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Aguzzoli Heberle B, Brandon JA, Page ML, Nations KA, Dikobe KI, White BJ, Gordon LA, Fox GA, Wadsworth ME, Doyle PH, Williams BA, Fox EJ, Shantaraman A, Ryten M, Goodwin S, Ghiban E, Wappel R, Mavruk-Eskipehlivan S, Miller JB, Seyfried NT, Nelson PT, Fryer JD, Ebbert MTW. Mapping medically relevant RNA isoform diversity in the aged human frontal cortex with deep long-read RNA-seq. Nat Biotechnol 2024:10.1038/s41587-024-02245-9. [PMID: 38778214 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-024-02245-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Determining whether the RNA isoforms from medically relevant genes have distinct functions could facilitate direct targeting of RNA isoforms for disease treatment. Here, as a step toward this goal for neurological diseases, we sequenced 12 postmortem, aged human frontal cortices (6 Alzheimer disease cases and 6 controls; 50% female) using one Oxford Nanopore PromethION flow cell per sample. We identified 1,917 medically relevant genes expressing multiple isoforms in the frontal cortex where 1,018 had multiple isoforms with different protein-coding sequences. Of these 1,018 genes, 57 are implicated in brain-related diseases including major depression, schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer disease. Our study also uncovered 53 new RNA isoforms in medically relevant genes, including several where the new isoform was one of the most highly expressed for that gene. We also reported on five mitochondrially encoded, spliced RNA isoforms. We found 99 differentially expressed RNA isoforms between cases with Alzheimer disease and controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernardo Aguzzoli Heberle
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - J Anthony Brandon
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Madeline L Page
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Kayla A Nations
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Ketsile I Dikobe
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Brendan J White
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Lacey A Gordon
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Grant A Fox
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Mark E Wadsworth
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Patricia H Doyle
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Brittney A Williams
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Edward J Fox
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Mina Ryten
- UK Dementia Research Institute at The University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Sara Goodwin
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
| | - Elena Ghiban
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
| | - Robert Wappel
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
| | | | - Justin B Miller
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
- Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Nicholas T Seyfried
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Peter T Nelson
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - John D Fryer
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
| | - Mark T W Ebbert
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
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Chomyk A, Kucinski R, Kim J, Christie E, Cyncynatus K, Gossman Z, Chen Z, Richardson B, Cameron M, Turner T, Dutta R, Trapp B. Transcript Profiles of Microglia/Macrophage Cells at the Borders of Chronic Active and Subpial Gray Matter Lesions in Multiple Sclerosis. Ann Neurol 2024; 95:907-916. [PMID: 38345145 PMCID: PMC11060930 DOI: 10.1002/ana.26877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Microglia/macrophages line the border of demyelinated lesions in both cerebral white matter and the cortex in the brains of multiple sclerosis patients. Microglia/macrophages associated with chronic white matter lesions are thought to be responsible for slow lesion expansion and disability progression in progressive multiple sclerosis, whereas those lining gray matter lesions are less studied. Profiling these microglia/macrophages could help to focus therapies on genes or pathways specific to lesion expansion and disease progression. METHODS We compared the morphology and transcript profiles of microglia/macrophages associated with borders of white matter (WM line) and subpial gray matter lesions (GM line) using laser capture microscopy. We performed RNA sequencing on isolated cells followed by immunocytochemistry to determine the distribution of translational products of transcripts increased in WM line microglia. RESULTS Cells in the WM line appear activated, with shorter processes and larger cell bodies, whereas those in the GM line appear more homeostatic, with smaller cell bodies and multiple thin processes. Transcript profiling revealed 176 genes in WM lines and 111 genes in GM lines as differentially expressed. Transcripts associated with immune activation and iron homeostasis were increased in WM line microglia, whereas genes belonging to the canonical Wnt signaling pathway were increased in GM line microglia. INTERPRETATION We propose that the mechanisms of demyelination and dynamics of lesion expansion are responsible for differential transcript expression in WM lines and GM lines, and posit that increased expression of the Fc epsilon receptor, spleen tyrosine kinase, and Bruton's tyrosine kinase, play a key role in regulating microglia/macrophage function at the border of chronic active white matter lesions. ANN NEUROL 2024;95:907-916.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Chomyk
- Department of Neurosciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Rikki Kucinski
- Department of Neurosciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Jihye Kim
- Department of Neurosciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Emilie Christie
- Department of Neurosciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Kaitlyn Cyncynatus
- Department of Neurosciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Zachary Gossman
- Department of Neurosciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Zhihong Chen
- Department of Neurosciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Brian Richardson
- Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Mark Cameron
- Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | | | - Ranjan Dutta
- Department of Neurosciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Bruce Trapp
- Department of Neurosciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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Harding IH, Nur Karim MI, Selvadurai LP, Corben LA, Delatycki MB, Monti S, Saccà F, Georgiou-Karistianis N, Cocozza S, Egan GF. Localized Changes in Dentate Nucleus Shape and Magnetic Susceptibility in Friedreich Ataxia. Mov Disord 2024. [PMID: 38644761 DOI: 10.1002/mds.29816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The dentate nuclei of the cerebellum are key sites of neuropathology in Friedreich ataxia (FRDA). Reduced dentate nucleus volume and increased mean magnetic susceptibility, a proxy of iron concentration, have been reported by magnetic resonance imaging studies in people with FRDA. Here, we investigate whether these changes are regionally heterogeneous. METHODS Quantitative susceptibility mapping data were acquired from 49 people with FRDA and 46 healthy controls. The dentate nuclei were manually segmented and analyzed using three dimensional vertex-based shape modeling and voxel-based assessments to identify regional changes in morphometry and susceptibility, respectively. RESULTS Individuals with FRDA, relative to healthy controls, showed significant bilateral surface contraction most strongly at the rostral and caudal boundaries of the dentate nuclei. The magnitude of this surface contraction correlated with disease duration, and to a lesser extent, ataxia severity. Significantly greater susceptibility was also evident in the FRDA cohort relative to controls, but was instead localized to bilateral dorsomedial areas, and also correlated with disease duration and ataxia severity. CONCLUSIONS Changes in the structure of the dentate nuclei in FRDA are not spatially uniform. Atrophy is greatest in areas with high gray matter density, whereas increases in susceptibility-reflecting iron concentration, demyelination, and/or gliosis-predominate in the medial white matter. These findings converge with established histological reports and indicate that regional measures of dentate nucleus substructure are more sensitive measures of disease expression than full-structure averages. Biomarker development and therapeutic strategies that directly target the dentate nuclei, such as gene therapies, may be optimized by targeting these areas of maximal pathology. © 2024 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian H Harding
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Muhammad Ikhsan Nur Karim
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Louisa P Selvadurai
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Louise A Corben
- Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Australia
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health and School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Martin B Delatycki
- Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Australia
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Serena Monti
- Institute of Biostructure and Bioimaging, National Research Council, Naples, Italy
| | - Francesco Saccà
- Neurosciences and Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Nellie Georgiou-Karistianis
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health and School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Sirio Cocozza
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Gary F Egan
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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Subramony SH, Lynch DL. A Milestone in the Treatment of Ataxias: Approval of Omaveloxolone for Friedreich Ataxia. CEREBELLUM (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2024; 23:775-777. [PMID: 37219716 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-023-01568-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The exciting news about the US FDA approval of omaveloxolone as the first-ever drug to be approved for an inherited ataxia is welcome news for patients and families that deal with this devastating disease as well as for health care providers and investigators with an interest in this and other rare diseases. This event is the culmination of long and fruitful collaboration between patients, their families, clinicians, laboratory researchers, patient advocacy organizations, industry, and regulatory agencies. The process has generated intense discussion about outcome measures, biomarkers, trial design, and the nature of approval process for such diseases. It also has brought hope and enthusiasm for increasingly better therapies for genetic diseases in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- S H Subramony
- Fixel Center for Neurological Disorders, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, 32608, USA.
| | - D L Lynch
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Chang JC, Ryan MR, Stark MC, Liu S, Purushothaman P, Bolan F, Johnson CA, Champe M, Meng H, Lawlor MW, Halawani S, Ngaba LV, Lynch DR, Davis C, Gonzalo-Gil E, Lutz C, Urbinati F, Medicherla B, Fonck C. AAV8 gene therapy reverses cardiac pathology and prevents early mortality in a mouse model of Friedreich's ataxia. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2024; 32:101193. [PMID: 38352270 PMCID: PMC10862410 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2024.101193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is an autosomal-recessive disorder primarily attributed to biallelic GAA repeat expansions that reduce expression of the mitochondrial protein frataxin (FXN). FRDA is characterized by progressive neurodegeneration, with many patients developing cardiomyopathy that progresses to heart failure and death. The potential to reverse or prevent progression of the cardiac phenotype of FRDA was investigated in a mouse model of FRDA, using an adeno-associated viral vector (AAV8) containing the coding sequence of the FXN gene. The Fxnflox/null::MCK-Cre conditional knockout mouse (FXN-MCK) has an FXN gene ablation that prevents FXN expression in cardiac and skeletal muscle, leading to cardiac insufficiency, weight loss, and morbidity. FXN-MCK mice received a single intravenous injection of an AAV8 vector containing human (hFXN) or mouse (mFXN) FXN genes under the control of a phosphoglycerate kinase promoter. Compared to vehicle-treated FXN-MCK control mice, AAV-treated FXN-MCK mice displayed increases in body weight, reversal of cardiac deficits, and increases in survival without apparent toxicity in the heart or liver for up to 12 weeks postdose. FXN protein expression in heart tissue was detected in a dose-dependent manner, exhibiting wide distribution throughout the heart similar to wild type, but more speckled. These results support an AAV8-based approach to treat FRDA-associated cardiomyopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua C. Chang
- Astellas Gene Therapies, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Molly R. Ryan
- Astellas Gene Therapies, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Marie C. Stark
- Astellas Gene Therapies, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Su Liu
- Astellas Gene Therapies, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | | | - Fria Bolan
- Astellas Gene Therapies, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | | | - Mark Champe
- Astellas Gene Therapies, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Hui Meng
- Diverge Translational Science Laboratory, Milwaukee, WI 53204, USA
- Medical College of Wisconsin, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Michael W. Lawlor
- Diverge Translational Science Laboratory, Milwaukee, WI 53204, USA
- Medical College of Wisconsin, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Sarah Halawani
- Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Lucie V. Ngaba
- Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - David R. Lynch
- Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | | | | | | | - Fabrizia Urbinati
- Formerly of Astellas Gene Therapies, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Bala Medicherla
- Astellas Gene Therapies, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | - Carlos Fonck
- Astellas Gene Therapies, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
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Lopergolo D, Rosini F, Pretegiani E, Bargagli A, Serchi V, Rufa A. Autosomal recessive cerebellar ataxias: a diagnostic classification approach according to ocular features. Front Integr Neurosci 2024; 17:1275794. [PMID: 38390227 PMCID: PMC10883068 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2023.1275794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Autosomal recessive cerebellar ataxias (ARCAs) are a heterogeneous group of neurodegenerative disorders affecting primarily the cerebellum and/or its afferent tracts, often accompanied by damage of other neurological or extra-neurological systems. Due to the overlap of clinical presentation among ARCAs and the variety of hereditary, acquired, and reversible etiologies that can determine cerebellar dysfunction, the differential diagnosis is challenging, but also urgent considering the ongoing development of promising target therapies. The examination of afferent and efferent visual system may provide neurophysiological and structural information related to cerebellar dysfunction and neurodegeneration thus allowing a possible diagnostic classification approach according to ocular features. While optic coherence tomography (OCT) is applied for the parametrization of the optic nerve and macular area, the eye movements analysis relies on a wide range of eye-tracker devices and the application of machine-learning techniques. We discuss the results of clinical and eye-tracking oculomotor examination, the OCT findings and some advancing of computer science in ARCAs thus providing evidence sustaining the identification of robust eye parameters as possible markers of ARCAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Lopergolo
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neurosciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
- UOC Neurologia e Malattie Neurometaboliche, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy
| | - Francesca Rosini
- UOC Stroke Unit, Department of Emergenza-Urgenza, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy
| | - Elena Pretegiani
- Unit of Neurology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudoise Lausanne, Unit of Neurology and Cognitive Neurorehabilitation, Universitary Hospital of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Alessia Bargagli
- Evalab-Neurosense, Department of Medicine Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Valeria Serchi
- Evalab-Neurosense, Department of Medicine Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Alessandra Rufa
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neurosciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
- UOC Neurologia e Malattie Neurometaboliche, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy
- Evalab-Neurosense, Department of Medicine Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
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Pilotto F, Chellapandi DM, Puccio H. Omaveloxolone: a groundbreaking milestone as the first FDA-approved drug for Friedreich ataxia. Trends Mol Med 2024; 30:117-125. [PMID: 38272714 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2023.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Friedreich ataxia (FA) is an inherited autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disease (NDD) characterized primarily by progressive sensory and spinocerebellar ataxia associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. FA is due to an intronic GAA repeat expansion within the frataxin gene (FXN) leading to reduced levels of frataxin (FXN) which causes mitochondrial dysfunction, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and altered iron metabolism. To date there is no resolutive cure for FA; however, the FDA has recently approved omaveloxolone - a potent activator of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) - as the first treatment for FA. We discuss herein the urgency to find a resolutive cure for NDDs that will most probably be achieved via combinatorial therapy targeting multiple disease pathways, and how omavaloxolone serves as an example for future treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Pilotto
- Institut NeuroMyoGène (INMG), Unité Physiopathologie et Génétique du Neurone et du Muscle, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 CNRS UMR 5261, Inserm U1315, Lyon, France
| | - Deepika M Chellapandi
- Institut NeuroMyoGène (INMG), Unité Physiopathologie et Génétique du Neurone et du Muscle, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 CNRS UMR 5261, Inserm U1315, Lyon, France
| | - Hélène Puccio
- Institut NeuroMyoGène (INMG), Unité Physiopathologie et Génétique du Neurone et du Muscle, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 CNRS UMR 5261, Inserm U1315, Lyon, France.
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8
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Fernandez L, Corben LA, Bilal H, Delatycki MB, Egan GF, Harding IH. Free-Water Imaging in Friedreich Ataxia Using Multi-Compartment Models. Mov Disord 2024; 39:370-379. [PMID: 37927246 DOI: 10.1002/mds.29648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The neurological phenotype of Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) is characterized by neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation in the cerebellum and brainstem. Novel neuroimaging approaches quantifying brain free-water using diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) are potentially more sensitive to these processes than standard imaging markers. OBJECTIVES To quantify the extent of free-water and microstructural change in FRDA-relevant brain regions using neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI), and bitensor diffusion tensor imaging (btDTI). METHOD Multi-shell dMRI was acquired from 14 individuals with FRDA and 14 controls. Free-water measures from NODDI (FISO) and btDTI (FW) were compared between groups in the cerebellar cortex, dentate nuclei, cerebellar peduncles, and brainstem. The relative sensitivity of the free-water measures to group differences was compared to microstructural measures of NODDI intracellular volume, free-water corrected fractional anisotropy, and conventional uncorrected fractional anisotropy. RESULTS In individuals with FRDA, FW was elevated in the cerebellar cortex, peduncles (excluding middle), dentate, and brainstem (P < 0.005). FISO was elevated primarily in the cerebellar lobules (P < 0.001). On average, FW effect sizes were larger than all other markers (mean ηρ 2 = 0.43), although microstructural measures also had very large effects in the superior and inferior cerebellar peduncles and brainstem (ηρ 2 > 0.37). Across all regions and metrics, effect sizes were largest in the superior cerebellar peduncles (ηρ 2 > 0.46). CONCLUSIONS Multi-compartment diffusion measures of free-water and neurite integrity distinguish FRDA from controls with large effects. Free-water magnitude in the brainstem and cerebellum provided the greatest distinction between groups. This study supports further applications of multi-compartment diffusion modeling, and investigations of free-water as a measure of disease expression and progression in FRDA. © 2023 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Fernandez
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Louise A Corben
- Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health & School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Hiba Bilal
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health & School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Martin B Delatycki
- Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Victorian Clinical Genetics Service, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Gary F Egan
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health & School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ian H Harding
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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9
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Fernández AG. Vestibular Pathology as Early Finding of Friedreich's Ataxia in a 16 Years Old Woman. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2024; 76:1247-1250. [PMID: 38440644 PMCID: PMC10908728 DOI: 10.1007/s12070-023-04249-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Friedreich's ataxia is degenerative disease frequently starting around puberty and it's characterized by a progressive gait ataxia, limb weakness, apparition of Babinsky sign, loss of deep tendon reflex, dysarthria and skeletal deformities. The development of vestibular pathology is common but not completely understood. A 16 years old woman with early vestibular defects in relation to a latter Friedreich's ataxia diagnosis is reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés González Fernández
- Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Virgen del Camino Hospital, Pamplona, Navarra Spain
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10
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Read JL, Davies KC, Thompson GC, Delatycki MB, Lockhart PJ. Challenges facing repeat expansion identification, characterisation, and the pathway to discovery. Emerg Top Life Sci 2023; 7:339-348. [PMID: 37888797 PMCID: PMC10754332 DOI: 10.1042/etls20230019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Tandem repeat DNA sequences constitute a significant proportion of the human genome. While previously considered to be functionally inert, these sequences are now broadly accepted as important contributors to genetic diversity. However, the polymorphic nature of these sequences can lead to expansion beyond a gene-specific threshold, causing disease. More than 50 pathogenic repeat expansions have been identified to date, many of which have been discovered in the last decade as a result of advances in sequencing technologies and associated bioinformatic tools. Commonly utilised diagnostic platforms including Sanger sequencing, capillary array electrophoresis, and Southern blot are generally low throughput and are often unable to accurately determine repeat size, composition, and epigenetic signature, which are important when characterising repeat expansions. The rapid advances in bioinformatic tools designed specifically to interrogate short-read sequencing and the development of long-read single molecule sequencing is enabling a new generation of high throughput testing for repeat expansion disorders. In this review, we discuss some of the challenges surrounding the identification and characterisation of disease-causing repeat expansions and the technological advances that are poised to translate the promise of genomic medicine to individuals and families affected by these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin L Read
- Bruce Lefroy Centre, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kayli C Davies
- Bruce Lefroy Centre, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Genevieve C Thompson
- Bruce Lefroy Centre, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Martin B Delatycki
- Bruce Lefroy Centre, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Victorian Clinical Genetics Services, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Paul J Lockhart
- Bruce Lefroy Centre, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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11
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Heberle BA, Brandon JA, Page ML, Nations KA, Dikobe KI, White BJ, Gordon LA, Fox GA, Wadsworth ME, Doyle PH, Williams BA, Fox EJ, Shantaraman A, Ryten M, Goodwin S, Ghiban E, Wappel R, Mavruk-Eskipehlivan S, Miller JB, Seyfried NT, Nelson PT, Fryer JD, Ebbert MTW. Using deep long-read RNAseq in Alzheimer's disease brain to assess medical relevance of RNA isoform diversity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.06.552162. [PMID: 37609156 PMCID: PMC10441303 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.06.552162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Due to alternative splicing, human protein-coding genes average over eight RNA isoforms, resulting in nearly four distinct protein coding sequences per gene. Long-read RNAseq (IsoSeq) enables more accurate quantification of isoforms, shedding light on their specific roles. To assess the medical relevance of measuring RNA isoform expression, we sequenced 12 aged human frontal cortices (6 Alzheimer's disease cases and 6 controls; 50% female) using one Oxford Nanopore PromethION flow cell per sample. Our study uncovered 53 new high-confidence RNA isoforms in medically relevant genes, including several where the new isoform was one of the most highly expressed for that gene. Specific examples include WDR4 (61%; microcephaly), MYL3 (44%; hypertrophic cardiomyopathy), and MTHFS (25%; major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder). Other notable genes with new high-confidence isoforms include CPLX2 (10%; schizophrenia, epilepsy) and MAOB (9%; targeted for Parkinson's disease treatment). We identified 1,917 medically relevant genes expressing multiple isoforms in human frontal cortex, where 1,018 had multiple isoforms with different protein coding sequences, demonstrating the need to better understand how individual isoforms from a single gene body are involved in human health and disease, if at all. Exactly 98 of the 1,917 genes are implicated in brain-related diseases, including Alzheimer's disease genes such as APP (Aβ precursor protein; five), MAPT (tau protein; four), and BIN1 (eight). As proof of concept, we also found 99 differentially expressed RNA isoforms between Alzheimer's cases and controls, despite the genes themselves not exhibiting differential expression. Our findings highlight the significant knowledge gaps in RNA isoform diversity and their medical relevance. Deep long-read RNA sequencing will be necessary going forward to fully comprehend the medical relevance of individual isoforms for a "single" gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernardo Aguzzoli Heberle
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
| | | | - Madeline L. Page
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
| | - Kayla A. Nations
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
| | - Ketsile I. Dikobe
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
| | - Brendan J. White
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
| | - Lacey A. Gordon
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
| | - Grant A. Fox
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
| | - Mark E. Wadsworth
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
| | - Patricia H. Doyle
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
| | - Brittney A. Williams
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
| | - Edward J. Fox
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Mina Ryten
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Sara Goodwin
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, United States
| | - Elena Ghiban
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, United States
| | - Robert Wappel
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, United States
| | | | - Justin B. Miller
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
- Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Nicholas T. Seyfried
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Peter T. Nelson
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
| | - John D. Fryer
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona
| | - Mark T. W. Ebbert
- Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
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12
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Porcu L, Fichera M, Nanetti L, Rulli E, Giunti P, Parkinson MH, Durr A, Ewenczyk C, Boesch S, Nachbauer W, Indelicato E, Klopstock T, Stendel C, Rodríguez de Rivera FJ, Schöls L, Fleszar Z, Giordano I, Didszun C, Castaldo A, Rai M, Klockgether T, Pandolfo M, Schulz JB, Reetz K, Mariotti C. Longitudinal changes of SARA scale in Friedreich ataxia: Strong influence of baseline score and age at onset. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2023; 10:2000-2012. [PMID: 37641437 PMCID: PMC10647003 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.51886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Scale for Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA) is widely used in different types of ataxias and has been chosen as the primary outcome measure in the European natural history study for Friedreich ataxia (FA). METHODS To assess distribution and longitudinal changes of SARA scores and its single items, we analyzed SARA scores of 502 patients with typical-onset FA (<25 years) participating in the 4-year prospective European FA Consortium for Translational Studies (EFACTS). Pattern of disease progression was determined using linear mixed-effects regression models. The chosen statistical model was re-fitted in order to estimate parameters and predict disease progression. Median time-to-change and rate of score progression were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and weighted linear regression models, respectively. RESULTS SARA score at study enrollment and age at onset were the major predictive factors of total score progression during the 4-year follow-up. To a less extent, age at evaluation also influenced the speed of SARA progression, while disease duration did not improve the prediction of the statistical model. Temporal dynamics of total SARA and items showed a great variability in the speed of score increase during disease progression. Gait item had the highest annual progression rate, with median time for one-point score increase of 1 to 2 years. INTERPRETATION Analyses of statistical properties of SARA suggest a variable sensitivity of the scale at different disease stages, and provide important information for population selection and result interpretation in future clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Porcu
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge InstituteUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Mario Fichera
- Unit of Medical Genetics and NeurogeneticsFondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo BestaMilan20133Italy
| | - Lorenzo Nanetti
- Unit of Medical Genetics and NeurogeneticsFondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo BestaMilan20133Italy
| | - Eliana Rulli
- Laboratory of Methodology for Clinical Research, Oncology DepartmentIstituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCSMilanItaly
| | - Paola Giunti
- Department of Clinical and Movement NeurosciencesAtaxia Centre, UCL‐Queen Square Institute of NeurologyLondonWC1N 3BGUK
| | - Michael H. Parkinson
- Department of Clinical and Movement NeurosciencesAtaxia Centre, UCL‐Queen Square Institute of NeurologyLondonWC1N 3BGUK
| | - Alexandra Durr
- Sorbonne Université, Paris Brain Institute (ICM Institut du Cerveau), AP‐HP, INSERM, CNRSUniversity Hospital Pitié‐SalpêtrièreParis75646France
| | - Claire Ewenczyk
- Sorbonne Université, Paris Brain Institute (ICM Institut du Cerveau), AP‐HP, INSERM, CNRSUniversity Hospital Pitié‐SalpêtrièreParis75646France
| | - Sylvia Boesch
- Department of NeurologyMedical University InnsbruckInnsbruck6020Austria
| | | | | | - Thomas Klopstock
- Department of NeurologyFriedrich Baur Institute, University Hospital, LMUMunich80336Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)Munich81377Germany
- Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy)Munich81377Germany
| | - Claudia Stendel
- Department of NeurologyFriedrich Baur Institute, University Hospital, LMUMunich80336Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)Munich81377Germany
| | | | - Ludger Schöls
- Department of Neurology and Hertie‐Institute for Clinical Brain ResearchUniversity of TübingenTübingen72076Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)Tübingen72076Germany
| | - Zofia Fleszar
- Department of Neurology and Hertie‐Institute for Clinical Brain ResearchUniversity of TübingenTübingen72076Germany
| | - Ilaria Giordano
- Department of NeurologyUniversity Hospital of BonnBonn53127Germany
| | - Claire Didszun
- Department of NeurologyRWTH Aachen UniversityAachen52074Germany
| | - Anna Castaldo
- Unit of Medical Genetics and NeurogeneticsFondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo BestaMilan20133Italy
| | - Myriam Rai
- Laboratory of Experimental NeurologyUniversité Libre de BruxellesBrussels1070Belgium
| | - Thomas Klockgether
- Department of NeurologyUniversity Hospital of BonnBonn53127Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)Bonn53127Germany
| | - Massimo Pandolfo
- Laboratory of Experimental NeurologyUniversité Libre de BruxellesBrussels1070Belgium
- Department of Neurology and NeurosurgeryMcGill UniversityMontrealQCH3A 0G4Canada
| | - Jörg B. Schulz
- Department of NeurologyRWTH Aachen UniversityAachen52074Germany
- JARA Brain Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Research Centre Jülich and RWTH Aachen UniversityAachen52056Germany
| | - Kathrin Reetz
- Department of NeurologyRWTH Aachen UniversityAachen52074Germany
- JARA Brain Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Research Centre Jülich and RWTH Aachen UniversityAachen52056Germany
| | - Caterina Mariotti
- Unit of Medical Genetics and NeurogeneticsFondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo BestaMilan20133Italy
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13
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Lieschke K, Scott V, Delatycki MB, Lewis S, Munsie M, Tanner C, Corben LA. How Great a Risk Do You Take? A Qualitative Study Exploring Attitudes of Individuals with Friedreich Ataxia Toward Gene Therapy. Hum Gene Ther 2023; 34:1041-1048. [PMID: 37624740 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2023.088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Scientists and pharmaceutical companies are working toward delivering gene therapy (GT) for Friedreich ataxia (FRDA). Understanding the views of people with lived experience of FRDA and their parents toward GT is essential to inform trial design and identify potential barriers to participation in clinical trials. The goals of this study were to identify the attitudes toward GT held by individuals with FRDA and parents of individuals with FRDA, and to explore how these may impact future trials for this condition. Audiorecorded, semistructured, qualitative interviews with 19 Australians explored experiences of FRDA, knowledge about clinical trials, views on GT, including risks and benefits, and potential barriers to participation in trials. Participants included thirteen individuals living with FRDA aged between 15-43 years, and six parents of children with FRDA aged 4-12 years of age. Thematic analysis of the interviews identified six main themes. Findings from this study indicate there is strong desire for information regarding GT in FRDA, however the current level of uncertainty around GT makes decision making challenging. The desire to maintain functional status and avoid additional risk of deterioration from an investigational treatment was apparent. Importantly, neurological targets were identified as preferred for GT trials. Further research is required to identify if attitudes and perceptions differ according to geographical location and disease stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Lieschke
- Bruce Lefroy Center for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Australia
| | - Varlli Scott
- Bruce Lefroy Center for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Australia
| | - Martin B Delatycki
- Bruce Lefroy Center for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Australia
- Department of Pediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
- Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Sharon Lewis
- Department of Pediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
- Department of Reproductive Epidemiology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Megan Munsie
- Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Australia
| | - Claire Tanner
- Department of Sociology, School of Social Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Louise A Corben
- Bruce Lefroy Center for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Australia
- Department of Pediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
- Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
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14
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Rastokina A, Cebrián J, Mozafari N, Mandel NH, Smith CI, Lopes M, Zain R, Mirkin S. Large-scale expansions of Friedreich's ataxia GAA•TTC repeats in an experimental human system: role of DNA replication and prevention by LNA-DNA oligonucleotides and PNA oligomers. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:8532-8549. [PMID: 37216608 PMCID: PMC10484681 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is caused by expansions of GAA•TTC repeats in the first intron of the human FXN gene that occur during both intergenerational transmissions and in somatic cells. Here we describe an experimental system to analyze large-scale repeat expansions in cultured human cells. It employs a shuttle plasmid that can replicate from the SV40 origin in human cells or be stably maintained in S. cerevisiae utilizing ARS4-CEN6. It also contains a selectable cassette allowing us to detect repeat expansions that accumulated in human cells upon plasmid transformation into yeast. We indeed observed massive expansions of GAA•TTC repeats, making it the first genetically tractable experimental system to study large-scale repeat expansions in human cells. Further, GAA•TTC repeats stall replication fork progression, while the frequency of repeat expansions appears to depend on proteins implicated in replication fork stalling, reversal, and restart. Locked nucleic acid (LNA)-DNA mixmer oligonucleotides and peptide nucleic acid (PNA) oligomers, which interfere with triplex formation at GAA•TTC repeats in vitro, prevented the expansion of these repeats in human cells. We hypothesize, therefore, that triplex formation by GAA•TTC repeats stall replication fork progression, ultimately leading to repeat expansions during replication fork restart.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jorge Cebrián
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Negin Mozafari
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Translational Research Center Karolinska (TRACK), Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - C I Edvard Smith
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Translational Research Center Karolinska (TRACK), Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Massimo Lopes
- Institute of Molecular Cancer Research, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Rula Zain
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Translational Research Center Karolinska (TRACK), Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
- Center for Rare Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, SE-17176 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sergei M Mirkin
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
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15
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YETKİN NA, YETKİN MF, BARAN KETENCİOĞLU B, OYMAK FS, GÜLMEZ İ, YILMAZ İ, TUTAR N. Evaluation of diaphragm functions with diaphragm ultrasound and pulmonary function tests in individuals with Friedreich's ataxia. Turk J Med Sci 2023; 53:1301-1311. [PMID: 38812999 PMCID: PMC10763816 DOI: 10.55730/1300-0144.5696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Background/aim It is known that the correlation of pulmonary function tests (PFT) with muscle dysfunction is insufficient. Here, we aimed to evaluate the diaphragm functions in individuals with Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) and to examine its relationship with respiratory parameters and disease severity. Materials and methods This prospective study, conducted between November and December 2022, at Erciyes University, included 14 individuals with genetically confirmed FRDA and an age- and gender-matched healthy control group of eight individuals. We examined pulmonary functions with spirometric methods and evaluated diaphragm excursion, and diaphragm thickness-expiratory (Tde) and - end of inspiration (Tdi) with ultrasonography during calm breathing. Thickening fraction (TF) calculated. Also, we examined PaCO2 at rest. The neurological status of individuals was assessed using the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA). Results The mean values of FEV1(lt), FEV1(%), FVC (lt), and FVC (%) were higher in the control group (p; <0.001, 0.013, <0.001, and 0.009, respectively). Also, mean Tdi, Tde, excursion and TF were lower in the FRDA group compared to the control group (p = 0.005, 0.294,0.005, and 0.019, respectively). The mean excursion value was 1.13 ± 0.54cm in the FRDA group and 1.71 ± 0.49cm in the control group. There is a strong, negative, and statistically significant correlation between SARA total score with excursion and TF (r = -0.7432, p = 0.002; r = -0.697, p = 0.008). There is no statistically significant relationship between excursion and BMI, standing-to-supine decrease in FVC, FEV1, and PaCO2. Also, the relationship between maximal inspiratory pressure (PImax) and excursion was moderate. Conclusion Diaphragm ultrasound may reveal respiratory dysfunction better than PFT. Diaphragm excursion and TF are associated with disease scores in individuals with FDRA. Further studies are needed regarding the detection of alveolar hypoventilation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nur Aleyna YETKİN
- Department of Chest Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri,
Turkiye
| | - Mehmet Fatih YETKİN
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri,
Turkiye
| | | | - Fatma Sema OYMAK
- Department of Chest Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri,
Turkiye
| | - İnci GÜLMEZ
- Department of Chest Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri,
Turkiye
| | - İnsu YILMAZ
- Department of Chest Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri,
Turkiye
| | - Nuri TUTAR
- Department of Chest Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri,
Turkiye
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16
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Sewell KE, Gola GF, Pignataro MF, Herrera MG, Noguera ME, Olmos J, Ramírez JA, Capece L, Aran M, Santos J. Direct Cysteine Desulfurase Activity Determination by NMR and the Study of the Functional Role of Key Structural Elements of Human NFS1. ACS Chem Biol 2023; 18:1534-1547. [PMID: 37410592 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.3c00147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
The mitochondrial cysteine desulfurase NFS1 is an essential PLP-dependent enzyme involved in iron-sulfur cluster assembly. The enzyme catalyzes the desulfurization of the l-Cys substrate, producing a persulfide and l-Ala as products. In this study, we set the measurement of the product l-Ala by NMR in vitro by means of 1H NMR spectra acquisition. This methodology provided us with the possibility of monitoring the reaction in both fixed-time and real-time experiments, with high sensitivity and accuracy. By studying I452A, W454A, Q456A, and H457A NFS1 variants, we found that the C-terminal stretch (CTS) of the enzyme is critical for function. Specifically, mutation of the extremely conserved position W454 resulted in highly decreased activity. Additionally, we worked on two singular variants: "GGG" and C158A. In the former, the catalytic Cys-loop was altered by including two Gly residues to increase the flexibility of this loop. This variant had significantly impaired activity, indicating that the Cys-loop motions are fine-tuned in the wild-type enzyme. In turn, for C158A, we found an unanticipated increase in l-Cys desulfurase activity. Furthermore, we carried out molecular dynamics simulations of the supercomplex dedicated to iron-sulfur cluster biosynthesis, which includes NFS1, ACP, ISD11, ISCU2, and FXN subunits. We identified CTS as a key element that established interactions with ISCU2 and FXN concurrently; we found specific interactions that are established when FXN is present, reinforcing the idea that FXN not only forms part of the iron-sulfur cluster assembly site but also modulates the internal motions of ISCU2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl E Sewell
- Laboratorio de Genómica e Ingeniería de Sistemas Biológicos. Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biología Traslacional (iB3). Departamento de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina
| | - Gabriel F Gola
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina
- Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos Aplicados a Química Orgánica (UMYMFOR), CONICET─Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina
| | - María Florencia Pignataro
- Laboratorio de Genómica e Ingeniería de Sistemas Biológicos. Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biología Traslacional (iB3). Departamento de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina
| | - María Georgina Herrera
- Laboratorio de Genómica e Ingeniería de Sistemas Biológicos. Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biología Traslacional (iB3). Departamento de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina
| | - Martín E Noguera
- Laboratorio de Genómica e Ingeniería de Sistemas Biológicos. Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biología Traslacional (iB3). Departamento de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina
- Instituto de Química y Físico-Química Biológicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Junín 956, Buenos Aires 1113AAD, Argentina
| | - Justo Olmos
- Laboratorio de Genómica e Ingeniería de Sistemas Biológicos. Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biología Traslacional (iB3). Departamento de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina
| | - Javier A Ramírez
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina
- Unidad de Microanálisis y Métodos Físicos Aplicados a Química Orgánica (UMYMFOR), CONICET─Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina
| | - Luciana Capece
- Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Analítica y Química Física, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Química Física de los Materiales, Medio Ambiente y Energía (INQUIMAE CONICET), Universidad de Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina
| | - Martín Aran
- Fundación Instituto Leloir, IIBBA-CONICET, and Plataforma Argentina de Biología Estructural y Metabolómica PLABEM, Av. Patricias Argentinas 435, Buenos Aires C1405BWE, Argentina
| | - Javier Santos
- Laboratorio de Genómica e Ingeniería de Sistemas Biológicos. Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biología Traslacional (iB3). Departamento de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Av. Rivadavia 1917, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1033AAJ, Argentina
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17
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Abeysekara LL, Kolambahewage C, Pathirana PN, Horne M, Szmulewicz DJ, Corben LA. A Novel Feature from Instrumented Utensils for Clinical Assessment of Friedreich Ataxia. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2023; 2023:1-4. [PMID: 38083604 DOI: 10.1109/embc40787.2023.10340519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Friedreich Ataxia (FRDA) is an inherited disorder that affects the cerebellum and other regions of the human nervous system. It causes impaired movement that affects quality and reduces lifespan. Clinical assessment of movement is a key part of diagnosis and assessment of severity. Recent studies have examined instrumented measurement of movement to support clinical assessments. This paper presents a frequency domain approach based on Average Band Power (ABP) estimation for clinical assessment using Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) signals. The IMUs were attached to a 3D printed spoon and a cup. Participants used them to mimic eating and drinking activities during data collection. For both activities, the ABP of frequency components from individuals with FRDA clustered in 0 to 0.2Hz band. This suggests that the ABP of this frequency is affected by FRDA irrespective of the device or activity. The ABP in this frequency band was used to distinguish between FRDA and non-ataxic participants using the Area Under the Receiver-Operating-Characteristic Curve (AUC) which produced peak values greater than 0.8. The machine learning models (logistic regression and neural networks) produced accuracy greater than 80% with these features common to both devices.
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18
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Munoz-Zuluaga C, Gertz M, Yost-Bido M, Greco A, Gorman N, Chen A, Kooner V, Rosenberg JB, De BP, Kaminsky SM, Borczuk A, Ricart Arbona RJ, Martin HR, Monette S, Khanna R, Barth JA, Crystal RG, Sondhi D. Identification of Safe and Effective Intravenous Dose of AAVrh.10hFXN to Treat the Cardiac Manifestations of Friedreich's Ataxia. Hum Gene Ther 2023; 34:605-615. [PMID: 37166361 PMCID: PMC10354731 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2023.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Friedreich's ataxia (FA) is a life-threatening autosomal recessive disorder characterized by neurological and cardiac dysfunction. Arrhythmias and heart failure are the main cause of premature death. From prior studies in murine models of FA, adeno-associated virus encoding the normal human frataxin gene (AAVrh.10hFXN) effectively treated the cardiac manifestations of the disease. However, the therapeutic dose window is limited by high level of human frataxin (hFXN) gene expression associated with toxicity. As a therapeutic goal, since FA heterozygotes have no clinical manifestations of FA, we estimated the level of frataxin (FXN) necessary to convert the heart of a homozygote to that of a heterozygote. In noncardiac cells, FA heterozygotes have 30-80% of normal FXN levels (17.7-47.2 ng/mg, average 32.5 ng/mg) and FA homozygotes 2-30% normal levels (1.2-17.7 ng/mg, average 9.4 ng/mg). Therefore, an AAV vector would need to augment endogenous in an FA homozygote by >8.3 ng/mg. To determine the required dose of AAVrh.10hFXN, we administered 1.8 × 1011, 5.7 × 1011, or 1.8 × 1012 gc/kg of AAVrh.10hFXN intravenously (IV) to muscle creatine kinase (mck)-Cre conditional knockout Fxn mice, a cardiac and skeletal FXN knockout model. The minimally effective dose was 5.7 × 1011 gc/kg, resulting in cardiac hFXN levels of 6.1 ± 4.2 ng/mg and a mild (p < 0.01 compared with phosphate-buffered saline controls) improvement in mortality. A dose of 1.8 × 1012 gc/kg resulted in cardiac hFXN levels of 33.7 ± 6.4 ng/mg, a significant improvement in ejection fraction and fractional shortening (p < 0.05, both comparisons) and a 21.5% improvement in mortality (p < 0.001). To determine if the significantly effective dose of 1.8 × 1012 gc/kg could achieve human FA heterozygote levels in a large animal, this dose was administered IV to nonhuman primates. After 12 weeks, the vector-expressed FXN in the heart was 17.8 ± 4.9 ng/mg, comparable to the target human levels. These data identify both minimally and significantly effective therapeutic doses that are clinically relevant for the treatment of the cardiac manifestations of FA.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Monica Gertz
- Department of Genetic Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | | | | | | | - Alvin Chen
- Department of Genetic Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Vikrum Kooner
- Department of Genetic Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | | | - Bishnu P. De
- Department of Genetic Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | | | - Alain Borczuk
- Department of Pathology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Rodolfo J. Ricart Arbona
- Center for Comparative Medicine and Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Heather R. Martin
- Center for Comparative Medicine and Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Sebastien Monette
- Center for Comparative Medicine and Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | | | | | | | - Dolan Sondhi
- Department of Genetic Medicine, New York, New York, USA
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Hustinx M, Shorrocks AM, Servais L. Novel Therapeutic Approaches in Inherited Neuropathies: A Systematic Review. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:1626. [PMID: 37376074 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15061626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The management of inherited neuropathies relies mostly on the treatment of symptoms. In recent years, a better understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms that underlie neuropathies has allowed for the development of disease-modifying therapies. Here, we systematically review the therapies that have emerged in this field over the last five years. An updated list of diseases with peripheral neuropathy as a clinical feature was created based on panels of genes used clinically to diagnose inherited neuropathy. This list was extended by an analysis of published data by the authors and verified by two experts. A comprehensive search for studies of human patients suffering from one of the diseases in our list yielded 28 studies that assessed neuropathy as a primary or secondary outcome. Although the use of various scales and scoring systems made comparisons difficult, this analysis identified diseases associated with neuropathy for which approved therapies exist. An important finding is that the symptoms and/or biomarkers of neuropathies were assessed only in a minority of cases. Therefore, further investigation of treatment efficacy on neuropathies in future trials must employ objective, consistent methods such as wearable technologies, motor unit indexes, MRI or sonography imaging, or the use of blood biomarkers associated with consistent nerve conduction studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manon Hustinx
- Department of Paediatrics, MDUK Oxford Neuromuscular Centre and, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3DW, UK
- Centre de Référence des Maladies Neuromusculaires, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Liège, and University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Ann-Marie Shorrocks
- Department of Paediatrics, MDUK Oxford Neuromuscular Centre and, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3DW, UK
| | - Laurent Servais
- Department of Paediatrics, MDUK Oxford Neuromuscular Centre and, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3DW, UK
- Centre de Référence des Maladies Neuromusculaires, Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital Liège, and University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
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Simona K, Veronika M, Zahinoor I, Martin V. Neuropsychiatric symptoms in spinocerebellar ataxias and Friedreich ataxia. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 150:105205. [PMID: 37137435 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Apart from its role in motor coordination, the importance of the cerebellum in cognitive and affective processes has been recognized in the past few decades. Spinocerebellar ataxias (SCA) and Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) are rare neurodegenerative diseases of the cerebellum presenting mainly with a progressive loss of gait and limb coordination, dysarthria, and other motor disturbances, but also a range of cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms. This narrative review summarizes the current knowledge on neuropsychiatric impairment in SCA and FRDA. We discuss the prevalence, clinical features and treatment approaches in the most commonly reported domains of depression, anxiety, apathy, agitation and impulse dyscontrol, and psychosis. Since these symptoms have a considerable impact on patients' quality of life, we argue that further research is mandated to improve the detection and treatment options of neuropsychiatric co-morbidities in ataxia patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karamazovova Simona
- Center of Hereditary Ataxias, Department of Neurology, 2nd Faculty of Medicine and Motol University Hospital, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Matuskova Veronika
- Center of Hereditary Ataxias, Department of Neurology, 2nd Faculty of Medicine and Motol University Hospital, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Ismail Zahinoor
- Departments of Psychiatry, Clinical Neurosciences, and Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine; Hotchkiss Brain Institute and O'Brien Institute of Public Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Vyhnalek Martin
- Center of Hereditary Ataxias, Department of Neurology, 2nd Faculty of Medicine and Motol University Hospital, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
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Synofzik M, Rugarli E, Reid E, Schüle R. Ataxia and spastic paraplegia in mitochondrial disease. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2023; 194:79-98. [PMID: 36813322 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-821751-1.00009-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
Degenerative ataxias and hereditary spastic paraplegias (HSPs) form a continuous, often overlapping disease spectrum sharing not only phenotypic features and underlying genes, but also cellular pathways and disease mechanisms. Mitochondrial metabolism presents a major molecular theme underlying both multiple ataxias and HSPs, thus indicating a heightened vulnerability of Purkinje cells, spinocerebellar tracts, and motor neurons to mitochondrial dysfunction, which is of particular interest for translational approaches. Mitochondrial dysfunction might be the primary (upstream) or secondary (downstream) result of a genetic defect, with underlying genetic defects in nuclear-encoded genes being much more frequent than in mtDNA genes in both, ataxias and HSPs. Here, we outline the substantial number of ataxias, spastic ataxias and HSPs caused by mutated genes implicated in (primary or secondary) mitochondrial dysfunction, highlighting several key "mitochondrial" ataxias and HSPs which are of particular interest for their frequency, pathogenesis and translational opportunities. We then showcase prototypic mitochondrial mechanisms by which disruption of these ataxia and HSP genes contributes to Purkinje cells or corticospinal neuron dysfunction, thus elucidating hypotheses on Purkinje cells and corticospinal neuron vulnerability to mitochondrial dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthis Synofzik
- Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Center for Neurology & Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; German Center of Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Elena Rugarli
- Institute for Genetics, Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases, and Center for Molecular Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Evan Reid
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research and Department of Medical Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Rebecca Schüle
- Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Center for Neurology & Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; German Center of Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tübingen, Germany
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Popoiu TA, Dudek J, Maack C, Bertero E. Cardiac Involvement in Mitochondrial Disorders. Curr Heart Fail Rep 2023; 20:76-87. [PMID: 36802007 PMCID: PMC9977856 DOI: 10.1007/s11897-023-00592-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/21/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW We review pathophysiology and clinical features of mitochondrial disorders manifesting with cardiomyopathy. RECENT FINDINGS Mechanistic studies have shed light into the underpinnings of mitochondrial disorders, providing novel insights into mitochondrial physiology and identifying new therapeutic targets. Mitochondrial disorders are a group of rare genetic diseases that are caused by mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) or in nuclear genes that are essential to mitochondrial function. The clinical picture is extremely heterogeneous, the onset can occur at any age, and virtually, any organ or tissue can be involved. Since the heart relies primarily on mitochondrial oxidative metabolism to fuel contraction and relaxation, cardiac involvement is common in mitochondrial disorders and often represents a major determinant of their prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tudor-Alexandru Popoiu
- Department of Translational Research, Comprehensive Heart Failure Center, University Clinic Würzburg, Wurzburg, Germany
- "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania
| | - Jan Dudek
- Department of Translational Research, Comprehensive Heart Failure Center, University Clinic Würzburg, Wurzburg, Germany
| | - Christoph Maack
- Department of Translational Research, Comprehensive Heart Failure Center, University Clinic Würzburg, Wurzburg, Germany
| | - Edoardo Bertero
- Department of Translational Research, Comprehensive Heart Failure Center, University Clinic Würzburg, Wurzburg, Germany.
- Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties (Di.M.I.), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
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Leveraging Computational Intelligence Techniques for Diagnosing Degenerative Nerve Diseases: A Comprehensive Review, Open Challenges, and Future Research Directions. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:diagnostics13020288. [PMID: 36673100 PMCID: PMC9858227 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13020288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Degenerative nerve diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases have always been a global issue of concern. Approximately 1/6th of the world's population suffers from these disorders, yet there are no definitive solutions to cure these diseases after the symptoms set in. The best way to treat these disorders is to detect them at an earlier stage. Many of these diseases are genetic; this enables machine learning algorithms to give inferences based on the patient's medical records and history. Machine learning algorithms such as deep neural networks are also critical for the early identification of degenerative nerve diseases. The significant applications of machine learning and deep learning in early diagnosis and establishing potential therapies for degenerative nerve diseases have motivated us to work on this review paper. Through this review, we covered various machine learning and deep learning algorithms and their application in the diagnosis of degenerative nerve diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Furthermore, we also included the recent advancements in each of these models, which improved their capabilities for classifying degenerative nerve diseases. The limitations of each of these methods are also discussed. In the conclusion, we mention open research challenges and various alternative technologies, such as virtual reality and Big data analytics, which can be useful for the diagnosis of degenerative nerve diseases.
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Yang L, Nao J. Ferroptosis: a potential therapeutic target for Alzheimer's disease. Rev Neurosci 2022:revneuro-2022-0121. [PMID: 36514247 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2022-0121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The most prevalent dementia-causing neurodegenerative condition is Alzheimer's disease (AD). The aberrant buildup of amyloid β and tau hyperphosphorylation are the two most well-known theories about the mechanisms underlying AD development. However, a significant number of pharmacological clinical studies conducted around the world based on the two aforementioned theories have not shown promising outcomes, and AD is still not effectively treated. Ferroptosis, a non-apoptotic programmed cell death defined by the buildup of deadly amounts of iron-dependent lipid peroxides, has received more attention in recent years. A wealth of data is emerging to support the role of iron in the pathophysiology of AD. Cell line and animal studies applying ferroptosis modulators to the treatment of AD have shown encouraging results. Based on these studies, we describe in this review the underlying mechanisms of ferroptosis; the role that ferroptosis plays in AD pathology; and summarise some of the research advances in the treatment of AD with ferroptosis modulators. We hope to contribute to the clinical management of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan Yang
- Department of Neurology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, China
| | - Jianfei Nao
- Department of Neurology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, China
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25
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Bizzoca A, Jirillo E, Flace P, Gennarini G. Overall Role of Contactins Expression in Neurodevelopmental Events and Contribution to Neurological Disorders. CNS & NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS DRUG TARGETS 2022; 22:CNSNDDT-EPUB-128217. [PMID: 36515028 DOI: 10.2174/1871527322666221212160048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurodegenerative disorders may depend upon a misregulation of the pathways which sustain neurodevelopmental control. In this context, this review article focuses on Friedreich ataxia (FA), a neurodegenerative disorder resulting from mutations within the gene encoding the Frataxin protein, which is involved in the control of mitochondrial function and oxidative metabolism. OBJECTIVE The specific aim of the present study concerns the FA molecular and cellular substrates, for which available transgenic mice models are proposed, including mutants undergoing misexpression of adhesive/morphoregulatory proteins, in particular belonging to the Contactin subset of the immunoglobulin supergene family. METHODS In both mutant and control mice, neurogenesis was explored by morphological/morphometric analysis through the expression of cell type-specific markers, including -tubulin, the Contactin-1 axonal adhesive glycoprotein, as well as the Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP). RESULTS Specific consequences were found to arise from the chosen misexpression approach, consisting of a neuronal developmental delay associated with glial upregulation. Protective effects against the arising phenotype resulted from antioxidants (essentially epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)) administration, which was demonstrated through the profiles of neuronal (-tubulin and Contactin 1) as well as glial (GFAP) markers, in turn indicating the concomitant activation of neurodegeneration and neuro repair processes. The latter also implied activation of the Notch-1 signaling. CONCLUSION Overall, this study supports the significance of changes in morphoregulatory proteins expression in the FA pathogenesis and of antioxidant administration in counteracting it, which, in turn, allows to devise potential therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Bizzoca
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neurosciences, and Sensory Organs. Medical School. University of Bari. Piazza Giulio Cesare, 11. I-70124 Bari. Italy
| | - Emilio Jirillo
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neurosciences, and Sensory Organs. Medical School. University of Bari. Piazza Giulio Cesare, 11. I-70124 Bari. Italy
| | - Paolo Flace
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neurosciences, and Sensory Organs. Medical School. University of Bari. Piazza Giulio Cesare, 11. I-70124 Bari. Italy
| | - Gianfranco Gennarini
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neurosciences, and Sensory Organs. Medical School. University of Bari. Piazza Giulio Cesare, 11. I-70124 Bari. Italy
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Georgiou-Karistianis N, Corben LA, Reetz K, Adanyeguh IM, Corti M, Deelchand DK, Delatycki MB, Dogan I, Evans R, Farmer J, França MC, Gaetz W, Harding IH, Harris KS, Hersch S, Joules R, Joers JJ, Krishnan ML, Lax M, Lock EF, Lynch D, Mareci T, Muthuhetti Gamage S, Pandolfo M, Papoutsi M, Rezende TJR, Roberts TPL, Rosenberg JT, Romanzetti S, Schulz JB, Schilling T, Schwarz AJ, Subramony S, Yao B, Zicha S, Lenglet C, Henry PG. A natural history study to track brain and spinal cord changes in individuals with Friedreich's ataxia: TRACK-FA study protocol. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0269649. [PMID: 36410013 PMCID: PMC9678384 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Drug development for neurodegenerative diseases such as Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is limited by a lack of validated, sensitive biomarkers of pharmacodynamic response in affected tissue and disease progression. Studies employing neuroimaging measures to track FRDA have thus far been limited by their small sample sizes and limited follow up. TRACK-FA, a longitudinal, multi-site, and multi-modal neuroimaging natural history study, aims to address these shortcomings by enabling better understanding of underlying pathology and identifying sensitive, clinical trial ready, neuroimaging biomarkers for FRDA. METHODS 200 individuals with FRDA and 104 control participants will be recruited across seven international study sites. Inclusion criteria for participants with genetically confirmed FRDA involves, age of disease onset ≤ 25 years, Friedreich's Ataxia Rating Scale (FARS) functional staging score of ≤ 5, and a total modified FARS (mFARS) score of ≤ 65 upon enrolment. The control cohort is matched to the FRDA cohort for age, sex, handedness, and years of education. Participants will be evaluated at three study visits over two years. Each visit comprises of a harmonized multimodal Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Spectroscopy (MRS) scan of the brain and spinal cord; clinical, cognitive, mood and speech assessments and collection of a blood sample. Primary outcome measures, informed by previous neuroimaging studies, include measures of: spinal cord and brain morphometry, spinal cord and brain microstructure (measured using diffusion MRI), brain iron accumulation (using Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping) and spinal cord biochemistry (using MRS). Secondary and exploratory outcome measures include clinical, cognitive assessments and blood biomarkers. DISCUSSION Prioritising immediate areas of need, TRACK-FA aims to deliver a set of sensitive, clinical trial-ready neuroimaging biomarkers to accelerate drug discovery efforts and better understand disease trajectory. Once validated, these potential pharmacodynamic biomarkers can be used to measure the efficacy of new therapeutics in forestalling disease progression. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrails.gov Identifier: NCT04349514.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nellie Georgiou-Karistianis
- School of Psychological Sciences, The Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Louise A. Corben
- Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kathrin Reetz
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Isaac M. Adanyeguh
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research and Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Manuela Corti
- Powell Gene Therapy Centre, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Dinesh K. Deelchand
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research and Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Martin B. Delatycki
- School of Psychological Sciences, The Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Imis Dogan
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Rebecca Evans
- Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jennifer Farmer
- Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA), Downingtown, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Marcondes C. França
- Department of Neurology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - William Gaetz
- Department of Radiology, Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Ian H. Harding
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Karen S. Harris
- School of Psychological Sciences, The Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Steven Hersch
- Neurology Business Group, Eisai Inc., Nutley, New Jersey, United States of America
| | | | - James J. Joers
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research and Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Michelle L. Krishnan
- Translational Medicine, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
| | | | - Eric F. Lock
- Division of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States of America
| | - David Lynch
- Department of Neurology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Thomas Mareci
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America
| | - Sahan Muthuhetti Gamage
- School of Psychological Sciences, The Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Massimo Pandolfo
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | | | | | - Timothy P. L. Roberts
- Department of Radiology, Lurie Family Foundations MEG Imaging Center, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Jens T. Rosenberg
- McKnight Brain Institute, Department of Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Sandro Romanzetti
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Jörg B. Schulz
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Traci Schilling
- PTC Therapeutics, Inc, South Plainfield, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Adam J. Schwarz
- Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Sub Subramony
- McKnight Brain Institute, Department of Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Bert Yao
- PTC Therapeutics, Inc, South Plainfield, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Stephen Zicha
- Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Christophe Lenglet
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research and Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Pierre-Gilles Henry
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research and Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
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Corben LA, Collins V, Milne S, Farmer J, Musheno A, Lynch D, Subramony S, Pandolfo M, Schulz JB, Lin K, Delatycki MB, Bidichandani SI, Boesch S, Cnop M, Corti M, Duquette A, Durr A, Eigentler A, Emmanuel A, Flynn JM, Foroush NC, Fournier A, França MC, Giunti P, Goh EW, Graf L, Hadjivassiliou M, Huckabee ML, Kearney MG, Koeppen AH, Lie Y, Lin KY, Lowit A, Mariotti C, Mathews K, McCormack SE, Montenegro L, Morlet T, Naeije G, Panicker JN, Parkinson MH, Patel A, Payne RM, Perlman S, Peverill RE, Pousset F, Puccio H, Rai M, Rance G, Reetz K, Rowland TJ, Sansom P, Savvatis K, Schalling ET, Schöls L, Smith B, Soragni E, Spencer C, Synofzik M, Szmulewicz DJ, Tai G, Tamaroff J, Treat L, Carpentier AV, Vogel AP, Walther SE, Weber DR, Weisbrod NJ, Wilmot G, Wilson RB, Yoon G, Zesiewicz T. Clinical management guidelines for Friedreich ataxia: best practice in rare diseases. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2022; 17:415. [PMID: 36371255 PMCID: PMC9652828 DOI: 10.1186/s13023-022-02568-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individuals with Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) can find it difficult to access specialized clinical care. To facilitate best practice in delivering healthcare for FRDA, clinical management guidelines (CMGs) were developed in 2014. However, the lack of high-certainty evidence and the inadequacy of accepted metrics to measure health status continues to present challenges in FRDA and other rare diseases. To overcome these challenges, the Grading of Recommendations Assessment and Evaluation (GRADE) framework for rare diseases developed by the RARE-Bestpractices Working Group was adopted to update the clinical guidelines for FRDA. This approach incorporates additional strategies to the GRADE framework to support the strength of recommendations, such as review of literature in similar conditions, the systematic collection of expert opinion and patient perceptions, and use of natural history data. METHODS A panel representing international clinical experts, stakeholders and consumer groups provided oversight to guideline development within the GRADE framework. Invited expert authors generated the Patient, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome (PICO) questions to guide the literature search (2014 to June 2020). Evidence profiles in tandem with feedback from individuals living with FRDA, natural history registry data and expert clinical observations contributed to the final recommendations. Authors also developed best practice statements for clinical care points that were considered self-evident or were not amenable to the GRADE process. RESULTS Seventy clinical experts contributed to fifteen topic-specific chapters with clinical recommendations and/or best practice statements. New topics since 2014 include emergency medicine, digital and assistive technologies and a stand-alone section on mental health. Evidence was evaluated according to GRADE criteria and 130 new recommendations and 95 best practice statements were generated. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION Evidence-based CMGs are required to ensure the best clinical care for people with FRDA. Adopting the GRADE rare-disease framework enabled the development of higher quality CMGs for FRDA and allows individual topics to be updated as new evidence emerges. While the primary goal of these guidelines is better outcomes for people living with FRDA, the process of developing the guidelines may also help inform the development of clinical guidelines in other rare diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise A. Corben
- grid.1058.c0000 0000 9442 535XBruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, VIC 3052 Australia ,grid.1008.90000 0001 2179 088XDepartment of Paediatrics, Melbourne University, Melbourne, VIC Australia ,grid.1002.30000 0004 1936 7857Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Clayton, VIC Australia
| | - Veronica Collins
- grid.1058.c0000 0000 9442 535XBruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, VIC 3052 Australia
| | - Sarah Milne
- grid.1058.c0000 0000 9442 535XBruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, VIC 3052 Australia ,grid.1008.90000 0001 2179 088XDepartment of Paediatrics, Melbourne University, Melbourne, VIC Australia ,grid.419789.a0000 0000 9295 3933Monash Health, Clayton, VIC Australia ,grid.1002.30000 0004 1936 7857School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Monash University, Clayton, VIC Australia
| | - Jennifer Farmer
- grid.428632.9Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance, Downingtown, PA USA
| | - Ann Musheno
- grid.428632.9Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance, Downingtown, PA USA
| | - David Lynch
- grid.239552.a0000 0001 0680 8770Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Sub Subramony
- grid.15276.370000 0004 1936 8091Fixel Center for Neurological Disorders, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL USA
| | - Massimo Pandolfo
- grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649McGill University, Montreal, QC Canada
| | - Jörg B. Schulz
- grid.412301.50000 0000 8653 1507Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Aachen, Germany ,grid.1957.a0000 0001 0728 696XJARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Kim Lin
- grid.239552.a0000 0001 0680 8770Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Martin B. Delatycki
- grid.1058.c0000 0000 9442 535XBruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, VIC 3052 Australia ,grid.1008.90000 0001 2179 088XDepartment of Paediatrics, Melbourne University, Melbourne, VIC Australia ,grid.507857.8Victorian Clinical Genetics Services, Parkville, VIC Australia
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Angulo MB, Bertalovitz A, Argenziano MA, Yang J, Patel A, Zesiewicz T, McDonald TV. Frataxin deficiency alters gene expression in Friedreich ataxia derived IPSC-neurons and cardiomyocytes. Mol Genet Genomic Med 2022; 11:e2093. [PMID: 36369844 PMCID: PMC9834160 DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.2093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is an autosomal recessive disease, whereby homozygous inheritance of an expanded GAA trinucleotide repeat expansion in the first intron of the FXN gene leads to transcriptional repression of the encoded protein frataxin. FRDA is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, but the primary cause of death is heart disease which occurs in 60% of the patients. Several functions of frataxin have been proposed, but none of them fully explain why its deficiency causes the FRDA phenotypes nor why the most affected cell types are neurons and cardiomyocytes. METHODS To investigate, we generated iPSC-derived neurons (iNs) and cardiomyocytes (iCMs) from an FRDA patient and upregulated FXN expression via lentivirus without altering genomic GAA repeats at the FXN locus. RESULTS RNA-seq and differential gene expression enrichment analyses demonstrated that frataxin deficiency affected the expression of glycolytic pathway genes in neurons and extracellular matrix pathway genes in cardiomyocytes. Genes in these pathways were differentially expressed when compared to a control and restored to control levels when FRDA cells were supplemented with frataxin. CONCLUSIONS These results offer novel insight into specific roles of frataxin deficiency pathogenesis in neurons and cardiomyocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana B. Angulo
- Heart Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South FloridaTampaFloridaUSA,Department of Molecular Pharmacology & PhysiologyMorsani College of Medicine, University of South FloridaTampaFloridaUSA
| | - Alexander Bertalovitz
- Heart Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South FloridaTampaFloridaUSA,Department of Medicine (Cardiology)Morsani College of Medicine, University of South FloridaTampaFloridaUSA
| | - Mariana A. Argenziano
- Heart Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South FloridaTampaFloridaUSA
| | - Jiajia Yang
- Heart Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South FloridaTampaFloridaUSA,Department of Molecular Pharmacology & PhysiologyMorsani College of Medicine, University of South FloridaTampaFloridaUSA
| | - Aarti Patel
- Department of Medicine (Cardiology)Morsani College of Medicine, University of South FloridaTampaFloridaUSA
| | - Theresa Zesiewicz
- Department of NeurologyMorsani College of Medicine, University of South FloridaTampaFloridaUSA
| | - Thomas V. McDonald
- Heart Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South FloridaTampaFloridaUSA,Department of Molecular Pharmacology & PhysiologyMorsani College of Medicine, University of South FloridaTampaFloridaUSA,Department of Medicine (Cardiology)Morsani College of Medicine, University of South FloridaTampaFloridaUSA
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29
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Li Y, Li J, Wang J, Zhang S, Giles K, Prakash TP, Rigo F, Napierala JS, Napierala M. Premature transcription termination at the expanded GAA repeats and aberrant alternative polyadenylation contributes to the Frataxin transcriptional deficit in Friedreich's ataxia. Hum Mol Genet 2022; 31:3539-3557. [PMID: 35708503 PMCID: PMC9558844 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddac134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Frataxin deficiency in Friedreich's ataxia results from transcriptional downregulation of the FXN gene caused by expansion of the intronic trinucleotide guanine-adenine-adenine (GAA) repeats. We used multiple transcriptomic approaches to determine the molecular mechanism of transcription inhibition caused by long GAAs. We uncovered that transcription of FXN in patient cells is prematurely terminated upstream of the expanded repeats leading to the formation of a novel, truncated and stable RNA. This FXN early terminated transcript (FXN-ett) undergoes alternative, non-productive splicing and does not contribute to the synthesis of functional frataxin. The level the FXN-ett RNA directly correlates with the length of the longer of the two expanded GAA tracts. Targeting GAAs with antisense oligonucleotides or excision of the repeats eliminates the transcription impediment, diminishes expression of the aberrant FXN-ett, while increasing levels of FXN mRNA and frataxin. Non-productive transcription may represent a common phenomenon and attractive therapeutic target in diseases caused by repeat-mediated transcription aberrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanjie Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1825 University Blvd., Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Jixue Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1825 University Blvd., Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Jun Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1825 University Blvd., Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Siyuan Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1825 University Blvd., Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Keith Giles
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1825 University Blvd., Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Thazha P Prakash
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc., 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - Frank Rigo
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc., 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - Jill S Napierala
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1825 University Blvd., Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Marek Napierala
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1825 University Blvd., Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390, USA
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30
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Rummey C, Corben LA, Delatycki M, Wilmot G, Subramony SH, Corti M, Bushara K, Duquette A, Gomez C, Hoyle JC, Roxburgh R, Seeberger L, Yoon G, Mathews K, Zesiewicz T, Perlman S, Lynch DR. Natural History of Friedreich Ataxia: Heterogeneity of Neurologic Progression and Consequences for Clinical Trial Design. Neurology 2022; 99:e1499-e1510. [PMID: 35817567 PMCID: PMC9576299 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000200913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The understanding of the natural history of Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) has improved considerably recently, but patterns of neurologic deterioration are not fully clarified, compromising the assessment of the clinical relevance of effects and guidance for study design. The goal of this study was to acknowledge the broad genetic diversity of the population, especially for younger individuals, and to provide analyses stratified by age to guide population selection in future studies. METHODS Based on a large natural history study, the FRDA Clinical Outcome Measures study that at the current data cut enrolled 1,115 participants, followed up for 5,287 yearly visits, we present results from the modified FRDA Rating Scale and its subscores. The secondary outcomes included the patient-reported activities of daily living scale, the timed 25-foot walk, and the 9-hole peg test. Long-term progression was modeled using slope analyses within early-onset, typical-onset, intermediate-onset, and late-onset FRDA. To reflect recruitment in clinical trials, short-term changes were analyzed within age-based subpopulations. All analyses were stratified by ambulation status. RESULTS Long-term progression models stratified by disease severity indicated highly differential disease progression, especially at earlier ages at onset. In the ambulatory phase, decline was driven by axial items assessed by the Upright Stability subscore of the mFARS. The analyses of short-term changes showed slower progression with increasing population age due to decreasing genetic severity. Future clinical studies could reduce population diversity, interpatient variability, and the risk of imbalanced treatment groups by selecting the study population based on the functional capacity (e.g., ambulatory status) and by strict age-based stratification. DISCUSSION The understanding of the diversity within FRDA populations and their patterns of functional decline provides an essential foundation for future clinical trial design including patient selection and facilitates the interpretation of the clinical relevance of progression detected in FRDA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Rummey
- From the Clinical Data Science GmbH (C.R.), Basel, Switzerland; Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research (L.A.C., M.D.), Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria; Department of Paediatrics (L.A.C., M.D.), University of Melbourne. Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Emory University (G.W.), Atlanta, GA; Department of Neurology (S.H.S., M.C.), McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, FL; University of Minnesota (K.B.), Minneapolis; Service de Neurologie (A.D.), Département de Médecine, Unité de Troubles du Mouvement André-Barbeau, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) and CRCHUM, Quebec, Canada; University of Chicago (C.G.), IL; Ohio State University (J.C.H.), Columbus; University of Auckland (R.R.), New Zealand; University of Colorado (L.S.), Denver; Divisions of Neurology and Clinical and Metabolic Genetics (G.Y.), Department of Paediatrics, the Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; University of Iowa (K.M.), Iowa City, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA; University of South Florida (T.Z.), Tampa; University of California Los Angeles (S.P.); and Division of Neurology (D.R.L.), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA
| | - Louise A Corben
- From the Clinical Data Science GmbH (C.R.), Basel, Switzerland; Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research (L.A.C., M.D.), Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria; Department of Paediatrics (L.A.C., M.D.), University of Melbourne. Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Emory University (G.W.), Atlanta, GA; Department of Neurology (S.H.S., M.C.), McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, FL; University of Minnesota (K.B.), Minneapolis; Service de Neurologie (A.D.), Département de Médecine, Unité de Troubles du Mouvement André-Barbeau, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) and CRCHUM, Quebec, Canada; University of Chicago (C.G.), IL; Ohio State University (J.C.H.), Columbus; University of Auckland (R.R.), New Zealand; University of Colorado (L.S.), Denver; Divisions of Neurology and Clinical and Metabolic Genetics (G.Y.), Department of Paediatrics, the Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; University of Iowa (K.M.), Iowa City, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA; University of South Florida (T.Z.), Tampa; University of California Los Angeles (S.P.); and Division of Neurology (D.R.L.), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA
| | - Martin Delatycki
- From the Clinical Data Science GmbH (C.R.), Basel, Switzerland; Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research (L.A.C., M.D.), Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria; Department of Paediatrics (L.A.C., M.D.), University of Melbourne. Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Emory University (G.W.), Atlanta, GA; Department of Neurology (S.H.S., M.C.), McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, FL; University of Minnesota (K.B.), Minneapolis; Service de Neurologie (A.D.), Département de Médecine, Unité de Troubles du Mouvement André-Barbeau, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) and CRCHUM, Quebec, Canada; University of Chicago (C.G.), IL; Ohio State University (J.C.H.), Columbus; University of Auckland (R.R.), New Zealand; University of Colorado (L.S.), Denver; Divisions of Neurology and Clinical and Metabolic Genetics (G.Y.), Department of Paediatrics, the Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; University of Iowa (K.M.), Iowa City, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA; University of South Florida (T.Z.), Tampa; University of California Los Angeles (S.P.); and Division of Neurology (D.R.L.), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA
| | - George Wilmot
- From the Clinical Data Science GmbH (C.R.), Basel, Switzerland; Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research (L.A.C., M.D.), Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria; Department of Paediatrics (L.A.C., M.D.), University of Melbourne. Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Emory University (G.W.), Atlanta, GA; Department of Neurology (S.H.S., M.C.), McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, FL; University of Minnesota (K.B.), Minneapolis; Service de Neurologie (A.D.), Département de Médecine, Unité de Troubles du Mouvement André-Barbeau, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) and CRCHUM, Quebec, Canada; University of Chicago (C.G.), IL; Ohio State University (J.C.H.), Columbus; University of Auckland (R.R.), New Zealand; University of Colorado (L.S.), Denver; Divisions of Neurology and Clinical and Metabolic Genetics (G.Y.), Department of Paediatrics, the Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; University of Iowa (K.M.), Iowa City, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA; University of South Florida (T.Z.), Tampa; University of California Los Angeles (S.P.); and Division of Neurology (D.R.L.), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA
| | - Sub H Subramony
- From the Clinical Data Science GmbH (C.R.), Basel, Switzerland; Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research (L.A.C., M.D.), Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria; Department of Paediatrics (L.A.C., M.D.), University of Melbourne. Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Emory University (G.W.), Atlanta, GA; Department of Neurology (S.H.S., M.C.), McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, FL; University of Minnesota (K.B.), Minneapolis; Service de Neurologie (A.D.), Département de Médecine, Unité de Troubles du Mouvement André-Barbeau, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) and CRCHUM, Quebec, Canada; University of Chicago (C.G.), IL; Ohio State University (J.C.H.), Columbus; University of Auckland (R.R.), New Zealand; University of Colorado (L.S.), Denver; Divisions of Neurology and Clinical and Metabolic Genetics (G.Y.), Department of Paediatrics, the Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; University of Iowa (K.M.), Iowa City, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA; University of South Florida (T.Z.), Tampa; University of California Los Angeles (S.P.); and Division of Neurology (D.R.L.), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA
| | - Manuela Corti
- From the Clinical Data Science GmbH (C.R.), Basel, Switzerland; Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research (L.A.C., M.D.), Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria; Department of Paediatrics (L.A.C., M.D.), University of Melbourne. Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Emory University (G.W.), Atlanta, GA; Department of Neurology (S.H.S., M.C.), McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, FL; University of Minnesota (K.B.), Minneapolis; Service de Neurologie (A.D.), Département de Médecine, Unité de Troubles du Mouvement André-Barbeau, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) and CRCHUM, Quebec, Canada; University of Chicago (C.G.), IL; Ohio State University (J.C.H.), Columbus; University of Auckland (R.R.), New Zealand; University of Colorado (L.S.), Denver; Divisions of Neurology and Clinical and Metabolic Genetics (G.Y.), Department of Paediatrics, the Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; University of Iowa (K.M.), Iowa City, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA; University of South Florida (T.Z.), Tampa; University of California Los Angeles (S.P.); and Division of Neurology (D.R.L.), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA
| | - Khalaf Bushara
- From the Clinical Data Science GmbH (C.R.), Basel, Switzerland; Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research (L.A.C., M.D.), Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria; Department of Paediatrics (L.A.C., M.D.), University of Melbourne. Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Emory University (G.W.), Atlanta, GA; Department of Neurology (S.H.S., M.C.), McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, FL; University of Minnesota (K.B.), Minneapolis; Service de Neurologie (A.D.), Département de Médecine, Unité de Troubles du Mouvement André-Barbeau, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) and CRCHUM, Quebec, Canada; University of Chicago (C.G.), IL; Ohio State University (J.C.H.), Columbus; University of Auckland (R.R.), New Zealand; University of Colorado (L.S.), Denver; Divisions of Neurology and Clinical and Metabolic Genetics (G.Y.), Department of Paediatrics, the Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; University of Iowa (K.M.), Iowa City, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA; University of South Florida (T.Z.), Tampa; University of California Los Angeles (S.P.); and Division of Neurology (D.R.L.), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA
| | - Antoine Duquette
- From the Clinical Data Science GmbH (C.R.), Basel, Switzerland; Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research (L.A.C., M.D.), Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria; Department of Paediatrics (L.A.C., M.D.), University of Melbourne. Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Emory University (G.W.), Atlanta, GA; Department of Neurology (S.H.S., M.C.), McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, FL; University of Minnesota (K.B.), Minneapolis; Service de Neurologie (A.D.), Département de Médecine, Unité de Troubles du Mouvement André-Barbeau, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) and CRCHUM, Quebec, Canada; University of Chicago (C.G.), IL; Ohio State University (J.C.H.), Columbus; University of Auckland (R.R.), New Zealand; University of Colorado (L.S.), Denver; Divisions of Neurology and Clinical and Metabolic Genetics (G.Y.), Department of Paediatrics, the Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; University of Iowa (K.M.), Iowa City, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA; University of South Florida (T.Z.), Tampa; University of California Los Angeles (S.P.); and Division of Neurology (D.R.L.), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA
| | - Christopher Gomez
- From the Clinical Data Science GmbH (C.R.), Basel, Switzerland; Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research (L.A.C., M.D.), Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria; Department of Paediatrics (L.A.C., M.D.), University of Melbourne. Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Emory University (G.W.), Atlanta, GA; Department of Neurology (S.H.S., M.C.), McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, FL; University of Minnesota (K.B.), Minneapolis; Service de Neurologie (A.D.), Département de Médecine, Unité de Troubles du Mouvement André-Barbeau, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) and CRCHUM, Quebec, Canada; University of Chicago (C.G.), IL; Ohio State University (J.C.H.), Columbus; University of Auckland (R.R.), New Zealand; University of Colorado (L.S.), Denver; Divisions of Neurology and Clinical and Metabolic Genetics (G.Y.), Department of Paediatrics, the Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; University of Iowa (K.M.), Iowa City, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA; University of South Florida (T.Z.), Tampa; University of California Los Angeles (S.P.); and Division of Neurology (D.R.L.), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA
| | - J Chad Hoyle
- From the Clinical Data Science GmbH (C.R.), Basel, Switzerland; Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research (L.A.C., M.D.), Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria; Department of Paediatrics (L.A.C., M.D.), University of Melbourne. Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Emory University (G.W.), Atlanta, GA; Department of Neurology (S.H.S., M.C.), McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, FL; University of Minnesota (K.B.), Minneapolis; Service de Neurologie (A.D.), Département de Médecine, Unité de Troubles du Mouvement André-Barbeau, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) and CRCHUM, Quebec, Canada; University of Chicago (C.G.), IL; Ohio State University (J.C.H.), Columbus; University of Auckland (R.R.), New Zealand; University of Colorado (L.S.), Denver; Divisions of Neurology and Clinical and Metabolic Genetics (G.Y.), Department of Paediatrics, the Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; University of Iowa (K.M.), Iowa City, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA; University of South Florida (T.Z.), Tampa; University of California Los Angeles (S.P.); and Division of Neurology (D.R.L.), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA
| | - Richard Roxburgh
- From the Clinical Data Science GmbH (C.R.), Basel, Switzerland; Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research (L.A.C., M.D.), Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria; Department of Paediatrics (L.A.C., M.D.), University of Melbourne. Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Emory University (G.W.), Atlanta, GA; Department of Neurology (S.H.S., M.C.), McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, FL; University of Minnesota (K.B.), Minneapolis; Service de Neurologie (A.D.), Département de Médecine, Unité de Troubles du Mouvement André-Barbeau, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) and CRCHUM, Quebec, Canada; University of Chicago (C.G.), IL; Ohio State University (J.C.H.), Columbus; University of Auckland (R.R.), New Zealand; University of Colorado (L.S.), Denver; Divisions of Neurology and Clinical and Metabolic Genetics (G.Y.), Department of Paediatrics, the Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; University of Iowa (K.M.), Iowa City, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA; University of South Florida (T.Z.), Tampa; University of California Los Angeles (S.P.); and Division of Neurology (D.R.L.), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA
| | - Lauren Seeberger
- From the Clinical Data Science GmbH (C.R.), Basel, Switzerland; Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research (L.A.C., M.D.), Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria; Department of Paediatrics (L.A.C., M.D.), University of Melbourne. Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Emory University (G.W.), Atlanta, GA; Department of Neurology (S.H.S., M.C.), McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, FL; University of Minnesota (K.B.), Minneapolis; Service de Neurologie (A.D.), Département de Médecine, Unité de Troubles du Mouvement André-Barbeau, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) and CRCHUM, Quebec, Canada; University of Chicago (C.G.), IL; Ohio State University (J.C.H.), Columbus; University of Auckland (R.R.), New Zealand; University of Colorado (L.S.), Denver; Divisions of Neurology and Clinical and Metabolic Genetics (G.Y.), Department of Paediatrics, the Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; University of Iowa (K.M.), Iowa City, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA; University of South Florida (T.Z.), Tampa; University of California Los Angeles (S.P.); and Division of Neurology (D.R.L.), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA
| | - Grace Yoon
- From the Clinical Data Science GmbH (C.R.), Basel, Switzerland; Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research (L.A.C., M.D.), Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria; Department of Paediatrics (L.A.C., M.D.), University of Melbourne. Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Emory University (G.W.), Atlanta, GA; Department of Neurology (S.H.S., M.C.), McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, FL; University of Minnesota (K.B.), Minneapolis; Service de Neurologie (A.D.), Département de Médecine, Unité de Troubles du Mouvement André-Barbeau, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) and CRCHUM, Quebec, Canada; University of Chicago (C.G.), IL; Ohio State University (J.C.H.), Columbus; University of Auckland (R.R.), New Zealand; University of Colorado (L.S.), Denver; Divisions of Neurology and Clinical and Metabolic Genetics (G.Y.), Department of Paediatrics, the Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; University of Iowa (K.M.), Iowa City, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA; University of South Florida (T.Z.), Tampa; University of California Los Angeles (S.P.); and Division of Neurology (D.R.L.), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA
| | - Katherine Mathews
- From the Clinical Data Science GmbH (C.R.), Basel, Switzerland; Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research (L.A.C., M.D.), Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria; Department of Paediatrics (L.A.C., M.D.), University of Melbourne. Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Emory University (G.W.), Atlanta, GA; Department of Neurology (S.H.S., M.C.), McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, FL; University of Minnesota (K.B.), Minneapolis; Service de Neurologie (A.D.), Département de Médecine, Unité de Troubles du Mouvement André-Barbeau, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) and CRCHUM, Quebec, Canada; University of Chicago (C.G.), IL; Ohio State University (J.C.H.), Columbus; University of Auckland (R.R.), New Zealand; University of Colorado (L.S.), Denver; Divisions of Neurology and Clinical and Metabolic Genetics (G.Y.), Department of Paediatrics, the Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; University of Iowa (K.M.), Iowa City, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA; University of South Florida (T.Z.), Tampa; University of California Los Angeles (S.P.); and Division of Neurology (D.R.L.), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA
| | - Theresa Zesiewicz
- From the Clinical Data Science GmbH (C.R.), Basel, Switzerland; Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research (L.A.C., M.D.), Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria; Department of Paediatrics (L.A.C., M.D.), University of Melbourne. Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Emory University (G.W.), Atlanta, GA; Department of Neurology (S.H.S., M.C.), McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, FL; University of Minnesota (K.B.), Minneapolis; Service de Neurologie (A.D.), Département de Médecine, Unité de Troubles du Mouvement André-Barbeau, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) and CRCHUM, Quebec, Canada; University of Chicago (C.G.), IL; Ohio State University (J.C.H.), Columbus; University of Auckland (R.R.), New Zealand; University of Colorado (L.S.), Denver; Divisions of Neurology and Clinical and Metabolic Genetics (G.Y.), Department of Paediatrics, the Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; University of Iowa (K.M.), Iowa City, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA; University of South Florida (T.Z.), Tampa; University of California Los Angeles (S.P.); and Division of Neurology (D.R.L.), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA
| | - Susan Perlman
- From the Clinical Data Science GmbH (C.R.), Basel, Switzerland; Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research (L.A.C., M.D.), Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria; Department of Paediatrics (L.A.C., M.D.), University of Melbourne. Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Emory University (G.W.), Atlanta, GA; Department of Neurology (S.H.S., M.C.), McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, FL; University of Minnesota (K.B.), Minneapolis; Service de Neurologie (A.D.), Département de Médecine, Unité de Troubles du Mouvement André-Barbeau, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) and CRCHUM, Quebec, Canada; University of Chicago (C.G.), IL; Ohio State University (J.C.H.), Columbus; University of Auckland (R.R.), New Zealand; University of Colorado (L.S.), Denver; Divisions of Neurology and Clinical and Metabolic Genetics (G.Y.), Department of Paediatrics, the Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; University of Iowa (K.M.), Iowa City, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA; University of South Florida (T.Z.), Tampa; University of California Los Angeles (S.P.); and Division of Neurology (D.R.L.), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA
| | - David R Lynch
- From the Clinical Data Science GmbH (C.R.), Basel, Switzerland; Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research (L.A.C., M.D.), Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria; Department of Paediatrics (L.A.C., M.D.), University of Melbourne. Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Emory University (G.W.), Atlanta, GA; Department of Neurology (S.H.S., M.C.), McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, FL; University of Minnesota (K.B.), Minneapolis; Service de Neurologie (A.D.), Département de Médecine, Unité de Troubles du Mouvement André-Barbeau, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) and CRCHUM, Quebec, Canada; University of Chicago (C.G.), IL; Ohio State University (J.C.H.), Columbus; University of Auckland (R.R.), New Zealand; University of Colorado (L.S.), Denver; Divisions of Neurology and Clinical and Metabolic Genetics (G.Y.), Department of Paediatrics, the Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada; University of Iowa (K.M.), Iowa City, Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA; University of South Florida (T.Z.), Tampa; University of California Los Angeles (S.P.); and Division of Neurology (D.R.L.), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA.
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Use of Riluzole for the Treatment of Hereditary Ataxias: A Systematic Review. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12081040. [PMID: 36009103 PMCID: PMC9405857 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12081040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Ataxia is a constellation of symptoms that involves a lack of coordination, imbalance, and difficulty walking. Hereditary ataxia occurs when a person is born with defective genes, and this degenerative disorder may progress for several years. There is no effective cure for ataxia, so we need to search for new treatments. Recently, interest in riluzole in the treatment of ataxia has emerged. We conducted this systematic review to analyze the safety and efficacy of riluzole for treating hereditary ataxia in recent clinical trials. We conducted a systematic review using PubMed and Google Scholar as databases in search of this relationship. We used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) protocols to conduct this study. For inclusion criteria, we included full-text clinical trials on humans written in English and found three clinical trials. We excluded case reports, literature reviews, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses for this analysis. We aimed to evaluate the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA) score, the International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale (ICARS) score, and the safety of the medication. Two out of the three clinical trials showed statistically significant clinical improvement in the ICARS and SARA scores, while the other trial did not show improvement in the clinical or radiological outcomes. The drug was safe in all clinical trials. Overall, the results of this analysis of riluzole for the treatment of hereditary ataxia are encouraging. Further clinical trials are needed to investigate the efficacy of riluzole on hereditary ataxia.
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Stokreef S, Lemos M, Quintas S. Importance of an echocardiogram in the evaluation of ataxia. BMJ Case Rep 2022; 15:e248691. [PMID: 35896307 PMCID: PMC9335040 DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2021-248691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
We present the case of a boy in his middle childhood with gait ataxia and loss of reflexes with a 1-year onset. He had a background of an autism spectrum disorder but was otherwise healthy. A paediatric cardiology assessment was requested to investigate possible cardiac involvement associated to his neurological symptoms. Even though he had no cardiac symptoms and a normal electrocardiography, the echocardiogram revealed severe asymmetric left ventricle hypertrophy consistent with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This prompted genetic testing and the diagnosis of Friedreich's ataxia was confirmed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Stokreef
- Pediatrics, Hospital do Divino Espirito Santo de Ponta Delgada EPE, Ponta Delgada, Portugal
| | - Mariana Lemos
- Pediatric Cardiology, Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Ocidental EPE Hospital de Santa Cruz, Carnaxide, Portugal
| | - Sofia Quintas
- Pediatrics, Hospital de Santa Maria, Lisboa, Portugal
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33
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Maio N, Rouault TA. Mammalian iron sulfur cluster biogenesis and human diseases. IUBMB Life 2022; 74:705-714. [PMID: 35098635 PMCID: PMC9247042 DOI: 10.1002/iub.2597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Nunziata Maio
- Molecular Medicine Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Tracey A Rouault
- Molecular Medicine Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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Hanaford AR, Cho YJ, Nakai H. AAV-vector based gene therapy for mitochondrial disease: progress and future perspectives. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2022; 17:217. [PMID: 35668433 PMCID: PMC9169410 DOI: 10.1186/s13023-022-02324-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial diseases are a group of rare, heterogeneous diseases caused by gene mutations in both nuclear and mitochondrial genomes that result in defects in mitochondrial function. They are responsible for significant morbidity and mortality as they affect multiple organ systems and particularly those with high energy-utilizing tissues, such as the nervous system, skeletal muscle, and cardiac muscle. Virtually no effective treatments exist for these patients, despite the urgent need. As the majority of these conditions are monogenic and caused by mutations in nuclear genes, gene replacement is a highly attractive therapeutic strategy. Adeno-associated virus (AAV) is a well-characterized gene replacement vector, and its safety profile and ability to transduce quiescent cells nominates it as a potential gene therapy vehicle for several mitochondrial diseases. Indeed, AAV vector-based gene replacement is currently being explored in clinical trials for one mitochondrial disease (Leber hereditary optic neuropathy) and preclinical studies have been published investigating this strategy in other mitochondrial diseases. This review summarizes the preclinical findings of AAV vector-based gene replacement therapy for mitochondrial diseases including Leigh syndrome, Barth syndrome, ethylmalonic encephalopathy, and others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison R Hanaford
- Center for Integrative Brain Research, Seattle Children's Reserach Institute, Seattle, WA, 98101, USA.
- Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA.
| | - Yoon-Jae Cho
- Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, Doernbecher Children's Hospital, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Hiroyuki Nakai
- Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Department of Molecular Immunology and Microbiology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, 97006, USA
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Neuroinflammation in Friedreich's Ataxia. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23116297. [PMID: 35682973 PMCID: PMC9181348 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23116297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is a rare genetic disorder caused by mutations in the gene frataxin, encoding for a mitochondrial protein involved in iron handling and in the biogenesis of iron-sulphur clusters, and leading to progressive nervous system damage. Although the overt manifestations of FRDA in the nervous system are mainly observed in the neurons, alterations in non-neuronal cells may also contribute to the pathogenesis of the disease, as recently suggested for other neurodegenerative disorders. In FRDA, the involvement of glial cells can be ascribed to direct effects caused by frataxin loss, eliciting different aberrant mechanisms. Iron accumulation, mitochondria dysfunction, and reactive species overproduction, mechanisms identified as etiopathogenic in neurons in FRDA, can similarly affect glial cells, leading them to assume phenotypes that can concur to and exacerbate neuron loss. Recent findings obtained in FRDA patients and cellular and animal models of the disease have suggested that neuroinflammation can accompany and contribute to the neuropathology. In this review article, we discuss evidence about the involvement of neuroinflammatory-related mechanisms in models of FRDA and provide clues for the modulation of glial-related mechanisms as a possible strategy to improve disease features.
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Subramony SH, Burns M, Kugelmann EL, Zingariello CD. Inherited Ataxias in Children. Pediatr Neurol 2022; 131:54-62. [PMID: 35490578 DOI: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2022.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2021] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this review is to describe the current diagnostic approach to inherited ataxias during childhood. With the expanding use and availability of gene testing technologies including large sequencing panels, the ability to arrive at a precise genetic diagnosis in this group of disorders has been improving. We have reviewed all the gene sequencing studies of ataxias available by a comprehensive literature search and summarize their results. We provide a logical algorithm for a diagnostic approach in the context of this evolving information. We stress the fact that both autosomal recessive and autosomal dominant mutations can occur in children with ataxias and the need for keeping in mind nucleotide repeat expansions, which cannot be detected by sequencing technologies, as a possible cause of progressive ataxias in children. We discuss the traditional phenotype-based diagnostic approach in the context of gene testing technologies. Finally, we summarize those disorders in which a specific therapy may be indicated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sub H Subramony
- Department of Neurology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida; Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida.
| | - Matthew Burns
- Department of Neurology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida
| | - E Lee Kugelmann
- Department of Neurology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Carla D Zingariello
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida
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Jama M, Margraf RL, Yu P, Reading NS, Bayrak-Toydemir P. A Comprehensive Triple-Repeat Primed PCR and a Long-Range PCR Agarose-Based Assay for Improved Genotyping of Guanine-Adenine-Adenine Repeats in Friedreich Ataxia. J Mol Diagn 2022; 24:915-923. [PMID: 35595154 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmoldx.2022.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Friedreich ataxia is a rare autosomal recessive, neuromuscular degenerative disease caused by an expansion of a trinucleotide [guanine-adenine-adenine (GAA)] repeat in intron 1 of the FXN gene. It is common in the White population, characterized by progressive gait and limb ataxia, lack of tendon reflexes in the legs, loss of position sense, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Detection and genotyping of the trinucleotide repeat length is important for the diagnosis and prognosis of the disease. A two-tier genotyping assay with an improved triple-repeat primed PCR (TR-PCR) for alleles <200 GAA repeats (±1 to 5 repeats) and an agarose gel-based, long-range PCR (LR-PCR) assay to genotype expanded alleles >200 GAA repeats (±50 repeats) is described. Of the 1236 DNA samples tested using TR-PCR, 31 were identified to have expanded alleles >200 repeats and were reflexed to the LR-PCR procedure for confirmation and quantification. The TR-PCR assay described herein is a diagnostic genotyping assay that reduces the need for further testing. The LR-PCR component is a confirmatory test for true homozygous and heterozygous samples with normal and expanded alleles, as indicated by the TR-PCR assay. The use of this two-tier method offers a comprehensive evaluation to detect and genotype the smallest and largest number of GAA repeats, improving the classification of FXN alleles as normal, mutable normal, borderline, and expanded alleles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Jama
- Associated Regional and University Pathologists (ARUP) Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.
| | - Rebecca L Margraf
- Associated Regional and University Pathologists (ARUP) Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Ping Yu
- ARUP Laboratories, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - N Scott Reading
- Associated Regional and University Pathologists (ARUP) Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah; Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Pinar Bayrak-Toydemir
- Associated Regional and University Pathologists (ARUP) Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah; Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
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Recessive cerebellar and afferent ataxias - clinical challenges and future directions. Nat Rev Neurol 2022; 18:257-272. [PMID: 35332317 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-022-00634-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Cerebellar and afferent ataxias present with a characteristic gait disorder that reflects cerebellar motor dysfunction and sensory loss. These disorders are a diagnostic challenge for clinicians because of the large number of acquired and inherited diseases that cause cerebellar and sensory neuron damage. Among such conditions that are recessively inherited, Friedreich ataxia and RFC1-associated cerebellar ataxia, neuropathy, vestibular areflexia syndrome (CANVAS) include the characteristic clinical, neuropathological and imaging features of ganglionopathies, a distinctive non-length-dependent type of sensory involvement. In this Review, we discuss the typical and atypical phenotypes of Friedreich ataxia and CANVAS, along with the features of other recessive ataxias that present with a ganglionopathy or polyneuropathy, with an emphasis on recently described clinical features, natural history and genotype-phenotype correlations. We review the main developments in understanding the complex pathology that affects the sensory neurons and cerebellum, which seem to be most vulnerable to disorders that affect mitochondrial function and DNA repair mechanisms. Finally, we discuss disease-modifying therapeutic advances in Friedreich ataxia, highlighting the most promising candidate molecules and lessons learned from previous clinical trials.
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Kakouri AC, Votsi C, Oulas A, Nicolaou P, Aureli M, Lunghi G, Samarani M, Compagnoni GM, Salani S, Di Fonzo A, Christophides T, Tanteles GA, Zamba-Papanicolaou E, Pantzaris M, Spyrou GM, Christodoulou K. Transcriptomic characterization of tissues from patients and subsequent pathway analyses reveal biological pathways that are implicated in spastic ataxia. Cell Biosci 2022; 12:29. [PMID: 35277195 PMCID: PMC8917697 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-022-00754-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Spastic ataxias (SAs) encompass a group of rare and severe neurodegenerative diseases, characterized by an overlap between ataxia and spastic paraplegia clinical features. They have been associated with pathogenic variants in a number of genes, including GBA2. This gene codes for the non-lysososomal β-glucosylceramidase, which is involved in sphingolipid metabolism through its catalytic role in the degradation of glucosylceramide. However, the mechanism by which GBA2 variants lead to the development of SA is still unclear. METHODS In this work, we perform next-generation RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq), in an attempt to discover differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in lymphoblastoid, fibroblast cell lines and induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons derived from patients with SA, homozygous for the GBA2 c.1780G > C missense variant. We further exploit DEGs in pathway analyses in order to elucidate candidate molecular mechanisms that are implicated in the development of the GBA2 gene-associated SA. RESULTS Our data reveal a total of 5217 genes with significantly altered expression between patient and control tested tissues. Furthermore, the most significant extracted pathways are presented and discussed for their possible role in the pathogenesis of the disease. Among them are the oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, sphingolipid signaling and metabolism, PI3K-Akt and MAPK signaling pathways. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our work examines for the first time the transcriptome profiles of GBA2-associated SA patients and suggests pathways and pathway synergies that could possibly have a role in SA pathogenesis. Lastly, it provides a list of DEGs and pathways that could be further validated towards the discovery of disease biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea C. Kakouri
- Department of Neurogenetics, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, 2370 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Department of Bioinformatics, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, 2370 Nicosia, Cyprus
- The Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, 2370 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Christina Votsi
- Department of Neurogenetics, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, 2370 Nicosia, Cyprus
- The Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, 2370 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Anastasis Oulas
- Department of Bioinformatics, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, 2370 Nicosia, Cyprus
- The Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, 2370 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Paschalis Nicolaou
- Department of Neurogenetics, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, 2370 Nicosia, Cyprus
- The Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, 2370 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Massimo Aureli
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, 20090 Milano, Italy
| | - Giulia Lunghi
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, 20090 Milano, Italy
| | - Maura Samarani
- Unité de Trafic Membranaire ét PathogénèseDépartement de Biologie Cellulaire et Infection, Institut Pasteur, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Giacomo M. Compagnoni
- Neurology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Monza, Milan Italy
| | - Sabrina Salani
- Neurology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Alessio Di Fonzo
- Neurology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | | | - George A. Tanteles
- The Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, 2370 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Department of Clinical Genetics and Genomics, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, 2370 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Eleni Zamba-Papanicolaou
- The Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, 2370 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Neurology Clinic D, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, 2370 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Marios Pantzaris
- The Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, 2370 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Neurology Clinic C, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, 2370 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - George M. Spyrou
- Department of Bioinformatics, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, 2370 Nicosia, Cyprus
- The Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, 2370 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Kyproula Christodoulou
- Department of Neurogenetics, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, 2370 Nicosia, Cyprus
- The Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, 2370 Nicosia, Cyprus
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Acute Cerebellar Inflammation and Related Ataxia: Mechanisms and Pathophysiology. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12030367. [PMID: 35326323 PMCID: PMC8946185 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12030367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The cerebellum governs motor coordination and motor learning. Infection with external microorganisms, such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi, induces the release and production of inflammatory mediators, which drive acute cerebellar inflammation. The clinical observation of acute cerebellitis is associated with the emergence of cerebellar ataxia. In our animal model of the acute inflammation of the cerebellar cortex, animals did not show any ataxia but hyperexcitability in the cerebellar cortex and depression-like behaviors. In contrast, animal models with neurodegeneration of the cerebellar Purkinje cells and hypoexcitability of the neurons show cerebellar ataxia. The suppression of the Ca2+-activated K+ channels in vivo is associated with a type of ataxia. Therefore, there is a gap in our interpretation between the very early phase of cerebellar inflammation and the emergence of cerebellar ataxia. In this review, we discuss the hypothesized scenario concerning the emergence of cerebellar ataxia. First, compared with genetically induced cerebellar ataxias, we introduce infection and inflammation in the cerebellum via aberrant immunity and glial responses. Especially, we focus on infections with cytomegalovirus, influenza virus, dengue virus, and SARS-CoV-2, potential relevance to mitochondrial DNA, and autoimmunity in infection. Second, we review neurophysiological modulation (intrinsic excitability, excitatory, and inhibitory synaptic transmission) by inflammatory mediators and aberrant immunity. Next, we discuss the cerebellar circuit dysfunction (presumably, via maintaining the homeostatic property). Lastly, we propose the mechanism of the cerebellar ataxia and possible treatments for the ataxia in the cerebellar inflammation.
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Xu L, Sun Z, Xing Z, Liu Y, Zhao H, Tang Z, Luo Y, Hao S, Li K. Cur@SF NPs alleviate Friedreich's ataxia in a mouse model through synergistic iron chelation and antioxidation. J Nanobiotechnology 2022; 20:118. [PMID: 35264205 PMCID: PMC8905737 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-022-01333-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Abnormal iron metabolism, mitochondrial dysfunction and the derived oxidative damage are the main pathogeneses of Friedrich's ataxia (FRDA), a single-gene inherited recessive neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive cerebellar and sensory ataxia. This disease is caused by frataxin (FXN) mutation, which reduces FXN expression and impairs iron sulfur cluster biogenesis. To date, there is no effective therapy to treat this condition. Curcumin is proposed harboring excellent ability to resist oxidative stress through Nrf2 activation and its newly found ability to chelate iron. However, its limitation is its poor water solubility and permeability. Here, we synthesized slow-release nanoparticles (NPs) by loading curcumin (Cur) into silk fibroin (SF) to form NPs with an average size of 150 nm (Cur@SF NPs), which exhibited satisfactory therapeutic effects on the improvement of FRDA manifestation in lymphoblasts (1 μM) derived from FRDA patients and in YG8R mice (150 mg/kg/5 days). Cur@SF NPs not only removed iron from the heart and diminished oxidative stress in general but also potentiate iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis, which compensates FXN deficiency to improve the morphology and function of mitochondria. Cur@SF NPs showed a significant advantage in neuron and myocardial function, thereby improving FRDA mouse behavior scores. These data encourage us to propose that Cur@SF NPs are a promising therapeutic compound in the application of FRDA disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Xu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Division of Iron Metabolism and Mitochondrial Function, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Zichen Sun
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Division of Iron Metabolism and Mitochondrial Function, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Zhiyao Xing
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Division of Iron Metabolism and Mitochondrial Function, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Yutong Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Division of Iron Metabolism and Mitochondrial Function, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Hongting Zhao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Division of Iron Metabolism and Mitochondrial Function, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China
| | - Zhongmin Tang
- Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, China
| | - Yu Luo
- Shanghai Engineering Technology Research Center for Pharmaceutical Intelligent Equipment, Shanghai Frontiers Science Research Center for Druggability of Cardiovascular Noncoding RNA, Institute for Frontier Medical Technology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, Shanghai, 201620, China
| | - Shuangying Hao
- School of Medicine, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, 454003, Henan, China.
| | - Kuanyu Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Division of Iron Metabolism and Mitochondrial Function, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China.
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Rufini A, Malisan F, Condò I, Testi R. Drug Repositioning in Friedreich Ataxia. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:814445. [PMID: 35221903 PMCID: PMC8863941 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.814445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Friedreich ataxia is a rare neurodegenerative disorder caused by insufficient levels of the essential mitochondrial protein frataxin. It is a severely debilitating disease that significantly impacts the quality of life of affected patients and reduces their life expectancy, however, an adequate cure is not yet available for patients. Frataxin function, although not thoroughly elucidated, is associated with assembly of iron-sulfur cluster and iron metabolism, therefore insufficient frataxin levels lead to reduced activity of many mitochondrial enzymes involved in the electron transport chain, impaired mitochondrial metabolism, reduced ATP production and inefficient anti-oxidant response. As a consequence, neurons progressively die and patients progressively lose their ability to coordinate movement and perform daily activities. Therapeutic strategies aim at restoring sufficient frataxin levels or at correcting some of the downstream consequences of frataxin deficiency. However, the classical pathways of drug discovery are challenging, require a significant amount of resources and time to reach the final approval, and present a high failure rate. Drug repositioning represents a viable alternative to boost the identification of a therapy, particularly for rare diseases where resources are often limited. In this review we will describe recent efforts aimed at the identification of a therapy for Friedreich ataxia through drug repositioning, and discuss the limitation of such strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Rufini
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
- Fratagene Therapeutics, Rome, Italy
- Saint Camillus International University of Health and Medical Sciences, Rome, Italy
- *Correspondence: Alessandra Rufini,
| | - Florence Malisan
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Ivano Condò
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
| | - Roberto Testi
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
- Fratagene Therapeutics, Rome, Italy
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Shishegar R, Harding IH, Selvadurai LP, Corben LA, Delatycki MB, Egan GF, Georgiou-Karistianis N. Longitudinal investigation of brain activation during motor tasks in Friedreich ataxia: 24-month data from IMAGE-FRDA. Brain Struct Funct 2021; 227:809-819. [PMID: 34687355 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-021-02413-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) is a progressive autosomal recessive disease. While motor dysfunction is the primary neurological hallmark, little is known about the underlying neurobiological changes associated with motor deficits over the course of disease. We investigated the hypothesis that progressive functional changes in both the cerebellum and cerebrum are related to longitudinal changes in performance on complex motor tasks in individuals with FRDA. Twenty-two individuals with FRDA and 28 controls participated over 24 months. The longitudinal investigation included finger tapping tasks with different levels of complexity (i.e., visually cued, multi-finger; self-paced, single finger), performed in conjunction with fMRI acquisitions, to interrogate changes in the neurobiology of motor and attentional brain networks including the cerebellum and cerebrum. We demonstrated evidence for significant longitudinal decreased cerebral fMRI activity over time in individuals with FRDA, relative to controls, during an attentionally-demanding motor task (visually cued tapping of multiple fingers) in six cerebral regions: right and left superior frontal gyri, right superior temporal gyrus, right primary somatosensory area, right anterior cingulate cortex, and right medial frontal gyrus. Importantly, longitudinal decreased activity was associated with more severe disease status at baseline, higher GAA1 repeat length and earlier age of onset. These findings suggest a dynamic pattern of neuronal activity in motor, attention and executive control networks over time in individuals with FRDA, which is associated with increased disease severity at baseline, increased GAA1 repeat length and earlier age at onset.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosita Shishegar
- School of Psychological Sciences and Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- The Australian e-Health Research Centre, CSIRO, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Ian H Harding
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Louisa P Selvadurai
- School of Psychological Sciences and Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Louise A Corben
- School of Psychological Sciences and Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
- Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Martin B Delatycki
- School of Psychological Sciences and Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
- Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Victorian Clinical Genetics Service, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Gary F Egan
- School of Psychological Sciences and Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Nellie Georgiou-Karistianis
- School of Psychological Sciences and Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia.
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Paredes-Fuentes AJ, Cesar S, Montero R, Latre C, Genovès J, Martorell L, Cuadras D, Colom H, Pineda M, Del Mar O'Callaghan M, Sarquella-Brugada G, Darling A, Artuch R. Plasma idebenone monitoring in Friedreich's ataxia patients during a long-term follow-up. Biomed Pharmacother 2021; 143:112143. [PMID: 34507114 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.112143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES Despite the growing interest and the potential benefits of idebenone as a repurposed drug for different orphan conditions, data regarding its monitoring are scarce. Our main goal was to report plasma idebenone values in a cohort of Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) patients during a long-term follow-up. Taking advantage of this, we also assessed cardiological and neurological status together with idebenone values and genetic background. METHODS Long-term follow-up retrospective study in 27 FRDA patients with a disease onset at the paediatric age treated with idebenone by compassionate use. Plasma idebenone was measured by HPLC with electrochemical detection. RESULTS Median plasma idebenone values increased when doses were increased, but apparently linearity was lost in the highest dose group. Marked intraindividual and interindividual differences were observed among patients. We did not find a consistent positive effect after analysis of paired data at the beginning and the end of the study. We only found a correlation between some cardiological measures and the duration of idebenone therapy at high doses, but with uncertain significance. CONCLUSIONS The large variations observed among the different individuals involved in this study should be considered for optimization of individual dosage regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abraham J Paredes-Fuentes
- Clinical Biochemistry Department, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, 08950 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sergi Cesar
- Arrhythmia, Inherited Cardiac Diseases and Sudden Death Unit, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, 08950 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Raquel Montero
- Clinical Biochemistry Department, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, 08950 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristina Latre
- Pharmacy Department, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, 08950 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Genovès
- Molecular Genetics Department, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, 08950 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Loreto Martorell
- Molecular Genetics Department, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, 08950 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Daniel Cuadras
- Statistics Department, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, 08950 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Helena Colom
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology and Physical-Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mercè Pineda
- Metabolic and Ataxia Unit, Department of Paediatric Neurology, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, 08950 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Del Mar O'Callaghan
- Metabolic and Ataxia Unit, Department of Paediatric Neurology, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, 08950 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Georgia Sarquella-Brugada
- Arrhythmia, Inherited Cardiac Diseases and Sudden Death Unit, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, 08950 Barcelona, Spain; Medical Sciences Department, School of Medicine, University of Girona, 17004 Girona, Spain
| | - Alejandra Darling
- Metabolic and Ataxia Unit, Department of Paediatric Neurology, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, 08950 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rafael Artuch
- Clinical Biochemistry Department, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, 08950 Barcelona, Spain; Biomedical Network Research Centre on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain.
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Harding IH, Chopra S, Arrigoni F, Boesch S, Brunetti A, Cocozza S, Corben LA, Deistung A, Delatycki M, Diciotti S, Dogan I, Evangelisti S, França MC, Göricke SL, Georgiou-Karistianis N, Gramegna LL, Henry PG, Hernandez-Castillo CR, Hutter D, Jahanshad N, Joers JM, Lenglet C, Lodi R, Manners DN, Martinez ARM, Martinuzzi A, Marzi C, Mascalchi M, Nachbauer W, Pane C, Peruzzo D, Pisharady PK, Pontillo G, Reetz K, Rezende TJR, Romanzetti S, Saccà F, Scherfler C, Schulz JB, Stefani A, Testa C, Thomopoulos SI, Timmann D, Tirelli S, Tonon C, Vavla M, Egan GF, Thompson PM. Brain Structure and Degeneration Staging in Friedreich Ataxia: Magnetic Resonance Imaging Volumetrics from the ENIGMA-Ataxia Working Group. Ann Neurol 2021; 90:570-583. [PMID: 34435700 PMCID: PMC9292360 DOI: 10.1002/ana.26200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Objective Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) is an inherited neurological disease defined by progressive movement incoordination. We undertook a comprehensive characterization of the spatial profile and progressive evolution of structural brain abnormalities in people with FRDA. Methods A coordinated international analysis of regional brain volume using magnetic resonance imaging data charted the whole‐brain profile, interindividual variability, and temporal staging of structural brain differences in 248 individuals with FRDA and 262 healthy controls. Results The brainstem, dentate nucleus region, and superior and inferior cerebellar peduncles showed the greatest reductions in volume relative to controls (Cohen d = 1.5–2.6). Cerebellar gray matter alterations were most pronounced in lobules I–VI (d = 0.8), whereas cerebral differences occurred most prominently in precentral gyri (d = 0.6) and corticospinal tracts (d = 1.4). Earlier onset age predicted less volume in the motor cerebellum (rmax = 0.35) and peduncles (rmax = 0.36). Disease duration and severity correlated with volume deficits in the dentate nucleus region, brainstem, and superior/inferior cerebellar peduncles (rmax = −0.49); subgrouping showed these to be robust and early features of FRDA, and strong candidates for further biomarker validation. Cerebral white matter abnormalities, particularly in corticospinal pathways, emerge as intermediate disease features. Cerebellar and cerebral gray matter loss, principally targeting motor and sensory systems, preferentially manifests later in the disease course. Interpretation FRDA is defined by an evolving spatial profile of neuroanatomical changes beyond primary pathology in the cerebellum and spinal cord, in line with its progressive clinical course. The design, interpretation, and generalization of research studies and clinical trials must consider neuroanatomical staging and associated interindividual variability in brain measures. ANN NEUROL 2021;90:570–583
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian H Harding
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Sidhant Chopra
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.,School of Psychological Sciences, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Filippo Arrigoni
- Neuroimaging Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Sylvia Boesch
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Arturo Brunetti
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Sirio Cocozza
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Louise A Corben
- School of Psychological Sciences, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.,Bruce Lefroy Centre, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia.,University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Andreas Deistung
- University Clinic and Outpatient Clinic for Radiology, Department for Radiation Medicine, University Hospital Halle (Saale), Halle (Saale), Germany.,Department of Neurology, Essen University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Martin Delatycki
- Bruce Lefroy Centre, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Stefano Diciotti
- Department of Electrical, Electronic, and Information Engineering "Guglielmo Marconi,", University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Imis Dogan
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.,JARA-BRAIN Institute, Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Stefania Evangelisti
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Marcondes C França
- Department of Neurology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil.,Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Sophia L Göricke
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, Essen University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Nellie Georgiou-Karistianis
- School of Psychological Sciences, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Laura L Gramegna
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.,IRCCS Institute of Neurological Sciences of Bologna, Functional and Molecular Neuroimaging Unit, Bologna, Italy
| | - Pierre-Gilles Henry
- Department of Radiology, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
| | - Carlos R Hernandez-Castillo
- Faculty of Computer Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.,CONACYT-Institute of Neuroethology, University of Veracruz, Xalapa, Mexico
| | - Diane Hutter
- Department of Radiology, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
| | - Neda Jahanshad
- Imaging Genetics Center, Mark and Mary Stevens Institute for Neuroimaging and Informatics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Marina del Rey, CA
| | - James M Joers
- Department of Radiology, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
| | - Christophe Lenglet
- Department of Radiology, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
| | - Raffaele Lodi
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.,IRCCS Institute of Neurological Sciences of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - David N Manners
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Alberto R M Martinez
- Department of Neurology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil.,Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Andrea Martinuzzi
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Conegliano-Pieve di Soligo Research Center, Conegliano, Italy
| | - Chiara Marzi
- Department of Electrical, Electronic, and Information Engineering "Guglielmo Marconi,", University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Mario Mascalchi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio,", University of Florence, Florence, Italy.,Clinical Epidemiology Unit, ISPRO, Oncological Network, Prevention and Research Institute, Florence, Italy
| | | | - Chiara Pane
- NSRO Department, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Denis Peruzzo
- Neuroimaging Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Pramod K Pisharady
- Department of Radiology, Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
| | - Giuseppe Pontillo
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.,Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Kathrin Reetz
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.,JARA-BRAIN Institute, Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Thiago J R Rezende
- Department of Neurology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil.,Brazilian Institute of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Sandro Romanzetti
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.,JARA-BRAIN Institute, Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Francesco Saccà
- NSRO Department, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Christoph Scherfler
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.,Neuroimaging Research Core Facility, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Jörg B Schulz
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.,JARA-BRAIN Institute, Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Ambra Stefani
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Claudia Testa
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Sophia I Thomopoulos
- Imaging Genetics Center, Mark and Mary Stevens Institute for Neuroimaging and Informatics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Marina del Rey, CA
| | - Dagmar Timmann
- Department of Neurology, Essen University Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Stefania Tirelli
- Neuroimaging Unit, Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Bosisio Parini, Italy
| | - Caterina Tonon
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.,IRCCS Institute of Neurological Sciences of Bologna, Functional and Molecular Neuroimaging Unit, Bologna, Italy
| | - Marinela Vavla
- Scientific Institute, IRCCS Eugenio Medea, Conegliano-Pieve di Soligo Research Center, Conegliano, Italy
| | - Gary F Egan
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.,School of Psychological Sciences, Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Paul M Thompson
- Imaging Genetics Center, Mark and Mary Stevens Institute for Neuroimaging and Informatics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Marina del Rey, CA
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Tarnacka B, Jopowicz A, Maślińska M. Copper, Iron, and Manganese Toxicity in Neuropsychiatric Conditions. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22157820. [PMID: 34360586 PMCID: PMC8346158 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22157820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Copper, manganese, and iron are vital elements required for the appropriate development and the general preservation of good health. Additionally, these essential metals play key roles in ensuring proper brain development and function. They also play vital roles in the central nervous system as significant cofactors for several enzymes, including the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD) and other enzymes that take part in the creation and breakdown of neurotransmitters in the brain. An imbalance in the levels of these metals weakens the structural, regulatory, and catalytic roles of different enzymes, proteins, receptors, and transporters and is known to provoke the development of various neurological conditions through different mechanisms, such as via induction of oxidative stress, increased α-synuclein aggregation and fibril formation, and stimulation of microglial cells, thus resulting in inflammation and reduced production of metalloproteins. In the present review, the authors focus on neurological disorders with psychiatric signs associated with copper, iron, and manganese excess and the diagnosis and potential treatment of such disorders. In our review, we described diseases related to these metals, such as aceruloplasminaemia, neuroferritinopathy, pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration (PKAN) and other very rare classical NBIA forms, manganism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), ephedrone encephalopathy, HMNDYT1-SLC30A10 deficiency (HMNDYT1), HMNDYT2-SLC39A14 deficiency, CDG2N-SLC39A8 deficiency, hepatic encephalopathy, prion disease and “prion-like disease”, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington’s disease, Friedreich’s ataxia, and depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beata Tarnacka
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Warsaw Medical University, Spartańska 1, 02-637 Warsaw, Poland
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-603944804
| | - Anna Jopowicz
- Department of Rehabilitation, Eleonora Reicher National Institute of Geriatrics, Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, Spartańska 1, 02-637 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Maria Maślińska
- Department of Early Arthritis, Eleonora Reicher National Institute of Geriatrics, Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, Spartańska 1, 02-637 Warsaw, Poland;
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Mitochondrial and metabolic dysfunction in Friedreich ataxia: update on pathophysiological relevance and clinical interventions. Neuronal Signal 2021; 5:NS20200093. [PMID: 34046211 PMCID: PMC8132591 DOI: 10.1042/ns20200093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) is a recessive disorder resulting from relative deficiency of the mitochondrial protein frataxin. Frataxin functions in the process of iron–sulfur (Fe–S) cluster synthesis. In this review, we update some of the processes downstream of frataxin deficiency that may mediate the pathophysiology. Based on cellular models, in vivo models and observations of patients, ferroptosis may play a major role in the pathogenesis of FRDA along with depletion of antioxidant reserves and abnormalities of mitochondrial biogenesis. Ongoing clinical trials with ferroptosis inhibitors and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) activators are now targeting each of the processes. In addition, better understanding of the mitochondrial events in FRDA may allow the development of improved imaging methodology for assessing the disorder. Though not technologically feasible at present, metabolic imaging approaches may provide a direct methodology to understand the mitochondrial changes occurring in FRDA and provide a methodology to monitor upcoming trials of frataxin restoration.
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Rummey C, Flynn JM, Corben LA, Delatycki MB, Wilmot G, Subramony SH, Bushara K, Duquette A, Gomez CM, Hoyle JC, Roxburgh R, Seeberger L, Yoon G, Mathews KD, Zesiewicz T, Perlman S, Lynch DR. Scoliosis in Friedreich's ataxia: longitudinal characterization in a large heterogeneous cohort. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2021; 8:1239-1250. [PMID: 33949801 PMCID: PMC8164850 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.51352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to characterize the incidence and progression of scoliosis in the natural history of Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) and document the factors leading to the requirement for corrective surgery. METHODS Data on the prevalence of scoliosis and scoliosis surgery from up to 17 years of follow-up collected during a large natural history study in FRDA (1116 patients at 4928 visits) were summarized descriptively and subjected to time to event analyses. RESULTS Well over 90% of early or typical FRDA patients (as determined by age of onset) developed intermediate to severe scoliosis, while patients with a later onset (>14 years) had no or much lower prevalence of scoliosis. Diagnosis of scoliosis occurs during the onset of ataxia and in rare cases even prior to that. Major progression follows throughout the growth phase and puberty, leading to the need for surgical intervention in more than 50% of individuals in the most severe subgroup. The youngest patients appear to delay surgery until the end of the growth period, leading to further progression before surgical intervention. Age of onset of FRDA before or after reaching 15 years sharply separated severe and relatively mild incidence and progression of scoliosis. INTERPRETATION Scoliosis is an important comorbidity of FRDA. Our comprehensive documentation of scoliosis progression in this natural history study provides a baseline for comparison as novel treatments become available.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - John M Flynn
- Division of Orthopedics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Louise A Corben
- Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Martin B Delatycki
- Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Sub H Subramony
- Department of Neurology, McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | | | - Antoine Duquette
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Montreal Hospital Research Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | | | | | | | - Grace Yoon
- Divisions of Neurology and Clinical and Metabolic Genetics, Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | | - Susan Perlman
- University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - David R Lynch
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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Frempong B, Wilson RB, Schadt K, Lynch DR. The Role of Serum Levels of Neurofilament Light (NfL) Chain as a Biomarker in Friedreich Ataxia. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:653241. [PMID: 33737864 PMCID: PMC7960909 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.653241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Bernice Frempong
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States.,Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Robert B Wilson
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Kimberly Schadt
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States.,Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - David R Lynch
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States.,Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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Pallardó FV, Pagano G, Rodríguez LR, Gonzalez-Cabo P, Lyakhovich A, Trifuoggi M. Friedreich Ataxia: current state-of-the-art, and future prospects for mitochondrial-focused therapies. Transl Res 2021; 229:135-141. [PMID: 32841735 DOI: 10.1016/j.trsl.2020.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Friedreich's Ataxia is an autosomal recessive genetic disease causing the defective gene product, frataxin. A body of literature has been focused on the attempts to counteract frataxin deficiency and the consequent iron imbalance, in order to mitigate the disease-associated pro-oxidant state and clinical course. The present mini review is aimed at evaluating the basic and clinical reports on the roles and the use of a set of iron chelators, antioxidants and some cofactors involved in the key mitochondrial functions. Extensive literature has focused on the protective roles of iron chelators, coenzyme Q10 and analogs, and vitamin E, altogether with varying outcomes in clinical studies. Other studies have suggested mitoprotective roles for other mitochondrial cofactors, involved in Krebs cycle, such as alpha-lipoic acid and carnitine, involved in acyl transport across the mitochondrial membrane. A body of evidence points to the strong antioxidant properties of these cofactors, and to their potential contribution in mitoprotective strategies in Friedreich's Ataxia clinical evolution. Thus, we suggest the rationale for planning combination strategies based on the 3 mitochondrial cofactors and of some antioxidants and iron binders as mitoprotective cocktails in Friedreich Ataxia patients, calling attention to clinical practitioners of the importance to implement clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico V Pallardó
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Valencia-INCLIVA, Valencia, Spain; CIBER de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Valencia, Spain.
| | - Giovanni Pagano
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Federico II Naples University, Naples, Italy
| | - Laura R Rodríguez
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Valencia-INCLIVA, Valencia, Spain
| | - Pilar Gonzalez-Cabo
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Valencia-INCLIVA, Valencia, Spain; CIBER de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Valencia, Spain
| | - Alex Lyakhovich
- Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain; Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics of the "Federal Research Center of Fundamental and Translational Medicine", Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Marco Trifuoggi
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Federico II Naples University, Naples, Italy
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