Differential gene expression in BALB/c Npc1-/- and Npc1+/+ cerebellum

Purkinje cells (PC) of the cerebellum degenerate in adult mice with mutations in the Niemann-Pick type C (NPC) disease 1 (Npc1) gene. We subjected BALB/c Npc1+/+ and Npc1-/- mouse cerebella from an early and a later time point of PC degeneration to a genome-wide microarray gene expression analysis. We found general underrepresentation of PC-specific transcripts, consistent with PC loss, and elevated markers of microglia activation at the later time point. Keywords: Niemann-Pick type C, Purkinje cell degeneration 12 BALB/c Npc1 mice of the two ages P21 and P49 and the two genotypes Npc1+/+ and Npc1-/- were used, 3 replicates for each age and genotype. The animals were of the same breed and lived under identical housing conditions. All except one animal were female. The animals were not further treated, but only sacrificed at P21 or P49.