that most, if
not all, of them serve the lateral olivocochlear bundle. However, alt
hough axon collaterals are given off by certain types of olivocochlear
neurons, a direct involvement of the immunoreactive cell bodies in th
e emergence of GAP-43 In the cochlear nucleus is not obvious. A transi
ent rise of GAP-43 immunoreactivity that could not be attributed to ax
otomized neurons was observed in the contralateral dorsal cochlear nuc
leus and in the ipsilateral inferior colliculus. Given the functional
significance attributed to GAP-43, we conclude that the sudden loss of
spiral ganglion cells leads to a reactive synaptogenesis in complex p
atterns across several auditory brainstem nuclei. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss,
Inc.