Electrical injury alters ion channel expression levels and electrophysiological properties in rabbit dorsal root ganglia neurons

The electrophysiological and morphological changes of nerve fibers induced by electrical injury have been widely addressed. However, the changes of ion channels in neurons after electrical shocks have not been systematically investigated yet. In this study, the sciatic nerves of rabbit were injured by 50 V 50 Hz, 110 V 50 Hz, and 220 V 50 Hz alternating current, respectively. One week later, the expression levels and electrophysiological changes of voltage-gated potassium (Kv) and sodium (Nav) channels in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons were evaluated by RT-PCR, immunofluorescence staining and patch clamp technique. The Nav1.1 expression was decreased by 50 V injury. The Kv1.2, Kv1.4, Nav1.1 and Nav1.7 expression levels and Kv current densities were reduced after 110 V injury. Under the 220 V injury circumstance, Kv1.2, Nav1.1, Nav1.7 expression levels, Kv current densities and TTX-R Na+ current densities were significantly decreased, while TTX-S Na+ current densities increased. These findings suggest that the expression levels, subunit compositions, and electrophysiological properties of Kv and Nav channels are altered after electrical injury, and the severity of injury gets worse as injury voltage increases.