The C57BL/10Bg sps/sps mouse: a mutant with absence-like seizures; neurochemical and behavioral correlates.
C57BL/10Bg sps/sps mice display behavioral arrest, similar to generalized absence seizures. Compared with the parent strain C57BL/10Bg SPS/SPS, the activities of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD, E. C. 2.6.1.15), GABA aminotransferase (GABA-T, E. C. 2.6.1.19), aspartate aminotransferase (ASP-T, E. C. 2.6.1.1), and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH, E. C. 1.4.1.3) in whole brain crude supernatant were significantly reduced in the sps/sps mice. Alanine aminotransferase activity (ALA-T, E. C. 2.6.1.2), was not altered in any of the strains, and normalization of GAD, GABA-T and GDH activities by that of ALA-T, further revealed significant differences between the normal strain (SPS/SPS), the heterozygotes (SPS/sps), and behavioral arrest (sps/sps) mice. These results suggest the possible involvement of GABAergic and glutamatergic neurotransmission in the absence-like behavior displayed by sps/sps mice. Open field behavior of C57BL/10Bg sps/sps mice is characterized by periods of marked inactivity which easily distinguish affected homozygotes, from their heterozygotes littermates.
Department of Pharmacology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan.
J G
JG
Ortiz
A E
AE
Negrón
M T
MT
García
J E
JE
Rosado
C S
CS
Maldonaldo
D000612:4-Aminobutyrate Transaminase / Q000378:metabolism; D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000201:enzymology*; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase / Q000378:metabolism; D005969:Glutamate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL / Q000502:physiology; D008818:Mice, Neurologic Mutants / Q000502:physiology*; D009043:Motor Activity; D012640:Seizures / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology*
D005969:Glutamate Dehydrogenase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000612:4-Aminobutyrate Transaminase; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase