Human Molecular Genetics, 2003, Vol. 12, No. 5 497-508
© 2003 Oxford University Press
Specific progressive cAMP reduction implicates energy deficit in presymptomatic Huntington's disease knock-in mice

Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Building 149, 13th St, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
Received October 23, 2002; Accepted December 20, 2002
Defects in gene transcription and mitochondrial function have been implicated in the dominant disease process that leads to the loss of striatal neurons in Huntington's disease (HD). Here we have used precise genetic HD mouse and striatal cell models to investigate the hypothesis that decreased cAMP responsive element (CRE)-mediated gene transcription may reflect impaired energy metabolism. We found that reduced CRE-signaling in HdhQ111 striatum, monitored by brain derived neurotrophic factor and phospho-CRE binding protein (CREB), predated inclusion formation. Furthermore, cAMP levels in HdhQ111 striatum declined from an early age (10 weeks), and cAMP was significantly decreased in HD postmortem brain and lymphoblastoid cells, attesting to a chronic deficit in man. Reduced CRE-signaling in cultured STHdhQ111 striatal cells was associated with cytosolic CREB binding protein that mirrored diminished cAMP synthesis. Moreover, mutant cells exhibited mitochondrial respiratory chain impairment, evidenced by decreased ATP and ATP/ADP ratio, impaired MTT conversion and heightened sensitivity to 3-nitropropionic acid. Thus, our findings strongly suggest that impaired ATP synthesis and diminished cAMP levels amplify the early HD disease cascade by decreasing CRE-regulated gene transcription and altering energy dependent processes essential to neuronal cell survival.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +1 6177265089; Fax: +1 6177265735; Email: macdonam{at}helix.mgh.harvard.edu
Present address: Department of Pharmacology, University of Rome La Sapienza, P. le A Moro 5, I00185 Rome, Italy.
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