In aging Fischer 344 rats, phrenic motor neuron loss, neuromuscular junction abnormalities, and diaphragm muscle (DIAm) sarcopenia are present by 24 mo of age, with larger fast-twitch fatigue-intermediate (type FInt) and fast-twitch fatigable (type FF) motor units particularly vulnerable. We hypothesize that in old rats, DIAm neuromuscular transmission deficits are specific to type FInt and/or FF units. In phrenic nerve/DIAm preparations from rats at 6 and 24 mo of age, the phrenic nerve was supramaximally stimulated at 10, 40, or 75 Hz. Every 15 s, the DIAm was directly stimulated, and the difference in forces evoked by nerve and muscle stimulation was used to estimate neuromuscular transmission failure. Neuromuscular transmission failure in the DIAm was observed at each stimulation frequency. In the initial stimulus trains, the forces evoked by phrenic nerve stimulation at 40 and 75 Hz were significantly less than those evoked by direct muscle stimulation, and this difference was markedly greater in 24-mo-old rats. During repetitive nerve stimulation, neuromuscular transmission failure at 40 and 75 Hz worsened to a greater extent in 24-mo-old rats compared with younger animals. Because type IIx and/or IIb DIAm fibers (type FInt and/or FF motor units) display greater susceptibility to neuromuscular transmission failure at higher frequencies of stimulation, these data suggest that the age-related loss of larger phrenic motor neurons impacts nerve conduction to muscle at higher frequencies and may contribute to DIAm sarcopenia in old rats. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Diaphragm muscle (DIAm) sarcopenia, phrenic motor neuron loss, and perturbations of neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) are well described in aged rodents and selectively affect FInt and FF motor units. Less attention has been paid to the motor unit-specific aspects of nerve-muscle conduction. In old rats, increased neuromuscular transmission failure occurred at stimulation frequencies where FInt and FF motor units exhibit conduction failures, along with decreased apposition of pre- and postsynaptic domains of DIAm NMJs of these units.

Cervical spinal hemisection at C2 (SH) removes premotor drive to phrenic motoneurons located in segments C3–C5 in rats. Spontaneous recovery of ipsilateral diaphragm muscle activity is associated with increased phrenic motoneuron expression of glutamatergic N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors and decreased expression of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-proprionic acid (AMPA) receptors. Glutamatergic receptor expression is regulated by tropomyosin related kinase receptor subtype B (TrkB) signaling in various neuronal systems and increased TrkB receptor expression in phrenic motoneurons enhances recovery post-SH. Accordingly, we hypothesized that recovery of ipsilateral diaphragm muscle activity post-SH, whether spontaneous or enhanced by adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated upregulation of TrkB receptor expression, is associated with increased expression of glutamatergic NMDA receptors in phrenic motoneurons. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent diaphragm EMG electrode implantation and SH surgery. Rats were injected intrapleurally with AAV expressing TrkB or GFP at 3 weeks before SH. At 14 days post-SH, the proportion of animals displaying recovery of ipsilateral diaphragm activity increased in AAV-TrkB treated (9/9) compared to untreated (3/5) or AAV-GFP treated animals (4/10; p < 0.027). Phrenic motoneuron NMDA NR1 subunit mRNA expression was ~4-fold greater in AAV-TrkB vs. AAV-GFP treated SH animals (p < 0.004) and in animals displaying recovery vs. those not recovering (p < 0.005). Phrenic motoneuron AMPA GluR2 subunit mRNA expression decreased after SH and albeit increased in animals displaying recovery vs. those not recovering, levels remained lower than control. We conclude that increased phrenic motoneuron expression of glutamatergic NMDA receptors is associated with spontaneous recovery after SH and enhanced recovery following AAV-TrkB treatment.

Background Trophic interactions between muscle fibers and motoneurons at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) play a critical role in determining motor function throughout development, ageing, injury, or disease. Treatment of neuromuscular disorders is hindered by the inability to selectively target motoneurons with pharmacological and genetic interventions. New method We describe a novel delivery system to motoneurons using mesoporous silica nanoparticles encapsulated within a lipid bilayer (protocells) and modified with the atoxic subunit B of the cholera toxin (CTB) that binds to gangliosides present on neuronal membranes. Results CTB modified protocells showed significantly greater motoneuron uptake compared to unmodified protocells after 24 h of treatment (60% vs. 15%, respectively). CTB-protocells showed specific uptake by motoneurons compared to muscle cells and demonstrated cargo release of a surrogate drug. Protocells showed a lack of cytotoxicity and unimpaired cellular proliferation. In isolated diaphragm muscle-phrenic nerve preparations, preferential axon terminal uptake of CTB-modified protocells was observed compared to uptake in surrounding muscle tissue. A larger proportion of axon terminals displayed uptake following treatment with CTB-protocells compared to unmodified protocells (40% vs. 6%, respectively). Comparison with existing method(s) Current motoneuron targeting strategies lack the functionality to load and deliver multiple cargos. CTB-protocells capitalizes on the advantages of liposomes and mesoporous silica nanoparticles allowing a large loading capacity and cargo release. The ability of CTB-protocells to target motoneurons at the NMJ confers a great advantage over existing methods. Conclusions CTB-protocells constitute a viable targeted motoneuron delivery system for drugs and genes facilitating various therapies for neuromuscular diseases.

Cholera toxin B (CTB) modified mesoporous silica nanoparticle supported lipid bilayers (CTB-protocells) are a promising, customizable approach for targeting therapeutic cargo to motoneurons. In the present study, the endocytic mechanism and intracellular fate of CTB-protocells in motoneurons were examined to provide information for the development of therapeutic application and cargo delivery. Pharmacological inhibitors elucidated CTB-protocells endocytosis to be dependent on the integrity of lipid rafts and macropinocytosis. Using immunofluorescence techniques, live confocal and transmission electron microscopy, CTB-protocells were primarily found in the cytosol, membrane lipid domains and Golgi. There was no difference in the amount of motoneuron activity dependent uptake of CTB-protocells in neuromuscular junctions, consistent with clathrin activation at the axon terminals during low frequency activity. In conclusion, CTB-protocells uptake is mediated principally by lipid rafts and macropinocytosis. Once internalized, CTB-protocells escape lysosomal degradation, and engage biological pathways that are not readily accessible by untargeted delivery methods.

In this study, we described a method for generating functional, beige (thermogenic) adipose microtissues from human microvascular fragments (MVFs). The MVFs were isolated from adipose tissue acquired from adults over 50 years of age. The tissues express thermogenic gene markers and reproduce functions essential for the potential therapeutic impact of beige adipose tissues such as enhanced lipid metabolism and increased mitochondrial respiration. MVFs serve as a potential single, autologous source of cells that can be isolated from adult patients, induced to recreate functional aspects of beige adipose tissue and enable rapid vascularization post-transplantation. This approach has the potential to be used as an autologous therapy for metabolic diseases or as a model for the development of a personalized approach to high-throughput drug development/screening for adipose tissue.