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Effects of Tongue Force Training on Bulbar Motor Function in the Female SOD1-G93A Rat Model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

ABSTRACT: The use of exercise in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is controversial. Although moderate exercise appears to be beneficial for limb muscles in ALS, the effects of exercise on bulbar muscles such as the tongue have not been studied.To determine the effects of tongue force training on bulbar motor function in the SOD1-G93A rat model of ALS.We compared the effects of tongue force training on bulbar motor function and neuromuscular junction innervation in female SOD1-G93A rats and age-matched female wild-type controls. Half of each group underwent afternoon tongue force training sessions, and all rats were tested under minimal force conditions in the mornings.Tongue force did not differ between the SOD1-G93A rats and healthy controls during the morning testing sessions, nor was it affected by training. Surprisingly, decreases in tongue motility, the number of licks per session, and body weight were greater in the tongue force-trained SOD1-G93A rats. Forelimb grip force, survival, and denervation of the genioglossus (GG) muscle did not differ between the trained and untrained SOD1-G93A rats. GG innervation was correlated with changes in tongue force but not tongue motility in SOD1-G93A rats at end stage.The results indicate a potential deleterious effect of tongue force training on tongue motility in female SOD1-G93A rats. The lack of a relationship between GG innervation and tongue motility suggests that factors other than lower-motor neuron integrity likely accounted for this effect.

SUBMITTER: Ma D

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5243852 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Effects of Tongue Force Training on Bulbar Motor Function in the Female SOD1-G93A Rat Model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

Ma Delin D Shuler Jeffrey M JM Kumar Aishwarya A Stanford Quincy R QR Tungtur Sudheer S Nishimune Hiroshi H Stanford John A JA

Neurorehabilitation and neural repair 20160924 2

<h4>Background</h4>The use of exercise in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is controversial. Although moderate exercise appears to be beneficial for limb muscles in ALS, the effects of exercise on bulbar muscles such as the tongue have not been studied.<h4>Objective</h4>To determine the effects of tongue force training on bulbar motor function in the SOD1-G93A rat model of ALS.<h4>Methods</h4>We compared the effects of tongue force training on bulbar motor function and neuromuscular junction ...[more]

PMID: 27573800

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Project description:Innate neuroimmune dysfunction is a pathobiological feature of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, links, if any, between disease and adaptive immunity are poorly understood. Thus, the role of T cell immunity in disease was investigated in human G93A superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) transgenic (Tg) mice and subsequently in ALS patients.Quantitative and qualitative immune deficits in lymphoid cell and T cell function were seen in G93A-SOD1 Tg mice. Spleens of Tg animals showed reductions in size, weight, lymphocyte numbers, and morphological deficits at terminal stages of disease compared to their wild-type (Wt) littermates. Spleen sizes and weights of pre-symptomatic Tg mice were unchanged, but deficits were readily seen in T cell proliferation coincident with increased annexin-V associated apoptosis and necrosis of lymphocytes. These lymphoid deficits paralleled failure of Copolymer-1 (COP-1) immunization to affect longevity. In addition, among CD4(+) T cells in ALS patients, levels of CD45RA(+) (naïve) T cells were diminished, while CD45RO(+) (memory) T cells were increased compared to age-matched caregivers. In attempts to correct mutant SOD1 associated immune deficits, we reconstituted SOD1 Tg mice with unfractionated naïve lymphocytes or anti-CD3 activated CD4(+)CD25(+) T regulatory cells (Treg) or CD4(+)CD25(-) T effector cells (Teff) from Wt donor mice. While naive lymphocytes failed to enhance survival, both polyclonal-activated Treg and Teff subsets delayed loss of motor function and extended survival; however, only Treg delayed neurological symptom onset, whereas Teff increased latency between disease onset and entry into late stage.A profound and progressive immunodeficiency is operative in G93A-SOD1 mice and is linked to T cell dysfunction and the failure to elicit COP-1 neuroprotective immune responses. In preliminary studies T cell deficits were also observed in human ALS. These findings, taken together, suggest caution in ascribing vaccination outcomes when these animal models of human ALS are used for study. Nonetheless, the abilities to improve neurological function and life expectancy in G93A-SOD1 Tg mice by reconstitution with activated T cells do provide opportunities for therapeutic intervention.

Project description:IntroductionAmyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a paralyzing, multifactorial neurodegenerative disease with limited therapeutics and no known cure. The study goal was to determine which pathophysiological treatment targets appear most beneficial.MethodsA big data approach was used to analyze high copy SOD1 G93A experimental data. The secondary data set comprised 227 published studies and 4,296 data points. Treatments were classified by pathophysiological target: apoptosis, axonal transport, cellular chemistry, energetics, neuron excitability, inflammation, oxidative stress, proteomics, or systemic function. Outcome assessment modalities included onset delay, health status (rotarod performance, body weight, grip strength), and survival duration. Pairwise statistical analysis (two-tailed t-test with Bonferroni correction) of normalized fold change (treatment/control) assessed significant differences in treatment efficacy. Cohen's d quantified pathophysiological treatment category effect size compared to "all" (e.g., all pathophysiological treatment categories combined).ResultsInflammation treatments were best at delaying onset (d = 0.42, p > 0.05). Oxidative stress treatments were significantly better for prolonging survival duration (d = 0.18, p < 0.05). Excitability treatments were significantly better for prolonging overall health status (d = 0.22, p < 0.05). However, the absolute best pathophysiological treatment category for prolonging health status varied with disease progression: oxidative stress was best for pre-onset health (d = 0.18, p > 0.05); excitability was best for prolonging function near onset (d = 0.34, p < 0.05); inflammation was best for prolonging post-onset function (d = 0.24, p > 0.05); and apoptosis was best for prolonging end-stage function (d = 0.49, p > 0.05). Finally, combination treatments simultaneously targeting multiple pathophysiological categories (e.g., polytherapy) performed significantly (p < 0.05) better than monotherapies at end-stage.DiscussionIn summary, the most effective pathophysiological treatments change as function of assessment modality and disease progression. Shifting pathophysiological treatment category efficacy with disease progression supports the homeostatic instability theory of ALS disease progression.

Project description:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is an adult-onset and fast progression neurodegenerative disease that leads to the loss of motor neurons. Mechanisms of selective motor neuron loss in ALS are unknown. The early events occurring in the spinal cord that may contribute to motor neuron death are not described, neither astrocytes participation in the pre-symptomatic phases of the disease. In order to identify ALS early events, we performed a microarray analysis employing a whole mouse genome platform to evaluate the gene expression pattern of lumbar spinal cords of transgenic SOD1(G93A) mice and their littermate controls at pre-symptomatic ages of 40 and 80 days. Differentially expressed genes were identified by means of the Bioconductor packages Agi4×44Preprocess and limma. FunNet web based tool was used for analysis of over-represented pathways. Furthermore, immunolabeled astrocytes from 40 and 80 days old mice were submitted to laser microdissection and RNA was extracted for evaluation of a selected gene by qPCR. Statistical analysis has pointed to 492 differentially expressed genes (155 up and 337 down regulated) in 40 days and 1105 (433 up and 672 down) in 80 days old ALS mice. KEGG analysis demonstrated the over-represented pathways tight junction, antigen processing and presentation, oxidative phosphorylation, endocytosis, chemokine signaling pathway, ubiquitin mediated proteolysis and glutamatergic synapse at both pre-symptomatic ages. Ube2i gene expression was evaluated in astrocytes from both transgenic ages, being up regulated in 40 and 80 days astrocytes enriched samples. Our data points to important early molecular events occurring in pre-symptomatic phases of ALS in mouse model. Early SUMOylation process linked to astrocytes might account to non-autonomous cell toxicity in ALS. Further studies on the signaling pathways presented here may provide new insights to better understand the events triggering motor neuron death in this devastating disorder.

Project description:A preclinical strategy to broaden the search of potentially effective treatments in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) relies on identifying factors controlling motor neuron (MN) excitability. These partners might be part of still unknown pathogenic pathways and/or useful for the design of new interventions to affect disease progression. In this framework, the bioactive membrane-derived phospholipid lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) affects MN excitability through LPA receptor 1 (LPA1 ). Furthermore, LPA1 knockdown is neuroprotective in transgenic ALS SOD1-G93A mice. On this basis, we raised the hypothesis that the major LPA-synthesizing ectoenzyme, autotaxin (ATX), regulates MN excitability and is a potential target to modulate disease development in ALS mice. We show here that PF-8380, a specific ATX inhibitor, reduced intrinsic membrane excitability (IME) of hypoglossal MNs in brainstem slices, supporting that baseline ATX activity regulates MN IME. PF-8380-induced alterations were prevented by a small-interfering RNA directed against mRNA for lpa1 . These outcomes support that impact of ATX-originated lysophospholipids on MN IME engages, at least, the G-protein-coupled receptor LPA1 . Interestingly, mRNAatx levels increased in the spinal cord of pre-symptomatic (1-2 months old) SOD1-G93A mice, thus preceding MN loss. The rise in transcripts levels also occurred in cultured spinal cord MNs from SOD1-G93A embryos, suggesting that mRNAatx upregulation in MNs is an etiopathogenic event in the ALS cell model. Remarkably, chronic administration in the drinking water of the orally bioavailable ATX inhibitor PF-8380 delayed MN loss, motor deterioration and prolonged life span in ALS mice. Treatment also led to a reduction in LPA1 -immunoreactive patches in transgenic animals mostly in MNs. These outcomes support that neuroprotective effects of interfering with ATX in SOD1-G93A mice rely, at least in part, on LPA1 knockdown in MNs. Therefore, we propose ATX as a potential target and/or a biomarker in ALS and highlight ATX inhibitors as reasonable tools with therapeutic usefulness for this lethal pathology.

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Effects of Tongue Force Training on Bulbar Motor Function in the Female SOD1-G93A Rat Model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

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Effects of Tongue Force Training on Bulbar Motor Function in the Female SOD1-G93A Rat Model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

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