Fig. 5: The function analysis of circ-Spidr on axon regeneration of DRG neurons after sciatic nerve injury.

a Validation of in vivo siRNA injection by 2OMe + 5Chol + 5Cy5 modified siRNA. Three days after direct administration of siRNA, DRGs were harvested and photographed. The left panel showed the negative control siRNA-transfected (NC-siRNA) DRG; the right showed the 2OMe + 5Chol + 5Cy5 modified siRNA-transfected (Cy5-siRNA) DRG. Scale bar = 100 µm. b The relative expression levels of circ-Spidr in DRGs transfected with 2OMe + 5Chol + 5Cy5 modified specifically against circ-Spidr siRNAs (circ-Spidr-si-2) or 2OMe + 5Chol + 5Cy5 modified scramble siRNA (NC) in vivo were determined by qRT-PCR. Values are means ± SEM. Asterisks indicate a statistically significant difference compared with the NC group (*P < 0.05, unpaired two-tailed t test, n = 3 independent experiments). c Representative longitudinal sections from injured sciatic nerves. The crush site was indicated by white dotted line. Scale bar represents 500 µm. d Normalized SCG10 intensity plotted in function of the distance from crush line (n = 4 rats for each group). e Axon regeneration in injured rats is quantified by regeneration indices obtained from SCG10 immunostaining at 3 d after crush injury. Values are means ± SEM. Asterisks indicate a statistically significant difference compared with the NC group (*P < 0.05, unpaired two-tailed t test, n = 4 rats for each group)