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Cell cycle activation in striatal neurons from Huntington's disease patients and rats treated with 3‐nitropropionic acid
Author(s) -
Pelegrí Carme,
DuranVilaregut Joaquim,
Valle Jaume,
CrespoBiel Natàlia,
Ferrer Isidre,
Pallàs Mercè,
Camins Antoni,
Vilaplana Jordi
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
international journal of developmental neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.761
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1873-474X
pISSN - 0736-5748
DOI - 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2008.07.016
Subject(s) - huntington's disease , neurotoxin , cell cycle , western blot , apoptosis , biology , immunohistochemistry , cell , microbiology and biotechnology , neuroscience , disease , pathology , endocrinology , medicine , biochemistry , immunology , gene
This study was undertaken to investigate the potential role of cell cycle re‐entry in an experimental model of Huntington's disease and in human brain samples. We found that after treatment of rats with the mitochondrial neurotoxin 3‐nitropropionic acid, the expression of cell cycle markers of G1 phase measured by immunohistochemistry was induced in the striatal brain region. Furthermore, we detected an increase in the nuclear and also cytoplasmatic E2F‐1 expression, suggesting that this protein could activate the apoptotic cascade in rat brain. Western blot analysis of post‐mortem brain samples from patients also showed an increase in the expression of E2F‐1 and cyclin D1 in comparison with control samples. These results indicate that cell cycle re‐entry is activated in Huntington's disease and may contribute to the neurodegenerative process.