Investigation of axonal regeneration of Triturus ivanbureschi by using physiological and proteomic strategies

ABSTRACT

Peripheral nerve injuries are frequently observed and successful treatment depends mainly on the injury type, location of thedamage, and the elapsed time prior to treatment. The regenerative capacity is limited only to the embryonic period in manymammalian tissues, but urodele amphibians do not lose this feature during adulthood. The main purpose of this study is todefine the recovery period after serious sciatic nerve damage of a urodele amphibian, Triturus ivanbureschi. Experimentaltransection damage was performed on the sciatic nerves of T. ivanbureschi specimens. The recovery period of sciatic nerveswere investigated by walking track analysis, electrophysiological recordings, and bottom-up proteomic strategies at different time points during a 35-day period. A total of 34 proteins were identified related to the nerve regeneration process.This study showed that the expression levels of certain proteins differ between distal and proximal nerve endings during theregeneration period. In distal nerve stumps, transport proteins, growth factors, signal, and regulatory molecules are highlyexpressed, whereas in proximal nerve stumps, neurite elongation proteins, and cytoskeletal proteins are highly expressed.