Digenic Inheritance in Cystinuria Mouse Model

PLoS One. 2015 Sep 11;10(9):e0137277. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0137277. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Cystinuria is an aminoaciduria caused by mutations in the genes that encode the two subunits of the amino acid transport system b0,+, responsible for the renal reabsorption of cystine and dibasic amino acids. The clinical symptoms of cystinuria relate to nephrolithiasis, due to the precipitation of cystine in urine. Mutations in SLC3A1, which codes for the heavy subunit rBAT, cause cystinuria type A, whereas mutations in SLC7A9, which encodes the light subunit b0,+AT, cause cystinuria type B. By crossing Slc3a1-/- with Slc7a9-/- mice we generated a type AB cystinuria mouse model to test digenic inheritance of cystinuria. The 9 genotypes obtained have been analyzed at early (2- and 5-months) and late stage (8-months) of the disease. Monitoring the lithiasic phenotype by X-ray, urine amino acid content analysis and protein expression studies have shown that double heterozygous mice (Slc7a9+/-Slc3a1+/-) present lower expression of system b0,+ and higher hyperexcretion of cystine than single heterozygotes (Slc7a9+/-Slc3a1+/+ and Slc7a9+/+Slc3a1+/-) and give rise to lithiasis in 4% of the mice, demonstrating that cystinuria has a digenic inheritance in this mouse model. Moreover in this study it has been demonstrated a genotype/phenotype correlation in type AB cystinuria mouse model providing new insights for further molecular and genetic studies of cystinuria patients.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Transport Systems, Basic / genetics*
  • Amino Acid Transport Systems, Basic / metabolism
  • Amino Acid Transport Systems, Neutral / genetics*
  • Amino Acid Transport Systems, Neutral / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Cystinuria / complications
  • Cystinuria / genetics*
  • Cystinuria / metabolism
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Inheritance Patterns*
  • Kidney / metabolism
  • Kidney / pathology
  • Lithiasis / etiology
  • Lithiasis / pathology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mutation*
  • Phenotype

Substances

  • Amino Acid Transport Systems, Basic
  • Amino Acid Transport Systems, Neutral
  • Slc3a1 protein, mouse
  • Slc7a9 protein, mouse

Grants and funding

“Funding was provided by Instituto de Salud Carlos III, organism adscrito al Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad” and “Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER)” reference: PI13/00121 to Virginia Nunes, http://gesdoc.isciii.es/?action=download?&id=14/11/2013-7e20e3561c; Agència de Gestió d’Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca SGR2009-1490 to Virginia Nunes and SGR2009-1355 to Manuel Palacín, http://www10.gencat.cat/agaur_web/genera?dos/catala/home/recurs/doc/resolucio_3ju?l09_def.pdf; Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad SAF2012-40080 to Manuel Palacín, http://www.idi.mineco.gob.es/stfls/eSede?/Ficheros/2013/resolucion_concesion_pred?oc_2013completoFIRMADO.pdf; SAF2011-23933 to Eduardo Salido, https://sede.micinn.gob.es/stfls/eSede/F?icheros/2012/2012_resolucion%20concesion?_fpi_firmada.pdf. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.