Post-traumatic survival of sensory neurons of different subpopulations.

Immunohistochemical studies were performed to address the expression of the high-molecular-weight component of the neurofilament triplet NF200 (a marker of neurons forming A fibers) and the binding of isolectin B4 (IB4) by neurons of the L4-5 spinal ganglia after ligation or section of the sciatic nerve in rats. A total of 15% of neurons in the ganglia of intact rats expressed NF200. By 90 days after nerve ligation, the proportion of NF200+ neurons decreased two-fold; administration to these rats of the nerve regeneration stimulator xymedone increased the number of NF200+ neurons by 50.7% compared with controls (ligation, no treatment). In intact rats, 23.6% of neurons bound IB4. The proportion decreased by 2.6% 30 days after nerve ligation and to undetectable levels by 90 days; xymedone increased the proportion of surviving IB(4)+ neurons more than eight-fold. IB(4)+ neurons were more likely to enter post-traumatic apoptosis. Ligation of the nerve was followed by survival of fewer NF200+ and IB(4)+ neurons than section of the nerve, which suggests that axon lengthening is a factor maintaining neuron survival. The pyrimidine derivative xymedone increased the survival of neurons of both subpopulations, especially IB(4)+ neurons.