Objective: To investigate the effect of endogenous brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) on GAP-43 expression in the anterior horn of the spinal cord in rats following sciatic nerve injury.
Methods: BDNF antibody was injected intraperitoneally in rats with crushing injury of the sciatic nerve, and the control rats received normal saline only after sciatic nerve injury. At 7 and 14 days after the injection, the expression of GAP-43 in the anterior horn of the corresponding segments of the spinal cord was detected by Western blot and RT-PCR.
Results: The expressions of GAP-43 protein and mRNA in the anterior horn of the spinal cord were significantly down-regulated in rats with BDNF antibody injection as compared with those in the control group (P<0.01).
Conclusion: Endogenous BDNF may regulate the expression of GAP-43 in the spinal cord anterior horn after sciatic nerve injury in rats.