Fig. 2.
Changes in the expression and distribution of NaV1.8 after SNL by immunohistochemical (A–C) and Western (D) analyses. A, Very little NaV1.8 immunoreactivity is detected in the sciatic nerve of naive rats. B, After SNL, an increase in NaV1.8 immunoreactivity is detected 7 d after nerve injury in the fibers remaining in the sciatic nerve. C, Very little accumulation of NaV1.8 immunoreactivity is found on the proximal side of the ligation site at the L5 spinal root. Scale bars, 400 μm. D, Representative Western transblot analysis of NaV1.8 and TRPV1 in the sciatic nerve of sham-operated rats (Sham) or nerve-injured rats at 2, 3, 5, or 7 d after L5/L6 SNL. A time-related increase in NaV1.8 is concurrent with a loss of TRPV1 immunoreactivity in the same samples. The data are representative of five independent analyses using two separate sets of tissue extracts.