Increased gene expression of beta-1,4-galactosyltransferase I in rat injured sciatic nerve.

During neurite outgrowth on basal lamina, cell-surface beta-1,4-galactosyltransferase I (beta-1,4-GalT-I) functions as one of the receptors of laminin by binding to N-linked oligosaccharides on the laminin E8 domain. In the present study, it was revealed that in rat injured sciatic nerves, the expression of beta-1,4-GalT-I mRNA reached its peak 2-3 d after axotomy in both proximal and distal stumps, and decreased thereafter as demonstrated by Northern blot analysis. In situ hybridization revealed that beta-1,4-GalT-I mRNAmainly localized in Schwann cells of the injured nerves. Moreover the Galbeta1-4GlcNAc (N-acetylglucosamine) group mainly localized in Schwann cells of the injured nerves by Ricinus communis agglutinin-I (RCA-I) lectin histochemistry. However, the changes in abundance of the Galbeta1-4GlcNAc group in injured nerves were not consistent with the expression of beta-1, 4-GalT-I mRNA. These findings indicate that beta-1,4-GalT-I might be involved in the regeneration of injured peripheral nerves at the early injury stage.