Investigating the effects of a point mutation in the TRPC3 channel – cause of cerebellar ataxia in Moonwalker mice – on the Purkinje cells in mice

<p>The <em>Moonwalker</em> (<em>Mwk</em>) mouse is a mouse model of cerebellar ataxia that harbours a point mutation in the Trpc3 gene. TRPC3 is a non-selective cation channel, most highly expressed in the Purkinje cells of the cerebellum. The gain-of-function mutation...

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Main Author: Dulneva, A
Other Authors: Davies, K
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: 2012
Subjects:
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author Dulneva, A
author2 Davies, K
author_facet Davies, K
Dulneva, A
author_sort Dulneva, A
collection OXFORD
description <p>The <em>Moonwalker</em> (<em>Mwk</em>) mouse is a mouse model of cerebellar ataxia that harbours a point mutation in the Trpc3 gene. TRPC3 is a non-selective cation channel, most highly expressed in the Purkinje cells of the cerebellum. The gain-of-function mutation in the TRPC3 protein affects the development of Purkinje cell dendrites by reducing their branching, and also leads to abnormal motor coordination and cerebellar ataxia in <em>Mwk</em> mice at the age of 3 weeks. The aim of this thesis was to determine how the mutation in the TRPC3 channel results in the observed pathology.</p><p>Proper function of the TRPC3 channel relies on its interaction with other proteins, hence we investigated binding partners of TRPC3. The study revealed PI synthase and CaMKIV as novel interaction partners of TRPC3. PI synthase is implicated in the upstream signalling events leading to TRPC3 activation, whereas CaMKIV is activated by Ca<sup>2+</sup>, possibly due to TRPC3 activation. We have identified alterations in phosphorylation of several key Ca<sup>2+</sup> signalling proteins (CaMKII, CaMKIV, CREB and ERK), which indicates that there are changes in Ca<sup>2+</sup> homeostasis in <em>Mwk</em> cerebella. Down-regulation of CaMKIV and up-regulation of CREB phosphorylation occurs as early as P21, which indicates that their abnormal activity could contribute to the <em>Mwk</em> phenotype. Microarray analysis comparing wild-type and <em>Mwk</em> Purkinje cells has revealed gene expression changes, which are likely due to abnormal Ca<sup>2+</sup> signalling. Genes <em>Ipo5, Opn3</em> and <em>Sv2c</em> are up-regulated at P11; <em>Car2</em> and <em>Stk17b</em> are down-regulated at P14; and <em>Cntn3</em> is up-regulated at P18 in <em>Mwk</em> Purkinje cells. High quality RNA from Purkinje cells was extracted using an optimised laser-capture microdissection method.</p><p>Work on the <em>Mwk</em> mice points to the importance of TRPC3 activity for the proper development of Purkinje cell dendrites and depicts TRPC3 as a possible target for cerebellar ataxia treatment.</p>
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spelling oxford-uuid:fcb2e1ac-fbc6-4948-bc71-27f905ee09e72023-05-24T15:49:08ZInvestigating the effects of a point mutation in the TRPC3 channel – cause of cerebellar ataxia in Moonwalker mice – on the Purkinje cells in miceThesishttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_db06uuid:fcb2e1ac-fbc6-4948-bc71-27f905ee09e7Cell Biology (see also Plant sciences)Genetics (life sciences)BiologyPhysiology and anatomyLife SciencesEnglishOxford University Research Archive - Valet2012Dulneva, ADavies, K<p>The <em>Moonwalker</em> (<em>Mwk</em>) mouse is a mouse model of cerebellar ataxia that harbours a point mutation in the Trpc3 gene. TRPC3 is a non-selective cation channel, most highly expressed in the Purkinje cells of the cerebellum. The gain-of-function mutation in the TRPC3 protein affects the development of Purkinje cell dendrites by reducing their branching, and also leads to abnormal motor coordination and cerebellar ataxia in <em>Mwk</em> mice at the age of 3 weeks. The aim of this thesis was to determine how the mutation in the TRPC3 channel results in the observed pathology.</p><p>Proper function of the TRPC3 channel relies on its interaction with other proteins, hence we investigated binding partners of TRPC3. The study revealed PI synthase and CaMKIV as novel interaction partners of TRPC3. PI synthase is implicated in the upstream signalling events leading to TRPC3 activation, whereas CaMKIV is activated by Ca<sup>2+</sup>, possibly due to TRPC3 activation. We have identified alterations in phosphorylation of several key Ca<sup>2+</sup> signalling proteins (CaMKII, CaMKIV, CREB and ERK), which indicates that there are changes in Ca<sup>2+</sup> homeostasis in <em>Mwk</em> cerebella. Down-regulation of CaMKIV and up-regulation of CREB phosphorylation occurs as early as P21, which indicates that their abnormal activity could contribute to the <em>Mwk</em> phenotype. Microarray analysis comparing wild-type and <em>Mwk</em> Purkinje cells has revealed gene expression changes, which are likely due to abnormal Ca<sup>2+</sup> signalling. Genes <em>Ipo5, Opn3</em> and <em>Sv2c</em> are up-regulated at P11; <em>Car2</em> and <em>Stk17b</em> are down-regulated at P14; and <em>Cntn3</em> is up-regulated at P18 in <em>Mwk</em> Purkinje cells. High quality RNA from Purkinje cells was extracted using an optimised laser-capture microdissection method.</p><p>Work on the <em>Mwk</em> mice points to the importance of TRPC3 activity for the proper development of Purkinje cell dendrites and depicts TRPC3 as a possible target for cerebellar ataxia treatment.</p>
spellingShingle Cell Biology (see also Plant sciences)
Genetics (life sciences)
Biology
Physiology and anatomy
Life Sciences
Dulneva, A
Investigating the effects of a point mutation in the TRPC3 channel – cause of cerebellar ataxia in Moonwalker mice – on the Purkinje cells in mice
title Investigating the effects of a point mutation in the TRPC3 channel – cause of cerebellar ataxia in Moonwalker mice – on the Purkinje cells in mice
title_full Investigating the effects of a point mutation in the TRPC3 channel – cause of cerebellar ataxia in Moonwalker mice – on the Purkinje cells in mice
title_fullStr Investigating the effects of a point mutation in the TRPC3 channel – cause of cerebellar ataxia in Moonwalker mice – on the Purkinje cells in mice
title_full_unstemmed Investigating the effects of a point mutation in the TRPC3 channel – cause of cerebellar ataxia in Moonwalker mice – on the Purkinje cells in mice
title_short Investigating the effects of a point mutation in the TRPC3 channel – cause of cerebellar ataxia in Moonwalker mice – on the Purkinje cells in mice
title_sort investigating the effects of a point mutation in the trpc3 channel cause of cerebellar ataxia in moonwalker mice on the purkinje cells in mice
topic Cell Biology (see also Plant sciences)
Genetics (life sciences)
Biology
Physiology and anatomy
Life Sciences
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