Abstract
Aiming to ablate sympathetic preganglionic neurons (SPN) innervating a defined target, we injected saporin conjugated to cholera toxin B subunit (CTB) unilaterally into the superior cervical ganglion of rats. In spinal cord segments T1-T3, the numbers of cholinergic neurons in the intermediolateral cell column ipsilateral and contralateral to the injected ganglion were significantly different by 3 days post-injection. By day 14, 77% of ipsilateral cholinergic neurons had disappeared. A higher percentage of neurons were killed in T1-T2 than in T3. Comparing SPN counts from CTB- saporin injected rats and counts from rats receiving unconjugated CTB into the superior cervical ganglion indicated that 84% of SPN supplying the ganglion had died by 14 days. Retrogradely transported CTB-saporin kills sympathetic preganglionic neurons and may also eliminate other types of neurons that transport CTB.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 307-312 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Neuroreport |
Volume | 10 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 5 Feb 1999 |
Keywords
- Cholera toxin B subunit
- Neurotoxin
- Ribosomal inactivating proteins
- Superior cervical ganglion