Heterozygous huntingtin promotes cadmium neurotoxicity and neurodegeneration in striatal cells via altered metal transport and protein kinase C delta dependent oxidative stress and apoptosis signaling mechanisms

摘要

Huntington's disease (HD) is functionally linked to environmental factors including cigarette use and dyshomeostasis in the levels of metals. Interestingly, one of the most abundant heavy metals in cigarettes is cadmium (Cd), which also accumulates in the striatum and causes neurotoxicity upon exposure. Thus, we hypothesized that heterozygous huntingtin (HIT), responsible for the majority of cases of HD in patients, in combination with Cd exposure would cause neurotoxicity and neurodegeneration via increased intracellular accumulation of Cd and activation of oxidative stress signaling mechanisms in a mouse striatal cell line model of HD. We report that heterozygous HTT striatal cells are significantly more susceptible to Cd-induced cytotoxicity as compared to wild-type HTT cells upon exposure for 48 h.