RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Rapid axonal transport in focally demyelinated sciatic nerve
JF The Journal of Neuroscience
JO J. Neurosci.
FD Society for Neuroscience
SP 4044
OP 4053
DO 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.07-12-04044.1987
VO 7
IS 12
A1 Armstrong, R
A1 Toews, AD
A1 Morell, P
YR 1987
UL http://www.jneurosci.org/content/7/12/4044.abstract
AB Focal demyelination was produced in rat sciatic nerve by unilateral intraneural injection of anti-galactocerebroside serum. A functional lesion was confirmed by the presence of nerve conduction block. Histologically, this corresponded to demyelination of 50–70% of the fibers in nerve cross sections; axonal structures appeared intact. At the time of maximal demyelination (7 d), 35S-methionine or 3H-fucose was injected bilaterally into the spinal cord ventral horn. At later times (5 hr-7 d), the sciatic nerve was removed and radioactivity in successive nerve segments was quantitated. The transport rates (approximately 260 mm/d) and the composition of transported proteins and glycoproteins (separated on 7–15% polyacrylamide gradient gels) were not altered in lesioned nerves relative to contralateral control nerves. Light microscopic autoradiographic analysis revealed a similar localization of axonally transported and deposited glycoproteins in demyelinated and control fibers. Initially (8 hr), the majority of label was over axons. Labeled glycoproteins remaining in the nerve after 1 week were retained mainly in axolemmal regions. We conclude that acute focal primary demyelination does not lead to major alterations in the transport or deposition of newly synthesized macromolecules.