Motor neuron loss and neuromuscular transmission failure following chemogenetic inhibition of BDNF/TrkB signaling in adult rats

Abstract

Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling through its high-affinity tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) is known to have potent effects on motor neuron survival and morphology during development and in neurodegenerative diseases. However, the specific effects of reduced BDNF/TrkB signaling on neuromuscular structure and function in adult mammals are not as well known. In this study, we employed a novel 1NMPP1 sensitive TrkBF616 rat model to evaluate the effect of 14 days inhibition of BDNF/TrkB signaling on the number and morphology of phrenic motor neurons (PhMNs) and diaphragm muscle (DIAm) neurotransmission in adult animals. We hypothesized that reduced BDNF/TrkB signaling results in PhMN loss and impaired DIAm neuromuscular transmission. Adult female and male TrkBF616 rats were divided into 1NMPP1 or vehicle treated groups. Three days prior to treatment, PhMNs in both groups were labeled via intrapleural injection of Alexa-Fluor647 cholera toxin B (CTB). After 11 days of treatment, retrograde axonal transport was assessed by secondary labeling of PhMNs by intrapleural injection of Alexa-Fluor488 CTB. After 14 days of treatment, the spinal cord was excised and 100 μm thick spinal sections containing PhMNs were imaged in 3D using two-channel confocal microscopy. Phrenic nerve and DIAm was excised en bloc, and the extent of neuromuscular transmission failure (NMTF) was assessed by comparing DIAm isometric forces evoked by nerve (40 Hz in 330 ms duration trains repeated each s) compared to direct muscle stimulation (40 Hz 330 ms duration train) superimposed every 15 s. Presynaptic (synaptophysin immunoreactivity) and postsynaptic (α-Bungarotoxin) compartments of neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) were labeled and imaged in 3D by confocal microscopy and the extent of pre- and postsynaptic apposition assessed. 1NMPP1-induced BDNF/TrkB inhibition reduced the total number of PhMNs by ~16%, reduced the mean PhMN somal surface areas by ~25%, reduced PhMN dendritic surface area by ~38%, impaired secondary CTB uptake by 2.5-fold and impaired neuromuscular transmission by ~33%, with no overt evidence of NMJ derangement. We conclude that inhibition of BDNF/TrkB signaling in adult TrkBF616 rats is sufficient to lead to PhMN loss, morphological degeneration, deficits in retrograde axonal transport and impaired DIAm neurotransmission. Supported by NIH: R01-AG44615 and R01-HL146114 This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2023 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.