Similar striatal gene expression profiles in the striatum of the YAC128 and HdhQ150 mouse models of Huntington's disease are not reflected in mutant Huntingtin inclusion prevalence.

Background: The YAC128 model of Huntington's disease (HD) shows substantial deficits in motor, learning and memory tasks and alterations in its transcriptional profile. We examined the changes in the transcriptional profile in the YAC128 mouse model of HD at 6, 12 and 18 months and compared these with those seen in other models and human HD caudate.

Results: Differential gene expression by genotype showed that genes related to neuronal function, projection outgrowth and cell adhesion were altered in expression.

CREB regulates spine density of lateral amygdala neurons: implications for memory allocation.

Neurons may compete against one another for integration into a memory trace. Specifically, neurons in the lateral nucleus of the amygdala with relatively higher levels of cAMP Responsive Element Binding Protein (CREB) seem to be preferentially allocated to a fear memory trace, while neurons with relatively decreased CREB function seem to be excluded from a fear memory trace. CREB is a ubiquitous transcription factor that modulates many diverse cellular processes, raising the question as to which of these CREB-mediated processes underlie memory allocation.

Reprint of: disrupting Jagged1-Notch signaling impairs spatial memory formation in adult mice.

It is well-known that Notch signaling plays a critical role in brain development and growing evidence implicates this signaling pathway in adult synaptic plasticity and memory formation. The Notch1 receptor is activated by two subclasses of ligands, Delta-like (including Dll1 and Dll4) and Jagged (including Jag1 and Jag2). Ligand-induced Notch1 receptor signaling is modulated by a family of Fringe proteins, including Lunatic fringe (Lfng).

Disrupting Jagged1-Notch signaling impairs spatial memory formation in adult mice.

It is well-known that Notch signaling plays a critical role in brain development and growing evidence implicates this signaling pathway in adult synaptic plasticity and memory formation. The Notch1 receptor is activated by two subclasses of ligands, Delta-like (including Dll1 and Dll4) and Jagged (including Jag1 and Jag2). Ligand-induced Notch1 receptor signaling is modulated by a family of Fringe proteins, including Lunatic fringe (Lfng).

Longitudinal analysis of gene expression and behaviour in the HdhQ150 mouse model of Huntington's disease.

Substantial transcriptional changes are seen in Huntington's disease (HD) brain and parallel early changes in gene expression are observed in mouse models of HD. Analysis of behaviour in such models also shows substantial deficits in motor, learning and memory tasks. We examined the changes in the transcriptional profile in the HdhQ150 mouse model of HD at 6, 12 and 18 months and correlated these changes with the behavioural tasks the animals had undertaken.

Selective cognitive impairment in the YAC128 Huntington's disease mouse.

People with HD have a demonstrated early extra-dimensional set-shifting deficit. In the present study, we use a novel water T-maze set-shifting procedure and demonstrate its validity as a set-shifting task in a mouse model of Huntington's disease. Three groups of YAC128 mice of different ages (27, 69 and 117 weeks) were run on the task, which incorporated six distinct stages in which the mice must learn a rule and then switch to a different rule.

Longitudinal analysis of the behavioural phenotype in YAC128 (C57BL/6J) Huntington's disease transgenic mice.

To determine the suitability of mouse models of disease for therapeutic trials, the models must be characterised to determine their similarity to the human condition, and utility for specific therapeutic approaches. The YAC128 mouse model of HD has been bred on to C57BL/6J background in order to provide a mouse model of the disease better suited to behavioural testing, than the visually impaired original line on the FVB background. In the present study, the C57BL/6J YAC128 mice were assessed on several behavioural tasks bi-monthly between 4 and 24 months of age.

Longitudinal analysis of the behavioural phenotype in Hdh(CAG)150 Huntington's disease knock-in mice.

In people with Huntington's disease, an expanded CAG repeat sequence on the HTT gene confers a toxic gain function resulting in a progressive and fatal neurodegeneration. The Hdh((CAG)Q150) Huntington's disease mouse line is a knock-in model of the disease that carries ∼150 CAG repeats on the normal mouse Htt locus. To determine that these mice are a useful model of the disease, they were assessed longitudinally for motor and cognitive deficits relevant to the human disease state.

Longitudinal analysis of the behavioural phenotype in HdhQ92 Huntington's disease knock-in mice.

Huntington's disease is caused by a single mutation resulting in an expanded polyglutamine sequence which causes the production of a mutant variant of the protein huntingtin, which is ultimately responsible for the motor, cognitive and emotional symptoms and early death of the individual. Several mouse models have been created that seek to recapitulate the features of the disease. The present study sought to characterise the Hdh(Q92) mouse line longitudinally, to determine the nature, extent and age of onset of any behavioural deficits.

Ryanodine receptor mutations associated with stress-induced ventricular tachycardia mediate increased calcium release in stimulated cardiomyocytes.

Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum mediated by the cardiac ryanodine receptor (RyR2) is a fundamental event in cardiac muscle contraction. RyR2 mutations suggested to cause defective Ca2+ channel function have recently been identified in catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) and arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD) affected individuals. We report expression of three CPVT-linked human RyR2 (hRyR2) mutations (S2246L, N4104K, and R4497C) in HL-1 cardiomyocytes displaying correct targeting to the endoplasmic reticulum.

Dysregulated ryanodine receptors mediate cellular toxicity: restoration of normal phenotype by FKBP12.6.

Ca2+ homeostasis is a vital cellular control mechanism in which Ca2+ release from intracellular stores plays a central role. Ryanodine receptor (RyR)-mediated Ca2+ release is a key modulator of Ca2+ homeostasis, and the defective regulation of RyR is pathogenic. However, the molecular events underlying RyR-mediated pathology remain undefined.