A genetic model for muscle-eye-brain disease in mice lacking protein O-mannose 1,2-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (POMGnT1)

Mech Dev. 2006 Mar;123(3):228-40. doi: 10.1016/j.mod.2005.12.003. Epub 2006 Feb 3.

Abstract

Protein O-mannose beta1,2-N-acetyglucosaminyltransferase 1 (POMGnT1) is an enzyme involved in the synthesis of O-mannosyl glycans. Mutations of POMGnT1 in humans result in the muscle-eye-brain (MEB) disease. In this study, we have characterized a null mutation generated by gene trapping with a retroviral vector inserted into the second exon of the mouse POMGnT1 locus. Expression of POMGnT1 mRNA was abolished in mutant mice. Glycosylation of alpha-dystroglycan was also reduced. POMGnT1 mutant mice were viable with multiple developmental defects in muscle, eye, and brain, similar to the phenotypes observed in human MEB disease. The present study provides the first genetic animal model to further dissect the roles of POMGnT1 in MEB disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain / pathology
  • Brain Diseases / pathology*
  • Cerebellum / pathology
  • Disease Models, Animal*
  • Dystroglycans / genetics
  • Eye Diseases / pathology*
  • Fertility*
  • Glycosylation
  • Homozygote
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Muscle, Skeletal / pathology
  • Muscular Diseases / pathology*
  • Muscular Dystrophy, Animal / genetics
  • Muscular Dystrophy, Animal / pathology
  • N-Acetylglucosaminyltransferases / genetics*
  • Prosencephalon / pathology

Substances

  • Dystroglycans
  • N-Acetylglucosaminyltransferases
  • protein O-mannose beta-1,2-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase