The dwarf phenotype in GH240B mice, haploinsufficient for the autism candidate gene Neurobeachin, is caused by ectopic expression of recombinant human growth hormone

PLoS One. 2014 Oct 15;9(10):e109598. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0109598. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Two knockout mouse models for the autism candidate gene Neurobeachin (Nbea) have been generated independently. Although both models have similar phenotypes, one striking difference is the dwarf phenotype observed in the heterozygous configuration of the GH240B model that is generated by the serendipitous insertion of a promoterless human growth hormone (hGH) genomic fragment in the Nbea gene. In order to elucidate this discrepancy, the dwarfism present in this Nbea mouse model was investigated in detail. The growth deficiency in Nbea+/- mice coincided with an increased percentage of fat mass and a decrease in bone mineral density. Low but detectable levels of hGH were detected in the pituitary and hypothalamus of Nbea+/- mice but not in liver, hippocampus nor in serum. As a consequence, several members of the mouse growth hormone (mGH) signaling cascade showed altered mRNA levels, including a reduction in growth hormone-releasing hormone mRNA in the hypothalamus. Moreover, somatotrope cells were less numerous in the pituitary of Nbea+/- mice and both contained and secreted significantly less mGH resulting in reduced levels of circulating insulin-like growth factor 1. These findings demonstrate that the random integration of the hGH transgene in this mouse model has not only inactivated Nbea but has also resulted in the tissue-specific expression of hGH causing a negative feedback loop, mGH hyposecretion and dwarfism.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Autistic Disorder / genetics
  • Autistic Disorder / metabolism
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics*
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Dwarfism / genetics*
  • Dwarfism / metabolism
  • Gene Expression
  • Haploinsufficiency*
  • Human Growth Hormone / genetics*
  • Human Growth Hormone / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Hypothalamus / metabolism
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics*
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism
  • Phenotype
  • Pituitary Gland / metabolism
  • Recombinant Proteins / genetics*
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Carrier Proteins
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Nbea protein, mouse
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Human Growth Hormone

Grants and funding

KT received funding from Fonds wetenschappelijk onderzoek (G1187213N; www.fwo.be). KN received funding from het agentschap voor innovatie, wetenschap en techniek (083312; www.iwt.be). JWMC received funding from stichting Marguerite-Marie Delacroix (PC-301;www.stichtingdelacroix.be) and from KU Leuven interdisciplinary research applications (IDO/08/13). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.