Thrombocytopenia and kidney disease in mice with a mutation in the C1galt1 gene

WS Alexander, EM Viney, JG Zhang… - Proceedings of the …, 2006 - National Acad Sciences
WS Alexander, EM Viney, JG Zhang, D Metcalf, M Kauppi, CD Hyland, MR Carpinelli
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2006National Acad Sciences
An N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea mutagenesis screen in mice was performed to isolate regulators of
circulating platelet number. We report here recessive thrombocytopenia and kidney disease
in plt1 mice, which is the result of a severe but partial loss-of-function mutation in the gene
encoding glycoprotein-N-acetylgalactosamine-3-β-galactosyltransferase (C1GalT1), an
enzyme essential for the synthesis of extended mucin-type O-glycans. Platelet half-life and
basic hemostatic parameters were unaffected in plt1/plt1 mice, and the thrombocytopenia …
An N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea mutagenesis screen in mice was performed to isolate regulators of circulating platelet number. We report here recessive thrombocytopenia and kidney disease in plt1 mice, which is the result of a severe but partial loss-of-function mutation in the gene encoding glycoprotein-N-acetylgalactosamine-3-β-galactosyltransferase (C1GalT1), an enzyme essential for the synthesis of extended mucin-type O-glycans. Platelet half-life and basic hemostatic parameters were unaffected in plt1/plt1 mice, and the thrombocytopenia and kidney disease were not attenuated on a lymphocyte-deficient rag1-null background. gpIbα and podocalyxin were found to be major underglycosylated proteins in plt1/plt1 platelets and the kidney, respectively, implying that these are key targets for C1GalT1, appropriate glycosylation of which is essential for platelet production and kidney function. Compromised C1GalT1 activity has been associated with immune-mediated diseases in humans, most notably Tn syndrome and IgA nephropathy. The disease in plt1/plt1 mice suggests that, in addition to immune-mediated effects, intrinsic C1Gal-T1 deficiency in megakaryocytes and the kidney may contribute to pathology.
National Acad Sciences