Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders such as epilepsy and autism have been linked to an imbalance of excitation and inhibition (E/I) in the central nervous system. The simplicity and tractability of C. elegans allows our electroconvulsive seizure (ES) assay to be used as a behavioral readout of the locomotor circuit and neuronal function. C. elegans possess conserved nervous system features such as gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and GABA receptors in inhibitory neurotransmission, and acetylcholine (Ach) and acetylcholine receptors in excitatory neurotransmission. Our previously published data has shown that decreasing inhibition in the motor circuit, via GABAergic manipulation, will extend the time of locomotor recovery following electroshock. Similarly, mutations in a HECT E3 ubiquitin ligase called EEL-1 leads to impaired GABAergic transmission, E/I imbalance and altered sensitivity to electroshock. Mutations in the human ortholog of EEL-1, called HUWE1, are associated with both syndromic and non-syndromic intellectual disability. Both EEL-1 and its previously established binding protein, OGT-1, are expressed in GABAergic motor neurons, localize to GABAergic presynaptic terminals, and function in parallel to regulate GABA neuron function. In this study, we tested behavioral responses to electroshock in wildtype, ogt-1, eel-1 and ogt-1; eel-1 double mutants. Both ogt-1 and eel-1 null mutants have decreased inhibitory GABAergic neuron function and increased electroshock sensitivity. Consistent with EEL-1 and OGT-1 functioning in parallel pathways, ogt-1; eel-1 double mutants showed enhanced electroshock susceptibility. Expression of OGT-1 in the C. elegans nervous system rescued enhanced electroshock defects in ogt-1; eel-1 double mutants. Application of a GABA agonist, Baclofen, decreased electroshock susceptibility in all animals. Our C. elegans electroconvulsive seizure assay was the first to model a human X-linked Intellectual Disability (XLID) associated with epilepsy and suggests a potential novel role for the OGT-1/EEL-1 complex in seizure susceptibility.
Highlights
gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurons serve as a critical component of nervous systems throughout the animal kingdom, ranging from mammals to invertebrates such as Caenorhabditis elegans [1,2,3]
We have developed a model of seizure in C. elegans through the use of an electric shock to induce convulsions [23, 35]
Consistent with several prior studies [23, 35], our electroconvulsive seizure assay indicates that electric shock induces paralysis and convulsions in C. elegans
Summary
GABA neurons serve as a critical component of nervous systems throughout the animal kingdom, ranging from mammals to invertebrates such as Caenorhabditis elegans [1,2,3]. Worms have homologs for approximately 65% of human disease genes in addition to cellular components such as neurons, muscle, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and acetylcholine (Ach) [4]. GABA neuronal dysfunction as well as the imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission lead to neurodevelopmental disorders [1, 7,8,9,10]. Understanding the mechanism by which GABA neuron function is regulated is critical for understanding nervous system function and neurodevelopmental disorders
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