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Calretinin-immunoreactive nerves in the uterus, pelvic autonomic ganglia, lumbosacral dorsal root ganglia and lumbosacral spinal cord.

Nerves containing the calcium-binding protein calretinin have been reported in several organs but not in female reproductive organs and associated ganglia. This study was undertaken to determine if nerves associated with the uterus contain calretinin and the source(s) of calretinin-synthesizing nerves in the rat (are they sensory, efferent, or both?). Calretinin-immunoreactive nerves were present in the uterine horns and cervix where they were associated with arteries, uterine smooth muscle, glands, and the epithelium. Calretinin-immunoreactive terminals were apposed to neurons in the paracervical ganglia; in addition, some postganglionic neurons in this ganglion were calretinin positive. Calretinin perikarya were present in the lumbosacral dorsal root ganglia, no-dose ganglia, and lumbosacral spinal cord. Retrograde axonal tracing, utilizing Fluorogold injected into the uterus or paracervical parasympathetic ganglia, revealed calretinin-positive/Fluorogold-labeled neurons in the dorsal root and nodose ganglia. Also, capsaicin treatment substantially reduced the calretinin-positive fibers in the uterus and pelvic ganglia, thus indicating the sensory nature of these fibers. The presence of calretinin immunoreactivity identifies a subset of nerves that are involved in innervation of the pelvic viscera and have origins from lumbosacral dorsal root ganglia and vagal nodose ganglia. Though the exact function of calretinin in these nerves is not currently known, calretinin is likely to play a role in calcium regulation and their function.

Animals↗

GDNF, RET and GFRalpha-1-3 mRNA expression in the developing human spinal cord and ganglia.

The identification of endogenous neurotrophic factors and their receptors in human spinal cord is important not only to understand development, but also in the consideration of possible future therapies for neurodegenerative disorders and trauma. Using in situ hybridization, the expression of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), neurturin (NTN), persephin (PSP), GFRalpha-1, GFRalpha-2, GFRalpha-3 and RET mRNA in human fetal spinal cord was studied. Strong GDNF mRNA hybridization signal, presumably restricted to Clarke's nucleus, was detected in the thoracic spinal cord. mRNA encoding GFRalpha-1 was expressed in the entire spinal cord gray matter with particularly high expression in the ventral horn. GFRbeta-1 was also expressed more weakly in dorsal root ganglia. NTN and persephin mRNA were not detected in either the fetal spinal cord or the dorsal root ganglia. mRNA coding for GFRalpha-2, however, was found in most cells of the spinal cord gray matter. A strong expression of GFRalpha-3 mRNA was detected in dorsal root ganglia cells and Schwann cells. The transducing receptor RET was expressed strongly in motorneurons and dorsal root ganglion neurons. We conclude that basic features concerning the role of the GDNF family of ligands and their receptors revealed in rodents applies to humans.

Drosophila Proteins↗

1,25(OH)2 vitamin D3 sites of action in spinal cord and sensory ganglion.

Autoradiographic studies revealed concentration of 3H 1,25(OH)2 vitamin D3 in nuclei of certain neurons in the spinal cord of adult and neonatal mice, fed a normal or a vitamin D deficient diet. Nuclear uptake and retention was strongest in motor neurons in lamina IX. Nuclear concentration also existed in neurons of lamina II, lamina VIII, lamina X and intermediate nucleus of the lateral column. The results indicate that these neurons are target neurons which contain nuclear receptors for 1,25(OH)2 vitamin D3. This suggests that 1,25(OH)2 vitamin D3 has direct genomic actions on the innervation of skeletal muscle by exerting related trophic, secretory, and electrophysiological effects. In addition, these data point to direct genomic actions of 1,25(OH)2 vitamin D3 on spinal sensory perception, and on certain autonomic functions. Nuclear binding in certain neurons in the peripheral ganglion of the trigeminal nerve further suggests that sensory perception is influenced by 1,25(OH)2 vitamin D3 not only at the level of the substantia gelatinosa, but also at the level of spinal ganglia.

Animals↗

Inflammatory polyradiculoneuropathy with spinal cord involvement and lethal [correction of letal] outcome after hepatitis B vaccination.

We report on a 36-year-old man who developed an inflammatory polyradiculoneuropathy similar to Guillain-Barré syndrome 9 days after hepatitis B vaccination. Extensive immunotherapy including immunoglobulins, steroids, plasmapheresis, cyclophosphamide and methotrexate did not stop the progressive course of the disease and the patient died 4 months later due to multiorgan failure with septic shock symptoms and adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).The neuropathological investigation showed severe axonal loss with mild demyelination of peripheral nerves and mononuclear cell infiltrates, predominantly T-lymphocytes, in nerve roots and spinal ganglia. In addition, there were unusual, perivascular and parenchymal lymphocytic cell infiltrates in the grey matter, especially the anterior horns of the spinal cord. The temporal relationship to hepatitis B vaccination, the strong increase of HBs-antibodies within 3 weeks after vaccination, and the presumptive immune mediated pathology of this disorder suggest a possible etiologic link with hepatitis B vaccine.

Adult↗

Evoked potentials in spinal muscular atrophy.

Visual evoked potentials, brainstem evoked responses, and somatosensory evoked potentials were evaluated in 22 children with spinal muscular atrophy, types I and II. Eleven of the children had the severe form of spinal muscular atrophy (type I) and 11 children had the intermediate form (type II). The results of visual evoked potentials, brainstem evoked responses, and somatosensory evoked potentials were compared with those obtained in a control group. Statistical analysis showed abnormalities in the different sensory modalities. A significant increase in the visual evoked potential latencies was observed and was found more often in patients with spinal muscular atrophy type I. Alterations of the somatosensory thalamocortical responses were also observed, as well as a delay in the central conduction time. Although spinal muscular atrophy is usually considered to be a purely motor disorder involving neurons of the spinal anterior horn and nuclei of the lower cranial nerves, lesions of the posterior roots, spinal ganglia, ascending tracts, lateral geniculated corpus, and thalamus have been reported. Our results suggest that sensory neuron degeneration occurs more commonly in spinal muscular atrophy than previously thought and that this process probably develops more slowly than motoneuron degeneration. Such degeneration may be associated with brain atrophy.

Adolescent↗

[The pathophysiological basis of dystonia].

OBJECTIVE: We review the mechanisms that may involved in the pathophysiology of dystonia. DEVELOPMENT: The role of basal ganglia, spinal and brainstem interneurons, and primary motor cortex in dystonia will be discussed. Abnormalities in the discharge pattern of internal pallidum or thalamus, secondary to basal ganglia disorders might be the cause of disbalance between excitatory and inhibitory mechanisms in motor cortex. Other factors such as excessive repetition of a movement or abnormal sensory afferent discharges may be participating in cortical reorganization. CONCLUSIONS: Overlapping of the cortical representation of dystonic muscles due to enlargement of cortical maps could explain overflow and co-contraction phenomena. The study of the exact role of these factors in each type of dystonia is a challenge for the future that opens the door for new therapeutic approaches.

Anti-Dyskinesia Agents↗

Pathogenesis of natural scrapie in sheep.

Although scrapie has been known for a long time as a natural disease of sheep and goats, the pathogenesis in its natural host still remains unclear. To study the pathogenesis of natural scrapie, we used immunohistochemistry to monitor the deposition of PrP(Sc) in various tissues, collected during a natural scrapie infection from sheep with the PrP(VRQ)/PrP(VRQ) genotype which were purposely bred for their short incubation period for natural scrapie. PrP(Sc) was present in the lymphoid tissues of all animals from the age of 5 months onwards. At this age, PrP(Sc) was detected in the neural tissues only in the enteric nervous system (ENS) at the level of the duodenum and ileum. At the age of 10 months, PrP(Sc) was not only found in the ENS but also in the ganglion mesentericum cranialis/coeliacum, the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus, and the intermediolateral column of the thoracic segments T8-T10. PrP(Sc) was detected for the first time in the nucleus tractus solitarius and ganglion nodosus at 17 months of age and in the ganglion trigeminale and several spinal ganglia at 21 months of age. Since the scrapie agent consists largely, if not entirely of PrP(Sc), these results indicate that the ENS acts as a portal of entry to the neural tissues for the scrapie agent followed by centripetal and retrograde spread through sympathetic and parasympathetic efferent fibers of the autonomic nervous system to the spinal cord and medulla oblongata respectively. PrP(Sc) accumulation in sensory ganglia occurs after infection of the CNS and is therefore probably due to centrifugal and anterograde spread of the scrapie agent from the CNS through afferent nerve fibers.

Animals↗

Effect of epidural injection of prosidol with clonidine on the state of spinal cord and spinal ganglion.

Morphological and histoenzymatic changes in cells of the spinal cord and spinal ganglia after epidural injection of a combination of prosidol with clonidine were studied on dogs. No pathological structural and metabolic changes in the nervous tissue were found after combined treatment with the test drugs. Higher activity of nucleic acids and alkaline phosphatase in spinal neurons and spinal ganglion in experimental animals in comparison with those in controls indicates intensification of protein synthesis and active transport in the endothelium of nerve tissue capillaries, which is a favorable factor.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

[Functional reinnervation of skeletal muscle in the adult rat by means of a peripheral nerve graft introduced into the spinal cord by dorsal approach].

In the adult Mammal, different types of neurons, whose processes have been damaged in the CNS, may regrow lengthy axons along autologous PNS grafts. In the present study, PNS bridges were used to join the spinal cord (C5 level) to a nearby skeletal muscle (m. longissimus atlantis) which was denervated prior to direct graft insertion into an aneural region. From 3 to 5 months later, the following results were obtained: in situ and in vitro electrical stimulation of the graft determined partial or full contraction of the reconnected muscle. Intracellular recordings showed miniature endplate potentials (mepps). Endplate potentials (epps), evoked by stimulating the nerve graft, were recorded at the same points after partial blockade of the transmission with low doses of curare. They were suppressed with higher concentrations. The overall appearance of cross semithin and thin sections of the grafts was typical of regenerating nerves. EM observations of reinnervated muscles revealed typical neuromuscular junctions located either around the site of grafting or in the site of original endplates. In situ HRP application to the transected PNS bridges led to extensive labeling of neuronal somata located, close to the site of grafting, in the spinal grey matter and in adjacent spinal ganglia. When HRP was injected into the recommended muscle, neuronal labeling was almost restricted to typical motoneurons of the ventral horn. These results indicate that spinal neurons, and especially motoneurons, are probably involved in the formation, through PNS grafts, of new functional cholinergic connections with denervated skeletal muscles.

Animals↗

Distribution of carbonic anhydrase activity in neurons of the rat.

Certain neurons of dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and some fibers of the sciatic nerve contain histochemically demonstrable carbonic anhydrase activity. Since the distribution of this enzyme throughout the nervous system has not yet been evaluated systematically, we conducted a comprehensive histochemical survey focusing particularly on structures derived from the neural crest and nonneural crest ectoderm. In the peripheral nervous system, we observed carbonic anhydrase activity in some, but not all, neurons of dorsal root, trigeminal, celiac, and myenteric ganglia as well as in glial cells throughout the CNS. Some neurons of the nodose ganglion also showed carbonic anhydrase activity. In all first order sensory ganglia that were studied, the enzyme was found only in large (50 micron or above) and medium (20-50 micron) size neurons; in the case of spinal ganglia, the reactive neurons constituted approximately 30% of the total neuronal population. Of these reactive neurons, 56% were heavily stained and 44% were moderately stained. Several possible roles for neuronal carbonic anhydrase are considered.

Animals↗

Studies on the human spontaneous electromyelogram (EMyeloG). II. Patients with peripheral nerve, root and spinal cord disorders.

Using an intrathecal recording technique the spontaneous electromyelogram (EMyeloG) was recorded in 44 patients having peripheral nerve, spinal root and lower motor neurone disorders (17 cases), suprasegmental spinal cord disorders (18 cases) and diffuse involvement of the posterolateral funiculus or spinal ganglia (9 cases). In the first 17 cases, labelled as 'afferent group,' the spontaneous EMyeloG was significantly reduced, parallelling the paucity of afferent signals entering the spinal cord. However, the spontaneous EMyeloG was found to be normal in cases with the diffuse anterior horn cell involvement and motor polyneuropathy. In the second 18 cases labelled as 'efferent group,' the spontaneous EMyeloG was more prominent and the amplitude and frequency of the spontaneous cord potentials were significantly increased. Especially in patients with spastic paraparesis various peripheral afferent stimuli could produce more significant facilitation of the EMyeloG in the 'efferent group' than in normal subjects. In the third group labelled as 'mixed group' a different type of abnormal spontaneous action potentials was observed in addition to increase of the spontaneous EMyeloG. These potentials were positive or mainly positive and their duration was long, being 10-25 msec. It was concluded that the human spontaneous EMyeloG recorded from an intrathecal electrode probably originates from the interneurones of the posterior horns, facilitated by peripheral afferent inputs and inhibited by suprasegmental descending pathways, especially the pyramidal tract.

Cerebellar Ataxia↗

Anatomical location of macrophage migration inhibitory factor in urogenital tissues, peripheral ganglia and lumbosacral spinal cord of the rat.

BACKGROUND: Previous work suggested that macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) may be involved in bladder inflammation. Therefore, the location of MIF was determined immunohistochemically in the bladder, prostate, major pelvic ganglia, sympathetic chain, the L6-S1 dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and the lumbosacral spinal cord of the rat. RESULTS: In the pelvic organs, MIF immunostaining was prominent in the epithelia. MIF was widely present in neurons in the MPG and the sympathetic chain. Some of those neurons also co-localized tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). In the DRGs, some of the neurons that stained for MIF also stained for Substance P. In the lumbosacral spinal cord, MIF immunostaining was observed in the white mater, the dorsal horn, the intermediolateral region and in the area around the central canal. Many cells were intensely stained for MIF and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) suggesting they were glial cells. However, some cells in the lumbosacral dorsal horn were MIF positive, GFAP negative cells suggestive of neurons. CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, MIF, a pro-inflammatory cytokine, is localized to pelvic organs and also in neurons of the peripheral and central nervous tissues that innervate those organs. Changes in MIF's expression at the end organ and at peripheral and central nervous system sites suggest that MIF is involved in pelvic viscera inflammation and may act at several levels to promote inflammatory changes.

Animals↗

Pathogenesis of herpes simplex virus type 2 virion host shutoff (vhs) mutants.

During lytic infection, the virion host shutoff (vhs) protein mediates the rapid degradation of mRNA and the shutoff of host protein synthesis. In vivo, herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) mutants lacking vhs activity are profoundly attenuated. Homologs of vhs exist in all of the neurotropic herpesviruses, and the goal of this study was to determine the virulence of HSV-2 mutants lacking vhs. Two HSV-2 recombinants were used in this study: 333-vhsB, which has a lacZ cassette inserted into the N terminus of vhs, and 333d41, which has a 939-bp deletion in vhs. As expected, both 333-vhsB and 333d41 failed to induce the cellular RNA degradation characteristic of HSV. Corneal, vaginal, and intracerebral routes of infection were used to study pathogenesis. Both viruses grew to significantly lower titers in the corneas, trigeminal ganglia, vaginas, dorsal root ganglia, spinal cords, and brains of mice than wild-type and rescue viruses, with a correspondingly reduced induction of disease. Both viruses, however, reactivated efficiently from explanted trigeminal ganglia, showing that vhs is dispensable for reactivation. The lethality of 333d41 following peripheral infection of mice, however, was significantly higher than that of 333-vhsB, suggesting that some of the attenuation of 333-vhsB may be due to the presence of a lacZ cassette in the vhs locus. Taken together, these data show that vhs represents an important determinant of HSV-2 pathogenesis and have implications for the design of HSV-2 recombinants and vaccines.

Animals↗

Origin and distribution of phrenic primary afferent nerve fibers in the spinal cord of the adult rat.

Previous studies from this laboratory have localized and morphologically characterized phrenic motor neurons in the rat spinal cord at light and electron microscopic levels. The present investigation used a modification of the TMB method for the retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) to describe at light microscope levels the origin and distribution of phrenic primary afferent axons in the adult rat spinal cord. Dry HRP crystals were applied to the central stump of the transected phrenic nerve in the neck to label spinal ganglion cell bodies and thus determine the levels of origin of afferent axons in the phrenic nerve. Camera lucida drawings were then made from serial sections through the appropriate spinal cord levels to determine the specific distribution of transganglionically labeled phrenic central axonal processes within the spinal cord. HRP-labeled phrenic primary neurons were observed in the C3 to C7 spinal ganglia. The camera lucida studies indicated that the transganglionically labeled central processes of phrenic primary afferent axons distributed into the dorsal horn at the C4 and C5 levels of the spinal cord. Furthermore, central processes distributing to C5 were more numerous than those that distributed to C4. Afferent axons were never seen in the dorsal horn at C3, C6, or C7. As spinal ganglion cells were labeled at C3 above and C6 and C7 below, it follows that central processes of phrenic afferent fibers descend and ascend in the dorsal columns of the spinal cord before distributing into the dorsal horn. Specifically, the labeled primary afferent axons and their collateral branches were found in the fasciculus cuneatus, and in laminae I, II, III, and IV of the dorsomedial aspect of the dorsal horn. The function of these central axonal processes is unknown, but based on a comparison of our morphologic data with previous physiological and anatomical studies, we suggest that phrenic afferent fibers may arise from proprioceptors (muscle spindles and Golgi tendon organs), nociceptors, or rapidly adapting mechanoreceptors (Pacinian corpuscles) within the diaphragm.

Afferent Pathways↗

The mouse Trm1-like gene is expressed in neural tissues and plays a role in motor coordination and exploratory behaviour.

Using a gene trap approach in ES cells, the novel mouse gene Trm1-like with substantial sequence homology to human C1orf25 mRNA (GenBank accession no. ) was identified. Murine Trm1-like encodes a putative protein with limited similarity to N2,N2-dimethylguanosine tRNA methyltransferase (Trm1) from other organisms, however its function is not known. The potential role of Trm1-like was investigated in a mouse mutant lacking intact Trm1-like transcripts due to integration of the gene trap vector in the first intron. Trm1-like deficient mice are viable and show no apparent anatomical defects. Behavioural tests, however, revealed significantly altered motor coordination and aberrant exploratory behaviour. LacZ activity of the trapped mouse Trm1-like gene reflects expression in various neuronal structures during embryonic development, including spinal ganglia, trigeminal nerve and ganglion, olfactory and nasopharyngeal epithelium, and nuclei of the metencephalon, thalamus and medulla oblongata. The gene is also expressed in lung, oesophagus, epiglottis, ependyma, vertebral column, spinal cord, and brown adipose tissue. Trm1-like expression persists in the adult brain with dynamically changing patterns in cortex and cerebellum. Although Trm1-like is not essential for embryonic mouse development, it may have a role in modulating postnatal neuronal functions.

Animals↗

Transient expression of neuropeptide Y and its C-flanking peptide immunoreactivities in the spinal cord and ganglia of human embryos and fetuses.

An immunohistochemical study of spinal cord, dorsal root and sympathetic ganglia of human embryos and fetuses demonstrated that neuropeptide Y and its C-flanking peptide could be detected in seven-week-old embryos but were absent or difficult to demonstrate after the 17th week of gestation. The peptides were found in several structures of the spinal cord, e.g. fibres in the dorsal portion of the lateral funiculus, cell bodies and fibres in the dorsal horn, and motoneurons, and also in numerous primary sensory neurons of dorsal root ganglia. They were also present in sympathetic neurons and since these are the only structures expressing neuropeptide Y and its C-flanking peptide in the adult, it must be concluded that their presence in other neurons is a transient developmental feature. To assist in understanding the relationship of these transient structures with other spinal and sensory neurons, a comparison was made with other neuronal structures showing immunoreactivity for two general neuronal markers, neurofilaments and protein gene product 9.5, and two neuropeptides present in primary sensory afferents, somatostatin and substance P. In the dorsal root ganglia, numerous neuropeptide Y- and C-flanking peptide-immunoreactive neurons were observed before substance P- or somatostatin-immunoreactive cells could be detected. Therefore, neuropeptide Y and its C-flanking peptide could represent a primitive peptidergic system appearing before primary sensory neurons express their characteristic adult phenotype. The fibres of the lateral funiculus showing immunoreactivity for neuropeptide Y and its C-flanking peptide were longitudinally orientated and could be detected at all cephalocaudal levels of the spinal cord. Comparison with the other immunohistochemical markers indicated that they were not primary sensory afferents. At least some of them probably originated from neuropeptide Y- and C-flanking peptide-immunoreactive neurons of the dorsal horn, that may be considered to be a subset of early-appearing interneurons.

Embryo, Mammalian↗

Peripheral and central pathways regulating the kidney: a study using pseudorabies virus.

We used the retrograde transneuronal transport of a neurotropic virus, pseudorabies virus (PRV), to identify the neurons in sympathetic ganglia, spinal cord and brain which regulate renal function and renal circulation. PRV was microinjected into the left kidney of 70, pentobarbital-anesthetized, male rats. After an incubation period of 1-4 days, rats were anesthetized and sacrificed. PRV-infected neurons were located immunocytochemically in pre- and paravertebral sympathetic ganglia, the intermediolateral cell column of the T10-T13 segments and several brainstem cell groups: the medullary raphe nuclei, rostral ventrolateral medulla, rostral ventromedial medulla, A5 cell group, and the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus. In more heavily infected rats, additional labeling was found in the locus coeruleus, periaqueductal gray matter, lateral hypothalamic area, zona incerta, and anterior hypothalamic area. No infected propriospinal neurons were observed in the lateral spinal nucleus or gray matter of the caudal cervical, lumbosacral or thoracic spinal segments not containing infected putative sympathetic preganglionic neurons. The paucity of infected propriospinal neurons in the presence of infected brainstem neurons, even in lightly infected rats, is discussed in reference to the relative importance of descending vs spinal regulation of the sympathetic outflow to the kidney.

Animals↗

Localization of calcitonin receptor-like receptor and receptor activity modifying protein 1 in enteric neurons, dorsal root ganglia, and the spinal cord of the rat.

Calcitonin receptor-like receptor (CLR) and receptor activity modifying protein 1 (RAMP1) comprise a receptor for calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP) and intermedin. Although CGRP is widely expressed in the nervous system, less is known about the localization of CLR and RAMP1. To localize these proteins, we raised antibodies to CLR and RAMP1. Antibodies specifically interacted with CLR and RAMP1 in HEK cells coexpressing rat CLR and RAMP1, determined by Western blotting and immunofluorescence. Fluorescent CGRP specifically bound to the surface of these cells and CGRP, CLR, and RAMP1 internalized into the same endosomes. CLR was prominently localized in nerve fibers of the myenteric and submucosal plexuses, muscularis externa and lamina propria of the gastrointestinal tract, and in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord of rats. CLR was detected at low levels in the soma of enteric, dorsal root ganglia (DRG), and spinal neurons. RAMP1 was also localized to enteric and DRG neurons and the dorsal horn. CLR and RAMP1 were detected in perivascular nerves and arterial smooth muscle. Nerve fibers containing CGRP and intermedin were closely associated with CLR fibers in the gastrointestinal tract and dorsal horn, and CGRP and CLR colocalized in DRG neurons. Thus, CLR and RAMP1 may mediate the effects of CGRP and intermedin in the nervous system. However, mRNA encoding RAMP2 and RAMP3 was also detected in the gastrointestinal tract, DRG, and dorsal horn, suggesting that CLR may associate with other RAMPs in these tissues to form a receptor for additional peptides such as adrenomedullin.

Animals↗