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Abstract
Utilization of live animals for mechanistic study is challenging yet pivotal to elucidate pathogenesis of neurological diseases. Here, we present a protocol that employs cultured brain slices derived from adult mice to examine mRNA metabolism. We describe the preparation of acute brain slices and the treatments of RNA synthesis inhibitor and nucleotide analog to examine the effects of ataxin-1 loss-of-function on Bace1 mRNA stability and transcription in cortex. This protocol also includes electrophysiological recording of spontaneous neuronal activity in hippocampus. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Suh et al. (2019). Protocol for acute brain slice cultures derived from adult mice for RNA metabolism study Assessment of gene knockout effects on target mRNA stability in selected brain regions Analysis of mRNA synthesis in cultured brain slices by utilizing Click-iT reaction Electrophysiological analysis of spontaneous neuronal activity in hippocampal slices
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Affiliation(s)
- Volodymyr Dzhala
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA
- Corresponding author
| | - Alan J. Fowler
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA
- Genetics and Aging Research Unit, MassGeneral Institute of Neurodegenerative Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - Britt A. DiMarzio
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA
- Genetics and Aging Research Unit, MassGeneral Institute of Neurodegenerative Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - Kevin J. Staley
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - Jaehong Suh
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA
- Genetics and Aging Research Unit, MassGeneral Institute of Neurodegenerative Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA
- Corresponding author
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Suh J, Romano DM, Nitschke L, Herrick SP, DiMarzio BA, Dzhala V, Bae JS, Oram MK, Zheng Y, Hooli B, Mullin K, Gennarino VA, Wasco W, Schmahmann JD, Albers MW, Zoghbi HY, Tanzi RE. Loss of Ataxin-1 Potentiates Alzheimer's Pathogenesis by Elevating Cerebral BACE1 Transcription. Cell 2020; 178:1159-1175.e17. [PMID: 31442405 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.07.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2017] [Revised: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Expansion of CAG trinucleotide repeats in ATXN1 causes spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1), a neurodegenerative disease that impairs coordination and cognition. While ATXN1 is associated with increased Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk, CAG repeat number in AD patients is not changed. Here, we investigated the consequences of ataxin-1 loss of function and discovered that knockout of Atxn1 reduced CIC-ETV4/5-mediated inhibition of Bace1 transcription, leading to increased BACE1 levels and enhanced amyloidogenic cleavage of APP, selectively in AD-vulnerable brain regions. Elevated BACE1 expression exacerbated Aβ deposition and gliosis in AD mouse models and impaired hippocampal neurogenesis and olfactory axonal targeting. In SCA1 mice, polyglutamine-expanded mutant ataxin-1 led to the increase of BACE1 post-transcriptionally, both in cerebrum and cerebellum, and caused axonal-targeting deficit and neurodegeneration in the hippocampal CA2 region. These findings suggest that loss of ataxin-1 elevates BACE1 expression and Aβ pathology, rendering it a potential contributor to AD risk and pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaehong Suh
- Genetics and Aging Research Unit, McCance Center for Brain Health, MassGeneral Institute of Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA.
| | - Donna M Romano
- Genetics and Aging Research Unit, McCance Center for Brain Health, MassGeneral Institute of Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - Larissa Nitschke
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Integrative Molecular and Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Scott P Herrick
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - Britt A DiMarzio
- Genetics and Aging Research Unit, McCance Center for Brain Health, MassGeneral Institute of Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - Volodymyr Dzhala
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - Jun-Seok Bae
- Genetics and Aging Research Unit, McCance Center for Brain Health, MassGeneral Institute of Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - Mary K Oram
- Genetics and Aging Research Unit, McCance Center for Brain Health, MassGeneral Institute of Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - Yuejiao Zheng
- Genetics and Aging Research Unit, McCance Center for Brain Health, MassGeneral Institute of Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - Basavaraj Hooli
- Genetics and Aging Research Unit, McCance Center for Brain Health, MassGeneral Institute of Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - Kristina Mullin
- Genetics and Aging Research Unit, McCance Center for Brain Health, MassGeneral Institute of Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - Vincenzo A Gennarino
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Wilma Wasco
- Genetics and Aging Research Unit, McCance Center for Brain Health, MassGeneral Institute of Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - Jeremy D Schmahmann
- Ataxia Unit, Cognitive Behavioral Neurology Unit, Laboratory for Neuroanatomy and Cerebellar Neurobiology, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Mark W Albers
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA
| | - Huda Y Zoghbi
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Integrative Molecular and Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
| | - Rudolph E Tanzi
- Genetics and Aging Research Unit, McCance Center for Brain Health, MassGeneral Institute of Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA.
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