Patterns of GAP-43 (B-50) expression and accumulation in subchronic acrylamide neurotoxicity

The expression and accumulation of GAP-43 was characterized by immunoblot, immunohistochemistry, and in situ hybridization in the dorsal root ganglia and sciatic nerve of rats exposed to 0.05% acrylamide in drinking water for 14 days. Animals were sacrificed on 2, 10, 14, 21, 28, 35, or 80 days afte r the initiation of exposure. GAP-43 mRNA expression in the dorsal root gan glia increased at 14 days and GAP-43 protein in sciatic nerve increased at 24 days. The peak of GAP-43 expression corresponded to the time of the maxi mal rate of clinical recovery, consistent with the hypothesis that GAP-43 i s involved aspects of neurological recovery in addition to axonal regenerat ion.