Real-Time Three-Dimensional Tracking of Single Vesicles Reveals the Abnormal Motion and Vesicle Pools of Synaptic Vesicles in Neurons of Huntington’s Disease Mice

Abstract

SummaryAlthough defective synaptic transmission was suggested to play a role in neurodegenerative diseases, the dynamics and vesicle pools of synaptic vesicles during neurodegeneration remain elusive. Here, we performed real-time three-dimensional tracking of single synaptic vesicles in cortical neurons from a mouse model of Huntington’s disease (HD). Vesicles in HD neurons had a larger net displacement and radius of gyration compared with wild-type neurons. Vesicles with a high release probability (Pr) were interspersed with low-Pr vesicles in HD neurons, whereas high-Pr and low-Pr vesicle pools were spatially separated in wild-type neurons. Non-releasing vesicles in HD neurons had an abnormally high prevalence of irregular oscillatory motion. These abnormal dynamics and vesicle pools were rescued by overexpressing Rab11, and the abnormal irregular motion was rescued by jasplakinolide. These results suggest the abnormal dynamics and vesicle pools of synaptic vesicles in the early stages of HD, suggesting a possible pathogenic mechanism of neurodegenerative diseases.