Adipose-specific Huntingtin knockout mice display alterations in response to metabolic challenges
Research Mentor(s)
Carroll, Jeffrey B. (Jeffrey Bryan), 1977-
Description
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a fatal autosomal dominant disease, characterized by progressive motor, cognitive, and psychiatric phenotypes. HD results from a trinucleotide expansion (CAG) in the huntingtin gene (HTT), which causes abnormal function of mutant huntingtin protein (HTT). Although Huntington’s disease is classically considered a neurodegenerative disease, neither HD nor HTT expression is confined to the brain. HTT expression is found throughout the body, and so too are the toxic effects of the causal mutation in HD. This research is particularly interested in whole-body signs in HD, and aims to shine a light on the metabolic and molecular effects of Htt gene knockout in adipose tissues using mice harboring floxed Htt alleles and an Adipoq-Cre transgene (“HttAKO”). While previous work has described phenotypes arising from mutant huntingtin expression in adipose tissue, it is unclear whether these phenotypes are due to toxic gain-of-function or loss of wild-type functions. Subtle differences between wild-type and a mutant Htt allele can be exacerbated when met with metabolic challenges, and likewise, Htt knockout alleles may require metabolic challenges to uncover phenotypes that are subtle or non-existent at baseline. In order to address this question, wild-type (Htt+/+) and HttAKO/AKO mice will be characterized and compared in response to a series of metabolic challenges. We will discuss the effects of a glucose challenge and prolonged fast on gene and protein expression in these knockout mice. We will also present RNA sequencing data which highlights the additional genetic changes in response to Htt knockout in adipose tissues.
Document Type
Event
Start Date
17-5-2018 9:00 AM
End Date
17-5-2018 12:00 PM
Department
Psychology
Genre/Form
student projects, posters
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Huntington's disease; Adipose tissues; Nucleotide sequence
Type
Image
Rights
Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this documentation for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author's written permission.
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Adipose-specific Huntingtin knockout mice display alterations in response to metabolic challenges
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a fatal autosomal dominant disease, characterized by progressive motor, cognitive, and psychiatric phenotypes. HD results from a trinucleotide expansion (CAG) in the huntingtin gene (HTT), which causes abnormal function of mutant huntingtin protein (HTT). Although Huntington’s disease is classically considered a neurodegenerative disease, neither HD nor HTT expression is confined to the brain. HTT expression is found throughout the body, and so too are the toxic effects of the causal mutation in HD. This research is particularly interested in whole-body signs in HD, and aims to shine a light on the metabolic and molecular effects of Htt gene knockout in adipose tissues using mice harboring floxed Htt alleles and an Adipoq-Cre transgene (“HttAKO”). While previous work has described phenotypes arising from mutant huntingtin expression in adipose tissue, it is unclear whether these phenotypes are due to toxic gain-of-function or loss of wild-type functions. Subtle differences between wild-type and a mutant Htt allele can be exacerbated when met with metabolic challenges, and likewise, Htt knockout alleles may require metabolic challenges to uncover phenotypes that are subtle or non-existent at baseline. In order to address this question, wild-type (Htt+/+) and HttAKO/AKO mice will be characterized and compared in response to a series of metabolic challenges. We will discuss the effects of a glucose challenge and prolonged fast on gene and protein expression in these knockout mice. We will also present RNA sequencing data which highlights the additional genetic changes in response to Htt knockout in adipose tissues.
Comments
BRAIN, Behavioral Neuroscience, Outstanding Poster Award Recipient