RNA expression profiling in brains of familial hemiplegic migraine type 1 knock-in mice.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Various CACNA1A missense mutations cause familial hemiplegic migraine type 1 (FHM1), a rare monogenic subtype of migraine with aura. FHM1 mutation R192Q is associated with pure hemiplegic migraine, whereas the S218L mutation causes hemiplegic migraine, cerebellar ataxia, seizures, and mild head trauma-induced brain edema. Transgenic knock-in (KI) migraine mouse models were generated that carried either the FHM1 R192Q or the S218L mutation and were shown to exhibit increased CaV2.1 channel activity. Here we investigated their cerebellar and caudal cortical transcriptome.

METHODS:

Caudal cortical and cerebellar RNA expression profiles from mutant and wild-type mice were studied using microarrays. Respective brain regions were selected based on their relevance to migraine aura and ataxia. Relevant expression changes were further investigated at RNA and protein level by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and/or immunohistochemistry, respectively.

RESULTS:

Expression differences in the cerebellum were most pronounced in S218L mice. Particularly, tyrosine hydroxylase, a marker of delayed cerebellar maturation, appeared strongly upregulated in S218L cerebella. In contrast, only minimal expression differences were observed in the caudal cortex of either mutant mice strain.

CONCLUSION:

Despite pronounced consequences of migraine gene mutations at the neurobiological level, changes in cortical RNA expression in FHM1 migraine mice compared to wild-type are modest. In contrast, pronounced RNA expression changes are seen in the cerebellum of S218L mice and may explain their cerebellar ataxia phenotype.

• Authors: Boukje de Vries, Else Eising, Ludo A M Broos, Stephany C Koelewijn, Boyan Todorov, Rune R Frants, Judith M Boer, Michel D Ferrari, Peter A C 't Hoen, Arn M J M van den Maagdenberg
• Journal: Cephalalgia : an international journal of headache (Cephalalgia) Vol. 34 Issue 3 Pg. 174-82 (Mar 2014) ISSN: 1468-2982 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 23985897 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Calcium Channels, N-Type
• Nerve Tissue Proteins
• voltage-dependent calcium channel (P-Q type)
• RNA

Topics

• Animals
• Brain (physiopathology)
• Calcium Channels, N-Type (genetics)
• Cerebellar Ataxia (genetics, metabolism)
• Cerebellum (physiopathology)
• Cerebral Cortex (physiopathology)
• Female
• Gene Expression Profiling
• Gene Expression Regulation (genetics)
• Male
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred C57BL
• Mice, Knockout
• Mice, Transgenic
• Migraine Disorders (genetics, metabolism)
• Mutation
• Nerve Tissue Proteins (genetics)
• RNA (genetics, metabolism)
• Tissue Distribution
• Transcriptome (genetics)