Novel E815K knock-in mouse model of alternating hemiplegia of childhood.

Novel E815K knock-in mouse model of alternating hemiplegia of childhood. Neurobiol Dis. 2018 Jul 30;: Authors: Helseth AR, Hunanyan AS, Adil S, Linabarger M, Sachdev M, Abdelnour E, Arehart E, Szabo M, Richardson J, Wetsel WC, Hochgeschwender U, Mikati MA Abstract De novo mutations causing dysfunction of the ATP1A3 gene, which encodes the α3 subunit of Na+/K+-ATPase pump expressed in neurons, result in alternating hemiplegia of childhood (AHC). AHC manifests as paroxysmal episodes of hemiplegia, dystonia, behavioral abnormalities, and seizures. The first aim of this study was to characterize a novel knock-in mouse model (Atp1a3E815K+/-, Matoub, Matb+/-) containing the E815K mutation of the Atp1a3 gene recognized as causing the most severe and second most common phenotype of AHC with increased morbidity and mortality as compared to other mutations. The second aim was to investigate the effects of flunarizine, currently the most effective drug used in AHC, to further validate our model and to help address a question with significant clinical implications that has not been addressed in prior studies. Specifically, many E815K patients have clinical decompensation and catastrophic regression after discontinuing flunarizine therapy; however, it is not known whether this is congruent with the natural course of the disease and is a result of withdrawal from an acute beneficial effect, withdrawal from a long-term protective effect or from a ...
Source: Neurobiology of Disease - Category: Neurology Authors: Tags: Neurobiol Dis Source Type: research