Adult neural progenitor cells from Huntington's disease mouse brain exhibit increased proliferation and migration due to enhanced calcium and ROS signals.

Abstract

Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited human neurodegenerative disorder characterized by uncontrollable movement, psychiatric disturbance and cognitive decline. Impaired proliferative/differentiational potentials of adult neural progenitor cells (ANPCs) have been thought to be a pathogenic mechanism involved in it. In this study, we aimed to elucidate intrinsic properties of ANPCs subjected to neurodegenerative condition in YAC128 HD mice. ANPCs were isolated from the SVZ regions of 4-month-old WT and YAC128 mice. Cell proliferation, migration and neuronal differentiation invitro were compared between these two genotypes with/without Ca(2+) inhibitors or ROS scavenger treatments. Differences in ANPC proliferation and differentiation capabilities invivo between the two genotypes were evaluated using Ki-67 and Doublecortin (DCX) immunofluorescence respectively. Compared to WT ANPCs, YAC128 ANPCs had significantly enhanced cell proliferation, migration and neuronal differentiation invitro, accompanied by increased Ca(2+) and ROS signals. Raised proliferation and migration in YAC128 ANPCs were abolished by Ca(2+) signalling antagonists and ROS scavenging. However, invivo, HD ANPCs failed to show any elevated proliferation or differentiation. Increased Ca(2+) signalling and higher level of ROS conferred HD ANPC enhancement of proliferation and migration potentials. However, the invivo micro-environment did not support endogenous ANPCs to respond appropriately to neuronal loss in these YAC128 mouse brains.