Role of NGF in spared DRG following partial dorsal rhizotomy in cats

Neuroplasticity occurs in the spinal cord in response to lesions, but less is known about the underlying mechanism. This investigation explored the role of intrinsic NGF in axonal sprouting of dorsal root ganglia (DRG) in cats subjected to unilateral removal of L1–L5, L7–S2 DRG, but leaving the L6 DRG (spared DRG) undamaged. The expression of mRNA and protein for NGF and TrkA increased significantly by using in situ hybridization histochemistry and immunohistochemistry. ELISA assay showed that the level of NGF was up-regulated in the spared DRG, compared to the control side. In vitro studies showed that cultured neurons prepared from DRG explants of cats that received partial ganglionectomy had greater neurite growth compared to those prepared from untreated controls, and that such increase in neurite was not observed in explants from cats that received partial ganglionectomy and NGF antibody treatment. Taken together, the present findings provided crucial evidence that NGF in DRG might be involved in axonal sprouting in deafferentated cats.