Protein expression profiling during wallerian degeneration after rat sciatic nerve injury.

Introduction: Wallerian degeneration (WD) is an important area of research in modern neuroscience. Many protein expressions are regulated by differentially expressed genes in WD, but the precise mechanisms are elusive.

Methods: In this study, we profiled differentially expressed proteins in WD after rat sciatic nerve injury using an antibody array.

Results: Functional analysis positively identified cell proliferation, regulation of cell proliferation, and immune system processes. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis revealed molecular networks related mainly to cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, the mitogen-activated proteinkinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, apoptosis, the toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathway, and the Janus kinase (Jak) - signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling pathway. Interactions between these differential proteins were well established and regulated by the key factors transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1), toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), Fas ligand (FasL), and 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase catalytic subunit alpha-1 (PRKAA1).

Conclusions: These results provide information related to functional analysis of differentially expressed genes during WD.