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Ju L, Wang K, Schär M, Xu S, Rogers J, Zhu D, Qin Q, Weiss RG, Xu J. Simultaneous creatine and phosphocreatine mapping of skeletal muscle by CEST MRI at 3T. Magn Reson Med 2024; 91:942-954. [PMID: 37899691 PMCID: PMC10842434 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.29907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To confirm that CrCEST in muscle exhibits a slow-exchanging process, and to obtain high-resolution amide, creatine (Cr), and phosphocreatine (PCr) maps of skeletal muscle using a POlynomial and Lorentzian Line-shape Fitting (PLOF) CEST at 3T. METHODS We used dynamic changes in PCr/CrCEST of mouse hindlimb before and after euthanasia to assign the Cr and PCr CEST peaks in the Z-spectrum at 3T and to obtain the optimum saturation parameters. Segmented 3D EPI was employed to obtain multi-slice amide, PCr, and Cr CEST maps of human skeletal muscle. Subsequently, the PCrCEST maps were calibrated using the PCr concentrations determined by 31 P MRS. RESULTS A comparison of the Z-spectra in mouse hindlimb before and after euthanasia indicated that CrCEST is a slow-exchanging process in muscle (<150.7 s-1 ). This allowed us to simultaneously extract PCr/CrCEST signals at 3T using the PLOF method. We determined optimal B1 values ranging from 0.3 to 0.6 μT for CrCEST in muscle and 0.3-1.2 μT for PCrCEST. For the study on human calf muscle, we determined an optimum saturation time of 2 s for both PCr/CrCEST (B1 = 0.6 μT). The PCr/CrCEST using 3D EPI were found to be comparable to those obtained using turbo spin echo (TSE). (3D EPI/TSE PCr: (2.6 ± 0.3) %/(2.3 ± 0.1) %; Cr: (1.3 ± 0.1) %/(1.4 ± 0.07) %). CONCLUSIONS Our study showed that in vivo CrCEST is a slow-exchanging process. Hence, amide, Cr, and PCr CEST in the skeletal muscle can be mapped simultaneously at 3T by PLOF CEST.
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Affiliation(s)
- Licheng Ju
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kexin Wang
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Michael Schär
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Su Xu
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Joshua Rogers
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Dan Zhu
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Qin Qin
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Robert G. Weiss
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jiadi Xu
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Wang K, Huang J, Ju L, Xu S, Gullapalli RP, Liang Y, Rogers J, Li Y, van Zijl PCM, Weiss RG, Chan KWY, Xu J. Creatine mapping of the brain at 3T by CEST MRI. Magn Reson Med 2024; 91:51-60. [PMID: 37814487 PMCID: PMC10843037 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.29876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To assess the feasibility of CEST-based creatine (Cr) mapping in brain at 3T using the guanidino (Guan) proton resonance. METHODS Wild type and knockout mice with guanidinoacetate N-methyltransferase deficiency and low Cr and phosphocreatine (PCr) concentrations in the brain were used to assign the Cr and protein-based arginine contributions to the GuanCEST signal at 2.0 ppm. To quantify the Cr proton exchange rate, two-step Bloch-McConnell fitting was used to fit the extracted CrCEST line-shape and multi-B1 Z-spectral data. The pH response of GuanCEST was simulated to demonstrate its potential for pH mapping. RESULTS Brain Z-spectra of wild type and guanidinoacetate N-methyltransferase deficiency mice show a clear Guan proton peak at 2.0 ppm at 3T. The CrCEST signal contributes ∼23% to the GuanCEST signal at B1 = 0.8 μT, where a maximum CrCEST effect of 0.007 was detected. An exchange rate range of 200-300 s-1 was estimated for the Cr Guan protons. As revealed by the simulation, an elevated GuanCEST in the brain is observed when B1 is less than 0.4 μT at 3T, when intracellular pH reduces by 0.2. Conversely, the GuanCEST decreases when B1 is greater than 0.4 μT with the same pH drop. CONCLUSIONS CrCEST mapping is possible at 3T, which has potential for detecting intracellular pH and Cr concentration in brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kexin Wang
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jianpan Huang
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Licheng Ju
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Su Xu
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Rao P Gullapalli
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yajie Liang
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Joshua Rogers
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yuguo Li
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Peter C. M. van Zijl
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Robert G. Weiss
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kannie W. Y. Chan
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jiadi Xu
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Libell JL, Lakhani DA, Balar AB, Khan M, Carpenter JS, Joseph JT. Guanidinoacetate N-methyltransferase deficiency: Case report and brief review of the literature. Radiol Case Rep 2023; 18:4331-4337. [PMID: 37808418 PMCID: PMC10550807 DOI: 10.1016/j.radcr.2023.09.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Guanidinoacetate N-methyltransferase (GAMT) deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by a decrease in creatine synthesis, resulting in cerebral creatine deficiency syndrome (CCDS). GAMT deficiency is caused by mutations in the GAMT gene located on chromosome 19, which impairs the conversion of guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) to creatine. The resulting accumulation of the toxic metabolite GAA and the lack of creatine lead to various symptoms, including global developmental delays, behavioral issues, and epilepsy. The gold standard for diagnosis of GAMT deficiency is genetic testing. Treatment options for GAMT deficiency include creatine supplementation, ornithine supplementation, arginine restriction, and sodium benzoate supplementation. These treatment options have been shown to improve movement disorders and epileptic symptoms, but their impact on intellectual and speech development is limited. Early intervention has shown promising results in normalizing neurological development in a minor subgroup of patients. Therefore, there is a growing need for newborn screening techniques to detect GAMT deficiency early and prevent permanent neurological delays. Here we report a case of GAMT deficiency with emphasis on imaging presentation. Our case showed reduced brain parenchyma creatine stores on MR Spectroscopy, which may provide an avenue to aid in early diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua L. Libell
- School of Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA
| | - Dhairya A. Lakhani
- Department of Radiology, West Virginia University, 1 Medical Center Dr, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| | - Aneri B. Balar
- Department of Radiology, West Virginia University, 1 Medical Center Dr, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| | - Musharaf Khan
- Department of Radiology, West Virginia University, 1 Medical Center Dr, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| | - Jeffrey S. Carpenter
- Department of Radiology, West Virginia University, 1 Medical Center Dr, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| | - Joe T. Joseph
- Department of Radiology, West Virginia University, 1 Medical Center Dr, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
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Zhang Z, Wang K, Park S, Li A, Li Y, Weiss R, Xu J. The exchange rate of creatine CEST in mouse brain. Magn Reson Med 2023; 90:373-384. [PMID: 37036030 PMCID: PMC11054327 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.29662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To estimate the exchange rate of creatine (Cr) CEST and to evaluate the pH sensitivity of guanidinium (Guan) CEST in the mouse brain. METHODS Polynomial and Lorentzian line-shape fitting (PLOF) were implemented to extract the amine, amide, and Guan CEST signals from the brain Z-spectrum at 11.7T. Wild-type (WT) and knockout mice with the guanidinoacetate N-methyltransferase deficiency (GAMT-/- ) that have low Cr and phosphocreatine (PCr) concentrations in the brain were used to extract the CrCEST signal. To quantify the CrCEST exchange rate, a two-step Bloch-McConnell (BM) fitting was used to fit the CrCEST line-shape, B1 -dependent CrCEST, and the pH response with different B1 values. The pH in the brain cells was altered by hypercapnia to measure the pH sensitivity of GuanCEST. RESULTS Comparison between the Z-spectra of WT and GAMT-/- mice suggest that the CrCEST is between 20% and 25% of the GuanCEST in the Z-spectrum at 1.95 ppm between B1 = 0.8 and 2 μT. The CrCEST exchange rate was found to be around 240-480 s-1 in the mouse brain, which is significantly lower than that in solutions (∼1000 s-1 ). The hypercapnia study on the mouse brain revealed that CrCEST at B1 = 2 μT and amineCEST at B1 = 0.8 μT are highly sensitive to pH change in the WT mouse brain. CONCLUSIONS The in vivo CrCEST exchange rate is slow, and the acquisition parameters for the CrCEST should be adjusted accordingly. CrCEST is the major contribution to the opposite pH-dependence of GuanCEST signal under different conditions of B1 in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziqin Zhang
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kexin Wang
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sooyeon Park
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Anna Li
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yuguo Li
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Robert Weiss
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jiadi Xu
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Xu J, Chung JJ, Jin T. Chemical exchange saturation transfer imaging of creatine, phosphocreatine, and protein arginine residue in tissues. NMR IN BIOMEDICINE 2023; 36:e4671. [PMID: 34978371 PMCID: PMC9250548 DOI: 10.1002/nbm.4671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI has become a promising technique to assay target proteins and metabolites through their exchangeable protons, noninvasively. The ubiquity of creatine (Cr) and phosphocreatine (PCr) due to their pivotal roles in energy homeostasis through the creatine phosphate pathway has made them prime targets for CEST in the diagnosis and monitoring of disease pathologies, particularly in tissues heavily dependent on the maintenance of rich energy reserves. Guanidinium CEST from protein arginine residues (i.e. arginine CEST) can also provide information about the protein profile in tissue. However, numerous obfuscating factors stand as obstacles to the specificity of arginine, Cr, and PCr imaging through CEST, such as semisolid magnetization transfer, fast chemical exchanges such as primary amines, and the effects of nuclear Overhauser enhancement from aromatic and amide protons. In this review, the specific exchange properties of protein arginine residues, Cr, and PCr, along with their validation, are discussed, including the considerations necessary to target and tune their signal effects through CEST imaging. Additionally, strategies that have been employed to enhance the specificity of these exchanges in CEST imaging are described, along with how they have opened up possible applications of protein arginine residues, Cr and PCr CEST imaging in the study and diagnosis of pathology. A clear understanding of the capabilities and caveats of using CEST to image these vital metabolites and mitigation strategies is crucial to expanding the possibilities of this promising technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiadi Xu
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Julius Juhyun Chung
- Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Tao Jin
- Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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Liu Z, Yang Q, Luo H, Luo D, Qian L, Liu X, Zheng H, Sun PZ, Wu Y. Demonstration of fast and equilibrium human muscle creatine CEST imaging at 3 T. Magn Reson Med 2022; 88:322-331. [PMID: 35324024 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.29223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Creatine chemical exchange saturation transfer (CrCEST) MRI is used increasingly in muscle imaging. However, the CrCEST measurement depends on the RF saturation duration (Ts) and relaxation delay (Td), and it is challenging to compare the results of different scan parameters. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the quasi-steady-state (QUASS) CrCEST MRI on clinical 3T scanners. METHODS T1 and CEST MRI scans of Ts/Td of 1 s/1 s and 2 s/2 s were obtained from a multi-compartment creatine phantom and 5 healthy volunteers. The CrCEST effect was quantified with asymmetry analysis in the phantom, whereas 5-pool Lorentzian fitting was applied to isolate creatine from phosphocreatine, amide proton transfer, combined magnetization transfer and nuclear Overhauser enhancement effects, and direct water saturation in four major muscle groups of the lower leg. The routine and QUASS CrCEST measurements were compared under two different imaging conditions. Paired Student's t-test was performed with p-values less than 0.05 considered statistically significant. RESULTS The phantom study showed a substantial influence of Ts/Td on the routine CrCEST quantification (p = 0.02), and such impact was mitigated with the QUASS algorithm (p = 0.20). The volunteer experiment showed that the routine CrCEST, amide proton transfer, and combined magnetization transfer and nuclear Overhauser enhancement effects increased significantly with Ts and Td (p < 0.05) and were significantly smaller than the corresponding QUASS indices (p < 0.01). In comparison, the QUASS CrCEST MRI showed little dependence on Ts and Td, indicating its robustness and accuracy. CONCLUSION The QUASS CrCEST MRI is feasible to provide fast and accurate muscle creatine imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhou Liu
- Department of Radiology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital & Shenzhen Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qian Yang
- Department of Radiology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital & Shenzhen Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Shenzhen, China
| | - Honghong Luo
- Department of Radiology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital & Shenzhen Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Shenzhen, China
| | - Dehong Luo
- Department of Radiology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital & Shenzhen Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Shenzhen, China
| | - Long Qian
- MR Research, GE Healthcare, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Liu
- Paul C. Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hairong Zheng
- Paul C. Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Phillip Zhe Sun
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Yin Wu
- Paul C. Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
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Intellectual Disability and Brain Creatine Deficit: Phenotyping of the Genetic Mouse Model for GAMT Deficiency. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12081201. [PMID: 34440375 PMCID: PMC8391262 DOI: 10.3390/genes12081201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Guanidinoacetate methyltransferase deficiency (GAMT-D) is one of three cerebral creatine (Cr) deficiency syndromes due to pathogenic variants in the GAMT gene (19p13.3). GAMT-D is characterized by the accumulation of guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) and the depletion of Cr, which result in severe global developmental delay (and intellectual disability), movement disorder, and epilepsy. The GAMT knockout (KO) mouse model presents biochemical alterations in bodily fluids, the brain, and muscles, including increased GAA and decreased Cr and creatinine (Crn) levels, which are similar to those observed in humans. At the behavioral level, only limited and mild alterations have been reported, with a large part of analyzed behaviors being unaffected in GAMT KO as compared with wild-type mice. At the cerebral level, decreased Cr and Crn and increased GAA and other guanidine compound levels have been observed. Nevertheless, the effects of Cr deficiency and GAA accumulation on many neurochemical, morphological, and molecular processes have not yet been explored. In this review, we summarize data regarding behavioral and cerebral GAMT KO phenotypes, and focus on uncharted behavioral alterations that are comparable with the clinical symptoms reported in GAMT-D patients, including intellectual disability, poor speech, and autistic-like behaviors, as well as unexplored Cr-induced cerebral alterations.
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Kochalska K, Oakden W, Słowik T, Chudzik A, Pankowska A, Łazorczyk A, Kozioł P, Andres-Mach M, Pietura R, Rola R, Stanisz GJ, Orzylowska A. Dietary supplementation with Lactobacillus rhamnosus JB-1 restores brain neurochemical balance and mitigates the progression of mood disorder in a rat model of chronic unpredictable mild stress. Nutr Res 2020; 82:44-57. [PMID: 32961399 DOI: 10.1016/j.nutres.2020.06.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder is a stress-related disease associated with brain metabolic dysregulation in the glutamine-glutamate/γ-aminobutyric acid (Gln-Glu/GABA) cycle. Recent studies have demonstrated that microbiome-gut-brain interactions have the potential to influence mental health. The hypothesis of this study was that Lactobacillus rhamnosus JB-1 (LR-JB1™) dietary supplementation has a positive impact on neuro-metabolism which can be quantified in vivo using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). A rat model of depressive-like disorder, chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS), was used. Baseline comparisons of MRS and behavior were obtained in a control group and in a stressed group subjected to CUMS. Of the 22 metabolites measured using MRS, stressed rats had significantly lower concentrations of GABA, glutamate, glutamine + glutathione, glutamate + glutamine, total creatine, and total N-acetylaspartate (tNAA). Stressed rats were then separated into 2 groups and supplemented with either LR-JB1™ or placebo and re-evaluated after 4 weeks of continued CUMS. The LR-JB1™ microbiotic diet restored these metabolites to levels previously observed in controls, while the placebo diet resulted in further significant decrease of glutamate, total choline, and tNAA. LR-JB1™ treated animals also exhibited calmer and more relaxed behavior, as compared with placebo treated animals. In summary, significant cerebral biochemical downregulation of major brain metabolites following prolonged stress were measured in vivo using MRS, and these decreases were reversed using a microbiotic dietary supplement of LR-JB1™, even in the presence of continued stress, which also resulted in a reduction of stress-induced behavior in a rat model of depressive-like disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wendy Oakden
- Physical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Tymoteusz Słowik
- Center of Experimental Medicine, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Agata Chudzik
- Department of Neurosurgery and Pediatric Neurosurgery, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Anna Pankowska
- Department of Radiography, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Artur Łazorczyk
- Department of Radiography, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Paulina Kozioł
- Department of Radiography, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Marta Andres-Mach
- Isobolographic Analysis Laboratory, Institute of Rural Health, Lublin, Poland
| | - Radosław Pietura
- Department of Radiography, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Radosław Rola
- Department of Neurosurgery and Pediatric Neurosurgery, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Greg J Stanisz
- Physical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Neurosurgery and Pediatric Neurosurgery, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Anna Orzylowska
- Department of Neurosurgery and Pediatric Neurosurgery, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland.
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Sinha A, Ahmed S, George C, Tsagaris M, Naufer A, von Both I, Tkachyova I, van Eede M, Henkelman M, Schulze A. Magnetic resonance imaging reveals specific anatomical changes in the brain of Agat- and Gamt-mice attributed to creatine depletion and guanidinoacetate alteration. J Inherit Metab Dis 2020; 43:827-842. [PMID: 31951021 DOI: 10.1002/jimd.12215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Revised: 12/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Arginine:glycine amidinotransferase- and guanidinoacetate methyltransferase deficiency are severe neurodevelopmental disorders. It is not known whether mouse models of disease express a neuroanatomical phenotype. High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with advanced image analysis was performed in perfused, fixed mouse brains encapsulated with the skull from male, 10-12 week old Agat -exc and B6J.Cg-Gamt tm1Isb mice (n = 48; n = 8 per genotype, strain). T2-weighted MRI scans were nonlinearly aligned to a 3D atlas of the mouse brain with 62 structures identified. Local differences in brain shape related to genotype were assessed by analysis of deformation fields. Creatine (Cr) and guanidinoacetate (GAA) were measured with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in brain homogenates (n = 24; n = 4 per genotype, strain) after whole-body perfusion. Cr was decreased in the brain of Agat- and Gamt mutant mice. GAA was decreased in Agat-/- and increased in Gamt-/- . Body weight and brain volume were lower in Agat-/- than in Gamt-/- . The analysis of entire brain structures revealed corpus callosum, internal capsule, fimbria and hypothalamus being different between the genotypes in both strains. Eighteen and fourteen significant peaks (local areas of difference in relative size) were found in Agat- and Gamt mutants, respectively. Comparing Agat-/- with Gamt-/- , we found changes in three brain regions, lateral septum, amygdala, and medulla. Intra-strain differences in four brain structures can be associated with Cr deficiency, while the inter-strain differences in three brain structures of the mutant mice may relate to GAA. Correlating these neuroanatomical findings with gene expression data implies the role of Cr metabolism in the developing brain and the importance of early intervention in patients with Cr deficiency syndromes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankit Sinha
- Genetics and Genome Biology Program, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sohail Ahmed
- Genetics and Genome Biology Program, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Chris George
- Genetics and Genome Biology Program, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Melina Tsagaris
- Genetics and Genome Biology Program, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Amriya Naufer
- Genetics and Genome Biology Program, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ingo von Both
- Genetics and Genome Biology Program, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ilona Tkachyova
- Genetics and Genome Biology Program, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Matthijs van Eede
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Toronto Center of Phenogenomics, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mark Henkelman
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Toronto Center of Phenogenomics, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Neurosciences and Mental Health Program, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andreas Schulze
- Genetics and Genome Biology Program, Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Singh A, Debnath A, Cai K, Bagga P, Haris M, Hariharan H, Reddy R. Evaluating the feasibility of creatine-weighted CEST MRI in human brain at 7 T using a Z-spectral fitting approach. NMR IN BIOMEDICINE 2019; 32:e4176. [PMID: 31608510 DOI: 10.1002/nbm.4176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Revised: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The current study aims to evaluate the feasibility of creatine (Cr) chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST)-weighted MRI at 7 T in the human brain by optimizing the saturation pulse parameters and computing contrast using a Z-spectral fitting approach. The Cr-weighted (Cr-w) CEST contrast was computed from phantoms data. Simulations were carried out to obtain the optimum saturation parameters for Cr-w CEST with lower contribution from other brain metabolites. CEST-w images were acquired from the brains of four human subjects at different saturation parameters. The Cr-w CEST contrast was computed using both asymmetry analysis and Z-spectra fitting approaches (models 1 and 2, respectively) based on Lorentzian functions. For broad magnetization transfer (MT) effect, Gaussian and Super-Lorentzian line shapes were also evaluated. In the phantom study, the Cr-w CEST contrast showed a linear dependence on concentration in physiological range and a nonlinear dependence on saturation parameters. The in vivo Cr-w CEST map generated using asymmetry analysis from the brain represents mixed contrast with contribution from other metabolites as well and relayed nuclear Overhauser effect (rNOE). Simulations provided an estimate for the optimum range of saturation parameters to be used for acquiring brain CEST data. The optimum saturation parameters for Cr-w CEST to be used for brain data were around B1rms = 1.45 μT and duration = 2 seconds. The Z-spectral fitting approach enabled computation of individual components. This also resulted in mitigating the contribution from MT and rNOE to Cr-w CEST contrast, which is a major source of underestimation in asymmetry analysis. The proposed modified z-spectra fitting approach (model 2) is more stable to noise compared with model 1. Cr-w CEST contrast obtained using fitting was 6.98 ± 0.31% in gray matter and 5.45 ± 0.16% in white matter. Optimal saturation parameters reduced the contribution from other CEST effects to Cr-w CEST contrast, and the proposed Z-spectral fitting approach enabled computation of individual components in Z-spectra of the brain. Therefore, it is feasible to compute Cr-w CEST contrast with a lower contribution from other CEST and rNOE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anup Singh
- CBME, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, India
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, AIIMS, Delhi, India
| | - Ayan Debnath
- CBME, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, India
- CMROI, Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Kejia Cai
- Radiology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Puneet Bagga
- CMROI, Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Mohammad Haris
- CMROI, Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Research Branch, Sidra Medical and Research Center, Doha, Qatar
| | - Hari Hariharan
- CMROI, Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Ravinder Reddy
- CMROI, Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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Chen L, Barker PB, Weiss RG, van Zijl PCM, Xu J. Creatine and phosphocreatine mapping of mouse skeletal muscle by a polynomial and Lorentzian line-shape fitting CEST method. Magn Reson Med 2019; 81:69-78. [PMID: 30246265 PMCID: PMC6258268 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.27514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Revised: 07/19/2018] [Accepted: 08/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To obtain high-resolution Cr and PCr maps of mouse skeletal muscle using a polynomial and Lorentzian line-shape fitting (PLOF) CEST method. METHODS Wild-type mice and guanidinoacetate N-methyltransferase-deficient (GAMT-/-) mice that have low Cr and PCr concentrations in muscle were used to assign the Cr and PCr peaks in the Z-spectrum at 11.7 T. A PLOF method was proposed to simultaneously extract and quantify the Cr and PCr by assuming a polynomial function for the background and 2 Lorentzian functions for the CEST peaks at 1.95 ppm and 2.5 ppm. RESULTS The Z-spectra of phantoms revealed that PCr has 2 CEST peaks (2 ppm and 2.5 ppm), whereas Cr only showed 1 peak at 2 ppm. Comparison of the Z-spectra of wild-type and GAMT-/- mice indicated that, contrary to brain, there was no visible protein guanidinium peak in the skeletal-muscle Z-spectrum, which allowed us to extract clean PCr and Cr CEST signals. High-resolution PCr and Cr concentration maps of mouse skeletal muscle were obtained by the PLOF CEST method after calibration with in vivo MRS. CONCLUSIONS The PLOF method provides an efficient way to map Cr and PCr concentrations simultaneously in the skeletal muscle at high MRI field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Chen
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Peter B. Barker
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Robert G. Weiss
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Peter C. M. van Zijl
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jiadi Xu
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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12
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Chen L, Zeng H, Xu X, Yadav NN, Cai S, Puts NA, Barker PB, Li T, Weiss RG, van Zijl PCM, Xu J. Investigation of the contribution of total creatine to the CEST Z-spectrum of brain using a knockout mouse model. NMR IN BIOMEDICINE 2017; 30:10.1002/nbm.3834. [PMID: 28961344 PMCID: PMC5685917 DOI: 10.1002/nbm.3834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2017] [Revised: 08/25/2017] [Accepted: 08/26/2017] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
The current study aims to assign and estimate the total creatine (tCr) signal contribution to the Z-spectrum in mouse brain at 11.7 T. Creatine (Cr), phosphocreatine (PCr) and protein phantoms were used to confirm the presence of a guanidinium resonance at this field strength. Wild-type (WT) and knockout mice with guanidinoacetate N-methyltransferase deficiency (GAMT-/-), which have low Cr and PCr concentrations in the brain, were used to assign the tCr contribution to the Z-spectrum. To estimate the total guanidinium concentrations, two pools for the Z-spectrum around 2 ppm were assumed: (i) a Lorentzian function representing the guanidinium chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) at 1.95 ppm in the 11.7-T Z-spectrum; and (ii) a background signal that can be fitted by a polynomial function. Comparison between the WT and GAMT-/- mice provided strong evidence for three types of contribution to the peak in the Z-spectrum at 1.95 ppm, namely proteins, Cr and PCr, the latter fitted as tCr. A ratio of 20 ± 7% (protein) and 80 ± 7% tCr was found in brain at 2 μT and 2 s saturation. Based on phantom experiments, the tCr peak was estimated to consist of about 83 ± 5% Cr and 17 ± 5% PCr. Maps for tCr of mouse brain were generated based on the peak at 1.95 ppm after concentration calibration with in vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Chen
- Department of Electronic Science, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Plasma and Magnetic Resonance, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Haifeng Zeng
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Xiang Xu
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Nirbhay N. Yadav
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Shuhui Cai
- Department of Electronic Science, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Plasma and Magnetic Resonance, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Nicolaas A. Puts
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Peter B. Barker
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Tong Li
- Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA
| | - Robert G. Weiss
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Peter C. M. van Zijl
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jiadi Xu
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Research Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Corresponding Author: Jiadi Xu, Ph.D. Kennedy Krieger Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 707 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, , Tel: 443-923-9572, Fax: 443-923-9505
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13
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Kaebisch E, Fuss TL, Vandergrift L, Toews K, Habbel P, Cheng LL. Applications of high-resolution magic angle spinning MRS in biomedical studies I-cell line and animal models. NMR IN BIOMEDICINE 2017; 30:10.1002/nbm.3700. [PMID: 28301071 PMCID: PMC5501085 DOI: 10.1002/nbm.3700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2016] [Revised: 10/04/2016] [Accepted: 12/31/2016] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
High-resolution magic angle spinning (HRMAS) MRS allows for direct measurements of non-liquid tissue and cell specimens to present valuable insights into the cellular metabolisms of physiological and pathological processes. HRMAS produces high-resolution spectra comparable to those obtained from solutions of specimen extracts but without complex metabolite extraction processes, and preserves the tissue cellular structure in a form suitable for pathological examinations following spectroscopic analysis. The technique has been applied in a wide variety of biomedical and biochemical studies and become one of the major platforms of metabolomic studies. By quantifying single metabolites, metabolite ratios, or metabolic profiles in their entirety, HRMAS presents promising possibilities for diagnosis and prediction of clinical outcomes for various diseases, as well as deciphering of metabolic changes resulting from drug therapies or xenobiotic interactions. In this review, we evaluate HRMAS MRS results on animal models and cell lines reported in the literature, and present the diverse applications of the method for the understanding of pathological processes and the effectiveness of therapies, development of disease animal models, and new progress in HRMAS methodology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Kaebisch
- Departments of Radiology and Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, 02114 USA
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Taylor L. Fuss
- Departments of Radiology and Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, 02114 USA
| | - Lindsey Vandergrift
- Departments of Radiology and Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, 02114 USA
| | - Karin Toews
- Departments of Radiology and Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, 02114 USA
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Piet Habbel
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Leo L. Cheng
- Departments of Radiology and Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, 02114 USA
- Corresponding Author: Leo L. Cheng, PhD, 149 13 Street, CNY-6, Charlestown, MA 02129, Ph.617-724-6593, Fax.617-726-5684,
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14
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Schulze A, Tran C, Levandovskiy V, Patel V, Cortez MA. Systemic availability of guanidinoacetate affects GABAA receptor function and seizure threshold in GAMT deficient mice. Amino Acids 2016; 48:2041-7. [PMID: 26898547 DOI: 10.1007/s00726-016-2197-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2015] [Accepted: 02/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Deficiency of guanidinoacetate methyltransferase (GAMT) causes creatine depletion and guanidinoacetate accumulation in brain with the latter deemed to be responsible for the severe seizure disorder seen in affected patients. We studied electrical brain activity and GABAA mediated mechanisms of B6J.Cg-Gamt(tm1Isb) mice. Electrocorticographic (ECoG) monitoring of pharmacological treatments with ornithine (5 % in drinking water for 5-18 days) and/or Picrotoxin (PTX) (a GABAA receptor antagonist) (1.5 mg/kg, I.P.) in Gamt(MUT) and Gamt(WT) groups [n = 3, mean age (SEM) = 6.9 (0.2) weeks]. Mice were fitted with two frontal and two parietal epidural electrodes under ketamine/xylazine anesthesia. Baseline and test recordings were performed for determination of seizure activity over a 2 h period. The ECoG baseline of Gamt(MUT) exhibited an abnormal monotonous cortical rhythm (7-8 Hz) with little variability during awake and sleep states compared to wild type recordings. Ornithine treatment and also PTX administration led to a relative normalization of the Gamt(MUT) ECoG phenotype. Gamt(WT) on PTX exhibited electro-behavioral seizures, whereas the Gamt(MUT) did not have PTX induced seizures at the same PTX dose. Gamt(MUT) treated with both ornithine and PTX did not show electro-behavioral seizures while ornithine elevated the PTX seizure threshold of Gamt(MUT) mice even further. These data demonstrate: (1) that there is expression of electrical seizure activity in this Gamt-deficient transgenic mouse strain, and (2) that the systemic availability of guanidinoacetate affects GABAA receptor function and seizure thresholds. These findings are directly and clinically relevant for patients with a creatine-deficiency syndrome due to genetic defects in GAMT and provide a rational basis for a combined ornithine/picrotoxin therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Schulze
- Program of Genetics and Genome Biology, Peter Gilgan Center for Research and Learning, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X8, Canada. .,Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - C Tran
- Program of Genetics and Genome Biology, Peter Gilgan Center for Research and Learning, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X8, Canada.,Center for Molecular Diseases, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - V Levandovskiy
- Program of Genetics and Genome Biology, Peter Gilgan Center for Research and Learning, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X8, Canada
| | - V Patel
- Program of Genetics and Genome Biology, Peter Gilgan Center for Research and Learning, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X8, Canada
| | - M A Cortez
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Program of Brain and Behavior Neuroscience and Mental Health, Peter Gilgan Center for Research and Learning, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
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15
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Hanna-El-Daher L, Braissant O. Creatine synthesis and exchanges between brain cells: What can be learned from human creatine deficiencies and various experimental models? Amino Acids 2016; 48:1877-95. [PMID: 26861125 DOI: 10.1007/s00726-016-2189-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2015] [Accepted: 01/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
While it has long been thought that most of cerebral creatine is of peripheral origin, the last 20 years has provided evidence that the creatine synthetic pathway (AGAT and GAMT enzymes) is expressed in the brain together with the creatine transporter (SLC6A8). It has also been shown that SLC6A8 is expressed by microcapillary endothelial cells at the blood-brain barrier, but is absent from surrounding astrocytes, raising the concept that the blood-brain barrier has a limited permeability for peripheral creatine. The first creatine deficiency syndrome in humans was also discovered 20 years ago (GAMT deficiency), followed later by AGAT and SLC6A8 deficiencies, all three diseases being characterized by creatine deficiency in the CNS and essentially affecting the brain. By reviewing the numerous and latest experimental studies addressing creatine transport and synthesis in the CNS, as well as the clinical and biochemical characteristics of creatine-deficient patients, our aim was to delineate a clearer view of the roles of the blood-brain and blood-cerebrospinal fluid barriers in the transport of creatine and guanidinoacetate between periphery and CNS, and on the intracerebral synthesis and transport of creatine. This review also addresses the question of guanidinoacetate toxicity for brain cells, as probably found under GAMT deficiency.
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MESH Headings
- Amidinotransferases/deficiency
- Amidinotransferases/genetics
- Amidinotransferases/metabolism
- Amino Acid Metabolism, Inborn Errors/genetics
- Amino Acid Metabolism, Inborn Errors/metabolism
- Amino Acid Metabolism, Inborn Errors/pathology
- Animals
- Blood-Brain Barrier/metabolism
- Blood-Brain Barrier/pathology
- Brain Diseases, Metabolic, Inborn/genetics
- Brain Diseases, Metabolic, Inborn/metabolism
- Brain Diseases, Metabolic, Inborn/pathology
- Capillaries/metabolism
- Capillaries/pathology
- Creatine/biosynthesis
- Creatine/deficiency
- Creatine/genetics
- Creatine/metabolism
- Developmental Disabilities/genetics
- Developmental Disabilities/metabolism
- Developmental Disabilities/pathology
- Disease Models, Animal
- Endothelial Cells/metabolism
- Endothelial Cells/pathology
- Guanidinoacetate N-Methyltransferase/deficiency
- Guanidinoacetate N-Methyltransferase/genetics
- Guanidinoacetate N-Methyltransferase/metabolism
- Humans
- Intellectual Disability/genetics
- Intellectual Disability/metabolism
- Intellectual Disability/pathology
- Language Development Disorders/genetics
- Language Development Disorders/metabolism
- Language Development Disorders/pathology
- Mental Retardation, X-Linked/genetics
- Mental Retardation, X-Linked/metabolism
- Mental Retardation, X-Linked/pathology
- Movement Disorders/congenital
- Movement Disorders/genetics
- Movement Disorders/metabolism
- Movement Disorders/pathology
- Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics
- Nerve Tissue Proteins/metabolism
- Plasma Membrane Neurotransmitter Transport Proteins/deficiency
- Plasma Membrane Neurotransmitter Transport Proteins/genetics
- Plasma Membrane Neurotransmitter Transport Proteins/metabolism
- Speech Disorders/genetics
- Speech Disorders/metabolism
- Speech Disorders/pathology
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Affiliation(s)
- Layane Hanna-El-Daher
- Service of Biomedicine, Neurometabolic Unit, Lausanne University Hospital, 1011, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Olivier Braissant
- Service of Biomedicine, Neurometabolic Unit, Lausanne University Hospital, 1011, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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16
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Hanna-El-Daher L, Béard E, Henry H, Tenenbaum L, Braissant O. Mild guanidinoacetate increase under partial guanidinoacetate methyltransferase deficiency strongly affects brain cell development. Neurobiol Dis 2015; 79:14-27. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2015.03.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2015] [Revised: 03/27/2015] [Accepted: 03/31/2015] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
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17
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van de Kamp JM, Mancini GM, Salomons GS. X-linked creatine transporter deficiency: clinical aspects and pathophysiology. J Inherit Metab Dis 2014; 37:715-33. [PMID: 24789340 DOI: 10.1007/s10545-014-9713-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2014] [Revised: 03/27/2014] [Accepted: 04/01/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Creatine transporter deficiency was discovered in 2001 as an X-linked cause of intellectual disability characterized by cerebral creatine deficiency. This review describes the current knowledge regarding creatine metabolism, the creatine transporter and the clinical aspects of creatine transporter deficiency. The condition mainly affects the brain while other creatine requiring organs, such as the muscles, are relatively spared. Recent studies have provided strong evidence that creatine synthesis also occurs in the brain, leading to the intriguing question of why cerebral creatine is deficient in creatine transporter deficiency. The possible mechanisms explaining the cerebral creatine deficiency are discussed. The creatine transporter knockout mouse provides a good model to study the disease. Over the past years several treatment options have been explored but no treatment has been proven effective. Understanding the pathogenesis of creatine transporter deficiency is of paramount importance in the development of an effective treatment.
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MESH Headings
- Amino Acid Metabolism, Inborn Errors/diagnosis
- Amino Acid Metabolism, Inborn Errors/drug therapy
- Amino Acid Metabolism, Inborn Errors/genetics
- Amino Acid Metabolism, Inborn Errors/pathology
- Animals
- Brain Diseases, Metabolic, Inborn/complications
- Brain Diseases, Metabolic, Inborn/genetics
- Brain Diseases, Metabolic, Inborn/physiopathology
- Creatine/deficiency
- Creatine/genetics
- Genetic Diseases, X-Linked/genetics
- Humans
- Intellectual Disability/etiology
- Intellectual Disability/genetics
- Membrane Transport Proteins/deficiency
- Membrane Transport Proteins/genetics
- Mental Retardation, X-Linked/complications
- Mental Retardation, X-Linked/genetics
- Mental Retardation, X-Linked/physiopathology
- Mice
- Plasma Membrane Neurotransmitter Transport Proteins/deficiency
- Plasma Membrane Neurotransmitter Transport Proteins/genetics
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiddeke M van de Kamp
- Department of Clinical Genetics, VU University Medical Center, P.O. Box 7057, 1007 MB, Amsterdam, The Netherlands,
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18
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Abstract
Many inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs) are associated with irreversible brain injury. For many, it is unclear how metabolite intoxication or substrate depletion accounts for the specific neurologic findings observed. IEM-associated brain injury patterns are characterized by whether the process involves gray matter, white matter, or both, and beyond that, whether subcortical or cortical gray matter nuclei are involved. Despite global insults, IEMs may result in selective injury to deep gray matter nuclei or white matter. This manuscript reviews the neuro-imaging patterns of neural injury in selected disorders of metabolism involving small molecule and macromolecular disorders (ie, Phenylketonuria, urea cycle disorders, and maple syrup urine disease) and discusses the contribution of diet and nutrition to the prevention or exacerbation of injury in selected inborn metabolic disorders. Where known, a review of the roles of individual differences in blood-brain permeability and transport mechanisms in the etiology of these disorders will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea L. Gropman
- Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, Children’s National Medical Center and the George Washington University of the Health Sciences, Washington, DC
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19
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Nabuurs CI, Choe CU, Veltien A, Kan HE, van Loon LJC, Rodenburg RJT, Matschke J, Wieringa B, Kemp GJ, Isbrandt D, Heerschap A. Disturbed energy metabolism and muscular dystrophy caused by pure creatine deficiency are reversible by creatine intake. J Physiol 2012; 591:571-92. [PMID: 23129796 DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2012.241760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Creatine (Cr) plays an important role in muscle energy homeostasis by its participation in the ATP-phosphocreatine phosphoryl exchange reaction mediated by creatine kinase. Given that the consequences of Cr depletion are incompletely understood, we assessed the morphological, metabolic and functional consequences of systemic depletion on skeletal muscle in a mouse model with deficiency of l-arginine:glycine amidinotransferase (AGAT(-/-)), which catalyses the first step of Cr biosynthesis. In vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed a near-complete absence of Cr and phosphocreatine in resting hindlimb muscle of AGAT(-/-) mice. Compared with wild-type, the inorganic phosphate/β-ATP ratio was increased fourfold, while ATP levels were reduced by nearly half. Activities of proton-pumping respiratory chain enzymes were reduced, whereas F(1)F(0)-ATPase activity and overall mitochondrial content were increased. The Cr-deficient AGAT(-/-) mice had a reduced grip strength and suffered from severe muscle atrophy. Electron microscopy revealed increased amounts of intramyocellular lipid droplets and crystal formation within mitochondria of AGAT(-/-) muscle fibres. Ischaemia resulted in exacerbation of the decrease of pH and increased glycolytic ATP synthesis. Oral Cr administration led to rapid accumulation in skeletal muscle (faster than in brain) and reversed all the muscle abnormalities, revealing that the condition of the AGAT(-/-) mice can be switched between Cr deficient and normal simply by dietary manipulation. Systemic creatine depletion results in mitochondrial dysfunction and intracellular energy deficiency, as well as structural and physiological abnormalities. The consequences of AGAT deficiency are more pronounced than those of muscle-specific creatine kinase deficiency, which suggests a multifaceted involvement of creatine in muscle energy homeostasis in addition to its role in the phosphocreatine-creatine kinase system.
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Affiliation(s)
- C I Nabuurs
- Radiology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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20
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Choe CU, Nabuurs C, Stockebrand MC, Neu A, Nunes P, Morellini F, Sauter K, Schillemeit S, Hermans-Borgmeyer I, Marescau B, Heerschap A, Isbrandt D. L-arginine:glycine amidinotransferase deficiency protects from metabolic syndrome. Hum Mol Genet 2012; 22:110-23. [PMID: 23026748 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/dds407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Phosphorylated creatine (Cr) serves as an energy buffer for ATP replenishment in organs with highly fluctuating energy demand. The central role of Cr in the brain and muscle is emphasized by severe neurometabolic disorders caused by Cr deficiency. Common symptoms of inborn errors of creatine synthesis or distribution include mental retardation and muscular weakness. Human mutations in l-arginine:glycine amidinotransferase (AGAT), the first enzyme of Cr synthesis, lead to severely reduced Cr and guanidinoacetate (GuA) levels. Here, we report the generation and metabolic characterization of AGAT-deficient mice that are devoid of Cr and its precursor GuA. AGAT-deficient mice exhibited decreased fat deposition, attenuated gluconeogenesis, reduced cholesterol levels and enhanced glucose tolerance. Furthermore, Cr deficiency completely protected from the development of metabolic syndrome caused by diet-induced obesity. Biochemical analyses revealed the chronic Cr-dependent activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which stimulates catabolic pathways in metabolically relevant tissues such as the brain, skeletal muscle, adipose tissue and liver, suggesting a mechanism underlying the metabolic phenotype. In summary, our results show marked metabolic effects of Cr deficiency via the chronic activation of AMPK in a first animal model of AGAT deficiency. In addition to insights into metabolic changes in Cr deficiency syndromes, our genetic model reveals a novel mechanism as a potential treatment option for obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi-un Choe
- Experimental Neuropediatrics, Center for Molecular Neurobiology and Department of Pediatrics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
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21
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Giannesini B, Vilmen C, Le Fur Y, Dalmasso C, Cozzone PJ, Bendahan D. A strictly noninvasive MR setup dedicated to longitudinal studies of mechanical performance, bioenergetics, anatomy, and muscle recruitment in contracting mouse skeletal muscle. Magn Reson Med 2010; 64:262-70. [PMID: 20572140 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.22386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
MR techniques have proven their ability to investigate skeletal muscle function in situ. Their benefit in terms of noninvasiveness is, however, lost in animal research, given that muscle stimulation and force output measurements are usually achieved using invasive surgical procedures, thereby excluding repeated investigations in the same animal. This study describes a new setup allowing strictly noninvasive investigations of mouse gastrocnemius muscle function using (1)H-MRI and (31)P-MR spectroscopy. Its originality is to integrate noninvasive systems for inducing muscle contraction through transcutaneous stimulation and for measuring mechanical performance with a dedicated ergometer. In order to test the setup, muscle function was investigated using a fatiguing stimulation protocol (6 min of repeated isometric contractions at 1.7 Hz). T(2)-weighted imaging demonstrated that transcutaneous stimulation mainly activated the gastrocnemius. Moreover, investigations repeated twice with a 7-day interval between bouts did show a high reproducibility in measurements with regard to changes in isometric force and energy metabolism. In conclusion, this setup enables us for the first time to access mechanical performance, energy metabolism, anatomy, and physiology strictly noninvasively in contracting mouse skeletal muscle. The possibility for implementing longitudinal studies opens up new perspectives in many research areas, including ageing, pharmaceutical research, and gene and cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benoît Giannesini
- Centre de Résonance Magnétique Biologique et Médicale (CRMBM) UMR 6612 CNRS - Université de la Méditerranée, Faculté de Médecine de Marseille, 27, bd Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseille Cedex 05, France.
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22
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Béard E, Braissant O. Synthesis and transport of creatine in the CNS: importance for cerebral functions. J Neurochem 2010; 115:297-313. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2010.06935.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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23
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Braissant O, Béard E, Torrent C, Henry H. Dissociation of AGAT, GAMT and SLC6A8 in CNS: Relevance to creatine deficiency syndromes. Neurobiol Dis 2010; 37:423-33. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2009.10.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2009] [Revised: 10/15/2009] [Accepted: 10/22/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
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24
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Heerschap A, Kan HE, Nabuurs CIHC, Renema WK, Isbrandt D, Wieringa B. In vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy of transgenic mice with altered expression of guanidinoacetate methyltransferase and creatine kinase isoenzymes. Subcell Biochem 2008; 46:119-48. [PMID: 18652075 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4020-6486-9_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2023]
Abstract
Mice with an under- or over-expression of enzymes catalyzing phosphoryl transfer in high-energy supplying reactions are particulary attractive for in vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) studies as substrates of these enzymes are visible in MR spectra. This chapter reviews results of in vivo MRS studies on transgenic mice with alterations in the expression of the enzymes creatine kinase and guanidinoacetate methyltransferase. The particular metabolic consequences of these enzyme deficiencies in skeletal muscle, brain, heart and liver are addressed. An overview is given of metabolite levels determined by in vivo MRS in skeletal muscle and brain of wild-type and transgenic mice. MRS studies on mice lacking guanidinoacetate methyltransferase have demonstrated metabolic changes comparable to those found in the deficiency of this enzyme in humans, which are (partly) reversible upon creatine feeding. Apart from being a model for a creatine deficiency syndrome, these mice are also of interest to study fundamental aspects of the biological role of creatine. MRS studies on transgenic mice lacking creatine kinase isoenzymes have contributed significantly to the view that the creatine kinase reaction together with other enzymatic steps involved in high-energy phosphate transfer builds a large metabolic energy network, which is highly versatile and can dynamically adapt to genotoxic or physiological challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arend Heerschap
- Department of Radiology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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25
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Braissant O, Henry H. AGAT, GAMT and SLC6A8 distribution in the central nervous system, in relation to creatine deficiency syndromes: a review. J Inherit Metab Dis 2008; 31:230-9. [PMID: 18392746 DOI: 10.1007/s10545-008-0826-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2007] [Revised: 02/01/2008] [Accepted: 02/05/2008] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Creatine deficiency syndromes, either due to AGAT, GAMT or SLC6A8 deficiencies, lead to a complete absence, or a very strong decrease, of creatine within the brain, as measured by magnetic resonance spectroscopy. While the mammalian central nervous system (CNS) expresses AGAT, GAMT and SLC6A8, the lack of SLC6A8 in astrocytes around the blood-brain barrier limits the brain capacity to import creatine from the periphery, and suggests that the CNS has to rely mainly on endogenous creatine synthesis through AGAT and GAMT expression. This seems contradictory with SLC6A8 deficiency, which, despite AGAT and GAMT expression, also leads to creatine deficiency in the CNS. We present novel data showing that in cortical grey matter, AGAT and GAMT are expressed in a dissociated way: e.g. only a few cells co-express both genes. This suggests that to allow synthesis of creatine within the CNS, at least for a significant part of it, guanidinoacetate must be transported from AGAT- to GAMT-expressing cells, possibly through SLC6A8. This would explain the creatine deficiency observed in SLC6A8-deficient patients. By bringing together creatine deficiency syndromes, AGAT, GAMT and SLC6A8 distribution in CNS, as well as a synthetic view on creatine and guanidinoacetate levels in the brain, this review presents a comprehensive framework, including new hypotheses, on brain creatine metabolism and transport, both in normal conditions and in case of creatine deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- O Braissant
- Inborn Errors of Metabolism, Clinical Chemistry Laboratory, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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26
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Schneider JE, Stork LA, Bell JT, Hove MT, Isbrandt D, Clarke K, Watkins H, Lygate CA, Neubauer S. Cardiac structure and function during ageing in energetically compromised Guanidinoacetate N-methyltransferase (GAMT)-knockout mice - a one year longitudinal MRI study. J Cardiovasc Magn Reson 2008; 10:9. [PMID: 18275592 PMCID: PMC2254407 DOI: 10.1186/1532-429x-10-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2008] [Accepted: 02/06/2008] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (cine-MRI) is well suited for determining global cardiac function longitudinally in genetically or surgically manipulated mice, but in practice it is seldom used to its full potential. In this study, male and female guanidinoacetate N-methyltransferase (GAMT) knockout, and wild type littermate mice were subjected to a longitudinal cine-MRI study at four time points over the course of one year. GAMT is an essential enzyme in creatine biosynthesis, such that GAMT deficient mice are entirely creatine-free. Since creatine plays an important role in the buffering and transfer of high-energy phosphate bonds in the heart, it was hypothesized that lack of creatine would be detrimental for resting cardiac performance during ageing. METHODS Measurements of cardiac structure (left ventricular mass and volumes) and function (ejection fraction, stroke volume, cardiac output) were obtained using high-resolution cine-MRI at 9.4 T under isoflurane anaesthesia. RESULTS There were no physiologically significant differences in cardiac function between wild type and GAMT knockout mice at any time point for male or female groups, or for both combined (for example ejection fraction: 6 weeks (KO vs. WT): 70 +/- 6% vs. 65 +/- 7%; 4 months: 70 +/- 6% vs. 62 +/- 8%; 8 months: 62 +/- 11% vs. 62 +/- 6%; 12 months: 61 +/- 7% vs. 59 +/- 11%, respectively). CONCLUSION These findings suggest the presence of comprehensive adaptations in the knockout mice that can compensate for a lack of creatine. Furthermore, this study clearly demonstrates the power of cine-MRI for accurate non-invasive, serial cardiac measurements. Cardiac growth curves could easily be defined for each group, in the same set of animals for all time points, providing improved statistical power, and substantially reducing the number of mice required to conduct such a study. This technique should be eminently useful for following changes of cardiac structure and function during ageing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lee-Anne Stork
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Jordana T Bell
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Michiel ten Hove
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Dirk Isbrandt
- Centre for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg (ZMNH), Institute for Neural Signal Transduction, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Kieran Clarke
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Hugh Watkins
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Craig A Lygate
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Stefan Neubauer
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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27
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Bianchi M. Reply:. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2008. [DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.a0805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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28
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Renema WKJ, Kan HE, Heerschap A. Is ATP elevated in patients with GAMT deficiency? AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2008; 29:214; author reply 214. [PMID: 18024580 DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.a0803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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29
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Mochel F, Barritault J, Boldieu N, Eugène M, Sedel F, Durr A, Seguin F. Apports de la spectroscopie par résonance magnétique nucléaire des fluides dans l’étude de maladies métaboliques et neurodégénératives. Rev Neurol (Paris) 2007; 163:960-5. [DOI: 10.1016/s0035-3787(07)92640-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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30
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Renema WKJ, Kan HE, Wieringa B, Heerschap A. In vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy of transgenic mouse models with altered high-energy phosphoryl transfer metabolism. NMR IN BIOMEDICINE 2007; 20:448-67. [PMID: 17274105 DOI: 10.1002/nbm.1117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Studies of transgenic mice provide powerful means to investigate the in vivo biological significance of gene products. Mice with an under- or overexpression of enzymes involved in high-energy phosphoryl transfer (approximately P) are particulary attractive for in vivo MR spectroscopy studies as the substrates of these enzymes are metabolites that are visible in MR spectra. This review provides a brief overview of the strategies used for generation and study of genetically altered mice and introduces the reader to some practical aspects of in vivo MRS studies on mice. The major part of the paper reviews results of in vivo MRS studies on transgenic mice with alterations in the expression of enzymes involved in approximately P metabolism, such as creatine kinase, adenylate kinase and guanidinoacetate methyl transferase. The particular metabolic consequences of these enzyme deficiencies in skeletal muscle, brain, heart and liver are addressed. Additionally, the use of approximately P systems as markers of gene expression by MRS, such as after viral transduction of genes, is described. Finally, a compilation of tissue levels of metabolites in skeletal muscle, heart and brain of wild-type and transgenic mice, as determined by in vivo MRS, is given. During the last decade, transgenic MRS studies have contributed significantly to our understanding of the physiological role of phosphotransfer enzymes, and to the view that these enzymes together build a much larger metabolic energy network that is highly versatile and can dynamically adapt to intrinsic genotoxic and extrinsic physiological challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Klaas Jan Renema
- Department of Radiology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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31
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Beckmann N, Kneuer R, Gremlich HU, Karmouty-Quintana H, Blé FX, Müller M. In vivo mouse imaging and spectroscopy in drug discovery. NMR IN BIOMEDICINE 2007; 20:154-85. [PMID: 17451175 DOI: 10.1002/nbm.1153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Imaging modalities such as micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), micro-positron emission tomography (micro-PET), high-resolution MRI, optical imaging, and high-resolution ultrasound have become invaluable tools in preclinical pharmaceutical research. They can be used to non-invasively investigate, in vivo, rodent biology and metabolism, disease models, and pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs. The advantages and limitations of each approach usually determine its application, and therefore a small-rodent imaging laboratory in a pharmaceutical environment should ideally provide access to several techniques. In this paper we aim to illustrate how these techniques may be used to obtain meaningful information for the phenotyping of transgenic mice and for the analysis of compounds in murine models of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolau Beckmann
- Discovery Technologies, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Lichtstrasse 35, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland.
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32
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Kan HE, Meeuwissen E, van Asten JJ, Veltien A, Isbrandt D, Heerschap A. Creatine uptake in brain and skeletal muscle of mice lacking guanidinoacetate methyltransferase assessed by magnetic resonance spectroscopy. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2007; 102:2121-7. [PMID: 17347380 DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.01327.2006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Creatine (Cr) levels in skeletal muscle and brain of a mouse model of Cr deficiency caused by guanidinoacetate methyltransferase absence (GAMT-/-) were studied after Cr supplementation with 2 g.kg body wt-1.day-1 Cr for 35 days. Localized 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) was performed in brain (cerebellum and thalamus/hippocampus) and in hind leg muscle of GAMT-/- mice before and after Cr supplementation and in control (Con) mice. As expected, a signal for Cr was hardly detectable in MR spectra of GAMT-/- mice before Cr supplementation. In the thalamus/hippocampus region of these mice, an increase in N-acetylasparate (NAA) was observed. During Cr administration, Cr levels increased faster in skeletal muscle compared with brain, but this occurred only during the first day of supplementation. Thereafter, Cr levels increased by 0.8 mM/day in all studied locations. After 35 days of Cr supplementation, Cr levels in all locations were higher compared with Con mice on a Cr-free diet and NAA levels normalized. Only because of the repeated MRS measurements performed in this longitudinal Cr supplementation study on GAMT-/- mice were we able to discover the initial faster uptake of Cr in skeletal muscle compared with brain, which may represent muscular Cr uptake independent of Cr transporter expression. Our results can provide the basis for additional experiments to optimize Cr supplementation in GAMT deficiency, as increases in brain Cr are slow in patients after Cr supplementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hermien E Kan
- Department of Radiology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein 10, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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33
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Wallimann T. Introduction--creatine: cheap ergogenic supplement with great potential for health and disease. Subcell Biochem 2007; 46:1-16. [PMID: 18652069 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4020-6486-9_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Theo Wallimann
- Institute of Cell Biology, ETH Zurich, Hönggerberg HPM-D24.1, Schafmattstrasse 18, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland
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34
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Stockler S, Schutz PW, Salomons GS. Cerebral creatine deficiency syndromes: clinical aspects, treatment and pathophysiology. Subcell Biochem 2007; 46:149-166. [PMID: 18652076 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4020-6486-9_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Cerebral creatine deficiency syndromes (CCDSs) are a group of inborn errors of creatine metabolism comprising two autosomal recessive disorders that affect the biosynthesis of creatine--i.e. arginine:glycine amidinotransferase deficiency (AGAT; MIM 602360) and guanidinoacetate methyltransferase deficiency (GAMT; MIM 601240)--and an X-linked defect that affects the creatine transporter, SLC6A8 deficiency (SLC6A8; MIM 300036). The biochemical hallmarks of these disorders include cerebral creatine deficiency as detected in vivo by 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) of the brain, and specific disturbances in metabolites of creatine metabolism in body fluids. In urine and plasma, abnormal guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) levels are found in AGAT deficiency (reduced GAA) and in GAMT deficiency (increased GAA). In urine of males with SLC6A8 deficiency, an increased creatine/creatinine ratio is detected. The common clinical presentation in CCDS includes mental retardation, expressive speech and language delay, autistic like behaviour and epilepsy. Treatment of the creatine biosynthesis defects has yielded clinical improvement, while for creatine transporter deficiency, successful treatment strategies still need to be discovered. CCDSs may be responsible for a considerable fraction of children and adults affected with mental retardation of unknown etiology. Thus, screening for this group of disorders should be included in the differential diagnosis of this population. In this review, also the importance of CCDSs for the unravelling of the (patho)physiology of cerebral creatine metabolism is discussed.
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MESH Headings
- Adult
- Amidinotransferases/deficiency
- Animals
- Brain Diseases, Metabolic, Inborn/diagnosis
- Brain Diseases, Metabolic, Inborn/enzymology
- Brain Diseases, Metabolic, Inborn/pathology
- Brain Diseases, Metabolic, Inborn/physiopathology
- Brain Diseases, Metabolic, Inborn/therapy
- Cerebellar Diseases/diagnosis
- Cerebellar Diseases/enzymology
- Cerebellar Diseases/pathology
- Cerebellar Diseases/physiopathology
- Cerebellar Diseases/therapy
- Child
- Child, Preschool
- Creatine/deficiency
- Creatine/metabolism
- Creatinine/metabolism
- Diagnosis, Differential
- Female
- Genetic Diseases, X-Linked/diagnosis
- Genetic Diseases, X-Linked/enzymology
- Genetic Diseases, X-Linked/pathology
- Genetic Diseases, X-Linked/physiopathology
- Genetic Diseases, X-Linked/therapy
- Glycine/analogs & derivatives
- Glycine/metabolism
- Guanidinoacetate N-Methyltransferase/deficiency
- Humans
- Male
- Nerve Tissue Proteins/deficiency
- Plasma Membrane Neurotransmitter Transport Proteins/deficiency
- Syndrome
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvia Stockler
- Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia, Division of Biochemical Diseases, British Columbia Children's Hospital, Vancouver, B.C., V6H 3V4, Canada
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35
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Prompers JJ, Jeneson JAL, Drost MR, Oomens CCW, Strijkers GJ, Nicolay K. Dynamic MRS and MRI of skeletal muscle function and biomechanics. NMR IN BIOMEDICINE 2006; 19:927-53. [PMID: 17075956 DOI: 10.1002/nbm.1095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
MR is a powerful technique for studying the biomechanical and functional properties of skeletal muscle in vivo in health and disease. This review focuses on 31P, 1H and 13C MR spectroscopy for assessment of the dynamics of muscle metabolism and on dynamic 1H MRI methods for non-invasive measurement of the biomechanical and functional properties of skeletal muscle. The information thus obtained ranges from the microscopic level of the metabolism of the myocyte to the macroscopic level of the contractile function of muscle complexes. The MR technology presented plays a vital role in achieving a better understanding of many basic aspects of muscle function, including the regulation of mitochondrial activity and the intricate interplay between muscle fiber organization and contractile function. In addition, these tools are increasingly being employed to establish novel diagnostic procedures as well as to monitor the effects of therapeutic and lifestyle interventions for muscle disorders that have an increasing impact in modern society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeanine J Prompers
- Biomedical NMR, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands
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36
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Almeida LS, Rosenberg EH, Verhoeven NM, Jakobs C, Salomons GS. Are cerebral creatine deficiency syndromes on the radar screen? FUTURE NEUROLOGY 2006. [DOI: 10.2217/14796708.1.5.637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Cerebral creatine deficiency syndromes (CCDS) are responsible for a considerable proportion of the population affected with mental retardation. CCDS are caused by either an inborn error of the proteins involved in creatine biosynthesis or in the creatine transporter. Besides mental retardation, the clinical characteristics of CCDS are speech and language delay, epilepsy and features of autism. CCDS can be diagnosed by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the brain and/or by biochemical and molecular analysis. Treatment of the defects in creatine biosynthesis has yielded favorable outcomes, while treatments for creatine transporter deficiency are still under investigation at this time. The relatively large contribution of the CCDS to the monogenic causes of mental retardation emphasizes the importance of including CCDS in the differential diagnosis of mental retardation of unknown etiology. Pathophysiology is not yet unravelled, although it is known that creatine plays an important role in energy storage and transmission. Moreover, in vitro data indicate that creatine acts as a neuromodulator in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lígia S Almeida
- VU University Medical Center, Department of Clinical Chemistry, Metabolic Unit, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Efraim H Rosenberg
- VU University Medical Center, Department of Clinical Chemistry, Metabolic Unit, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nanda M Verhoeven
- VU University Medical Center, Department of Clinical Chemistry, Metabolic Unit, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Cornelis Jakobs
- VU University Medical Center, Department of Clinical Chemistry, Metabolic Unit, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Gajja S Salomons
- VU University Medical Center, Department of Clinical Chemistry, Metabolic Unit, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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37
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Kan HE, Buse-Pot TE, Peco R, Isbrandt D, Heerschap A, de Haan A. Lower force and impaired performance during high-intensity electrical stimulation in skeletal muscle of GAMT-deficient knockout mice. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2005; 289:C113-9. [PMID: 15743892 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00040.2005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Force characteristics of skeletal muscle of knockout mice lacking creatine (Cr) due to a deletion of guanidinoacetate methyltransferase (GAMT) were studied in situ. Medial gastrocnemius muscles of anesthetized GAMT-deficient (GAMT−/−) and control (Con) littermates were stimulated at optimum length via the sciatic nerve at different stimulation frequencies (60–250 Hz). GAMT−/− mice showed reduced maximal tetanic and twitch force, reduced relative force at 60 Hz, and increased relaxation times. High-intensity fatigue protocols consisting of 30 successive isometric or dynamic contractions showed a strong reduction in force at the beginning of the series in GAMT−/− mice, followed by a smaller reduction compared with Con littermates toward the end of the series. Cr supplementation for 2 days in GAMT−/− animals (GAMT[Formula: see text]) resulted in normalization to Con values for relaxation times, relative force at lower stimulation frequencies, and relative force during 30 isometric contractions. Force per muscle mass, however, remained decreased. Furthermore,GAMT[Formula: see text] mice showed differences compared with both Con and unsupplemented animals in maximal rates of force rise and relaxation times during the isometric protocol as well as in force during the dynamic protocol. Our results show that the absence of Cr plays a direct role in relaxation times, maximal rate of force rise, and force production during high-intensity fatigue protocols. The lower force per muscle mass, however, is probably caused by other factors; i.e., high intracellular guanidinoacetate concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- H E Kan
- Department of Radiology (430), Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein 10, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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38
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Torremans A, Marescau B, Possemiers I, Van Dam D, D'Hooge R, Isbrandt D, De Deyn PP. Biochemical and behavioural phenotyping of a mouse model for GAMT deficiency. J Neurol Sci 2005; 231:49-55. [PMID: 15792821 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2004.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2004] [Revised: 12/03/2004] [Accepted: 12/10/2004] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Deficiency of guanidinoacetate N-methyltransferase (GAMT) is the first described creatine (CT) deficiency syndrome in man, biochemically characterized by accumulation of guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) and depletion of CT. Patients exhibit severe developmental and muscular problems. We created a mouse model for GAMT deficiency, which exerts biochemical changes comparable with those found in human GAMT-deficient subjects. CT and creatinine (CTN) levels are significantly decreased and GAA is increased in knockout (KO) mice. In patients, other guanidino compounds (GCs) appear to be altered as well, which may also contribute to the symptomatology. Extensive evaluation of GCs levels in the GAMT mouse model was therefore considered appropriate. Concentrations of 13 GCs in plasma, 24-h urine, brain and muscle of GAMT mice were measured. We also report on the detailed behavioural characterization of this model for GAMT deficiency. Besides an increase of GAA and a decrease of CT and CTN in plasma, 24-h urine, brain and muscle of KO mice, we observed a significant increase of other GCs in brain and muscle that was sometimes reflected in plasma and/or urine. KO mice displayed mild cognitive impairment. In general, it could be concluded that the GAMT mouse model is very useful for biochemical research of GAMT deficiency, but shows only a mild cognitive deficit.
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Affiliation(s)
- An Torremans
- Laboratory of Neurochemistry and Behaviour/Born Bunge Foundation, University of Antwerp, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Antwerp (Wilrijk), Belgium
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39
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Schneider JE, Tyler DJ, ten Hove M, Sang AE, Cassidy PJ, Fischer A, Wallis J, Sebag-Montefiore LM, Watkins H, Isbrandt D, Clarke K, Neubauer S. In vivo cardiac 1H-MRS in the mouse. Magn Reson Med 2005; 52:1029-35. [PMID: 15508174 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.20257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The mouse is the predominant animal model to study the effect of gene manipulations. Imaging techniques to define functional effects on the heart caused by genomic alterations are becoming increasingly routine in mice, yet methods for in vivo investigation of metabolic phenotypes in the mouse heart are lacking. In this work, cardiac 1H-MRS was developed and applied in mouse hearts in vivo using a single-voxel technique (PRESS). In normal C57Bl/6J mice, stability and reproducibility achieved by dedicated cardiac and respiratory gating was demonstrated by measuring amplitude and zero-order phase changes of the unsuppressed water signal. Various cardiac metabolites, such as creatine, taurine, carnitine, or intramyocardial lipids were successfully detected and quantified relative to the total water content in voxels as small as 2 microl, positioned in the interventricular septum. The method was applied to a murine model of guanidinoacetate N-methyltransferase (GAMT) deficiency, which is characterized by substantially decreased myocardial creatine levels. Creatine deficiency was confirmed noninvasively in myocardium of anesthetized GAMT-/- mice. This is the first study to report the application of cardiac 1H-MRS in mice in vivo.
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40
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Michaelis T, Frahm J. Low-field vs. high-field proton MRS of mouse brain in vivo. Magn Reson Med 2005; 54:1046-7; author reply 1048-9. [PMID: 16161105 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.20668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Tkác I, Henry PG, Andersen P, Keene CD, Low WC, Gruetter R. Highly resolved in vivo1H NMR spectroscopy of the mouse brain at 9.4 T. Magn Reson Med 2004; 52:478-84. [PMID: 15334565 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.20184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 158] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
An efficient shim system and an optimized localization sequence were used to measure in vivo 1H NMR spectra from cerebral cortex, hippocampus, striatum, and cerebellum of C57BL/6 mice at 9.4 T. The combination of automatic first- and second-order shimming (FASTMAP) with strong custom-designed second-order shim coils (shim strength up to 0.04 mT/cm2) was crucial to achieve high spectral resolution (water line width of 11-14 Hz). Requirements for second-order shim strengths to compensate field inhomogeneities in the mouse brain at 9.4 T were assessed. The achieved spectral quality (resolution, S/N, water suppression, localization performance) allowed reliable quantification of 16 brain metabolites (LCModel analysis) from 5-10-microL brain volumes. Significant regional differences (up to 2-fold, P < 0.05) were found for all quantified metabolites but Asp, Glc, and Gln. In contrast, 1H NMR spectra measured from the striatum of C57BL/6, CBA, and CBA/BL6 mice revealed only small (<13%, P < 0.05) interstrain differences in Gln, Glu, Ins, Lac, NAAG, and PE. It is concluded that 1H NMR spectroscopy at 9.4 T can provide precise biochemical information from distinct regions of the mouse brain noninvasively that can be used for monitoring of disease progression and treatment as well as phenotyping in transgenic mice models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Tkác
- Department of Radiology, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455, USA.
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Kan HE, Renema WKJ, Isbrandt D, Heerschap A. Phosphorylated guanidinoacetate partly compensates for the lack of phosphocreatine in skeletal muscle of mice lacking guanidinoacetate methyltransferase. J Physiol 2004; 560:219-29. [PMID: 15284341 PMCID: PMC1665207 DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2004.067926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The effects of creatine (Cr) absence in skeletal muscle caused by a deletion of guanidinoacetate methyltransferase (GAMT) were studied in a knockout mouse model by in vivo (31)P magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy. (31)P MR spectra of hindleg muscle of GAMT-deficient (GAMT-/-) mice showed no phosphocreatine (PCr) signal and instead showed the signal for phosphorylated guanidinoacetate (PGua), the immediate precursor of Cr, which is not normally present. Tissue pH did not differ between wild-type (WT) and GAMT-/- mice, while relative inorganic phosphate (P(i)) levels were increased in the latter. During ischaemia, PGua was metabolically active in GAMT-/- mice and decreased at a rate comparable to the decrease of PCr in WT mice. However, the recovery rate of PGua in GAMT-/- mice after ischaemia was reduced compared to PCr in WT mice. Saturation transfer measurements revealed no detectable flux from PGua to gamma-ATP, indicating severely reduced enzyme kinetics. Supplementation of Cr resulted in a rapid increase in PCr signal intensity until only this resonance was visible, along with a reduction in relative P(i) values. However, the PGua recovery rate after ischaemia did not change. Our results show that despite the absence of Cr, GAMT-/- mice can cope with mild ischaemic stress by using PGua for high energy phosphoryl transfer. The reduced affinity of creatine kinase (CK) for (P)Gua only becomes apparent during recovery from ischaemia. It is argued that absence of Cr causes the higher relative P(i) concentration also observed in animals lacking muscle CK, indicating an important role of the CK system in P(i) homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hermien E Kan
- Department of Radiology, University Medical Centre Nijmegen, Geert Grooteplein 10, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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Ensenauer R, Thiel T, Schwab KO, Tacke U, Stöckler-Ipsiroglu S, Schulze A, Hennig J, Lehnert W. Guanidinoacetate methyltransferase deficiency: differences of creatine uptake in human brain and muscle. Mol Genet Metab 2004; 82:208-13. [PMID: 15234333 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymgme.2004.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2004] [Revised: 04/08/2004] [Accepted: 04/08/2004] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Deficiency of guanidinoacetate methyltransferase (GAMT), the first described creatine biosynthesis defect, leads to depletion of creatine and phosphocreatine, and accumulation of guanidinoacetate in brain. This results in epilepsy, mental retardation, and extrapyramidal movement disorders. Investigation of skeletal muscle by proton and phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy before therapy demonstrated the presence of considerable amounts of creatine and phosphocreatine, and accumulation of phosphorylated guanidinoacetate in a 7-year-old boy diagnosed with GAMT deficiency, suggesting separate mechanisms for creatine uptake and synthesis in brain and skeletal muscle. The combination of creatine supplementation and a guanidinoacetate-lowering therapeutic approach resulted in improvement of clinical symptoms and metabolite concentrations in brain, muscle, and body fluids.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Ensenauer
- Metabolic Unit, University Children's Hospital, Freiburg, Germany.
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