Mutant huntingtin disturbs circadian clock gene expression and sleep patterns in Drosophila.

ABSTRACT: Deficiency of the sleep-wake cycle can accelerate the progression of Huntington's disease (HD) and exacerbate symptoms making it a target of investigation to better understand the molecular pathology of the disorder. In this study we analyzed sleep defects in a Drosophila model of HD and investigated whether disturbed sleep coincides with alterations in the molecular mechanism controlling circadian rhythm. To analyze sleep defects we recorded the daily activity of flies in 12:12 hours light:dark entrainment and in regard to the underlying molecular mechanism measured circadian "clock" gene expression. In HD flies we observed reduced amount of sleep, sleep fragmentation and prolonged sleep latency. We found changes in gene expression patterns of both transcriptional feedback loops of circad

SUBMITTER: Farago A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6509128 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature