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Volume 17, Number 1,
Issue of January 1, 1997
pp. 470-476
Copyright ©1997 Society for Neuroscience
Adult Mammalian Sensory and Motor Neurons: Roles of Endogenous
Neurotrophins and Rescue by Exogenous Neurotrophins after Axotomy
John B. Munson3,
David
L. Shelton2, and
Stephen B. McMahon1
1 Department of Physiology, St Thomas' Hospital
Medical School, London SE1 7EH, United Kingdom,
2 Department of Neuroscience, Genentech Inc., South San
Francisco, California 94080, and 3 Department of
Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville,
Florida 32610
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
MATERIALS AND METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
FOOTNOTES
REFERENCES
ABSTRACT
We have tested the ability of neurotrophins to reverse
axotomy-induced changes in adult motor and sensory neurons, using the physiological measure of conduction velocity. Five weeks after axotomy,
sensory and motor conduction velocities were greatly reduced. NT-3 at
60 µg/d, pumped directly onto the cut nerve stump, largely prevented
the change in sensory fibers. Lower doses were less effective, and
NT-4/5 was without effect. In contrast, both NT-3 and NT-4/5 were
effective at rescuing motoneurons, with similar dose dependencies. This
amelioration of physiological deficits in adult mammalian neurons
suggests possible therapeutic application of neurotrophins. We have
also studied the physiological effects of neurotrophin deprivation on
intact peripheral neurons. After 2 weeks of sequestration of trkB
ligands (BDNF and NT-4/5), motor, but not sensory, neuron conduction
was significantly slowed. Sequestration of NT-3 was found to affect
both motor and sensory fiber velocities but more modestly and only with
higher doses of sequestering agent. These data therefore suggest that
peripherally produced neurotrophins are necessary for the maintenance
of normal functional properties of peripheral neurons.
Key words:
axotomy;
motoneurons;
sensory neurons;
degeneration;
neuropathy;
neurotrophin;
NT-3;
NT-4/5
INTRODUCTION
During development, all branches of the peripheral
nervous system (sensory, motor, and autonomic) depend critically on the availability of neurotrophins (Barbacid, 1994 ; McMahon and Priestley, 1995 ). Little is known, however, about the role of neurotrophins in
adult animals, even though most neurons of the peripheral nervous system continue to express one or more of the trk receptors (see McMahon and Priestley, 1995 ). The patterns of trk expression continue to be specific. Thus, small sensory neurons mostly express trkA, whereas trkC is expressed predominantly in large sensory neurons. Most
spinal motoneurons express trkB and many also express trkC, but not
trkA (Henderson et al., 1993 ).
There is good evidence that target-derived NGF exerts physiological
effects on small sensory neurons in the mature animal (McMahon et al.,
1995 ). There is also circumstantial evidence for other neurotrophins.
First, these continue to be expressed in peripheral targets in adult
animals (Funakoshi et al., 1993 ; Koliatsos et al., 1993 ; Griesbeck
et al., 1995 ). Second, motoneurons and large sensory neurons show
dramatic changes in their properties after axotomy of their peripheral
axons, when the retrograde supply of target-derived factors is
compromised. These changes include (1) a drop in neurotransmitter
levels; (2) a series of electrophysiological alterations [decline in
axonal conduction velocity (CV), rheobase, EPSP amplitude, and duration
of afterhyperpolarization and increase of input resistance for
motoneurons; reduced CV and inability to generate synaptic potentials
for sensory neurons]; (3) ultimately, the death of many axotomized
neurons. Because most of these changes are reversed or prevented if
sensory and motor neurons regenerate back to peripheral targets
(Mendell et al., 1995 ), it seems likely that they are dependent on
target-derived factor(s). This conclusion is supported also by the fact
that several of the effects of axotomy are seen in intact neurons
treated with axonal transport blockers to their peripheral axons
(Csillik and Knyihar-Csillik, 1982 ; Fitzgerald et al., 1984 ) or
blockage of neuromuscular transmission (Pinter et al., 1991 ).
The aims of the present study were twofold: (1) to test the hypothesis
that provision of exogenous neurotrophins to axotomized myelinated
sensory and motor neurons will reverse physiological effects of
axotomy, and (2) to test the hypothesis that sequestration of trkB and
trkC ligands will result in axotomy-like physiological effects on
sensory and motor neurons. As model systems, we have chosen hindlimb
nerves of the rat, which contain both motor and sensory neurons.
Provision or deprivation of specific neurotrophins to these mixed
nerves permits us to test their effectiveness on both motor and sensory
neurons. Rather than explore the entire range of physiological effects
of axotomy, which would require low-yield intracellular techniques, we
have chosen instead to use axonal CV of sensory and motor neurons
(measured by stimulating peripherally and recording from dorsal or
ventral roots) as being representative of the spectrum of effects of
axotomy. This is justified by the fact that the various
electrophysiological effects of axotomy and of recovery from axotomy
are known to occur in concert (Foehring et al., 1986 ).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We performed experiments on 64 adult male Wistar rats (tibial
nerve experiments, n = 41; gastrocnemius nerve
experiments, n = 23; see below), mean weight 271 ± 6 (SE) gm. Animals were prepared in an initial procedure using
pentobarbitone anesthesia, 40 mg/kg, intraperitoneally, and with
sterile precautions. Animals tolerated all procedures without incident,
gained weight normally, and appeared in excellent health throughout the
procedures.
Preparatory procedures. We conducted experiments of two
types: effects of NT-receptor bodies (trkB-IgG and trkC-IgG) on
intact nerves and effects of exogenous NT-3 and NT-4/5 on axotomized nerves. Effects of these molecules on peripheral nerve CV were determined by comparison with CVs of normal untreated nerves and with
CV of axotomized nerves, cut and capped with a 5 mm-long, 1 mm diameter
blind sleeve of Gore-Tex, (W.L. Gore). The data consist of CVs of
normal, normal and trkIgG-treated, axotomized, and axotomized and
NT-treated single tibial or gastrocnemius nerve fibers. CVs were
measured from the periphery to dorsal (sensory) and ventral (motor)
roots.
To investigate the effects of sequestering NTs, we infused NT receptor
bodies in the form of trkB-IgG and/or trkC-IgG molecules (Shelton et
al., 1995 ) into the region of the gastrocnemius muscles. A silicone
tube led from a subcutaneously implanted miniosmotic pump (Alzet type
2002) to the space between the heads of gastrocnemius medialis and
lateralis and delivered the trk-IgGs at 12 or 60 µg/d. Effects on
gastrocnemius sensory and motor nerve CVs were tested after 2 weeks
treatment.
To investigate the ability of exogenous NTs to ameliorate physiological
effects of axotomy (as an experimental model of mammalian peripheral
neuropathy), we used the axotomized tibial nerve. The tibial nerve is a
readily accessible mixed nerve containing both motor and sensory axons
projecting in large numbers through spinal roots L4-L6. The central
stump of the cut tibial nerve was placed in a 10 mm Gore-Tex sleeve
that had been secured with cyanoacrylate to a 25-mm-long silicone tube
containing a stylette. The tube was directed centrally, and the skin
closed over it. One or 3 weeks later, the tube was reexposed, the
stylette withdrawn, and a miniosmotic pump (Alzet type 2002) containing
NT or vehicle (10 mM acetate, 140 mM NaCl, pH
4-5) attached.
Experimental procedures. Terminal acute experiments were
performed using urethane anesthesia (1.25 g/kg, i.p.). The trachea and
a carotid artery were cannulated, the spinal cord exposed by L2-L5
dorsal laminectomy, and paraffin oil pools created over the exposed
spinal cord and the popliteal fossa of the left hindlimb. Core body
temperature was maintained near 37°C. Fine multifiber strands were
dissected in turn from the centrally cut dorsal and ventral roots of L4
and L5 and placed on silver electrodes for recording action potentials
elicited by electrical stimulation of the tibial or gastrocnemius
nerves (Fig. 1A). As stimulating current was progressively increased, the latency and current threshold were noted as each fiber was recruited (typically four to seven per
strand) (Fig. 1C). Scattergrams of these values (Fig.
1D) were inspected to eliminate fibers that might
have been recruited from the intact sural or common peroneal branches
of the sciatic nerve (i.e., any with short latency but high threshold).
Fifty to 100 each sensory and motor fibers were sampled in each
experiment. After data collection, animals were killed by anesthetic
overdose, and nerve conduction distance was measured for calculation of CV. Pumps were inspected to confirm that they had expelled their contents, and the integrity and placement of tubes and connections were
confirmed.
Fig. 1.
Experimental procedures. A, To test
the effect of sequestration of specific neurotrophins on motor and
sensory neurons, trkB-IgG and/or trkC-IgG was perfused between the
heads of the gastrocnemius muscles. Action potentials were elicited by
stimulation of the gastrocnemius muscle nerves and recorded in dorsal
(sensory) and ventral (motor) root neurons to determine CV.
B, To test the ability of neurotrophins to rescue CV of
axotomized motor and sensory neurons, the tibial nerve was axotomized
and provided with exogenous neurotrophins by miniosmotic pump and
silicone tubing. CVs of tibial sensory and motor neurons were measured
as above. C, Action potentials of individual fibers
(arrows) were recorded from a multifiber dorsal root
strand. Smaller, later-arriving action potentials require progressively
greater stimulus currents than do larger, early-arriving action
potential. D, Scattergram of latency (inversely related
to CV) and current threshold of normal sensory neurons. Neurons
recruited by current spread to other nerves would be of short latency
but high threshold (e.g., the data point at 500 µA, 35 m/sec).
[View Larger Version of this Image (18K GIF file)]
Data analysis. The entire distributions of CVs were plotted
as cumulative sum (cusum) histograms. Cusums from individual animals in
each group (n = 3-5) were averaged. The distributions
from different experimental groups were compared statistically using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Additionally, the CV of the fastest 10% of sensory and motor axons from each animal were computed. Mean
and SE of each treatment group were then generated and tested statistically with Student's t test. No allowance was made
for utilization time in calculating CV from latency.
RESULTS
In all experimental and control animals, CVs of 50-100
sensory axons and 50-100 motor axons were determined by recording from filaments of the L4 and L5 dorsal and ventral roots, respectively, while electrically stimulating the tibial or gastrocnemius nerves peripherally (Figure 1, A and B). For each
animal, it was therefore possible to reconstruct the CV distribution of
both sensory and motor neurons. The CV distribution of the three to six
animals in each treatment group was then averaged.
CV of normal and axotomized sensory and motor neurons
In intact animals CVs of myelinated sensory axons are distributed
rather uniformly from about 10 to 55 m/sec. Normal motor axons have a
bimodal CV distribution with one peak corresponding to motoneurons,
conducting at ~10-30 m/sec, and a second peak corresponding to motoneurons, conducting at ~30-55 m/sec. These distributions are
easily appreciated in cusum histograms of the entire obtained
populations of mean CVs for each treatment group (Fig.
2A,B,
respectively).
Fig. 2.
Cusum histograms of CVs of normal and
axotomized sensory (A) and motor (B)
neurons. Values (± SEM) are each from three experiments. Axotomy
progressively slows CVs of both populations, indicated by progression
of distributions to the left (lower values). Decline of
CVs is evident particularly in the faster portions of each sample.
Accordingly, the fastest 10% of each of these populations is shown in
Figures 4 and 5.
[View Larger Version of this Image (22K GIF file)]
Both sensory and motor axons showed progressive slowing 1, 3, and 5 weeks after axotomy (Fig. 2), and these changes are significant already
by 1 week (p < 0.05 in all cases vs intact
fibers, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test). Although all fiber sizes appear to
be affected, the shift in CV is seen most reliably in the larger
fibers. This is likely attributable to the fact that the smaller
fibers, having higher thresholds of activation and greater
susceptibility to damage during dissection, are subject to more
experimental variability and therefore may be under-represented in some
experiments. The fastest 10% of sensory and motor fibers are easily
activated, detected, and measured, and give a reliable indication of
the condition of a group of fibers reproducible from one treatment to
another. We have therefore analyzed and present also the mean CVs of
the fastest-conducting 10% of fibers from each animal of each
treatment group (see Figs. 4, 5). By this measure, mean sensory axon CV
drops from 49 m/sec in intact nerves to 43, 40, and 35 m/sec after 1, 3, and 5 weeks, statistically significant at all times
(p < 0.05 in all cases, Student's t
test). For motor axons, the fastest axons conducted at 51 m/sec (mean,
intact) and fell significantly to 47, 44, and 40 m/sec after 1, 3, and
5 weeks of axotomy (p < 0.05 in all cases,
Student's t test).
Fig. 4.
Histograms of CVs of fastest 10% of normal,
axotomized, and axotomized and NT-treated tibial nerve sensory neurons.
Data (± SEM) are averages from three experiments. Neurotrophins were
provided for the last 2 or 4 weeks of the 5 week axotomy period. NT-3
at higher doses, but not NT-4/5, rescued sensory neurons from
additional loss of CV.
[View Larger Version of this Image (40K GIF file)]
Fig. 5.
Histograms of CVs of fastest 10% of normal,
axotomized, and axotomized and treated tibial nerve motor neurons. Data
(± SEM) are averages from three experiments. Neurotrophins were
provided for the last 2 or 4 weeks of the 5 week axotomy period. Both
NT-3 and NT-4/5 effected rescue of motoneuron CV. Note that 4 weeks of
NT-4/5 treatment was no more effective than 2 weeks of treatment.
[View Larger Version of this Image (42K GIF file)]
Effects of exogenous neurotrophins on axotomized neurons
In these experiments, tibial nerves were axotomized for 5 weeks.
The effects of exogenous neurotrophin treatment for the last 2 or 4 of
the 5 weeks were studied. NT-3, NT-4/5, or a combination of the two was
given at total doses of 6 or 60 µg/d (Figs. 3, 4, 5). In
each animal, both sensory and motor axons were studied.
Fig. 3.
Cusum histograms of CVs of normal and axotomized
and treated (vehicle or neurotrophin) tibial nerve sensory and motor
axons. Data points (± SEM) are averages from three experiments. CVs of sensory axons were rescued by higher doses of NT-3; CVs of motor axons
were rescued by higher doses of both NT-3 and NT-4/5.
[View Larger Version of this Image (45K GIF file)]
Sensory neurons
Two weeks of treatment with NT-3 at 6 µg/d after 3 weeks'
axotomy was without significant effect on CV of sensory fibers (i.e., CVs did not differ from the 5 week axotomy values) (Figs.
3A, 4). However, the same treatment with NT-3 at 60 µg/d
retained sensory CVs at values intermediate between those of normal and of 5 weeks' axotomy, a value that was close to that existing at the
time of onset of NT treatment (i.e., after 3 weeks of axotomy) (Figs.
3B, 4). The distribution of CVs was significantly different from the vehicle-treated group (p < 0.01, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test), as was the value of the fastest 10% of
fibers (p < 0.01: Student's t
test). Even greater rescue of CV occurred with 4 weeks of NT-3 treatment at this dose (Figs. 3C, 4); CVs were equal to or
higher at the end of the treatment than at the 1 week time of axotomy. With this treatment, the distribution of CV was not significantly different from that of intact animals (p < 0.05, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test).
NT-4/5 alone at any dose was without effect on the fastest 10% of
sensory axon CVs (Fig. 4), but at the highest dose had a small, nonsignificant effect on the overall distribution of CVs (Fig.
3C). Combinations of NT-3 and NT-4/5 at high dose were no more effective than NT-3 alone, consistent with the lack of effect of
NT-4/5 alone.
Motoneurons
Treatment of axotomized motor nerves with neurotrophins at 6 µg/d was largely without effect on motoneuron CV. The were no significant changes in the fastest 10% of fibers
(p > 0.05, Student's t test) (Fig.
5) or in the cusum distributions for NT-3 (Fig. 3D). However, the low-dose NT-4/5 treatment group was
significantly different from the vehicle-treated animals, with the
difference consisting of a small shift in only the more variably
sampled slowly conducting fibers. The higher doses of neurotrophin,
however, had robust and consistent effects. Treatment for 2 weeks with NT-4/5 at 60 µg/d produced a clear and highly significant shift in
the CV distribution (p < 0.01, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test). When NT-4/5 was given for 4 weeks at this
higher dose, there was an additional rightward shift in the overall CV
distribution (Fig. 3F), although the fastest 10% of
motor axons showed no additional improvement (Fig. 5)
(p > 0.05; Student's t test).
Motor axons were sensitive also to treatment with NT-3 at the higher
dose; both 2 and 4 weeks at 60 µg/d resulted in significant shifts in
the CV distribution (p < 0.05, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test). Only the 4 week treatment, however, had a
significant effect on the fastest axons (p < 0.05, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test). The combined treatment NT-3 and NT-4/5
at the higher dose (Fig. 5) showed no significant improvement over that
of the individual neurotrophins.
Effects of sequestration of endogenous neurotrophins on
intact neurons
We also tested the effects of sequestration of specific ligands on
CV of intact sensory and motor neurons. trkB-IgG and/or trkC-IgG was
infused for 2 weeks into the gastrocnemius muscles, and measurement was
made of CVs of the gastrocnemius sensory and motor neurons. Control
animals receiving identical surgery but delivery of only vehicle showed
no significant changes in sensory or motor CV (data not shown).
Motoneurons
Two weeks' treatment with trkB-IgG (Fig.
6D) at 12 µg/d significantly reduced
CV of intact gastrocnemius motor axons (p < 0.01, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test) (Fig. 6D). After this
treatment, CVs were intermediate between those of intact and 2 week
axotomized motoneurons. The effect was specific to motoneurons (see
below) accounting for any uncontrolled experimental variables.
Treatment with the same dose of trkC-IgG was without significant
effect (Fig. 6E), but a fivefold higher dose (60 µg/d) resulted in a significant slowing (p < 0.01, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test) (Fig. 6F) that was
somewhat smaller than that seen with trkB-IgG. Combined treatment with
trkB-IgG and trkC-IgG at 12 µg/d was no more effective than
trkB-IgG alone (data not shown).
Fig. 6.
Cusum histograms of CVs of normal and 2 week
axotomized gastrocnemius sensory and motor neurons and normal neurons
with neurotrophins sequestered by trkB-IgG or trkC-IgG. CVs of
motoneurons but not sensory neurons were slowed by trkB-IgG. trkC-IgG
at 12 µg/d was without effect, but at 60 µg/d both sensory and
motor neurons were slowed.
[View Larger Version of this Image (43K GIF file)]
Sensory neurons
At 12 µg/d, neither trkB-IgG nor trkC-IgG reduced CV of
gastrocnemius sensory neurons (Fig.
6A,B). Similarly, combined
treatment with trkB-IgG and trkC-IgG at this dose produced no
significant reduction in CV (data not shown). However, treatment with
trkC-IgG at 60 µg/d did result in a significant reduction in CV
(p < 0.05, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test) (Fig.
6C), which appeared more marked on the fastest conducting
fibers.
DISCUSSION
The principal findings of this study are (1) that at least one
functional consequence of peripheral axotomy of motor and sensory neurons can be reversed by provision of specific exogenous
neurotrophins, and (2) that in adult animals with intact peripheral
nerves, deprivation of specific neurotrophins can produce an
axotomy-like effect. The latter finding implies that neurotrophins
continue to exert physiological effects on peripheral neurons in adult
animals, whereas the former suggests a potential therapeutic role in
the treatment of some peripheral neuropathies.
Provision of exogenous neurotrophins to axotomized
peripheral nerves
Motoneurons
On motoneurons, we observed that exogenous NT-4/5 and, to a lesser
extent, NT-3, were able to rescue cells from an effect of axotomy.
These results are consistent with the known patterns of trk expression
in adult motoneurons. In one study, 96% of adult motoneurons
projecting through the sciatic nerve were found to express trkB and
82% trkC (Henderson et al., 1993 ). It is not clear whether the two
major subgroups of motoneurons, and , differentially express
trks. In the present study, we can distinguish between these neurons on
the basis of CV; the break point between the groups lies at ~25-30
m/sec. It is interesting that the trend in our data was for NT-3 to be
more effective on the slower motoneurons and the NT-4/5 on the faster
motoneurons, at least with the higher dose of neurotrophin used (see
Fig. 3). If substantiated, this would suggest that the entire
innervation of muscle spindles ( motoneurons and large sensory
neurons) is sensitive selectively to NT-3, and this in turn is
consistent with the preferential expression of NT-3 mRNA in muscle
spindles (Copray and Brouwer, 1994 ). Groups Ia and Ib sensory fibers,
fusimotor neurons, and intrafusal muscle fibers are all absent in
NT-3-deficient mice (Ernfors et al., 1994 ; Kucera et al., 1995 ). A
preferential effect of NT-4/5 to rescue motoneurons is consistent
also with the distribution of trkB ligands in extrafusal muscle fibers
(Koliatsos et al., 1993 ; Funakoshi et al., 1993 ; Griesbeck et al.,
1995 ). It is also possible that some of these observed effects of NT-3 may have been mediated by its ability to signal via trkB.
Our findings here are consistent with a histochemical study by
Friedman et al. (1995) , who reported that BDNF and NT-4/5 applied to
tibial motoneurons could reverse the downregulation of ChAT that
occurred with axotomy. They too found that relatively high doses of
neurotrophin were necessary (30 but not 3 µg/d).
Sensory neurons
Axotomized myelinated sensory neurons were rescued by NT-3. This
finding is consistent with the known distribution of trk receptors in
adult animals in that many large muscle and cutaneous afferents (the
targets of the tibial nerve studied here) are known to express trkC
(McMahon et al., 1994 ). It is also known that many large sensory
neurons, particularly those innervating skeletal muscle, are
developmentally sensitive to NT-3 (Ernfors et al., 1994 ; Airaksinen et
al., 1996 ) (see also Snider and Silos-Santiago, 1996 ). The selectivity
of action observed here was marked. The trkB ligand NT4/5 was found not
to rescue axotomized afferents (at least the faster conducting
myelinated population studied here), although some sensory neurons do
express trkB in adult animals, and sensory neurons can retrogradely
transport NT-4/5 (Curtis et al., 1995 ).
Our findings with NT-3 on axotomized sensory neurons are consistent
with one other report on the neuroprotective action of this molecule in
a model of sensory neuropathy. Gao et al. (1995) used repeated systemic
injections of NT-3 in animals rendered neuropathic with cisplatin. They
monitored H-reflexes to gain an average measurement of the CV of the
fastest muscle afferents. They found that NT-3 at 1 mg/kg, three times
per week, was able to prevent cisplatin-induced sensory neuron slowing.
Deprivation of endogenous neurotrophins from intact
peripheral nerves
Motoneurons
Our experiments with neurotrophin-sequestering molecules
also suggest that endogenously produced neurotrophins are important for
the normal maintenance of motoneurons. We found that a 2 week period of
trkB ligand deprivation was sufficient to induce a consistent and
significant slowing of motoneuron CV. Smaller but significant effects
were also seen with higher doses of the NT-3-sequestering fusion
molecule. In both cases, effects were less than those seen after
axotomy, but of course the lesion caused by axotomy is immediate and
complete, whereas the trk-IgG treatment is likely to be progressive. It is also possible that access of the trkIgG might be variable, depending on the relative position of cannula and motor nerve terminal.
Some motor axons terminating deep within the muscle might lie too far
away from the source of sequestering molecule to receive an effective
blocking dose. The effects of the trk-IgG fusion molecules are
consistent with the rescue effects seen with exogenous neurotrophins.
The greater effectiveness of trkB-IgG over trkC-IgG may reflect a
genuine difference in the biological roles of trkB ligands versus NT-3.
It might also derive from more limited diffusion of the trkC fusion
protein.
The importance of neurotrophins on developing motoneurons is presently
somewhat uncertain. Animals with "double knock-outs" of the BDNF
and NT4/5 genes show no significant loss of spinal motoneurons (Conover
et al., 1995 ; Liu et al., 1995 ), although the initial reports of the
trkB knock-out suggested some cell loss here. trkC ( / ) animals are
also reported to show a 28% loss of fibers in ventral roots, implying
a limited degree of motoneuron death (Klein et al., 1994 ).
Sensory neurons
We did not see any physiological impairment of intact muscle
afferents with sequestration of trkB ligands under conditions in which
motoneurons were affected. This finding was consistent with the lack of
rescue of axotomized sensory neurons by NT-4/5. Sequestration of NT-3
with trkC-IgG at 12 µg/d was also ineffective on muscle sensory
neurons. The higher dose of 60 µg/d did result in a significant
slowing of, in particular, the fastest sensory axons. This higher dose
may have been necessary because the terminals of the relevant fibers
are located deeply in the muscle belly and somewhat distant tendons.
The actions of trkC-IgG are consistent with the rescue effects of NT-3
on damaged sensory axons and with the known patterns of trk expression
on these neurons.
The trk immunoadhesins used in this work are quite potent and specific
blockers of the neurotrophins, within the limits of their natural
ligand specificities. Ligand specificity is most problematic for the
experiments using trkB-IgG, because, of the trks, this receptor
interacts with the widest range of neurotrophins. BDNF, NT-4/5, and, to
a lesser extent, NT-3 all bind to trkB and so might be suspected of
being the endogenous molecules being blocked. Although it is impossible
to be absolutely certain which ligand(s) is being blocked in the
experiments reported here, in vitro work suggests that it is
likely that trkB-IgG is primarily working by blocking BDNF and/or
NT-4/5. Although neither trkB-IgG nor trkC-IgG has any detectable
effect on NGF biological activity, in vitro blocking
experiments (data not shown) demonstrate that trkB-IgG is able to
shift dose-response curves for BDNF or NT-4/5 biological activity by
several orders of magnitude. Under similar conditions, trkB-IgG is
only able to shift the dose-response curve for NT-3 by two- to
threefold. Conversely, trkC-IgG has no detectable effect on BDNF or
NT-4/5 activity, yet is able to inhibit NT-3 activity by several
hundredfold. A higher dose of trkC-IgG than trkB-IgG was required to
see even moderate effects on motorneuron CV, and so any effect
attributable to the lower dose of trkB-IgG must certainly result from
blockade of BDNF or NT-4/5. Thus, although trkB-IgG experiments cannot
readily distinguish between BDNF and/or NT-4/5 activity, it is very
unlikely that the results obtained with trkB-IgG in this study are
attributable to blockade of NT-3.
In summary, these results demonstrate that neurotrophins continue to
exert specific biological effects on adult mammalian myelinated sensory
and motor neurons. Here, we have used CV as a convenient assay of these
effects. CV is determined by axon caliber, which in turn is regulated
by neurofilament production. Neurofilament production and transport and
axonal diameter and CV are all reduced after peripheral nerve
transection (for review, see Verge et al., 1990 ). Exogenous NGF
restores neurofilament mRNA in the subpopulation of axotomized DRG
cells with high-affinity NGF receptors (Verge et al., 1990 ). The
present results suggest that peripheral nerve neurofilament mRNA and,
thus, axon caliber and CV are sensitive also to trkB and trkC ligands.
It seems likely that neurotrophins may control other neuronal
properties, such as chemical phenotype and neuronal connectivity, which
are known to depend on target-derived influences in much the same way
as CV. It is also known that many of the electrophysiological
consequences of axotomy occur in concert with changes in CV (Foehring
et al., 1986 ). Our results would also predict that particular
neurotrophins may be of use therapeutically in treating some peripheral
neuropathic states.
FOOTNOTES
Received July 26, 1996; revised Sept. 27, 1996; accepted Oct. 17, 1996.
This work was supported by grants from the Medical Research Council of
Great Britain (S.B.M.), National Institutes of Health Grant RO1
NS-15913 (J.B.M.), and a Collaborative Research Grant from NATO. We
thank Caroline Abel, Tabitha Springall, Cathleen Yedinak, Dr. Sridhar
Viswanathan, and Dr. Charles Schmelzer for their excellent technical
assistance.
Correspondence should be addressed to Prof. S. B. McMahon, Department
of Physiology, St. Thomas Hospital Medical School, Lambeth Palace Road,
London SE1 7EH, UK.
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