Peripheral nerve injury up-regulates expression of interactor protein for cytohesin exchange factor 1 (IPCEF1) mRNA in rat dorsal root ganglion.

Interaction protein for cytohesin exchange factors 1 (IPCEF1) is a recently identified protein that binds to cytohesin 2 and might participate in membrane receptor trafficking by enhancing the activity of cytohesin 2 in cultured cells. However, whether IPCEF1 is involved in this process in vivo is unknown. Here, we report that IPCEF1 messenger RNA (mRNA) is expressed in the dorsal root ganglions (DRGs) of adult rats. Moreover, peripheral nerve injury induced by fifth spinal nerve ligation and transection or sciatic nerve transection significantly up-regulated expression of IPCEF1 mRNA in the injured DRGs. Because peripheral nerve injury leads to changes in membrane receptor trafficking in the injured DRG, the correlation of IPCEF1 mRNA expression with nerve injury input in the injured DRG suggests that IPCEF1 might participate in the mechanisms that underlie nerve injury-induced membrane receptor trafficking in the DRG under neuropathic pain conditions.