Skip to Content
Merck
  • Early whole-body mutant huntingtin lowering averts changes in proteins and lipids important for synapse function and white matter maintenance in the LacQ140 mouse model.

Early whole-body mutant huntingtin lowering averts changes in proteins and lipids important for synapse function and white matter maintenance in the LacQ140 mouse model.

Neurobiology of disease (2023-10-01)
Kai Shing, Ellen Sapp, Adel Boudi, Sophia Liu, Connor Seeley, Deanna Marchionini, Marian DiFiglia, Kimberly B Kegel-Gleason
ABSTRACT

Expansion of a triplet repeat tract in exon 1 of the HTT gene causes Huntington's disease (HD). The mutant HTT protein (mHTT) has numerous aberrant interactions with diverse, pleiomorphic effects. Lowering mHTT is a promising approach to treat HD, but it is unclear when lowering should be initiated, how much is necessary, and what duration should occur to achieve benefits. Furthermore, the effects of mHTT lowering on brain lipids have not been assessed. Using a mHtt-inducible mouse model, we analyzed mHtt lowering initiated at different ages and sustained for different time-periods. mHTT protein in cytoplasmic and synaptic compartments of the striatum was reduced 38-52%; however, there was minimal lowering of mHTT in nuclear and perinuclear regions where aggregates formed at 12 months of age. Total striatal lipids were reduced in 9-month-old LacQ140 mice and preserved by mHtt lowering. Subclasses important for white matter structure and function including ceramide (Cer), sphingomyelin (SM), and monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG), contributed to the reduction in total lipids. Phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylserine (PS), and bismethyl phosphatidic acid (BisMePA) were also changed in LacQ140 mice. Levels of all subclasses except ceramide were preserved by mHtt lowering. mRNA expression profiling indicated that a transcriptional mechanism contributes to changes in myelin lipids, and some but not all changes can be prevented by mHtt lowering. Our findings suggest that early and sustained reduction in mHtt can prevent changes in levels of select striatal proteins and most lipids, but a misfolded, degradation-resistant form of mHTT hampers some benefits in the long term.

MATERIALS
Product Number
Brand
Product Description

Sigma-Aldrich
Monoclonal Anti-Vinculin antibody produced in mouse, clone hVIN-1, ascites fluid
Sigma-Aldrich
Anti-Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP) Antibody, serum, Chemicon®
Sigma-Aldrich
Anti-Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Antibody, clone 6C5, clone 6C5, Chemicon®, from mouse