The mechanism underlying axotomy-induced motoneuron loss is not fully understood, but appears to involve molecular changes within the injured motoneuron and the surrounding local microenvironment (neuropil). The mouse facial nucleus consists of six subnuclei which respond differentially to facial nerve transection at the stylomastoid foramen. The ventromedial (VM) subnucleus maintains virtually full facial motoneuron (FMN) survival following axotomy, whereas the ventrolateral (VL) subnucleus results in significant FMN loss with the same nerve injury. We hypothesized that distinct molecular phenotypes of FMN existed within the two subregions, one responsible for maintaining cell survival and the other promoting cell death. In this study, we used laser microdissection to isolate VM and VL facial subnuclear regions for molecular characterization. We discovered that, regardless of neuronal fate after injury, FMN in either subnuclear region respond vigorously to injury with a characteristic “regenerative” profile and additionally, the surviving VL FMN appear to compensate for the significant FMN loss. In contrast, significant differences in the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNA in the surrounding neuropil response were found between the two subnuclear regions of the facial nucleus that support a causative role for glial and/or immune-derived molecules in directing the contrasting responses of the FMN to axonal transection.

The target disconnection theory of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) pathogenesis suggests disease onset is initiated by a peripheral pathological event resulting in neuromuscular junction loss and motoneuron (MN) degeneration. Pre-symptomatic mSOD1G93A mouse facial MN (FMN) are more susceptible to axotomy-induced cell death than wild-type (WT) FMN, which suggests additional CNS pathology. We have previously determined that the mSOD1 molecular response to facial nerve axotomy is phenotypically regenerative and indistinguishable from WT, whereas the surrounding microenvironment shows significant dysregulation in the mSOD1 facial nucleus. To elucidate the mechanisms underlying the enhanced mSOD1 FMN loss after axotomy, we superimposed the facial nerve axotomy model on pre-symptomatic mSOD1 mice and investigated gene expression for death receptor pathways after target disconnection by axotomy vs. disease progression. We determined that the TNFR1 death receptor pathway is involved in axotomy-induced FMN death in WT, and partially responsible for the mSOD1 FMN death. In contrast, an inherent mSOD1 CNS pathology resulted in a suppressed glial reaction and an upregulation in the Fas death pathway after target disconnection. We propose that the dysregulated mSOD1 glia fail to provide support to injured MN, leading to Fas-induced FMN death. Finally, we demonstrated that during disease progression, the mSOD1 facial nucleus displays target disconnection-induced gene expression changes that mirror those induced by axotomy. This validates the use of axotomy as an investigative tool in understanding the role of peripheral target disconnection in the pathogenesis of ALS.

Petrie JL, Patman GL, Sinha I, Alexander TD, Reeves HL, Agius L. The rate of production of uric acid by hepatocytes is a sensitive index of compromised cell ATP homeostasis. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 305: E1255-E1265, 2013. First published September 17, 2013; doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00214.2013.-Plasma levels of uric acid, the final product of purine degradation in humans, are elevated in metabolic syndrome and are strongly associated with insulin resistance and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Hepatic and blood levels of purine metabolites (inosine, hypoxanthine, and xanthine) are also altered in pathophysiological states. We optimized a rat hepatocyte model to test the hypothesis that the production of uric acid by hepatocytes is a potential marker of compromised homeostasis of hepatocellular inorganic phosphate (Pi) and/or ATP. The basal rate of uric acid production from endogenous substrates in rat hepatocytes was comparable to that in human liver and was Ͻ10% of the maximum rate with saturating concentrations of purine substrates. It was marginally (ϳ20%) decreased by insulin and increased by glucagon but was stimulated more than twofold by substrates (fructose and glycerol) that lower both cell ATP and Pi, and by inhibitors of mitochondrial respiration (complexes I, III, and V) that lower ATP but raise cell Pi. Clearance of inosine and its degradation to uric acid were also inhibited by cell Pi depletion. Analysis of gene expression in NAFLD biopsies showed an association between mRNA expression of GCKR, the glucokinase regulatory protein that is functionally linked to uric acid production, and mRNA expression of the phosphate transporters encoded by SLC17A1/3. Uric acid production by hepatocytes is a very sensitive index of ATP depletion irrespective of whether cell Pi is lowered or raised. This suggests that raised plasma uric acid may be a marker of compromised hepatic ATP homeostasis. nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; hyperuricemia; fructose; mitochondrial function PLASMA LEVELS OF URIC ACID, the final product of purine degradation in humans (Fig. 1), are strongly associated with insulin resistance (39) and with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) (2,20,28). Plasma uric acid reflects the balance between endogenous production by the liver and excretion by the kidney and gut (29). Genome meta-analyses identified common variants in the GCKR gene, which encodes the inhibitor protein of liver glucokinase (GCK) in association with raised serum uric acid levels (18,19,44), and functional studies confirmed a link between GCKR expression in hepatocytes and uric acid production (UAP) (3, 5). However, the minor GCKR variant that associates with raised uric acid levels and hepatic steatosis is associated with decreased rather than increased insulin resistance (26, 31). This indicates that other factors must contribute to the association of hyperuricemia and insulin resistance (39).Lifestyle factors linked to hyperuricemia include obesity and consumption of fructose or ethanol (1, 39, 43). Of these, fr...

Following crush injury to the facial nerve in Syrian hamsters, treatment with androgens enhances axonal regeneration rates and decreases time to recovery. It has been demonstrated in vitro that the ability of androgen to enhance neurite outgrowth in motoneurons is dependent on neuritin-a protein that is involved in the re-establisment of neuronal connectivity following traumatic damage to the central nervous system and that is under the control of several neurotrophic and neuroregenerative factors--and we have hypothesized that neuritin is a mediator of the ability of androgen to increase peripheral nerve regeneration rates in vivo. Testosterone treatment of facial nerve-axotomized hamsters resulted in an approximately 300% increase in neuritin mRNA levels 2 days post-injury. Simultaneous treatment with flutamide, an androgen receptor blocker that is known to prevent androgen enhancement of nerve regeneration, abolished the ability of testosterone to upregulate neuritin mRNA levels. In a corroborative in vitro experiment, the androgen dihydrotestosterone induced an approximately 100% increase in neuritin mRNA levels in motoneuron-neuroblastoma cells transfected with androgen receptors, but not in cells without androgen receptors. These data confirm that neuritin is under the control of androgens, and suggest that neuritin is an important effector of androgen in enhancing peripheral nerve regeneration following injury. Given that neuritin has now been shown to be involved in responses to both central and peripheral injuries, and appears to be a common effector molecule for several neurotrophic and neurotherapeutic agents, understanding the neuritin pathway is an important goal for the clinical management of traumatic nervous system injuries.

In this review, we will summarize recent work from our laboratory on the role of gonadal steroids as neuroprotective agents in motoneuron viability following cell stress. Three motoneuron models will be discussed: developing axotomized hamster facial motoneurons (FMNs); adult axotomized mouse FMNs; and immortalized, cultured mouse spinal motoneurons subjected to heat shock. New work on two relevant motoneuron proteins, the survival of motor neuron protein, and neuritin or candidate plasticity-related gene 15, indicates differential steroid regulation of these two proteins after axotomy. The concept of gonadal steroids as cellular stress correction factors and the implications of this for acute neurological injury situations will be presented as well.