成熟和幼年神经肌肉对卸载的可塑性反应。
Mature and Juvenile Neuromuscular Plasticity in Response to Unloading.
作者信息
Deschenes Michael R, Rackley Max, Fernandez Sophie, Heidebrecht Megan
机构信息
Department of Kinesiology & Health Sciences, College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, USA.
Program in Neuroscience, College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, USA.
出版信息
Dev Neurobiol. 2025 Jul;85(3):e22966. doi: 10.1002/dneu.22966.
The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is the synapse that enables the requisite electrical communication between the motor nervous system and the myofibers that respond to such electrical stimulation with movement and force development. Changes in an NMJ's normal activity pattern have been demonstrated to remodel both the synapse and the myofibers that comprise the NMJ. Significant amounts of research have been devoted to the study of aging on the neuromuscular system. Far less, however, has been focused on revealing the effects of reduced activity on the NMJ and myofibers comprising juvenile neuromuscular systems. In the present investigation, the consequences of decreased activity imposed by muscle unloading (UL) via hindlimb suspension for 2 weeks (a period known to induce muscle remodeling) were examined in both young adult, that is, mature (8 mo), and juvenile (3 mo) neuromuscular systems. In total, 4 treatment groups comprised of 10 animals (Juvenile-Control, Juvenile-Unloaded, Mature-Control, and Mature-Unloaded) were studied. Immunofluorescent procedures, coupled with confocal microscopy, were used to quantify remodeling of both the pre- and postsynaptic features of NMJs, as well as assessing the myofiber profiles of the soleus muscles housing the NMJs of interest. Results of ANOVA procedures revealed that there were significant (p < 0.05) main effects for both treatment, whereby UL consistently led to expanded size of the NMJ, and Age where expanded NMJ dimensions were consistently linked with mature compared to juvenile neuromuscular systems. Moreover, only sporadically was interaction between the main effects of Age and Treatment noted. Importantly, one variable that remained impressively resistant to the effects of both Age and Treatment was the critical parameter of pre- to postsynaptic coupling suggesting stability in effective communication at the NMJ throughout the lifespan and despite changes in activity patterns. The data presented here suggest that further inquiry must be performed regarding disuse-related plasticity of the neuromuscular system in adolescent individuals as those individuals regularly suffer injuries resulting in periods of muscle UL.
神经肌肉接头(NMJ)是一种突触,它能使运动神经系统与肌纤维之间进行必要的电信号交流,肌纤维会对这种电刺激产生运动和力量变化。研究表明,NMJ正常活动模式的改变会重塑突触以及构成NMJ的肌纤维。大量研究致力于衰老对神经肌肉系统影响的研究。然而,关注减少活动对构成幼年神经肌肉系统的NMJ和肌纤维影响的研究却少得多。在本研究中,通过后肢悬吊2周(已知该时间段会诱导肌肉重塑)使肌肉卸载(UL)从而导致活动减少,研究了其对年轻成年即成熟(8个月)和幼年(3个月)神经肌肉系统的影响。总共研究了4个治疗组,每组10只动物(幼年对照组、幼年卸载组、成熟对照组和成熟卸载组)。采用免疫荧光法结合共聚焦显微镜来量化NMJ突触前和突触后特征的重塑情况,并评估包含相关NMJ的比目鱼肌的肌纤维轮廓。方差分析结果显示,治疗和年龄均有显著(p<0.05)主效应,其中UL始终导致NMJ尺寸增大,与幼年神经肌肉系统相比,成熟神经肌肉系统中增大的NMJ尺寸始终相关。此外,年龄和治疗主效应之间仅偶尔存在相互作用。重要的是,一个对年龄和治疗效应均具有显著抗性的变量是突触前到突触后的关键耦合参数,这表明在整个生命周期中,尽管活动模式发生变化,但NMJ处有效通信保持稳定。此处呈现的数据表明,对于青少年个体神经肌肉系统与废用相关的可塑性,必须进行进一步研究,因为这些个体经常遭受导致肌肉UL期的损伤。