FIGURE SUMMARY
Title

Neuromuscular junction abnormalities in a zebrafish loss-of-function model of TDP-43

Authors
Bose, P., Armstrong, G.A.B., Drapeau, P.
Source
Full text @ J. Neurophysiol.

Significant morphological defects and reduced survival in hom/hom mutants. A: images of 48-h postfertilization larvae of the following different genotypes: wild type (WT), tardbp−/−tardbpl−/−het/hom, and hom/hom. Scale bar, 1 mm. Arrow indicates inflated pericardium in het/hom and hom/homlarvae. B–D: body length (B), eye diameter (C), and pericardial area (D) were measured for each treatment group. hom/hom mutants displayed significantly reduced body length and eye diameter and increased pericardial area (**P < 0.01). Additionally, het/hom larvae also displayed a significantly increased pericardial area (*P < 0.05). E: percent survival of WT, tardbp−/−tardbpl−/−het/hom, and hom/hommutant larvae tracked for 12 days. All hom/hom mutants died between 4 and 6 days (P < 0.01). Data are means ± SE; N = 2, n = 62. Numbers in parentheses indicate sample sizes.

 

 

 

 

Significant locomotor and coiling defects in hom/hom mutants. A and B: burst count per minute (A) and burst duration (B) were measured for the following different genotypes: wild type (WT), tardbp−/−tardbpl−/−het/hom, and hom/hom at 17 h postfertilization (hpf). hom/hom mutants show a significantly reduced burst count per minute compared with all the other different genotypes. C: 4 superimposed locomotor path traces of 48-hpf larvae from the following different genotypes: WT, tardbp−/−tardbpl−/−het/hom, and hom/hom. D–F: swim duration (D), swim distance (E), and maximum velocity (F) were measured for each treatment group in the touch-evoked escape response (TEER) assay. hom/hom mutants displayed significant locomotor defect in all parameters of the TEER assay compared with all other different genotypes (**P < 0.01). Additionally, het/hom mutant larvae also showed significantly reduced swim distance compared with WT, tardbp−/−, and tardbpl−/− larvae (*P < 0.05). Numbers in parentheses indicate sample sizes for the TEER assay in each treatment group. Data are means ± SE.

Significantly reduced miniature end-plate current (mEPC) frequency in hom/hom mutants. A–C: the passive membrane properties membrane potential (Vm; A), capacitance (Cm; B), and membrane resistance (Rm; C) of fast-twitch muscle cells at 48 h postfertilization for the following different genotypes: wild type (WT), tardbp−/−tardbpl−/−het/hom, and hom/hom. hom/hom mutants displayed a significantly depolarized membrane potential compared with the other different genotypes (P < 0.01). D: recordings of mEPCs, which result from spontaneous release of quanta, were done. hom/hom mutants showed a significantly reduced frequency (**P < 0.01). *P < 0.05. E: representative mEPCs for 5 min for all different genotypes from a 10-min recording. F: mEPC amplitude. G: overlay of representative individual mEPC from all different genotypes. H and I: decay constant (τ; H) and rise time (I) were measured across all different genotypes. No other significant differences were found. Numbers in parentheses indicate sample sizes. Data are means ± SE.

Significantly compromised neuromuscular junction (NMJ) connectivity in hom/hom mutants. A: representative images of one ventral root projection at 2 days postfertilization (dpf) labeled with synaptotagmin 1 (ZNP-1; presynaptic marker), sulforhodamine-conjugated α-bungarotoxin (αBTX; postsynaptic marker), and merged. B: representative images of one ventral root projection at 3 dpf labeled with ZNP-1 (presynaptic marker), sulforhodamine-conjugated αBTX (postsynaptic marker), and merged. Wild-type (WT) larvae demonstrate tight colocalization of both ZNP-1 and αBTX (merged). Scale bar is 25 μm for all images. C: quantification of orphaned ZNP-1 puncta to total ZNP-1 puncta. At 2 dpf, all other genotypes displayed significantly greater orphaned ZNP-1 puncta compared with WT larvae (one-way ANOVA, post hoc Tukey’s test; #P < 0.05). At 3dpf, all other genotypes displayed significantly greater orphaned ZNP-1 puncta compared with WT larvae (one-way ANOVA, post hoc Tukey’s test; $P < 0.05). Paired t-test between the same group at 2 and 3 dpf indicates a significant difference in het/hom and hom/hom mutants (paired t-test; *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01). D: quantification of orphaned αBTX puncta to total αBTX puncta. At 2 dpf, all other genotypes displayed significantly greater orphaned ZNP-1 puncta compared with WT larvae (one-way ANOVA, post hoc Tukey’s test; #P < 0.05). At 3dpf, all other genotypes displayed significantly greater orphaned ZNP-1 puncta compared with WT larvae (one-way ANOVA, post hoc Tukey’s test; $P < 0.05). Paired t-test between the same group at 2 and 3 dpf indicates a significant difference in tardbp−/− and hom/hom mutants (paired t-test; *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01). Data are means ± SE. Numbers in parentheses indicate sample sizes.

 

 

 

 

A: 5 superimposed locomotor path traces of 48-h postfertilization (hpf) het/hom mutants without and with chronic application of BAY K 8644 (2 μM). B–D: swim duration (B), swim distance (C), and maximum velocity (D) were measured at 48 hpf in WT and het/hom mutants after chronic application of BAY K 8644 (2 μM) in the touch-evoked escape response (TEER) assay. het/hom mutants with treatment displayed significant recovery from locomotor defect in swim duration and swim distance of the TEER assay compared with het/hom mutants without treatment (paired t-test; P < 0.01). E: recordings of miniature end-plate currents (mEPCs) from 2-day postfertilization (dpf) het/hom mutants after chronic application of BAY K 8644 (2 μM). het/hom mutants showed a significant recovery in mEPC frequency (paired t-test; **P < 0.01). F and G: distance swam (F) and mean velocity (G) at 5 dpf by het/hom mutants untreated and treated with BAY K 8644 (2 μM) for 4 days. **P < 0.01.

Acknowledgments
This image is the copyrighted work of the attributed author or publisher, and ZFIN has permission only to display this image to its users. Additional permissions should be obtained from the applicable author or publisher of the image. Full text @ J. Neurophysiol.