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Differential induction of c-Fos and c-Jun in the lateral geniculate nucleus of rats following unilateral optic nerve injury with contralateral retinal blockade

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Abstract

The post-injury responses of traumatic optic neuropathy elicit a number of neuronal reactions in the visual system which have not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the immediate early gene (IEG) expression in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) following unilateral optic nerve (ON) crush in adult rats with or without contralateral blockade of retinal input, and its indication. Intravitreal injection of the B subunit of cholera toxin was used to label the retinogeniculate projection. In group 1 rats whose unilateral (right eye) ON was crushed, a large induction of c-Jun was observed in the bilateral LGN from 2 h to 3 days post crush. Expression of c-Fos was detected ipsilaterally in cells of the intermediate geniculate nucleus and the medial subdivision of ventral LGN mainly innervated by the intact ON. A majority of c-Fos positive cells were also calbindin D-28k immunoreactive neurons. In group 2 rats whose monocular (left eye) spiking was blocked by tetrodotoxin, a sodium channel blocker, prior to the unilateral (right eye) ON crush, the location of c-Fos expression was observed to be shifted to the side of LGN contralateral to the crush, while the expression pattern of c-Jun resembled the pattern of group 1 rats. Thus, the unilateral ON injury induced significant IEG expression in the LGN may involve different mechanisms, under which the emerging of c-Fos depends upon remaining visual input from the retina, while c-Jun appears independent of visual activity.

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Abbreviations

LGN:

Lateral geniculate nucleus

DLG:

Dorsal nucleus of LGN

VLG:

Ventral nucleus of LGN

IGL:

Intergeniculate leaflet of LGN

ON:

Optic nerve

IEG:

Immediate early gene

TTX:

Tetrodotoxin

CTB:

B subunit of cholera toxin

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Acknowledgments

This paper was supported by grants from the National Science Foundation of China (30571996, 30600696), National Basic Research Program of China (2007CB512204), Shanghai Science and Technology Committee (07QA14009).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. China-Australia Link Laboratory, Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Eye and ENT Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 83 Fenyang Road, 200031, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

    Yi Dai, Xinghuai Sun & Qian Chen

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  1. Yi Dai
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  2. Xinghuai Sun
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  3. Qian Chen
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Correspondence to Xinghuai Sun.

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Dai, Y., Sun, X. & Chen, Q. Differential induction of c-Fos and c-Jun in the lateral geniculate nucleus of rats following unilateral optic nerve injury with contralateral retinal blockade. Exp Brain Res 193, 9–18 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-008-1591-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-008-1591-6

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