Differential transport and local translation of cytoskeletal, injury-response, and neurodegeneration protein mRNAs in axons.

Recent studies have begun to focus on the signals that regulate axonal protein synthesis and the functional significance of localized protein synthesis. However, identification of proteins that are synthesized in mammalian axons has been mainly based on predictions. Here, we used axons purified from cultures of injury-conditioned adult dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons and proteomics methodology to identify axonally synthesized proteins.

Voluntary exercise increases axonal regeneration from sensory neurons.

Recent advances in understanding the role of neurotrophins on activity-dependent plasticity have provided insight into how behavior can affect specific aspects of neuronal biology. We present evidence that voluntary exercise can prime adult dorsal root ganglion neurons for increased axonal regeneration through a neurotrophin-dependent mechanism. Dorsal root ganglion neurons showed an increase in neurite outgrowth when cultured from animals that had undergone 3 or 7 days of exercise compared with sedentary animals.

Effects of altered expression and localization of cyclophilin A on differentiation of p19 embryonic carcinoma cells.

1. The retinoblastoma susceptibility gene product, p105Rb (RB), is an important regulator in the control of cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Several cellular factors that complex with RB and exert their cellular regulatory functions have been identified, such as the RB:cyclophilin A (CypA) complex.

Axoplasmic importins enable retrograde injury signaling in lesioned nerve.

Axoplasmic proteins containing nuclear localization signals (NLS) signal retrogradely by an unknown mechanism in injured nerve. Here we demonstrate that the importin/karyopherin alpha and beta families underlie this process. We show that importins are found in axons at significant distances from the cell body and that importin beta protein is increased after nerve lesion by local translation of axonal mRNA.

PKC isozymes in the enhanced regrowth of retinal neurites after optic nerve injury.

Purpose: To establish an in vitro model of axonal regeneration from mammalian retinal ganglion cells and to evaluate the role of PKC isozymes in promoting such retinal axon regeneration.

Methods: Postnatal day-3 mice were subjected to optic nerve crush, and then retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) were used for culture 5 days later. RGCs were selected using anti-Thy 1.