Loss of Tsc2 in Purkinje cells is associated with autistic-like behavior in a mouse model of tuberous sclerosis complex

Neurobiology of Disease

Seo-Hee Cho¹  Henry Wu²  James McKenna³  Michael J. Gambello³  Pramod K. Dash⁴  S. Shahrukh Hashmi⁵  R. Michelle Reith⁶ 

[1]Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Shriners Hospital's Pediatric Research Center, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA

[2]Department of Biochemistry, Division of Cardiology, UT Health, Houston, TX, USA

[3]Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA

[4]Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, UT Health, Houston, TX, USA

[5]Department of Pediatrics, Division of Medical Genetics, UT Health, Houston, TX, USA

[6]Program in Human and Molecular Genetics, UT Health, Houston, TX, USA

关键词: Purkinje cell;    Tuberous sclerosis;    Rapamycin;    Mouse;    Tsc2;    Autism;   

DOI  :  

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a dominant tumor suppressor disorder caused by mutations in either TSC1 or TSC2. TSC causes substantial neuropathology, often leading to autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in up to 60% of patients. The anatomic and neurophysiologic links between these two disorders are not well understood. We have generated and characterized a novel TSC mouse model with Purkinje cell specific Tsc2 loss. These Tsc2f/−;Cre mice exhibit progressive Purkinje cell degeneration. Since loss of Purkinje cells is a well reported postmortem finding in patients with ASD, we conducted a series of behavior tests to asses if Tsc2f/−;Cre mice displayed autistic-like deficits. Tsc2f/−;Cre mice demonstrated increased repetitive behavior as assessed with marble burying activity. Using the three chambered apparatus to asses social behavior, we found that Tsc2f/−;Cre mice showed behavioral deficits, exhibiting no preference between a stranger mouse and an inanimate object, or between a novel and a familiar mouse. We also detected social deficits in Tsc2f/f;Cre mice, suggesting that Purkinje cell pathology is sufficient to induce ASD-like behavior. Importantly, social behavior deficits were prevented with rapamycin treatment. Altogether, these results demonstrate that loss of Tsc2 in Purkinje cells in a Tsc2-haploinsufficient background leads to autistic-like behavioral deficits. These studies provide compelling evidence that Purkinje cell loss and/or dysfunction may be an important link between TSC and ASD as well as a general anatomic phenomenon that contributes to the ASD phenotype.

【 授权许可】

Unknown