Elsevier

Neuroscience Letters

Volume 235, Issues 1–2, 10 October 1997, Pages 69-72
Neuroscience Letters

Sera from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients reduce high-voltage activated Ca2+ currents in mice dorsal root ganglion neurons

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-3940(97)00720-9Get rights and content

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of sera from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients on high voltage activated (HVA) Ca2+ current in mice dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cells using whole-cell voltage-clamp method. Mice were injected with sera from healthy adults, from patients with other neurological diseases, and from patients with the sporadic form of ALS, for a period of 3 days. Sera from five of six ALS patients reduced HVA Ca2+ current amplitude. The peak Ca2+ current was significantly reduced by ALS sera while the sera from healthy adults and patients with other diseases did not alter Ca2+ current. The inactivation kinetics was altered by ALS sera, and the half-inactivation voltage shifted to more negative potential in ALS group. These results suggest that sporadic ALS serum factors may exert interactions with the HVA Ca2+ channel in DRG cells to reduce the Ca2+ current.

Section snippets

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Dr. Dae Won Seo in Sam Sung Medical Center who kindly gave us patients' sera. This study was supported by a grant from Seoul National University Hospital Research Fund (No. 03-95-031,032).

References (21)

  • S.H Appel et al.

    Immunoglobulins from animal models of motor neuron disease and from human amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients passively transfer physiological abnormalities to the neuromuscular junction

    Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA

    (1991)
  • C Arsac et al.

    Immunoassays fail to detect antibodies against neuronal calcium channels in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis serum

    Ann. Neurol.

    (1996)
  • W.G Bradley et al.

    Morphometric and biochemical studies of peripheral nerves in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

    Ann. Neurol.

    (1983)
  • O Delbono et al.

    Calcium current and charge movement of mammalian muscle: action of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis immunoglobulins

    J. Physiol.

    (1991)
  • M.E Gurney et al.

    Motor neuron degeneration in mice that express a human Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase mutation

    Science

    (1994)
  • G.A Jamal et al.

    Sensory involvement in motor neuron disease: further evidence from automated thermal threshold determination

    J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry

    (1985)
  • Y Kawamura et al.

    Morphometric comparison of the vulnerability of peripheral motor and sensory neurons in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

    J. Neuropathol. Exp. Neurol.

    (1981)
  • F Kimura et al.

    Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients antibodies label Ca2+ channel a1 subunit

    Ann. Neurol.

    (1994)
  • Kuncl, R.W., Crawford, T.O., Rothstein, J.D. and Drachman, D.B., Motor neuron diseases. In A.K. Asbury, G.M. Mckhann,...
  • V.A Lennon et al.

    Calcium-channel antibodies in the Lambert–Eaton syndrome and other paraneoplastic syndromes

    N. Engl. J. Med.

    (1995)
There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

Cited by (0)

View full text