CHRFAM7A alters binding to the neuronal alpha-7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. 2019

Theresa Chan, and Elliot Williams, and Olga Cohen, and Brian P Eliceiri, and Andrew Baird, and Todd W Costantini
Division of Trauma, Surgical Critical Care, Burns and Acute Care Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of California San Diego Health, 200 W. Arbor Drive #8896, San Diego, CA, 92103, USA. Electronic address: Twc008@ucsd.edu.

CHRFAM7A is a uniquely-human gene that encodes a human-specific variant of the alpha-7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAchR). While the homopentameric α7nAChR consists of 5 equal subunits, previous studies demonstrated that CHRFAM7A expression disrupts the formation of α7nAChR homopentamers. Here we use a rat neuronal cell line expressing CHRFAM7A and a transgenic mouse expressing CHRFAM7A to define the alpha-bungarotoxin (α-BTX) binding in vitro and in vivo. Rat PC12 cells were stably transfected with human CHRFAM7A. α-BTX, a protein that irreversibly binds the α7nAchR, was utilized to assess the capacity for CHRFAM7A to interfere with α 7AchR subunits using immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. To evaluate the effects of CHRFAM7A on α7nAchR at the neuromuscular junction in vivo, transgenic mice were engineered to express the uniquely human gene CHRFAM7A under the control of the EF1-α promoter. Using this model, muscle was harvested and CHRFAM7A and CHRNA7 gene expression evaluated by PCR. Binding of α-BTX to the α7nAchR in muscle was compared in sibling-matched wild-type C57 mice by immunostaining the neuromuscular junction using α-BTX and neurofilament antibodies. Expression of CHRFAM7A in transfected, but not vector cells, was confirmed by PCR and by immunoblotting using an antibody we raised to a peptide sequence unique to CHRFAM7A. CHRFAM7A decreased α-BTX binding as detected by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. In vivo, α-BTX co-stained with neurofilament at the neuromuscular junction in wild-type mice, however, α-BTX staining was decreased at the neuromuscular junction of CHRFAM7A transgenic mice. CHRFAM7A expression interferes with the binding of α7nAchR to α-BTX. Understanding the contribution of this uniquely human gene to human disease will be important in the identification of potential therapeutic targets.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007382 Intermediate Filaments Cytoplasmic filaments intermediate in diameter (about 10 nanometers) between the microfilaments and the microtubules. They may be composed of any of a number of different proteins and form a ring around the cell nucleus. Tonofilaments,Neurofilaments,Filament, Intermediate,Filaments, Intermediate,Intermediate Filament,Neurofilament,Tonofilament
D008822 Mice, Transgenic Laboratory mice that have been produced from a genetically manipulated EGG or EMBRYO, MAMMALIAN. Transgenic Mice,Founder Mice, Transgenic,Mouse, Founder, Transgenic,Mouse, Transgenic,Mice, Transgenic Founder,Transgenic Founder Mice,Transgenic Mouse
D009469 Neuromuscular Junction The synapse between a neuron and a muscle. Myoneural Junction,Nerve-Muscle Preparation,Junction, Myoneural,Junction, Neuromuscular,Junctions, Myoneural,Junctions, Neuromuscular,Myoneural Junctions,Nerve Muscle Preparation,Nerve-Muscle Preparations,Neuromuscular Junctions,Preparation, Nerve-Muscle,Preparations, Nerve-Muscle
D002038 Bungarotoxins Neurotoxic proteins from the venom of the banded or Formosan krait (Bungarus multicinctus, an elapid snake). alpha-Bungarotoxin blocks nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and has been used to isolate and study them; beta- and gamma-bungarotoxins act presynaptically causing acetylcholine release and depletion. Both alpha and beta forms have been characterized, the alpha being similar to the large, long or Type II neurotoxins from other elapid venoms. alpha-Bungarotoxin,beta-Bungarotoxin,kappa-Bungarotoxin,alpha Bungarotoxin,beta Bungarotoxin,kappa Bungarotoxin
D002478 Cells, Cultured Cells propagated in vitro in special media conducive to their growth. Cultured cells are used to study developmental, morphologic, metabolic, physiologic, and genetic processes, among others. Cultured Cells,Cell, Cultured,Cultured Cell
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D051379 Mice The common name for the genus Mus. Mice, House,Mus,Mus musculus,Mice, Laboratory,Mouse,Mouse, House,Mouse, Laboratory,Mouse, Swiss,Mus domesticus,Mus musculus domesticus,Swiss Mice,House Mice,House Mouse,Laboratory Mice,Laboratory Mouse,Mice, Swiss,Swiss Mouse,domesticus, Mus musculus
D051381 Rats The common name for the genus Rattus. Rattus,Rats, Laboratory,Rats, Norway,Rattus norvegicus,Laboratory Rat,Laboratory Rats,Norway Rat,Norway Rats,Rat,Rat, Laboratory,Rat, Norway,norvegicus, Rattus
D018482 Muscle, Skeletal A subtype of striated muscle, attached by TENDONS to the SKELETON. Skeletal muscles are innervated and their movement can be consciously controlled. They are also called voluntary muscles. Anterior Tibial Muscle,Gastrocnemius Muscle,Muscle, Voluntary,Plantaris Muscle,Skeletal Muscle,Soleus Muscle,Muscle, Anterior Tibial,Muscle, Gastrocnemius,Muscle, Plantaris,Muscle, Soleus,Muscles, Skeletal,Muscles, Voluntary,Skeletal Muscles,Tibial Muscle, Anterior,Voluntary Muscle,Voluntary Muscles

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