Hyperproliferation of synapses on spinal motor neurons of Duchenne muscular dystrophy and myotonic dystrophy patients.
Synapses on the motor neurons of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and myotonic dystrophy (MD) were studied immunohistochemically using antibodies against synaptobrevin and synaptophysin. Some motor neurons showed hyperproliferation of synapses on the soma and the proximal dendrites. Hyperproliferated synapses were non-cholinergic, because they were not identified with antibodies against vesicular acetylcholine transporter. Regeneration of motor nerve terminals in patients with muscular diseases may affect reorganization of the subsets of central synapses.
Nagao
Masahiro
M
Department of Neurology, Tokyo Metropolitan Neurological Hospital, 2-6-1 Musashidai, Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan. nagaom@tmnh.fuchu.tokyo.jp
Kato
Shuichi
S
Hayashi
Hideaki
H
Misawa
Hidemi
H
D000368:Aged; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008161:Lumbosacral Region / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D008875:Middle Aged; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D020388:Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009223:Myotonic Dystrophy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D050683:R-SNARE Proteins; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D016708:Synaptophysin / Q000378:metabolism; D050494:Vesicular Acetylcholine Transport Proteins; D033921:Vesicular Transport Proteins
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D050683:R-SNARE Proteins; C493459:SLC18A3 protein, human; D016708:Synaptophysin; D050494:Vesicular Acetylcholine Transport Proteins; D033921:Vesicular Transport Proteins