Expression of CHL1 and L1 by Neurons and Glia Following Sciatic Nerve and Dorsal Root Injury

Cell adhesion molecules (CAMs), particularly L1, are important for axonal growth on Schwann cells in vitro. We have used in situ hybridization to study the expression of mRNAs for L1 and its close homologue CHL1, by neurons regenerating their axons in vivo, and have compared CAM expression with that of GAP-43. Adult rat sciatic nerves were crushed (allowing functional regeneration), or cut and ligated to maintain axonal sprouting but prevent reconnection with targets. In other animals lumbar dorsal roots were transected to produce slow regeneration of the central axons of sensory neurons. In unoperated animals L1 and CHL1 mRNAs were expressed at moderate levels by small- to medium-sized sensory neurons and L1 mRNA was expressed at moderate levels by motor neurons. Many large sensory neurons expressed neither L1 nor CHL1 mRNAs and motor neurons expressed little or no CHL1 mRNA. Neither motor nor sensory neurons showed any obvious upregulation of L1 mRNA after axotomy. Increased CHL1 mRNA was found in motor neurons and small- to medium-sized sensory neurons 3 days to 2 weeks following sciatic nerve crush, declining toward control levels by 5 weeks when regeneration was complete. Cut and ligation injuries caused a prolonged upregulation of CHL1 mRNA (and GAP-43 mRNA), indicating that reconnection with target tissues may be required to signal the return to control levels. Large sensory neurons did not upregulate CHL1 mRNA after axotomy and thus regenerated within the sciatic nerve without producing CHL1 or L1. Dorsal root injuries caused a modest, slow upregulation of CHL1 mRNA by some sensory neurons. CHL1 mRNA was also upregulated by many presumptive Schwann cells in injured nerves and by some satellite cells around large sensory neurons after sciatic nerve injuries and was transiently upregulated by some astrocytes in the degenerating dorsal columns after dorsal rhizotomy.