motor coordination deficits, immune deficiencies, cancer, ataxia, genotoxic stress, aging
Phenotype Summary
Atm null mice are growth-retarded, infertile, immunodeficient, and prone to develop thymic lymphomas. Long-term assessment of previously generated Atm mutant mice was compromised by early development of thymic lymphomas, causing death uniformly by 4 or 5 months of age. Atmy/y mice also succumb to thymic lymphomas; however, over 50% survived for 10 months or more. As previously reported for other strains of Atm-deficient mice, we observed a disproportionate reduction (40–50% of normal levels) in thymocyte and splenocyte numbers, as compared with the 20% reduction in body weight, in Atm null mice. Four to 12-mo-old Atm null mice display mild deficits in motor learning consistent with cerebellar dysfunction when tested on a rotating rod. Immunostaining of Purkinje cells from 4 to 12-mo-old Atm null mice revealed an irregular pattern of Purkinje cell dendrites.
Genetic Information
Gene Name
ataxia telangiectasia mutated (includes complementation groups A, C and D)
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