Publication
Title
TDP-43 transgenic mice develop spastic paralysis and neuronal inclusions characteristic of ALS and frontotemporal lobar degeneration
Author
Abstract
Neuronal cytoplasmic and intranuclear aggregates of RNA-binding protein TDP-43 are a hallmark feature of neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). ALS and FTLD show a considerable clinical and pathological overlap and occur as both familial and sporadic forms. Though missense mutations in TDP-43 cause rare forms of familial ALS, it is not yet known whether this is due to loss of TDP-43 function or gain of aberrant function. Moreover, the role of wild-type (WT) TDP-43, associated with the majority of familial and sporadic ALS/FTLD patients, is also currently unknown. Generating homozygous and hemizygous WT human TDP-43 transgenic mouse lines, we show here a dose-dependent degeneration of cortical and spinal motor neurons and development of spastic quadriplegia reminiscent of ALS. A dose-dependent degeneration of nonmotor cortical and subcortical neurons characteristic of FTLD was also observed. Neurons in the affected spinal cord and brain regions showed accumulation of TDP-43 nuclear and cytoplasmic aggregates that were both ubiquitinated and phosphorylated as observed in ALS/FTLD patients. Moreover, the characteristic ≈25-kDa C-terminal fragments (CTFs) were also recovered from nuclear fractions and correlated with disease development and progression in WT TDP-43 mice. These findings suggest that ≈25-kDa TDP-43 CTFs are noxious to neurons by a gain of aberrant nuclear function.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - Washington, D.C.
Publication
Washington, D.C. : 2010
ISSN
0027-8424 [Print]
1091-6490 [Online]
DOI
10.1073/PNAS.0912417107
Volume/pages
107 :8 (2010) , p. 3858-3863
ISI
000275130900104
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
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Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 18.02.2010
Last edited 04.03.2024
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