Expression of Growth Associated Protein-43 in Auditory Cortex in Auditory Deprived Rats
SHAN Shan
WANG Shuyu
XING Fang
LI Xiaoming
Abstract：Objective To study the molecular mechanisms of neural plasticity in the development and post-injury re?pair of the auditory system, particularly the changes and plasticity of GAP-43 expression in the developing auditory cortex (AC) in young rats. Methods We measured levels of growth associated protein-43 (GAP-43) expression in the auditory cortex of developing rats(3, 4 or 8 weeks of age)and in ototoxicity deafened rats(3, 4 or 8 weeks of age)by immunohistochemistry. Results In the immediate postnatal stage, AC was found to contain high levels of GAP-43. Over the first few postnatal weeks, a continuous reduction of GAP-43 occurred. Positively stained neurons count was 111.50±4.90 per high power field in the au?ditory cortex by 3 weeks of age, 84.17±3.24 by 4 weeks, and 66.67±4.17 by 8 weeks. Shortly after auditory deprivation by oto?toxicity, GAP-43 expression was dramatically boosted in the AC. Conclusions GAP-43 shows a close correlation with the growth and plasticity of the AC, which can be a significant marker for auditory plasticity.
Keywords：Immature ratsAuditory deprivationGAP-43Auditory cortexPlasticity
Publication Date：2014-01-01
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：5( 638-642 )