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Wu L, Chen S, He B, Zhou G, Xu Y, Zhu G, Xie J, Deng L, Wen X, Li S, Xiao Z. Acetylglutamine facilitates motor recovery and alleviates neuropathic pain after brachial plexus root avulsion in rats. J Transl Med 2023; 21:563. [PMID: 37612586 PMCID: PMC10464467 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04399-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Brachial plexus root avulsion (BPRA), a disabling peripheral nerve injury, induces substantial motoneuron death, motor axon degeneration and denervation of biceps muscles, leading to the loss of upper limb motor function. Acetylglutamine (N-acetyl-L-glutamine, NAG) has been proven to exert neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects on various disorders of the nervous system. Thus, the present study mainly focused on the influence of NAG on motor and sensory recovery after BPRA in rats and the underlying mechanisms. METHODS Male adult Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were subjected to BPRA and reimplantation surgery and subsequently treated with NAG or saline. Behavioral tests were conducted to evaluate motor function recovery and the mechanical pain threshold of the affected forelimb. The morphological appearance of the spinal cord, musculocutaneous nerve, and biceps brachii was assessed by histological staining. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT‒PCR) was used to measure the mRNA levels of remyelination and regeneration indicators in myocutaneous nerves. The protein levels of inflammatory and pyroptotic indicators in the spinal cord anterior horn were measured using Western blotting. RESULTS NAG significantly accelerated the recovery of motor function in the injured forelimbs, enhanced motoneuronal survival in the anterior horn of the spinal cord, inhibited the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and pyroptosis pathway factors, facilitated axonal remyelination in the myocutaneous nerve and alleviated atrophy of the biceps brachii. Additionally, NAG attenuated neuropathic pain following BPRA. CONCLUSION NAG promotes functional motor recovery and alleviates neuropathic pain by enhancing motoneuronal survival and axonal remyelination and inhibiting the pyroptosis pathway after BPRA in rats, laying the foundation for the use of NAG as a novel treatment for BPRA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Wu
- Department of Neurology, Multi-Omics Research Center for Brain Disorders, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hunan, 421001, Hengyang, China
- Clinical Research Center for Immune-Related Encephalopathy of Hunan Province (The First Affiliated Hospital), Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hunan, 421001, Hengyang, China
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hunan, 421000, Hengyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuangxi Chen
- Department of Neurology, Multi-Omics Research Center for Brain Disorders, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hunan, 421001, Hengyang, China
- Clinical Research Center for Immune-Related Encephalopathy of Hunan Province (The First Affiliated Hospital), Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hunan, 421001, Hengyang, China
| | - Bing He
- Department of Neurology, Multi-Omics Research Center for Brain Disorders, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hunan, 421001, Hengyang, China
- Clinical Research Center for Immune-Related Encephalopathy of Hunan Province (The First Affiliated Hospital), Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hunan, 421001, Hengyang, China
| | - Guijuan Zhou
- Department of Neurology, Multi-Omics Research Center for Brain Disorders, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hunan, 421001, Hengyang, China
- Clinical Research Center for Immune-Related Encephalopathy of Hunan Province (The First Affiliated Hospital), Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hunan, 421001, Hengyang, China
| | - Yan Xu
- Department of Neurology, Multi-Omics Research Center for Brain Disorders, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hunan, 421001, Hengyang, China
- Clinical Research Center for Immune-Related Encephalopathy of Hunan Province (The First Affiliated Hospital), Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hunan, 421001, Hengyang, China
| | - Guanghua Zhu
- Department of Neurology, Multi-Omics Research Center for Brain Disorders, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hunan, 421001, Hengyang, China
- Clinical Research Center for Immune-Related Encephalopathy of Hunan Province (The First Affiliated Hospital), Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hunan, 421001, Hengyang, China
| | - Juan Xie
- Department of Neurology, Multi-Omics Research Center for Brain Disorders, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hunan, 421001, Hengyang, China
- Clinical Research Center for Immune-Related Encephalopathy of Hunan Province (The First Affiliated Hospital), Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hunan, 421001, Hengyang, China
| | - Limin Deng
- Department of Neurology, Multi-Omics Research Center for Brain Disorders, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hunan, 421001, Hengyang, China
- Clinical Research Center for Immune-Related Encephalopathy of Hunan Province (The First Affiliated Hospital), Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hunan, 421001, Hengyang, China
| | - Xuanwei Wen
- Department of Neurology, Multi-Omics Research Center for Brain Disorders, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hunan, 421001, Hengyang, China
- Clinical Research Center for Immune-Related Encephalopathy of Hunan Province (The First Affiliated Hospital), Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hunan, 421001, Hengyang, China
| | - Sijing Li
- Department of Neurology, Multi-Omics Research Center for Brain Disorders, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hunan, 421001, Hengyang, China
- Clinical Research Center for Immune-Related Encephalopathy of Hunan Province (The First Affiliated Hospital), Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hunan, 421001, Hengyang, China
| | - Zijian Xiao
- Department of Neurology, Multi-Omics Research Center for Brain Disorders, The First Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hunan, 421001, Hengyang, China.
- Clinical Research Center for Immune-Related Encephalopathy of Hunan Province (The First Affiliated Hospital), Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hunan, 421001, Hengyang, China.
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Chen S, Hou Y, Zhao Z, Luo Y, Lv S, Wang Q, Li J, He L, Zhou L, Wu W. Neuregulin-1 Accelerates Functional Motor Recovery by Improving Motoneuron Survival After Brachial Plexus Root Avulsion in Mice. Neuroscience 2019; 404:510-518. [PMID: 30731156 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.01.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2018] [Revised: 01/16/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Brachial plexus root avulsion (BPRA) results in the complete loss of motor function in the upper limb, mainly due to the death of spinal motoneurons (MNs). The survival of spinal MNs is the key to the recovery of motor function. Neuregulin-1 (Nrg1) plays fundamental roles in nervous system development and nerve repair. However, its functional role in BPRA remains unclear. On the basis of our findings that Nrg1 is down-regulated in the ventral horn in a mouse model of BPRA, Nrg1 may be associated with BPRA. Here, we investigated whether recombinant Nrg1β (rNrg1β) can enhance the survival of spinal MNs and improve functional recovery in mice following BPRA. In vitro studies on primary cultured mouse MNs showed that rNrg1β increased the survival rate in a dose-dependent manner, reaching a peak at 5 nM, which increased the survival rate and enhanced the pERK levels in MNs under H2O2-induced oxidative stress. In vivo studies revealed that rNrg1β improved the functional recovery of elbow flexion, promoted the survival of MNs, enhanced the re-innervation of biceps brachii, and decreased the muscle atrophy. These results suggest that Nrg1 may provide a potential therapeutic strategy for root avulsion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuangxi Chen
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuhui Hou
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhikai Zhao
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yunhao Luo
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shiqin Lv
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qianghua Wang
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jing Li
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liumin He
- Key Laboratory of Biomaterials of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Libing Zhou
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wutian Wu
- Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Ministry of Education CNS Regeneration Collaborative Joint Laboratory, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China; Re-Stem Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Suzhou, China.
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