Minocycline inhibits caspase-1 and caspase-3 expression and delays mortality in a transgenic mouse model of Huntington disease

Nat Med. 2000 Jul;6(7):797-801. doi: 10.1038/77528.

Abstract

Huntington disease is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease with no effective treatment. Minocycline is a tetracycline derivative with proven safety. After ischemia, minocycline inhibits caspase-1 and inducible nitric oxide synthetase upregulation, and reduces infarction. As caspase-1 and nitric oxide seem to play a role in Huntington disease, we evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of minocycline in the R6/2 mouse model of Huntington disease. We report that minocycline delays disease progression, inhibits caspase-1 and caspase-3 mRNA upregulation, and decreases inducible nitric oxide synthetase activity. In addition, effective pharmacotherapy in R6/2 mice requires caspase-1 and caspase-3 inhibition. This is the first demonstration of caspase-1 and caspase-3 transcriptional regulation in a Huntington disease model.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Caspase 1 / biosynthesis*
  • Caspase 3
  • Caspases / biosynthesis*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Disease Progression
  • Enzyme Activation / drug effects
  • Evaluation Studies as Topic
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Huntington Disease / drug therapy*
  • Huntington Disease / mortality
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Minocycline / therapeutic use*
  • Neuroprotective Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase / drug effects
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II
  • Transcription, Genetic

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Neuroprotective Agents
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II
  • Nos2 protein, mouse
  • Casp3 protein, mouse
  • Caspase 3
  • Caspases
  • Caspase 1
  • Minocycline