Differently increased volumes of multiple brain areas in mutant mice following various drug treatments.

BACKGROUND

Niemann-Pick disease type C1 (NPC1, MIM 257220) is a heritable lysosomal storage disease characterized by a progressive neurological degeneration that causes disability and premature death. A murine model of displays a rapidly progressing form of Npc1 disease, which is characterized by weight loss, ataxia, and increased cholesterol storage. mice receiving a combined therapy (COMBI) of miglustat (MIGLU), the neurosteroid allopregnanolone (ALLO) and the cyclic oligosaccharide 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPßCD) showed prevention of Purkinje cell loss, improved motor function and reduced intracellular lipid storage. Although therapy of mice with COMBI, MIGLU or HPßCD resulted in the prevention of body weight loss, reduced total brain weight was not positively influenced.

METHODS

In order to evaluate alterations of different brain areas caused by pharmacotherapy, fresh volumes (volumes calculated from the volumes determined from paraffin embedded brain slices) of various brain structures in sham- and drug-treated wild type and mutant mice were measured using stereological methods.

RESULTS

In the wild type mice, the volumes of investigated brain areas were not significantly altered by either therapy. Compared with the respective wild types, fresh volumes of specific brain areas, which were significantly reduced in sham-treated mice, partly increased after the pharmacotherapies in all treatment strategies; most pronounced differences were found in the CA1 area of the hippocampus and in olfactory structures.

DISCUSSION

Volumes of brain areas of mice were not specifically changed in terms of functionality after administering COMBI, MIGLU, or HPßCD. Measurements of fresh volumes of brain areas in mice could monitor region-specific changes and response to drug treatment that correlated, in part, with behavioral improvements in this mouse model.