Impact of Ataxin-2 knock out on circadian locomotor behavior and PER immunoreaction in the SCN of mice

ABSTRACT

In Drosophila melanogaster, Ataxin-2 is a crucial activator of Period and is involved in the control of circadian rhythms. However, in mammals the function of Ataxin-2 is unknown despite its involvement in the inherited neurogenerative disease Spinocerebellar Ataxia type 2 in humans. Therefore, we analyzed locomotor behavior of Atxn2-deficient mice and their WT littermates under entrained- and free-running conditions as well as after experimental jet lag. Furthermore, we compared the PER1 and PER2 immunoreaction (IR) in the SCN. Atxn2^−/− mice showed an unstable rhythmicity of locomotor activity, but the level of PER1 and PER2 IR in the SCN did not differ between genotypes.

KEYWORDS:

• Endogenous clock
• SCA2
• spinocerebellar ataxia type 2
• PER1
• PER2

Acknowledegments

We thank Elke Laedtke for technical assistance and PD Dr Udo Rüb for his help with the statistic.

Declaration of interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Funding

This work was supported by the Dr. Senckenbergische Stiftung (H.-W. Korf).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Dr. Senckenbergische Stiftung (H.-W. Korf).