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Contractures in normal and denervated inferior oblique muscle of the rabbit.

Isometric contracture responses of normal and denervated inferior oblique muscles (IO) of the rabbit have been investigated in vitro at 35 degrees C. The threshold concentration for eliciting potassium contractures was about 20 mM K+. In normal IU low potassium concentrations up to about 50 mM K+ evoked only sustained contractures, higher concentrations were responded by contractures with an initial transient component. The transient tension development was maximal at about 100 mM K+ the sustained component at 80 mM K+. After denervation the characteristic time course of the contractures was not changed, but the tension output of the preparation was diminished and long-term denervated IO have a somewhat lowered threshold. In normal IO acetylcholine (ACh), succinylcholine (SCh) and choline (Ch) caused also sustained contractures, the threshold doses were about 5 microM for ACh and SCh and 500 microM for Ch. The ACh sensitivity of the preparations was increased by physostigmine and decreased or abolished by d-tubocurarine. Denervation increased the drug sensitivity but the shape of the contractures was hardly influenced. The properties of slow tonic muscle fibres in mammalian extraocular muscles (EOM) probably responsible for sustained contractures and their changes after denervation are discussed.

Acetylcholine↗

Regeneration following denervation of minced gastrocnemius muscles in mice.

Gastrocnemius muscles in mice were minced and orthotopically implanted. At the same time all nervous supply to this muscle was completely removed. It was observed that initially the pattern of muscle regeneration was similar to what was observed in a normally innervated implant. But by day 6, distinct degeneration of regenerated muscle fibres sets in, which continues unabated so that by about 3 weeks there usually remains only a thin band of connective tissue in place of the implant. Histochemically, there is a gradual loss of SDH, myofibrillar ATPase and cholinesterase activities within the degenerating muscle fibres and a corresponding appearance of these enzymes in the regenerating fibres. In the denervated implants, with the onset of degeneration of the regenerating fibres, the enzymatic activities were also lost. Histochemical fibre typing was not achieved within the regenerating fibres. The regeneration and degeneration pattern of the denervated muscle observed in the present study is compared with the one observed in other animals.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

Trophic control of cholinesterase activity in a testosterone-dependent muscle of the rat: effects of castration and denervation.

The effects of testosterone withdrawal and chronic denervation on muscle weight and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity were studied in the hormone-sensitive levator ani muscle of the rat. Castration of adult male rats for 7 to 60 days caused a linear decrease of the weight, protein content, and AChE activity of the muscle, which stabilized after 30 days. Muscle weight and protein content decreased 2.3% per day. The total AChE activity decreased 7 days later 3.2% per day, reaching 37% of control at day 30. AChE activity per unit weight was increased in all castrated groups. Muscle weights and AChE activity of the extensor digitorum longus and soleus muscles were not altered after castration. Denervation of all three muscles caused 50% reduction of the muscle weight and protein content after 15 days. Total AChE activity decayed exponentially with a rate of 0.12 per day to 15 to 18% of control values. AChE activity per unit weight in the denervated muscles was always lower than in the control muscles. Combined castration and denervation intensified only the levator ani protein loss. The different onset and time course of the effects induced by castration and denervation indicate distinct mechanisms involved in the trophic control of muscle proteins and AChE activity. Chronic muscle denervation decreased total AChE activity to 15% of normal, whereas castration reduced the enzyme to 40% of the control values. The results indicate that neuronal and hormonal influences on AChE activity of the levator ani are not additive but overlap.

Acetylcholinesterase↗

Improved motor function of denervated rat hindlimb muscles induced by embryonic spinal cord grafts.

Loss of motoneurons results in a decrease in force production by skeletal muscles and paralysis. Although it has been shown that missing motoneurons of rats can be replaced by embryonic homotopic neurons, attempts to guide their axons to their target muscles that have lost their innervation have been unsuccessful. In this study attempts were made to guide axons from grafted embryonic motoneurons to their target via a reimplanted ventral root. Adult hosts that received an embryonic graft prelabelled with 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine had their L4 ventral root avulsed and reimplanted into the spinal cord. Three to six months later, neurons that had their axons in the L4 ventral ramus were retrogradely labelled with fast blue and diamidino yellow. In five animals that had received an embryonic graft 116 +/- 16 cells were retrogradely labelled, and of these at least 15% were of graft origin, since they were positive for 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine. In five animals that had their L4 ventral root reimplanted but did not receive a graft, only 12 +/- 1.3 cells were retrogradely labelled. However, meaningful functional recovery could be achieved only if the regenerating axons of embryonic motoneurons found in the L4 ventral ramus were able to reverse the loss of force of muscles that had lost their innervation. This study shows that axons of embryonic motoneurons grafted into an adult rat spinal cord, as well as some axons of host origin, can be guided to denervated hindlimb muscles via reimplanted lumbar ventral roots. In normal rats approximately 30 motor axons innervated the extensor digitorum longus and 60 innervated the tibialis anterior via the L4 ventral root. In rats that did not receive a graft only 3.7 +/- 1.2 axons reached the extensor digitorum longus and 3.5 +/- 0.4 reached the tibialis anterior muscle via the implanted L4 ventral root. In animals that had an embryonic graft, 7.6 +/- 0.5 axons innervated the extensor digitorum longus and 8.5 +/- 0.5 reached the tibialis anterior muscle via the implanted root. In rats without a transplant the maximum tetanic tension elicited by stimulating the implanted L4 root was 16 +/- 7 g for the extensor digitorum longus and 53 +/- 36 g for the tibialis anterior muscle, whereas the corresponding muscles in animals that had an embryonic graft developed 82 +/- 16 and 281 +/- 95 g respectively. Thus it appears that the grafted motoneurons contributed to the innervation and functional recovery of the denervated muscles.

Animals↗

Skeletal muscle and small-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels.

Skeletal muscle becomes hyperexcitable following denervation and when cultured in the absence of nerve cells. In these circumstances, the bee venom peptide toxin apamin, a blocker of small-conductance calcium-activated potassium (SK) channels, dramatically reduces the hyperexcitability. In this report, we show that SK3 channels are expressed in denervated skeletal muscle and in L6 cells. Action potentials evoked from normal innervated rat skeletal muscle did not exhibit an afterhyperpolarization, indicating a lack of SK channel activity; very low levels of apamin binding sites, SK3 protein, or SK3 mRNA were present. However, denervation resulted in apamin-sensitive afterhyperpolarizations and increased apamin binding sites, SK3 protein, and SK3 mRNA. Cultured rat L6 myoblasts and differentiated L6 myotubes contained similar levels of SK3 mRNA, although apamin-sensitive SK currents and apamin binding sites were detected only following myotube differentiation. Therefore, different molecular mechanisms govern SK3 expression levels in denervated muscle compared with muscle cells differentiated in culture.

Animals↗

Expression of myostatin RNA transcript and protein in gastrocnemius muscle of rats after sciatic nerve resection.

Myostatin, a member of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) superfamily, has been identified as an inhibitor of skeletal muscle mass. To have an insight into the expression pattern of myostatin and its potential role in skeletal muscle atrophy induced by denervation, we used an animal model of peripheral nerve resection to examine the time-dependent changes in myostatin mRNA and protein levels in the denervated gastrocnemius muscle of rats after sciatic neurectomy by the aid of quantitative real-time RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively. We also conducted morphometric analyses to measure the wet weight ratio of the denervated muscle (the operated side/contralateral non-operated side) and the cross sectional area of muscle fibers and to observe muscle morphology. The experimental results showed that myostatin mRNA and protein levels in rat gastrocnemius muscle persistently elevated after denervation, despite a fluctuation of myostatin mRNA level at day 3 after denervation, reached their respective peaks at day 28 after denervation, and then depressed slightly until day 56 after denervation. Furthermore, a significant negative linear correlation was found between myostatin abundance and muscle atrophy degree, suggesting that myostatin might probably play an important role in denervation-induced muscle atrophy. Our present study perhaps provides a new window into myostatin regulation in association with a specific type of muscle atrophy.

Animals↗

Embryonic and neonatal myosin heavy chain in denervated and paralyzed rat skeletal muscle.

Using immunofluorescence procedures with specific polyclonal and monoclonal antimyosin antibodies we have found that embryonic and neonatal myosin heavy chains (MHCs), which in rat skeletal muscle disappear during the first weeks after birth, are reexpressed in adult muscle after denervation. Reactivity for embryonic and neonatal MHCs was detected in some fibers as early as 3 days after denervation, became more evident by 7 days, and occurred exclusively in the type 2A fiber population. Paralysis of innervated muscles by tetrodotoxin block of the sciatic nerve also resulted in the reappearance of embryonic and neonatal MHCs in type 2A fibers. Significant variation in the degree of immunoreactivity was observed in different segments of the same muscle fiber, suggesting that coordination of muscle fiber nuclei in the control of myosin heavy chain gene expression is partially lost following denervation.

Aging↗

Expression of various isoforms of neural cell adhesive molecules and their highly polysialylated counterparts in diseased human muscles.

Antibodies directed against neural cell adhesive molecules (NCAM) and in particular a monoclonal antibody recognizing polysialylated isoforms, were used to characterize the expression of these molecules in normal and diseased human muscles. Normal subjects as well as patients with inflammatory, dystrophic and denervating diseases were examined. By immunohistochemistry the main observations were (1) satellite cells expressed the non-sialylated form of NCAMs; (2) regenerative fibers strikingly expressed NCAMs and their sialylated isoforms both on membranes and in the cytoplasm; (3) in denervated muscles, fibers in atrophic groups and some fibers in acute denervation expressed NCAMs on their membrane but not the highly sialylated form; (4) finally, some fibers in myotonic dystrophy and fibers with rimmed vacuoles also expressed NCAMs. Biochemical approaches, using enzymes such as endoglycosidase N and phosphatidylinositol phospholipase C combined with immunoblot analysis allowed visualization of the nature of the expressed isoforms. We have shown that non activated cells, i.e. satellite cells and denervated fibers do not express polysialylated NCAMs. This post-translational modification may be only observed in activated or regenerating fibers. This would parallel the sequence of NCAM expression occurring in normal myogenic pathways.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis↗

Development of the neuromuscular junction. 3. Degeneration of motor end plates after denervation and maintenance in vitro by nerve explants.

To determine the effects of nerve explants on the integrity of motor end plates in vitro, cholinesterase activity and structure of end plates were compared in newt muscle denervated in vivo, cultured in the absence of nerve explants, and cultured in the presence of sensory ganglia. In neuromuscular junctions denervated in vivo or in vitro, the synaptic vesicles become clumped and fragmented. A few intact vesicles escape into the synaptic cleft. Axon terminals degenerate until they are left as residual bodies within the Schwann cell cytoplasm. Junctional folds on the muscle surface are reduced in height and are no longer evident once traces of axoplasm within the Schwann cell disappear. End plate cholinesterase activity is reduced as junctional folds are lost. When muscle is cultured in the presence of a sensory ganglion, the terminal axoplasm degenerates in the same manner but junctional folds persist on the muscle surface. Moderately intense cholinesterase activity remains in association with the junctional folds, so that normal motor end plates are maintained in the absence of innervation. These results show that degenerative changes in the structure of the motor end plate and loss of cholinesterase activity occurring in organ culture as a result of denervation can be retarded by nerve explants that do not directly innervate the muscle.

Animals↗

Changes in mechanical properties of the inferior oblique muscle of the rabbit after denervation.

The inferior oblique muscle (IO) of the rabbit was denervated. The mechanical properties of the muscles were determined at 35 degrees C in vitro 2--76 days after the operation. After denervation the muscles exhibited a considerable hypertrophy. The cross-sectional area of muscles denervated 30 days or longer grew to about twice as innervated controls. The length-tension relationship of passive or activated long-term denervated IO differed from normal in a higher stiffness. After denervation the time parameters of single twitches and tetanic contractions evoked by massive stimulation were prolonged, the fusion frequency was decreased, and the fatigue resistance was increased. During the first week after cutting the motor nerve both twitch and tetanic tensions decreased drastically. A minimum was reached at the end of the second weak. In the subsequent weeks the tension development was increased again, but per unit cross-sectional area it was always smaller than in innervated muscles. After denervation the twitch:tetanus ratio was increased. Cooling to 25 degrees C was followed by an increase in time parameters of single twitches and tetanic contractions and by a depression of twitch and tetanic tensions. Following a repetitive stimulation denervated IO showed a posttetanic depression of the single twitch.

Animals↗

Contractile performance of papillary muscles of sinoaortic denervated rats.

The effects of sinoaortic baroreceptor denervation (SAD) was studied in left ventricle papillary muscles from rats with 15 days of hypertension, compared to sham operated normotensive controls (SO). SAD muscles develop less force (F) with slower force development (dF/dt) than SO ones, characterizing a depressed contractile performance. To verify if the mechanical response produced by cardiac beta-adrenoceptors stimulation displays a desensitization similar to what is observed for rate changes, percentual changes of F and dF/dt resulting from isoproterenol (IPA) actions were compared in SO and SAD muscles, being similar in both groups. Rest potentiation was analyzed to test if this behavior only occurs during beta-adrenoceptors stimulation or if it is an interference with the contractile machinery. Absolute and percentual changes of F and dF/dt, in SO and SAD rats were again similar, as observed before. The results suggest that in this model of experimental hypertension it is not possible to demonstrate beta-adrenoceptors desensitization in ventricular myocardium. The behavior of SAD muscles must result from changes occurring in a common place for both inotropic interventions probably at the contractile machinery level.

Animals↗

Protein phosphorylation in fast and slow chicken skeletal muscles: effect of denervation.

We have identified proteins in adult chicken skeletal muscle whose phosphorylation can be used as markers for the mature fast and slow muscle phenotype. These include phosphorylase, phosphorylase kinase, and a cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP)-stimulated, calmodulin-inhibited 28-kDa band (markers for fast muscle), a calmodulin-stimulated 50-kDa band, and two cAMP-stimulated bands at 44 and 46 kDa (markers for slow muscle), and the relative concentrations of the regulatory subunits of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (RI and RII). After denervation the pattern of phosphorylation in fast muscle changed to resemble that of slow muscle: phosphorylation of the fast phenotype markers decreased; the slow phenotype markers, barely detectable in normal fast muscle, appeared as significant phosphoproteins; and the concentration of RII increased with no change in RI. This is consistent with denervation-induced changes observed using other phenotypic markers and indicates the potential for using these phosphoprotein markers in studies of muscle development and pathophysiology.

Animals↗

Reinnervation of the rat levator ani muscle after neonatal denervation.

After axonal injury on postnatal day 14 (P14), but not P21, motoneurons in the spinal nucleus of the bulbocavernosus (SNB) do not display their normal response to circulating testosterone levels. This could result from a permanent disruption of communication between motoneurons and their testosterone-sensitive target muscles. We assessed the extent of reinnervation of one of these target muscles, the levator ani (LA) muscle, 5 months after the pudendal nerve was cut either on P14 or P21. The number of motoneurons innervating the LA in control and nerve cut animals was determined using retrograde labeling procedures. Functional recovery of the LA muscle was determined via the testing of its in situ contractile properties. Compared to control muscles, reinnervated LA muscles were smaller, had fewer muscle fibers, generated a lower maximum tetanic tension, and were more fatigable. In spite of the fact that fewer motoneurons reinnervated the LA muscle after nerve cut on P14 than on P21, there were no differences in the weight or contractile properties of the LA muscle between these two groups. These data suggest that motoneurons that survived injury on P14 innervated more muscle fibers than normal and exhibited a similar ability to functionally reinnervate the target muscle as those motoneurons that survived injury on P21.

Age Factors↗

Supersensitivity of the isolated guinea-pig vas deferens induced by a toxic fraction of scorpion venom (Tityus serrulatus).

Tityustoxin (TsTx), a toxic fraction of Tityus serrulatus venom, was studied on the isolated guinea-pig vas deferens. It increased significantly the maximal response of the preparation to both norepinephrine and acetylcholine and decreased the effective median dose of norepinephrine. The effect of TsTx on norepinephrine median dose was unchanged when atropinized or pharmacologically "denervated" preparations were used but was abolished when both procedures were associated. Atropinization of pharmacologically denervated muscles almost never modify the TsTx-induced increase in the maximal response to norepinephrine. On denervated or phentolamine-treated muscles TsTx-induced increase in the maximal response to acetylcholine was abolished. It was concluded that toxin predominantly induces adrenergic postsynaptic supersensitivity. Of minor significance, it also induces presynaptic cholinergic and adrenergic supersensitivity. Comparison of these results with those of crude venom indicates that TsTx effects may result from the sum of the effects of subcomponents not demonstrated by the chemical procedures here utilized.

Acetylcholine↗