Abstract
Doppel (Dpl) is a prion protein paralog that causes neurodegeneration when expressed ectopically in the brain. To investigate the cellular mechanism underlying this effect, we analyzed Dpl-expressing transgenic mice in which the gene for the proapoptotic protein Bax had been deleted. We found that Bax deletion does not alter either clinical symptoms or Purkinje cell degeneration in Dpl transgenic mice. In addition, we observed that degenerating Purkinje cells in these animals do not display DNA fragmentation or caspase-3 activation. Our results suggest that non-Bax-dependent pathways mediate the toxic effects of Dpl in Purkinje cells, highlighting a possible role for nonapoptotic mechanisms in the death of these neurons.
Published Version (Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.