BioProject

Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome (RSTS) is a complex autosomal-dominant disease characterized by mental and growth retardation and skeletal abnormalities. More...

Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome (RSTS) is a complex autosomal-dominant disease characterized by mental and growth retardation and skeletal abnormalities. A majority of the individuals diagnosed with RSTS carry heterozygous mutation in the gene CREBBP, but a small percentage of cases are caused by mutations in EP300. To investigate the contribution of p300 to RSTS pathoetiology, we carried out a comprehensive and multidisciplinary characterization of p300+/- mice. These mice exhibited facial abnormalities and impaired growth, two traits associated to RSTS in humans. We also observed abnormal gait, reduced swimming speed, enhanced anxiety in the elevated plus maze, and mild cognitive impairment during the transfer task in the water maze. These analyses demonstratethat p300+/- mice exhibit phenotypes that are reminiscent of neurological traits observed in RSTS patients, but their comparison with previous studies on CBP deficient strains also indicate that, in agreement with the most recent findings in human patients, the activity of p300 in cognition is likely less relevant or more susceptible to compensation than the activity of CBP. To identify those genes whose expression was altered in the hippocampus of p300 deficient mutants, we performed a gene profiling analysis of hippocampal tissue using high-density oligonucleotide microarrays. Overall design: We obtained triplicate samples containing total RNA from the hippocampi of four 3-month old females of either genotype (in total 12 p300+/- mice and 12 wild type littermates were used in the experiment). Less...