Axonal degeneration, distal collateral branching and neuromuscular junction architecture alterations occur prior to symptom onset in the SOD1 G93A mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
2016
Degeneration of the distal axon and neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is considered a key and early feature
of the pathology that accompanies motor neuron loss in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
The mutant SOD1 G93A mouse replicates many features of the disease, however the sequence of events
resulting in degeneration of the neuromuscular circuitry remains unknown. Furthermore, despite
widespread degenerative neuronal pathology throughout the spinal cord in this model, hindlimb motor
function is lost before forelimb function. We investigated axons and NMJs in the hindlimb
(gastrocnemius) and forelimb (extensor) muscles in the high copy number mutant SOD1 G93A xYFP
(yellow fluorescent protein) mouse. We found that distal axonal and NMJ alterations were present prior
to previously reported functional symptom onset in this strain. Indeed, increased branch complexity as
well as colocalisation between pre- and post-synaptic markers indicated widespread early axonal and
NMJ alterations in the hindlimb. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that the colocalisation of
the scaffolding proteins nestin, LRP-4, dystrophin and rapsyn were diminished before post-synaptic
receptors in the gastrocnemius, and the degree of loss differed between proteins. Analysis of the forelimb
muscle revealed axonal and NMJ degeneration at a late, post symptomatic stage, as well as novel
differences in NMJ morphology, with reduced complexity. Furthermore, post-synaptic scaffolding
proteins were preserved in the forelimb compared with the hindlimb. Analysis of protein levels indicated
an increase in LRP-4, dystrophin and rapsyn in post symptomatic skeletal muscle that may suggest
ongoing attempts at repair. This study indicates that axonal and NMJ degeneration in the SOD1 model of
ALS is a complex and evolving sequence of events. We provide evidence that YFP can detect
morphological and plastic alterations in the SOD1 G93A mouse, and that the pre- and post-synaptic
integrity of the NMJ plays an important role in the pathogenic mechanisms of ALS.
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