Altered phenotype of the vestibular organ in GLAST-1 null mice

J Assoc Res Otolaryngol. 2012 Jun;13(3):323-33. doi: 10.1007/s10162-011-0311-2. Epub 2012 Feb 14.

Abstract

Various studies point to a crucial role of the high-affinity sodium-coupled glutamate aspartate transporter GLAST-1 for modulation of excitatory transmission as shown in the retina and the CNS. While 2-4-month-old GLAST-1 null mice did not show any functional vestibular abnormality, we observed profound circling behavior in older (7 months) animals lacking GLAST-1. An unchanged total number of otoferlin-positive vestibular hair cells (VHCs), similar ribbon numbers in VHCs, and an unchanged VGLUT3 expression in type II VHCs were detected in GLAST-1 null compared to wild-type mice. A partial loss of supporting cells and an apparent decline of a voltage-gated channel potassium subunit (KCNQ4) was observed in postsynaptic calyceal afferents contacting type I VHCs, together with a reduction of neurofilament- (NF200-) and vesicular glutamate transporter 1- (VGLUT1-) positive calyces in GLAST-1 null mice. Taken together, GLAST-1 deletion appeared to preferentially affect the maintenance of a normal postsynaptic/neuronal phenotype, evident only with increasing age.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 1 / physiology*
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Phenotype
  • Sensory Receptor Cells / physiology
  • Vestibule, Labyrinth / anatomy & histology
  • Vestibule, Labyrinth / physiology*

Substances

  • Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 1
  • Slc1a3 protein, mouse