PUBLICATION
Progress towards understanding disease mechanisms in small vertebrate models of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis
- Authors
- Cooper, J.D., Russell, C., and Mitchison, H.M.
- ID
- ZDB-PUB-061020-24
- Date
- 2006
- Source
- Biochimica et biophysica acta. Molecular basis of disease 1762(10): 873-889 (Review)
- Registered Authors
- Russell, Claire
- Keywords
- Mouse, Model, Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis, Batten disease, Zebrafish, Neurodegeneration
- MeSH Terms
-
- Animals
- Animals, Genetically Modified
- Animals, Newborn
- Cathepsins/genetics
- Disease Models, Animal*
- Disease Progression
- Humans
- Membrane Glycoproteins/genetics
- Membrane Proteins/genetics
- Mice
- Molecular Chaperones/genetics
- Neuroglia/pathology
- Neuronal Ceroid-Lipofuscinoses/classification
- Neuronal Ceroid-Lipofuscinoses/genetics*
- Neuronal Ceroid-Lipofuscinoses/immunology
- Neuronal Ceroid-Lipofuscinoses/pathology*
- Neurons/pathology
- Thiolester Hydrolases/genetics
- Zebrafish/genetics*
- PubMed
- 17023146 Full text @ BBA Molecular Basis of Disease
Citation
Cooper, J.D., Russell, C., and Mitchison, H.M. (2006) Progress towards understanding disease mechanisms in small vertebrate models of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis. Biochimica et biophysica acta. Molecular basis of disease. 1762(10):873-889.
Abstract
Model systems provide an invaluable tool for investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying the NCLs, devastating neurodegenerative disorders that affect the relatively inaccessible tissues of the central nervous system. These models have enabled the assessment of behavioural, pathological, cellular, and molecular abnormalities, and also allow for development and evaluation of novel therapies. This review highlights the relative advantages of the two available small vertebrate species, the mouse and zebrafish, in modelling NCL disease, summarising how these have been useful in NCL research and their potential for the development and testing of prospective disease treatments. A panel of mouse mutants is available representing all the cloned NCL gene disorders (Cathepsin D, CLN1, CLN2, CLN3, CLN5, CLN6, CLN8). These NCL mice all have progressive neurodegenerative phenotypes that closely resemble the pathology of human NCL. The analysis of these models has highlighted several novel aspects underlying NCL pathogenesis including the selective nature of neurodegeneration, evidence for glial responses that precede neuronal loss and identification of the thalamus as an important pathological target early in disease progression. Studies in mice have also highlighted an unexpected heterogeneity underlying NCL phenotypes, and novel potential NCL-like mouse models have been described including mice with mutations in cathepsins, CLC chloride channels, and other lysosome-related genes. These new models are likely to provide significant new information on the spectrum of NCL disease. Information on NCL mice is available in the NCL Mouse Model Database (). There are homologs of most of the NCL genes in zebrafish, and NCL zebrafish models are currently in development. This model system provides additional advantages to those provided by NCL mouse models including high-throughput mutational, pharmacogenetic and therapeutic technique analyses. Mouse and zebrafish models are an important shared resource for NCL research, offering a unique possibility to dissect disease mechanisms and to develop therapeutic approaches.
Genes / Markers
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping