Improved rotorod performance and hyperactivity in mice deficient in a protein repair methyltransferase

Behav Brain Res. 2004 Aug 12;153(1):129-41. doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2003.11.007.

Abstract

The protein L-isoaspartate (D-aspartate)-O-methyltransferase participates in the repair of age-induced protein damage by initiating the conversion of abnormal aspartyl residues within proteins to normal L-aspartyl residues. Previous studies have shown that mice deficient in the gene encoding this enzyme (Pcmt1-/-) accumulate damaged proteins, have altered levels of brain S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) and S-adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy), and suffer from epileptic seizures that result in death at an average age of about 42 days. In this study, we found that the behavior of Pcmt1-/- mice is abnormal in comparison to their wild-type (Pcmt1+/+) and heterozygous (Pcmt1+/-) littermates in two standard quantitative behavioral assays - the accelerating rotorod and the open-field test. On the accelerating rotorod, we found Pcmt1-/- mice actually perform significantly better than their heterozygous and wild-type littermates, a situation that has only been infrequently described in the literature and has not been described to date for epilepsy-prone mice. The Pcmt1-/- mice show, however, hyperactivity in the open-field test that becomes more pronounced with age, with a partial habituation with time in the chamber. Additionally, these mice demonstrate a strong thigmotaxic movement pattern. We present evidence that these phenotypes are not related to the alterations of the AdoMet/AdoHcy ratio in the brain and thus may be a function of the accumulation of damaged proteins. These results implicate a role for this enzyme in motor coordination and cerebellum development and suggest the importance of the function of the repair methyltransferase in hippocampal-dependent spatial learning.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Aging / physiology
  • Animals
  • Brain Chemistry
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / methods
  • Diet, Reducing / methods
  • Exploratory Behavior / physiology*
  • Genotype
  • Homocysteine / blood
  • Hyperkinesis*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Protein D-Aspartate-L-Isoaspartate Methyltransferase / deficiency*
  • Protein D-Aspartate-L-Isoaspartate Methyltransferase / genetics
  • Protein D-Aspartate-L-Isoaspartate Methyltransferase / physiology
  • Rotarod Performance Test*
  • S-Adenosylhomocysteine / metabolism
  • S-Adenosylmethionine / metabolism
  • Stereotyped Behavior / physiology
  • Survival Rate
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Homocysteine
  • S-Adenosylmethionine
  • S-Adenosylhomocysteine
  • Protein D-Aspartate-L-Isoaspartate Methyltransferase