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Expression pattern of the Rett syndrome gene MeCP2 in primate prefrontal cortex
S Akbarian1, R Z Chen, J Gribnau
1Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA. akbarian@wi.mit.edu
Neurobiology of Disease
|October 11, 2001
Summary
Methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2) is widely expressed in primate and mouse brains. MeCP2 is crucial for maintaining neurons in both developing and mature prefrontal cortex.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Genetics
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Rett syndrome, a neuropsychiatric condition, is linked to MeCP2 gene mutations and prefrontal cortex dysfunction.
- The expression patterns of MeCP2 and MacroH2A in primate brains remain largely unknown.
- Macrohistone H2A (MacroH2A) is also associated with transcriptionally silent chromatin.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the expression patterns of MeCP2 and MacroH2A in primate and murine cerebral cortex.
- To understand the role of MeCP2 in neuronal maintenance within the prefrontal cortex.
Main Methods:
- Studied expression patterns of MeCP2 and MacroH2A in monkey prefrontal cortex and murine cerebral cortex.
- Utilized immunohistochemistry or similar techniques to analyze protein expression in different cortical layers and neuronal subtypes.
Main Results:
- MeCP2 and MacroH2A were ubiquitously expressed in cortical neurons (projection and interneurons) in both species.
- In adult monkeys, MeCP2 expression was robust across all prefrontal cortex layers.
- In fetal monkeys (embryonic day 110), MeCP2 expression was restricted to deeper cortical layers and the subplate.
Conclusions:
- MeCP2 is widely expressed in the primate and murine cerebral cortex.
- MeCP2 expression changes during primate prefrontal cortex development.
- MeCP2 is likely essential for neuronal maintenance in the developing and mature primate prefrontal cortex.
