Increase in bax expression and apoptosis are associated in Huntington's disease progression

• Published in: Neuroscience letters 2008-06, Vol.438 (1), p.59-63
• Main Authors: Teles, A.V.F.F., Rosenstock, T.R., Okuno, C.S., Lopes, G.S., Bertoncini, C.R.A., Smaili, S.S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aging; Animals; Apoptosis; Apoptosis - genetics; bax; bcl-2; bcl-2-Associated X Protein - genetics; Biological and medical sciences; Cell death; Cell Nucleus - pathology; Cerebral Cortex - metabolism; Cerebral Cortex - pathology; Cerebral Cortex - physiopathology; Degenerative and inherited degenerative diseases of the nervous system. Leukodystrophies. Prion diseases; Disease Progression; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression - genetics; Genetic Predisposition to Disease - genetics; Huntington Disease - genetics; Huntington Disease - metabolism; Huntington Disease - physiopathology; Huntington's disease; In Situ Nick-End Labeling; Male; Medical sciences; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Inbred CBA; Mice, Transgenic; mRNA; Nerve Degeneration - genetics; Nerve Degeneration - metabolism; Nerve Degeneration - physiopathology; Neurodegeneration; Neurology; Neurons - metabolism; Neurons - pathology; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 - genetics; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Up-Regulation - genetics; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs
• ISSN: 0304-3940; 1872-7972
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2008.03.062

Huntington's disease (HD) is a hereditary dominant neurodegenerative disorder and the progression of the disease may be associated with apoptosis and altered expression of apoptotic proteins. The aim of this study was to investigate gene expression of bax and bcl-2 in tissues from R6/1 transgenic (TGN) mice of different ages (3, 6 and 9 months). The mRNA expression was investigated and related to apoptotic cells measured by TUNEL. Results showed a significant and progressive increase in bax levels in the cortex of TGN (from 10 to 33%) when compared to control (CT) (8 to 20%) mice with 3, 6 and 9-month-old. The increase in bax was correlated with the elevation in the number of apoptotic nuclei, especially in the cortex of 6 (10%) and 9 (18%)-month-old mice. Increase in bax expression might be related to an apoptotic induction which contributes to the HD progression.