Retinal function in aging homozygous Cln3 (Δex7/8) knock-in mice

Adv Exp Med Biol. 2014:801:495-501. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4614-3209-8_63.

Abstract

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCL) are characterized by lysosomal accumulation of autofluorescent material and lead to degeneration of the central nervous system. Patients affected by the juvenile form of NCL (JNCL), the most common form of the disease, develop visual failure prior to mental and motor deficits. It is currently unclear if the corresponding mouse model, Cln3 (Δex7/8) knock-in, develops the same retinal phenotype and electroretinogram (ERG) measurements as affected patients. The aim of our study was to investigate the visual disease progression in the Cln3 (Δex7/8) mice using scotopic and photopic ERGs as well as optokinetic tracking (OKT) at different ages. The results were then compared with age-matched controls.The amplitudes of the a-wave and b-wave (scotopic ERG) decrease significantly in Cln3 (Δex7/8) mice starting at the age of 12 months. A reduction in the b/a-amplitude ratio indicates a degeneration preferentially of the inner retina. An amplitude reduction observed in the Cln3 (+/+) control mice may be attributed to an additional Crb1 (rd8) mutation. Using optokinetic tracking (OKT) the Cln3 (Δex7/8) mice show a progressive decline in visual acuity after 12 months of age.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aging / physiology*
  • Animals
  • Color Vision / physiology
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Disease Progression
  • Electroretinography
  • Gene Knock-In Techniques
  • Homozygote
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / genetics*
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / physiology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Mutant Strains
  • Molecular Chaperones / genetics*
  • Molecular Chaperones / physiology*
  • Neuronal Ceroid-Lipofuscinoses / genetics*
  • Neuronal Ceroid-Lipofuscinoses / physiopathology*
  • Night Vision / physiology
  • Retina / physiopathology*

Substances

  • CLN3 protein, mouse
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Molecular Chaperones