title: Identification and localization of huntingtin in brain and human lymphoblastoid cell lines with anti-fusion protein antibodies.
abstract: The Huntington disease (HD) phenotype is associated with expansion of a trinucleotide repeat in the IT15 gene, which is predicted to encode a 348-kDa protein named huntington. We used polyclonal and monoclonal anti-fusion protein antibodies to identify native huntingtin in rat, monkey, and human. Western blots revealed a protein with the expected molecular weight which is present in the soluble fraction of rat and monkey brain tissues and lymphoblastoid cells from control cases. In lymphoblastoid cell lines from juvenile-onset heterozygote HD cases, both normal and mutant huntingtin are expressed, and increasing repeat expansion leads to lower levels of the mutant protein. Immunocytochemistry indicates that huntingtin is located in neurons throughout the brain, with the highest levels evident in larger neurons. In the human striatum, huntingtin is enriched in a patch-like distribution, potentially corresponding to the first areas affected in HD. Subcellular localization of huntingtin is consistent with a cytosolic protein primarily found in somatodendritic regions. Huntingtin appears to particularly associate with microtubules, although some is also associated with synaptic vesicles. On the basis of the localization of huntingtin in association with microtubules, we speculate that the mutation impairs the cytoskeletal anchoring or transport of mitochondria, vesicles, or other organelles or molecules.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Gutekunst
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Levey
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Heilman
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Whaley
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: N R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Nash
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Rees
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Madden
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hersch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D002451:Cell Compartmentation; D002460:Cell Line; D003600:Cytosol / Q000737:chemistry; D000882:Haplorhini; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D000071058:Huntingtin Protein; D006816:Huntington Disease; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry*; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D051381:Rats; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: C086055:HTT protein, human; C499524:Htt protein, rat; D000071058:Huntingtin Protein; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins