| First Author | Rabenstein M | Year | 2018 |
| Journal | Sci Rep | Volume | 8 |
| Issue | 1 | Pages | 3318 |
| PubMed ID | 29463856 | Mgi Jnum | J:263829 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:6162755 | Doi | 10.1038/s41598-018-21805-z |
| Citation | Rabenstein M, et al. (2018) Impact of Reduced Cerebellar EAAT Expression on Purkinje Cell Firing Pattern of NPC1-deficient Mice. Sci Rep 8(1):3318 |
| abstractText | Niemann-Pick disease Type C1 (NPC1) is a rare hereditary neurodegenerative disease. NPC1-patients suffer, amongst others, from ataxia, based on a loss of cerebellar Purkinje cells (PCs). Impaired expression/function of excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) are suspected of contributing to PC-degeneration in hereditary spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs). Thus, we studied EAAT-expression and its impact to PC-activity in NPC1(-/-)mice. Western blot revealed reduced EAAT1, EAAT2, EAAT4, and betaIII-spectrin levels in NPC1(-/-)mice. EAATs play a crucial role in synaptic transmission, thus we were interested in the impact of the reduced EAAT-expression on the function of PCs. Patch-clamp recordings of PCs showed no differences in the firing patterns of NPC1(+/+)and NPC1(-/-)mice using a low internal chloride concentration. Because EAAT4 also comprises a chloride permeable ion pore, we perturbed the chloride homeostasis using a high internal chloride concentration. We observed differences in the firing patterns of NPC1(+/+)and NPC1(-/-)mice, suggesting an impact of the altered EAAT4-expression. Additionally, the EAAT-antagonist DL-TBOA acts differently in NPC1(+/+)and NPC1(-/-)mice. Our data support the line of evidence that an altered EAAT-expression/function is involved in neurodegeneration of PCs observed in SCAs. Thus, we suggest that similar pathogenic mechanisms contribute the loss of PCs in NPC1. |
