GDNF overexpression fails to provoke muscle recovery from botulinum toxin poisoning: A preliminary study

• Published in: Microsurgery Vol. 32; no. 5; pp. 370 - 376
• Main Authors: Lin, Kenny F., Sun, Hank H., Macewan, Matthew R., Mackinnon, Susan E., Johnson, Philip J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01-07-2012
• Subjects: Animals; Botulinum Toxins, Type A - administration & dosage; Botulinum Toxins, Type A - pharmacology; Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor - metabolism; Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor - physiology; Mice; Mice, Transgenic; Muscle Strength - drug effects; Muscle Strength - physiology; Muscle, Skeletal - drug effects; Muscle, Skeletal - metabolism; Muscle, Skeletal - pathology; Muscle, Skeletal - physiology; Muscular Atrophy - chemically induced; Nerve Block - methods; Neuromuscular Agents - administration & dosage; Neuromuscular Agents - pharmacology; Organ Size; Recovery of Function - physiology; Up-Regulation
• ISSN: 0738-1085; 1098-2752
• DOI: 10.1002/micr.21967

Glial cell line‐derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) has potent axonal growth and survival effects on motoneurons. This study used transgenic Myo‐GDNF mice to assess the effects of targeted GDNF overexpression on functional recovery after botulinum toxin type A (BTxA) chemodenervation. BTxA (0.1 U) was injected into the tibialis anterior (TA) muscle of wild‐type CF1 and transgenic Myo‐GDNF mice. On days 1, 7, 14, and 21 after injection, evoked muscle force production and muscle mass were measured (n = 6, for each group at each time point). Greater maximal tetanic force and calculated specific force were evoked in Myo‐GDNF animals when compared with control CF1 animals at days 1, 7, and 21. However, the differences were not statistically significant. Similarly, modest reductions in muscle atrophy in the Myo‐GDNF group at all time points were not statistically significant. Targeted overexpression of GDNF in the muscles of Myo‐GDNF mice did not improve motor recovery in the first 21 days after BTxA chemodenervation. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microsurgery, 2012.