Regional brain variations of cytochrome oxidase activity and motor coordination in Girk2(Wv) (Weaver) mutant mice

Neuroscience. 2006 Oct 13;142(2):437-49. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2006.06.011. Epub 2006 Jul 14.

Abstract

The Girk2(Wv) (weaver) phenotype, caused by a mutated inward rectifying potassium channel, is characterized by degeneration of cerebellar granule cell population as well as midbrain dopamine-containing cells of the nigrostriatal pathway. To investigate the regional brain metabolic consequences of this combined pathology, cytochrome oxidase (CO) activity was measured by histochemistry from brain regions of wild-type and homozygous Girk2(Wv) mutant mice and correlated with motor performances. CO activity of Girk2(Wv) mutants was abnormal in cerebellar cortex, dentate nucleus, and brainstem regions (medial and lateral vestibular nuclei, prepositus, superior colliculus, lateral cuneiform nucleus, and reticular nuclei) implicated in the gaze system. CO activity increased in midbrain dopaminergic regions after correcting for tissue density, regions with severe depletion of tyrosine hydroxylase activity. Forebrain regions were relatively spared in term of CO activity, except for subthalamic nucleus, lateral geniculate nucleus, and cortical eye field. Similarly to the Rora(sg) cerebellar mutant, metabolic alterations in cerebellar and vestibular regions were linearly correlated with poor motor coordination, underlining the sensitivity of these tests to cerebellar dysfunction.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Analysis of Variance
  • Animals
  • Behavior, Animal
  • Brain / anatomy & histology
  • Brain / enzymology*
  • Electron Transport Complex IV / metabolism*
  • Exploratory Behavior / physiology
  • G Protein-Coupled Inwardly-Rectifying Potassium Channels / genetics*
  • Histocytochemistry / methods
  • Immunohistochemistry / methods
  • Mice
  • Mice, Mutant Strains
  • Psychomotor Performance / physiology*
  • Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / metabolism

Substances

  • G Protein-Coupled Inwardly-Rectifying Potassium Channels
  • Kcnj6 protein, mouse
  • Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase
  • Electron Transport Complex IV