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Enhanced sensitivity of laforin- and malin-deficient mice to the convulsant agent pentylenetetrazole.

ABSTRACT: Lafora disease is a rare form of inherited progressive myoclonus epilepsy caused by mutations in the EPM2A gene encoding laforin, or in the EPM2B gene, which encodes malin. It is characterized by the presence of polyglucosan inclusion bodies (Lafora bodies) in brain and other tissues. Genetically engineered mice lacking expression of either the laforin (Epm2a(-/-) ) or malin (Epm2b(-/-) ) genes display a number of neurological and behavioral abnormalities that resemble those found in patients suffering from Lafora disease; of these, both Epm2a(-/-) and Epm2b(-/-) mice have shown altered motor activity, impaired motor coordination, episodic memory deficits, and different degrees of spontaneous epileptic activity. In this study, we analyze the sensitivity of Epm2a(-/-) and Epm2b(-/-) mice to the convulsant drug pentylenetetrazol (PTZ), an antagonist of the ?-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptor, commonly used to induce epileptic tonic-clonic seizures in laboratory animals. PTZ-induced epileptic activity, including myoclonic jerks and tonic-clonic seizures, was analyzed in 2 age groups of mice comprising representative samples of young adult and aged mice, after administration of PTZ at sub-convulsive and convulsive doses. Epm2a(-/-) and Epm2b(-/-) mice showed a lower convulsive threshold after PTZ injections at sub-convulsive doses. A lower convulsive threshold and shorter latencies to develop epileptic seizures were observed after PTZ injections at convulsive doses. Different patterns of generalized seizures and of discharges were observed in Epm2a(-/-) and Epm2b(-/-) mice. Epm2a(-/-) and Epm2b(-/-) mice present an increased sensitivity to the convulsant agent PTZ that may reflect different degrees of increased GABAA receptor-mediated hyperexcitability.

SUBMITTER: Garcia-Cabrero AM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4162417 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Enhanced sensitivity of laforin- and malin-deficient mice to the convulsant agent pentylenetetrazole.

García-Cabrero Ana M AM Sánchez-Elexpuru Gentzane G Serratosa José M JM Sánchez Marina P MP

Frontiers in neuroscience 20140912

Lafora disease is a rare form of inherited progressive myoclonus epilepsy caused by mutations in the EPM2A gene encoding laforin, or in the EPM2B gene, which encodes malin. It is characterized by the presence of polyglucosan inclusion bodies (Lafora bodies) in brain and other tissues. Genetically engineered mice lacking expression of either the laforin (Epm2a(-/-) ) or malin (Epm2b(-/-) ) genes display a number of neurological and behavioral abnormalities that resemble those found in patients su ...[more]

PMID: 25309313

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Project description:Cholera toxin, an 84-kDa multimeric protein and a major virulence factor of Vibrio cholerae, uses the ADP-ribosyltransferase activity of its A subunit to intoxicate host cells. ADP-ribosylation is a posttranslational modification of proteins, in which the ADP-ribose moiety of NAD+ is transferred to an acceptor. In mammalian cells, ADP-ribosylation of acceptors appears to be reversible. ADP-ribosyltransferases (ARTs) catalyze the modification of acceptor proteins, and ADP-ribose-acceptor hydrolases (ARHs) cleave the ADP-ribose-acceptor bond. ARH1 specifically cleaves the ADP-ribose-arginine bond. We previously demonstrated a role for endogenous ARH1 in regulating the extent of cholera toxin-mediated fluid and electrolyte abnormalities in a mouse model of intoxication. Murine ARH1-knockout (KO) cells and ARH1-KO mice exhibited increased sensitivity to cholera toxin compared to their wild-type (WT) counterparts. In the current report, we examined the sensitivity to cholera toxin of male and female ARH1-KO and WT mice. Intestinal loops derived from female ARH1-KO mice when injected with cholera toxin showed increased fluid accumulation compared to male ARH1-KO mice. WT mice did not show gender differences in fluid accumulation, ADP-ribosylarginine content, and ADP-ribosyl Gαs levels. Injection of 8-Bromo-cAMP into the intestinal loops also increased fluid accumulation, however, there was no significant difference between female and male mice or in WT and KO mice. Female ARH1-KO mice showed greater amounts of ADP-ribosylated Gαs protein and increased ADP-ribosylarginine content both in whole intestine and in epithelial cells than did male ARH1-KO mice. These results demonstrate that female ARH1-KO mice are more sensitive to cholera toxin than male mice. Loss of ARH1 confers gender sensitivity to the effects of cholera toxin but not of cyclic AMP. These observations may in part explain the finding noted in some clinical reports of enhanced symptoms of cholera and/or diarrhea in women than men.

Dataset Information

Enhanced sensitivity of laforin- and malin-deficient mice to the convulsant agent pentylenetetrazole.

Publications

Enhanced sensitivity of laforin- and malin-deficient mice to the convulsant agent pentylenetetrazole.

Similar Datasets

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