Gait disorders induced by photothrombotic cerebellar stroke in mice.

Patients with cerebellar stroke display relatively mild ataxic gaits. These motor deficits often improve dramatically; however, the neural mechanisms of this improvement have yet to be elucidated. Previous studies in mouse models of gait ataxia, such as ho15J mice and cbln1-null mice, have shown that they have a dysfunction of parallel fiber-Purkinje cell synapses in the cerebellum. However, the effects of cerebellar stroke on the locomotor kinematics of wild-type mice are currently unknown. Here, we performed a kinematic analysis of gait ataxia caused by a photothrombotic stroke in the medial, vermal, and intermediate regions of the cerebellum of wild-type mice. We used the data and observations from this analysis to develop a model that will allow locomotive prognosis and indicate potential treatment regimens following a cerebellar stroke. Our analysis showed that mice performed poorly in a ladder rung test after a stroke. During walking on a treadmill, the mice with induced cerebellar stroke had an increased duty ratio of the hindlimb caused by shortened duration of the swing phase. Overall, our findings suggest that photothrombotic cerebellar infarction and kinematic gait analyses will provide a useful model for quantification of different types of acute management of cerebellar stroke in rodents.

Correction: Clathrin adaptor GGA1 modulates myogenesis of C2C12 myoblasts.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0207533.].

Clathrin adaptor GGA1 modulates myogenesis of C2C12 myoblasts.

During myogenesis, myogenic stem cells undergo several sequential events, including cell division, migration, and cell-cell fusion, leading to the formation of multinuclear myotubes, which are the precursors of myofibers. To understand the molecular mechanisms underlying these complex processes, an RNA interference-based gene depletion approach was used. Golgi associated, gamma adaptin ear containing, ARF binding protein 1 (GGA1), a Golgi-resident monomeric clathrin adaptor, was found to be required for the process of myotube formation in C2C12 cells, a cultured murine myoblast cell line. Gga1 mRNA expression was upregulated during myogenesis, and Gga1 depletion prevented the formation of large multi-nucleated myotubes. Moreover, inhibition of lysosomal proteases in Gga1 knockdown myoblasts increased the amount of insulin receptor, suggesting that GGA1 is involved in the cell surface expression and sorting of the insulin receptor. These results suggested that GGA1 plays a significant role in the formation and maturation of myotubes by targeting the insulin receptor to the cell surface to establish functionally mature myofibers.

Down-regulation of KCC2 expression and phosphorylation in motoneurons, and increases the number of in primary afferent projections to motoneurons in mice with post-stroke spasticity.

Spasticity obstructs motor function recovery post-stroke, and has been reported to occur in spinal cord injury and electrophysiological studies. The purpose of the present study was to assess spinal cord circuit spasticity in post-stroke mice. At 3, 7, 21, and 42 d after photothrombotic ischemic cortical injury in C57BL/6J mice, we observed decreased rate-dependent depression (RDD) of the Hoffmann reflex (H reflex) in the affected forelimb of mice compared with the limbs of sham mice and the non-affected forelimb. This finding suggests a hyper-excitable stretch reflex in the affected forelimb. We then performed immunohistochemical and western blot analyses to examine the expression of the potassium-chloride cotransporter 2 (KCC2) and phosphorylation of the KCC2 serine residue, 940 (S940), since this is the main chloride extruder that affects neuronal excitability. We also performed immunohistochemical analyses on the number of vesicular glutamate transporter 1 (vGluT1)-positive boutons to count the number of Ia afferent fibers that connect to motoneurons. Western bolts revealed that, compared with sham mice, experimental mice had significantly reduced KCC2 expression at 7 d post-stroke, and dephosphorylated S940 at 3 and 7 d post-stroke in motoneuron plasma membranes. We also observed a lower density of KCC2-positive areas in the plasma membrane of motoneurons at 3 and 7 d post-stroke. However, western blot and immunohistochemical analyses revealed that there were no differences between groups 21 and 42 d post-stroke, respectively. In addition, at 7 and 42 d post-stroke, experimental mice exhibited a significant increase in vGluT1 boutons compared with sham mice. Our findings suggest that both the down-regulation of KCC2 and increases in Ia afferent fibers are involved in post-stroke spasticity.

Characterizing the neurite outgrowth inhibitory effect of Mani.

Mani (myelin-associated neurite-outgrowth inhibitor) protein is implicated in both axonal guidance and axonal regeneration after central nervous system (CNS) injury. Here, we applied a neurite outgrowth assay, coupled with a siRNA-driven investigation and immunocytochemistry, to unveil Mani's axonal outgrowth inhibitory effect in embryonic rat cortical primary neurons in vitro. We further demonstrate Mani's neuronal localization in comparison with a principal subunit, Cdc27, of the anaphase promoting complex (APC). Considering the protein structure of Mani obtained via a series of bio-computational studies, we propose a Cdc27-Mani-APC-related signalling pathway may be involved in CNS axon regeneration.

c-Jun N-terminal kinase induces axonal degeneration and limits motor recovery after spinal cord injury in mice.

c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) mediates neuronal death in response to stress and injury in the CNS and peripheral nervous system. Here, we show that JNK also regulates retrograde axonal degeneration (axonal dieback) after spinal cord injury (SCI) in mice. Activated phospho-JNK was highly expressed in damaged corticospinal tract (CST) axons after thoracic SCI by hemisection. Local administration of SP600125, a JNK inhibitor, prevented accumulation of amyloid-ß precursor protein and retraction of the severed CST axons as well as preserved the axonal arbors rostral to the injury site. The treatment with SP600125 also improved functional recovery of the hindlimbs, assessed by Basso mouse scale open-field scores and the grid-walking test. In Jnk1(-/-) and Jnk3(-/-) mice, we observed prevention of axonal degeneration and enhancement of motor recovery after SCI. These results indicate that both JNK1 and JNK3 induce axonal degeneration and limit motor recovery after SCI. Thus, a JNK inhibitor may be a suitable therapeutic agent for SCI.

Tissue stiffness induced by prolonged immobilization of the rat knee joint and relevance of AGEs (pentosidine).

Joints, connective tissues consisting of extracellular matrix (ECM) with few blood vessels, transfer tension to the skeleton in response to environmental demand. Therefore, joint immobilization decreases active and passive mechanical stress, resulting in increased joint stiffness and tissue degeneration; however, the cause of joint stiffness is obscure. Using a rat knee immobilization model, we examined the relationship between range of motion (ROM) and cell numbers and ECM cross-links by accumulation of advanced glycation end products, pentosidine, in the posterior joint capsule of immobilized joints during 16 weeks of immobilization. The left knee joint was immobilized by internal fixation and compared with the non-immobilized right leg. As early as 2 weeks of immobilization, joint ROM and torque significantly decreased and in parallel, disordered alignment of collagen fiber bundles significantly increased, compared with non-immobilized joints. Those changes continued until 16 weeks of immobilization. Significant increases in pentosidine-positive areas after 8 weeks and significantly decreased cell numbers after 16 weeks of immobilization were also observed compared to the contralateral side. A significant negative correlation between tissue stiffness measured by restriction of ROM and accumulation of pentosidine was observed. This study is the first to show that immobilization of knee joints induces articular contracture associated with sequential changes of ECM alignment, influencing ROM and later pentosidine accumulation and decreased cell numbers during the 16-week immobilization period. Pentosidine appears to be an indicator toward a chronic tissue stiffness leading to decreased cell number rather than a cause of ROM restriction induced by joint immobilization.

TNF-alpha contributes to axonal sprouting and functional recovery following traumatic brain injury.

In response to a central nervous system (CNS) injury, microglia and astrocytes release tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). This proinflammatory cytokine has been implicated in both neuronal cell death and survival. Here, we show that TNF-alpha is involved in the recovery of neuromotor function following traumatic brain injury. Composite neuroscore and accel rotarod were employed to measure neuromotor function. TNF-alpha-deficient (TNF-alpha(-/-)) mice showed no improvement in their locomotor function up to 28 days following controlled cortical impact brain injury. Although collateral sprouting of the unlesioned corticospinal tract, as assessed by retrograde biotin dextran amine labeling, at the cervical spinal cord was observed following injury in the wild-type mice, such changes were not induced in the TNF-alpha(-/-) mice at 4 weeks after injury. These results provide evidence that TNF-alpha is involved in neuroanatomical plasticity and functional recovery following CNS injury.

The molecular chaperone HSP47 rapidly senses gravitational changes in myoblasts.

Skeletal muscle unloading induced by spaceflight or bed rest leads to muscle atrophy. It is unclear how muscle atrophy is caused and how muscles respond to microgravity. We addressed the response of collagen and its chaperone system to gravitational forces. We show here that expression of HSP47, a collagen-specific molecular chaperone, responds to gravitational changes, including microgravity and hypergravity in vitro and in vivo. By using the method hindlimb suspension of rats, which mimics microgravity conditions, we demonstrated that the expression of Hsp47 mRNA decreased within 1 day and the mRNA levels of collagen types I and IV were subsequently reduced. In contrast, hypergravity stimulated HSP47 expression. HSP47 and collagen types I and IV were localized intracellularly in the endoplasmic reticulum and/or Golgi apparatus of myoblasts, as expected. Intriguingly, Hsp47 mRNA levels in cultured myoblasts increased significantly with hypergravity treatment at 40G for 2 h, and decreased with microgravity treatment at almost 0G for 1-2 h. Collagen mRNA levels were also altered, although changes were slower and less pronounced compared with those for HSP47. The gravity-regulated HSP47 may play a role in the maintenance of the extracellular matrix by modulating collagen production at the primary stage of adaptation.

Revision anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using the regenerated semitendinosus tendon: analysis of ultrastructure of the regenerated tendon.

In this report, we present a case of a college skier who sustained a rerupture of the reconstructed anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) 8 months after surgery in which an autogenous semitendinosus tendon graft was used. At the revision surgery, the harvested semitendinosus tendon appeared to be regrown. Thus the regenerated tendon was reharvested, and in combination with the gracilis tendon, was used as a graft. The electron microscopic examination revealed a difference in fibril diameter between the regenerated tissue and the normal tendon. Although the regenerated semitendinosus tendon could be reharvested, the feasibility of its use for revision surgery is still to be determined.