Whole-genome gene expression profiling of dorsal root ganglion neurons after nerve damage

We generated whole-genome gene expression profiles of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons following nerve damage. DRG neurons extend one peripheral axon into the spinal nerve and one central axon into the dorsal root. The peripheral axon regenerates vigorously, while in contrast the central axon has little regenerative capacity. For this study, two groups of animals were subjected either to sciatic nerve (SN) or dorsal root (DR) crush, and at 12, 24, 72 hours and 7 days after the crush, lumbar DRGs L4, L5 and L6 were dissected and total RNA was extracted.本研究构建了神经损伤后背根神经节（dorsal root ganglion, DRG）神经元的全基因组基因表达谱。背根神经节神经元可发出一条外周轴突延伸至脊神经，另一条中枢轴突延伸至背根。其中外周轴突具备较强的再生能力，而中枢轴突的再生能力则极为有限。本研究设置两组实验动物，分别接受坐骨神经（sciatic nerve, SN）压榨损伤或背根（dorsal root, DR）压榨损伤；在损伤后12小时、24小时、72小时及7天四个时间点，解剖分离腰段背根神经节L4、L5及L6组织，并提取总RNA。