Fig. 1

The axonal injury-induced marker ATF3 is highly upregulated in L4, L5, and L6 DRG and in the SCG 7 days after axotomy. A diagram illustrating the sciatic nerve transection injury and the relative innervation of the sciatic nerve by the individual lumbar DRG (a). WT mice underwent a unilateral transection of the right sciatic nerve and lumbar DRG were removed and stained for the injury marker ATF3 and the neuronal marker HuC/D. The percentage of ATF3⁺HuC/D⁺ neurons were quantified 7 days after injury (b). Representative images of sham-operated (c–f) and axotomized (g–j) DRG for L3 (c, g), L4 (d, h), L5 (e, i), and L6 (f, j) DRG are shown. A diagram illustrating the SCG axotomy and the relative innervation of the external and internal carotid nerves (k). In the SCG diagram, blue represents the preganglionic fibers, the green cell bodies are neurons that project into the ECN, and the purple cell bodies project into the ICN. Mice underwent a unilateral transection of the ECN and ICN of the right SCG. SCG were removed 7 days post injury and stained with ATF3 and HuC/D. The percentage of ATF3⁺ HuC/D⁺ SCG neurons were quantified (l). Representative images of sham-operated (m) and axotomized (n) SCG are shown. The data are presented as the mean ± SEM. DRG images were taken at × 10 magnification. SCG images were taken at × 25 magnification. Scale bar = 50 μm. n = 5 per group. *p < 0.05. **p < 0.001 between groups. ^#p < 0.05. ^##p < 0.001 between sham and axotomy within groups