Axonal sprouting after botulinum toxin does not elicit a histological axon reaction

In an attempt to determine which elements of the axon reaction are essential for early axonal outgrowth, axonal sprouting was induced with botulinum toxin (BoTx) and the nerve cell body changes compared with those accompanying axonal growth after nerve trauma. Anterior horn cells of mice were examined histologically at times ranging from 3 days to 3 weeks after either BoTx hindlimb injection or sciatic nerve crush. After sciatic nerve crush there was dispersion of Nissl substance, increase in cell body size, and an increase in neurofilament protein staining. None of these changes were found after BoTx-induced terminal axonal sprouting, suggesting that these morphological features of the axon reaction are not essential for early axonal outgrowth.