Knee Osteoarthritis Induces Atrophy and Neuromuscular Junction Remodeling in the Quadriceps and Tibialis Anterior Muscles of Rats

Overview

Journal Sci Rep

Specialty Science

Date 2019 Apr 26

PMID 31019213

Citations 29

Authors

Jonathan Emanuel Cunha

Germanna Medeiros Barbosa

Paula Aiello Tome de Souza Castro

Beatriz Leite Ferreira Luiz

Andreza Cristine Arcari Silva

Thiago Luiz Russo

Fernando Augusto Vasilceac

Thiago Mattar Cunha

Fernando Queiroz Cunha

Tania Fatima Salvini

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is associated with muscle weakness, but it is unclear which structures are involved in the muscle changes. This study assessed morphological alterations and the expression of genes and proteins linked to muscular atrophy and neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) in KOA, induced by anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) in rats. Two groups of rats were assessed: control (without intervention) and KOA (ACLT surgery in the right knee). After 8 weeks, quadriceps, tibialis anterior (TA) and gastrocnemius muscles were analyzed (area of muscle fibers, NMJ, gene and protein expression). KOA group showed atrophy in quadriceps (15.7%) and TA (33%), with an increase in atrogin-1 and muscle RING-finger protein-1 (MuRF-1). KOA group showed quadriceps NMJ remodeling (reduction area and perimeter) and decrease in NMJ diameter in TA muscle. The expression of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) γ-nAChR increased and that of α-nAChR and muscle specific tyrosine kinase (MuSK) declined in the quadriceps, with a decrease in ε-nAChR in TA. MuRF-1 protein expression increased in quadriceps and TA, with no changes in neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM). In conclusion, ACLT-induced KOA promotes NMJ remodeling and atrophy in quadriceps and TA muscles, associated with inflammatory signs and changes in muscle gene and protein expression.

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