DA.Vra1-congenic rats display increased gene expression and Schwann cell apoptosis but unaffected nerve regeneration compared to parental DA rats after sciatic nerve injury and repair
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Introduction The rat Vra1 locus, containing glutathione S-transferase alpha 4 (Gsta4), regulates the degeneration of central nervous system (CNS) neurons in toxin-, protein-, and injury-based models. We hypothesize that Piebald Virol Glaxo.1AV1 (PVG) alleles in Vra1 confer protection and increased axonal outgrowth after peripheral nerve injury and repair. Methods DA rats (n = 14) and DA rats with PVG alleles in the Vra1 locus (DA.Vra1, n = 14) were subjected to sciatic nerve transection and immediate repair. After 6 days, axonal outgrowth and protein and gene expression were analyzed in injured and uninjured nerves and dorsal root ganglia (DRG). Results No differences in axonal outgrowth were observed between strains, but the number of apoptotic Schwann cells in the injured distal nerve end was higher in DA.Vra1 than in DA rats (p = 0.003). In both strains, gene- and protein expression of activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3) and 27-kDa heat shock protein (HSP27, i.e., Hspb1) were increased in injured vs. uninjured DRG. In DA.Vra1 rats, Gsta4 gene expression was lower in injured vs. uninjured DRG (p = 0.043) but higher than in DA rats in injured nerves (p = 0.008) and injured DRG (p = 0.008). DA.Vra1 had higher gene expression of Atf3 (p = 0.016) and caspase 3 (p = 0.032) in injured nerves than DA rats. Discussion Results highlight the complexity of nerve injury and repair, supporting further investigation of Gsta4 in nerve regeneration.
Authors: Lena Stenberg, Michael Jewett, Alfredo Dueñas Rey, Maria Swanberg, Lars B. Dahlin
Institutions: Lund University, Linköping University, Skåne University Hospital
Language: English
Subfield: Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,801
OpenAlex ID: W4409866555