RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Absence of <em>Ndn</em>, Encoding the Prader-Willi Syndrome-Deleted Gene <em>necdin</em>, Results in Congenital Deficiency of Central Respiratory Drive in Neonatal Mice
JF The Journal of Neuroscience
JO J. Neurosci.
FD Society for Neuroscience
SP 1569
OP 1573
DO 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.23-05-01569.2003
VO 23
IS 5
A1 Ren, Jun
A1 Lee, Syann
A1 Pagliardini, Silvia
A1 Gérard, Matthieu
A1 Stewart, Colin L.
A1 Greer, John J.
A1 Wevrick, Rachel
YR 2003
UL http://www.jneurosci.org/content/23/5/1569.abstract
AB necdin (Ndn) is one of a cluster of genes deleted in the neurodevelopmental disorder Prader-Willi syndrome. necdin is upregulated during neuronal differentiation and is thought to play a role in cell cycle arrest in terminally differentiated neurons. Mostnecdin-deficientNdntm2Stw mutant pups carrying a targeted replacement of Ndn with a lacZreporter gene die in the neonatal period of apparent respiratory insufficiency. We now demonstrate that the defect can be explained by abnormal neuronal activity within the putative respiratory rhythm-generating center, the pre-Bötzinger complex. Specifically, the rhythm is unstable with prolonged periods of depression of respiratory rhythmogenesis. These observations suggest that the developing respiratory center is particularly sensitive to loss of necdin activity and may reflect abnormalities of respiratory rhythm-generating neurons or conditioning neuromodulatory drive. We propose that necdin deficiency may contribute to observed respiratory abnormalities in individuals with Prader-Willi syndrome through a similar suppression of central respiratory drive.