Abstract
Objective: Down syndrome (DS), a major cause of mental retardation, affects 1 of 800 newborns. Mouse models for Down syndrome have been studied and found to have developmental and learning deficits, including the Ts65Dn (DS) mouse model. N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor NR2B subunit enhances synaptic plasticity. The up-regulation of KIF17, a motor protein that transports NR2B to the synaptic region parallels up-regulation of synaptic NR2B. Down regulation of KIF17 reflects up-regulation of less plastic NR2A subunit. We evaluated NR2B, NR2A, and KIF17 in Ts65Dn and control mice. Study Design: Ts65Dn (4) and control (4) adult brains were collected; NR2A, NR2B, and KIF17 were measured by Western blot and quantified using National Institutes of Health Image software. Comparisons were made using analysis of variance, < .05 was considered significant. Results: There was a significant decrease in KIF17 (P = .04) level in Ts65Dn mice as compared with the control animals, but there were no significant differences in the levels of NR2A (P = .79) and NR2B (P = .96). Conclusion: The significant decrease of KIF17 inTs65Dn animals may in part mediate cognitive defects in DS.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 313.e1-313.e4 |
Journal | American journal of obstetrics and gynecology |
Volume | 198 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Mar 2008 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Down syndrome
- KIF17
- NR2B
- Ts65Dn
- synaptic plasticity
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Obstetrics and Gynecology