Characterisation of Lamp2-deficient rats for potential new animal model of Danon disease

Sci Rep. 2018 May 2;8(1):6932. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-24351-w.

Abstract

Danon disease (DD) is caused by the absence or malfunction of lysosomal-associated membrane protein 2 (LAMP2). Although Lamp2-deficient mice and DD patients have similar characteristics, these mice have clear limitations and are clinically inconsistent. The aim of our paper is to outline the characteristics of Lamp2-deficient rats and to contrast this model with currently available DD mouse models. The baseline levels of some serum enzymes were elevated in Lamp2y/- rats along with hypercholesterolemia and hyperglycaemia at 8 weeks. Echocardiography showed that IVSd (1.500 ± 0.071 vs. 2.200 ± 1.147, P < 0.01) and LVPWd (1.575 ± 0.063 vs. 1.850 ± 0.029, P < 0.01) were significantly increased, and GCS (-13.20 ± 0.4814 vs. -6.954 ± 0.665) and GRS (21.42 ± 1.807 vs. 7.788 ± 1.140) were sharply decreased. Meanwhile, substantial myocyte disruption, hypertrophic muscle fibres, interstitial fibrosis and microvascular hyperplasia could be observed in the heart tissue. Lamp2y/- rats also displayed abnormal behaviours in the open field and fear conditioning tests. Notably, Lamp2y/- rats manifested other system dysfunctions, such as retinopathy, chronic kidney injury and sterility. Based on these results, Lamp2-deficient rats exhibited greater similarity to DD patients in terms of onset and multisystem lesions than did mouse models, and these rats could be used as a valuable animal model for DD.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biomarkers
  • Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic / genetics
  • Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic / metabolism
  • Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic / pathology
  • Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic / physiopathology
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Gene Deletion*
  • Gene Knockout Techniques
  • Glycogen Storage Disease Type IIb / etiology*
  • Glycogen Storage Disease Type IIb / metabolism*
  • Glycogen Storage Disease Type IIb / pathology
  • Lysosomal-Associated Membrane Protein 2 / genetics*
  • Muscle, Skeletal / metabolism
  • Muscle, Skeletal / pathology
  • Rats
  • Rats, Transgenic

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Lysosomal-Associated Membrane Protein 2