title: Delayed functional recovery in presymptomatic mSOD1G93Amice following facial nerve crush axotomy.
abstract: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease involving progressive loss of motoneurons (MN). Axonal pathology and presynaptic deaf-ferentation precede MN degeneration during disease progression in patients and the ALS mouse model (mSOD1). Previously, we determined that a functional adaptive immune response is required for complete functional recovery following a facial nerve crush axotomy in wild-type (WT) mice. In this study, we investigated the effects of facial nerve crush axotomy on functional recovery and facial MN survival in presymptomatic mSOD1 mice, relative to WT mice. The results indicate that functional recovery and facial MN survival levels are significantly reduced in presymptomatic mSOD1, relative to WT, and similar to what has previously been observed in immunodeficient mice. It is concluded that a potential immune system defect exists in the mSOD1 mouse that negatively impacts neuronal survival and regeneration following target disconnection associated with peripheral nerve axotomy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Illinois ; Research and Development Service, Hines VA Hospital, Hines, Illinois ; Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana.
authors.forename: Nichole A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Mesnard
authors.affiliation: Research and Development Service, Hines VA Hospital, Hines, Illinois ; Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana.
authors.forename: Melissa M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Haulcomb
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Illinois ; Research and Development Service, Hines VA Hospital, Hines, Illinois.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tanzer
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Virology, Immunology, and Medical Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.
authors.forename: Virginia M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Sanders
authors.affiliation: Research and Development Service, Hines VA Hospital, Hines, Illinois ; Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana.
authors.forename: Kathryn J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Jones
keywords: ALS; Axotomy; Functional recovery; Motoneuron survival; SOD1