The transcriptional fingerprint of satellite glial cells changes over time following peripheral nerve injury

Website for easy exploration of the data: https://rna-seq-browser.herokuapp.com/# For the first time, we here characterize the transcriptional signature of satellite glial cells (SGCs) in a nerve injury-paradigm by isolating SGCs from mouse dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) after peripheral nerve injury followed by next generation RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). We found that SGCs regulate their gene expression differently at 3 days and 14 days after peripheral nerve injury suggesting that they change their function over time. At both time points, we found downregulation of several genes linked to cholesterol. After 14 days we further detect regulation of genes linked to the immune system (MHC protein complex and leukocyte migration). The SGC RNA-seq data is accompanied by RNA-seq of purified nociceptors from injured (partial sciatic nerve ligation) or sham (ipsi after sham operation or contra after partial sciatic nerve ligation) L3-L5 DRGs. RNA was purified from naïve SGCs, naïve DRGs, SGCs 3 and 14 days after sciatic nerve ligation, SGCs 3 and 14 days after sham operation, nociceptors 8 days after partial sciatic nerve ligation and nociceptors 8 days after sham operation. The RNA was sequences with next generation sequencing (RNA-seq). The gene expression was compared in the following ways: naive SGCs vs naive DRG; SGCs 3 days after injury vs SGCs 3 days after sham; SGCs 14 days after injury vs SGCs 14 days after sham; nociceptors 8 days after injury vs nociceptors 8 days after sham.