Plasticity of gene expression in injured human dorsal root ganglia revealed by GeneChip oligonucleotide microarrays

摘要: Abstract Root avulsion from the spinal cord occurs in brachial plexus lesions. It is practice to repair such injuries by transferring an intact neighbouring nerve distal stump of damaged nerve; avulsed dorsal root ganglia (DRG) are removed enable transfer. Such adult human cervical DRG ( n =10) obtained at surgery were compared controls, for first time, using GeneChip oligonucleotide arrays. We report 91 genes whose expression levels clearly altered injury. This study provides a global assessment molecular events or “gene switches” as consequence injuries, tissues represent wide range surgical delay, 1 100 days. A number these novel with respect sensory ganglia, while others known be involved neurotransmission, trophism, cytokine functions, signal transduction, myelination, transcription regulation, and apoptosis. Cluster analysis showed that same functional groups largely positioned close each other. represents important step identifying new mechanisms DRG, potential therapeutic relevance relief chronic neuropathic pain.