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Absence of UCHL 1 function leads to selective motor neuropathy.

ABSTRACT: OBJECTIVE:The aim of this study was to investigate the role of ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase-L1 (UCHL1) for motor neuron circuitry and especially in spinal motor neuron (SMN) health, function, and connectivity. METHODS:Since mutations in UCHL1 gene leads to motor dysfunction in patients, we investigated the role of UCHL1 on SMN survival, axon health, and connectivity with the muscle, by employing molecular and cellular marker expression analysis and electrophysiological recordings, in healthy wild-type and Uchl1 (nm3419) (UCHL1-/-) mice, which lack all UCHL1 function. RESULTS:There is pure motor neuropathy with selective degeneration of the motor, but not sensory axons in the absence of UCHL1 function. Neuromuscular junctions (NMJ) are impaired in muscle groups that are innervated by slow-twitch or fast-twitch SMN. However, unlike corticospinal motor neurons, SMN cell bodies remain intact with no signs of elevated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. INTERPRETATION:Presence of NMJ defects and progressive retrograde axonal degeneration in the absence of major SMN soma loss suggest that defining pathology as a function of neuron number is misleading and that upper and lower motor neurons utilize UCHL1 function in different cellular events. In line with findings in patients with mutations in UCHL1 gene, our results suggest a unique role of UCHL1, especially for motor neuron circuitry. SMN require UCHL1 to maintain NMJ and motor axon health, and that observed motor dysfunction in the absence of UCHL1 is not due to SMN loss, but mostly due to disintegrated circuitry.

SUBMITTER: Genc B

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4863746 | biostudies-literature | 2016 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Absence of UCHL 1 function leads to selective motor neuropathy.

Genç Barış B Jara Javier H JH Schultz Megan C MC Manuel Marin M Stanford Macdonell J MJ Gautam Mukesh M Klessner Jodi L JL Sekerkova Gabriella G Heller Daniel B DB Cox Gregory A GA Heckman Charles J CJ DiDonato Christine J CJ Özdinler P Hande PH

Annals of clinical and translational neurology 20160307 5

<h4>Objective</h4>The aim of this study was to investigate the role of ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase-L1 (UCHL1) for motor neuron circuitry and especially in spinal motor neuron (SMN) health, function, and connectivity.<h4>Methods</h4>Since mutations in UCHL1 gene leads to motor dysfunction in patients, we investigated the role of UCHL1 on SMN survival, axon health, and connectivity with the muscle, by employing molecular and cellular marker expression analysis and electrophysiological recording ...[more]

PMID: 27231703

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Project description:The core component of the class III phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase complex, Beclin 1, takes part in different protein networks, thus switching its role from inducing autophagy to regulating autophagosomal maturation and endosomal trafficking. While assessed in neurons, astrocytes and microglia, its role was far less investigated in myelinating glia, including Schwann cells (SCs), responsible for peripheral nerve myelination. Remarkably, the dysregulation in endosomal trafficking is emerging as a pathophysiological mechanism underlying peripheral neuropathies, such as demyelinating Charcot-Marie-Tooth diseases. By knocking out Beclin 1 in SCs we here generated a novel mouse model (Becn1 cKO), developing a severe and progressive neuropathy, accompanied by involuntary tremors, body weight loss and premature death. Ultrastructural analysis revealed abated myelination and SCs displaying enlarged cytoplasm with progressive accumulation of intracellular vesicles. Transcriptomic and histological analysis from sciatic nerves of 10-day and 2-month-old mice revealed pro-mitotic gene deregulation and increased SCs proliferation at both stages with axonal loss and increased immune infiltration in adults, well reflecting the progressive motor and sensory functional impairment that characterizes Becn1 cKO mice, compared to controls. Our study establishes a further step in understanding key mechanisms in SC development and points to Beclin 1 and its regulated pathways as targets for demyelinating CMT forms. A novel conditional gene knockout was generated to investigate the role that Beclin 1 exerts in Schwann cells and in myelination. The newly generated mouse line resulted in a model for severe and progressive peripheral neuropathy. Together with defective myelination, we described radial sorting defects, motor and sensory neuron impairments, immune infiltrate in adults and a huge transcripts deregulation. The emerged deregulated signalling pathways highlighted how Beclin 1 is able to coordinate integrated signaling pathways essential for Schwann cell maturation and nerve development and homeostasis.

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Absence of UCHL 1 function leads to selective motor neuropathy.

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Absence of UCHL 1 function leads to selective motor neuropathy.

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