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Riva N, Domi T, Pozzi L, Lunetta C, Schito P, Spinelli EG, Cabras S, Matteoni E, Consonni M, Bella ED, Agosta F, Filippi M, Calvo A, Quattrini A. Update on recent advances in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. J Neurol 2024; 271:4693-4723. [PMID: 38802624 PMCID: PMC11233360 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-024-12435-9] [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: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
In the last few years, our understanding of disease molecular mechanisms underpinning ALS has advanced greatly, allowing the first steps in translating into clinical practice novel research findings, including gene therapy approaches. Similarly, the recent advent of assistive technologies has greatly improved the possibility of a more personalized approach to supportive and symptomatic care, in the context of an increasingly complex multidisciplinary line of actions, which remains the cornerstone of ALS management. Against this rapidly growing background, here we provide an comprehensive update on the most recent studies that have contributed towards our understanding of ALS pathogenesis, the latest results from clinical trials as well as the future directions for improving the clinical management of ALS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nilo Riva
- 3Rd Neurology Unit and Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Fondazione IRCCS "Carlo Besta" Neurological Insitute, Milan, Italy.
| | - Teuta Domi
- Experimental Neuropathology Unit, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Pozzi
- Experimental Neuropathology Unit, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Christian Lunetta
- Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Neurorehabilitation Unit of Milan Institute, 20138, Milan, Italy
| | - Paride Schito
- Experimental Neuropathology Unit, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Department of Neurology, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Edoardo Gioele Spinelli
- Department of Neurology, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Department of Neurology, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Sara Cabras
- ALS Centre, 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin; SC Neurologia 1U, AOU città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Enrico Matteoni
- ALS Centre, 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin; SC Neurologia 1U, AOU città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Monica Consonni
- 3Rd Neurology Unit and Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Fondazione IRCCS "Carlo Besta" Neurological Insitute, Milan, Italy
| | - Eleonora Dalla Bella
- 3Rd Neurology Unit and Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Fondazione IRCCS "Carlo Besta" Neurological Insitute, Milan, Italy
| | - Federica Agosta
- Department of Neurology, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Department of Neurology, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute Huniversity, Milan, Italy
| | - Massimo Filippi
- Department of Neurology, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Department of Neurology, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute Huniversity, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Calvo
- ALS Centre, 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin; SC Neurologia 1U, AOU città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Angelo Quattrini
- Experimental Neuropathology Unit, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
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Al-Chalabi A, Andrews J, Farhan S. Recent advances in the genetics of familial and sporadic ALS. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2024; 176:49-74. [PMID: 38802182 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2024.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
ALS shows complex genetic inheritance patterns. In about 5% to 10% of cases, there is a family history of ALS or a related condition such as frontotemporal dementia in a first or second degree relative, and for about 80% of such people a pathogenic gene variant can be identified. Such variants are also seen in people with no family history because of factor influencing the expression of genes, such as age. Genetic susceptibility factors also contribute to risk, and the heritability of ALS is between 40% and 60%. The genetic variants influencing ALS risk include single base changes, repeat expansions, copy number variants, and others. Here we review what is known of the genetic landscape and architecture of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ammar Al-Chalabi
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Jinsy Andrews
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Sali Farhan
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Human Genetics, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
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Zhao B, Jiang Q, Lin J, Wei Q, Li C, Hou Y, Cao B, Zhang L, Ou R, Liu K, Yang T, Xiao Y, Shang H. TBK1 variants in Chinese patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Genetic analysis and clinical features. Eur J Neurol 2023; 30:3079-3089. [PMID: 37422901 DOI: 10.1111/ene.15973] [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: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Haploinsufficiency of TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) loss-of-function (LoF) variants has been shown to be pathogenic in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). However, the genetic spectrum of TBK1 and clinical features of ALS patients with TBK1 variants remain largely unknown in Asians. METHODS Genetic analysis was performed on 2011 Chinese ALS patients. Software was used to predict the deleteriousness of missense variants in TBK1. In addition, PubMed, Embase and Web of Science were searched for related literature. RESULTS Twenty-six TBK1 variants were identified in 33 of 2011 ALS patients, including six novel LoF variants (0.3%) and 20 rare missense variants, 12 of which were predicted to be deleterious (0.6%). In addition to TBK1 variants, 11 patients had other ALS-related gene variants. Forty-two previous studies found that the frequency of TBK1 variants was 1.81% in ALS/FTD patients. The frequency of TBK1 LoF variants in ALS was 0.5% (Asians 0.4%; Caucasian 0.6%) and that of missense variants was 0.8% (Asians 1.0%; Caucasian 0.8%). ALS patients with TBK1 LoF variants affecting the kinase domain had a significantly younger age of onset than patients carrying LoF variants affecting the coiled coil domains CCD1 and CCD2. FTD has a frequency of 10% in Caucasian ALS patients with TBK1 LoF variants, which was not found in our cohort. CONCLUSION Our study expanded the genotypic spectrum of ALS patients with TBK1 variants and found that the clinical manifestations of TBK1 carriers are diverse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bi Zhao
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qirui Jiang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Junyu Lin
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qianqian Wei
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Chunyu Li
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yanbing Hou
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Bei Cao
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lingyu Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ruwei Ou
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Kuncheng Liu
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Tianmi Yang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yi Xiao
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Huifang Shang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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Dong S, Yin X, Wang K, Yang W, Li J, Wang Y, Zhou Y, Liu X, Wang J, Chen X. Presence of Rare Variants is Associated with Poorer Survival in Chinese Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. PHENOMICS (CHAM, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 3:167-181. [PMID: 37197644 PMCID: PMC10110782 DOI: 10.1007/s43657-022-00093-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder with phenotypic and genetic heterogeneity. Recent studies have suggested an oligogenic basis of ALS, in which the co-occurrence of two or more genetic variants has additive or synergistic deleterious effects. To assess the contribution of possible oligogenic inheritance, we profiled a panel of 43 relevant genes in 57 sporadic ALS (sALS) patients and eight familial ALS (fALS) patients from five pedigrees in east China. We filtered rare variants using the combination of the Exome Aggregation Consortium, the 1000 Genomes and the HuaBiao Project. We analyzed patients with multiple rare variants in 43 known ALS causative genes and the genotype-phenotype correlation. Overall, we detected 30 rare variants in 16 different genes and found that 16 of the sALS patients and all the fALS patients examined harbored at least one variant in the investigated genes, among which two sALS and four fALS patients harbored two or more variants. Of note, the sALS patients with one or more variants in ALS genes had worse survival than the patients with no variants. Typically, in one fALS pedigree with three variants, the family member with three variants (Superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) p.V48A, Optineurin (OPTN) p.A433V and TANK binding kinase 1 (TBK1) p.R573H) exhibited much more severe disease phenotype than the member carrying one variant (TBK1 p.R573H). Our findings suggest that rare variants could exert a negative prognostic effect, thereby supporting the oligogenic inheritance of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siqi Dong
- Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital and Institute of Neurology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040 China
- National Center for Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, 200040 China
| | - Xianhong Yin
- Department of Anthropology and Human Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438 China
- Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433 China
| | - Kun Wang
- Department of Anthropology and Human Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438 China
| | - Wenbo Yang
- Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital and Institute of Neurology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040 China
- National Center for Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, 200040 China
| | - Jiatong Li
- Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital and Institute of Neurology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040 China
- National Center for Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, 200040 China
| | - Yi Wang
- Department of Anthropology and Human Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438 China
- Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433 China
| | - Yanni Zhou
- Department of Anthropology and Human Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438 China
| | - Xiaoni Liu
- Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital and Institute of Neurology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040 China
- National Center for Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, 200040 China
| | - Jiucun Wang
- Department of Anthropology and Human Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438 China
- Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433 China
| | - Xiangjun Chen
- Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital and Institute of Neurology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040 China
- National Center for Neurological Disorders, Shanghai, 200040 China
- Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433 China
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Papageorgiou L, Mangana E, Papakonstantinou E, Diakou I, Pierouli K, Dragoumani K, Bacopoulou F, Chrousos GP, Exarchos TP, Vlamos P, Eliopoulos E, Vlachakis D. An Updated Evolutionary and Structural Study of TBK1 Reveals Highly Conserved Motifs as Potential Pharmacological Targets in Neurodegenerative Diseases. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2023; 1423:41-57. [PMID: 37525032 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-31978-5_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
TANK-binding kinase 1 protein (TBK1) is a kinase that belongs to the IκB (IKK) family. TBK1, also known as T2K, FTDALS4, NAK, IIAE8, and NF-κB, is responsible for the phosphorylation of the amino acid residues, serine and threonine. This enzyme is involved in various key biological processes, including interferon activation and production, homeostasis, cell growth, autophagy, insulin production, and the regulation of TNF-α, IFN-β, and IL-6. Mutations in the TBK1 gene alter the protein's normal function and may lead to an array of pathological conditions, including disorders of the central nervous system. The present study sought to elucidate the role of the TBK1 protein in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a human neurodegenerative disorder. A broad evolutionary and phylogenetic analysis of TBK1 was performed across numerous organisms to distinguish conserved regions important for the protein's function. Subsequently, mutations and SNPs were explored, and their potential effect on the enzyme's function was investigated. These analytical steps, in combination with the study of the secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structure of TBK1, enabled the identification of conserved motifs, which can function as novel pharmacological targets and inform therapeutic strategies for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis Papageorgiou
- Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Biology and Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Eleni Mangana
- Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Biology and Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Eleni Papakonstantinou
- Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Biology and Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Io Diakou
- Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Biology and Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Katerina Pierouli
- Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Biology and Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Konstantina Dragoumani
- Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Biology and Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Flora Bacopoulou
- University Research Institute of Maternal and Child Health & Precision Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Aghia Sophia" Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - George P Chrousos
- University Research Institute of Maternal and Child Health & Precision Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Aghia Sophia" Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Themis P Exarchos
- Bioinformatics & Human Electrophysiology Laboratory, Department of Informatics, Ionian University, Corfu, Greece
| | - Panagiotis Vlamos
- Bioinformatics & Human Electrophysiology Laboratory, Department of Informatics, Ionian University, Corfu, Greece
| | - Elias Eliopoulos
- Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Biology and Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Vlachakis
- Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Biology and Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
- University Research Institute of Maternal and Child Health & Precision Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Aghia Sophia" Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece.
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Center of Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece.
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Shao W, Todd TW, Wu Y, Jones CY, Tong J, Jansen-West K, Daughrity LM, Park J, Koike Y, Kurti A, Yue M, Castanedes-Casey M, del Rosso G, Dunmore JA, Alepuz DZ, Oskarsson B, Dickson DW, Cook CN, Prudencio M, Gendron TF, Fryer JD, Zhang YJ, Petrucelli L. Two FTD-ALS genes converge on the endosomal pathway to induce TDP-43 pathology and degeneration. Science 2022; 378:94-99. [PMID: 36201573 PMCID: PMC9942492 DOI: 10.1126/science.abq7860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Frontotemporal dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (FTD-ALS) are associated with both a repeat expansion in the C9orf72 gene and mutations in the TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) gene. We found that TBK1 is phosphorylated in response to C9orf72 poly(Gly-Ala) [poly(GA)] aggregation and sequestered into inclusions, which leads to a loss of TBK1 activity and contributes to neurodegeneration. When we reduced TBK1 activity using a TBK1-R228H (Arg228→His) mutation in mice, poly(GA)-induced phenotypes were exacerbated. These phenotypes included an increase in TAR DNA binding protein 43 (TDP-43) pathology and the accumulation of defective endosomes in poly(GA)-positive neurons. Inhibiting the endosomal pathway induced TDP-43 aggregation, which highlights the importance of this pathway and TBK1 activity in pathogenesis. This interplay between C9orf72, TBK1, and TDP-43 connects three different facets of FTD-ALS into one coherent pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Shao
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic; Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Tiffany W. Todd
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic; Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Yanwei Wu
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic; Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Caroline Y. Jones
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic; Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Jimei Tong
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic; Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Karen Jansen-West
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic; Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | | | - Jinyoung Park
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic; Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Yuka Koike
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic; Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Aishe Kurti
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic; Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Mei Yue
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic; Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | | | - Giulia del Rosso
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic; Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
- Neurobiology of Disease Graduate Program, Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences; Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Judith A. Dunmore
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic; Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | | | - Björn Oskarsson
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Dennis W. Dickson
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic; Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
- Neurobiology of Disease Graduate Program, Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences; Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Casey N. Cook
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic; Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
- Neurobiology of Disease Graduate Program, Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences; Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Mercedes Prudencio
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic; Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
- Neurobiology of Disease Graduate Program, Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences; Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Tania F. Gendron
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic; Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
- Neurobiology of Disease Graduate Program, Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences; Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - John D. Fryer
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic; Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic; Scottsdale, AZ, 85259, USA
| | - Yong-Jie Zhang
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic; Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
- Neurobiology of Disease Graduate Program, Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences; Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Leonard Petrucelli
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic; Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
- Neurobiology of Disease Graduate Program, Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences; Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
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7
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Kirola L, Mukherjee A, Mutsuddi M. Recent Updates on the Genetics of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Mol Neurobiol 2022; 59:5673-5694. [PMID: 35768750 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-022-02934-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) primarily affect the motor and frontotemporal areas of the brain, respectively. These disorders share clinical, genetic, and pathological similarities, and approximately 10-15% of ALS-FTD cases are considered to be multisystemic. ALS-FTD overlaps have been linked to families carrying an expansion in the intron of C9orf72 along with inclusions of TDP-43 in the brain. Other overlapping genes (VCP, FUS, SQSTM1, TBK1, CHCHD10) are also involved in similar functions that include RNA processing, autophagy, proteasome response, protein aggregation, and intracellular trafficking. Recent advances in genome sequencing have identified new genes that are involved in these disorders (TBK1, CCNF, GLT8D1, KIF5A, NEK1, C21orf2, TBP, CTSF, MFSD8, DNAJC7). Additional risk factors and modifiers have been also identified in genome-wide association studies and array-based studies. However, the newly identified genes show higher disease frequencies in combination with known genes that are implicated in pathogenesis, thus indicating probable digenetic/polygenic inheritance models, along with epistatic interactions. Studies suggest that these genes play a pleiotropic effect on ALS-FTD and other diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Ataxia, and Parkinsonism. Besides, there have been numerous improvements in the genotype-phenotype correlations as well as clinical trials on stem cell and gene-based therapies. This review discusses the possible genetic models of ALS and FTD, the latest therapeutics, and signaling pathways involved in ALS-FTD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laxmi Kirola
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Ashim Mukherjee
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Mousumi Mutsuddi
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.
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8
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Todd TW, Petrucelli L. Modelling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in rodents. Nat Rev Neurosci 2022; 23:231-251. [PMID: 35260846 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-022-00564-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The efficient study of human disease requires the proper tools, one of the most crucial of which is an accurate animal model that faithfully recapitulates the human condition. The study of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is no exception. Although the majority of ALS cases are considered sporadic, most animal models of this disease rely on genetic mutations identified in familial cases. Over the past decade, the number of genes associated with ALS has risen dramatically and, with each new genetic variant, there is a drive to develop associated animal models. Rodent models are of particular importance as they allow for the study of ALS in the context of a living mammal with a comparable CNS. Such models not only help to verify the pathogenicity of novel mutations but also provide critical insight into disease mechanisms and are crucial for the testing of new therapeutics. In this Review, we aim to summarize the full spectrum of ALS rodent models developed to date.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany W Todd
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Leonard Petrucelli
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, Jacksonville, FL, USA.
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9
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Bloom AJ, Mao X, Strickland A, Sasaki Y, Milbrandt J, DiAntonio A. Constitutively active SARM1 variants that induce neuropathy are enriched in ALS patients. Mol Neurodegener 2022; 17:1. [PMID: 34991663 PMCID: PMC8739729 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-021-00511-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Background In response to injury, neurons activate a program of organized axon self-destruction initiated by the NAD+ hydrolase, SARM1. In healthy neurons SARM1 is autoinhibited, but single amino acid changes can abolish autoinhibition leading to constitutively active SARM1 enzymes that promote degeneration when expressed in cultured neurons. Methods To investigate whether naturally occurring human variants might disrupt SARM1 autoinhibition and potentially contribute to risk for neurodegenerative disease, we assayed the enzymatic activity of all 42 rare SARM1 alleles identified among 8507 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients and 9671 controls. We then intrathecally injected mice with virus expressing SARM1 constructs to test the capacity of an ALS-associated constitutively active SARM1 variant to promote neurodegeneration in vivo. Results Twelve out of 42 SARM1 missense variants or small in-frame deletions assayed exhibit constitutive NADase activity, including more than half of those that are unique to the ALS patients or that occur in multiple patients. There is a > 5-fold enrichment of constitutively active variants among patients compared to controls. Expression of constitutively active ALS-associated SARM1 alleles in cultured dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons is pro-degenerative and cytotoxic. Intrathecal injection of an AAV expressing the common SARM1 reference allele is innocuous to mice, but a construct harboring SARM1V184G, the constitutively active variant found most frequently among the ALS patients, causes axon loss, motor dysfunction, and sustained neuroinflammation. Conclusions These results implicate rare hypermorphic SARM1 alleles as candidate genetic risk factors for ALS and other neurodegenerative conditions. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13024-021-00511-x.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Joseph Bloom
- Needleman Center for Neurometabolism and Axonal Therapeutics and Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Xianrong Mao
- Needleman Center for Neurometabolism and Axonal Therapeutics and Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Amy Strickland
- Needleman Center for Neurometabolism and Axonal Therapeutics and Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Yo Sasaki
- Needleman Center for Neurometabolism and Axonal Therapeutics and Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jeffrey Milbrandt
- Needleman Center for Neurometabolism and Axonal Therapeutics and Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Aaron DiAntonio
- Needleman Center for Neurometabolism and Axonal Therapeutics and Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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10
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Pampalakis G, Angelis G, Zingkou E, Vekrellis K, Sotiropoulou G. A chemogenomic approach is required for effective treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Clin Transl Med 2022; 12:e657. [PMID: 35064780 PMCID: PMC8783349 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
ALS is a fatal untreatable disease involving degeneration of motor neurons. Μultiple causative genes encoding proteins with versatile functions have been identified indicating that diverse biological pathways lead to ALS. Chemical entities still represent a promising choice to delay ALS progression, attenuate symptoms and/or increase life expectancy, but also gene-based and stem cell-based therapies are in the process of development, and some are tested in clinical trials. Various compounds proved effective in transgenic models overexpressing distinct ALS causative genes unfortunately though, they showed no efficacy in clinical trials. Notably, while animal models provide a uniform genetic background for preclinical testing, ALS patients are not stratified, and the distinct genetic forms of ALS are treated as one group, which could explain the observed discrepancies between treating genetically homogeneous mice and quite heterogeneous patient cohorts. We suggest that chemical entity-genotype correlation should be exploited to guide patient stratification for pharmacotherapy, that is administered drugs should be selected based on the ALS genetic background.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgios Pampalakis
- Department of Pharmacology - Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Georgios Angelis
- Department of Pharmacology - Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, Greece
| | - Eleni Zingkou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, Greece
| | - Kostas Vekrellis
- Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Georgia Sotiropoulou
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Rion-Patras, Greece
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11
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Brenner D, Müller K, Lattante S, Yilmaz R, Knehr A, Freischmidt A, Ludolph AC, Andersen PM, Weishaupt JH. FUS mutations dominate TBK1 mutations in FUS/TBK1 double-mutant ALS/FTD pedigrees. Neurogenetics 2021; 23:59-65. [PMID: 34518945 PMCID: PMC8782814 DOI: 10.1007/s10048-021-00671-4] [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: 07/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in FUS and TBK1 often cause aggressive early-onset amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or a late-onset ALS and/or frontotemporal dementia (FTD) phenotype, respectively. Co-occurrence of mutations in two or more Mendelian ALS/FTD genes has been repeatedly reported. However, little is known how two pathogenic ALS/FTD mutations in the same patient interact to shape the final phenotype. We screened 28 ALS patients with a known FUS mutation by whole-exome sequencing and targeted evaluation for mutations in other known ALS genes followed by genotype-phenotype correlation analysis of FUS/TBK1 double-mutant patients. We report on new and summarize previously published FUS and TBK1 double-mutant ALS/FTD patients and their families. We found that, within a family, mutations in FUS cause ALS while TBK1 single mutations are observed in FTD patients. FUS/TBK1 double mutations manifested as ALS and without a manifest difference regarding age at onset and disease duration when compared to FUS single-mutant individuals. In conclusion, TBK1 and FUS variants do not seem to interact in a simple additive way. Rather, the phenotype of FUS/TBK1 double-mutant patients appears to be dominated by the FUS mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Brenner
- Division of Neurodegeneration, Department of Neurology, Mannheim Center for Translational Neurosciences (MCTN), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Kathrin Müller
- Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Serena Lattante
- Section of Genomic Medicine, Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.,Unit of Medical Genetics, Department of Laboratory and Infectious Disease Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Rüstem Yilmaz
- Division of Neurodegeneration, Department of Neurology, Mannheim Center for Translational Neurosciences (MCTN), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Antje Knehr
- Division of Neurodegeneration, Department of Neurology, Mannheim Center for Translational Neurosciences (MCTN), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany.,Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | | | | | - Peter M Andersen
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Neurosciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Jochen H Weishaupt
- Division of Neurodegeneration, Department of Neurology, Mannheim Center for Translational Neurosciences (MCTN), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany.
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12
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Seifert A, Drechsler H, Japtok J, Korten T, Diez S, Hermann A. The ALS-Associated FUS (P525L) Variant Does Not Directly Interfere with Microtubule-Dependent Kinesin-1 Motility. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:2422. [PMID: 33670886 PMCID: PMC7957795 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22052422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Revised: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Deficient intracellular transport is a common pathological hallmark of many neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Mutations in the fused-in-sarcoma (FUS) gene are one of the most common genetic causes for familial ALS. Motor neurons carrying a mutation in the nuclear localization sequence of FUS (P525L) show impaired axonal transport of several organelles, suggesting that mislocalized cytoplasmic FUS might directly interfere with the transport machinery. To test this hypothesis, we studied the effect of FUS on kinesin-1 motility in vitro. Using a modified microtubule gliding motility assay on surfaces coated with kinesin-1 motor proteins, we showed that neither recombinant wildtype and P525L FUS variants nor lysates from isogenic ALS-patient-specific iPSC-derived spinal motor neurons expressing those FUS variants significantly affected gliding velocities. We hence conclude that during ALS pathogenesis the initial negative effect of FUS (P525L) on axonal transport is an indirect nature and requires additional factors or mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Seifert
- Department of Neurology, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (A.S.); (J.J.)
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 01307 Dresden, Germany
- B CUBE—Center for Molecular Bioengineering and Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (H.D.); (T.K.)
| | - Hauke Drechsler
- B CUBE—Center for Molecular Bioengineering and Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (H.D.); (T.K.)
| | - Julia Japtok
- Department of Neurology, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (A.S.); (J.J.)
| | - Till Korten
- B CUBE—Center for Molecular Bioengineering and Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (H.D.); (T.K.)
| | - Stefan Diez
- B CUBE—Center for Molecular Bioengineering and Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (H.D.); (T.K.)
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Andreas Hermann
- Department of Neurology, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (A.S.); (J.J.)
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Translational Neurodegeneration Section “Albrecht-Kossel”, Department of Neurology, University Medical Center, University of Rostock, 18147 Rostock, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Rostock/Greifswald, 18147 Rostock, Germany
- Center for Transdisciplinary Neurosciences Rostock (CTNR), University Medical Center, University of Rostock, 18147 Rostock, Germany
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13
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Jih KY, Lin KP, Tsai PC, Soong BW, Liao YC, Lee YC. Investigating TBP CAG/CAA trinucleotide repeat expansions in a Taiwanese cohort with ALS. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2020; 22:442-447. [PMID: 33377399 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2020.1867182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Intermediate-length CAG repeats in ATXN2 have been well recognized as a genetic risk factor for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, the role of similar trinucleotide repeat expansions in the TATA-box binding protein gene (TBP), another disease-associated gene for inherited ataxia, in ALS remains elusive. To assess the association between TBP trinucleotide repeat expansions and ALS, we investigated the repeat lengths in 325 unrelated ALS patients and 1500 controls in the Taiwanese population. The most common size of repeats in the patients and controls were both 36. The repeat lengths ranged from 29 to 46 repeats in the ALS patients and 27 to 43 repeats in the controls. Two ALS patients carried a TBP allele with a repeat number equal or greater than 44 (44 and 46). The patient with the 46 trinucleotide repeats also had a C9ORF72 GGGGCC hexanucleotide repeat expansion. The odds ratio of an individual carrying the CAG/CAA repeats ≥ 44 to have ALS is 23.2 (95% confidence interval: 1.11-484.24; p = 0.04). Our findings suggest that intermediate-length CAG/CAA repeat expansions in TBP may associate with ALS risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kang-Yang Jih
- Department of Neurology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Neurology, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Kon-Ping Lin
- Department of Neurology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Neurology, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Chien Tsai
- Department of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Bing-Wen Soong
- Department of Neurology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Neurology, Taipei Neuroscience Institute, Taipei Medical University-Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Chu Liao
- Department of Neurology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Neurology, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.,Brain Research Center, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Chung Lee
- Department of Neurology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Neurology, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.,Brain Research Center, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
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14
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Abstract
Abstract
Purpose of Review
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia (ALS-FTD) spectrum disorder is a rare fatal disease with strong genetic influences. The implementation of short-read sequencing methodologies in increasingly large patient cohorts has rapidly expanded our knowledge of the complex genetic architecture of the disease. We aim to convey the broad history of ALS gene discovery as context for a focused review of 11 ALS gene associations reported over the last 5 years. We also summarize the current level of genetic evidence for all previously reported genes.
Recent Findings
The history of ALS gene discovery has occurred in at least four identifiable phases, each powered by different technologies and scale of investigation. The most recent epoch, benefitting from population-scale genome data, large international consortia, and low-cost sequencing, has yielded 11 new gene associations. We summarize the current level of genetic evidence supporting these ALS genes, highlighting any genotype-phenotype or genotype-pathology correlations, and discussing preliminary understanding of molecular pathogenesis. This era has also raised uncertainty around prior ALS-associated genes and clarified the role of others.
Summary
Our understanding of the genetic underpinning of ALS has expanded rapidly over the last 25 years and has led directly to the clinical application of molecularly driven therapies. Ongoing sequencing efforts in ALS will identify new causative and risk factor genes while clarifying the status of genes reported in prior eras of research.
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15
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Personalized Prevention in Mercury-Induced Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Case Report. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/app10217839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Chronic exposure to low levels of mercury is involved in the development of motor neuron diseases (MND). Genetic alterations may have a crucial role in the onset and progression. We presented a case of a TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1)-mutated 54-year-old male worker who developed a MND due to chronic mercury exposure at work. He was employed in a chlor-alkali plant in Central Italy. After two years of employment he had acute mercury intoxication with suggestive neurological symptoms and a high urinary level of the metal. Through years, many episodes of intoxication occurred, but he continued to perform the same job and be exposed to mercury. After yet another episode of intoxication in 2013, he showed fasciculations of the upper limbs and trunk, and electromyographic activity patterns were consistent with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In 2016, a genetic test revealed a mutation of TBK1, an ALS-related gene. This case highlights the important role of genetics in personalized occupational medicine. Occupational physicians should use genetic tests to identify conditions of individual susceptibility in workers with documented frequent episodes of mercury intoxication recorded during health surveillance programs to customize prevention measures in the workplace and act before damage appears.
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16
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Sieverding K, Ulmer J, Bruno C, Satoh T, Tsao W, Freischmidt A, Akira S, Wong PC, Ludolph AC, Danzer KM, Lobsiger CS, Brenner D, Weishaupt JH. Hemizygous deletion of Tbk1 worsens neuromuscular junction pathology in TDP-43 G298S transgenic mice. Exp Neurol 2020; 335:113496. [PMID: 33038415 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2020.113496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 09/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in the genes TARDBP (encoding the TDP-43 protein) and TBK1 can cause familial ALS. Neuronal cytoplasmatic accumulations of the misfolded, hyperphosphorylated RNA-binding protein TDP-43 are the pathological hallmark of most ALS cases and have been suggested to be a key aspect of ALS pathogenesis. Pharmacological induction of autophagy has been shown to reduce mutant TDP-43 aggregates and alleviate motor deficits in mice. TBK1 is exemplary for several other ALS genes that regulate autophagy. Consequently, we employed double mutant mice with both a heterozygous Tbk1 deletion and transgenic expression of human TDP-43G298S to test the hypothesis that impaired autophagy reduces intracellular clearance of an aggregation-prone protein and enhances toxicity of mutant TDP-43. The heterozygous deletion of Tbk1 did not change expression or cellular distribution of TDP-43 protein, motor neuron loss or reactive gliosis in the spinal cord of double-mutant mice at the age of 19 months. However, it aggravated muscle denervation and, albeit to a small and variable degree, motor dysfunction in TDP-43G298S transgenic mice, as similarly observed in the SOD1G93A transgenic mouse model for ALS before. Conclusively, our findings suggest that TBK1 mutations can affect the neuromuscular synapse.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Johannes Ulmer
- Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Clara Bruno
- Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Takashi Satoh
- Department of Host Defense, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - William Tsao
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States; Cellular and Molecular Medicine Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
| | | | - Shizuo Akira
- Department of Host Defense, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Philip C Wong
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States; Cellular and Molecular Medicine Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
| | | | - Karin M Danzer
- Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Christian S Lobsiger
- Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Épinière, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale Unité 1127, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unité Mixte de Recherche 7225, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - David Brenner
- Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany; Division of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Department of Neurology, Mannheim Center for Translational Neuroscience, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Germany
| | - Jochen H Weishaupt
- Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany; Division of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Department of Neurology, Mannheim Center for Translational Neuroscience, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Germany.
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17
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Lattante S, Marangi G, Doronzio PN, Conte A, Bisogni G, Zollino M, Sabatelli M. High-Throughput Genetic Testing in ALS: The Challenging Path of Variant Classification Considering the ACMG Guidelines. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11101123. [PMID: 32987860 PMCID: PMC7600768 DOI: 10.3390/genes11101123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of high-throughput sequencing technologies and screening of big patient cohorts with familial and sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) led to the identification of a significant number of genetic variants, which are sometimes difficult to interpret. The American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) provided guidelines to help molecular geneticists and pathologists to interpret variants found in laboratory testing. We assessed the application of the ACMG criteria to ALS-related variants, combining data from literature with our experience. We analyzed a cohort of 498 ALS patients using massive parallel sequencing of ALS-associated genes and identified 280 variants with a minor allele frequency < 1%. Examining all variants using the ACMG criteria, thus considering the type of variant, inheritance, familial segregation, and possible functional studies, we classified 20 variants as “pathogenic”. In conclusion, ALS’s genetic complexity, such as oligogenic inheritance, presence of genes acting as risk factors, and reduced penetrance, needs to be considered when interpreting variants. The goal of this work is to provide helpful suggestions to geneticists and clinicians dealing with ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Lattante
- Section of Genomic Medicine, Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168 Roma, Italy; (S.L.); (P.N.D.); (M.Z.)
- Complex Operational Unit of Medical Genetics, Department of Laboratory and Infectious Disease Sciences, A. Gemelli University Hospital Foundation IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Marangi
- Section of Genomic Medicine, Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168 Roma, Italy; (S.L.); (P.N.D.); (M.Z.)
- Complex Operational Unit of Medical Genetics, Department of Laboratory and Infectious Disease Sciences, A. Gemelli University Hospital Foundation IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0630154606
| | - Paolo Niccolò Doronzio
- Section of Genomic Medicine, Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168 Roma, Italy; (S.L.); (P.N.D.); (M.Z.)
- Complex Operational Unit of Medical Genetics, Department of Laboratory and Infectious Disease Sciences, A. Gemelli University Hospital Foundation IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Amelia Conte
- Adult NEMO Clinical Center, Complex Operational Unit of Neurology, Department of Aging, Neurological, Orthopedic and Head-Neck Sciences, A. Gemelli University Hospital Foundation IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy; (A.C.); (G.B.); (M.S.)
| | - Giulia Bisogni
- Adult NEMO Clinical Center, Complex Operational Unit of Neurology, Department of Aging, Neurological, Orthopedic and Head-Neck Sciences, A. Gemelli University Hospital Foundation IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy; (A.C.); (G.B.); (M.S.)
| | - Marcella Zollino
- Section of Genomic Medicine, Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168 Roma, Italy; (S.L.); (P.N.D.); (M.Z.)
- Complex Operational Unit of Medical Genetics, Department of Laboratory and Infectious Disease Sciences, A. Gemelli University Hospital Foundation IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Mario Sabatelli
- Adult NEMO Clinical Center, Complex Operational Unit of Neurology, Department of Aging, Neurological, Orthopedic and Head-Neck Sciences, A. Gemelli University Hospital Foundation IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy; (A.C.); (G.B.); (M.S.)
- Section of Neurology, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168 Roma, Italy
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18
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Abstract
Mutations in TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) are linked to ALS-FTD. In this issue of Neuron, Gerbino et al. (2020) show how missense mutations in the kinase domain of TBK1 differentially affect disease onset and progression in an ALS mouse model.
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19
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Ranganathan R, Haque S, Coley K, Shepheard S, Cooper-Knock J, Kirby J. Multifaceted Genes in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis-Frontotemporal Dementia. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:684. [PMID: 32733193 PMCID: PMC7358438 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia are two progressive, adult onset neurodegenerative diseases, caused by the cell death of motor neurons in the motor cortex and spinal cord and cortical neurons in the frontal and temporal lobes, respectively. Whilst these have previously appeared to be quite distinct disorders, in terms of areas affected and clinical symptoms, identification of cognitive dysfunction as a component of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), with some patients presenting with both ALS and FTD, overlapping features of neuropathology and the ongoing discoveries that a significant proportion of the genes underlying the familial forms of the disease are the same, has led to ALS and FTD being described as a disease spectrum. Many of these genes encode proteins in common biological pathways including RNA processing, autophagy, ubiquitin proteasome system, unfolded protein response and intracellular trafficking. This article provides an overview of the ALS-FTD genes before summarizing other known ALS and FTD causing genes where mutations have been found primarily in patients of one disease and rarely in the other. In discussing these genes, the review highlights the similarity of biological pathways in which the encoded proteins function and the interactions that occur between these proteins, whilst recognizing the distinctions of MAPT-related FTD and SOD1-related ALS. However, mutations in all of these genes result in similar pathology including protein aggregation and neuroinflammation, highlighting that multiple different mechanisms lead to common downstream effects and neuronal loss. Next generation sequencing has had a significant impact on the identification of genes associated with both diseases, and has also highlighted the widening clinical phenotypes associated with variants in these ALS and FTD genes. It is hoped that the large sequencing initiatives currently underway in ALS and FTD will begin to uncover why different diseases are associated with mutations within a single gene, especially as a personalized medicine approach to therapy, based on a patient's genetics, approaches the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramya Ranganathan
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Shaila Haque
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Barishal, Barishal, Bangladesh
| | - Kayesha Coley
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Stephanie Shepheard
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Johnathan Cooper-Knock
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Janine Kirby
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
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20
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Targeted next-generation sequencing study in familial ALS-FTD Portuguese patients negative for C9orf72 HRE. J Neurol 2020; 267:3578-3592. [DOI: 10.1007/s00415-020-10042-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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21
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Lou G, Palikaras K, Lautrup S, Scheibye-Knudsen M, Tavernarakis N, Fang EF. Mitophagy and Neuroprotection. Trends Mol Med 2019; 26:8-20. [PMID: 31375365 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2019.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 248] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Revised: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are strongly age-related and currently cannot be cured, with a surge of patient numbers in the coming decades in view of the emerging worldwide ageing population, bringing healthcare and socioeconomic challenges. Effective therapies are urgently needed, and are dependent on new aetiological mechanisms. In neurons, efficient clearance of damaged mitochondria, through the highly evolutionary conserved cellular process termed mitophagy, plays a fundamental role in mitochondrial and metabolic homeostasis, energy supply, neuronal survival, and health. Conversely, defective mitophagy leads to accumulation of damaged mitochondria and cellular dysfunction, contributing to ageing and age-predisposed neurodegeneration. Here, we discuss the contribution of defective mitophagy in these diseases, and underlying molecular mechanisms, and highlight novel therapeutics based on new discovered mitophagy-inducing strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guofeng Lou
- Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, University of Oslo and Akershus University Hospital, 1478 Lørenskog, Norway
| | - Konstantinos Palikaras
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Crete, Greece; Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, 70013, Crete, Greece
| | - Sofie Lautrup
- Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, University of Oslo and Akershus University Hospital, 1478 Lørenskog, Norway
| | - Morten Scheibye-Knudsen
- Center for Healthy Aging, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Nektarios Tavernarakis
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Crete, Greece; Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, 70013, Crete, Greece
| | - Evandro F Fang
- Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, University of Oslo and Akershus University Hospital, 1478 Lørenskog, Norway; The Norwegian Centre on Healthy Ageing (NO-Age), Oslo, Norway.
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