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McKinnon S, Qiang Z, Keerie A, Wells T, Shaw PJ, Alix JJP, Mead RJ. Maximizing the translational potential of neurophysiology in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a study on compound muscle action potentials. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2025; 26:322-330. [PMID: 39840885 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2024.2448540] [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: 07/15/2024] [Revised: 11/25/2024] [Accepted: 12/01/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2025]
Abstract
Mouse models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) enable testing of novel therapeutic interventions. However, treatments that have extended survival in mice have often failed to translate into human benefit in clinical trials. Compound muscle action potentials (CMAPs) are a simple neurophysiological test that measures the summation of muscle fiber depolarization in response to maximal stimulation of the innervating nerve. CMAPs can be measured in both mice and humans and decline with motor axon loss in ALS, making them a potential translational read-out of disease progression. We assessed the translational potential of CMAPs and ascertained time points when human and mouse data aligned most closely. We extracted data from 18 human studies and compared with results generated from SOD1G93A and control mice at different ages across different muscles. The relative CMAP amplitude difference between SOD1G93A and control mice in tibialis anterior (TA) and gastrocnemius muscles at 70 days of age was most similar to the relative difference between baseline ALS patient CMAP measurements and healthy controls in the abductor pollicis brevis (APB) muscle. We also found that the relative decline in SOD1G93A TA CMAP amplitude between 70 and 140 days was similar to that observed in 12 month human longitudinal studies in APB. Our findings suggest CMAP amplitudes can provide a "translational window", from which to make comparisons between the SOD1G93A model and human ALS patients. CMAPs are easy to perform and can help determine the most clinically relevant starting/end points for preclinical studies and provide a basis for predicting potential clinical effect sizes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott McKinnon
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK and
| | - Zekai Qiang
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK and
| | - Amy Keerie
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK and
| | - Tyler Wells
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK and
| | - Pamela J Shaw
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK and
- Neuroscience Institute, The University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, UK
| | - James J P Alix
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK and
- Neuroscience Institute, The University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, UK
| | - Richard J Mead
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK and
- Neuroscience Institute, The University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, UK
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Ms S, Banerjee S, D'Mello SR, Dastidar SG. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Focus on Cytoplasmic Trafficking and Proteostasis. Mol Neurobiol 2025:10.1007/s12035-025-04831-7. [PMID: 40180687 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-025-04831-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/09/2025] [Indexed: 04/05/2025]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive and fatal motor neuron disease characterized by the pathological loss of upper and lower motor neurons. Whereas most ALS cases are caused by a combination of environmental factors and genetic susceptibility, in a relatively small proportion of cases, the disorder results from mutations in genes that are inherited. Defects in several different cellular mechanisms and processes contribute to the selective loss of motor neurons (MNs) in ALS. Prominent among these is the accumulation of aggregates of misfolded proteins or peptides which are toxic to motor neurons. These accumulating aggregates stress the ability of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to function normally, cause defects in the transport of proteins between the ER and Golgi, and impair the transport of RNA, proteins, and organelles, such as mitochondria, within axons and dendrites, all of which contribute to the degeneration of MNs. Although dysfunction of a variety of cellular processes combines towards the pathogenesis of ALS, in this review, we focus on recent advances concerning the involvement of defective ER stress, vesicular transport between the ER and Golgi, and axonal transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shrilaxmi Ms
- Center for Molecular Neuroscience, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Saradindu Banerjee
- Center for Molecular Neuroscience, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Santosh R D'Mello
- Center for Molecular Neuroscience, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India.
- College of Arts and Sciences, Louisiana State University, Shreveport, LA, 71115, USA.
| | - Somasish Ghosh Dastidar
- Center for Molecular Neuroscience, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India.
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Lindamood HL, Liu TM, Read TA, Vitriol EA. Using ALS to understand profilin 1's diverse roles in cellular physiology. Cytoskeleton (Hoboken) 2025; 82:111-129. [PMID: 39056295 PMCID: PMC11762371 DOI: 10.1002/cm.21896] [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: 04/23/2024] [Revised: 07/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Profilin is an actin monomer-binding protein whose role in actin polymerization has been studied for nearly 50 years. While its principal biochemical features are now well understood, many questions remain about how profilin controls diverse processes within the cell. Dysregulation of profilin has been implicated in a broad range of human diseases, including neurodegeneration, inflammatory disorders, cardiac disease, and cancer. For example, mutations in the profilin 1 gene (PFN1) can cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), although the precise mechanisms that drive neurodegeneration remain unclear. While initial work suggested proteostasis and actin cytoskeleton defects as the main pathological pathways, multiple novel functions for PFN1 have since been discovered that may also contribute to ALS, including the regulation of nucleocytoplasmic transport, stress granules, mitochondria, and microtubules. Here, we will review these newly discovered roles for PFN1, speculate on their contribution to ALS, and discuss how defects in actin can contribute to these processes. By understanding profilin 1's involvement in ALS pathogenesis, we hope to gain insight into this functionally complex protein with significant influence over cellular physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Halli L Lindamood
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA
| | - Tatiana M Liu
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA
| | - Tracy-Ann Read
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA
| | - Eric A Vitriol
- Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA
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4
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Tian Y, Heinsinger N, Hu Y, Lim UM, Wang Y, Fernandis AZ, Parmentier-Batteur S, Klein B, Uslaner JM, Smith SM. Deciphering the interactome of Ataxin-2 and TDP-43 in iPSC-derived neurons for potential ALS targets. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0308428. [PMID: 39739690 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0308428] [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: 07/26/2024] [Accepted: 12/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/02/2025] Open
Abstract
Ataxin-2 is a protein containing a polyQ extension and intermediate length of polyQ extensions increases the risk of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Down-regulation of Ataxin-2 has been shown to mitigate TDP-43 proteinopathy in ALS models. To identify alternative therapeutic targets that can mitigate TDP-43 toxicity, we examined the interaction between Ataxin-2 and TDP-43. Co-immunoprecipitation demonstrated that Ataxin-2 and TDP-43 interact, that their interaction is mediated through the RNA recognition motif (RRM) of TDP-43, and knocking down Ataxin-2 or mutating the RRM domains rescued TDP-43 toxicity in an iPSC-derived neuronal model with TDP-43 overexpression. To decipher the Ataxin-2 and TDP-43 interactome, we used co-immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometry to identify proteins that interacted with Ataxin-2 and TDP-43 under conditions of endogenous or overexpressed TDP-43 in iPSC-derived neurons. Multiple interactome proteins were differentially regulated by TDP-43 overexpression and toxicity, including those involved in RNA regulation, cell survival, cytoskeleton reorganization, protein modification, and diseases. Interestingly, the RNA-binding protein (RBP), TAF15 which has been implicated in ALS was identified as a strong binder of Ataxin-2 in the condition of TDP-43 overexpression. Together, this study provides a comprehensive annotation of the Ataxin-2 and TDP-43 interactome and identifies potential therapeutic pathways and targets that could be modulated to alleviate Ataxin-2 and TDP-43 interaction-induced toxicity in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Tian
- Neuroscience, Merck Research Laboratories, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Nicolette Heinsinger
- Neuroscience, Merck Research Laboratories, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Yinghui Hu
- Neuroscience, Merck Research Laboratories, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - U-Ming Lim
- Quantatitive Biosciences, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yi Wang
- Neuroscience, Merck Research Laboratories, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey, United States of America
| | | | - Sophie Parmentier-Batteur
- Neuroscience, Merck Research Laboratories, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Becky Klein
- Neuroscience, Merck Research Laboratories, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Jason M Uslaner
- Neuroscience, Merck Research Laboratories, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Sean M Smith
- Neuroscience, Merck Research Laboratories, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey, United States of America
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Chen X, Lv S, Liu J, Guan Y, Xu C, Ma X, Li M, Bai X, Liu K, Zhang H, Yan Q, Zhou F, Chen Y. Exploring the Role of Axons in ALS from Multiple Perspectives. Cells 2024; 13:2076. [PMID: 39768167 PMCID: PMC11674045 DOI: 10.3390/cells13242076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2024] [Revised: 12/05/2024] [Accepted: 12/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/11/2025] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as motor neuron disease, is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the progressive degeneration of both upper and lower motor neurons. This pathological process results in muscle weakness and can culminate in paralysis. To date, the precise etiology of ALS remains unclear. However, a burgeoning body of research indicates that axonal dysfunction is a pivotal element in the pathogenesis of ALS and significantly influences the progression of disease. Dysfunction of axons in ALS can result in impediments to nerve impulse transmission, leading to motor impairment, muscle atrophy, and other associated complications that severely compromise patients' quality of life and survival prognosis. In this review, we concentrate on several key areas: the ultrastructure of axons, the mechanisms of axonal degeneration in ALS, the impact of impaired axonal transport on disease progression in ALS, and the potential for axonal regeneration within the central nervous system (CNS). Our objective is to achieve a more holistic and profound understanding of the multifaceted role that axons play in ALS, thereby offering a more intricate and refined perspective on targeted axonal therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaosu Chen
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang 261053, China; (X.C.); (S.L.); (C.X.); (X.M.); (X.B.)
- Neurologic Disorders and Regenerative Repair Lab of Shandong Higher Education, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang 261053, China; (J.L.); (M.L.); (K.L.); (H.Z.); (Q.Y.); (F.Z.)
| | - Shuchang Lv
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang 261053, China; (X.C.); (S.L.); (C.X.); (X.M.); (X.B.)
- Neurologic Disorders and Regenerative Repair Lab of Shandong Higher Education, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang 261053, China; (J.L.); (M.L.); (K.L.); (H.Z.); (Q.Y.); (F.Z.)
| | - Jinmeng Liu
- Neurologic Disorders and Regenerative Repair Lab of Shandong Higher Education, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang 261053, China; (J.L.); (M.L.); (K.L.); (H.Z.); (Q.Y.); (F.Z.)
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266000, China
| | - Yingjun Guan
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang 261053, China; (X.C.); (S.L.); (C.X.); (X.M.); (X.B.)
- Neurologic Disorders and Regenerative Repair Lab of Shandong Higher Education, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang 261053, China; (J.L.); (M.L.); (K.L.); (H.Z.); (Q.Y.); (F.Z.)
| | - Chunjie Xu
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang 261053, China; (X.C.); (S.L.); (C.X.); (X.M.); (X.B.)
- Neurologic Disorders and Regenerative Repair Lab of Shandong Higher Education, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang 261053, China; (J.L.); (M.L.); (K.L.); (H.Z.); (Q.Y.); (F.Z.)
| | - Xiaonan Ma
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang 261053, China; (X.C.); (S.L.); (C.X.); (X.M.); (X.B.)
- Neurologic Disorders and Regenerative Repair Lab of Shandong Higher Education, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang 261053, China; (J.L.); (M.L.); (K.L.); (H.Z.); (Q.Y.); (F.Z.)
| | - Mu Li
- Neurologic Disorders and Regenerative Repair Lab of Shandong Higher Education, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang 261053, China; (J.L.); (M.L.); (K.L.); (H.Z.); (Q.Y.); (F.Z.)
| | - Xue Bai
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang 261053, China; (X.C.); (S.L.); (C.X.); (X.M.); (X.B.)
- Neurologic Disorders and Regenerative Repair Lab of Shandong Higher Education, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang 261053, China; (J.L.); (M.L.); (K.L.); (H.Z.); (Q.Y.); (F.Z.)
| | - Kexin Liu
- Neurologic Disorders and Regenerative Repair Lab of Shandong Higher Education, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang 261053, China; (J.L.); (M.L.); (K.L.); (H.Z.); (Q.Y.); (F.Z.)
| | - Haoyun Zhang
- Neurologic Disorders and Regenerative Repair Lab of Shandong Higher Education, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang 261053, China; (J.L.); (M.L.); (K.L.); (H.Z.); (Q.Y.); (F.Z.)
| | - Qiupeng Yan
- Neurologic Disorders and Regenerative Repair Lab of Shandong Higher Education, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang 261053, China; (J.L.); (M.L.); (K.L.); (H.Z.); (Q.Y.); (F.Z.)
| | - Fenghua Zhou
- Neurologic Disorders and Regenerative Repair Lab of Shandong Higher Education, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang 261053, China; (J.L.); (M.L.); (K.L.); (H.Z.); (Q.Y.); (F.Z.)
| | - Yanchun Chen
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang 261053, China; (X.C.); (S.L.); (C.X.); (X.M.); (X.B.)
- Neurologic Disorders and Regenerative Repair Lab of Shandong Higher Education, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang 261053, China; (J.L.); (M.L.); (K.L.); (H.Z.); (Q.Y.); (F.Z.)
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Fleming AC, Rao NR, Wright M, Savas JN, Kiskinis E. The ALS-associated co-chaperone DNAJC7 mediates neuroprotection against proteotoxic stress by modulating HSF1 activity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.12.01.626216. [PMID: 39651147 PMCID: PMC11623670 DOI: 10.1101/2024.12.01.626216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2024]
Abstract
The degeneration of neurons in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is commonly associated with accumulation of misfolded, insoluble proteins. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are central regulators of protein homeostasis as they fold newly synthesized proteins and refold damaged proteins. Heterozygous loss-of- function mutations in the DNAJC7 gene that encodes an HSP co-chaperone were recently identified as a cause for rare forms of ALS, yet the mechanisms underlying pathogenesis remain unclear. Using mass spectrometry, we found that the DNAJC7 interactome in human motor neurons (MNs) is enriched for RNA binding proteins (RBPs) and stress response chaperones. MNs generated from iPSCs with the ALS-associated mutation R156X in DNAJC7 exhibit increased insolubility of its client RBP HNRNPU and associated RNA metabolism alterations. Additionally, DNAJC7 haploinsufficiency renders MNs increasingly susceptible to proteotoxic stress and cell death as a result of an ablated HSF1 stress response pathway. Critically, expression of HSF1 in mutant DNAJC7 MNs is sufficient to rescue their sensitivity to proteotoxic stress, while postmortem ALS patient cortical neurons exhibit a reduction in the expression of HSF1 pathway genes. Taken together, our work identifies DNAJC7 as a crucial mediator of HNRNPU function and stress response pathways in human MNs and highlights HSF1 as a therapeutic target in ALS.
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Fare CM, Rothstein JD. Nuclear pore dysfunction and disease: a complex opportunity. Nucleus 2024; 15:2314297. [PMID: 38383349 PMCID: PMC10883112 DOI: 10.1080/19491034.2024.2314297] [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: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The separation of genetic material from bulk cytoplasm has enabled the evolution of increasingly complex organisms, allowing for the development of sophisticated forms of life. However, this complexity has created new categories of dysfunction, including those related to the movement of material between cellular compartments. In eukaryotic cells, nucleocytoplasmic trafficking is a fundamental biological process, and cumulative disruptions to nuclear integrity and nucleocytoplasmic transport are detrimental to cell survival. This is particularly true in post-mitotic neurons, where nuclear pore injury and errors to nucleocytoplasmic trafficking are strongly associated with neurodegenerative disease. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of nuclear pore biology in physiological and pathological contexts and discuss potential therapeutic approaches for addressing nuclear pore injury and dysfunctional nucleocytoplasmic transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte M Fare
- Department of Neurology and Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jeffrey D Rothstein
- Department of Neurology and Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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8
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Benkirane M, Bonhomme M, Morsy H, Safgren SL, Marelli C, Chaussenot A, Smedley D, Cipriani V, de Sainte-Agathe JM, Ding C, Larrieu L, Vestito L, Margot H, Lesca G, Ramond F, Castrioto A, Baux D, Verheijen J, Sansa E, Giunti P, Haetty A, Bergougnoux A, Pointaux M, Ardouin O, Van Goethem C, Vincent MC, Hadjivassiliou M, Cossée M, Rouaud T, Bartsch O, Freeman WD, Wierenga KJ, Klee EW, Vandrovcova J, Houlden H, Debant A, Koenig M. De novo and inherited monoallelic variants in TUBA4A cause ataxia and spasticity. Brain 2024; 147:3681-3689. [PMID: 38884572 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awae193] [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: 01/28/2024] [Revised: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Alpha-tubulin 4A encoding gene (TUBA4A) has been associated with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia, based on identification of likely pathogenic variants in patients from distinct amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia cohorts. By screening a multicentric French cohort of 448 unrelated probands presenting with cerebellar ataxia, we identified ultra-rare TUBA4A missense variants, all being absent from public databases and predicted pathogenic by multiple in silico tools. In addition, gene burden analyses in the 100 000 Genomes project (100KGP) showed enrichment of TUBA4A rare variants in the inherited ataxia group compared to controls [odds ratio: 57.0847 (10.2-576.7); P = 4.02 ×10-7]. Taken together, we report 12 patients presenting with spasticity and/or cerebellar ataxia and harbouring a predicted pathogenic TUBA4A missense mutation, including five confirmed de novo cases and a mutation previously reported in a large family presenting with spastic ataxia. Cultured fibroblasts from three patients harbouring distinct TUBA4A missense showed significant alterations in microtubule organization and dynamics, providing insight of TUBA4A variants pathogenicity. Our data confirm the identification of a hereditary spastic ataxia disease gene with variable age of onset, expanding the clinical spectrum of TUBA4A associated phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Benkirane
- Laboratoire de Génétique moléculaire, Institut Universitaire de Recherche Clinique, CHU of Montpellier, 34090 Montpellier, France
- Department of Clinical Research, PhyMedExp Univ Montpellier, CNRS UMR 9214, INSERM U1046, 34090 Montpellier, France
- Department of Medical Genetics, Laboratory of Genomics Medicine, Sorbonne University, APHP, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Marion Bonhomme
- Cell Biology Research Department, CRBM (Centre de Recherche en Biologie cellulaire de Montpellier), CNRS, Université de Montpellier, 34293 Montpellier, France
| | - Heba Morsy
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
- Human Genetics Department, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21561, Egypt
| | | | - Cecilia Marelli
- MMDN, Université de Montpellier, EPHE, INSERM, Montpellier, France
- Expert center for Neurogenetic Diseases, CHU of Montpellier, 34095 Montpellier, France
| | | | - Damian Smedley
- William Harvey Research Institute, Clinical Pharmacology and Precision Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
| | - Valentina Cipriani
- William Harvey Research Institute, Clinical Pharmacology and Precision Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
- UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London EC1V 9EL, UK
- UCL Genetics Institute, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | | | - Can Ding
- Institute of human genetics, University of Medicine Mainz, Mainz 55128, Germany
| | - Lise Larrieu
- Laboratoire de Génétique moléculaire, Institut Universitaire de Recherche Clinique, CHU of Montpellier, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Letizia Vestito
- William Harvey Research Institute, Clinical Pharmacology and Precision Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
| | - Henri Margot
- Department of Medical Genetics, CHU of Bordeaux, 33404 Bordeaux, France
| | - Gaetan Lesca
- Department of Medical Genetics, University Hospitals of Lyon, and Université Claude Bernard Lyon1, 69500 Lyon, France
| | - Francis Ramond
- Department of Medical Genetics, CHU of Saint-Etienne, 42055 Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Anna Castrioto
- Neurology Department, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, U1216, CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, 38706 Grenoble, France
| | - David Baux
- Laboratoire de Génétique moléculaire, Institut Universitaire de Recherche Clinique, CHU of Montpellier, 34090 Montpellier, France
- Institut des Neurosciences Montpellier, INM, INSERM, 34000 Montpellier, France
- Montpellier BioInformatics for Clinical Diagnosis (MOBIDIC), Molecular Medicine and Genomics Platform (PMMG), CHU Montpellier, 34295 Montpellier, France
| | - Jan Verheijen
- Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Emna Sansa
- Department of Neurogenetics, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Paola Giunti
- Department of Neurogenetics, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Aline Haetty
- Institut des Neurosciences Montpellier, INM, INSERM, 34000 Montpellier, France
| | - Anne Bergougnoux
- Laboratoire de Génétique moléculaire, Institut Universitaire de Recherche Clinique, CHU of Montpellier, 34090 Montpellier, France
- Department of Clinical Research, PhyMedExp Univ Montpellier, CNRS UMR 9214, INSERM U1046, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Morgane Pointaux
- Laboratoire de Génétique moléculaire, Institut Universitaire de Recherche Clinique, CHU of Montpellier, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Olivier Ardouin
- Laboratoire de Génétique moléculaire, Institut Universitaire de Recherche Clinique, CHU of Montpellier, 34090 Montpellier, France
- Montpellier BioInformatics for Clinical Diagnosis (MOBIDIC), Molecular Medicine and Genomics Platform (PMMG), CHU Montpellier, 34295 Montpellier, France
| | - Charles Van Goethem
- Laboratoire de Génétique moléculaire, Institut Universitaire de Recherche Clinique, CHU of Montpellier, 34090 Montpellier, France
- Montpellier BioInformatics for Clinical Diagnosis (MOBIDIC), Molecular Medicine and Genomics Platform (PMMG), CHU Montpellier, 34295 Montpellier, France
| | - Marie-Claire Vincent
- Laboratoire de Génétique moléculaire, Institut Universitaire de Recherche Clinique, CHU of Montpellier, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Marios Hadjivassiliou
- Academic Department of Neurosciences, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Mireille Cossée
- Laboratoire de Génétique moléculaire, Institut Universitaire de Recherche Clinique, CHU of Montpellier, 34090 Montpellier, France
- Department of Clinical Research, PhyMedExp Univ Montpellier, CNRS UMR 9214, INSERM U1046, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Tiphaine Rouaud
- Department of Neurology, CHU of Nantes, 44000 Nantes, France
| | - Oliver Bartsch
- Institute of human genetics, University of Medicine Mainz, Mainz 55128, Germany
| | | | - Klaas J Wierenga
- Department of Clinical Genomics, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
| | - Eric W Klee
- Department of Oncology Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Department of Clinical Genomics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Jana Vandrovcova
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Henry Houlden
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Anne Debant
- Cell Biology Research Department, CRBM (Centre de Recherche en Biologie cellulaire de Montpellier), CNRS, Université de Montpellier, 34293 Montpellier, France
| | - Michel Koenig
- Laboratoire de Génétique moléculaire, Institut Universitaire de Recherche Clinique, CHU of Montpellier, 34090 Montpellier, France
- Department of Clinical Research, PhyMedExp Univ Montpellier, CNRS UMR 9214, INSERM U1046, 34090 Montpellier, France
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9
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Luan T, Li Q, Huang Z, Feng Y, Xu D, Zhou Y, Hu Y, Wang T. Axonopathy Underlying Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Unraveling Complex Pathways and Therapeutic Insights. Neurosci Bull 2024; 40:1789-1810. [PMID: 39097850 PMCID: PMC11607281 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-024-01267-2] [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: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive axonopathy, jointly leading to the dying back of the motor neuron, disrupting both nerve signaling and motor control. In this review, we highlight the roles of axonopathy in ALS progression, driven by the interplay of multiple factors including defective trafficking machinery, protein aggregation, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Dysfunctional intracellular transport, caused by disruptions in microtubules, molecular motors, and adaptors, has been identified as a key contributor to disease progression. Aberrant protein aggregation involving TDP-43, FUS, SOD1, and dipeptide repeat proteins further amplifies neuronal toxicity. Mitochondrial defects lead to ATP depletion, oxidative stress, and Ca2+ imbalance, which are regarded as key factors underlying the loss of neuromuscular junctions and axonopathy. Mitigating these defects through interventions including neurotrophic treatments offers therapeutic potential. Collaborative research efforts aim to unravel ALS complexities, opening avenues for holistic interventions that target diverse pathological mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tongshu Luan
- The Brain Center, School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Qing Li
- The Brain Center, School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Zhi Huang
- The Brain Center, School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Yu Feng
- The Brain Center, School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Duo Xu
- The Brain Center, School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Yujie Zhou
- The Brain Center, School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Yiqing Hu
- The Brain Center, School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Tong Wang
- The Brain Center, School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China.
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10
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Hu H, Wan X, Zhang H, Sun J, Meng F, Zhang S, Gu Y, Gong F, Zhao H, Lin G, Zheng W. Biallelic variants in α-tubulin isotypes cause female infertility characterised as recurrent preimplantation embryo arrest. J Med Genet 2024; 61:1045-1052. [PMID: 39209701 DOI: 10.1136/jmg-2024-110163] [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: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 08/22/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recurrent preimplantation embryo developmental arrest (RPEA) is the most common phenotype in assisted reproductive technology treatment failure associated with identified genetic abnormalities. Currently known maternal genetic variants explain only a limited number of cases. Variants of the β-tubulin subunit gene, TUBB8, cause oocyte meiotic arrest and RPEA through a broad spectrum of spindle defects. In contrast, α-tubulin subunit genes are poorly studied in the context of preimplantation embryonic development. METHODS Whole exome sequencing was performed on the PREA cohort. Functional characterisations of the identified candidate disease-causing variants were validated using Sanger sequencing, bioinformatics, in vitro functional analyses and single-cell RNA-sequencing of arrested embryos. RESULTS Four homozygous variants were identified in the PREA cohort: two of TUBA1C (p.Gln358Ter and p.Asp444Metfs*42) and two of TUBA4A (p.Arg339Cys and p.Tyr440Ter). These variants cause varying degrees of spindle assembly defects. Additionally, we characterised changes in the human arrested embryo transcriptome carrying TUBA4A variants, with a particular focus on spindle organisation, chromosome segregation and mRNA decay. CONCLUSION Our findings identified TUBA1C as a novel genetic marker and expanded the genetic and phenotypic spectrum of TUBA4A in female infertility and RPEA, which altogether highlighted the importance of α-tubulin isotypes in preimplantation embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiling Hu
- Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- College of Life Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-XIANGYA, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Xian Wan
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Honghui Zhang
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shangdong, China
| | - Jiaqi Sun
- Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Fei Meng
- Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-XIANGYA, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Shuoping Zhang
- Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-XIANGYA, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yifan Gu
- Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-XIANGYA, Changsha, Hunan, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem Cell and Reproductive Engineering, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Fei Gong
- Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-XIANGYA, Changsha, Hunan, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem Cell and Reproductive Engineering, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Han Zhao
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shangdong, China
| | - Ge Lin
- Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-XIANGYA, Changsha, Hunan, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem Cell and Reproductive Engineering, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Wei Zheng
- Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- Clinical Research Center for Reproduction and Genetics in Hunan Province, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-XIANGYA, Changsha, Hunan, China
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11
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Wu CC, Meyer DN, Haimbaugh A, Baker TR. Implications of Lead (Pb)-Induced Transcriptomic and Phenotypic Alterations in the Aged Zebrafish ( Danio rerio). TOXICS 2024; 12:745. [PMID: 39453165 PMCID: PMC11511149 DOI: 10.3390/toxics12100745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2024] [Revised: 10/10/2024] [Accepted: 10/10/2024] [Indexed: 10/26/2024]
Abstract
Lead (Pb) is a well-known neurotoxin with established adverse effects on the neurological functions of children and younger adults, including motor, learning, and memory abilities. However, its potential impact on older adults has received less attention. Using the zebrafish model, our study aims to characterize the dose-response relationship between environmentally relevant Pb exposure levels and their effects on changes in behavior and transcriptomics during the geriatric periods. We exposed two-year-old zebrafish to waterborne lead acetate (1, 10, 100, 1000, or 10,000 µg/L) or a vehicle (DMSO) for 5 days. While lower concentrations (1-100 µg/L) reflect environmentally relevant Pb levels, higher concentrations (1000-10,000 µg/L) were included to assess acute toxicity under extreme exposure scenarios. We conducted adult behavior assessment to evaluate the locomotor activity following exposure. The same individual fish were subsequently sacrificed for brain dissection after a day of recovery in the aquatic system. RNA extraction and sequencing were then performed to evaluate the Pb-induced transcriptomic changes. Higher (1000-10,000 ug/L) Pb levels induced hyperactive locomotor patterns in aged zebrafish, while lower (10-100 ug/L) Pb levels resulted in the lowest locomotor activity compared to the control group. Exposure to 100 µg/L led to the highest number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), while 10,000 µg/L induced larger fold changes in both directions. The neurological pathways impacted by Pb exposure include functions related to neurotransmission, such as cytoskeletal regulation and synaptogenesis, and oxidative stress response, such as mitochondrial dysfunction and downregulation of heat shock protein genes. These findings emphasize a U-shape dose-response relationship with Pb concentrations in locomotor activity and transcriptomic changes in the aging brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Chen Wu
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, 1001, Daxue Rd, East District, Hsinchu City 300093, Taiwan;
- Department of Environmental and Global Health, University of Florida, 1225 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; (D.N.M.)
| | - Danielle N. Meyer
- Department of Environmental and Global Health, University of Florida, 1225 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; (D.N.M.)
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, 540 E. Canfield, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Alex Haimbaugh
- Department of Environmental and Global Health, University of Florida, 1225 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; (D.N.M.)
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, 540 E. Canfield, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Tracie R. Baker
- Department of Environmental and Global Health, University of Florida, 1225 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; (D.N.M.)
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, 540 E. Canfield, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
- UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, 2033 Mowry Road, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
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12
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Nijs M, Van Damme P. The genetics of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Curr Opin Neurol 2024; 37:560-569. [PMID: 38967083 PMCID: PMC11377058 DOI: 10.1097/wco.0000000000001294] [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: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has a strong genetic basis, but the genetic landscape of ALS appears to be complex. The purpose of this article is to review recent developments in the genetics of ALS. RECENT FINDINGS Large-scale genetic studies have uncovered more than 40 genes contributing to ALS susceptibility. Both rare variants with variable effect size and more common variants with small effect size have been identified. The most common ALS genes are C9orf72 , SOD1 , TARDBP and FUS . Some of the causative genes of ALS are shared with frontotemporal dementia, confirming the molecular link between both diseases. Access to diagnostic gene testing for ALS has to improve, as effective gene silencing therapies for some genetic subtypes of ALS are emerging, but there is no consensus about which genes to test for. SUMMARY Our knowledge about the genetic basis of ALS has improved and the first effective gene silencing therapies for specific genetic subtypes of ALS are underway. These therapeutic advances underline the need for better access to gene testing for people with ALS. Further research is needed to further map the genetic heterogeneity of ALS and to establish the best strategy for gene testing in a clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Nijs
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Department of Neuroscience, Leuven Brain Institute, University of Leuven (KU Leuven)
| | - Philip Van Damme
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Department of Neuroscience, Leuven Brain Institute, University of Leuven (KU Leuven)
- Neurology Department, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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13
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Zelina P, de Ruiter AA, Kolsteeg C, van Ginneken I, Vos HR, Supiot LF, Burgering BMT, Meye FJ, Veldink JH, van den Berg LH, Pasterkamp RJ. ALS-associated C21ORF2 variant disrupts DNA damage repair, mitochondrial metabolism, neuronal excitability and NEK1 levels in human motor neurons. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2024; 12:144. [PMID: 39227882 PMCID: PMC11373222 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-024-01852-6] [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: 07/11/2024] [Accepted: 08/15/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an adult-onset neurodegenerative disease leading to motor neuron loss. Currently mutations in > 40 genes have been linked to ALS, but the contribution of many genes and genetic mutations to the ALS pathogenic process remains poorly understood. Therefore, we first performed comparative interactome analyses of five recently discovered ALS-associated proteins (C21ORF2, KIF5A, NEK1, TBK1, and TUBA4A) which highlighted many novel binding partners, and both unique and shared interactors. The analysis further identified C21ORF2 as a strongly connected protein. The role of C21ORF2 in neurons and in the nervous system, and of ALS-associated C21ORF2 variants is largely unknown. Therefore, we combined human iPSC-derived motor neurons with other models and different molecular cell biological approaches to characterize the potential pathogenic effects of C21ORF2 mutations in ALS. First, our data show C21ORF2 expression in ALS-relevant mouse and human neurons, such as spinal and cortical motor neurons. Further, the prominent ALS-associated variant C21ORF2-V58L caused increased apoptosis in mouse neurons and movement defects in zebrafish embryos. iPSC-derived motor neurons from C21ORF2-V58L-ALS patients, but not isogenic controls, show increased apoptosis, and changes in DNA damage response, mitochondria and neuronal excitability. In addition, C21ORF2-V58L induced post-transcriptional downregulation of NEK1, an ALS-associated protein implicated in apoptosis and DDR. In all, our study defines the pathogenic molecular and cellular effects of ALS-associated C21ORF2 mutations and implicates impaired post-transcriptional regulation of NEK1 downstream of mutant C21ORF72 in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavol Zelina
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Anna Aster de Ruiter
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Christy Kolsteeg
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ilona van Ginneken
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Harmjan R Vos
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Oncode Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Laura F Supiot
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Boudewijn M T Burgering
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Oncode Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Frank J Meye
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jan H Veldink
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, 3584 CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Leonard H van den Berg
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, 3584 CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - R Jeroen Pasterkamp
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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14
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Noches V, Campos-Melo D, Droppelmann CA, Strong MJ. Epigenetics in the formation of pathological aggregates in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Front Mol Neurosci 2024; 17:1417961. [PMID: 39290830 PMCID: PMC11405384 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2024.1417961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 08/23/2024] [Indexed: 09/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The progressive degeneration of motor neurons in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is accompanied by the formation of a broad array of cytoplasmic and nuclear neuronal inclusions (protein aggregates) largely containing RNA-binding proteins such as TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) or fused in sarcoma/translocated in liposarcoma (FUS/TLS). This process is driven by a liquid-to-solid phase separation generally from proteins in membrane-less organelles giving rise to pathological biomolecular condensates. The formation of these protein aggregates suggests a fundamental alteration in the mRNA expression or the levels of the proteins involved. Considering the role of the epigenome in gene expression, alterations in DNA methylation, histone modifications, chromatin remodeling, non-coding RNAs, and RNA modifications become highly relevant to understanding how this pathological process takes effect. In this review, we explore the evidence that links epigenetic mechanisms with the formation of protein aggregates in ALS. We propose that a greater understanding of the role of the epigenome and how this inter-relates with the formation of pathological LLPS in ALS will provide an attractive therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Noches
- Molecular Medicine Group, Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Danae Campos-Melo
- Molecular Medicine Group, Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Cristian A Droppelmann
- Molecular Medicine Group, Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Michael J Strong
- Molecular Medicine Group, Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
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15
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Ma S, Zhang CL. MAP4K inhibition as a potential therapy for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:1639-1640. [PMID: 38103219 PMCID: PMC10960282 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.389639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Shuaipeng Ma
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Chun-Li Zhang
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
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16
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van Tartwijk FW, Wunderlich LCS, Mela I, Makarchuk S, Jakobs MAH, Qamar S, Franze K, Kaminski Schierle GS, St George-Hyslop PH, Lin JQ, Holt CE, Kaminski CF. Mutation of the ALS-/FTD-Associated RNA-Binding Protein FUS Affects Axonal Development. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e2148232024. [PMID: 38692734 PMCID: PMC7616130 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2148-23.2024] [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: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Aberrant condensation and localization of the RNA-binding protein (RBP) fused in sarcoma (FUS) occur in variants of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Changes in RBP function are commonly associated with changes in axonal cytoskeletal organization and branching in neurodevelopmental disorders. Here, we asked whether branching defects also occur in vivo in a model of FUS-associated disease. We use two reported Xenopus models of ALS/FTD (of either sex), the ALS-associated mutant FUS(P525L) and a mimic of hypomethylated FUS, FUS(16R). Both mutants strongly reduced axonal complexity in vivo. We also observed an axon looping defect for FUS(P525L) in the target area, which presumably arises due to errors in stop cue signaling. To assess whether the loss of axon complexity also had a cue-independent component, we assessed axonal cytoskeletal integrity in vitro. Using a novel combination of fluorescence and atomic force microscopy, we found that mutant FUS reduced actin density in the growth cone, altering its mechanical properties. Therefore, FUS mutants may induce defects during early axonal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca W van Tartwijk
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0AS, United Kingdom
| | - Lucia C S Wunderlich
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0AS, United Kingdom
| | - Ioanna Mela
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0AS, United Kingdom
| | - Stanislaw Makarchuk
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 OAH, United Kingdom
| | - Maximilian A H Jakobs
- Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3DY, United Kingdom
| | - Seema Qamar
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0XY, United Kingdom
| | - Kristian Franze
- Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3DY, United Kingdom
| | - Gabriele S Kaminski Schierle
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0AS, United Kingdom
| | - Peter H St George-Hyslop
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0XY, United Kingdom
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto and University Health Network and Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5T 0S8, Canada
- Department of Neurology, Taub Institute For Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irvine Medical Center, New York, New York 10032
| | - Julie Qiaojin Lin
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 OAH, United Kingdom
- UK Dementia Research Institute Centre and Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, London SE5 9NU, United Kingdom
| | - Christine E Holt
- Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3DY, United Kingdom
| | - Clemens F Kaminski
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0AS, United Kingdom
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17
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Hop PJ, Lai D, Keagle PJ, Baron DM, Kenna BJ, Kooyman M, Shankaracharya, Halter C, Straniero L, Asselta R, Bonvegna S, Soto-Beasley AI, Wszolek ZK, Uitti RJ, Isaias IU, Pezzoli G, Ticozzi N, Ross OA, Veldink JH, Foroud TM, Kenna KP, Landers JE. Systematic rare variant analyses identify RAB32 as a susceptibility gene for familial Parkinson's disease. Nat Genet 2024; 56:1371-1376. [PMID: 38858457 PMCID: PMC11250361 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-024-01787-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Despite substantial progress, causal variants are identified only for a minority of familial Parkinson's disease (PD) cases, leaving high-risk pathogenic variants unidentified1,2. To identify such variants, we uniformly processed exome sequencing data of 2,184 index familial PD cases and 69,775 controls. Exome-wide analyses converged on RAB32 as a novel PD gene identifying c.213C > G/p.S71R as a high-risk variant presenting in ~0.7% of familial PD cases while observed in only 0.004% of controls (odds ratio of 65.5). This variant was confirmed in all cases via Sanger sequencing and segregated with PD in three families. RAB32 encodes a small GTPase known to interact with LRRK2 (refs. 3,4). Functional analyses showed that RAB32 S71R increases LRRK2 kinase activity, as indicated by increased autophosphorylation of LRRK2 S1292. Here our results implicate mutant RAB32 in a key pathological mechanism in PD-LRRK2 kinase activity5-7-and thus provide novel insights into the mechanistic connections between RAB family biology, LRRK2 and PD risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul J Hop
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
- Department of Neurology, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Dongbing Lai
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Pamela J Keagle
- Department of Neurology, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Desiree M Baron
- Department of Neurology, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Brendan J Kenna
- Department of Neurology, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Maarten Kooyman
- Department of Neurology, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Shankaracharya
- Department of Neurology, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Cheryl Halter
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Letizia Straniero
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Milan, Italy
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Rosanna Asselta
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Milan, Italy
- IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Ryan J Uitti
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Ioannis Ugo Isaias
- Parkinson Institute, ASST Gaetano Pini-CTO, Milan, Italy
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Würzburg and Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Gianni Pezzoli
- Parkinson Institute, ASST Gaetano Pini-CTO, Milan, Italy
- Fondazione Grigioni per il Morbo di Parkinson, Milan, Italy
| | - Nicola Ticozzi
- Department of Neurology-Stroke Unit and Laboratory of Neuroscience, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Milan, Italy
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, 'Dino Ferrari' Center, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Owen A Ross
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
- Department of Clinical Genomics, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Jan H Veldink
- Department of Neurology, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Tatiana M Foroud
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Kevin P Kenna
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - John E Landers
- Department of Neurology, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.
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18
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Pottinger TD, Motelow JE, Povysil G, Moreno CAM, Ren Z, Phatnani H, Aitman TJ, Santoyo-Lopez J, Mitsumoto H, Goldstein DB, Harms MB. Rare variant analyses validate known ALS genes in a multi-ethnic population and identifies ANTXR2 as a candidate in PLS. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:651. [PMID: 38951798 PMCID: PMC11218304 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10538-1] [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: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease affecting over 300,000 people worldwide. It is characterized by the progressive decline of the nervous system that leads to the weakening of muscles which impacts physical function. Approximately, 15% of individuals diagnosed with ALS have a known genetic variant that contributes to their disease. As therapies that slow or prevent symptoms continue to develop, such as antisense oligonucleotides, it is important to discover novel genes that could be targets for treatment. Additionally, as cohorts continue to grow, performing analyses in ALS subtypes, such as primary lateral sclerosis (PLS), becomes possible due to an increase in power. These analyses could highlight novel pathways in disease manifestation. METHODS Building on our previous discoveries using rare variant association analyses, we conducted rare variant burden testing on a substantially larger multi-ethnic cohort of 6,970 ALS patients, 166 PLS patients, and 22,524 controls. We used intolerant domain percentiles based on sub-region Residual Variation Intolerance Score (subRVIS) that have been described previously in conjunction with gene based collapsing approaches to conduct burden testing to identify genes that associate with ALS and PLS. RESULTS A gene based collapsing model showed significant associations with SOD1, TARDBP, and TBK1 (OR = 19.18, p = 3.67 × 10-39; OR = 4.73, p = 2 × 10-10; OR = 2.3, p = 7.49 × 10-9, respectively). These genes have been previously associated with ALS. Additionally, a significant novel control enriched gene, ALKBH3 (p = 4.88 × 10-7), was protective for ALS in this model. An intolerant domain-based collapsing model showed a significant improvement in identifying regions in TARDBP that associated with ALS (OR = 10.08, p = 3.62 × 10-16). Our PLS protein truncating variant collapsing analysis demonstrated significant case enrichment in ANTXR2 (p = 8.38 × 10-6). CONCLUSIONS In a large multi-ethnic cohort of 6,970 ALS patients, collapsing analyses validated known ALS genes and identified a novel potentially protective gene, ALKBH3. A first-ever analysis in 166 patients with PLS found a candidate association with loss-of-function mutations in ANTXR2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tess D Pottinger
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Internal Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, 622 West 168 , New York, NY, 10032, USA.
| | - Joshua E Motelow
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gundula Povysil
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Zhong Ren
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hemali Phatnani
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- New York Genome Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Timothy J Aitman
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
| | | | - Hiroshi Mitsumoto
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - David B Goldstein
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Matthew B Harms
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
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Wan Y, Zhou C, Chang X, Wu L, Zheng Y, Yu J, Bai L, Luan M, Yu M, Wang Q, Zhang W, Yuan Y, Deng J, Wang Z. Novel TUBA4A variant causes congenital myopathy with focal myofibrillar disorganisation. J Med Genet 2024; 61:626-632. [PMID: 38413182 DOI: 10.1136/jmg-2023-109786] [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: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Congenital myopathies are a clinical, histopathological and genetic heterogeneous group of inherited muscle disorders that are defined on peculiar architectural abnormalities in the muscle fibres. Although there have been at least 33 different genetic causes of the disease, a significant percentage of congenital myopathies remain genetically unresolved. The present study aimed to report a novel TUBA4A variant in two unrelated Chinese patients with sporadic congenital myopathy. METHODS A comprehensive strategy combining laser capture microdissection, proteomics and whole-exome sequencing was performed to identify the candidate genes. In addition, the available clinical data, myopathological changes, the findings of electrophysiological examinations and thigh muscle MRIs were also reviewed. A cellular model was established to assess the pathogenicity of the TUBA4A variant. RESULTS We identified a recurrent novel heterozygous de novo c.679C>T (p.L227F) variant in the TUBA4A (NM_006000), encoding tubulin alpha-4A, in two unrelated patients with clinicopathologically diagnosed sporadic congenital myopathy. The prominent myopathological changes in both patients were muscle fibres with focal myofibrillar disorganisation and rimmed vacuoles. Immunofluorescence showed ubiquitin-positive TUBA4A protein aggregates in the muscle fibres with rimmed vacuoles. Overexpression of the L227F mutant TUBA4A resulted in cytoplasmic aggregates which colocalised with ubiquitin in cellular model. CONCLUSION Our findings expanded the phenotypic and genetic manifestations of TUBA4A as well as tubulinopathies, and added a new type of congenital myopathy to be taken into consideration in the differential diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yalan Wan
- Department of Neurology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Chao Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xingzhi Chang
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Liwen Wu
- Department of Neurology, Hunan Children's Hospital, Changsha, China
| | - Yilei Zheng
- Department of Neurology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jiaxi Yu
- Department of Neurology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Li Bai
- Department of Neurology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Mingyue Luan
- Department of Neurology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Meng Yu
- Department of Neurology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Qi Wang
- Department of Neurology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yun Yuan
- Department of Neurology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jianwen Deng
- Department of Neurology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Neurovascular Disease Discovery, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education/National Health Commission, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaoxia Wang
- Department of Neurology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Neurovascular Disease Discovery, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education/National Health Commission, Peking University, Beijing, China
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20
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Zhang S, Moll T, Rubin-Sigler J, Tu S, Li S, Yuan E, Liu M, Butt A, Harvey C, Gornall S, Alhalthli E, Shaw A, Souza CDS, Ferraiuolo L, Hornstein E, Shelkovnikova T, van Dijk CH, Timpanaro IS, Kenna KP, Zeng J, Tsao PS, Shaw PJ, Ichida JK, Cooper-Knock J, Snyder MP. Deep learning modeling of rare noncoding genetic variants in human motor neurons defines CCDC146 as a therapeutic target for ALS. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.03.30.24305115. [PMID: 38633814 PMCID: PMC11023684 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.30.24305115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal and incurable neurodegenerative disease caused by the selective and progressive death of motor neurons (MNs). Understanding the genetic and molecular factors influencing ALS survival is crucial for disease management and therapeutics. In this study, we introduce a deep learning-powered genetic analysis framework to link rare noncoding genetic variants to ALS survival. Using data from human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived MNs, this method prioritizes functional noncoding variants using deep learning, links cis-regulatory elements (CREs) to target genes using epigenomics data, and integrates these data through gene-level burden tests to identify survival-modifying variants, CREs, and genes. We apply this approach to analyze 6,715 ALS genomes, and pinpoint four novel rare noncoding variants associated with survival, including chr7:76,009,472:C>T linked to CCDC146. CRISPR-Cas9 editing of this variant increases CCDC146 expression in iPSC-derived MNs and exacerbates ALS-specific phenotypes, including TDP-43 mislocalization. Suppressing CCDC146 with an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO), showing no toxicity, completely rescues ALS-associated survival defects in neurons derived from sporadic ALS patients and from carriers of the ALS-associated G4C2-repeat expansion within C9ORF72. ASO targeting of CCDC146 may be a broadly effective therapeutic approach for ALS. Our framework provides a generic and powerful approach for studying noncoding genetics of complex human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sai Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, Genetics Institute, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Genetics, Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- These authors contributed equally: Sai Zhang, Tobias Moll, and Jasper Rubin-Sigler
| | - Tobias Moll
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- These authors contributed equally: Sai Zhang, Tobias Moll, and Jasper Rubin-Sigler
| | - Jasper Rubin-Sigler
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- These authors contributed equally: Sai Zhang, Tobias Moll, and Jasper Rubin-Sigler
| | - Sharon Tu
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Shuya Li
- School of Engineering, Research Center for Industries of the Future, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Enming Yuan
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Information Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Menghui Liu
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Afreen Butt
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Calum Harvey
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Sarah Gornall
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Elham Alhalthli
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Allan Shaw
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Cleide Dos Santos Souza
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Laura Ferraiuolo
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Eran Hornstein
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Tatyana Shelkovnikova
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Charlotte H. van Dijk
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ilia S. Timpanaro
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Kevin P. Kenna
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jianyang Zeng
- School of Engineering, Research Center for Industries of the Future, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Philip S. Tsao
- VA Palo Alto Healthcare System, Palo Alto, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Pamela J. Shaw
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Justin K. Ichida
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Johnathan Cooper-Knock
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Michael P. Snyder
- Department of Genetics, Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
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21
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Van Schoor E, Strubbe D, Braems E, Weishaupt J, Ludolph AC, Van Damme P, Thal DR, Bercier V, Van Den Bosch L. TUBA4A downregulation as observed in ALS post-mortem motor cortex causes ALS-related abnormalities in zebrafish. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1340240. [PMID: 38463699 PMCID: PMC10921936 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1340240] [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: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Disease-associated variants of TUBA4A (alpha-tubulin 4A) have recently been identified in familial ALS. Interestingly, a downregulation of TUBA4A protein expression was observed in familial as well as sporadic ALS brain tissue. To investigate whether a decreased TUBA4A expression could be a driving factor in ALS pathogenesis, we assessed whether TUBA4A knockdown in zebrafish could recapitulate an ALS-like phenotype. For this, we injected an antisense oligonucleotide morpholino in zebrafish embryos targeting the zebrafish TUBA4A orthologue. An antibody against synaptic vesicle 2 was used to visualize motor axons in the spinal cord, allowing the analysis of embryonic ventral root projections. Motor behavior was assessed using the touch-evoked escape response. In post-mortem ALS motor cortex, we observed reduced TUBA4A levels. The knockdown of the zebrafish TUBA4A orthologue induced a motor axonopathy and a significantly disturbed motor behavior. Both phenotypes were dose-dependent and could be rescued by the addition of human wild-type TUBA4A mRNA. Thus, TUBA4A downregulation as observed in ALS post-mortem motor cortex could be modeled in zebrafish and induced a motor axonopathy and motor behavior defects reflecting a motor neuron disease phenotype, as previously described in embryonic zebrafish models of ALS. The rescue with human wild-type TUBA4A mRNA suggests functional conservation and strengthens the causal relation between TUBA4A protein levels and phenotype severity. Furthermore, the loss of TUBA4A induces significant changes in post-translational modifications of tubulin, such as acetylation, detyrosination and polyglutamylation. Our data unveil an important role for TUBA4A in ALS pathogenesis, and extend the relevance of TUBA4A to the majority of ALS patients, in addition to cases bearing TUBA4A mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelien Van Schoor
- Laboratory of Neuropathology, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven (University of Leuven) and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven (University of Leuven) and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium
- Center for Brain and Disease Research, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dufie Strubbe
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven (University of Leuven) and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium
- Center for Brain and Disease Research, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Elke Braems
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven (University of Leuven) and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium
- Center for Brain and Disease Research, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Albert C. Ludolph
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen, Ulm, Germany
| | - Philip Van Damme
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven (University of Leuven) and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium
- Center for Brain and Disease Research, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dietmar Rudolf Thal
- Laboratory of Neuropathology, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven (University of Leuven) and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Pathology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Valérie Bercier
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven (University of Leuven) and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium
- Center for Brain and Disease Research, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ludo Van Den Bosch
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven (University of Leuven) and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium
- Center for Brain and Disease Research, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
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22
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Cunha-Oliveira T, Montezinho L, Simões RF, Carvalho M, Ferreiro E, Silva FSG. Mitochondria: A Promising Convergent Target for the Treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Cells 2024; 13:248. [PMID: 38334639 PMCID: PMC10854804 DOI: 10.3390/cells13030248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive loss of motor neurons, for which current treatment options are limited. Recent studies have shed light on the role of mitochondria in ALS pathogenesis, making them an attractive therapeutic intervention target. This review contains a very comprehensive critical description of the involvement of mitochondria and mitochondria-mediated mechanisms in ALS. The review covers several key areas related to mitochondria in ALS, including impaired mitochondrial function, mitochondrial bioenergetics, reactive oxygen species, metabolic processes and energy metabolism, mitochondrial dynamics, turnover, autophagy and mitophagy, impaired mitochondrial transport, and apoptosis. This review also highlights preclinical and clinical studies that have investigated various mitochondria-targeted therapies for ALS treatment. These include strategies to improve mitochondrial function, such as the use of dichloroacetate, ketogenic and high-fat diets, acetyl-carnitine, and mitochondria-targeted antioxidants. Additionally, antiapoptotic agents, like the mPTP-targeting agents minocycline and rasagiline, are discussed. The paper aims to contribute to the identification of effective mitochondria-targeted therapies for ALS treatment by synthesizing the current understanding of the role of mitochondria in ALS pathogenesis and reviewing potential convergent therapeutic interventions. The complex interplay between mitochondria and the pathogenic mechanisms of ALS holds promise for the development of novel treatment strategies to combat this devastating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Cunha-Oliveira
- CNC—Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, CIBB—Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Liliana Montezinho
- Center for Investigation Vasco da Gama (CIVG), Escola Universitária Vasco da Gama, 3020-210 Coimbra, Portugal;
| | - Rui F. Simões
- CNC—Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, CIBB—Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Marcelo Carvalho
- CNC—Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, CIBB—Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Elisabete Ferreiro
- CNC—Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, CIBB—Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Filomena S. G. Silva
- CNC—Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, CIBB—Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- Mitotag Lda, Biocant Park, 3060-197 Cantanhede, Portugal
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23
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Liu ML, Ma S, Tai W, Zhong X, Ni H, Zou Y, Wang J, Zhang CL. Screens in aging-relevant human ALS-motor neurons identify MAP4Ks as therapeutic targets for the disease. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:4. [PMID: 38177100 PMCID: PMC10766628 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-06395-7] [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: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Effective therapeutics is much needed for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), an adult-onset neurodegenerative disease mainly affecting motor neurons. By screening chemical compounds in human patient-derived and aging-relevant motor neurons, we identify a neuroprotective compound and show that MAP4Ks may serve as therapeutic targets for treating ALS. The lead compound broadly improves survival and function of motor neurons directly converted from human ALS patients. Mechanistically, it works as an inhibitor of MAP4Ks, regulates the MAP4Ks-HDAC6-TUBA4A-RANGAP1 pathway, and normalizes subcellular distribution of RANGAP1 and TDP-43. Finally, in an ALS mouse model we show that inhibiting MAP4Ks preserves motor neurons and significantly extends animal lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Lu Liu
- Department of Molecular Biology, Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Shuaipeng Ma
- Department of Molecular Biology, Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Wenjiao Tai
- Department of Molecular Biology, Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Xiaoling Zhong
- Department of Molecular Biology, Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Haoqi Ni
- Department of Molecular Biology, Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Yuhua Zou
- Department of Molecular Biology, Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Jingcheng Wang
- Department of Molecular Biology, Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Chun-Li Zhang
- Department of Molecular Biology, Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
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24
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Eck RJ, Stair JG, Kraemer BC, Liachko NF. Simple models to understand complex disease: 10 years of progress from Caenorhabditis elegans models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Front Neurosci 2024; 17:1300705. [PMID: 38239833 PMCID: PMC10794587 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1300705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans are a powerful model system to study human disease, with numerous experimental advantages including significant genetic and cellular homology to vertebrate animals, a short lifespan, and tractable behavioral, molecular biology and imaging assays. Beginning with the identification of SOD1 as a genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), C. elegans have contributed to a deeper understanding of the mechanistic underpinnings of this devastating neurodegenerative disease. More recently this work has expanded to encompass models of other types of ALS and the related disease frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD-TDP), including those characterized by mutation or accumulation of the proteins TDP-43, C9orf72, FUS, HnRNPA2B1, ALS2, DCTN1, CHCHD10, ELP3, TUBA4A, CAV1, UBQLN2, ATXN3, TIA1, KIF5A, VAPB, GRN, and RAB38. In this review we summarize these models and the progress and insights from the last ten years of using C. elegans to study the neurodegenerative diseases ALS and FTLD-TDP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Randall J. Eck
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Jade G. Stair
- Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Brian C. Kraemer
- Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Nicole F. Liachko
- Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, United States
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25
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Pottinger TD, Motelow JE, Povysil G, Moreno CAM, Ren Z, Phatnani H, The New York Genome Center ALS Sequencing Consortium, Aitman TJ, Santoyo-Lopez J, Scottish Genomes Partnership, Mitsumoto H, ALS COSMOS Study Group, PLS COSMOS Study Group, GTAC Investigators, Goldstein DB, Harms MB. Rare variant analyses validate known ALS genes in a multi-ethnic population and identifies ANTXR2 as a candidate in PLS. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3721598. [PMID: 38196621 PMCID: PMC10775375 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3721598/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Background Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease affecting over 30,000 people in the United States. It is characterized by the progressive decline of the nervous system that leads to the weakening of muscles which impacts physical function. Approximately, 15% of individuals diagnosed with ALS have a known genetic variant that contributes to their disease. As therapies that slow or prevent symptoms, such as antisense oligonucleotides, continue to develop, it is important to discover novel genes that could be targets for treatment. Additionally, as cohorts continue to grow, performing analyses in ALS subtypes, such as primary lateral sclerosis (PLS), becomes possible due to an increase in power. These analyses could highlight novel pathways in disease manifestation. Methods Building on our previous discoveries using rare variant association analyses, we conducted rare variant burden testing on a substantially larger cohort of 6,970 ALS patients from a large multi-ethnic cohort as well as 166 PLS patients, and 22,524 controls. We used intolerant domain percentiles based on sub-region Residual Variation Intolerance Score (subRVIS) that have been described previously in conjunction with gene based collapsing approaches to conduct burden testing to identify genes that associate with ALS and PLS. Results A gene based collapsing model showed significant associations with SOD1, TARDBP, and TBK1 (OR=19.18, p = 3.67 × 10-39; OR=4.73, p = 2 × 10-10; OR=2.3, p = 7.49 × 10-9, respectively). These genes have been previously associated with ALS. Additionally, a significant novel control enriched gene, ALKBH3 (p = 4.88 × 10-7), was protective for ALS in this model. An intolerant domain based collapsing model showed a significant improvement in identifying regions in TARDBP that associated with ALS (OR=10.08, p = 3.62 × 10-16). Our PLS protein truncating variant collapsing analysis demonstrated significant case enrichment in ANTXR2 (p=8.38 × 10-6). Conclusions In a large multi-ethnic cohort of 6,970 ALS patients, rare variant burden testing validated known ALS genes and identified a novel potentially protective gene, ALKBH3. A first-ever analysis in 166 patients with PLS found a candidate association with loss-of-function mutations in ANTXR2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tess D. Pottinger
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Internal Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Joshua E. Motelow
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Gundula Povysil
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | | | - Zhong Ren
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Hemali Phatnani
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
- Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
- New York Genome Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | | | - Timothy J. Aitman
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland
| | | | | | - Hiroshi Mitsumoto
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | | | - David B. Goldstein
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Matthew B. Harms
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
- Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
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26
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Alassiri M, Al Sufiani F, Aljohi M, Alanazi A, Alhazmi AS, Alrfaei BM, Alnakhli H, Alshawakir YA, Alharby SM, Almubarak AY, Alasseiri M, Alorf N, Abdullah ML. PEPITEM Treatment Ameliorates EAE in Mice by Reducing CNS Inflammation, Leukocyte Infiltration, Demyelination, and Proinflammatory Cytokine Production. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17243. [PMID: 38139072 PMCID: PMC10743148 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417243] [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: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
To investigate the effect of the therapeutic treatment of the immunopeptide, peptide inhibitor of trans-endothelial migration (PEPITEM) on the severity of disease in a mouse model of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) as a model for human multiple sclerosis (MS), a series of experiments were conducted. Using C57BL/6 female mice, we dosed the PEPITEM in the EAE model via IP after observing the first sign of inflammation. The disease was induced using MOG35-55 and complete Freund's adjuvants augmented with pertussis toxin. The EAE score was recorded daily until the end of the experiment (21 days). The histological and immunohistochemistry analysis was conducted on the spinal cord sections. A Western blot analysis was performed to measure the protein concentration of MBP, MAP-2, and N-Cadherin, and ELISA kits were used to measure IL-17 and FOXP3 in the serum and spinal cord lysate. The therapeutic treatment with PEPITEM reduced the CNS infiltration of T cells, and decreased levels of the protein concertations of MBP, MAP-2, and N-Cadherin were observed, in addition to reduced concertations of IL-17 and FOXP3. Using PEPITEM alleviated the severity of the symptoms in the EAE model. Our study revealed the potential of PEPITEM to control inflammation in MS patients and to reduce the harmful effects of synthetic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Alassiri
- Department of Basic Sciences, College of Science and Health Professions, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Riyadh 11481, Saudi Arabia; (M.A.); (A.S.A.)
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC), Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs (MNGHA), Riyadh 11481, Saudi Arabia; (F.A.S.); (H.A.)
| | - Fahd Al Sufiani
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC), Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs (MNGHA), Riyadh 11481, Saudi Arabia; (F.A.S.); (H.A.)
| | - Mohammed Aljohi
- Healthy Aging Research Institute, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), Riyadh 11442, Saudi Arabia; (M.A.); (N.A.)
| | - Asma Alanazi
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC), Riyadh 11481, Saudi Arabia; (A.A.); (B.M.A.)
| | - Aiman Saud Alhazmi
- Department of Basic Sciences, College of Science and Health Professions, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Riyadh 11481, Saudi Arabia; (M.A.); (A.S.A.)
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC), Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs (MNGHA), Riyadh 11481, Saudi Arabia; (F.A.S.); (H.A.)
| | - Bahauddeen M. Alrfaei
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC), Riyadh 11481, Saudi Arabia; (A.A.); (B.M.A.)
- Department of Cellular Therapy and Cancer Research, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs (MNGHA), Riyadh 11481, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hasan Alnakhli
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC), Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs (MNGHA), Riyadh 11481, Saudi Arabia; (F.A.S.); (H.A.)
| | - Yasser A. Alshawakir
- Department of Experimental Surgery and Animal Laboratory, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh 12372, Saudi Arabia; (Y.A.A.); (S.M.A.); (A.Y.A.)
| | - Saleh M. Alharby
- Department of Experimental Surgery and Animal Laboratory, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh 12372, Saudi Arabia; (Y.A.A.); (S.M.A.); (A.Y.A.)
| | - Abdullah Y. Almubarak
- Department of Experimental Surgery and Animal Laboratory, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh 12372, Saudi Arabia; (Y.A.A.); (S.M.A.); (A.Y.A.)
| | - Mohammed Alasseiri
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Tabuk, Tabuk 47512, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Nora Alorf
- Healthy Aging Research Institute, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), Riyadh 11442, Saudi Arabia; (M.A.); (N.A.)
| | - Mashan L. Abdullah
- Department of Experimental Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs (MNGHA), Riyadh 11481, Saudi Arabia
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27
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Rizzuti M, Sali L, Melzi V, Scarcella S, Costamagna G, Ottoboni L, Quetti L, Brambilla L, Papadimitriou D, Verde F, Ratti A, Ticozzi N, Comi GP, Corti S, Gagliardi D. Genomic and transcriptomic advances in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Ageing Res Rev 2023; 92:102126. [PMID: 37972860 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.102126] [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: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder and the most common motor neuron disease. ALS shows substantial clinical and molecular heterogeneity. In vitro and in vivo models coupled with multiomic techniques have provided important contributions to unraveling the pathomechanisms underlying ALS. To date, despite promising results and accumulating knowledge, an effective treatment is still lacking. Here, we provide an overview of the literature on the use of genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics and microRNAs to deeply investigate the molecular mechanisms developing and sustaining ALS. We report the most relevant genes implicated in ALS pathogenesis, discussing the use of different high-throughput sequencing techniques and the role of epigenomic modifications. Furthermore, we present transcriptomic studies discussing the most recent advances, from microarrays to bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing. Finally, we discuss the use of microRNAs as potential biomarkers and promising tools for molecular intervention. The integration of data from multiple omic approaches may provide new insights into pathogenic pathways in ALS by shedding light on diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, helping to stratify patients into clinically relevant subgroups, revealing novel therapeutic targets and supporting the development of new effective therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mafalda Rizzuti
- Neurology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Luca Sali
- Neurology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Valentina Melzi
- Neurology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Simone Scarcella
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Dino Ferrari Center, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Gianluca Costamagna
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Dino Ferrari Center, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Linda Ottoboni
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Dino Ferrari Center, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Quetti
- Neurology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Brambilla
- Neurology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Federico Verde
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Dino Ferrari Center, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy; Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
| | - Antonia Ratti
- Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy; Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Nicola Ticozzi
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Dino Ferrari Center, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy; Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
| | - Giacomo Pietro Comi
- Neurology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy; Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Dino Ferrari Center, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy; Neuromuscular and Rare Diseases Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefania Corti
- Neurology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy; Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Dino Ferrari Center, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
| | - Delia Gagliardi
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Dino Ferrari Center, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
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28
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Diao L, Zheng W, Zhao Q, Liu M, Fu Z, Zhang X, Bao L, Cong Y. Cryo-EM of α-tubulin isotype-containing microtubules revealed a contracted structure of α4A/β2A microtubules. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2023; 55:1551-1560. [PMID: 37439022 PMCID: PMC10577476 DOI: 10.3724/abbs.2023130] [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: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Microtubules are hollow α/β-tubulin heterodimeric polymers that play critical roles in cells. In vertebrates, both α- and β-tubulins have multiple isotypes encoded by different genes, which are intrinsic factors in regulating microtubule functions. However, the structures of microtubules composed of different tubulin isotypes, especially α-tubulin isotypes, remain largely unknown. Here, we purify recombinant tubulin heterodimers composed of different mouse α-tubulin isotypes, including α1A, α1C and α4A, with the β-tubulin isotype β2A. We further assemble and determine the cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of α1A/β2A, α1C/β2A, and α4A/β2A microtubules. Our structural analysis demonstrates that α4A/β2A microtubules exhibit longitudinal contraction between tubulin interdimers compared with α1A/β2A and α1C/β2A microtubules. Collectively, our findings reveal that α-tubulin isotype composition can tune microtubule structures, and also provide evidence for the "tubulin code" hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Diao
- State Key Laboratory of Cell BiologyShanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell BiologyCenter for Excellence in Molecular Cell ScienceUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesChinese Academy of SciencesShanghai200031China
| | - Wei Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular BiologyShanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell BiologyCenter for Excellence in Molecular Cell ScienceUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesChinese Academy of SciencesShanghai200031China
| | - Qiaoyu Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular BiologyShanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell BiologyCenter for Excellence in Molecular Cell ScienceUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesChinese Academy of SciencesShanghai200031China
| | - Mingyi Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cell BiologyShanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell BiologyCenter for Excellence in Molecular Cell ScienceUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesChinese Academy of SciencesShanghai200031China
- School of Life Science and TechnologyShanghaiTech UniversityShanghai201210China
| | - Zhenglin Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular BiologyShanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell BiologyCenter for Excellence in Molecular Cell ScienceUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesChinese Academy of SciencesShanghai200031China
| | - Xu Zhang
- School of Life Science and TechnologyShanghaiTech UniversityShanghai201210China
- Shanghai Advanced Research InstituteChinese Academy of SciencesShanghai201210China
| | - Lan Bao
- State Key Laboratory of Cell BiologyShanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell BiologyCenter for Excellence in Molecular Cell ScienceUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesChinese Academy of SciencesShanghai200031China
- School of Life Science and TechnologyShanghaiTech UniversityShanghai201210China
| | - Yao Cong
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular BiologyShanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell BiologyCenter for Excellence in Molecular Cell ScienceUniversity of Chinese Academy of SciencesChinese Academy of SciencesShanghai200031China
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29
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Pottinger TD, Motelow JE, Povysil G, Moreno CAM, Ren Z, Phatnani H, The New York Genome Center ALS Sequencing Consortium, Aitman TJ, Santoyo-Lopez J, Scottish Genomes Partnership, Mitsumoto H, ALS COSMOS Study Group, PLS COSMOS Study Group, GTAC Investigators, Goldstein DB, Harms MB. Rare variant analyses validate known ALS genes in a multi-ethnic population and identifies ANTXR2 as a candidate in PLS. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.09.30.23296353. [PMID: 37873269 PMCID: PMC10593055 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.30.23296353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Background Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease affecting over 30,000 people in the United States. It is characterized by the progressive decline of the nervous system that leads to the weakening of muscles which impacts physical function. Approximately, 15% of individuals diagnosed with ALS have a known genetic variant that contributes to their disease. As therapies that slow or prevent symptoms, such as antisense oligonucleotides, continue to develop, it is important to discover novel genes that could be targets for treatment. Additionally, as cohorts continue to grow, performing analyses in ALS subtypes, such as primary lateral sclerosis (PLS), becomes possible due to an increase in power. These analyses could highlight novel pathways in disease manifestation. Methods Building on our previous discoveries using rare variant association analyses, we conducted rare variant burden testing on a substantially larger cohort of 6,970 ALS patients from a large multi-ethnic cohort as well as 166 PLS patients, and 22,524 controls. We used intolerant domain percentiles based on sub-region Residual Variation Intolerance Score (subRVIS) that have been described previously in conjunction with gene based collapsing approaches to conduct burden testing to identify genes that associate with ALS and PLS. Results A gene based collapsing model showed significant associations with SOD1, TARDBP, and TBK1 (OR=19.18, p = 3.67 × 10-39; OR=4.73, p = 2 × 10-10; OR=2.3, p = 7.49 × 10-9, respectively). These genes have been previously associated with ALS. Additionally, a significant novel control enriched gene, ALKBH3 (p = 4.88 × 10-7), was protective for ALS in this model. An intolerant domain based collapsing model showed a significant improvement in identifying regions in TARDBP that associated with ALS (OR=10.08, p = 3.62 × 10-16). Our PLS protein truncating variant collapsing analysis demonstrated significant case enrichment in ANTXR2 (p=8.38 × 10-6). Conclusions In a large multi-ethnic cohort of 6,970 ALS patients, rare variant burden testing validated known ALS genes and identified a novel potentially protective gene, ALKBH3. A first-ever analysis in 166 patients with PLS found a candidate association with loss-of-function mutations in ANTXR2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tess D. Pottinger
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Internal Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Joshua E. Motelow
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Gundula Povysil
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | | | - Zhong Ren
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Hemali Phatnani
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
- Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
- New York Genome Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | | | - Timothy J. Aitman
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland
| | | | | | - Hiroshi Mitsumoto
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | | | | | | | - David B. Goldstein
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Matthew B. Harms
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
- Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
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30
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McKenna ED, Sarbanes SL, Cummings SW, Roll-Mecak A. The Tubulin Code, from Molecules to Health and Disease. Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol 2023; 39:331-361. [PMID: 37843925 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-cellbio-030123-032748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Microtubules are essential dynamic polymers composed of α/β-tubulin heterodimers. They support intracellular trafficking, cell division, cellular motility, and other essential cellular processes. In many species, both α-tubulin and β-tubulin are encoded by multiple genes with distinct expression profiles and functionality. Microtubules are further diversified through abundant posttranslational modifications, which are added and removed by a suite of enzymes to form complex, stereotyped cellular arrays. The genetic and chemical diversity of tubulin constitute a tubulin code that regulates intrinsic microtubule properties and is read by cellular effectors, such as molecular motors and microtubule-associated proteins, to provide spatial and temporal specificity to microtubules in cells. In this review, we synthesize the rapidly expanding tubulin code literature and highlight limitations and opportunities for the field. As complex microtubule arrays underlie essential physiological processes, a better understanding of how cells employ the tubulin code has important implications for human disease ranging from cancer to neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth D McKenna
- Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, Porter Neuroscience Research Center, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, Maryland, USA;
| | - Stephanie L Sarbanes
- Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, Porter Neuroscience Research Center, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, Maryland, USA;
| | - Steven W Cummings
- Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, Porter Neuroscience Research Center, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, Maryland, USA;
| | - Antonina Roll-Mecak
- Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, Porter Neuroscience Research Center, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, Maryland, USA;
- Biochemistry and Biophysics Center, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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31
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Sferra A, Bertini E, Haase G. Editorial: Tubulinopathies: fundamental and clinical challenges. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1296958. [PMID: 37927444 PMCID: PMC10622744 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1296958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Sferra
- Unit of Neuromuscular Disorders, Translational Pediatrics and Clinical Genetics, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Enrico Bertini
- Unit of Neuromuscular Disorders, Translational Pediatrics and Clinical Genetics, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Georg Haase
- MPATHY Laboratory, Institute of Systems Neuroscience, U1106 INSERM & Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
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32
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Zhou J, Wang A, Song Y, Liu N, Wang J, Li Y, Liang X, Li G, Chu H, Wang HW. Structural insights into the mechanism of GTP initiation of microtubule assembly. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5980. [PMID: 37749104 PMCID: PMC10519996 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41615-w] [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: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
In eukaryotes, the dynamic assembly of microtubules (MT) plays an important role in numerous cellular processes. The underlying mechanism of GTP triggering MT assembly is still unknown. Here, we present cryo-EM structures of tubulin heterodimer at their GTP- and GDP-bound states, intermediate assembly states of GTP-tubulin, and final assembly stages of MT. Both GTP- and GDP-tubulin heterodimers adopt similar curved conformations with subtle flexibility differences. In head-to-tail oligomers of tubulin heterodimers, the inter-dimer interface of GDP-tubulin exhibits greater flexibility, particularly in tangential bending. Cryo-EM of the intermediate assembly states reveals two types of tubulin lateral contacts, "Tube-bond" and "MT-bond". Further, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations show that GTP triggers lateral contact formation in MT assembly in multiple sequential steps, gradually straightening the curved tubulin heterodimers. Therefore, we propose a flexible model of GTP-initiated MT assembly, including the formation of longitudinal and lateral contacts, to explain the nucleation and assembly of MT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ju Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structures, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Anhui Wang
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling and Design, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Reaction Dynamics, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Yinlong Song
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Nan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structures, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Jia Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structures, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Yan Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling and Design, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Reaction Dynamics, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Xin Liang
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Guohui Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling and Design, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Reaction Dynamics, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116023, China
| | - Huiying Chu
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling and Design, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Reaction Dynamics, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116023, China.
| | - Hong-Wei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
- Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
- Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structures, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
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Akçimen F, Lopez ER, Landers JE, Nath A, Chiò A, Chia R, Traynor BJ. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: translating genetic discoveries into therapies. Nat Rev Genet 2023; 24:642-658. [PMID: 37024676 PMCID: PMC10611979 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-023-00592-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
Recent advances in sequencing technologies and collaborative efforts have led to substantial progress in identifying the genetic causes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This momentum has, in turn, fostered the development of putative molecular therapies. In this Review, we outline the current genetic knowledge, emphasizing recent discoveries and emerging concepts such as the implication of distinct types of mutation, variability in mutated genes in diverse genetic ancestries and gene-environment interactions. We also propose a high-level model to synthesize the interdependent effects of genetics, environmental and lifestyle factors, and ageing into a unified theory of ALS. Furthermore, we summarize the current status of therapies developed on the basis of genetic knowledge established for ALS over the past 30 years, and we discuss how developing treatments for ALS will advance our understanding of targeting other neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fulya Akçimen
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Elia R Lopez
- Therapeutic Development Branch, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - John E Landers
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Avindra Nath
- Section of Infections of the Nervous System, National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Adriano Chiò
- Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, C.N.R, Rome, Italy
- Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Citta' della Salute e della Scienza, Turin, Italy
| | - Ruth Chia
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Bryan J Traynor
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
- Therapeutic Development Branch, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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Cao MC, Ryan B, Wu J, Curtis MA, Faull RLM, Dragunow M, Scotter EL. A panel of TDP-43-regulated splicing events verifies loss of TDP-43 function in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis brain tissue. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 185:106245. [PMID: 37527763 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
TDP-43 dysfunction is a molecular hallmark of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). A major hypothesis of TDP-43 dysfunction in disease is the loss of normal nuclear function, resulting in impaired RNA regulation and the emergence of cryptic exons. Cryptic exons and differential exon usage are emerging as promising markers of lost TDP-43 function in addition to revealing biological pathways involved in neurodegeneration in ALS/FTD. In this brief report, we identified markers of TDP-43 loss of function by depleting TARDBP from post-mortem human brain pericytes, a manipulable in vitro primary human brain cell model, and identifying differential exon usage events with bulk RNA-sequencing analysis. We present these data in an interactive database (https://www.scotterlab.auckland.ac.nz/research-themes/tdp43-lof-db-v2/) together with seven other TDP-43-depletion datasets we meta-analysed previously, for user analysis of differential expression and splicing signatures. Differential exon usage events that were validated by qPCR were then compiled into a 'differential exon usage panel' with other well-established TDP-43 loss-of-function exon markers. This differential exon usage panel was investigated in ALS and control motor cortex tissue to verify whether, and to what extent, TDP-43 loss of function occurs in ALS. We find that profiles of TDP-43-regulated cryptic exons, changed exon usage and changed 3' UTR usage discriminate ALS brain tissue from controls, verifying that TDP-43 loss of function occurs in ALS. We propose that TDP-43-regulated splicing events that occur in brain tissue will have promise as predictors of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maize C Cao
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Auckland, New Zealand; Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
| | - Brigid Ryan
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, University of Auckland, New Zealand; Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
| | - Jane Wu
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, University of Auckland, New Zealand; Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
| | - Maurice A Curtis
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, University of Auckland, New Zealand; Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
| | - Richard L M Faull
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, University of Auckland, New Zealand; Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
| | - Mike Dragunow
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Auckland, New Zealand; Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
| | - Emma L Scotter
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand; Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
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35
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Mann JR, McKenna ED, Mawrie D, Papakis V, Alessandrini F, Anderson EN, Mayers R, Ball HE, Kaspi E, Lubinski K, Baron DM, Tellez L, Landers JE, Pandey UB, Kiskinis E. Loss of function of the ALS-associated NEK1 kinase disrupts microtubule homeostasis and nuclear import. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadi5548. [PMID: 37585529 PMCID: PMC10431718 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adi5548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Loss-of-function variants in NIMA-related kinase 1 (NEK1) constitute a major genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), accounting for 2 to 3% of all cases. However, how NEK1 mutations cause motor neuron (MN) dysfunction is unknown. Using mass spectrometry analyses for NEK1 interactors and NEK1-dependent expression changes, we find functional enrichment for proteins involved in the microtubule cytoskeleton and nucleocytoplasmic transport. We show that α-tubulin and importin-β1, two key proteins involved in these processes, are phosphorylated by NEK1 in vitro. NEK1 is essential for motor control and survival in Drosophila models in vivo, while using several induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-MN models, including NEK1 knockdown, kinase inhibition, and a patient mutation, we find evidence for disruptions in microtubule homeostasis and nuclear import. Notably, stabilizing microtubules with two distinct classes of drugs restored NEK1-dependent deficits in both pathways. The capacity of NEK1 to modulate these processes that are critically involved in ALS pathophysiology renders this kinase a formidable therapeutic candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob R. Mann
- The Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Elizabeth D. McKenna
- The Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Darilang Mawrie
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA
| | - Vasileios Papakis
- The Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Francesco Alessandrini
- The Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Eric N. Anderson
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA
| | - Ryan Mayers
- The Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Hannah E. Ball
- The Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Evan Kaspi
- The Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Katherine Lubinski
- The Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Desiree M. Baron
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Liana Tellez
- The Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - John E. Landers
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Udai B. Pandey
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA
| | - Evangelos Kiskinis
- The Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- Simpson Querrey Institute, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
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36
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Bagyinszky E, Hulme J, An SSA. Studies of Genetic and Proteomic Risk Factors of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Inspire Biomarker Development and Gene Therapy. Cells 2023; 12:1948. [PMID: 37566027 PMCID: PMC10417729 DOI: 10.3390/cells12151948] [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: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an incurable neurodegenerative disease affecting the upper and lower motor neurons, leading to muscle weakness, motor impairments, disabilities and death. Approximately 5-10% of ALS cases are associated with positive family history (familial ALS or fALS), whilst the remainder are sporadic (sporadic ALS, sALS). At least 50 genes have been identified as causative or risk factors for ALS. Established pathogenic variants include superoxide dismutase type 1 (SOD1), chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (c9orf72), TAR DNA Binding Protein (TARDBP), and Fused In Sarcoma (FUS); additional ALS-related genes including Charged Multivesicular Body Protein 2B (CHMP2B), Senataxin (SETX), Sequestosome 1 (SQSTM1), TANK Binding Kinase 1 (TBK1) and NIMA Related Kinase 1 (NEK1), have been identified. Mutations in these genes could impair different mechanisms, including vesicle transport, autophagy, and cytoskeletal or mitochondrial functions. So far, there is no effective therapy against ALS. Thus, early diagnosis and disease risk predictions remain one of the best options against ALS symptomologies. Proteomic biomarkers, microRNAs, and extracellular vehicles (EVs) serve as promising tools for disease diagnosis or progression assessment. These markers are relatively easy to obtain from blood or cerebrospinal fluids and can be used to identify potential genetic causative and risk factors even in the preclinical stage before symptoms appear. In addition, antisense oligonucleotides and RNA gene therapies have successfully been employed against other diseases, such as childhood-onset spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), which could also give hope to ALS patients. Therefore, an effective gene and biomarker panel should be generated for potentially "at risk" individuals to provide timely interventions and better treatment outcomes for ALS patients as soon as possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Bagyinszky
- Graduate School of Environment Department of Industrial and Environmental Engineering, Gachon University, Seongnam-si 13120, Republic of Korea;
| | - John Hulme
- Graduate School of Environment Department of Industrial and Environmental Engineering, Gachon University, Seongnam-si 13120, Republic of Korea;
| | - Seong Soo A. An
- Department of Bionano Technology, Gachon University, Seongnam-si 13120, Republic of Korea
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37
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Smith G, Sweeney ST, O’Kane CJ, Prokop A. How neurons maintain their axons long-term: an integrated view of axon biology and pathology. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1236815. [PMID: 37564364 PMCID: PMC10410161 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1236815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Axons are processes of neurons, up to a metre long, that form the essential biological cables wiring nervous systems. They must survive, often far away from their cell bodies and up to a century in humans. This requires self-sufficient cell biology including structural proteins, organelles, and membrane trafficking, metabolic, signalling, translational, chaperone, and degradation machinery-all maintaining the homeostasis of energy, lipids, proteins, and signalling networks including reactive oxygen species and calcium. Axon maintenance also involves specialised cytoskeleton including the cortical actin-spectrin corset, and bundles of microtubules that provide the highways for motor-driven transport of components and organelles for virtually all the above-mentioned processes. Here, we aim to provide a conceptual overview of key aspects of axon biology and physiology, and the homeostatic networks they form. This homeostasis can be derailed, causing axonopathies through processes of ageing, trauma, poisoning, inflammation or genetic mutations. To illustrate which malfunctions of organelles or cell biological processes can lead to axonopathies, we focus on axonopathy-linked subcellular defects caused by genetic mutations. Based on these descriptions and backed up by our comprehensive data mining of genes linked to neural disorders, we describe the 'dependency cycle of local axon homeostasis' as an integrative model to explain why very different causes can trigger very similar axonopathies, providing new ideas that can drive the quest for strategies able to battle these devastating diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaynor Smith
- Cardiff University, School of Medicine, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Sean T. Sweeney
- Department of Biology, University of York and York Biomedical Research Institute, York, United Kingdom
| | - Cahir J. O’Kane
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Andreas Prokop
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, School of Biology, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
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38
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Liu ML, Ma S, Tai W, Zhong X, Ni H, Zou Y, Wang J, Zhang CL. Chemical screens in aging-relevant human motor neurons identify MAP4Ks as therapeutic targets for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.24.538014. [PMID: 37162962 PMCID: PMC10168247 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.24.538014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Effective therapeutics is much needed for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), an adult-onset neurodegenerative disease mainly affecting motor neurons. By screening chemical compounds in human patient-derived and aging-relevant motor neurons, we identify a neuroprotective compound and show that MAP4Ks may serve as therapeutic targets for treating ALS. The lead compound broadly improves survival and function of motor neurons directly converted from human ALS patients. Mechanistically, it works as an inhibitor of MAP4Ks, regulates the MAP4Ks-HDAC6-TUBA4A-RANGAP1 pathway, and normalizes subcellular distribution of RANGAP1 and TDP-43. Finally, in an ALS mouse model we show that inhibiting MAP4Ks preserves motor neurons and significantly extends animal lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Lu Liu
- Department of Molecular Biology, Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Shuaipeng Ma
- Department of Molecular Biology, Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Wenjiao Tai
- Department of Molecular Biology, Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Xiaoling Zhong
- Department of Molecular Biology, Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Haoqi Ni
- Department of Molecular Biology, Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Yuhua Zou
- Department of Molecular Biology, Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Jingcheng Wang
- Department of Molecular Biology, Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Chun-Li Zhang
- Department of Molecular Biology, Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
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39
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Stump AL, Rioux DJ, Albright R, Melki GL, Prosser DC. Yeast Models of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Type 8 Mimic Phenotypes Seen in Mammalian Cells Expressing Mutant VAPB P56S. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1147. [PMID: 37509182 PMCID: PMC10377116 DOI: 10.3390/biom13071147] [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: 05/14/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a complex neurodegenerative disease that results in the loss of motor neurons and can occur sporadically or due to genetic mutations. Among the 30 genes linked to familial ALS, a P56S mutation in VAPB, an ER-resident protein that functions at membrane contact sites, causes ALS type 8. Mammalian cells expressing VAPBP56S have distinctive phenotypes, including ER collapse, protein and/or membrane-containing inclusions, and sensitivity to ER stress. VAPB is conserved through evolution and has two homologs in budding yeast, SCS2 and SCS22. Previously, a humanized version of SCS2 bearing disease-linked mutations was described, and it caused Scs2-containing inclusions when overexpressed in yeast. Here, we describe a yeast model for ALS8 in which the two SCS genes are deleted and replaced with a single chromosomal copy of either wild-type or mutant yeast SCS2 or human VAPB expressed from the SCS2 promoter. These cells display ER collapse, the formation of inclusion-like structures, and sensitivity to tunicamycin, an ER stress-inducing drug. Based on the phenotypic similarity to mammalian cells expressing VAPBP56S, we propose that these models can be used to study the molecular basis of cell death or dysfunction in ALS8. Moreover, other conserved ALS-linked genes may create opportunities for the generation of yeast models of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- AnnaMari L. Stump
- Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
- VCU Life Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
| | - Daniel J. Rioux
- Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
- VCU Life Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
| | - Richard Albright
- Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
| | - Guiliano L. Melki
- Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
| | - Derek C. Prosser
- Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
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40
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Fu G, Yan S, Khoo CJ, Chao VC, Liu Z, Mukhi M, Hervas R, Li XD, Ti SC. Integrated regulation of tubulin tyrosination and microtubule stability by human α-tubulin isotypes. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112653. [PMID: 37379209 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112653] [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: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Tubulin isotypes are critical for the functions of cellular microtubules, which exhibit different stability and harbor various post-translational modifications. However, how tubulin isotypes determine the activities of regulators for microtubule stability and modifications remains unknown. Here, we show that human α4A-tubulin, a conserved genetically detyrosinated α-tubulin isotype, is a poor substrate for enzymatic tyrosination. To examine the stability of microtubules reconstituted with defined tubulin compositions, we develop a strategy to site-specifically label recombinant human tubulin for single-molecule TIRF microscopy-based in vitro assays. The incorporation of α4A-tubulin into the microtubule lattice stabilizes the polymers from passive and MCAK-stimulated depolymerization. Further characterization reveals that the compositions of α-tubulin isotypes and tyrosination/detyrosination states allow graded control for the microtubule binding and the depolymerization activities of MCAK. Together, our results uncover the tubulin isotype-dependent enzyme activity for an integrated regulation of α-tubulin tyrosination/detyrosination states and microtubule stability, two well-correlated features of cellular microtubules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoling Fu
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Shan Yan
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Chen Jing Khoo
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Victor C Chao
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Zheng Liu
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Mayur Mukhi
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Rubén Hervas
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Xiang David Li
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Shih-Chieh Ti
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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41
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Zocchi R, Bellacchio E, Piccione M, Scardigli R, D’Oria V, Petrini S, Baranano K, Bertini E, Sferra A. Novel loss of function mutation in TUBA1A gene compromises tubulin stability and proteostasis causing spastic paraplegia and ataxia. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1162363. [PMID: 37435044 PMCID: PMC10332271 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1162363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Microtubules are dynamic cytoskeletal structures involved in several cellular functions, such as intracellular trafficking, cell division and motility. More than other cell types, neurons rely on the proper functioning of microtubules to conduct their activities and achieve complex morphologies. Pathogenic variants in genes encoding for α and β-tubulins, the structural subunits of microtubules, give rise to a wide class of neurological disorders collectively known as "tubulinopathies" and mainly involving a wide and overlapping range of brain malformations resulting from defective neuronal proliferation, migration, differentiation and axon guidance. Although tubulin mutations have been classically linked to neurodevelopmental defects, growing evidence demonstrates that perturbations of tubulin functions and activities may also drive neurodegeneration. In this study, we causally link the previously unreported missense mutation p.I384N in TUBA1A, one of the neuron-specific α-tubulin isotype I, to a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive spastic paraplegia and ataxia. We demonstrate that, in contrast to the p.R402H substitution, which is one of the most recurrent TUBA1A pathogenic variants associated to lissencephaly, the present mutation impairs TUBA1A stability, reducing the abundance of TUBA1A available in the cell and preventing its incorporation into microtubules. We also show that the isoleucine at position 384 is an amino acid residue, which is critical for α-tubulin stability, since the introduction of the p.I384N substitution in three different tubulin paralogs reduces their protein level and assembly into microtubules, increasing their propensity to aggregation. Moreover, we demonstrate that the inhibition of the proteasome degradative systems increases the protein levels of TUBA1A mutant, promoting the formation of tubulin aggregates that, as their size increases, coalesce into inclusions that precipitate within the insoluble cellular fraction. Overall, our data describe a novel pathogenic effect of p.I384N mutation that differs from the previously described substitutions in TUBA1A, and expand both phenotypic and mutational spectrum related to this gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Zocchi
- Unit of Neuromuscular Disorders, Translational Pediatrics and Clinical Genetics, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Emanuele Bellacchio
- Molecular Genetics and Functional Genomics Research Unit, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Michela Piccione
- Research Laboratories, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCSS, Rome, Italy
| | - Raffaella Scardigli
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Institute of Translational Pharmacology (IFT), Rome, Italy
- European Brain Research Institute (EBRI) “Rita Levi-Montalcini,” Rome, Italy
| | - Valentina D’Oria
- Research Laboratories, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCSS, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefania Petrini
- Research Laboratories, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCSS, Rome, Italy
| | - Kristin Baranano
- Department of Neurology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Enrico Bertini
- Unit of Neuromuscular Disorders, Translational Pediatrics and Clinical Genetics, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonella Sferra
- Unit of Neuromuscular Disorders, Translational Pediatrics and Clinical Genetics, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
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42
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Atkins M, Nicol X, Fassier C. Microtubule remodelling as a driving force of axon guidance and pruning. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2023; 140:35-53. [PMID: 35710759 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.05.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
The establishment of neuronal connectivity relies on the microtubule (MT) cytoskeleton, which provides mechanical support, roads for axonal transport and mediates signalling events. Fine-tuned spatiotemporal regulation of MT functions by tubulin post-translational modifications and MT-associated proteins is critical for the coarse wiring and subsequent refinement of neuronal connectivity. The defective regulation of these processes causes a wide range of neurodevelopmental disorders associated with connectivity defects. This review focuses on recent studies unravelling how MT composition, post-translational modifications and associated proteins influence MT functions in axon guidance and/or pruning to build functional neuronal circuits. We here summarise experimental evidence supporting the key role of this network as a driving force for growth cone steering and branch-specific axon elimination. We further provide a global overview of the MT-interactors that tune developing axon behaviours, with a special emphasis on their emerging versatility in the regulation of MT dynamics/structure. Recent studies establishing the key and highly selective role of the tubulin code in the regulation of MT functions in axon pathfinding are also reported. Finally, our review highlights the emerging molecular links between these MT regulation processes and guidance signals that wire the nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melody Atkins
- INSERM, UMR-S 1270, Institut du Fer à Moulin, Sorbonne Université, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Xavier Nicol
- Institut de la Vision, Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, F-75012 Paris, France
| | - Coralie Fassier
- Institut de la Vision, Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, F-75012 Paris, France.
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43
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Chen Z, Reynolds RH, Pardiñas AF, Gagliano Taliun SA, van Rheenen W, Lin K, Shatunov A, Gustavsson EK, Fogh I, Jones AR, Robberecht W, Corcia P, Chiò A, Shaw PJ, Morrison KE, Veldink JH, van den Berg LH, Shaw CE, Powell JF, Silani V, Hardy JA, Houlden H, Owen MJ, Turner MR, Ryten M, Al-Chalabi A. The contribution of Neanderthal introgression and natural selection to neurodegenerative diseases. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 180:106082. [PMID: 36925053 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106082] [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: 10/15/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Humans are thought to be more susceptible to neurodegeneration than equivalently-aged primates. It is not known whether this vulnerability is specific to anatomically-modern humans or shared with other hominids. The contribution of introgressed Neanderthal DNA to neurodegenerative disorders remains uncertain. It is also unclear how common variants associated with neurodegenerative disease risk are maintained by natural selection in the population despite their deleterious effects. In this study, we aimed to quantify the genome-wide contribution of Neanderthal introgression and positive selection to the heritability of complex neurodegenerative disorders to address these questions. We used stratified-linkage disequilibrium score regression to investigate the relationship between five SNP-based signatures of natural selection, reflecting different timepoints of evolution, and genome-wide associated variants of the three most prevalent neurodegenerative disorders: Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Parkinson's disease. We found no evidence for enrichment of positively-selected SNPs in the heritability of Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Parkinson's disease, suggesting that common deleterious disease variants are unlikely to be maintained by positive selection. There was no enrichment of Neanderthal introgression in the SNP-heritability of these disorders, suggesting that Neanderthal admixture is unlikely to have contributed to disease risk. These findings provide insight into the origins of neurodegenerative disorders within the evolution of Homo sapiens and addresses a long-standing debate, showing that Neanderthal admixture is unlikely to have contributed to common genetic risk of neurodegeneration in anatomically-modern humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongbo Chen
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London (UCL), London, UK; Department of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, UCL, London, UK; NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, UCL, London, UK.
| | - Regina H Reynolds
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, UCL, London, UK; NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, UCL, London, UK
| | - Antonio F Pardiñas
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Sarah A Gagliano Taliun
- Department of Medicine & Department of Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Montréal Heart Institute, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Wouter van Rheenen
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Kuang Lin
- Nuffield Department of Population Health, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
| | - Aleksey Shatunov
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Emil K Gustavsson
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, UCL, London, UK; NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, UCL, London, UK
| | - Isabella Fogh
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Ashley R Jones
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Wim Robberecht
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Research Institute for Neuroscience and Disease, Leuven, Belgium; Vesalius Research Center, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Philippe Corcia
- ALS Center, Department of Neurology, CHRU Bretonneau, Tours, France
| | - Adriano Chiò
- Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, ALS Centre, University of Torino, Turin, Italy; Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza, Torino, Italy
| | - Pamela J Shaw
- Academic Neurology Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Karen E Morrison
- School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Jan H Veldink
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Leonard H van den Berg
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Christopher E Shaw
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - John F Powell
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Vincenzo Silani
- Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milano, Italy; Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Dino Ferrari Center, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milano, Italy
| | - John A Hardy
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London (UCL), London, UK; Reta Lila Weston Institute, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London, UK; NIHR University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre, London, UK; Institute for Advanced Study, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Henry Houlden
- Department of Neuromuscular Disease, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London, UK
| | - Michael J Owen
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Martin R Turner
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
| | - Mina Ryten
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, UCL, London, UK; NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, UCL, London, UK
| | - Ammar Al-Chalabi
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
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Andersen J, Thom N, Shadrach JL, Chen X, Onesto MM, Amin ND, Yoon SJ, Li L, Greenleaf WJ, Müller F, Pașca AM, Kaltschmidt JA, Pașca SP. Single-cell transcriptomic landscape of the developing human spinal cord. Nat Neurosci 2023; 26:902-914. [PMID: 37095394 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01311-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
Abstract
Understanding spinal cord assembly is essential to elucidate how motor behavior is controlled and how disorders arise. The human spinal cord is exquisitely organized, and this complex organization contributes to the diversity and intricacy of motor behavior and sensory processing. But how this complexity arises at the cellular level in the human spinal cord remains unknown. Here we transcriptomically profiled the midgestation human spinal cord with single-cell resolution and discovered remarkable heterogeneity across and within cell types. Glia displayed diversity related to positional identity along the dorso-ventral and rostro-caudal axes, while astrocytes with specialized transcriptional programs mapped into white and gray matter subtypes. Motor neurons clustered at this stage into groups suggestive of alpha and gamma neurons. We also integrated our data with multiple existing datasets of the developing human spinal cord spanning 22 weeks of gestation to investigate the cell diversity over time. Together with mapping of disease-related genes, this transcriptomic mapping of the developing human spinal cord opens new avenues for interrogating the cellular basis of motor control in humans and guides human stem cell-based models of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jimena Andersen
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Stanford Brain Organogenesis, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Nicholas Thom
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Stanford Brain Organogenesis, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Xiaoyu Chen
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Stanford Brain Organogenesis, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Massimo Mario Onesto
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Stanford Brain Organogenesis, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford, CA, USA
- Neurosciences Graduate Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Neal D Amin
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Stanford Brain Organogenesis, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Se-Jin Yoon
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Stanford Brain Organogenesis, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Li Li
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - William J Greenleaf
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Applied Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Fabian Müller
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Center for Bioinformatics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Anca M Pașca
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Sergiu P Pașca
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Stanford Brain Organogenesis, Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford, CA, USA.
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Li Q, Zhao L, Zeng Y, Kuang Y, Guan Y, Chen B, Xu S, Tang B, Wu L, Mao X, Sun X, Shi J, Xu P, Diao F, Xue S, Bao S, Meng Q, Yuan P, Wang W, Ma N, Song D, Xu B, Dong J, Mu J, Zhang Z, Fan H, Gu H, Li Q, He L, Jin L, Wang L, Sang Q. Large-scale analysis of de novo mutations identifies risk genes for female infertility characterized by oocyte and early embryo defects. Genome Biol 2023; 24:68. [PMID: 37024973 PMCID: PMC10080761 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-023-02894-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Oocyte maturation arrest and early embryonic arrest are important reproductive phenotypes resulting in female infertility and cause the recurrent failure of assisted reproductive technology (ART). However, the genetic etiologies of these female infertility-related phenotypes are poorly understood. Previous studies have mainly focused on inherited mutations based on large pedigrees or consanguineous patients. However, the role of de novo mutations (DNMs) in these phenotypes remains to be elucidated. RESULTS To decipher the role of DNMs in ART failure and female infertility with oocyte and embryo defects, we explore the landscape of DNMs in 473 infertile parent-child trios and identify a set of 481 confident DNMs distributed in 474 genes. Gene ontology analysis reveals that the identified genes with DNMs are enriched in signaling pathways associated with female reproductive processes such as meiosis, embryonic development, and reproductive structure development. We perform functional assays on the effects of DNMs in a representative gene Tubulin Alpha 4a (TUBA4A), which shows the most significant enrichment of DNMs in the infertile parent-child trios. DNMs in TUBA4A disrupt the normal assembly of the microtubule network in HeLa cells, and microinjection of DNM TUBA4A cRNAs causes abnormalities in mouse oocyte maturation or embryo development, suggesting the pathogenic role of these DNMs in TUBA4A. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest novel genetic insights that DNMs contribute to female infertility with oocyte and embryo defects. This study also provides potential genetic markers and facilitates the genetic diagnosis of recurrent ART failure and female infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qun Li
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, the Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, the State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Lin Zhao
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, the Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, the State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yang Zeng
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, the Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, the State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yanping Kuang
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Shanghai Ninth Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Yichun Guan
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Biaobang Chen
- NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies), Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Shiru Xu
- Fertility Center, Shenzhen Zhongshan Urology Hospital, Shenzhen, 518001, Guangdong, China
| | - Bin Tang
- Reproductive Medicine Center, The First People's Hospital of Changde City, Changde, 415000, China
| | - Ling Wu
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Shanghai Ninth Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Xiaoyan Mao
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Shanghai Ninth Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Xiaoxi Sun
- Shanghai Ji Ai Genetics and IVF Institute, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Juanzi Shi
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Northwest Women's and Children's Hospital, Xi'an, 710000, China
| | - Peng Xu
- Hainan Jinghua Hejing Hospital for Reproductive Medicine, Haikou, 570125, China
| | - Feiyang Diao
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Jiangsu Province Hospital, Nanjing, 210036, China
| | - Songguo Xue
- Reproductive Medicine Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shihua Bao
- Department of Reproductive Immunology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201204, China
| | - Qingxia Meng
- Center for Reproduction and Genetics, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, 215000, China
| | - Ping Yuan
- IVF Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Wenjun Wang
- IVF Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Ning Ma
- Reproductive Medical Center, Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital of Hainan Province, Haikou, 570206, Hainan Province, China
| | - Di Song
- Naval Medical University, Changhai Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Bei Xu
- Reproductive Medicine Centre, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Jie Dong
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, the Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, the State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jian Mu
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, the Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, the State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Zhihua Zhang
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, the Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, the State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Huizhen Fan
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, the Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, the State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Hao Gu
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, the Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, the State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Qiaoli Li
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, the Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, the State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Lin He
- Bio-X Center, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Li Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, the Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, the State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Qing Sang
- Institute of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, the Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, the State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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van Hummel A, Sabale M, Przybyla M, van der Hoven J, Chan G, Feiten AF, Chung RS, Ittner LM, Ke YD. TDP-43 pathology and functional deficits in wild-type and ALS/FTD mutant cyclin F mouse models. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 2023; 49:e12902. [PMID: 36951214 PMCID: PMC10946706 DOI: 10.1111/nan.12902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
AIMS Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterised by a progressive loss of upper and lower motor neurons leading to muscle weakness and eventually death. Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) presents clinically with significant behavioural decline. Approximately 10% of cases have a known family history, and disease-linked mutations in multiple genes have been identified in FTD and ALS. More recently, ALS and FTD-linked variants have been identified in the CCNF gene, which accounts for an estimated 0.6% to over 3% of familial ALS cases. METHODS In this study, we developed the first mouse models expressing either wild-type (WT) human CCNF or its mutant pathogenic variant S621G to recapitulate key clinical and neuropathological features of ALS and FTD linked to CCNF disease variants. We expressed human CCNF WT or CCNFS621G throughout the murine brain by intracranial delivery of adeno-associated virus (AAV) to achieve widespread delivery via somatic brain transgenesis. RESULTS These mice developed behavioural abnormalities, similar to the clinical symptoms of FTD patients, as early as 3 months of age, including hyperactivity and disinhibition, which progressively deteriorated to include memory deficits by 8 months of age. Brains of mutant CCNF_S621G mice displayed an accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins with elevated levels of phosphorylated TDP-43 present in both CCNF_WT and mutant CCNF_S621G mice. We also investigated the effects of CCNF expression on interaction targets of CCNF and found elevated levels of insoluble splicing factor proline and glutamine-rich (SFPQ). Furthermore, cytoplasmic TDP-43 inclusions were found in both CCNF_WT and mutant CCNF_S621G mice, recapitulating the key hallmark of FTD/ALS pathology. CONCLUSIONS In summary, CCNF expression in mice reproduces clinical presentations of ALS, including functional deficits and TDP-43 neuropathology with altered CCNF-mediated pathways contributing to the pathology observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika van Hummel
- Dementia Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human SciencesMacquarie UniversitySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Miheer Sabale
- Dementia Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human SciencesMacquarie UniversitySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Magdalena Przybyla
- Dementia Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human SciencesMacquarie UniversitySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Julia van der Hoven
- Dementia Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human SciencesMacquarie UniversitySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Gabriella Chan
- Dementia Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human SciencesMacquarie UniversitySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Astrid F. Feiten
- Biomedical Center (BMC), Division of Metabolic Biochemistry, Faculty of MedicineLudwig‐Maximilians‐Universität MünchenMunich81377Germany
| | - Roger S. Chung
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human SciencesMacquarie UniversitySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Lars M. Ittner
- Dementia Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human SciencesMacquarie UniversitySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Yazi D. Ke
- Dementia Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human SciencesMacquarie UniversitySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
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Tantry MSA, Santhakumar K. Insights on the Role of α- and β-Tubulin Isotypes in Early Brain Development. Mol Neurobiol 2023; 60:3803-3823. [PMID: 36943622 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03302-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/05/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
Tubulins are the highly conserved subunit of microtubules which involve in various fundamental functions including brain development. Microtubules help in neuronal proliferation, migration, differentiation, cargo transport along the axons, synapse formation, and many more. Tubulin gene family consisting of multiple isotypes, their differential expression and varied post translational modifications create a whole new level of complexity and diversity in accomplishing manifold neuronal functions. The studies on the relation between tubulin genes and brain development opened a new avenue to understand the role of each tubulin isotype in neurodevelopment. Mutations in tubulin genes are reported to cause brain development defects especially cortical malformations, referred as tubulinopathies. There is an increased need to understand the molecular correlation between various tubulin mutations and the associated brain pathology. Recently, mutations in tubulin isotypes (TUBA1A, TUBB, TUBB1, TUBB2A, TUBB2B, TUBB3, and TUBG1) have been linked to cause various neurodevelopmental defects like lissencephaly, microcephaly, cortical dysplasia, polymicrogyria, schizencephaly, subcortical band heterotopia, periventricular heterotopia, corpus callosum agenesis, and cerebellar hypoplasia. This review summarizes on the microtubule dynamics, their role in neurodevelopment, tubulin isotypes, post translational modifications, and the role of tubulin mutations in causing specific neurodevelopmental defects. A comprehensive list containing all the reported tubulin pathogenic variants associated with brain developmental defects has been prepared to give a bird's eye view on the broad range of tubulin functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- M S Ananthakrishna Tantry
- Department of Genetic Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, 603203, India
| | - Kirankumar Santhakumar
- Department of Genetic Engineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, 603203, India.
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48
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Suzuki N, Nishiyama A, Warita H, Aoki M. Genetics of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: seeking therapeutic targets in the era of gene therapy. J Hum Genet 2023; 68:131-152. [PMID: 35691950 PMCID: PMC9968660 DOI: 10.1038/s10038-022-01055-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an intractable disease that causes respiratory failure leading to mortality. The main locus of ALS is motor neurons. The success of antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapy in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a motor neuron disease, has triggered a paradigm shift in developing ALS therapies. The causative genes of ALS and disease-modifying genes, including those of sporadic ALS, have been identified one after another. Thus, the freedom of target choice for gene therapy has expanded by ASO strategy, leading to new avenues for therapeutic development. Tofersen for superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) was a pioneer in developing ASO for ALS. Improving protocols and devising early interventions for the disease are vital. In this review, we updated the knowledge of causative genes in ALS. We summarized the genetic mutations identified in familial ALS and their clinical features, focusing on SOD1, fused in sarcoma (FUS), and transacting response DNA-binding protein. The frequency of the C9ORF72 mutation is low in Japan, unlike in Europe and the United States, while SOD1 and FUS are more common, indicating that the target mutations for gene therapy vary by ethnicity. A genome-wide association study has revealed disease-modifying genes, which could be the novel target of gene therapy. The current status and prospects of gene therapy development were discussed, including ethical issues. Furthermore, we discussed the potential of axonal pathology as new therapeutic targets of ALS from the perspective of early intervention, including intra-axonal transcription factors, neuromuscular junction disconnection, dysregulated local translation, abnormal protein degradation, mitochondrial pathology, impaired axonal transport, aberrant cytoskeleton, and axon branching. We simultaneously discuss important pathological states of cell bodies: persistent stress granules, disrupted nucleocytoplasmic transport, and cryptic splicing. The development of gene therapy based on the elucidation of disease-modifying genes and early intervention in molecular pathology is expected to become an important therapeutic strategy in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Suzuki
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan.
| | - Ayumi Nishiyama
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Warita
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan
| | - Masashi Aoki
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan.
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49
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Ganne A, Balasubramaniam M, Ayyadevara H, Kiaei L, Shmookler Reis RJ, Varughese KI, Kiaei M. In silico analysis of TUBA4A mutations in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis to define mechanisms of microtubule disintegration. Sci Rep 2023; 13:2096. [PMID: 36747013 PMCID: PMC9902468 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28381-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an inexorably progressive and degenerative disorder of motor neurons with no currently-known cure. Studies to determine the mechanism of neurotoxicity and the impact of ALS-linked mutations (SOD1, FUS, TARDP, C9ORF72, PFN1, TUBA4A and others) have greatly expanded our knowledge of ALS disease mechanisms and have helped to identify potential targets for ALS therapy. Cellular pathologies (e.g., aggregation of mutant forms of SOD1, TDP43, FUS, Ubiqulin2, PFN1, and C9ORF72), mitochondrial dysfunction, neuroinflammation, and oxidative damage are major pathways implicated in ALS. Nevertheless, the selective vulnerability of motor neurons remains unexplained. The importance of tubulins for long-axon infrastructure, and the special morphology and function of motor neurons, underscore the central role of the cytoskeleton. The recent linkage of mutations to the tubulin α chain, TUBA4A, to familial and sporadic cases of ALS provides a new investigative opportunity to shed light on both mechanisms of ALS and the vulnerability of motor neurons. In the current study we investigate TUBA4A, a structural microtubule protein with mutations causal to familial ALS, using molecular-dynamic (MD) modeling of protein structure to predict the effects of each mutation and its overall impact on GTP binding, chain stability, tubulin assembly, and aggregation propensity. These studies predict that each of the reported mutations will cause notable structural changes to the TUBA4A (α chain) tertiary protein structure, adversely affecting its physical properties and functions. Molecular docking and MD simulations indicate certain α chain mutations (e.g. K430N, R215C, and W407X) may cause structural deviations that impair GTP binding, and plausibly prevent or destabilize tubulin polymerization. Furthermore, several mutations (including R320C and K430N) confer a significant increase in predicted aggregation propensity of TUBA4A mutants relative to wild-type. Taken together, these in silico modeling studies predict structural perturbations and disruption of GTP binding, culminating in failure to form a stable tubulin heterocomplex, which may furnish an important pathogenic mechanism to trigger motor neuron degeneration in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akshatha Ganne
- Department of Geriatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA
| | - Meenakshisundaram Balasubramaniam
- Department of Geriatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA.,Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare Service, McClellan Veterans Medical Center, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA.,SiBioLead, LLC, Little Rock, AR, 72207, USA
| | | | - Lily Kiaei
- University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.,RockGen Therapeutics, LLC, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA
| | - Robert J Shmookler Reis
- Department of Geriatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA.,Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare Service, McClellan Veterans Medical Center, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA.,SiBioLead, LLC, Little Rock, AR, 72207, USA
| | - Kottayil I Varughese
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA
| | - Mahmoud Kiaei
- RockGen Therapeutics, LLC, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA. .,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA. .,Department of Neurology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W. Markham St., Slot 611 (BioMed 1, Rm B-306A), Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA.
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50
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Zocchi R, Compagnucci C, Bertini E, Sferra A. Deciphering the Tubulin Language: Molecular Determinants and Readout Mechanisms of the Tubulin Code in Neurons. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032781. [PMID: 36769099 PMCID: PMC9917122 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Microtubules (MTs) are dynamic components of the cell cytoskeleton involved in several cellular functions, such as structural support, migration and intracellular trafficking. Despite their high similarity, MTs have functional heterogeneity that is generated by the incorporation into the MT lattice of different tubulin gene products and by their post-translational modifications (PTMs). Such regulations, besides modulating the tubulin composition of MTs, create on their surface a "biochemical code" that is translated, through the action of protein effectors, into specific MT-based functions. This code, known as "tubulin code", plays an important role in neuronal cells, whose highly specialized morphologies and activities depend on the correct functioning of the MT cytoskeleton and on its interplay with a myriad of MT-interacting proteins. In recent years, a growing number of mutations in genes encoding for tubulins, MT-interacting proteins and enzymes that post-translationally modify MTs, which are the main players of the tubulin code, have been linked to neurodegenerative processes or abnormalities in neural migration, differentiation and connectivity. Nevertheless, the exact molecular mechanisms through which the cell writes and, downstream, MT-interacting proteins decipher the tubulin code are still largely uncharted. The purpose of this review is to describe the molecular determinants and the readout mechanisms of the tubulin code, and briefly elucidate how they coordinate MT behavior during critical neuronal events, such as neuron migration, maturation and axonal transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Zocchi
- Unit of Neuromuscular Disorders, Translational Pediatrics and Clinical Genetics, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, 00146 Rome, Italy
| | - Claudia Compagnucci
- Molecular Genetics and Functional Genomics, Bambino Gesù Children’s Research Hospital, IRCCS, 00146 Rome, Italy
| | - Enrico Bertini
- Unit of Neuromuscular Disorders, Translational Pediatrics and Clinical Genetics, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, 00146 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence: (E.B.); or (A.S.); Tel.: +39-06-6859-2104 (E.B. & A.S.)
| | - Antonella Sferra
- Unit of Neuromuscular Disorders, Translational Pediatrics and Clinical Genetics, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, 00146 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence: (E.B.); or (A.S.); Tel.: +39-06-6859-2104 (E.B. & A.S.)
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