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1.
Muscle Nerve ; 60(6): 790-800, 2019 12.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31531871

RESUMO

INTRODUCTION: Reduced expression of the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) leads to changes in the distribution and shape of synaptic vesicles (SVs) at neuromuscular junctions (NMJs), suggesting vesicular acetylcholine (ACh) as a key component of synaptic structure and function. It is poorly understood how long-term changes in cholinergic transmission contribute to age- and disease-related degeneration in the motor system. METHODS: In this study we performed confocal imaging, electrophysiology, electron microscopy, and analyses of respiratory mechanics of the diaphragm NMJ components in 12-month-old wild-type (WT) and VAChTKDHOM mice. RESULTS: Diaphragms of NMJs of the VAChTKDHOM mice were similar to those in WT mice in number, colocalization, and fragmentation of pre-/postsynaptic components. However, they had increased spontaneous SV exocytosis, miniature endplate potential frequency, and diminished MEPP amplitude. No impairment in respiratory mechanics at rest was observed, probably due to the large neurotransmission safety factor of the diaphragm. DISCUSSION: The present findings help us to understand the consequences of reduced ACh release at the NMJs during aging.


Assuntos
Envelhecimento/patologia , Diafragma/ultraestrutura , Síndromes Miastênicas Congênitas/patologia , Junção Neuromuscular/ultraestrutura , Vesículas Sinápticas/ultraestrutura , Acetilcolina/metabolismo , Envelhecimento/metabolismo , Animais , Diafragma/metabolismo , Diafragma/fisiopatologia , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Endocitose , Potenciais Pós-Sinápticos Excitadores/fisiologia , Exocitose , Técnicas de Silenciamento de Genes , Camundongos , Microscopia Confocal , Microscopia Eletrônica de Transmissão , Placa Motora , Síndromes Miastênicas Congênitas/genética , Síndromes Miastênicas Congênitas/metabolismo , Síndromes Miastênicas Congênitas/fisiopatologia , Junção Neuromuscular/metabolismo , Junção Neuromuscular/fisiopatologia , Mecânica Respiratória/fisiologia , Transmissão Sináptica , Vesículas Sinápticas/metabolismo , Proteínas Vesiculares de Transporte de Acetilcolina/genética
3.
Neurochem Int ; 116: 30-42, 2018 06.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29530757

RESUMO

Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease characterized by chorea, incoordination and psychiatric and behavioral symptoms. The leading cause of death in HD patients is aspiration pneumonia, associated with respiratory dysfunction, decreased respiratory muscle strength and dysphagia. Although most of the motor symptoms are derived from alterations in the central nervous system, some might be associated with changes in the components of motor units (MU). To explore this hypothesis, we evaluated morphofunctional aspects of the diaphragm muscle in a mouse model for HD (BACHD). We showed that the axons of the phrenic nerves were not affected in 12-months-old BACHD mice, but the axon terminals that form the neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) were more fragmented in these animals in comparison with the wild-type mice. In BACHD mice, the synaptic vesicles of the diaphragm NMJs presented a decreased exocytosis rate. Quantal content and quantal size were smaller and there was less synaptic depression whereas the estimated size of the readily releasable vesicle pool was not changed. At the ultrastructure level, the diaphragm NMJs of these mice presented fewer synaptic vesicles with flattened and oval shapes, which might be associated with the reduced expression of the vesicular acetylcholine transporter protein. Furthermore, mitochondria of the diaphragm muscle presented signs of degeneration in BACHD mice. Interestingly, despite all these cellular alterations, BACHD diaphragmatic function was not compromised, suggesting a higher resistance threshold of this muscle. A putative resistance mechanism may be protecting this vital muscle. Our data contribute to expanding the current understanding of the effects of mutated huntingtin in the neuromuscular synapse and the diaphragm muscle function.


Assuntos
Diafragma/metabolismo , Doença de Huntington/metabolismo , Sinapses/metabolismo , Vesículas Sinápticas/metabolismo , Animais , Diafragma/patologia , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Humanos , Doença de Huntington/patologia , Junção Neuromuscular/metabolismo , Terminações Pré-Sinápticas/metabolismo
4.
Neurochem Int ; 93: 64-72, 2016 Feb.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26796203

RESUMO

Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a progressive decline of motor and cognitive functions. It is caused by a polyglutamine expansion in the huntingtin (htt) protein, which then leads to neurodegeneration that span both the central and peripheral nervous system. Previous works have shown that htt interacts with several proteins from the neurotransmitter release machinery causing synaptic dysfunction. In this work, we looked for alterations in diaphragm neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) from 3 to 4 months old BACHD mouse model for HD. This model represents a new and robust in vivo paradigm for studying the pathogenesis of HD. For optical analysis, NMJs were stained with FM1-43fx and α-bungarotoxin to visualize both pre and postsynaptic elements, respectively. Confocal microscopy optical analysis showed a decrease in the number of synaptic elements and fluorescence intensity in NMJs from BACHD diaphragms compared to WT. We next analyzed presynaptic activity and we observed that synaptic vesicle exocytosis was impaired in NMJs from BACHD diaphragms. Ultrastructural analysis revealed significant changes in the form and sizes of the synaptic vesicles in BACHD diaphragm NMJs that could contribute to impaired exocytosis. Additionally, electrophysiology recordings revealed a decrease in the amplitude of miniature endplate potentials (MEPPs) from BACHD diaphragm NMJs. Our data suggest a dysfunction in BACHD diaphragm NMJs that might occur in other muscles and may aggravate the motor defects seen in HD. These results may contribute to a better understanding of peripheral cholinergic dysfunction in this neurodegenerative disease.


Assuntos
Diafragma/inervação , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Doença de Huntington/metabolismo , Junção Neuromuscular/metabolismo , Animais , Camundongos
5.
PLoS One ; 8(11): e78342, 2013.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24260111

RESUMO

In vertebrates, nerve muscle communication is mediated by the release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine packed inside synaptic vesicles by a specific vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT). Here we used a mouse model (VAChT KD(HOM)) with 70% reduction in the expression of VAChT to investigate the morphological and functional consequences of a decreased acetylcholine uptake and release in neuromuscular synapses. Upon hypertonic stimulation, VAChT KD(HOM) mice presented a reduction in the amplitude and frequency of miniature endplate potentials, FM 1-43 staining intensity, total number of synaptic vesicles and altered distribution of vesicles within the synaptic terminal. In contrast, under electrical stimulation or no stimulation, VAChT KD(HOM) neuromuscular junctions did not differ from WT on total number of vesicles but showed altered distribution. Additionally, motor nerve terminals in VAChT KD(HOM) exhibited small and flattened synaptic vesicles similar to that observed in WT mice treated with vesamicol that blocks acetylcholine uptake. Based on these results, we propose that decreased VAChT levels affect synaptic vesicle biogenesis and distribution whereas a lower ACh content affects vesicles shape.


Assuntos
Acetilcolina/metabolismo , Placa Motora/metabolismo , Transmissão Sináptica/fisiologia , Vesículas Sinápticas/metabolismo , Proteínas Vesiculares de Transporte de Acetilcolina/metabolismo , Acetilcolina/genética , Animais , Estimulação Elétrica , Camundongos , Camundongos Knockout , Placa Motora/genética , Placa Motora/ultraestrutura , Vesículas Sinápticas/genética , Vesículas Sinápticas/ultraestrutura , Proteínas Vesiculares de Transporte de Acetilcolina/genética
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