ATG5 overexpression is neuroprotective and attenuates cytoskeletal and vesicle-trafficking alterations in axotomized motoneurons.

ABSTRACT: Injured neurons should engage endogenous mechanisms of self-protection to limit neurodegeneration. Enhancing efficacy of these mechanisms or correcting dysfunctional pathways may be a successful strategy for inducing neuroprotection. Spinal motoneurons retrogradely degenerate after proximal axotomy due to mechanical detachment (avulsion) of the nerve roots, and this limits recovery of nervous system function in patients after this type of trauma. In a previously reported proteomic analysis, we demonstrated that autophagy is a key endogenous mechanism that may allow motoneuron survival and regeneration after distal axotomy and suture of the nerve. Herein, we show that autophagy flux is dysfunctional or blocked in degenerated motoneurons after root avulsion. We also found that there were abn

SUBMITTER: Leiva-Rodriguez T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5967323 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature