title: Normal brain mitochondrial respiration in adult mice lacking cellular prion protein.
abstract: Cellular prion protein (PrP(c)) gene (Prnp) null mice (Prnp0/0) show higher sensitivity to seizures, enhanced brain oxidative stress, and their neurons exhibit higher excitability "in vitro". Mitochondrial respiration is a useful parameter for the determination of cellular metabolic rate and it is a major source of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In the present study, we investigated the mitochondrial function of different brain areas of Prnp0/0 adult mice and then compared this to normal control animals. Baseline mitochondrial respiration (stages 3 and 4), respiratory control ratio (RCR) and membrane potential were evaluated in the neocortex, entorhinal cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum. No differences in these parameters were detected between Prnp0/0 and wild-type mice. Thus, we concluded that baseline mitochondrial respiration might not be directly related with the higher oxidative stress previously observed in brains from Prnp0/0 mice.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurologia, Psiquiatria e Psicologia Medica, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lobão-Soares
authors.forename: Marino Muxfeldt
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Bianchin
authors.forename: Marcelo Neves
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Linhares
authors.forename: Cristiane Lima
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Carqueja
authors.forename: Carla Inês
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Tasca
authors.forename: Márcia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: Wilson
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Marques
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Brentani
authors.forename: Vilma R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Américo C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: Carlos Gilberto
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Carlotti
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Walz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D019069:Cell Respiration / Q000502:physiology; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000502:physiology*; D018621:PrPC Proteins / Q000172:deficiency*; D012119:Respiration; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D018621:PrPC Proteins