A metabolomic study of brain tissues from aged mice with low expression of the vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) gene.
The vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) sequesters monoamines into synaptic vesicles in preparation for neurotransmission. Samples of cerebellum, cortex, hippocampus, substantia nigra and striatum from VMAT2-deficient mice were compared to age-matched control mice. Multivariate statistical analyses of (1)H NMR spectral profiles separated VMAT2-deficient mice from controls for all five brain regions. Although the data show that metabolic alterations are region- and age-specific, in general, analyses indicated decreases in the concentrations of taurine and creatine/phosphocreatine and increases in glutamate and N-acetyl aspartate in VMAT2-deficient mouse brain tissues. This study demonstrates the efficacy of metabolomics as a functional genomics phenotyping tool for mouse models of neurological disorders, and indicates that mild reductions in the expression of VMAT2 affect normal brain metabolism.
Salek
Reza M
RM
Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Hopkins building, Building O, Downing Site, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QW, UK.
Colebrooke
Rebecca E
RE
Macintosh
Robin
R
Lynch
Patrick J
PJ
Sweatman
Brian C
BC
Emson
Piers C
PC
Griffin
Julian L
JL
D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D019906:Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular; D050493:Vesicular Monoamine Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
C493453:Slc18a2 protein, mouse; D050493:Vesicular Monoamine Transport Proteins