Reduction in the olfactory ability in aging Mitf mutant mice without evidence of neurodegeneration

Age-related decline occurs in most brain structures and sensory systems. An illustrative case is olfaction. The olfactory bulb (OB) undergoes deterioration with age, resulting in reduced olfactory ability. A decline in olfaction is also associated with early symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases, i...

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Main Authors: Fatich Mechmet, Eiríkur Steingrímsson, Petur Henry Petersen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2024-10-01
Series:Frontiers in Aging
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fragi.2024.1462900/full
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author Fatich Mechmet
Eiríkur Steingrímsson
Petur Henry Petersen
author_facet Fatich Mechmet
Eiríkur Steingrímsson
Petur Henry Petersen
author_sort Fatich Mechmet
collection DOAJ
description Age-related decline occurs in most brain structures and sensory systems. An illustrative case is olfaction. The olfactory bulb (OB) undergoes deterioration with age, resulting in reduced olfactory ability. A decline in olfaction is also associated with early symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, the underlying reasons are unclear. The microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) is expressed in the projection neurons (PNs) of the OB–the mitral and tufted (M/T) cells. Primary M/T cells from Mitf mutant mice show hyperactivity, potentially attributed to the reduced expression of a key potassium channel subunit, Kcnd3/Kv4.3. This influences intrinsic plasticity, an essential mechanism involving the non-synaptic regulation of neuronal activity. As neuronal hyperactivity often precedes neurodegenerative conditions, the current study aimed to determine whether the absence of Mitf causes degenerative effects during aging. Aged Mitf mutant mice showed reduced olfactory ability without inflammation. However, an increase in the expression of potassium channel subunit genes in the OBs of aged Mitfmi-vga9/mi-vga9 mice suggests that during aging, compensatory mechanisms lead to stabilization.
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spelling doaj-art-2f4cf912acd641fdbec2e71cd9ec7df02025-08-20T02:11:37ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Aging2673-62172024-10-01510.3389/fragi.2024.14629001462900Reduction in the olfactory ability in aging Mitf mutant mice without evidence of neurodegenerationFatich Mechmet0Eiríkur Steingrímsson1Petur Henry Petersen2Department of Anatomy, Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, IcelandDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, IcelandDepartment of Anatomy, Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, IcelandAge-related decline occurs in most brain structures and sensory systems. An illustrative case is olfaction. The olfactory bulb (OB) undergoes deterioration with age, resulting in reduced olfactory ability. A decline in olfaction is also associated with early symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, the underlying reasons are unclear. The microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) is expressed in the projection neurons (PNs) of the OB–the mitral and tufted (M/T) cells. Primary M/T cells from Mitf mutant mice show hyperactivity, potentially attributed to the reduced expression of a key potassium channel subunit, Kcnd3/Kv4.3. This influences intrinsic plasticity, an essential mechanism involving the non-synaptic regulation of neuronal activity. As neuronal hyperactivity often precedes neurodegenerative conditions, the current study aimed to determine whether the absence of Mitf causes degenerative effects during aging. Aged Mitf mutant mice showed reduced olfactory ability without inflammation. However, an increase in the expression of potassium channel subunit genes in the OBs of aged Mitfmi-vga9/mi-vga9 mice suggests that during aging, compensatory mechanisms lead to stabilization.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fragi.2024.1462900/fullage-related declineolfactory bulbolfactory functionMitf mutationneuronal hyperactivitypotassium channels
spellingShingle Fatich Mechmet
Eiríkur Steingrímsson
Petur Henry Petersen
Reduction in the olfactory ability in aging Mitf mutant mice without evidence of neurodegeneration
Frontiers in Aging
age-related decline
olfactory bulb
olfactory function
Mitf mutation
neuronal hyperactivity
potassium channels
title Reduction in the olfactory ability in aging Mitf mutant mice without evidence of neurodegeneration
title_full Reduction in the olfactory ability in aging Mitf mutant mice without evidence of neurodegeneration
title_fullStr Reduction in the olfactory ability in aging Mitf mutant mice without evidence of neurodegeneration
title_full_unstemmed Reduction in the olfactory ability in aging Mitf mutant mice without evidence of neurodegeneration
title_short Reduction in the olfactory ability in aging Mitf mutant mice without evidence of neurodegeneration
title_sort reduction in the olfactory ability in aging mitf mutant mice without evidence of neurodegeneration
topic age-related decline
olfactory bulb
olfactory function
Mitf mutation
neuronal hyperactivity
potassium channels
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fragi.2024.1462900/full
work_keys_str_mv AT fatichmechmet reductionintheolfactoryabilityinagingmitfmutantmicewithoutevidenceofneurodegeneration
AT eirikursteingrimsson reductionintheolfactoryabilityinagingmitfmutantmicewithoutevidenceofneurodegeneration
AT peturhenrypetersen reductionintheolfactoryabilityinagingmitfmutantmicewithoutevidenceofneurodegeneration