scholarly journals Laminins promote postsynaptic maturation by an autocrine mechanism at the neuromuscular junction

2008 ◽  
Vol 182 (6) ◽  
pp. 1201-1215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroshi Nishimune ◽  
Gregorio Valdez ◽  
George Jarad ◽  
Casey L. Moulson ◽  
Ulrich Müller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neuromuscular Junction ◽  
Synaptic Cleft ◽  
Postsynaptic Membrane ◽  
Laminin Receptor ◽  
Topological Transformation ◽  
Presynaptic Differentiation ◽  
Synaptic Maturation ◽  
Immunohistochemical Studies

A prominent feature of synaptic maturation at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is the topological transformation of the acetylcholine receptor (AChR)-rich postsynaptic membrane from an ovoid plaque into a complex array of branches. We show here that laminins play an autocrine role in promoting this transformation. Laminins containing the α4, α5, and β2 subunits are synthesized by muscle fibers and concentrated in the small portion of the basal lamina that passes through the synaptic cleft at the NMJ. Topological maturation of AChR clusters was delayed in targeted mutant mice lacking laminin α5 and arrested in mutants lacking both α4 and α5. Analysis of chimeric laminins in vivo and of mutant myotubes cultured aneurally demonstrated that the laminins act directly on muscle cells to promote postsynaptic maturation. Immunohistochemical studies in vivo and in vitro along with analysis of targeted mutants provide evidence that laminin-dependent aggregation of dystroglycan in the postsynaptic membrane is a key step in synaptic maturation. Another synaptically concentrated laminin receptor, Bcam, is dispensable. Together with previous studies implicating laminins as organizers of presynaptic differentiation, these results show that laminins coordinate post- with presynaptic maturation.

scholarly journals Processing of ARIA and release from isolated nerve terminals

1999 ◽  
Vol 354 (1381) ◽  
pp. 411-416 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bomie Han ◽  
Gerald D. Fischbach
Keyword(s):  
Neuromuscular Junction ◽  
Action Potential ◽  
Acetylcholine Receptors ◽  
Molecular Layer ◽  
Postsynaptic Membrane ◽  
High Density ◽  
Small Contribution ◽  
Presynaptic Nerve Terminal ◽  
Voltage Gated

The neuromuscular junction is a specialized synapse in that every action potential in the presynaptic nerve terminal results in an action potential in the postsynaptic membrane, unlike most interneuronal synapses where a single presynaptic input makes only a small contribution to the population postsynaptic response. The postsynaptic membrane at the neuromuscular junction contains a high density of neurotransmitter (acetylcholine) receptors and a high density of voltage–gated Na + channels. Thus, the large acetylcholine activated current occurs at the same site where the threshold for action potential generation is low. Acetylcholine receptor inducing activity (ARIA), a 42 kD protein, that stimulates synthesis of acetylcholine receptors and voltage–gated Na + channels in cultured myotubes, probably plays the same roles at developing and mature motor endplates in vivo . ARIA is synthesized as part of a larger, transmembrane, precursor protein called proARIA. Delivery of ARIA from motor neuron cell bodies in the spinal cord to the target endplates involves several steps, including proteolytic cleavage of proARIA. ARIA is also expressed in the central nervous system and it is abundant in the molecular layer of the cerebellum. In this paper we describe our first experiments on the processing and release of ARIA from subcellular fractions containing synaptosomes from the chick cerebellum as a model system.

Barbiturates depress vagal motor pathway to ferret trachea at ganglia

1982 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 253-257 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. E. Skoogh ◽  
M. J. Holtzman ◽  
J. R. Sheller ◽  
J. A. Nadel
Keyword(s):  
Neuromuscular Junction ◽  
Vagus Nerve ◽  
Muscle Tension ◽  
Postsynaptic Membrane ◽  
Nerve Fibers ◽  
Motor Pathway ◽  
Parasympathetic Ganglia ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Nerve Muscle

To determine which site in the vagal motor pathway to airway smooth muscle is most sensitive to depression by barbiturates, we recorded isometric muscle tension in vitro and stimulated the vagal motor pathway at four different sites before and after exposure to barbiturates. In isolated tracheal rings from ferrets, we stimulated muscarinic receptors in the neuromuscular junction by exogenous acetylcholine, postganglionic nerve fibers by electrical fluid stimulation, and the postsynaptic membrane in ganglia by 1,1-dimethyl-4-phenylpiperazinium iodide (DMPP). We also developed a tracheal nerve-muscle preparation to stimulate preganglionic fibers in the vagus nerve electrically. Activation of ganglia by DMPP or by vagus nerve stimulation was depressed by barbiturates at 10-fold lower concentrations than those depressing the activation of postganglionic nerves or the neuromuscular junction. These findings suggest that the postsynaptic membrane in parasympathetic ganglia is the site in the vagal motor pathway most sensitive to depression by barbiturates.

Temporal constraints in associative synaptic plasticity in hippocampus and neocortex

1995 ◽  
Vol 73 (9) ◽  
pp. 1295-1311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominique Debanne ◽  
Daniel E. Shulz ◽  
Yves Frégnac
Keyword(s):  
Visual Cortex ◽  
Membrane Potential ◽  
Temporal Frequency ◽  
Postsynaptic Membrane ◽  
Synaptic Potentiation ◽  
Test Input ◽  
Homosynaptic Depression ◽  
Postsynaptic Cell

We present comparative experimental evidence for the induction of synaptic potentiation and depression in organotypic cultures of hippocampus and in visual cortex in vitro and in vivo. The effects of associative pairings on the efficacy of synaptic transmission are analyzed as a function of the temporal delay between presynaptic activity and post-synaptic changes imposed in membrane potential. Synchronous association at a low temporal frequency (<0.5 Hz) between presynaptic input and postsynaptic depolarization resulted in homosynaptic potentiation of functionally identified postsynaptic potentials in the three types of preparation. Synchronous pairing of afferent activity with hyperpolarization of the postsynaptic cell resulted in homosynaptic depression in visual cortex in vivo and in vitro. An associative form of depression was induced in hippocampus when the test input was followed repeatedly with a fixed-delay postsynaptic depolarization imposed either by intracellular current injection or synaptically. The latter process might play a significant role in heterosynaptic plasticity in visual cortex in vivo and in vitro, if it is assumed that associative depression still operates in visual cortex a few seconds after the initial surge of calcium in the postsynaptic cell. We conclude that the precise timing between presynaptic activity and polarization changes in postsynaptic membrane potential up- and down-regulates the efficacy of active pathways.Key words: synaptic potentiation, synaptic depression, asynchrony, covariance, supervised learning.

scholarly journals The 37/67-Kilodalton Laminin Receptor Is a Receptor for Adeno-Associated Virus Serotypes 8, 2, 3, and 9

2006 ◽  
Vol 80 (19) ◽  
pp. 9831-9836 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bassel Akache ◽  
Dirk Grimm ◽  
Kusum Pandey ◽  
Stephen R. Yant ◽  
Hui Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Therapy ◽  
Cultured Cells ◽  
Human Gene ◽  
Laminin Receptor ◽  
Transduction Efficiency ◽  
Adeno Associated Virus ◽  
Virus Serotype ◽  
Tumor Gene

ABSTRACT Adeno-associated virus serotype 8 (AAV8) is currently emerging as a powerful gene transfer vector, owing to its capability to efficiently transduce many different tissues in vivo. While this is believed to be in part due to its ability to uncoat more readily than other AAV serotypes such as AAV2, understanding all the processes behind AAV8 transduction is important for its application and optimal use in human gene therapy. Here, we provide the first report of a cellular receptor for AAV8, the 37/67-kDa laminin receptor (LamR). We document binding of LamR to AAV8 capsid proteins and intact virions in vitro and demonstrate its contribution to AAV8 transduction of cultured cells and mouse liver in vivo. We also show that LamR plays a role in transduction by three other closely related serotypes (AAV2, -3, and -9). Sequence and deletion analysis allowed us to map LamR binding to two protein subdomains predicted to be exposed on the AAV capsid exterior. Use of LamR, which is constitutively expressed in many clinically relevant tissues and is overexpressed in numerous cancers, provides a molecular explanation for AAV8's broad tissue tropism. Along with its robust transduction efficiency, our findings support the continued development of AAV8-based vectors for clinical applications in humans, especially for tumor gene therapy.

scholarly journals Thrombospondin-4, an extracellular matrix protein expressed in the developing and adult nervous system promotes neurite outgrowth.

1995 ◽  
Vol 131 (4) ◽  
pp. 1083-1094 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Arber ◽  
P Caroni
Keyword(s):  
Skeletal Muscle ◽  
Extracellular Matrix ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Neuromuscular Junction ◽  
Neurite Outgrowth ◽  
Adult Skeletal Muscle ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Thrombospondin 4

Extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules are involved in multiple aspects of cell-to-cell signaling during development and in the adult. In nervous system development, specific recognition processes, e.g., during axonal pathfinding and synaptogenesis involve modulation and signaling by ECM components. Much less is known about their presence and possible roles in the adult nervous system. We now report that thrombospondin-4 (TSP-4), a recently discovered member of the TSP gene family is expressed by neurons, promotes neurite outgrowth, and accumulates at the neuromuscular junction and at certain synapse-rich structures in the adult. To search for muscle genes that may be involved in neuromuscular signaling, we isolated cDNAs induced in adult skeletal muscle by denervation. One of these cDNAs coded for the rat homologue of TSP-4. In skeletal muscle, it was expressed by muscle interstitial cells. The transcript was further detected in heart and in the developing and adult nervous system, where it was expressed by a wide range of neurons. An antiserum to the unique carboxyl-terminal end of the protein allowed to specifically detect TSP-4 in transfected cells in vitro and on cryostat sections in situ. TSP-4 associated with ECM structures in vitro and in vivo. In the adult, it accumulated at the neuromuscular junction and at synapse-rich structures in the cerebellum and retina. To analyze possible activities of TSP-4 towards neurons, we carried out coculture experiments with stably transfected COS cells and motor, sensory, or retina neurons. These experiments revealed that TSP-4 was a preferred substrate for these neurons, and promoted neurite outgrowth. The results establish TSP-4 as a neuronal ECM protein associated with certain synapse-rich structures in the adult. Its activity towards embryonic neurons in vitro and its distribution in vivo suggest that it may be involved in local signaling in the developing and adult nervous system.

scholarly journals Glial imaging during synapse remodeling at the neuromuscular junction

2008 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 319-326 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi Zuo ◽  
Derron Bishop
Keyword(s):  
Neuromuscular Junction ◽  
Schwann Cells ◽  
Synapse Formation ◽  
Ultrastructural Organization ◽  
Post Injury ◽  
Electron Microscopic ◽  
Cell Dynamics ◽  
Transmission Electron

Glia are an indispensable structural and functional component of the synapse. They modulate synaptic transmission and also play important roles in synapse formation and maintenance. The vertebrate neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is a classic model synapse. Due to its large size, simplicity and accessibility, the NMJ has contributed greatly to our understanding of synapse development and organization. In the past decade, the NMJ has also emerged as an effective model for studying glia–synapse interactions, in part due to the development of various labeling techniques that permit NMJs and associated Schwann cells (the glia at NMJs) to be visualized in vitro and in vivo. These approaches have demonstrated that Schwann cells are actively involved in synapse remodeling both during early development and in post-injury reinnervation. In vivo imaging has also recently been combined with serial section transmission electron microscopic (ssTEM) reconstruction to directly examine the ultrastructural organization of remodeling NMJs. In this review, we focus on the anatomical studies of Schwann cell dynamics and their roles in formation, maturation and remodeling of vertebrate NMJs using the highest temporal and spatial resolution methods currently available.

scholarly journals Biodistribution and retargeting of FX-binding ablated adenovirus serotype 5 vectors

Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 116 (15) ◽  
pp. 2656-2664 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raul Alba ◽  
Angela C. Bradshaw ◽  
Lynda Coughlan ◽  
Laura Denby ◽  
Robert A. McDonald ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coagulation Factor ◽  
Adenovirus Type ◽  
Factor X ◽  
High Affinity ◽  
Serotype 5 ◽  
Adenoviral Transduction ◽  
High Doses ◽  
Immunohistochemical Studies

AbstractA major limitation for adenoviral transduction in vivo is the profound liver tropism of adenovirus type 5 (Ad5). Recently, we demonstrated that coagulation factor X (FX) binds to Ad5-hexon protein at high affinity to mediate hepatocyte transduction after intravascular delivery. We developed novel genetically FX-binding ablated Ad5 vectors with lower liver transduction. Here, we demonstrate that FX-binding ablated Ad5 predominantly localize to the liver and spleen 1 hour after injection; however, they had highly reduced liver transduction in both control and macrophage-depleted mice compared with Ad5. At high doses in macrophage-depleted mice, FX-binding ablated vectors transduced the spleen more efficiently than Ad5. Immunohistochemical studies demonstrated transgene colocalization with CD11c+, ER-TR7+, and MAdCAM-1+ cells in the splenic marginal zone. Systemic inflammatory profiles were broadly similar between FX-binding ablated Ad5 and Ad5 at low and intermediate doses, although higher levels of several inflammatory proteins were observed at the highest dose of FX-binding ablated Ad5. Subsequently, we generated a FX-binding ablated virus containing a high affinity Ad35 fiber that mediated a significant improvement in lung/liver ratio in macrophage-depleted CD46+ mice compared with controls. Therefore, this study documents the biodistribution and reports the retargeting capacity of FX binding-ablated Ad5 vectors in vitro and in vivo.

scholarly journals Transforming Growth Factor β and Immunosuppression in Experimental Visceral Leishmaniasis

1998 ◽  
Vol 66 (3) ◽  
pp. 1233-1236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Virmondes Rodrigues ◽  
João Santana da Silva ◽  
Antonio Campos-Neto
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
Growth Factor ◽  
Visceral Leishmaniasis ◽  
Leishmania Donovani ◽  
Transforming Growth Factor ◽  
Transforming Growth Factor Β ◽  
Spleen Cells ◽  
Immunohistochemical Studies

ABSTRACT Hamsters infected with Leishmania donovani develop a disease similar to human kala-azar. They present hypergammaglobulinemia, and their T cells do not respond to parasite antigens. This unresponsiveness has been primarily ascribed to defects in antigen-presenting cells (APCs), because these cells are unable to stimulate proliferation of parasite-specific T cells from immunized animals. In this study, we show that APCs (adherent spleen cells) fromL. donovani-infected hamsters produce high levels of the inhibitory cytokine transforming growth factor β (TGF-β). Immunohistochemical studies with an anti-TGF-β monoclonal antibody (MAb) showed that this cytokine is abundantly produced in vivo by the spleen cells of infected animals. In addition, high levels of TGF-β are produced in vitro by infected hamster cells, either spontaneously or after stimulation with parasite antigen or lipopolysaccharide. Furthermore, in vivo-infected adherent cells obtained from spleens ofL. donovani-infected hamsters caused profound inhibition of the in vitro antigen-induced proliferative response of lymph node cells from hamsters immunized with leishmanial antigens. Moreover, this inhibition was totally abrogated by the anti-TGF-β MAb. These results suggest that the immunosuppression observed in visceral leishmaniasis is, at least in part, due to the abundant production of TGF-β during the course of the infection.

Activation of Serotonin Receptors Modulates Synaptic Transmission in Rat Cerebral Cortex

1999 ◽  
Vol 82 (6) ◽  
pp. 2989-2999 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fu-Ming Zhou ◽  
John J. Hablitz
Keyword(s):  
Cerebral Cortex ◽  
Pyramidal Neurons ◽  
Short Pulse ◽  
Inhibitory Neurons ◽  
Cellular Mechanisms ◽  
Postsynaptic Currents ◽  
Cortical Pyramidal Neurons ◽  
Immunohistochemical Studies

The cerebral cortex receives an extensive serotonergic (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) input. Immunohistochemical studies suggest that inhibitory neurons are the main target of 5-HT innervation. In vivo extracellular recordings have shown that 5-HT generally inhibited cortical pyramidal neurons, whereas in vitro studies have shown an excitatory action. To determine the cellular mechanisms underlying the diverse actions of 5-HT in the cortex, we examined its effects on cortical inhibitory interneurons and pyramidal neurons. We found that 5-HT, through activation of 5-HT2A receptors, induced a massive enhancement of spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs) in pyramidal neurons, lasting for ∼6 min. In interneurons, this 5-HT-induced enhancement of sIPSCs was much weaker. Activation of 5-HT2Areceptors also increased spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) in pyramidal neurons. This response desensitized less and at a slower rate. In contrast, 5-HT slightly decreased evoked IPSCs (eIPSCs) and eEPSCs. In addition, 5-HT via 5-HT3 receptors evoked a large and rapidly desensitizing inward current in a subset of interneurons and induced a transient enhancement of sIPSCs. Our results suggest that 5-HT has widespread effects on both interneurons and pyramidal neurons and that a short pulse of 5-HT is likely to induce inhibition whereas the prolonged presence of 5-HT may result in excitation.

scholarly journals AChR β-Subunit mRNAs Are Stabilized by HuR in a Mouse Model of Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome With Acetylcholinesterase Deficiency

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Karmouch ◽  
Perrine Delers ◽  
Fannie Semprez ◽  
Nouha Soyed ◽  
Julie Areias ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rna Binding ◽  
Myogenic Differentiation ◽  
Muscle Cells ◽  
Synaptic Cleft ◽  
Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome ◽  
Β Subunit ◽  
Mrna Stabilization ◽  
Myasthenic Syndrome

Collagen Q (COLQ) is a specific collagen that anchors acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in the synaptic cleft of the neuromuscular junction. So far, no mutation has been identified in the ACHE human gene but over 50 different mutations in the COLQ gene are causative for a congenital myasthenic syndrome (CMS) with AChE deficiency. Mice deficient for COLQ mimic most of the functional deficit observed in CMS patients. At the molecular level, a striking consequence of the absence of COLQ is an increase in the levels of acetylcholine receptor (AChR) mRNAs and proteins in vivo and in vitro in murine skeletal muscle cells. Here, we decipher the mechanisms that drive AChR mRNA upregulation in cultured muscle cells deficient for COLQ. We show that the levels of AChR β-subunit mRNAs are post-transcriptionally regulated by an increase in their stability. We demonstrate that this process results from an activation of p38 MAPK and the cytoplasmic translocation of the nuclear RNA-binding protein human antigen R (HuR) that interacts with the AU-rich element located within AChR β-subunit transcripts. This HuR/AChR transcript interaction induces AChR β-subunit mRNA stabilization and occurs at a specific stage of myogenic differentiation. In addition, pharmacological drugs that modulate p38 activity cause parallel modifications of HuR protein and AChR β-subunit levels. Thus, our study provides new insights into the signaling pathways that are regulated by ColQ-deficiency and highlights for the first time a role for HuR and p38 in mRNA stability in a model of congenital myasthenic syndrome.

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