Spinocerebellar ataxia type 7 cerebellar disease requires the coordinated action of mutant ataxin-7 in neurons and glia, and displays non-cell-autonomous bergmann glia degeneration.

Abstract

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 7 (SCA7) is a dominantly inherited disorder characterized by cerebellum and brainstem neurodegeneration. SCA7 is caused by a CAG/polyglutamine (polyQ) repeat expansion in the ataxin-7 gene. We previously reported that directed expression of polyQ-ataxin-7 in Bergmann glia (BG) in transgenic mice leads to ataxia and non-cell-autonomous Purkinje cell (PC) degeneration. To further define the cellular basis of SCA7, we derived a conditional inactivation mouse model by inserting a loxP-flanked ataxin-7 cDNA with 92 repeats into the translational start site of the murine prion protein (PrP) gene in a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC). The PrP-floxed-SCA7-92Q BAC mice developed neurological disease, and exhibited cerebellar degeneration and BG process loss. To inactivate polyQ-ataxin-7 expression in specific cerebellar cell types, we crossed PrP-floxed-SCA7-92Q BAC mice with Gfa2-Cre transgenic mice (to direct Cre to BG) or Pcp2-Cre transgenic mice (which yields Cre in PCs and inferior olive). Excision of ataxin-7 from BG partially rescued the behavioral phenotype, but did not prevent BG process loss or molecular layer thinning, while excision of ataxin-7 from PCs and inferior olive provided significantly greater rescue and prevented both pathological changes, revealing a non-cell-autonomous basis for BG pathology. When we prevented expression of mutant ataxin-7 in BG, PCs, and inferior olive by deriving Gfa2-Cre;Pcp2-Cre;PrP-floxed-SCA7-92Q BAC triple transgenic mice, we noted a dramatic improvement in SCA7 disease phenotypes. These findings indicate that SCA7 disease pathogenesis involves a convergence of alterations in a variety of different cell types to fully recapitulate the cerebellar degeneration.

• Authors: Stephanie A Furrer, Mathini S Mohanachandran, Sarah M Waldherr, Christopher Chang, Vincent A Damian, Bryce L Sopher, Gwenn A Garden, Albert R La Spada
• Journal: The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience (J Neurosci) Vol. 31 Issue 45 Pg. 16269-78 (Nov 09 2011) ISSN: 1529-2401 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 22072678 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural)

Chemical References

• ATXN7 protein, human
• Ataxin-7
• Atxn7 protein, mouse
• Nerve Tissue Proteins
• Peptides
• Prions
• RNA, Messenger
• polyglutamine

Topics

• Analysis of Variance
• Animals
• Ataxin-7
• Disease Models, Animal
• Gene Expression Regulation (genetics)
• Humans
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred C57BL
• Mice, Transgenic
• Motor Activity (genetics)
• Mutation (genetics)
• Nerve Tissue Proteins (genetics, metabolism)
• Neuroglia (pathology)
• Neurons (pathology)
• Peptides (genetics)
• Phenotype
• Prions (genetics)
• RNA, Messenger (metabolism)
• Rotarod Performance Test
• Spinocerebellar Ataxias (genetics, pathology, physiopathology)