Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: serum factors enhance spontaneous and evoked transmitter release at the neuromuscular junction

Muscle & Nerve
T J O'ShaughnessyY I Kim

Abstract

Sera from 30 patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) were tested to determine their effects at the neuromuscular junction. Spontaneous transmitter release was significantly increased, as evidenced by a 151% increase in MEPP frequency, by sera from 16 ALS patients. In addition, 16 patients' sera elevated EEP quantal content by an average of 89%. Eleven sera produced both effects. There was no consistent change in MEPP amplitude or time course, indicating the absence of a humoral effect on postjunctional ACh receptors or endplate membrane function. These results suggest that a portion of the sporadic ALS patient population possess serum factors that can alter presynaptic function of the motor nerve terminal. Evidence from the present experiments indicates that alterations at the neuromuscular junction are a result of a combination of increased Ca2+ influx into the cell and an independent increase in intracellular calcium concentration.

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Citations

Aug 10, 2011·Neurology Research International·Mario Rafael PaganiOsvaldo Daniel Uchitel
Jul 24, 2001·Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Other Motor Neuron Disorders : Official Publication of the World Federation of Neurology, Research Group on Motor Neuron Diseases·S H AppelD R Mosier
Apr 23, 2016·Neuromuscular Disorders : NMD·Maria Del Mar AmadorGaëlle Bruneteau
Apr 9, 2016·Journal of Neuroinflammation·Nawal Bahia El IdrissiDirk Troost
Sep 7, 2006·Experimental Brain Research·Patricia Souza dos SantosPaulo Cesar de Carvalho-Alves

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