Altered adult hippocampal neurogenesis in the YAC128 transgenic mouse model of Huntington disease

Jessica M. Simpson; Joana Gil-Mohapel; Mahmoud A. Pouladi; Mohamed Ghilan; Yuanyun Xie; Michael R. Hayden; Brian R. Christie

Neurobiology of Disease (Feb 2011)

Altered adult hippocampal neurogenesis in the YAC128 transgenic mouse model of Huntington disease

Jessica M. Simpson,
Joana Gil-Mohapel,
Mahmoud A. Pouladi,
Mohamed Ghilan,
Yuanyun Xie,
Michael R. Hayden,
Brian R. Christie

Affiliations

Jessica M. Simpson: Division of Medical Sciences and Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
Joana Gil-Mohapel: Division of Medical Sciences and Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada; Corresponding author. Division of Medical Sciences, Island Medical Program, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, V8W 2Y2, Canada. Fax: +1 250 772 5505.
Mahmoud A. Pouladi: Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Center for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Mohamed Ghilan: Division of Medical Sciences and Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
Yuanyun Xie: Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Center for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Michael R. Hayden: Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Center for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics and Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Brian R. Christie: Division of Medical Sciences and Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada; The Brain Research Center and Program in Neuroscience, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; The Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 41, no. 2
pp. 249 – 260

Abstract

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Perturbations in neurogenesis in the adult brain have been implicated in impaired learning and memory. In the present study, we investigated which stages of the neurogenic process are affected in the transgenic YAC128 mouse model of Huntington disease (HD). Hippocampal neuronal proliferation was altered in the dentate gyrus (DG) of YAC128 mice as compared with wild-type (WT) littermate controls in early symptomatic to end-stage mice. In addition, we detected a significantly lower number of immature neurons in the DG of young, pre-symptomatic YAC128 mice. This decrease in neuronal differentiation persisted through the progression of the disease, and resulted in an overall reduction in the number of new mature neurons in the DG of YAC128 mice. There were no changes in cell proliferation and differentiation in the subventricular zone (SVZ). In this study, we demonstrate decreases in neurogenesis in the DG of YAC128 mice, and these deficits may contribute to the cognitive abnormalities observed in these animals.

Published in Neurobiology of Disease

ISSN: 0969-9961 (Print); 1095-953X (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/neurobiology-of-disease

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