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Volume 8, Issue 6 J Neurol Neurosci
ISSN: 2171-6625 Neuro, an open access journal Neuroscience 2017
October 16-17, 2017
OCTOBER 16-17, 2017 OSAKA, JAPAN
17TH Global Neuroscience Conference
Choline as a nutraceutical for treating neurodevelopmental disorder: Rett syndrome
Eyleen Goh, Chin E W, Lim W W, Ma D L and Rosales F J
Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
Rett Syndrome (RTT) is a postnatal neurodevelopmental disorder that primarily affects girls, with 95% of RTT cases resulting
from mutations in the Methyl-Cpg-Binding Protein 2 (MECP2) genes. To model RTT in vitro , a short hairpin RNA was
used to knockdown the expression of MECP2 in primary neurons. Abnormalities in the cholinergic system have been shown to
be associated with the disorder. We found choline supplementation to MECP2-knockdown neurons increased their soma sizes
and the complexity of their dendritic arbors. Through the use of specific inhibitors targeting each of the known physiological
pathways of choline, synthesis of phosphatidylcholine from choline was found to be the most important pathway in bringing
about the changes seen in choline-supplemented MECP2 -knockdown neurons. Rescue of the morphological defects could
lead to enhanced neurotransmission, as suggested by an observed trend of increased expression of selected synaptic proteins in
choline-supplemented cells and differences in dendritic spine density and shape between wild type and MECP2-knockout mice,
with choline or vehicle supplementation. In addition, choline supplementation to cultured hippocampal neurons restored mini
excitatory postsynaptic current frequencies in MECP2-knockdown cells to control levels, while the amplitude was unchanged.
Choline treatment to MECP2-knockout mice also rescued deficits in motor coordination, anxiety-like behavior and social
interaction. Taken together, these data reveal a role of choline in modulating neuronal plasticity, possibly leading to behavioral
changes and hence, a potential for using choline to treat RTT.3
Biography
Eyleen Goh is a Senior Research Scientist at the National Neuroscience Institute and an Assistant Professor with the Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore.
Eyleen Goh et al., J Neurol Neurosci 2017, 8:6
DOI: 10.21767/2171-6625-C1-005