Figure 7

Western blot analysis of whole DRGs in naïve and P7 inflamed mice for GFRα1. A: Quantification of GFRα1 protein in naïve L2/L3 DRGs from P7 through P21 revealed that levels of this co-receptor were significantly elevated beginning at P10 and remained elevated thereafter compared to P7 levels. B: However, after cutaneous inflammation at P7, GFRα1 protein did not display enhanced expression at one day or three days after inflammation; the age in which it normally increased in naïve ganglia (P10). In fact, there appeared to be a slight decrease in the mean expression of GFRα1 protein after P7 inflammation, but this did not reach statistical significance. C: Comparing levels of GFRα1 protein between P7 and P10 (which is also 3d post inflammation) in naïve and inflamed mice shows that inflammation of the hairy hindpaw skin blocked the normal increase in this receptor normally seen in naïve mice. D: Examples of western blots for GFRα1 protein in naïve mice from P7 through P21 or after P7 inflammation at 1d and 3d. Bands are detected around the predicted molecular weights for GFRα1 and GAPDH. *p value <0.05 vs P7 naives. Values for GFRα1 are normalized to GAPDH levels prior to quantification. Normalized mean ± SEM; One-way ANOVA with Tukey’s post hoc test. Presented as percent changes.