title: Induction of c-Jun immunoreactivity in spinal cord and brainstem neurons in a transgenic mouse model for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
abstract: Transgenic mice carrying amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)-linked superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) mutations develop a motoneuron disease resembling human ALS. c-Jun is a transcription factor frequently induced in injured neurons. In this study we have examined the distribution of c-Jun-immunoreactivity in the brainstem and spinal cord of transgenic SOD1 mice with a glycine 93 alanine (G93A) mutation. In non-transgenic littermates c-Jun immunostaining was predominantly situated in motoneurons. The number of c-Jun immunoreactive motoneuron was reduced in SOD1(G93A) mice due to pronounced loss of motoneurons. In SOD1(G93A) mice, however, c-Jun-immunoreactivity was strongly induced in neurons in the intermediate zone (Rexed's laminae V-VIII and X) of the spinal cord and throughout the brainstem reticular formation. These findings are of interest since increased levels of c-jun also have been found in the intermediate zone of the spinal cord of ALS patients. This c-Jun may be involved in the neurodegenerative processes both in ALS and in motoneuron disease in SOD1(G93A) mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. jaarsma@anat.fgg.eur.nl
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jaarsma
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Holstege
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Troost
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kennis
authors.forename: E D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Haasdijk
authors.forename: V J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: de Jong
mesh_terms: D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D007158:Immunologic Techniques; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / Q000378:metabolism*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000235:genetics; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D007527:Isoenzymes; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase