Expression of Protein Acetylation Regulators During Peripheral Nerve Development, Injury, and Regeneration

Protein acetylation, regulated by acetyltransferases and deacetylases, is an important post-translational modification that is involved in numerous physiological and pathological changes in peripheral nerves. There is still no systematical analysis on the expression changes of protein acetylation regulators during sciatic nerve development, injury, and regeneration. Here, we sequenced and analyzed the transcriptome of mouse sciatic nerves during development and after injury. We found that the changes in the expression of most regulators followed the rule that development is consistent with regeneration and opposite to injury. Immunoblotting with pan-acetylated antibodies also revealed that development and regeneration are a process of increased acetylation, while injury is a process of decreased acetylation. Moreover, we used bioinformatics methods to analyze the possible downstream molecules of two key regulators, histone deacetylase 1 (Hdac1) and lysine acetyltransferase 2b (Kat2b), and found that they were associated with many genes that regulate the cell cycle. Our findings provide an insight into the association of sciatic nerve development, injury, and regeneration from the perspective of protein acetylation.

Automated summary

Protein acetylation, regulated by acetyltransferases and deacetylases, plays an important role in peripheral nerves and is involved in various physiological and pathological changes. In this study, the transcriptome of mouse sciatic nerves during development and after injury was analyzed. The expression changes of most acetylation regulators followed a pattern consistent with development and regeneration, while opposite to injury. Immunoblotting results showed increased acetylation during development and regeneration, and decreased acetylation during injury. Bioinformatics analysis identified potential downstream molecules of key regulators Hdac1 and Kat2b, which were associated with genes regulating the cell cycle. These findings provide insights into the relationship between sciatic nerve development, injury, and regeneration from the perspective of protein acetylation.