Transcriptomic profiling of sciatic nerves and dorsal root ganglia reveals site-specific effects of prediabetic neuropathy

Transl Res. 2024 Mar 29:S1931-5244(24)00060-4. doi: 10.1016/j.trsl.2024.03.009. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTPeripheral neuropathy (PN) is a severe and frequent complication of obesity, prediabetes, and type 2 diabetes characterized by progressive distal-to-proximal peripheral nerve degeneration. However, a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying PN, and whether these mechanisms change during PN progression, is currently lacking. Here, gene expression data were obtained from distal (sciatic nerve; SCN) and proximal (dorsal root ganglia; DRG) injury sites of a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced mouse model of obesity/prediabetes at early and late disease stages. Self-organizing map and differentially expressed gene analyses followed by pathway enrichment analysis identified genes and pathways altered across disease stage and injury site. Pathways related to immune response, inflammation, and glucose and lipid metabolism were consistently dysregulated with HFD-induced PN, irrespective of injury site. However, regulation of oxidative stress was unique to the SCN while dysregulated Hippo and Notch signaling were only observed in the DRG. The role of the immune system and inflammation in disease progression was supported by an increase in the percentage of immune cells in the SCN with PN progression. Finally, when comparing these data to transcriptomic signatures from human patients with PN, we observed conserved pathways related to metabolic dysregulation across specie...
Source: Translational Research : the journal of laboratory and clinical medicine - Category: Laboratory Medicine Authors: Source Type: research