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Sokolova AV, Domnina AP, Mikhailov VM. Accumulation of Dystrophin-Positive Muscle Fibers and Improvement of Neuromuscular Junctions in mdx Mouse Muscles after Bone Marrow Transplantation under Different Conditions. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24108892. [PMID: 37240237 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24108892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe muscular disorder caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene. It leads to respiratory and cardiac failure and premature death at a young age. Although recent studies have greatly deepened the understanding of the primary and secondary pathogenetic mechanisms of DMD, an effective treatment remains elusive. In recent decades, stem cells have emerged as a novel therapeutic product for a variety of diseases. In this study, we investigated nonmyeloablative bone marrow cell (BMC) transplantation as a method of cell therapy for DMD in an mdx mouse model. By using BMC transplantation from GFP-positive mice, we confirmed that BMCs participate in the muscle restoration of mdx mice. We analyzed both syngeneic and allogeneic BMC transplantation under different conditions. Our data indicated that 3 Gy X-ray irradiation with subsequent BMC transplantation improved dystrophin synthesis and the structure of striated muscle fibers (SMFs) in mdx mice as well as decreasing the death rate of SMFs. In addition, we observed the normalization of neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) in mdx mice after nonmyeloablative BMC transplantation. In conclusion, we demonstrated that nonmyeloablative BMC transplantation could be considered a method for DMD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alisa P Domnina
- Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 194064 Saint-Petersburg, Russia
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2
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Pregabalin-induced neuroprotection and gait improvement in dystrophic MDX mice. Mol Cell Neurosci 2021; 114:103632. [PMID: 34058345 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2021.103632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 05/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a genetic disease linked to the X chromosome induced by mutations in the dystrophin gene. Neuroprotective drugs, such as pregabalin (PGB), can improve motor function through the modulation of excitatory synapses, together with anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory effects. The present work studied the effects of PGB in the preservation of dystrophic peripheral nerves, allowing motor improvements in MDX mice. Five weeks old MDX and C57BL/10 mice were treated with PGB (30 mg/kg/day, i.p.) or vehicle, for 28 consecutive days. The mice were sacrificed on the 9th week, the sciatic nerves were dissected out and processed for immunohistochemistry and qRT-PCR, for evaluating the expression of proteins and gene transcripts related to neuronal activity and Schwann cell function. The lumbar spinal cords were also processed for qRT-PCR to evaluate the expression of neurotrophic factors and pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Cranial tibial muscles were dissected out for endplate evaluation with α-bungarotoxin. The recovery of motor function was monitored throughout the treatment, using a spontaneous walking track test (Catwalk system) and a forced locomotion test (Rotarod). The results showed that treatment with PGB reduced the retrograde effects of muscle degeneration/regeneration on the nervous system from the 5th to the 9th week in MDX mice. Thus, PGB induced protein expression in neurons and Schwann cells, protecting myelinated fibers. In turn, better axonal morphology and close-to-normal motor endplates were observed. Indeed, such effects resulted in improved motor coordination of dystrophic animals. We believe that treatment with PGB improved the balance between excitatory and inhibitory inputs to spinal motoneurons, increasing motor control. In addition, PGB enhanced peripheral nerve homeostasis, by positively affecting Schwann cells. In general, the present results indicate that pregabalin is effective in protecting the PNS during the development of DMD, improving motor coordination, indicating possible translation to the clinic.
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3
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Laitman JT, Albertine KH. A "churrascaria" of Brazilian science and biomedicine: The Anatomical Record offers a sampling from the hearty table of South America's giant in a Special Issue. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2021; 304:1155-1158. [PMID: 33982431 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey T Laitman
- Center for Anatomy and Functional Morphology, Box 1007, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Kurt H Albertine
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
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4
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Ng SY, Ljubicic V. Recent insights into neuromuscular junction biology in Duchenne muscular dystrophy: Impacts, challenges, and opportunities. EBioMedicine 2020; 61:103032. [PMID: 33039707 PMCID: PMC7648118 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2020.103032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most common and relentless form of muscular dystrophy. The pleiotropic effects of dystrophin deficiency include remarkable impacts on neuromuscular junction (NMJ) structure and function. Some of these alterations contribute to the severe muscle wasting and weakness that distinguish DMD, while others attempt to compensate for them. Experimental approaches that correct NMJ biology in pre-clinical models of DMD attenuate disease progression and improve functional outcomes, which suggests that targeting the NMJ may be an effective therapeutic strategy for DMD patients. The objectives of this review are to 1) survey the distinctions in NMJ structure, function, and gene expression in the dystrophic context as compared to the healthy condition, and 2) summarize the efforts, opportunities and challenges to correct NMJ biology in DMD. This information will expand our basic understanding of neuromuscular biology and may be useful for designing novel NMJ-targeted drug or behavioural strategies to mitigate the dystrophic pathology and other disorders of the neuromuscular system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean Y Ng
- Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton L8S 4L8, Ontario, Canada
| | - Vladimir Ljubicic
- Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton L8S 4L8, Ontario, Canada.
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Krishnan VS, Thanigaiarasu LP, White R, Crew R, Larcher T, Le Guiner C, Grounds MD. Dystrophic Dmd mdx rats show early neuronal changes (increased S100β and Tau5) at 8 months, supporting severe dystropathology in this rodent model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Mol Cell Neurosci 2020; 108:103549. [PMID: 32890728 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2020.103549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The intrinsic necrosis of skeletal muscles in animal models of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) damages neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) with progressively altered NMJs associated with denervation and premature changes in dystrophic nerves. In the mdx mouse model of DMD, the proteins S100β and Tau5 are significantly increased in sciatic nerves by 13 months (M) of age, far earlier (by 9 M) than in normal wildtype (WT) nerves. Since dystrophic Dmdmdx rats are reported to have a more severe dystropathology than mdx mice, we hypothesised that Dmdmdx rat nerves would show earlier neuronal changes compared with mdx nerves. We quantified levels of 8 proteins (by immunoblotting) in sciatic and radial nerves from young adult Dmdmdx rats (aged 8 M) and mdx mice (9 M), plus levels of 7 mRNAs (by qPCR) in rat nerves only. Sciatic nerves of 8 M Dmdmdx rats had more consistently increased levels of S100β and Tau5 proteins, compared with 9 M mdx mice, supporting pronounced dystropathology in the rat model. There were no differences for mRNA levels, apart from higher gelsolin mRNA in Dmdmdx sciatic nerves. The pronounced protein changes in Dmdmdx nerves indicate a severe ongoing myonecrosis, and likely consequent myofibre denervation, for the dystrophic rat model. These data support increased neuronal proteins in dystrophic nerves as a novel pre-clinical readout of ongoing myonecrosis for DMD research. In older DMD boys, such progressive neuronal changes over many years are likely to contribute to loss of muscle function, and may complicate evaluation of late-onset clinical therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vidya S Krishnan
- School of Human Sciences, the University of Western Australia, Australia, 6009
| | | | - Robert White
- School of Human Sciences, the University of Western Australia, Australia, 6009
| | - Rachael Crew
- School of Human Sciences, the University of Western Australia, Australia, 6009
| | | | - Caroline Le Guiner
- INSERM UMR1089, University of Nantes, Translational Research for Neuromuscular Diseases, Nantes, France
| | - Miranda D Grounds
- School of Human Sciences, the University of Western Australia, Australia, 6009.
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Lovering RM, Iyer SR, Edwards B, Davies KE. Alterations of neuromuscular junctions in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Neurosci Lett 2020; 737:135304. [PMID: 32818587 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2020.135304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 08/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The focus of this review is on Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), which is caused by the absence of the protein dystrophin and is characterized as a neuromuscular disease in which muscle weakness, increased susceptibility to muscle injury, and inadequate repair appear to underlie the pathology. Considerable attention has been dedicated to studying muscle fiber damage, but data show that both human patients and animal models for DMD present with fragmented neuromuscular junction (NMJ) morphology. In addition to pre- and post-synaptic abnormalities, studies indicate increased susceptibility of the NMJ to contraction-induced injury, with corresponding functional changes in neuromuscular transmission and nerve-evoked electromyographic activity. Such findings suggest that alterations in the NMJ of dystrophic muscle may play a role in muscle weakness via impairment of neuromuscular transmission. Further work is needed to fully understand the role of the NMJ in the weakness, susceptibility to injury, and progressive wasting associated with DMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard M Lovering
- Departments of Orthopaedics and Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Shama R Iyer
- Departments of Orthopaedics and Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Benjamin Edwards
- MDUK Oxford Neuromuscular Centre, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Kay E Davies
- MDUK Oxford Neuromuscular Centre, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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7
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Implications of increased S100β and Tau5 proteins in dystrophic nerves of two mdx mouse models for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Mol Cell Neurosci 2020; 105:103484. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2020.103484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
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8
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Haddix SG, Lee YI, Kornegay JN, Thompson WJ. Cycles of myofiber degeneration and regeneration lead to remodeling of the neuromuscular junction in two mammalian models of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0205926. [PMID: 30379896 PMCID: PMC6209224 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0205926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2018] [Accepted: 10/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Mice lacking the sarcolemmal protein dystrophin, designated mdx, have been widely used as a model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Dystrophic mdx mice as they mature develop notable morphological abnormalities to their neuromuscular junctions, the peripheral cholinergic synapses responsible for activating muscle fibers. Most obviously the acetylcholine receptor aggregates are fragmented into small non-continuous, islands. This contrasts with wild type mice whose acetylcholine receptor aggregates are continuous and pretzel-shaped in appearance. We show here that these abnormalities in mdx mice are also present in a canine model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy and provide additional evidence to support the hypothesis that NMJ remodeling occurs due to myofiber degeneration and regeneration. Using a method to investigate synaptic AChR replacement, we show that neuromuscular junction remodeling in mdx animals is caused by muscle fiber degeneration and regeneration at the synaptic site and is mimicked by deliberate myofiber injury in wild type mice. Importantly, the innervating motor axon plays a crucial role in directing the remodeling of the neuromuscular junction in dystrophy, as has been recorded in aging and deliberate muscle fiber injury in wild type mice. The remodeling occurs repetitively through the life of the animal and the changes in junctions become greater with age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seth G. Haddix
- Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Young il Lee
- Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Joe N. Kornegay
- Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Wesley J. Thompson
- Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
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9
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Pratt SJP, Iyer SR, Shah SB, Lovering RM. Imaging Analysis of the Neuromuscular Junction in Dystrophic Muscle. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1687:57-72. [PMID: 29067656 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7374-3_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), caused by the absence of the protein dystrophin, is characterized as a neuromuscular disease in which muscle weakness, increased susceptibility to muscle injury, and inadequate repair appear to underlie the pathology. Considerable attention has been dedicated to studying muscle fiber damage, but there is little information to determine if damage from contraction-induced injury also occurs at or near the nerve terminal axon. Interestingly, both human patients and the mouse model for DMD (the mdx mouse) present fragmented neuromuscular junction (NMJ) morphology. Studies of mdx mice have revealed presynaptic and postsynaptic abnormalities, nerve terminal discontinuity, as well as increased susceptibility of the NMJ to contraction-induced injury with corresponding functional changes in neuromuscular transmission and nerve-evoked electromyography. Focusing on the NMJ as a contributor to functional deficits in the muscle represents a paradigm shift from the more prevalent myocentric perspectives. Further studies are needed to determine the extent to which the nerve-muscle interaction is disrupted in DMD and the role of the NMJ in the dystrophic progression. This chapter lists the tools needed for nerve terminal and NMJ structural analysis using fluorescence imaging, and provides a step-by-step outline for how to stain, image, and analyze the NMJ in skeletal muscle, with specific attention to mdx muscle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen J P Pratt
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland, Baltimore School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Shama R Iyer
- Department of Orthopaedics, University of Maryland, Baltimore School of Medicine, 100 Penn St., AHB, Room 540, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Sameer B Shah
- Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery and Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
- Research Division, Veterans Administration San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Richard M Lovering
- Department of Orthopaedics, University of Maryland, Baltimore School of Medicine, 100 Penn St., AHB, Room 540, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.
- Department of Physiology, University of Maryland, Baltimore School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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10
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Vojnits K, Pan H, Dai X, Sun H, Tong Q, Darabi R, Huard J, Li Y. Functional Neuronal Differentiation of Injury-Induced Muscle-Derived Stem Cell-Like Cells with Therapeutic Implications. Sci Rep 2017; 7:1177. [PMID: 28446779 PMCID: PMC5430871 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-01311-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2016] [Accepted: 03/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammalian skeletal muscles contain a number of heterogeneous cell populations. Our previous study characterized a unique population of myogenic lineage stem cells that can be isolated from adult mammalian skeletal muscles upon injury. These injury-induced muscle-derived stem cell-like cells (iMuSCs) displayed a multipotent state with sensitiveness and strong migration abilities. Here, we report that these iMuSCs have the capability to form neurospheres that represent multiple neural phenotypes. The induced neuronal cells expressed various neuron-specific proteins, their mRNA expression during neuronal differentiation recapitulated embryonic neurogenesis, they generated action potentials, and they formed functional synapses in vitro. Furthermore, the transplantation of iMuSCs or their cell extracts into the muscles of mdx mice (i.e., a mouse model of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy [DMD]) could restore the morphology of their previously damaged neuromuscular junctions (NMJs), suggesting that the beneficial effects of iMuSCs may not be restricted to cell restoration alone, but also due to their transient paracrine actions. The current study reveals the essential role of iMuSCs in the restoration of NMJs related to injuries and diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kinga Vojnits
- Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases (IMM) at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, TX, Houston, 77030, USA.,Department of Pediatric Surgery, University of Texas McGovern Medical School at Houston, Houston, 77030, TX, USA
| | - Haiying Pan
- Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases (IMM) at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, TX, Houston, 77030, USA.,Department of Orthopeadic, University of Texas McGovern Medical School at Houston, Houston, 77030, TX, USA
| | - Xiaojing Dai
- Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases (IMM) at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, TX, Houston, 77030, USA.,Department of Pediatric Surgery, University of Texas McGovern Medical School at Houston, Houston, 77030, TX, USA
| | - Hao Sun
- Center for Metabolic and Degenerative Disease, The IMM at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, TX, Houston, 77030, USA
| | - Qingchun Tong
- Center for Metabolic and Degenerative Disease, The IMM at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, TX, Houston, 77030, USA
| | - Radbod Darabi
- Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases (IMM) at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, TX, Houston, 77030, USA
| | - Johnny Huard
- Department of Orthopeadic, University of Texas McGovern Medical School at Houston, Houston, 77030, TX, USA.,Center for Sports Regenerative Medicine, Steadman Philippon Research Institute, Vail, CO, USA.,Center for Tissue Engineering and Aging Research, The IMM at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, TX, Houston, 77030, USA
| | - Yong Li
- Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine for the Prevention of Human Diseases (IMM) at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, TX, Houston, 77030, USA. .,Department of Pediatric Surgery, University of Texas McGovern Medical School at Houston, Houston, 77030, TX, USA. .,Center for Tissue Engineering and Aging Research, The IMM at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, TX, Houston, 77030, USA.
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11
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Pissulin CNA, de Souza Castro PAT, Codina F, Pinto CG, Vechetti-Junior IJ, Matheus SMM. GaAs laser therapy reestablishes the morphology of the NMJ and nAChRs after injury due to bupivacaine. JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY B-BIOLOGY 2017; 167:256-263. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2016.12.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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12
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Pratt SJP, Valencia AP, Le GK, Shah SB, Lovering RM. Pre- and postsynaptic changes in the neuromuscular junction in dystrophic mice. Front Physiol 2015; 6:252. [PMID: 26441672 PMCID: PMC4563167 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2015.00252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2015] [Accepted: 08/28/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a devastating neuromuscular disease in which weakness, increased susceptibility to muscle injury, and inadequate repair appear to underlie the pathology. While most attention has focused within the muscle fiber, we recently demonstrated in mdx mice (murine model for DMD) significant morphologic alterations at the motor endplate of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) and corresponding NMJ transmission failure after injury. Here we extend these initial observations at the motor endplate to gain insight into the pre- vs. postsynaptic morphology, as well as the subsynaptic nuclei in healthy (WT) vs. mdx mice. We quantified the discontinuity and branching of the terminal nerve in adult mice. We report mdx- and age-dependent changes for discontinuity and an increase in branching when compared to WT. To examine mdx- and age-dependent changes in the relative localization of pre- and postsynaptic structures, we calculated NMJ occupancy, defined as the ratio of the footprint occupied by presynaptic vesicles vs. that of the underlying motor endplate. The normally congruent coupling between presynaptic and postsynaptic morphology was altered in mdx mice, independent of age. Finally we found an almost two-fold increase in the number of nuclei and an increase in density (nuclei/area) underlying the NMJ. These outcomes suggest substantial remodeling of the NMJ during dystrophic progression. This remodeling reflects plasticity in both pre- and postsynaptic contributors to NMJ structure, and thus perhaps also NM transmission and muscle function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen J P Pratt
- Department of Orthopaedics, University of Maryland School of Medicine Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ana P Valencia
- Department of Orthopaedics, University of Maryland School of Medicine Baltimore, MD, USA ; Department of Kinesiology, University of Maryland School of Public Health College Park, MD, USA
| | - Gloribel K Le
- Department of Orthopaedics, University of Maryland School of Medicine Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sameer B Shah
- Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery and Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Richard M Lovering
- Department of Orthopaedics, University of Maryland School of Medicine Baltimore, MD, USA
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Vianello S, Bouyon S, Benoit E, Sebrié C, Boerio D, Herbin M, Roulot M, Fromes Y, de la Porte S. Arginine butyrate per os protects mdx mice against cardiomyopathy, kyphosis and changes in axonal excitability. Neurobiol Dis 2014; 71:325-33. [PMID: 25167832 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2014.08.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2014] [Revised: 08/08/2014] [Accepted: 08/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive neuromuscular disease caused by lack of dystrophin, a sub-sarcolemmal protein, which leads to dramatic muscle deterioration. We studied in mdx mice, the effects of oral administration of arginine butyrate (AB), a compound currently used for the treatment of sickle cell anemia in children, on cardiomyopathy, vertebral column deformation and electromyographic abnormalities. Monthly follow-up by echocardiography from the 8th month to the 14th month showed that AB treatment protected the mdx mice against drastic reduction (20-23%) of ejection fraction and fractional shortening, and also against the ≈20% ventricular dilatation and 25% cardiac hypertrophy observed in saline-treated mdx mice. The phenotypic improvement was corroborated by the decrease in serum CK level and by better fatigue resistance. Moreover, AB treatment protected against the progressive spinal deformity observed in mdx mice, another similarity with DMD patients. The value of the kyphosis index in AB-treated mice reached 94% of the value in C57BL/10 mice. Finally, axonal excitability parameters such as the membrane resting potential, the threshold and amplitude of the action potential, the absolute and relative refractory periods and the supernormal and subnormal periods, recorded from caudal and plantar muscles in response to excitability tests, that were modified in saline-treated mdx mice were not significantly changed, compared with wild-type animals, in AB-treated mdx mice. All of these results suggest that AB could be a potential treatment for DMD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Vianello
- CNRS, Institut de Neurobiologie Alfred Fessard, FRC2118, Neurobiologie & Développement, UPR 3294, Gif sur Yvette, F-91198, France.
| | - Sophie Bouyon
- UPMC, Université Paris 6, UMR 974, Institut de Myologie, F-75013 Paris, France.
| | - Evelyne Benoit
- CNRS, Institut de Neurobiologie Alfred Fessard, FRC2118, Neurobiologie & Développement, UPR 3294, Gif sur Yvette, F-91198, France.
| | | | - Delphine Boerio
- CNRS, Institut de Neurobiologie Alfred Fessard, FRC2118, Neurobiologie & Développement, UPR 3294, Gif sur Yvette, F-91198, France.
| | - Marc Herbin
- CNRS, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, UMR7179, Pavillon d'anatomie comparée, BP 55, 52 Rue Cuvier, 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France.
| | - Morgane Roulot
- CNRS, Institut de Neurobiologie Alfred Fessard, FRC2118, Neurobiologie & Développement, UPR 3294, Gif sur Yvette, F-91198, France.
| | - Yves Fromes
- UPMC, Université Paris 6, UMR 974, Institut de Myologie, F-75013 Paris, France; ONIRIS, Centre de Boisbonne, Nantes F-44307, France.
| | - Sabine de la Porte
- CNRS, Institut de Neurobiologie Alfred Fessard, FRC2118, Neurobiologie & Développement, UPR 3294, Gif sur Yvette, F-91198, France.
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14
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Vianello S, Consolaro F, Bich C, Cancela JM, Roulot M, Lanchec E, Touboul D, Brunelle A, Israël M, Benoit E, de la Porte S. Low doses of arginine butyrate derivatives improve dystrophic phenotype and restore membrane integrity in DMD models. FASEB J 2014; 28:2603-19. [PMID: 24604079 DOI: 10.1096/fj.13-244798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
A new approach to treating Duchenne muscular dystrophy was investigated by using the ester or amide covalent association of arginine [nitric oxide (NO) pathway] and butyrate [histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition] in mdx mice and patient myotubes. Two prodrugs were synthesized, and the beneficial effects on dystrophic phenotype were studied. Nerve excitability abnormalities detected in saline-treated mice were almost totally rescued in animals treated at low doses (50-100 mg/kg/d). Force and fatigue resistance were improved ≈60% and 3.5-fold, respectively, and the percentage of necrosis in heart sections was reduced ≈90% in the treated mice. A decrease of >50% in serum creatine kinase indicated an overall improvement in the muscles. Restoration of membrane integrity was studied directly by measuring the reduction (≈74%) of Evans blue incorporation in the limb muscles of the treated animals, the increase in utrophin level, and the normalization of lipid composition of the heart. In cultures of human myotubes (primary cells and cell line), both prodrugs and HDAC inhibitors increased by 2- to 4-fold the utrophin level, which was correctly localized at the membrane. β-Dystroglycan and embryonic myosin protein levels were also increased. Finally, a 50% reduction in the number of spontaneous Ca(2+) spikes was observed after treatment with NO synthase substrate and HDAC inhibitors. Overall, the beneficial effects were obtained with doses 10 (in vivo) and 5 (in vitro) times lower than those of the salt formulation. Altogether, these data constitute proof of principle of the beneficial effects of low doses of arginine butyrate derivatives on muscular dystrophy, enhancing the NO pathway and inhibiting HDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Vianello
- Neurobiologie and Développement, Institut de Neurobiologie Alfred Fessard-Fédération pour la Recherche sur le Cerveau (FRC) 2118, Unité Propres de Recherche (UPR) 3294, and
| | - Francesca Consolaro
- Neurobiologie and Développement, Institut de Neurobiologie Alfred Fessard-Fédération pour la Recherche sur le Cerveau (FRC) 2118, Unité Propres de Recherche (UPR) 3294, and
| | - Claudia Bich
- Institut de Chimie des Substances Naturelles, Centre de Recherche de Gif, UPR 2301, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Gif sur Yvette, France; and
| | - José-Manuel Cancela
- Centre de Neurosciences Paris-Sud, Université Paris Sud, Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR) 8195, CNRS, Orsay, France
| | - Morgane Roulot
- Neurobiologie and Développement, Institut de Neurobiologie Alfred Fessard-Fédération pour la Recherche sur le Cerveau (FRC) 2118, Unité Propres de Recherche (UPR) 3294, and
| | - Erwan Lanchec
- Centre de Neurosciences Paris-Sud, Université Paris Sud, Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR) 8195, CNRS, Orsay, France
| | - David Touboul
- Institut de Chimie des Substances Naturelles, Centre de Recherche de Gif, UPR 2301, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Gif sur Yvette, France; and
| | - Alain Brunelle
- Institut de Chimie des Substances Naturelles, Centre de Recherche de Gif, UPR 2301, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Gif sur Yvette, France; and
| | - Maurice Israël
- Neurobiologie and Développement, Institut de Neurobiologie Alfred Fessard-Fédération pour la Recherche sur le Cerveau (FRC) 2118, Unité Propres de Recherche (UPR) 3294, and
| | - Evelyne Benoit
- Neurobiologie and Développement, Institut de Neurobiologie Alfred Fessard-Fédération pour la Recherche sur le Cerveau (FRC) 2118, Unité Propres de Recherche (UPR) 3294, and
| | - Sabine de la Porte
- Neurobiologie and Développement, Institut de Neurobiologie Alfred Fessard-Fédération pour la Recherche sur le Cerveau (FRC) 2118, Unité Propres de Recherche (UPR) 3294, and
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Gordon BS, Delgado-Diaz DC, Carson J, Fayad R, Wilson LB, Kostek MC. Resveratrol improves muscle function but not oxidative capacity in young mdx mice. Can J Physiol Pharmacol 2014; 92:243-51. [DOI: 10.1139/cjpp-2013-0350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) have reduced muscle function due to chronic muscle damage, inflammation, oxidative stress, and reduced oxidative capacity. Resveratrol reduces inflammation and oxidative stress, and increases oxidative capacity in other disease models. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of resveratrol on muscle function, muscle pathology, and oxidative capacity in young mdx mice. For this, 4- to 5-week-old male mdx mice were randomized into control or resveratrol-treated groups and given resveratrol (100 mg/kg body mass) or an equal volume of water by gavage every other day for 8 weeks. Muscle function was assessed pre- and post-treatment. Central nucleation, total immune cell infiltrate, oxidative stress, and oxidative capacity were measured post-treatment. Resveratrol mediated substantial improvements in rotarod performance and in-situ peak tension by 53% and 17%, respectively, and slight improvements in central nucleation and oxidative stress. Resveratrol did not affect total immune cell infiltrate at 12 weeks of age, and had no effect on oxidative capacity. Resveratrol improves muscle function in mdx mice despite small changes in muscle pathology. The likely mechanism is a resveratrol-mediated reduction in immune cell infiltrate at the early stages of this disease, as previously reported by our laboratory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley S. Gordon
- Department of Exercise Science, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
- Department of Physiology, Penn State University School of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Diana C. Delgado-Diaz
- Department of Exercise Science, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
- Escuela de Fisioterapia, Facultad de Salud, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Bucaramanga, Colombia
| | - James Carson
- Department of Exercise Science, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
| | - Raja Fayad
- Department of Exercise Science, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
| | - L. Britt Wilson
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
| | - Matthew C. Kostek
- Department of Physical Therapy, Duquesne University, 600 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15282, USA
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16
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Pratt SJP, Shah SB, Ward CW, Inacio MP, Stains JP, Lovering RM. Effects of in vivo injury on the neuromuscular junction in healthy and dystrophic muscles. J Physiol 2012; 591:559-70. [PMID: 23109110 DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2012.241679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The most common and severe form of muscular dystrophy is Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a disorder caused by the absence of dystrophin, a structural protein found on the cytoplasmic surface of the sarcolemma of striated muscle fibres. Considerable attention has been dedicated to studying myofibre damage and muscle plasticity, but there is little information to determine if damage from contraction-induced injury occurs at or near the nerve terminal axon. We used α-bungarotoxin to compare neuromuscular junction (NMJ) morphology in healthy (wild-type, WT) and dystrophic (mdx) mouse quadriceps muscles and evaluated transcript levels of the post-synaptic muscle-specific kinase signalling complex. Our focus was to study changes in NMJs after injury induced with an established in vivo animal injury model. Neuromuscular transmission, electromyography (EMG), and NMJ morphology were assessed 24 h after injury. In non-injured muscle, muscle-specific kinase expression was significantly decreased in mdx compared to WT. Injury resulted in a significant loss of maximal torque in WT (39 ± 6%) and mdx (76 ± 8%) quadriceps, but significant changes in NMJ morphology, neuromuscular transmission and EMG data were found only in mdx following injury. Compared with WT mice, motor end-plates of mdx mice demonstrated less continuous morphology, more disperse acetylcholine receptor aggregates and increased number of individual acetylcholine receptor clusters, an effect that was exacerbated following injury. Neuromuscular transmission failure increased and the EMG measures decreased after injury in mdx mice only. The data show that eccentric contraction-induced injury causes morphological and functional changes to the NMJs in mdx skeletal muscle, which may play a role in excitation-contraction coupling failure and progression of the dystrophic process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen J P Pratt
- Department of Orthopaedics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
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17
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Ferretti R, Neto HS, Marques MJ. Expression of utrophin at dystrophin-deficient neuromuscular synapses of mdx mice: a study of protected and affected muscles. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2010; 294:283-6. [PMID: 21235003 DOI: 10.1002/ar.21297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2010] [Revised: 08/27/2010] [Accepted: 09/29/2010] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
In mdx mice, intrinsic laryngeal muscles are spared and sternomastoid muscles are affected, showing cycles of muscle regeneration. We observed that utrophin and acetylcholine receptors are fragmented only in affected muscles, providing further evidence that changes in the overall distribution of molecules at dystrophic neuromuscular junctions may be correlated with muscle regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renato Ferretti
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology, Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo 13083-970, Brazil
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18
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Guido AN, Campos GER, Neto HS, Marques MJ, Minatel E. Fiber type composition of the sternomastoid and diaphragm muscles of dystrophin-deficient mdx mice. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2010; 293:1722-8. [PMID: 20730859 DOI: 10.1002/ar.21224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2009] [Accepted: 05/06/2010] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The muscle fiber phenotype is mainly determined by motoneuron innervation and changes in neuromuscular interaction alter the muscle fiber type. In dystrophin-deficient mdx mice, changes in the molecular assembly of the neuromuscular junction and in nerve terminal sprouting occur in the sternomastoid (STN) muscle during early stages of the disease. In this study, we were interested to see whether early changes in neuromuscular assembly are correlated with alterations in fiber type in dystrophic STN at 2 months of age. A predominance of hybrid fast myofibers (about 52% type IIDB) was observed in control (C57Bl/10) STN. In mdx muscle, the lack of dystrophin did not change this profile (about 54% hybrid type IIDB). Pure fast type IID fibers predominated in normal and dystrophic diaphragm (DIA; about 39% in control and 30% in mdx muscle) and a population of slow Type I fibers was also present (about 10% in control and 13% in mdx muscle). In conclusion, early changes in neuromuscular assembly do not affect the fiber type composition of dystrophic STN. In contrast to the pure fast fibers of the more affected DIA, the hybrid phenotype of the STN may permit dynamic adaptations during progression of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anderson Neri Guido
- Departamento de Anatomia, Biologia Celular, Fisiologia e Biofísica, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
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19
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Banks GB, Chamberlain JS, Froehner SC. Truncated dystrophins can influence neuromuscular synapse structure. Mol Cell Neurosci 2009; 40:433-41. [PMID: 19171194 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2008.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2008] [Revised: 12/12/2008] [Accepted: 12/16/2008] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is characterized by muscle degeneration and structural defects in the neuromuscular synapse that are caused by mutations in dystrophin. Whether aberrant neuromuscular synapse structure is an indirect consequence of muscle degeneration or a direct result of loss of dystrophin function is not known. Rational design of truncated dystrophins has enabled the design of expression cassettes highly effective at preventing muscle degeneration in mouse models of DMD using gene therapy. Here we examined the functional capacity of a minidystrophin (minidysGFP) and a microdystrophin (microdystrophin(DeltaR4-R23)) transgene on the maturation and maintenance of neuromuscular junctions (NMJ) in mdx mice. We found that minidysGFP prevents fragmentation and the loss of postsynaptic folds at the NMJ. In contrast, microdystrophin (DeltaR4-R23) was unable to prevent synapse fragmentation in the limb muscles despite preventing muscle degeneration, although fragmentation was observed to temporally correlate with the formation of ringed fibers. Surprisingly, microdystrophin(DeltaR4-R23) increased the length of synaptic folds in the diaphragm muscles of mdx mice independent of muscle degeneration or the formation of ringed fibers. We also demonstrate that the number and depth of synaptic folds influences the density of voltage-gated sodium channels at the neuromuscular synapse in mdx, microdystrophin(DeltaR4-R23)/mdx and mdx:utrophin double knockout mice. Together, these data suggest that maintenance of the neuromuscular synapse is governed through its lateral association with the muscle cytoskeleton, and that dystrophin has a direct role in promoting the maturation of synaptic folds to allow more sodium channels into the junction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Glen B Banks
- Department of Neurology, Senator Paul D Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Cooperative Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA.
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20
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Ghahramani Seno MM, Graham IR, Athanasopoulos T, Trollet C, Pohlschmidt M, Crompton MR, Dickson G. RNAi-mediated knockdown of dystrophin expression in adult mice does not lead to overt muscular dystrophy pathology. Hum Mol Genet 2008; 17:2622-32. [DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddn162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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21
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Marques MJ, Pertille A, Carvalho CLT, Santo Neto H. Acetylcholine Receptor Organization at the Dystrophic Extraocular Muscle Neuromuscular Junction. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2007; 290:846-54. [PMID: 17492672 DOI: 10.1002/ar.20525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Spared extraocular muscles of dystrophic mice are not subjected to regeneration process and can be used to verify whether the lack of dystrophin per se could cause changes in acetylcholine receptor (AChR) distribution. In the present study, rectus and oblique (spared) and retractor bulbi (nonspared) muscles were dissected from adult control (C57Bl/10) and mdx mice. AChRs and nerve terminals were labeled with rhodamine-alpha-bungarotoxin and anti-NF200-IgG-FITC, respectively, and visualized by confocal microscopy. Rectus and oblique muscles presented 0.5% central nucleation, while retractor bulbi had central nucleation in 45% of muscle fibers. In mdx rectus, AChRs were distributed in branches in 99% of the junctions examined (n = 200), similar to that observed for controls. Nerve terminals covered the AChR branches in 100% of the junctions examined. In control retractor bulbi, AChRs were distributed in regular branches. In mdx retractor bulbi, multiple fragmented islands of receptors were seen in 56% of the endplates examined (n = 200). These results suggest that the lack of dystrophin per se does not influence the distribution of acetylcholine receptors at the neuromuscular junction of spared extraocular muscles.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Bungarotoxins
- Disease Models, Animal
- Dystrophin/deficiency
- Dystrophin/genetics
- Dystrophin/metabolism
- Fluorescent Antibody Technique
- Fluorescent Dyes
- Male
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Inbred mdx
- Microscopy, Confocal
- Muscle, Skeletal/innervation
- Muscle, Skeletal/metabolism
- Muscle, Skeletal/pathology
- Muscular Dystrophy, Animal/metabolism
- Muscular Dystrophy, Animal/pathology
- Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne/metabolism
- Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne/pathology
- Neurofilament Proteins/metabolism
- Neuromuscular Junction/metabolism
- Presynaptic Terminals/metabolism
- Receptors, Cholinergic/metabolism
- Regeneration
- Rhodamines
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Julia Marques
- Departamento de Anatomia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo 13083-970, Brazil. marques@.unicamp.br
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