title: Nephronophthisis and retinal degeneration in tmem218-/- mice: a novel mouse model for Senior-Løken syndrome?
abstract: Mice deficient in TMEM218 (Tmem218(-/-) ) were generated as part of an effort to identify and validate pharmaceutically tractable targets for drug development through large-scale phenotypic screening of knockout mice. Routine diagnostics, expression analysis, histopathology, and electroretinogram analyses completed on Tmem218(-/-) mice identified a previously unknown role for TMEM218 in the development and function of the kidney and eye. The major observed phenotypes in Tmem218(-/-) mice were progressive cystic kidney disease and retinal degeneration. The renal lesions were characterized by diffuse renal cyst development with tubulointerstitial nephropathy and disruption of tubular basement membranes in essentially normal-sized kidneys. The retinal lesions were characterized by slow-onset loss of photoreceptors, which resulted in reduced electroretinogram responses. These renal and retinal lesions are most similar to those associated with nephronophthisis (NPHP) and retinitis pigmentosa in humans. At least 10% of NPHP cases present with extrarenal conditions, which most often include retinal degeneration. Senior-Løken syndrome is characterized by the concurrent development of autosomal recessive NPHP and retinitis pigmentosa. Since mutations in the known NPHP genes collectively account for only about 30% of NPHP cases, it is possible that TMEM218 could be involved in the development of similar ciliopathies in humans. In reviewing all other reported mouse models of NPHP, we suggest that Tmem218(-/-) mice could provide a useful model for elucidating the pathogenesis of cilia-associated disease in both the kidney and the retina, as well as in developing and testing novel therapeutic strategies for Senior-Løken syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Lexicon Pharmaceuticals Inc., The Woodlands, TX, USA peter.vogel@stjude.org.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vogel
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Lexicon Pharmaceuticals Inc., The Woodlands, TX, USA.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Gelfman
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Lexicon Pharmaceuticals Inc., The Woodlands, TX, USA.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Issa
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Lexicon Pharmaceuticals Inc., The Woodlands, TX, USA.
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Payne
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics, Lexicon Pharmaceuticals Inc., The Woodlands, TX, USA.
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Lexicon Pharmaceuticals Inc., The Woodlands, TX, USA.
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Read
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Lexicon Pharmaceuticals Inc., The Woodlands, TX, USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Lexicon Pharmaceuticals Inc., The Woodlands, TX, USA.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Pitcher
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolism, Lexicon Pharmaceuticals Inc., The Woodlands, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Z-M
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolism, Lexicon Pharmaceuticals Inc., The Woodlands, TX, USA.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: DaCosta
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolism, Lexicon Pharmaceuticals Inc., The Woodlands, TX, USA.
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Shadoan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Lexicon Pharmaceuticals Inc., The Woodlands, TX, USA.
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Vance
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolism, Lexicon Pharmaceuticals Inc., The Woodlands, TX, USA.
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Powell
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000072661:Ciliopathies; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004596:Electroretinography / Q000662:veterinary; D005123:Eye / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology; D052177:Kidney Diseases, Cystic / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D057130:Leber Congenital Amaurosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout / Q000235:genetics*; D015418:Optic Atrophies, Hereditary / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology; D012162:Retinal Degeneration / Q000235:genetics / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins; C000606730:TMEM218 protein, mouse
keywords: Senior-Løken; cystic kidney disease; hypertension; nephronophthisis; retina; retinal degeneration; retinitis pigmentosa