title: Strong P2X4 purinergic receptor-like immunoreactivity is selectively associated with degenerating neurons in transgenic rodent models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
abstract: The distribution of the P2X family of ATP receptors was analyzed in a rat model for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) expressing mutated human superoxide dismutase (mSOD1(G93A)). We showed that strong P2X(4) immunoreactivity was selectively associated with degenerating motoneurons (MNs) in spinal cord ventral horn. Degenerating P2X(4)-positive MNs did not display apoptotic features such as chromatin condensation, positive TUNEL reaction, or active caspase 3 immunostaining. In contrast, these neurons showed other signs of abnormality, such as loss of the neuronal marker NeuN and recruitment of microglial cells with neuronophagic activity. Similar changes were observed in MNs from the cerebral cortex and brainstem in mSOD1(G93A) in both rat and mice. In addition, P2X(4) immunostaining demonstrated the existence of neuronal degeneration in the locus coeruleus, reticular formation, and Purkinje cells of the cerebellar cortex. It is suggested that abnormal trafficking and proteolytic processing of the P2X(4) receptor protein may underlie these changes.
authors.affiliation: Unitat de Neurobiologia Cellular, Departament de Medicina Experimental, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de Lleida and IRBLLEIDA, Montserrat Roig 2, 25008, Lleida, Catalonia, Spain.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Casanovas
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tarabal
authors.forename: Jaume
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rosselló
authors.forename: Josep E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Esquerda
mesh_terms: D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D000870:Anterior Horn Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008125:Locus Coeruleus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D011689:Purkinje Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011903:Raphe Nuclei / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D058848:Receptors, Purinergic P2X4; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000235:genetics; D000072105:Superoxide Dismutase-1
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; C548226:P2RX4 protein, human; C548227:P2rx4 protein, mouse; C548228:P2rx4 protein, rat; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2; D058848:Receptors, Purinergic P2X4; C000606290:SOD1 protein, human; C000606291:Sod1 protein, mouse; C000606292:Sod1 protein, rat; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D000072105:Superoxide Dismutase-1