title: Torsin A Localization in the Mouse Cerebellar Synaptic Circuitry.
abstract: Torsin A (TA) is a ubiquitous protein belonging to the superfamily of proteins called "ATPases associated with a variety of cellular activities" (AAA(+) ATPase). To date, a great deal of attention has been focused on neuronal TA since its mutant form causes early-onset (DYT1) torsion dystonia, an inherited movement disorder characterized by sustained muscle contractions and abnormal postures. Interestingly, it has been proposed that TA, by interacting with the cytoskeletal network, may contribute to the control of neurite outgrowth and/or by acting as a chaperone at synapses could affect synaptic vesicle turnover and neurotransmitter release. Accordingly, both its peculiar developmental expression in striatum and cerebellum and evidence from DYT1 knock-in mice suggest that TA may influence dendritic arborization and synaptogenesis in the brain. Therefore, to better understand TA function a detailed description of its localization at synaptic level is required. Here, we characterized by means of rigorous quantitative confocal analysis TA distribution in the mouse cerebellum at postnatal day 14 (P14), when both cerebellar synaptogenesis and TA expression peak. We observed that the protein is broadly distributed both in cerebellar cortex and in the deep cerebellar nuclei (DCN). Of note, Purkinje cells (PC) express high levels of TA also in the spines and axonal terminals. In addition, abundant expression of the protein was found in the main GABA-ergic and glutamatergic inputs of the cerebellar cortex. Finally, TA was observed also in glial cells, a cellular population little explored so far. These results extend our knowledge on TA synaptic localization providing a clue to its potential role in synaptic development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata/Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Synaptic Plasticity, Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Puglisi
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vanni
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ponterio
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tassone
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sciamanna
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bonsi
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pisani
authors.forename: Georgia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mandolesi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000378:metabolism*; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018832:Molecular Chaperones / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C491548:Dyt1 protein, mouse; D018832:Molecular Chaperones; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid