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Expression of the neu proto‐oncogene by schwann cells during peripheral nerve development and wallerian degeneration
Author(s) -
Cohen J. A.,
Yachnis A. T.,
Arai M.,
Davis J. G.,
Scherer S. S.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of neuroscience research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.72
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1097-4547
pISSN - 0360-4012
DOI - 10.1002/jnr.490310406
Subject(s) - biology , wallerian degeneration , sciatic nerve , medicine , endocrinology , messenger rna , northern blot , microbiology and biotechnology , gene , neuroscience , anatomy , genetics
Abstract The neu gene, which encodes a putative tyrosine kinase growth factor receptor termed p185 neu , was originally identified as a dominant transforming gene in neurogliomas and schwannomas induced by transplacental treatment of rat embryos with ethylnitrosourea. The present studies were undertaken to determine the expression pattern of the neu gene in peripheral nerve. Northern blot analysis of total RNA isolated from rat sciatic nerves demonstrated prominent neu mRNA expression on postnatal days 1 and 7, with substantially lower expression up to adulthood. Immunohistochemical studies confirmed expression of the p185 neu by Schwann cells (SC) in developing sciatic nerve and minimal p185 neu immunoreactivity in adult nerves. However, neu mRNA and p185 neu Protein progressively increased following sciatic nerve transection in adult animals. In addition, neu mRNA and pl85 neu were found in neonatal rat sciatic nerve SC and several SC‐derived cell lines. In resting SC, neu mRNA was expressed at a low level, but was greatly increased by treatment with forskolin and glial growth factor. These studies demonstrate that the neu gene and its protein product, p185 neu , are expressed by SC both in vivo and in vitro and suggest that p185 neu plays a role in the regulation of SC proliferation or differentiation.