title: An improved method for avulsion of lumbar nerve roots as an experimental model of nitric oxide-mediated neuronal degeneration.
abstract: A root avulsion lesion on the spinal nerve of adult animals is a useful technique to make a model for axotomy-induced motoneuronal degeneration, which is thought to be mediated by nitric oxide (NO). Here, we show a simplified version of extravertebral avulsion in the young adult rat. The L4 nerve always runs under the transverse process of the L5 vertebra, which is located just rostral to the delineation of the iliac crest. We used the iliac crest as a clue for the identification of the L4 nerve during surgery, including before skin incision. In almost all animals the L4 nerve was successfully avulsed at the exit point from the spinal cord. This experimental result was similar to that shown in the previous literature; the number of either Nissl-stained or ChAT-immunoreactive (-ir) motoneurons (MN) gradually decreased, while NOS immunoreactivity was induced in the MN after avulsion. Furthermore, a combined method of confocal laser scanning microscopy and double fluorescent procedures carried out in this model suggested the existence of cellular interaction between NOS-ir MN and OX42-ir or ED1-ir microglia. It is concluded that this simple and fast method of spinal root avulsion is very useful for making a reproducible model of NO-mediated MN cell death, with which the mechanism of neuronal cell death, including neuron-glia interaction, can be further explored.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Higashi-ku Maidashi 3-1-1, 812-8582, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirata
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kuraoka
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawabuchi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D030161:Avian Proteins; D019771:Axotomy / Q000379:methods*; D051926:Basigin; D001798:Blood Proteins; D016923:Cell Death / Q000502:physiology; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000032:analysis; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis; D017628:Microglia / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology*; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000378:metabolism*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D030161:Avian Proteins; D001798:Blood Proteins; C102624:Bsg protein, Gallus gallus; C079432:Bsg protein, rat; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D051926:Basigin; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase