Lessons learned from the transgenic Huntington's disease rats

Neural Plast. 2012:2012:682712. doi: 10.1155/2012/682712. Epub 2012 Jul 18.

Abstract

Huntington's disease (HD) is a fatal inherited disorder leading to selective neurodegeneration and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Currently, there is no treatment to slow down or to stop the disease. There is also no therapy to effectively reduce the symptoms. In the investigation of novel therapies, different animal models of Huntington's disease, varying from insects to nonhuman primates, have been created and used. Few years ago, the first transgenic rat model of HD, carrying a truncated huntingtin cDNA fragment with 51 CAG repeats under control of the native rat huntingtin promoter, was introduced. We have been using this animal model in our research and review here our experience with the behavioural, neurophysiological, and histopathological phenotype of the transgenic Huntington's disease rats with relevant literature.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Behavior, Animal / physiology
  • DNA, Complementary / genetics
  • Humans
  • Huntingtin Protein
  • Huntington Disease / genetics*
  • Huntington Disease / pathology
  • Huntington Disease / psychology
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Nervous System / pathology
  • Nervous System Physiological Phenomena
  • Phenotype
  • Rats
  • Rats, Transgenic / physiology*
  • Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid

Substances

  • DNA, Complementary
  • HTT protein, human
  • Huntingtin Protein
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins