ALTERED EXPRESSION OF NEUROFILAMENT GENES IN RAT SENSORY NEURONS OF THE DORSAL ROOT GANGLION AFTER SCIATIC NERVE CRUSH

The hybridization signals of each neurofilament subunit mRNA were dramatic decrees in DRG sensory neurons post axotomy by light microscope. The signals of NF-L and NF-M mRNA were located in cytoplasm of neurons, whereas NF-H mRNA was found in both nucleus and cytoplasm of neurons. There are the different mechanisms of regulation of neurofilament subunit genes expression, the reduced neurofilament gene expression may represent a general response to axonal injury and plays an important role in effective nerve regeneration.