Protective effects of L-carnitine on behavioral alterations and neuroinflammation in striatum of glutaryl-COA dehydrogenase deficient mice

Arch Biochem Biophys. 2021 Sep 30:709:108970. doi: 10.1016/j.abb.2021.108970. Epub 2021 Jun 26.

Abstract

Glutaric acidemia type 1 (GA1) is caused by glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency that leads to a blockage in the metabolic route of the amino acids lysine and tryptophan and subsequent accumulation of glutaric acid (GA), 3-hydroxyglutaric acids and glutarylcarnitine (C5DC). Patients predominantly manifest neurological symptoms, associated with acute striatal degeneration, as well as progressive cortical and striatum injury whose pathogenesis is not yet fully established. Current treatment includes protein/lysine restriction and l-carnitine supplementation of (L-car). The aim of this work was to evaluate behavior parameters and pro-inflammatory factors (cytokines IL-1β, TNF-α and cathepsin-D levels), as well as the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL10 in striatum of knockout mice (Gcdh-/-) and wild type (WT) mice submitted to a normal or a high Lys diet. The potential protective effects of L-car treatment on these parameters were also evaluated. Gcdh-/- mice showed behavioral changes, including lower motor activity (decreased number of crossings) and exploratory activity (reduced number of rearings). Also, Gcdh-/- mice had significantly higher concentrations of glutarylcarnitine (C5DC) in blood and cathepsin-D (CATD), interleukin IL-1β and tumor factor necrosis alpha (TNF-α) in striatum than WT mice. Noteworthy, L-car treatment prevented most behavioral alterations, normalized CATD levels and attenuated IL-1β levels in striatum of Gcdh-/- mice. Finally, IL-1β was positively correlated with CATD and C5DC levels and L-car was negatively correlated with CATD. Our results demonstrate behavioral changes and a pro-inflammatory status in striatum of the animal model of GA1 and, most importantly, L-car showed important protective effects on these alterations.

Keywords: Behavior parameters; Cathepsin-D; Glutaric acidemia type 1; Inflammation; l-carnitine.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Metabolism, Inborn Errors / drug therapy*
  • Amino Acid Metabolism, Inborn Errors / genetics
  • Animals
  • Brain Diseases, Metabolic / drug therapy*
  • Brain Diseases, Metabolic / genetics
  • Carnitine / analogs & derivatives
  • Carnitine / metabolism
  • Carnitine / therapeutic use*
  • Cathepsin D / metabolism
  • Corpus Striatum / drug effects
  • Corpus Striatum / metabolism
  • Glutaryl-CoA Dehydrogenase / deficiency*
  • Glutaryl-CoA Dehydrogenase / genetics
  • Grooming / drug effects
  • Inflammation / drug therapy*
  • Inflammation / genetics
  • Interleukin-1beta / metabolism
  • Locomotion / drug effects
  • Lysine / pharmacology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Neuroprotective Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Open Field Test / drug effects
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta / metabolism

Substances

  • IL1B protein, mouse
  • Interleukin-1beta
  • Neuroprotective Agents
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta
  • glutarylcarnitine
  • Glutaryl-CoA Dehydrogenase
  • Cathepsin D
  • Ctsd protein, mouse
  • Lysine
  • Carnitine

Supplementary concepts

  • Glutaric Acidemia I