Dissemin is shutting down on January 1st, 2025

Published in

MDPI, Life, 11(11), p. 1261, 2021

DOI: 10.3390/life11111261

Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

Generation and Characterization of the Drosophila melanogaster paralytic Gene Knock-Out as a Model for Dravet Syndrome

This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

Full text: Download

Green circle
Preprint: archiving allowed
Green circle
Postprint: archiving allowed
Green circle
Published version: archiving allowed
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

Dravet syndrome is a severe rare epileptic disease caused by mutations in the SCN1A gene coding for the Nav1.1 protein, a voltage-gated sodium channel alpha subunit. We have made a knock-out of the paralytic gene, the single Drosophila melanogaster gene encoding this type of protein, by homologous recombination. These flies showed a heat-induced seizing phenotype, and sudden death in long term seizures. In addition to seizures, neuromuscular alterations were observed in climbing, flight, and walking tests. Moreover, they also manifested some cognitive alterations, such as anxiety and problems in learning. Electrophysiological analyses from larval motor neurons showed a decrease in cell capacitance and membrane excitability, while persistent sodium current increased. To detect alterations in metabolism, we performed an NMR metabolomic profiling of heads, which revealed higher levels in some amino acids, succinate, and lactate; and also an increase in the abundance of GABA, which is the main neurotransmitter implicated in Dravet syndrome. All these changes in the paralytic knock-out flies indicate that this is a good model for epilepsy and specifically for Dravet syndrome. This model could be a new tool to understand the pathophysiology of the disease and to find biomarkers, genetic modifiers and new treatments.