Disruption of calcitonin gene-related peptide signaling accelerates muscle denervation and dampens cytotoxic neuroinflammation in SOD1 mutant mice.

ABSTRACT: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal motor neuron disease. Neuronal vacuolization and glial activation are pathologic hallmarks in the superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) mouse model of ALS. Previously, we found the neuropeptide calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) associated with vacuolization and astrogliosis in the spinal cord of these mice. We now show that CGRP abundance positively correlated with the severity of astrogliosis, but not vacuolization, in several motor and non-motor areas throughout the brain. SOD1 mice harboring a genetic depletion of the βCGRP isoform showed reduced CGRP immunoreactivity associated with vacuolization, while motor functions, body weight, survival, and astrogliosis were not altered. When CGRP signaling was completely disrupted through genetic deple

SUBMITTER: Ringer C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11107523 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature