Fate of rubrospinal neurons after unilateral section of the cervical spinal cord in adult macaque monkeys: effects of an antibody treatment neutralizing Nogo-A.
The present study describes in primates the effects of a spinal cord injury on the number and size of the neurons in the magnocellular part of the red nucleus (RNm), the origin of the rubrospinal tract, and evaluates whether a neutralization of Nogo-A reduces the lesioned-induced degenerative processes observed in RNm. Two groups of monkeys were subjected to unilateral section of the spinal cord affecting the rubrospinal tract; one group was subsequently treated with an antibody neutralizing Nogo-A; the second group received a control antibody. Intact animals were also included in the study. Counting neurons stained with a monoclonal antibody recognizing non-phosphorylated epitopes on neurofilaments (SMI-32) indicated that their number in the contralesional RNm was consistently inferior to that in the ipsilesional RNm, in a proportion amounting up to 35%. The lesion also induced shrinkage of the soma of the neurons detected in the contralesional RNm. Infusing an anti-Nogo-A antibody at the site of the lesion did not increase the proportion of SMI-32 positive rubrospinal neurons in the contralesional RNm nor prevent shrinkage.
Wannier-Morino
P
P
Unit of Physiology and Program in Neurosciences, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Sciences, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 5, Fribourg, Switzerland.
Schmidlin
E
E
Freund
P
P
Belhaj-Saif
A
A
Bloch
J
J
Mir
A
A
Schwab
M E
ME
Rouiller
E M
EM
Wannier
T
T
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019771:Axotomy; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008251:Macaca; D009185:Myelin Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins / Q000187:drug effects; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology*; D000070798:Nogo Proteins; D011712:Pyramidal Tracts / Q000473:pathology*; D012012:Red Nucleus / Q000473:pathology*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000473:pathology*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D009185:Myelin Proteins; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins; D000070798:Nogo Proteins; C000603199:RTN4 protein, human