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Structural plasticity in motoneurons may be influenced by activation history and motoneuron-muscle fiber interactions. The goal of this study was to examine the morphological adaptations of phrenic motoneurons following imposed motoneuron inactivity while controlling for diaphragm muscle inactivity. Well-characterized rat models were used including unilateral C2 spinal hemisection (SH; ipsilateral phrenic motoneurons and diaphragm muscle are inactive) and tetrodotoxin phrenic nerve blockade (TTX; ipsilateral diaphragm muscle is paralyzed while phrenic motoneuron activity is preserved). We hypothesized that inactivity of phrenic motoneurons would result in a decrease in motoneuron size, consistent with a homeostatic increase in excitability. Phrenic motoneurons were retrogradely labeled by ipsilateral diaphragm muscle injection of fluorescent dextrans or cholera toxin subunit B. Following 2 weeks of diaphragm muscle paralysis, morphological parameters of labeled ipsilateral phrenic motoneurons were assessed quantitatively using fluorescence confocal microscopy. Compared to controls, phrenic motoneuron somal volumes and surface areas decreased with SH, but increased with TTX. Total phrenic motoneuron surface area was unchanged by SH, but increased with TTX. Dendritic surface area was estimated from primary dendrite diameter using a power equation obtained from three-dimensional reconstructed phrenic motoneurons. Estimated dendritic surface area was not significantly different between control and SH, but increased with TTX. Similarly, TTX significantly increased total phrenic motoneuron surface area. These results suggest that ipsilateral phrenic motoneuron morphological adaptations are consistent with a normalization of motoneuron excitability following prolonged alterations in motoneuron activity. Phrenic motoneuron structural plasticity is likely more dependent on motoneuron activity (or descending input) than muscle fiber activity., (© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

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 hypothesize that recovery of ipsilateral diaphragm muscle activity post-SH, whether spontaneous or enhanced by adenoassociated 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 electromyography electrode implantation and SH surgery. Rats were injected intrapleurally with AAV expressing TrkB or GFP 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 with untreated (3/5) or AAV-GFP-treated (4/10; P < 0.027) animals. Phrenic motoneuron NMDA NR1 subunit mRNA expression was approximately fourfold 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 glutamate receptor 2 (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 after AAV-TrkB treatment. J. Comp. Neurol. 525:1192-1205, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., (© 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)