Tetanus toxin C-fragment protects against excitotoxic spinal motoneuron degeneration in vivo.

ABSTRACT: The tetanus toxin C-fragment is a non-toxic peptide that can be transported from peripheral axons into spinal motoneurons. In in vitro experiments it has been shown that this peptide activates signaling pathways associated with Trk receptors, leading to cellular survival. Because motoneuron degeneration is the main pathological hallmark in motoneuron diseases, and excitotoxicity is an important mechanism of neuronal death in this type of disorders, in this work we tested whether the tetanus toxin C-fragment is able to protect MN in the spinal cord in vivo. For this purpose, we administered the peptide to rats subjected to excitotoxic motoneuron degeneration induced by the chronic infusion of AMPA in the rat lumbar spinal cord, a well-established model developed in our laboratory. Because t

SUBMITTER: Netzahualcoyotzi C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6224557 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature