The Effects of Inflammation on Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein Expression in Satellite Cells of the Dorsal Root Ganglion

A method is described for the identification of dorsal root ganglia (DRG)–associated sensory neurons within advanced meat recovery (AMR) product derived from bovine vertebral columns. This method relies on the unique microanatomy of sensory neurons and immunohistochemical staining, primarily for glial fibrillary acidic protein. Sensory neurons are variably sized unipolar neurons, exhibiting a single-cell process that is rarely seen in histologic sections. These neurons are surrounded by a prominent ring of glial fibrillary acidic protein–positive satellite cells that produce a distinctive and readily identifiable staining pattern in histologic sections. Fragmented DRG were detected to the 0.25% level in samples of ground beef or nonvertebral-origin AMR product spiked with these sensory ganglia. Similarly examined commercially produced nonvertebral-origin AMR product (n = 157) did not contain sensory ganglia, while 3.3% of vertebral-origin AMR product (n = 364) contained fragmented DRG.

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Expression of gap junctions bearing connexin-43 subunits and glial fibrillary acidic protein in the rat dorsal root ganglia following hind paw incision

International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences ◽

10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20164568 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 306 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Vishwajit Ravindra Deshmukh ◽

Pranav Prasoon ◽

Subrata Basu Ray

Keyword(s):

Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein ◽

Gap Junctions ◽

Satellite Cells ◽

Dorsal Root ◽

Connexin 43 ◽

Neuronal Cell ◽

Acidic Protein ◽

Drg Neurons ◽

Satellite Glial Cells ◽

Cx 43

Background: Dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons mediate the transmission of sensation from the periphery. DRG neurons are pseudounipolar in nature and enveloped by the satellite glial cells (SC). Satellite glial cells have been reported to influence neuronal excitability via gap junctions. Postoperative pain causes induction of various neurotransmitters such as connexin-43 and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), in the satellite cells surrounding neuronal cell bodiesObjective: To study the expression of connexin-43 and Glial fibrillary acidic protein after hind paw incision.Methods: Male adult Sprague-Dawley rats (n=12) were used. Rats were randomly divided into two groups. Group I (n=6) and Group II (n=6) for immunohistochemical study with glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and connexin-43 (Cx-43) respectively. In this study, rats were subjected to noxious stimuli on the right hind paw under general anesthesia. Dorsal root ganglia of both sides (L4 spinal nerves) were isolated after transcardiac fixation with 4% paraformaldehyde. The ganglia from the non-incised side were taken as the control group.Results: Unipolar neurons in the DRG were surrounded by satellite cells. The satellite cells were positive for GFAP, which showed increased expression on the surgical side after noxious stimuli. Cx-43 immunostaining also showed an increased expression in the periphery of neuronal cell bodies of surgical side representing the location of gap junctions and hyperexcitability of neurons.Conclusions: Small to medium sized neurons carry pain sensation from the periphery to the central nervous system. Increased gap junctions were noted in small neurons and satellite cells after surgery. Gap junctions might contribute to increased excitability of small neurons in postoperative pain.

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