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Alteration of glial cell line‐derived neurotrophic factor family receptor alpha‐2 mRNA expression and its co‐expression with neuronal nitric oxide synthase in pelvic ganglia following unilateral cavernous nerve injury
Author(s) -
Hisasue Shinichi,
Kato Ryuichi,
Kobayashi Ko,
Suetomi Takahiro,
Kiyama Hiroshi,
Tsukamoto Taiji
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
international journal of urology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.172
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1442-2042
pISSN - 0919-8172
DOI - 10.1111/j.1442-2042.2007.01917.x
Subject(s) - nitric oxide synthase , gap 43 protein , immunostaining , in situ hybridization , medicine , neurotrophin , messenger rna , neurotrophic factors , nerve injury , endocrinology , nerve growth factor , brain derived neurotrophic factor , immunohistochemistry , receptor , biology , nitric oxide , anesthesia , biochemistry , gene
Objectives: The goal of this study was to determine the alterations of glial cell line‐derived neurotrophic factor family receptor alpha‐2 (GFRα2) mRNA expression in the major pelvic ganglia (MPG) and their relationship to the marker for the neural plasticity (growth‐associated protein 43: GAP‐43) and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS)‐positive neurons following cavernous nerve injury. Methods: Cavernous nerves were transected unilaterally in 24 Sprague‐Dawley rats aged 8 weeks. We used nine sham operated same animals as controls. Bilateral MPGs were harvested at 1, 3, and 6 months following nerve injury. The GFRα2 and GAP‐43 mRNA expressions of the sham group and the injury group (3 months after surgery) were investigated by reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction. We also investigated the expression profile of GFRα2 mRNA by in situ hybridization combined with nNOS immunostaining. Results: It was revealed semi‐quantitatively that the GAP43 mRNA expression moderately increased in the intact MPG, and GFRα2 mRNA was maintained in the intact MPG but not in the injured one. A histological double‐labeling study showed that the number of GFRα2 mRNA‐ and nNOS‐positive neurons increased in the intact MPG and most GFRα2 mRNA expressions were colocalized with nNOS immunostaining. Conclusions: The current study suggested that the GFRα2 mRNA alteration closely related to the nNOS expression following the cavernous nerve injury, which would be involved in the maintenance and recovery of erectile function.