Extensive Expression Analysis of Htt Transcripts in Brain Regions from the zQ175 HD Mouse Model Using a QuantiGene Multiplex Assay

Sci Rep. 2019 Nov 6;9(1):16137. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-52411-2.

Abstract

Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG repeat expansion within exon 1 of the huntingtin (HTT) gene. HTT mRNA contains 67 exons and does not always splice between exon 1 and exon 2 leading to the production of a small polyadenylated HTTexon1 transcript, and the full-length HTT mRNA has three 3'UTR isoforms. We have developed a QuantiGene multiplex panel for the simultaneous detection of all of these mouse Htt transcripts directly from tissue lysates and demonstrate that this can replace the more work-intensive Taqman qPCR assays. We have applied this to the analysis of brain regions from the zQ175 HD mouse model and wild type littermates at two months of age. We show that the incomplete splicing of Htt occurs throughout the brain and confirm that this originates from the mutant and not endogenous Htt allele. Given that HTTexon1 encodes the highly pathogenic exon 1 HTT protein, it is essential that the levels of all Htt transcripts can be monitored when evaluating HTT lowering approaches. Our QuantiGene panel will allow the rapid comparative assessment of all Htt transcripts in cell lysates and mouse tissues without the need to first extract RNA.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • 3' Untranslated Regions / genetics
  • Animals
  • Brain / metabolism*
  • Branched DNA Signal Amplification Assay / methods*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Exons / genetics
  • High-Throughput Screening Assays / methods*
  • Huntingtin Protein / biosynthesis
  • Huntingtin Protein / genetics*
  • Introns / genetics
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Neurologic Mutants
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics*
  • Organ Specificity
  • Protein Isoforms / biosynthesis
  • Protein Isoforms / genetics
  • RNA Splicing*
  • RNA, Messenger / biosynthesis
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

Substances

  • 3' Untranslated Regions
  • Htt protein, mouse
  • Huntingtin Protein
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Protein Isoforms
  • RNA, Messenger