Abstract
Neurological abnormalities, such as Parkinson-like disorders (PlD), are often co-morbidities of Type 2 Diabetic (T2D) patients, although the epidemiological link between these two disorders remains controversial. The PED/PEA-15 protein represents a possible candidate linking T2D and PD, because it is increased in subjects with T2D and is highly expressed in the brain. To test this hypothesis, we have analyzed the neurological and neurochemical phenotype of transgenic mice overexpressing PED/PEA-15 (tgPED). These mice develop impaired glucose tolerance and insulin resistance, accompanied by neurological features resembling PlD: feet clasping, slow and delayed locomotor movements in different behavioral tests in absence of clear cognitive deficits, ataxia or anxiety. Morphological analysis of the brains showed selective modifications of metabolic activity in the striatal region. In the same region, we have observed 26% decrease of dopamine fibers, confirmed by immunohistochemistry and Western Blot for tyrosine hydroxylase. Moreover, they also showed 48% reduction of dopamine levels in the striatum. Thus the tgPED mice may represent a genetic animal model of neurological disease linked to T2D.
Highlights
PED/PEA-15 might represent a possible molecular element subserving both Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) and PlD
We hypothesize that PED/PEA-15 plays a role in appearance of neurological deficits in patients with T2D
We have investigated whether the increased abundance of PED/PEA-15, occurring in mice ubiquitously bearing PED/PEA-15 transgene, may induce motor behavioral abnormalities
Summary
Several interactors of PED/PEA-15 are expressed in brain and are involved in neuronal physiology and neurodegeneration. ERK1/2 and Phospholipase D , both binding partners of PED/PEA-15, are involved in cell death and differentiation in different neuronal systems[15,16]. The loss-of-function mutations of an interactor of PED/ PEA, the serine protease Omi/HtrA2 17, causes PD in humans and motor neuron alterations in murine models[18]. We hypothesize that PED/PEA-15 plays a role in appearance of neurological deficits in patients with T2D. To this aim, we have investigated whether the increased abundance of PED/PEA-15, occurring in mice ubiquitously bearing PED/PEA-15 transgene, may induce motor behavioral abnormalities
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