Gangliosides and regeneration of the goldfish optic nerve in vivo and in vitro.

One to forty days after optic nerve transection, goldfish received an i.p. injection of 3H]proline (proteins), 3HNAcGluc (gangliosides) or 3H]thymidine (DNA). After 1 or 2 days of incorporation, both optic systems were analyzed by biochemical and autoradiographical procedures. In the regenerating retina an enhanced retinal mitotic activity, protein synthesis (up to 2-fold) and ganglioside synthesis (up to 1.5-fold) was found. Simultaneously, a transiently enhanced accumulation (up to 4.5-fold) of axonally transported protein- and ganglioside-bound radioactivity in the regenerating optic nerve stump occurred. These regeneration-related proliferative and metabolic changes were found to be maximal at 6-8 days post lesion, but still measurable after 40 days. Concerning the endogenous ganglioside metabolism, in the regenerating retina no obvious change in ganglioside synthesis and composition could be observed, while in the regenerating optic nerve there was an enhanced accumulation of the ganglioside GP1c. Daily i.p. application of a ganglioside mixture from bovine brain (GMix) or of the monosialoganglioside GM1, did not alter significantly the degree and time course of the above regeneration induced metabolic changes or the regain of visual acuity. Sprouting activity of goldfish retinal explants was found to strongly depend upon a conditioning lesion of the optic nerve, reaching a maximum 8 days after nerve transection. This result strictly coincided with the profile of metabolic changes observed in vivo. Again, daily i.p. or i.o. injection of exogenous gangliosides did not influence the lesion induced increase of retinal sprouting activity. However, in normal, not regenerating animals, a local i.o. injection of GMix or GM1 led to a significant enhancement of the "basal" sprouting activity, normally occurring after lesion of the retina after injection of 0.9% NaCl. This ganglioside related stimulation was maximal at low concentrations (3 micrograms/eye) and did not occur at high concentrations (> 30 micrograms/eye). Injection of the phospholipid phosphatidylcholine or phosphatidylserine had no or a slightly inhibitory effect, when compared to NaCl controls. These data suggest an involvement of gangliosides in the complex process of induction of axonal sprouting.