PUBLICATION

Renal and Extra Renal Manifestations in Adult Zebrafish Model of Cystinosis

Authors
Berlingerio, S.P., He, J., De Groef, L., Taeter, H., Norton, T., Baatsen, P., Cairoli, S., Goffredo, B., de Witte, P., van den Heuvel, L., Baelde, H.J., Levtchenko, E.
ID
ZDB-PUB-210911-11
Date
2021
Source
International Journal of Molecular Sciences   22(17): (Journal)
Registered Authors
de Witte, Peter
Keywords
adult phenotypic features, cystinosis, kidney disease, renal and extra renal manifestation, zebrafish model
MeSH Terms
  • Amino Acid Transport Systems, Neutral/genetics
  • Amino Acid Transport Systems, Neutral/metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Cystine/metabolism*
  • Cystinosis/etiology
  • Cystinosis/pathology*
  • Disease Models, Animal*
  • Humans
  • Kidney/metabolism
  • Kidney/pathology*
  • Mutation*
  • Phenotype
  • Zebrafish
  • Zebrafish Proteins/genetics
  • Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism*
PubMed
34502306 Full text @ Int. J. Mol. Sci.
Abstract
Cystinosis is a rare, incurable, autosomal recessive disease caused by mutations in the CTNS gene. This gene encodes the lysosomal cystine transporter cystinosin, leading to lysosomal cystine accumulation in all cells of the body, with kidneys being the first affected organs. The current treatment with cysteamine decreases cystine accumulation, but does not reverse the proximal tubular dysfunction, glomerular injury or loss of renal function. In our previous study, we have developed a zebrafish model of cystinosis through a nonsense mutation in the CTNS gene and have shown that zebrafish larvae recapitulate the kidney phenotype described in humans. In the current study, we characterized the adult cystinosis zebrafish model and evaluated the long-term effects of the disease on kidney and extra renal organs through biochemical, histological, fertility and locomotor activity studies. We found that the adult cystinosis zebrafish presents cystine accumulation in various organs, altered kidney morphology, impaired skin pigmentation, decreased fertility, altered locomotor activity and ocular anomalies. Overall, our data indicate that the adult cystinosis zebrafish model reproduces several human phenotypes of cystinosis and may be useful for studying pathophysiology and long-term effects of novel therapies.
Genes / Markers
Figures
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Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping