A new mouse model for marfan syndrome presents phenotypic variability associated with the genetic background and overall levels of Fbn1 expression

PLoS One. 2010 Nov 30;5(11):e14136. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0014136.

Abstract

Marfan syndrome is an autosomal dominant disease of connective tissue caused by mutations in the fibrillin-1 encoding gene FBN1. Patients present cardiovascular, ocular and skeletal manifestations, and although being fully penetrant, MFS is characterized by a wide clinical variability both within and between families. Here we describe a new mouse model of MFS that recapitulates the clinical heterogeneity of the syndrome in humans. Heterozygotes for the mutant Fbn1 allele mgΔloxPneo, carrying the same internal deletion of exons 19-24 as the mgΔ mouse model, present defective microfibrillar deposition, emphysema, deterioration of aortic wall and kyphosis. However, the onset of a clinical phenotypes is earlier in the 129/Sv than in C57BL/6 background, indicating the existence of genetic modifiers of MFS between these two mouse strains. In addition, we characterized a wide clinical variability within the 129/Sv congenic heterozygotes, suggesting involvement of epigenetic factors in disease severity. Finally, we show a strong negative correlation between overall levels of Fbn1 expression and the severity of the phenotypes, corroborating the suggested protective role of normal fibrillin-1 in MFS pathogenesis, and supporting the development of therapies based on increasing Fbn1 expression.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Disease Models, Animal*
  • Embryo, Mammalian / cytology
  • Embryo, Mammalian / metabolism
  • Fibrillin-1
  • Fibrillins
  • Fibroblasts / cytology
  • Fibroblasts / metabolism
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Gene Expression*
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Marfan Syndrome / genetics*
  • Marfan Syndrome / metabolism
  • Marfan Syndrome / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, 129 Strain
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Microfilament Proteins / genetics*
  • Microfilament Proteins / metabolism
  • Phenotype
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

Substances

  • FBN1 protein, human
  • Fbn1 protein, mouse
  • Fibrillin-1
  • Fibrillins
  • Microfilament Proteins