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Response of the GABAergic System to Axotomy of the Rat Facial Nerve

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Abstract

The responses of inhibitory neurons/synapses to motoneuron injury in the cranial nervous system remain to be elucidated. In this study, we analyzed GABAA receptor (GABAAR) and GABAergic neurons at the protein level in the transected rat facial nucleus. Immunoblotting revealed that the GABAARα1 protein levels in the axotomized facial nucleus decreased significantly 5–14 days post-insult, and these levels remained low for 5 weeks. Immunohistochemical analysis indicated that the GABAARα1-expressing cells were motoneurons. We next examined the specific components of GABAergic neurons, including glutamate decarboxylase (GAD), vesicular GABA transporter (VGAT) and GABA transporter-1 (GAT-1). Immunoblotting indicated that the protein levels of GAD, VGAT and GAT-1 decreased transiently in the transected facial nucleus from 5 to 14 days post-insult, but returned to the control levels at 5 weeks post-insult. Although GABAARα1 protein levels in the transected nucleus did not return to their control levels for 5 weeks post-insult, the administration of glial cell line—derived neurotrophic factor at the cut site significantly ameliorated the reductions. Through these findings, we verified that the injured facial motoneurons suppressed the levels of GABAARα1 protein over the 5 weeks post-insult, presumably due to the deprivation of neurotrophic factor. On the other hand, the levels of the GAD, VGAT and GAT-1 proteins in GABAergic neurons were transiently reduced in the axotomized facial nucleus at 5–14 days post-insult, but recovered at 4–5 weeks post-insult.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Yoko Tohyama for her very good and careful care of the animals.

Funding

This research was not supported by any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Science and Engineering for Sustainable Innovation, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Soka University, 1-236 Tangi-machi, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-8577, Japan

    Reika Kikuchi, Maasa Koshimoto & Kazuyuki Nakajima

  2. Department of Physiology, Toho University School of Medicine, Tokyo, 143-8540, Japan

    Makoto Hamanoue

  3. National Institute of Neuroscience, Tokyo, 187-8502, Japan

    Shinichi Kohsaka

Authors
  1. Reika Kikuchi
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  2. Makoto Hamanoue
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  3. Maasa Koshimoto
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  4. Shinichi Kohsaka
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  5. Kazuyuki Nakajima
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Contributions

RK performed the operation on the animals and was primarily responsible for analyzing the GABAARα1, GAD, VGAT and GAT-1 proteins by immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry. MH examined the effects of GDNF on the levels of GABAARα1. MK carried out Nissl staining. SK and KN participated in designing the study and performed some supporting experiments.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kazuyuki Nakajima.

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Kikuchi, R., Hamanoue, M., Koshimoto, M. et al. Response of the GABAergic System to Axotomy of the Rat Facial Nerve. Neurochem Res 43, 324–339 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-017-2427-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-017-2427-1

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