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Changes in muscle proteins following different neural lesions
1Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio.
Clinical Physiology and Biochemistry
|January 1, 1990
Summary
Nerve damage significantly alters muscle protein levels in rats, affecting myosin light chains and other proteins. These complex neural influences suggest distinct central pathways impact motor neurons and muscle properties.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Muscle Physiology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Neural pathways critically regulate muscle protein expression.
- Understanding these neural influences is key to comprehending muscle plasticity and function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of diverse nerve lesions on muscle protein composition.
- To identify specific protein alterations in different rat hindlimb muscles following neural insults.
Main Methods:
- Electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gels was used to analyze protein concentrations.
- Adult female rats underwent various nerve lesions, including cordotomy, sciatic nerve section, corticospinal tract lesions, and motor cortex removal.
Main Results:
- Cordotomy altered myosin light chains in the soleus (SOL) muscle, with decreases in Lcs1/Lcs2 and increases in Lcf1/Lcf2/Lcf3, but not in extensor digitorum longus (EDL) or plantaris (PLN).
- Sciatic nerve section, corticospinal tract lesions, and motor cortex removal induced distinct protein band changes across EDL, PLN, and SOL muscles.
- A specific 14,000-dalton protein band was affected by all four lesion types.
Conclusions:
- Neural control over muscle protein profiles is highly complex.
- Specific central pathways to motor neurons likely mediate some of these neural influences on muscle properties.