Transcript expression of vesicular glutamate transporters in lumbar dorsal root ganglia and the spinal cord of mice - Effects of peripheral axotomy or hindpaw inflammation

- Mouse DRG neurons express VGLUTs mRNA in different proportions and size distributions.
- Many VGLUT2 mRNA-positive neurons are found at most laminae and spinal cord levels.
- VGLUT1 and VGLUT3 transcripts show a discrete expression in the mouse spinal cord.
- Only VGLUT3 mRNA down-regulation is observed after sciatic nerve axotomy.

Using specific riboprobes, we characterized the expression of vesicular glutamate transporter (VGLUT)1-VGLUT3 transcripts in lumbar 4-5 (L4-5) dorsal root ganglions (DRGs) and the thoracolumbar to lumbosacral spinal cord in male BALB/c mice after a 1- or 3-day hindpaw inflammation, or a 7-day sciatic nerve axotomy. Sham animals were also included. In sham and contralateral L4-5 DRGs of injured mice, VGLUT1-, VGLUT2- and VGLUT3 mRNAs were expressed in ∼45%, ∼69% or ∼17% of neuron profiles (NPs), respectively. VGLUT1 was expressed in large and medium-sized NPs, VGLUT2 in NPs of all sizes, and VGLUT3 in small and medium-sized NPs. In the spinal cord, VGLUT1 was restricted to a number of NPs at thoracolumbar and lumbar segments, in what appears to be the dorsal nucleus of Clarke, and in mid laminae III-IV. In contrast, VGLUT2 was present in numerous NPs at all analyzed spinal segments, except the lateral aspects of the ventral horns, especially at the lumbar enlargement, where it was virtually absent. VGLUT3 was detected in a discrete number of NPs in laminae III-IV of the dorsal horn. Axotomy resulted in a moderate decrease in the number of DRG NPs expressing VGLUT3, whereas VGLUT1 and VGLUT2 were unaffected. Likewise, the percentage of NPs expressing VGLUT transcripts remained unaltered after hindpaw inflammation, both in DRGs and the spinal cord. Altogether, these results confirm previous descriptions on VGLUTs expression in adult mice DRGs, with the exception of VGLUT1, whose protein expression was detected in a lower percentage of mouse DRG NPs. A detailed account on the location of neurons expressing VGLUTs transcripts in the adult mouse spinal cord is also presented. Finally, the lack of change in the number of neurons expressing VGLUT1 and VGLUT2 transcripts after axotomy, as compared to data on protein expression, suggests translational rather than transcriptional regulation of VGLUTs after injury.