Document Detail


Increased activity and altered subcellular distribution of lysosomal enzymes determine neuronal vulnerability in Niemann-Pick type C1-deficient mice.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  19893049     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC), caused by mutations in the Npc1 or Npc2 genes, is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by intracellular accumulation/redistribution of cholesterol in a number of tissues including the brain. This is accompanied by a severe loss of neurons in selected brain regions. In this study, we evaluated the role of lysosomal enzymes, cathepsins B and D, in determining neuronal vulnerability in NPC1-deficient (Npc1(-/-)) mouse brains. Our results showed that Npc1(-/-) mice exhibit an age-dependent degeneration of neurons in the cerebellum but not in the hippocampus. The cellular level/expression and activity of cathepsins B and D are increased more predominantly in the cerebellum than in the hippocampus of Npc1(-/-) mice. In addition, the cytosolic levels of cathepsins, cytochrome c, and Bax2 are higher in the cerebellum than in the hippocampus of Npc1(-/-) mice, suggesting a role for these enzymes in the degeneration of neurons. This suggestion is supported by our observation that degeneration of cultured cortical neurons treated with U18666A, which induces an NPC1-like phenotype at the cellular level, can be attenuated by inhibition of cathepsin B or D enzyme activity. These results suggest that the increased level/activity and altered subcellular distribution of cathepsins may be associated with the underlying cause of neuronal vulnerability in Npc1(-/-) brains. Therefore, their inhibitors may have therapeutic potential in attenuating NPC pathology.
Authors:
Asha Amritraj; Kyle Peake; Anitha Kodam; Chiara Salio; Adalberto Merighi; Jean E Vance; Satyabrata Kar
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't     Date:  2009-11-05
Journal Detail:
Title:  The American journal of pathology     Volume:  175     ISSN:  1525-2191     ISO Abbreviation:  Am. J. Pathol.     Publication Date:  2009 Dec 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2009-12-07     Completed Date:  2010-02-25     Revised Date:  2011-03-03    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0370502     Medline TA:  Am J Pathol     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  2540-56     Citation Subset:  AIM; IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases, University of Alberta, Alberta, Canada.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Animals
Cathepsin B / metabolism*
Cathepsin D / metabolism*
Cerebellum / metabolism,  pathology
Cholesterol / metabolism
Fluorescent Antibody Technique
Hippocampus / metabolism,  pathology
Immunoblotting
Lysosomes / enzymology
Mice
Mice, Inbred BALB C
Mice, Knockout
Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
Nerve Degeneration / enzymology*,  pathology
Neurons / enzymology,  pathology
Niemann-Pick Disease, Type C / enzymology*,  pathology
Proteins / genetics*
Grant Support
ID/Acronym/Agency:
//Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Npc1 protein, mouse; 0/Proteins; 57-88-5/Cholesterol; EC 3.4.22.1/Cathepsin B; EC 3.4.23.5/Cathepsin D

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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