| First Author | Bichelmeier U | Year | 2007 |
| Journal | J Neurosci | Volume | 27 |
| Issue | 28 | Pages | 7418-28 |
| PubMed ID | 17626202 | Mgi Jnum | J:122993 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3716223 | Doi | 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4540-06.2007 |
| Citation | Bichelmeier U, et al. (2007) Nuclear localization of ataxin-3 is required for the manifestation of symptoms in SCA3: in vivo evidence. J Neurosci 27(28):7418-28 |
| abstractText | Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) is an autosomal dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disorder caused by the expansion of a CAG repeat in the MJD1 gene resulting in an expanded polyglutamine repeat in the ataxin-3 protein. To study the course of the disease, we generated transgenic mice for SCA3 using full-length ataxin-3 constructs containing 15, 70, or 148 CAG repeats, respectively. Control mice (15 CAGs) were phenotypically normal and had no neuropathological findings. However, mice transgenic for ataxin-3 with expanded polyglutamine repeats were severely affected by a strong neurological phenotype with tremor, behavioral deficits, strongly reduced motor and exploratory activity, a hunchback, and premature death at 3 to 6 months of age. Neuropathological examination by immunohistochemical staining revealed ubiquitin- and ataxin-3-positive intranuclear inclusion bodies in a multitude of neurons. Directing ataxin-3 with 148 CAGs to the nucleus revealed an even more pronounced phenotype with more inclusions and earlier death, whereas mice transgenic with the same construct but attached to a nuclear export signal developed a milder phenotype with less inclusions. These studies indicate that nuclear localization of ataxin-3 is required for the manifestation of symptoms in SCA3 in vivo. |
