title: Purkinje cell degeneration in mice lacking the xeroderma pigmentosum group G gene.
abstract: Laboratory mice carrying the nonfunctional xeroderma pigmentosum group G gene (the mouse counterpart of the human XPG gene) alleles have been generated by using gene-targeting and embryonic stem cell technology. Homozygote animals of this autosomal recessive disease exhibited signs and symptoms, such as postnatal growth retardation, reduced levels of activity, progressive ataxia and premature death, similar to the clinical manifestations of Cockayne syndrome (CS). Histological analysis of the cerebellum revealed multiple pyknotic cells in the Purkinje cell layer of the xpg homozygotes, which had atrophic cell bodies and shrunken nuclei. Further examination by an immunohistochemistry for calbindin-D 28k (CaBP) showed that a large number of immunoreactive Purkinje cells were atrophic and their dendritic trees were smaller and shorter than in wild-type littermates. These results indicated a marked degeneration of Purkinje cells in the xpg mutant cerebellum. Study by in situ detection of DNA fragmentation in the cerebellar cortex demonstrated that some deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP-biotin in situ nick labeling (TUNEL)-positive cells appeared in the granule layer of the mutant mice, but few cell deaths were confirmed in the Purkinje layer. These results suggested Purkinje cell degeneration in the mutant cerebellum was underway, in which much Purkinje cell death had not appeared, and the appearance of some abnormal cerebellar symptoms in the xpg-deficient mice was not only due to a marked Purkinje cell degeneration, but also to damage of other cells.
authors.affiliation: The 4th Research Group, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: X Z
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Y N
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Harada
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shiomi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shiomi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D064026:Calbindins; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics; D004720:Endonucleases; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D009929:Organ Size; D011689:Purkinje Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D064030:S100 Calcium Binding Protein G / Q000032:analysis; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000099250:DNA Excision Repair Protein ERCC-5
chemical_list: D064026:Calbindins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D004720:Endonucleases; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D064030:S100 Calcium Binding Protein G; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000099250:DNA Excision Repair Protein ERCC-5