A mouse model of tuberous sclerosis: Neuronal loss of Tsc1 causes dysplastic and ectopic neurons, reduced myelination, seizure activity, and limited survival

Tuberous sclerosis ( TSC) is a hamartoma syndrome caused by mutations in TSC1 or TSC2 in which cerebral cortical tubers and seizures are major clinical issues. We have engineered mice in which most cortical neurons lose Tsc1 expression during embryonic development. These Tsc1 mutant mice display several neurological abnormalities beginning at postnatal day 5 with subsequent failure to thrive and median survival of 35 d. The mice also display clinical and electrographic seizures both spontaneously and with physical stimulation, and some seizures end in a fatal tonic phase. Many cortical and hippocampal neurons are enlarged and/or dysplastic in the Tsc1 mutant mice, strongly express phospho-S6, and are ectopic in multiple sites in the cortex and hippocampus. There is a striking delay in myelination in the mutant mice, which appears to be caused by an inductive neuronal defect. This new TSC brain model replicates several features of human TSC brain lesions and implicates an important function of Tsc1/Tsc2 in neuronal development.