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Increased gene expression of β-1,4-galactosyltransferase I in rat injured sciatic nerve

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Abstract

During neurite outgrowth on basal lamina, cell-surface β-1,4-galactosyltransferase I (β-1,4-GalT-I) functions as one of the receptors of laminin by binding to N-linked oligosaccharides on the laminin E8 domain. In the present study, it was revealed that in rat injured sciatic nerves, the expression of β-1,4-GalT-I mRNA reached its peak 2–3 d after axotomy in both proximal and distal stumps, and decreased thereafter as demonstrated by Northern blot analysis. In situ hybridization revealed that β-1,4-GalT-I mRNA mainly localized in Schwann cells of the injured nerves. Moreover the Galβ1-4GlcNAc (N-acetylglucosamine) group mainly localized in Schwann cells of the injured nerves by Ricinus communis agglutinin-I (RCA-I) lectin histochemistry. However, the changes in abundance of the Galβ1-4GlcNAc group in injured nerves were not consistent with the expression of β-1, 4-GalT-I mRNA. These findings indicate that β-1,4-GalT-I might be involved in the regeneration of injured peripheral nerves at the early injury stage.

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Correspondence to Xiaosong Gu or Jianxin Gu.

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Shen, A., Zhu, D., Ding, F. et al. Increased gene expression of β-1,4-galactosyltransferase I in rat injured sciatic nerve. J Mol Neurosci 21, 103–110 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1385/JMN:21:2:103

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