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Loss of MeCP2 in the rat models regression, impaired sociability and transcriptional deficits of Rett syndrome.

ABSTRACT: Mouse models of the transcriptional modulator Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2) have advanced our understanding of Rett syndrome (RTT). RTT is a 'prototypical' neurodevelopmental disorder with many clinical features overlapping with other intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Therapeutic interventions for RTT may therefore have broader applications. However, the reliance on the laboratory mouse to identify viable therapies for the human condition may present challenges in translating findings from the bench to the clinic. In addition, the need to identify outcome measures in well-chosen animal models is critical for preclinical trials. Here, we report that a novel Mecp2 rat model displays high face validity for modelling psychomotor regression of a learned skill, a deficit that has not been shown in Mecp2 mice. Juvenile play, a behavioural feature that is uniquely present in rats and not mice, is also impaired in female Mecp2 rats. Finally, we demonstrate that evaluating the molecular consequences of the loss of MeCP2 in both mouse and rat may result in higher predictive validity with respect to transcriptional changes in the human RTT brain. These data underscore the similarities and differences caused by the loss of MeCP2 among divergent rodent species which may have important implications for the treatment of individuals with disease-causing MECP2 mutations. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that the Mecp2 rat model is a complementary tool with unique features for the study of RTT and highlight the potential benefit of cross-species analyses in identifying potential disease-relevant preclinical outcome measures.

SUBMITTER: Veeraragavan S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5179927 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Loss of MeCP2 in the rat models regression, impaired sociability and transcriptional deficits of Rett syndrome.

Veeraragavan Surabi S Wan Ying-Wooi YW Connolly Daniel R DR Hamilton Shannon M SM Ward Christopher S CS Soriano Sirena S Pitcher Meagan R MR McGraw Christopher M CM Huang Sharon G SG Green Jennie R JR Yuva Lisa A LA Liang Agnes J AJ Neul Jeffrey L JL Yasui Dag H DH LaSalle Janine M JM Liu Zhandong Z Paylor Richard R Samaco Rodney C RC

Human molecular genetics 20160630 15

Mouse models of the transcriptional modulator Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2 (MeCP2) have advanced our understanding of Rett syndrome (RTT). RTT is a 'prototypical' neurodevelopmental disorder with many clinical features overlapping with other intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Therapeutic interventions for RTT may therefore have broader applications. However, the reliance on the laboratory mouse to identify viable therapies for the human condition may present challenges in transla ...[more]

PMID: 27365498

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Project description:The goal of this study was to characterize a novel Mecp2 allele in the laboratory rat, a distinct rodent species from the laboratory mouse with unique features. The allele was created by zinc finger-nuclease (ZFN) targeting (SAGE/Horizon) of the X-linked gene, Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2 (Mecp2), resulting in normal Mecp2 RNA abundance, but absent protein in male rats as expected due to the presence of only one copy of mutant Mecp2, and an approximate 50% reduction in female rats as expected from animals that harbor one wild-type copy and one mutant copy of Mecp2. Behavioral characterization of female rats with the Mecp2 ZFN allele and wild-type littermates was conducted, and Mecp2 ZFN/+ female rats showed behavioral phenotypes that were consistent with disease-like features present during the early stages of disease onset in the neurological disorder Rett syndrome. The goal of conducting RNAseq studies was to compare existing gene expression alterations in the Mecp2 rat with one of the most widely studied Mecp2 mouse model. Hypothalami were obtained from males with complete loss of MeCP2 (ZFN/y) and wild-type littermate male rats for RNA-seq studies. Common and unique gene expression alterations among the Mecp2 rodents that were then tested in human Rett and control postmortem brain revealed the benefit of combining findings from both models, suggesting the predictive validity of this approach for future studies for the identification of potential preclinical outcome measures. QPCR validation in an independent set of rats was conducted with a subset of genes from the Mecp2 ZFN rat RNA-seq data as an additional control measure. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that the Mecp2 rat model is a complementary tool with unique features for the study of RTT and highlight the potential benefit of cross-species analyses in identifying potential disease-relevant preclinical outcome measures. Transcriptional profiles of hypothalamic samples obtained from male rats haboring a novel zinc-finger nuclease Mecp2 loss-of-function allele and corresponding wild-type littermate rats were generated using RNA-seq

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Loss of MeCP2 in the rat models regression, impaired sociability and transcriptional deficits of Rett syndrome.

Publications

Loss of MeCP2 in the rat models regression, impaired sociability and transcriptional deficits of Rett syndrome.

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