BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Semaphorin 3A (Sema3A) is an important secreted repulsive guidance factor for many developing neurones. Sema3A continues to be expressed in adulthood, and expression of its receptor, neuropilin‐1 (Nrp‐1), can be altered by nerve injury. Autonomic neurones innervating the pelvic viscera are particularly susceptible to damage during pelvic surgical procedures, and failure to regenerate or aberrant growth of sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves lead to organ dysfunction. However, it is not known if adult pelvic neurones are potential targets for Sema3A.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH The effects of Sema3A and activation or inhibition of cyclic nucleotide signalling were assessed in adult rat pelvic ganglion neurones in culture using a growth cone collapse assay.

KEY RESULTS Sema3A caused growth cone collapse in both parasympathetic and sympathetic neurones expressing Nrp‐1. However, the effect of Sema3A was mediated by distinct cyclic nucleotide signalling pathways in each neurone type. In parasympathetic neurones, cAMP and downstream activation of protein kinase A were required for growth cone collapse. In sympathetic neurones, cGMP was required for Sema3A‐induced collapse; cAMP can also cause collapse but was not required. Sema3A‐mediated, cGMP‐dependent collapse in sympathetic neurones may require activation of cyclic nucleotide‐gated ion channels (CNGCs).

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS We propose that Sema3A is an important guidance factor for adult pelvic autonomic neurones, and that manipulation of their distinct signalling mechanisms could potentially promote functional selective regeneration or attenuate aberrant growth. To our knowledge, this is also the first study to implicate CNGCs in regulating growth cone dynamics of adult neurones.