PHF24 is expressed in the inhibitory interneurons in rats

Noda epileptic rat (NER) is a mutant model for epilepsy that exhibits spontaneous generalized tonic-clonic seizure. Epileptogenesis of NER remains to be elucidated; but it is detected an insertion of an endogenous retrovirus sequence in intron 2 of the PHD finger protein 24 (Phf24) gene, encoding Gαi-interacting protein (GINIP). Phf24 is a strong candidate gene for epileptogenesis in NER. PHF24 modulates GABA_B signaling through interacting with Gαi protein. To clarify the epileptogenesis of NER, we investigated a distribution of PHF24-expressing cells in the central nerve system (CNS). While broad expression of PHF24 was observed in the CNS, characteristic expression was noted in the periglomerular layer of the olfactory bulb and the lamina II of the spinal cord in the control rats. These cells showed co-expression with calbindin or calretinin, inhibitory interneuron markers. In the olfactory bulb, 15.6% and 41.2% of PHF24-positive neurons co-expressed calbindin and calretinin, respectively. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed that PHF24 was located in the presynaptic terminals, synaptic membranes and cytoplasmic matrix of neuronal soma. Our data suggested PHF24 is expressed in the inhibitory interneurons and may play important roles in modulation of the GABA_B signaling.