Effects of Rab4A Mutations on Mouse Behavior, mTORC1 Activity,and Surface 8Receptor/TransporterRecycling

Abstract

Through studying endosomal regulation, I found that a single amino acid 47mutation (Q72L) in the Rab4A gene leads to neurological disorders in two separate 48mouse strains. In the C57Bl/6 (SLE(WT)) background,I found thatknock-in the 49Rab4A gene leads to hyperactivity, which resembles both autism spectrum 50disorders (ASD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). On a lupus-51prone background (SLE(1.2.3)) I found thatthe same mutation led to hypoactivity, 52which indicates a more severe neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus 53(NPSLE) than SLE(1.2.3)mice with wild type Rab4A.54The same mice were studied in chapter two, where mTORC1 activity was 55confirmed to be elevated in CD4+ T cells when Rab4A was knocked-in (Rab4A(KI))56compared to Rab4A(WT) cells.In young mouse brains prior to disease onset, I found57increases of mTORC1 and oxidative stress in Rab4A(KI) brains relative to 58Rab4A(WT) brains. In the same brains, there was also a depletion of GLUT1 and 59IFNGR1.Many of these changes were absent in the adult mice, after disease had 60developed.61SLE(1.2.3) mice with the three Rab4A alleleswere treated withrapamycin or 62NAC,and brains were collected.In these brains, there wasevidence that the 63hypoactive Rab4A(KI) SLE(1.2.3) had lower mTORC1 activity than Rab4A(WT) and 64Rab4A(KO) mice.This finding indicatesdepression, which is a pattern seen in major 65depressive disorder(MDD). Depression is also a symptoms of NPSLE. Interestingly, 66rapamycin increased mTORC1 activity in theRab4A(KI)brains compared Rab4A(KI) 67mice treated with vehicle, indicating a positive effect from the drug.