title: Thioredoxin-2 Modulates Neuronal Programmed Cell Death in the Embryonic Chick Spinal Cord in Basal and Target-Deprived Conditions.
abstract: Thioredoxin-2 (Trx2) is a mitochondrial protein using a dithiol active site to reduce protein disulfides. In addition to the cytoprotective function of this enzyme, several studies have highlighted the implication of Trx2 in cellular signaling events. In particular, growing evidence points to such roles of redox enzymes in developmental processes taking place in the central nervous system. Here, we investigate the potential implication of Trx2 in embryonic development of chick spinal cord. To this end, we first studied the distribution of the enzyme in this tissue and report strong expression of Trx2 in chick embryo post-mitotic neurons at E4.5 and in motor neurons at E6.5. Using in ovo electroporation, we go on to highlight a cytoprotective effect of Trx2 on the programmed cell death (PCD) of neurons during spinal cord development and in a novel cultured spinal cord explant model. These findings suggest an implication of Trx2 in the modulation of developmental PCD of neurons during embryonic development of the spinal cord, possibly through redox regulation mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Group of Animal Molecular and Cellular Biology, Institut des Sciences de la Vie (ISV), Université catholique de Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pirson
authors.affiliation: Group of Animal Molecular and Cellular Biology, Institut des Sciences de la Vie (ISV), Université catholique de Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
authors.forename: Stéphanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Debrulle
authors.affiliation: Group of Animal Molecular and Cellular Biology, Institut des Sciences de la Vie (ISV), Université catholique de Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Clippe
authors.affiliation: Group of Neural Differentiation, Institute of Neuroscience (IONS), Université catholique de Louvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Clotman
authors.affiliation: Group of Animal Molecular and Cellular Biology, Institut des Sciences de la Vie (ISV), Université catholique de Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Knoops
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D016923:Cell Death / Q000502:physiology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D002642:Chick Embryo; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000235:genetics; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D013879:Thioredoxins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D013879:Thioredoxins