OBJECTIVETo explore the changes in the expressions of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and growth- associated protein-43 (GAP-43) in retinal ganglial cells after neural transplantation.

METHODSThirty-nine rats were randomized into normal control group, nerve amputation group and nerve amputation with peripheral nerve transplantation group. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the changes in the expressions of GFAP and GAP-43 at different time points after the operations, and real-time PCR was employed to detect the mRNA expressions of 13 genes in the retinal ganglial cells of the rats.

RESULTSImmunohistochemistry showed obviously increased GFAP expressions in the retina following the nerve amputation. GFAP expression was down-regulated while GAP-43 expression upregulated in the retinal ganglial cells after peripheral nerve transplantation. Real-time PCR results showed that 5 days after the operations, retinal GFAP and GAP-43 expressions increased significantly in the nerve amputation group and peripheral nerve transplantation groups as compared with those in the control group, but GAP-43 expression decreased significantly in the former two groups afterwards.

CONCLUSIONThe regenerated retina may adjust the production of GFAP. The retinal ganglial cells express GAP-43 during retinal regeneration. Up-regulation of the expression of GAP-43 provides the evidence for nerve regeneration following the nerve transplantation.