1
|
Lin CC, Fang KC, Balbo I, Liang TY, Liu CW, Liu WC, Wang YM, Hung YL, Yang KC, Geng SK, Ni CL, Driscoll CP, Ruff DS, Kumar A, Amokrane N, Desai N, Faust PL, Louis ED, Kuo SH, Pan MK. Reduced cerebellar rhythm by climbing fiber denervation is linked to motor rhythm deficits in mice and ataxia severity in patients. Sci Transl Med 2025; 17:eadk3922. [PMID: 40009696 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adk3922] [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: 08/19/2023] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/04/2025] [Indexed: 02/28/2025]
Abstract
Cerebellar ataxia results from various genetic and nongenetic disorders and is characterized by involuntary movements that impair precision and motor rhythm. Here, we report that climbing fiber (CF) denervation is a common pathophysiology underlying motor rhythm loss in cerebellar ataxia. By examining cerebellar pathology in patients with spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) types 1, 2, and 6 and multiple system atrophy, we identified CF degeneration with synaptic loss as a shared pathophysiology. Optogenetic silencing of CF synaptic activity in mice induced ataxia-like motor dysfunctions and loss of motor precision. In addition, CF silencing resulted in cerebellar and motor rhythm loss, another core feature of ataxia. This rhythm loss was predominantly CF dependent and resistant to Purkinje cell-specific lesioning by diphtheria toxin. Correspondingly, two patients with inferior olive pathology, the brain site that provides CFs to Purkinje cells, presented with ataxia and cerebellar rhythm loss. Patients with genetic or nongenetic cerebellar ataxia exhibited cerebellar rhythm loss that correlated with the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia. Chemogenetic stimulation of CFs improved cerebellar and motor rhythms as well as motor performance in the SCA type 1 mouse model of ataxia. These results suggest that CF-dependent cerebellar rhythm loss occurs across different types of cerebellar ataxia, contributing to motor imprecision and motor rhythm loss, two defining features of ataxia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Chun Lin
- Ataxia Center, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Neurology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Initiative for Columbia Ataxia and Tremor, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Ke-Chu Fang
- Department and Graduate Institute of Pharmacology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei 10051, Taiwan
- Molecular Imaging Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106038, Taiwan
| | - Ilaria Balbo
- Department of Neurology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Initiative for Columbia Ataxia and Tremor, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Ting-Yu Liang
- Department and Graduate Institute of Pharmacology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei 10051, Taiwan
- Molecular Imaging Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106038, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 10002, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Wei Liu
- Department and Graduate Institute of Pharmacology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei 10051, Taiwan
- Molecular Imaging Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106038, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Chuan Liu
- Department and Graduate Institute of Pharmacology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei 10051, Taiwan
- Molecular Imaging Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106038, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 10002, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Mei Wang
- Cerebellar Research Center, National Taiwan University Hospital, Yun-Lin Branch, Yun-Lin 64041, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Ling Hung
- Department and Graduate Institute of Pharmacology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei 10051, Taiwan
| | - Kai-Chien Yang
- Department and Graduate Institute of Pharmacology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei 10051, Taiwan
| | - Scott Kun Geng
- Department of Computer Science, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Chun-Lun Ni
- Department of Neurology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Initiative for Columbia Ataxia and Tremor, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Christopher P Driscoll
- Department of Neurology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Initiative for Columbia Ataxia and Tremor, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - David S Ruff
- Department of Neurology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Initiative for Columbia Ataxia and Tremor, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Ami Kumar
- Department of Neurology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Initiative for Columbia Ataxia and Tremor, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Nadia Amokrane
- Department of Neurology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Initiative for Columbia Ataxia and Tremor, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Natasha Desai
- Department of Neurology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Initiative for Columbia Ataxia and Tremor, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Phyllis L Faust
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Elan D Louis
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Sheng-Han Kuo
- Department of Neurology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Initiative for Columbia Ataxia and Tremor, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Ming-Kai Pan
- Department and Graduate Institute of Pharmacology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei 10051, Taiwan
- Molecular Imaging Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106038, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 10002, Taiwan
- Cerebellar Research Center, National Taiwan University Hospital, Yun-Lin Branch, Yun-Lin 64041, Taiwan
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
- Research Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10638, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Imani Farahani N, Lin L, Nazir S, Naderi A, Rokos L, McIntosh AR, Julian LM. Advances in physiological and clinical relevance of hiPSC-derived brain models for precision medicine pipelines. Front Cell Neurosci 2025; 18:1478572. [PMID: 39835290 PMCID: PMC11743572 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1478572] [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: 08/10/2024] [Accepted: 12/13/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2025] Open
Abstract
Precision, or personalized, medicine aims to stratify patients based on variable pathogenic signatures to optimize the effectiveness of disease prevention and treatment. This approach is favorable in the context of brain disorders, which are often heterogeneous in their pathophysiological features, patterns of disease progression and treatment response, resulting in limited therapeutic standard-of-care. Here we highlight the transformative role that human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived neural models are poised to play in advancing precision medicine for brain disorders, particularly emerging innovations that improve the relevance of hiPSC models to human physiology. hiPSCs derived from accessible patient somatic cells can produce various neural cell types and tissues; current efforts to increase the complexity of these models, incorporating region-specific neural tissues and non-neural cell types of the brain microenvironment, are providing increasingly relevant insights into human-specific neurobiology. Continued advances in tissue engineering combined with innovations in genomics, high-throughput screening and imaging strengthen the physiological relevance of hiPSC models and thus their ability to uncover disease mechanisms, therapeutic vulnerabilities, and tissue and fluid-based biomarkers that will have real impact on neurological disease treatment. True physiological understanding, however, necessitates integration of hiPSC-neural models with patient biophysical data, including quantitative neuroimaging representations. We discuss recent innovations in cellular neuroscience that can provide these direct connections through generative AI modeling. Our focus is to highlight the great potential of synergy between these emerging innovations to pave the way for personalized medicine becoming a viable option for patients suffering from neuropathologies, particularly rare epileptic and neurodegenerative disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Negin Imani Farahani
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
- Centre for Cell Biology, Development, and Disease, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
- Institute for Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Lisa Lin
- Centre for Cell Biology, Development, and Disease, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
- Institute for Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Shama Nazir
- Centre for Cell Biology, Development, and Disease, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
- Institute for Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Alireza Naderi
- Centre for Cell Biology, Development, and Disease, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
- Institute for Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Leanne Rokos
- Institute for Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Anthony Randal McIntosh
- Institute for Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Lisa M. Julian
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
- Centre for Cell Biology, Development, and Disease, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
- Institute for Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Fagan KJ, Chillon G, Carrell EM, Waxman EA, Davidson BL. Cas9 editing of ATXN1 in a spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 mice and human iPSC-derived neurons. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2024; 35:102317. [PMID: 39314800 PMCID: PMC11417534 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2024.102317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 08/29/2024] [Indexed: 09/25/2024]
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) is an adult-onset neurodegenerative disease caused by an expansion of the CAG repeat region of the ATXN1 gene. Currently there are no disease-modifying treatments; however, previous work has shown the potential of gene therapy, specifically RNAi, as a potential modality. Cas9 editing offers potential for these patients but has yet to be evaluated in SCA1 models. To test this, we first characterized the number of transgenes harbored in the common B05 mouse model of SCA1. Despite having five copies of the human mutant transgene, a 20% reduction of ATXN1 improved behavior deficits without increases in inflammatory markers. Importantly, the editing approach was confirmed in induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) neurons derived from patients with SCA1, promoting the translatability of the approach to patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kelly J. Fagan
- Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Group, Biomedical Graduate Studies, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Guillem Chillon
- Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Bioengineering Graduate Program, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ellie M. Carrell
- Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Elisa A. Waxman
- Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Center for Epilepsy and NeuroDevelopmental Disorders (ENDD), The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Beverly L. Davidson
- Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Center for Epilepsy and NeuroDevelopmental Disorders (ENDD), The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Miclăuș M, Balmus G. CRISPR-Cas9-directed gene therapy for spinocerebellar ataxia type 1. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2024; 35:102377. [PMID: 39629115 PMCID: PMC11613173 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2024.102377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/06/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Mihai Miclăuș
- UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0AH, UK
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Transylvanian Institute of Neuroscience, 400191 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Gabriel Balmus
- UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0AH, UK
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0AH, UK
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Transylvanian Institute of Neuroscience, 400191 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Morrison LM, Huang H, Handler HP, Fu M, Jones DM, Bushart DD, Pappas SS, Orr HT, Shakkottai VG. Increased intrinsic membrane excitability is associated with olivary hypertrophy in spinocerebellar ataxia type 1. Hum Mol Genet 2024; 33:2159-2176. [PMID: 39475127 PMCID: PMC11630738 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddae146] [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: 06/17/2024] [Revised: 09/25/2024] [Accepted: 10/03/2024] [Indexed: 11/06/2024] Open
Abstract
One of the characteristic regions of brainstem degeneration across multiple spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) is the inferior olive (IO), a medullary nucleus that plays a key role in motor learning. The vulnerability of IO neurons remains a poorly-understood area of SCA pathology. In this work, we address this by evaluating IO disease in SCA1, a prototypic inherited olivopontocerebellar atrophy, using the genetically-precise SCA1 knock-in (SCA1-KI) mouse. We find that these mice exhibit olivary hypertrophy, a phenotype reminiscent of a degenerative disorder known as hypertrophic olivary degeneration (HOD). Similar to early stages of HOD, SCA1-KI IO neurons display early dendritic lengthening and later somatic expansion without frank cell loss. Though HOD is known to be caused by brainstem lesions that disrupt IO inhibitory innervation, we observe no loss of inhibitory terminals in the SCA1-KI IO. Additionally, we find that a separate mouse model of SCA1 in which mutant ATXN1 is expressed solely in cerebellar Purkinje cells shows no evidence of olivary hypertrophy. Patch-clamp recordings from brainstem slices indicate that SCA1-KI IO neurons are hyperexcitable, generating spike trains in response to membrane depolarization. Transcriptome analysis further reveals reduced medullary expression of ion channels responsible for IO neuron spike afterhyperpolarization (AHP)-a result that appears to have a functional consequence, as SCA1-KI IO neuron spikes exhibit a diminished AHP. These findings suggest that expression of mutant ATXN1 in IO neurons results in an HOD-like olivary hypertrophy, in association with increased intrinsic membrane excitability and ion channel transcriptional dysregulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Logan M Morrison
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States
- Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 6124 Harry Hines Blvd. Dallas, TX 75390, United States
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., TX 75390, United States
| | - Haoran Huang
- Medical Scientist Training Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, United States
- College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, United States
| | - Hillary P Handler
- Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory, University of Minnesota Fairview Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States
| | - Min Fu
- Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 6124 Harry Hines Blvd. Dallas, TX 75390, United States
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., TX 75390, United States
| | - Deborah M Jones
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., TX 75390, United States
| | - David D Bushart
- College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, United States
| | - Samuel S Pappas
- Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 6124 Harry Hines Blvd. Dallas, TX 75390, United States
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., TX 75390, United States
| | - Harry T Orr
- Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, 420 Delaware Street SE, MN 55455, United States
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States
| | - Vikram G Shakkottai
- Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 6124 Harry Hines Blvd. Dallas, TX 75390, United States
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., TX 75390, United States
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Ruiz I, Wiltrout K, Stredny C, Mahida S. CIC-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder: A Review of the Literature and an Expansion of Genotype and Phenotype. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:1425. [PMID: 39596625 PMCID: PMC11594087 DOI: 10.3390/genes15111425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2024] [Revised: 10/29/2024] [Accepted: 10/30/2024] [Indexed: 11/29/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genetic testing for neurodevelopmental disorders is now considered the standard of care for unexplained epilepsy as well as autism spectrum disorders, intellectual disability, and developmental delays with as many as 50% of individuals identified as having an underlying genetic etiology. Capicua (CIC) is a transcriptional repressor and is widely expressed among human brain tissue. Patients in the literature with pathogenic variants in CIC present with a broad spectrum of phenotypic abnormalities. Common features include epilepsy, developmental delay, intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, and MRI abnormalities amongst other neurodevelopmental symptoms. Variant type, age of onset, sex, and severity of manifestation also differ amongst probands. However, the full genotypic and phenotypic spectrum of CIC-related neurodevelopmental disorder has not been elucidated. METHODS Here we review patients reported in the literature with CIC variants and present two additional patients representing a novel genotype and phenotype. RESULTS Whole exome sequencing (WES) in this proband identified a novel paternally inherited likely pathogenic variant in CIC c.1526del p.(Pro509Hisfs*14). Both proband and father present with isolated epilepsy without other significant neurodevelopmental disorders. A review of the previous literature identified 20 individuals harboring CIC variants; the majority of these individuals present with a combination of neurodevelopmental features. Sixteen distinct variants were identified amongst these 20 patients. CONCLUSIONS This family represents an expansion of the genotypic and phenotypic spectrum of CIC-related neurodevelopmental disorder. This information may lead to clinically actionable management changes for future patients identified with CIC variants considering standard anti-epileptic medication-weaning protocols.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Ruiz
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (I.R.); (K.W.)
| | - Kimberly Wiltrout
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (I.R.); (K.W.)
- Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Coral Stredny
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (I.R.); (K.W.)
| | - Sonal Mahida
- Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (I.R.); (K.W.)
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Sheeler C, Labrada E, Duvick L, Thompson LM, Zhang Y, Orr HT, Cvetanovic M. Expanded ATXN1 alters transcription and calcium signaling in SCA1 human motor neurons differentiated from induced pluripotent stem cells. Neurobiol Dis 2024; 201:106673. [PMID: 39307401 PMCID: PMC11514977 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2024.106673] [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: 08/06/2024] [Revised: 09/12/2024] [Accepted: 09/16/2024] [Indexed: 10/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) is a dominantly inherited and lethal neurodegenerative disease caused by the abnormal expansion of CAG repeats in the ATAXIN-1 (ATXN1) gene. Pathological studies identified dysfunction and loss of motor neurons (MNs) in the brain stem and spinal cord, which are thought to contribute to premature lethality by affecting the swallowing and breathing of SCA1 patients. However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms of MN pathogenesis remain unknown. To study SCA1 pathogenesis in human MNs, we differentiated induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from SCA1 patients and their unaffected siblings into MNs. We examined proliferation of progenitor cells, neurite outgrowth, spontaneous and glutamate-induced calcium activity of SCA1 MNs to investigate cellular mechanisms of pathogenesis. RNA sequencing was then used to identify transcriptional alterations in iPSC-derived MN progenitors (pMNs) and MNs which could underlie functional changes in SCA1 MNs. We found significantly decreased spontaneous and evoked calcium activity and identified dysregulation of genes regulating calcium signaling in SCA1 MNs. These results indicate that expanded ATXN1 causes dysfunctional calcium signaling in human MNs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carrie Sheeler
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States of America; Genetics and Biochemistry Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Emmanuel Labrada
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States of America
| | - Lisa Duvick
- Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States of America
| | - Leslie M Thompson
- Departments of Psychiatry and Human Behavior and Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, United States of America
| | - Ying Zhang
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States of America
| | - Harry T Orr
- Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States of America; Department of Lab Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States of America
| | - Marija Cvetanovic
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States of America; Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States of America.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Nasello M, Zancan V, Reniè R, Romano S, Buscarinu MC, Ristori G, Salvetti M, Bellucci G. Co-existence of Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotien Antibody-associated Disease (MOGAD) and Spinocerebellar Ataxia type 1 (SCA1): A case report. Neurol Sci 2024; 45:4067-4070. [PMID: 38512530 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-024-07479-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Martina Nasello
- Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Centre for Experimental Neurological Therapies (CENTERS), Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Valeria Zancan
- Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Centre for Experimental Neurological Therapies (CENTERS), Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Roberta Reniè
- Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Centre for Experimental Neurological Therapies (CENTERS), Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Romano
- Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Centre for Experimental Neurological Therapies (CENTERS), Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Chiara Buscarinu
- Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Centre for Experimental Neurological Therapies (CENTERS), Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Ristori
- Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Centre for Experimental Neurological Therapies (CENTERS), Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Neuroimmunology Unit, Istituti Di Ricovero E Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Salvetti
- Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Centre for Experimental Neurological Therapies (CENTERS), Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
- Istituti Di Ricovero E Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Neurologico Mediterraneo Neuromed, Pozzilli, Italy.
| | - Gianmarco Bellucci
- Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Centre for Experimental Neurological Therapies (CENTERS), Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Doll S, Schweizer L, Bollwein C, Steiger K, Pfarr N, Walker M, Wörtler K, Knebel C, von Eisenhart-Rothe R, Hartmann W, Weichert W, Mann M, Kuhn PH, Specht K. Proteomic Characterization of Undifferentiated Small Round Cell Sarcomas With EWSR1 and CIC::DUX4 Translocations Reveals Diverging Tumor Biology and Distinct Diagnostic Markers. Mod Pathol 2024; 37:100511. [PMID: 38705279 DOI: 10.1016/j.modpat.2024.100511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Undifferentiated small round cell sarcomas (USRS) of bone and soft tissue are a group of tumors with heterogenic genomic alterations sharing similar morphology. In the present study, we performed a comparative large-scale proteomic analysis of USRS (n = 42) with diverse genomic translocations including classic Ewing sarcomas with EWSR1::FLI1 fusions (n = 24) or EWSR1::ERG fusions (n = 4), sarcomas with an EWSR1 rearrangement (n = 2), CIC::DUX4 fusion (n = 8), as well as tumors classified as USRS with no genetic data available (n = 4). Proteins extracted from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded pretherapeutic biopsies were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively using shotgun mass spectrometry (MS). More than 8000 protein groups could be quantified using data-independent acquisition. Unsupervised hierarchical cluster analysis based on proteomic data allowed stratification of the 42 cases into distinct groups reflecting the different molecular genotypes. Protein signatures that significantly correlated with the respective genomic translocations were identified and used to generate a heatmap of all 42 sarcomas with assignment of cases with unknown molecular genetic data to either the EWSR1- or CIC-rearranged groups. MS-based prediction of sarcoma subtypes was molecularly confirmed in 2 cases where next-generation sequencing was technically feasible. MS also detected proteins routinely used in the immunohistochemical approach for the differential diagnosis of USRS. BCL11B highly expressed in Ewing sarcomas, and BACH2 as well as ETS-1 highly expressed in CIC::DUX4-associated sarcomas, were among proteins identified by the present proteomic study, and were chosen for immunohistochemical confirmation of MS data in our study cohort. Differential expressions of these 3 markers in the 2 genetic groups were further validated in an independent cohort of n = 34 USRS. Finally, our proteomic results point toward diverging signaling pathways in the different USRS subgroups.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sophia Doll
- Department of Proteomics and Signal Transduction, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Bavaria, Germany; OmicEra Diagnostics GmbH, Planegg, Bavaria, Germany
| | - Lisa Schweizer
- Department of Proteomics and Signal Transduction, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Bavaria, Germany
| | | | - Katja Steiger
- Institute of Pathology, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Nicole Pfarr
- Institute of Pathology, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Maria Walker
- Institute of Pathology, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Klaus Wörtler
- Musculoskeletal Radiology Section, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Carolin Knebel
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | | | | | - Wilko Weichert
- Institute of Pathology, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner-site Munich and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Matthias Mann
- Department of Proteomics and Signal Transduction, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Bavaria, Germany
| | - Peer-Hendrik Kuhn
- Institute of Pathology, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Katja Specht
- Institute of Pathology, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Rajan-Babu IS, Dolzhenko E, Eberle MA, Friedman JM. Sequence composition changes in short tandem repeats: heterogeneity, detection, mechanisms and clinical implications. Nat Rev Genet 2024; 25:476-499. [PMID: 38467784 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-024-00696-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Short tandem repeats (STRs) are a class of repetitive elements, composed of tandem arrays of 1-6 base pair sequence motifs, that comprise a substantial fraction of the human genome. STR expansions can cause a wide range of neurological and neuromuscular conditions, known as repeat expansion disorders, whose age of onset, severity, penetrance and/or clinical phenotype are influenced by the length of the repeats and their sequence composition. The presence of non-canonical motifs, depending on the type, frequency and position within the repeat tract, can alter clinical outcomes by modifying somatic and intergenerational repeat stability, gene expression and mutant transcript-mediated and/or protein-mediated toxicities. Here, we review the diverse structural conformations of repeat expansions, technological advances for the characterization of changes in sequence composition, their clinical correlations and the impact on disease mechanisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Indhu-Shree Rajan-Babu
- Department of Medical Genetics, The University of British Columbia, and Children's & Women's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
| | | | | | - Jan M Friedman
- Department of Medical Genetics, The University of British Columbia, and Children's & Women's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Cui ZT, Mao ZT, Yang R, Li JJ, Jia SS, Zhao JL, Zhong FT, Yu P, Dong M. Spinocerebellar ataxias: from pathogenesis to recent therapeutic advances. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1422442. [PMID: 38894941 PMCID: PMC11185097 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1422442] [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: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia is a phenotypically and genetically heterogeneous group of autosomal dominant-inherited degenerative disorders. The gene mutation spectrum includes dynamic expansions, point mutations, duplications, insertions, and deletions of varying lengths. Dynamic expansion is the most common form of mutation. Mutations often result in indistinguishable clinical phenotypes, thus requiring validation using multiple genetic testing techniques. Depending on the type of mutation, the pathogenesis may involve proteotoxicity, RNA toxicity, or protein loss-of-function. All of which may disrupt a range of cellular processes, such as impaired protein quality control pathways, ion channel dysfunction, mitochondrial dysfunction, transcriptional dysregulation, DNA damage, loss of nuclear integrity, and ultimately, impairment of neuronal function and integrity which causes diseases. Many disease-modifying therapies, such as gene editing technology, RNA interference, antisense oligonucleotides, stem cell technology, and pharmacological therapies are currently under clinical trials. However, the development of curative approaches for genetic diseases remains a global challenge, beset by technical, ethical, and other challenges. Therefore, the study of the pathogenesis of spinocerebellar ataxia is of great importance for the sustained development of disease-modifying molecular therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Ting Cui
- Department of Neurology and Neuroscience Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Zong-Tao Mao
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Rong Yang
- Department of Neurology and Neuroscience Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jia-Jia Li
- Department of Neurology and Neuroscience Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Shan-Shan Jia
- Department of Neurology and Neuroscience Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jian-Li Zhao
- Department of Neurology and Neuroscience Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Fang-Tian Zhong
- Department of Neurology and Neuroscience Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Peng Yu
- Department of Ophthalmology, the Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Ming Dong
- Department of Neurology and Neuroscience Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Bonsor M, Ammar O, Schnoegl S, Wanker EE, Silva Ramos E. Polyglutamine disease proteins: Commonalities and differences in interaction profiles and pathological effects. Proteomics 2024; 24:e2300114. [PMID: 38615323 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.202300114] [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: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Currently, nine polyglutamine (polyQ) expansion diseases are known. They include spinocerebellar ataxias (SCA1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 17), spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA), dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy (DRPLA), and Huntington's disease (HD). At the root of these neurodegenerative diseases are trinucleotide repeat mutations in coding regions of different genes, which lead to the production of proteins with elongated polyQ tracts. While the causative proteins differ in structure and molecular mass, the expanded polyQ domains drive pathogenesis in all these diseases. PolyQ tracts mediate the association of proteins leading to the formation of protein complexes involved in gene expression regulation, RNA processing, membrane trafficking, and signal transduction. In this review, we discuss commonalities and differences among the nine polyQ proteins focusing on their structure and function as well as the pathological features of the respective diseases. We present insights from AlphaFold-predicted structural models and discuss the biological roles of polyQ-containing proteins. Lastly, we explore reported protein-protein interaction networks to highlight shared protein interactions and their potential relevance in disease development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Megan Bonsor
- Department of Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Orchid Ammar
- Department of Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sigrid Schnoegl
- Department of Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Erich E Wanker
- Department of Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Eduardo Silva Ramos
- Department of Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Homma H, Yoshioka Y, Fujita K, Shirai S, Hama Y, Komano H, Saito Y, Yabe I, Okano H, Sasaki H, Tanaka H, Okazawa H. Dynamic molecular network analysis of iPSC-Purkinje cells differentiation delineates roles of ISG15 in SCA1 at the earliest stage. Commun Biol 2024; 7:413. [PMID: 38594382 PMCID: PMC11003991 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06066-z] [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: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Better understanding of the earliest molecular pathologies of all neurodegenerative diseases is expected to improve human therapeutics. We investigated the earliest molecular pathology of spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1), a rare familial neurodegenerative disease that primarily induces death and dysfunction of cerebellum Purkinje cells. Extensive prior studies have identified involvement of transcription or RNA-splicing factors in the molecular pathology of SCA1. However, the regulatory network of SCA1 pathology, especially central regulators of the earliest developmental stages and inflammatory events, remains incompletely understood. Here, we elucidated the earliest developmental pathology of SCA1 using originally developed dynamic molecular network analyses of sequentially acquired RNA-seq data during differentiation of SCA1 patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to Purkinje cells. Dynamic molecular network analysis implicated histone genes and cytokine-relevant immune response genes at the earliest stages of development, and revealed relevance of ISG15 to the following degradation and accumulation of mutant ataxin-1 in Purkinje cells of SCA1 model mice and human patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hidenori Homma
- Department of Neuropathology, Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45, Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan
| | - Yuki Yoshioka
- Department of Neuropathology, Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45, Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan
| | - Kyota Fujita
- Department of Neuropathology, Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45, Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takaramachi, Kanazawa-shi, Ishikawa, 920-8640, Japan
| | - Shinichi Shirai
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 15, Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 060-8638, Japan
| | - Yuka Hama
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 15, Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 060-8638, Japan
| | - Hajime Komano
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
| | - Yuko Saito
- Department of Neuropathology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, 35-2 Sakae-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, 173-0015, Japan
| | - Ichiro Yabe
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 15, Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 060-8638, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Okano
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
| | - Hidenao Sasaki
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 15, Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 060-8638, Japan
| | - Hikari Tanaka
- Department of Neuropathology, Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45, Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan.
| | - Hitoshi Okazawa
- Department of Neuropathology, Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45, Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8510, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Gullulu O, Ozcelik E, Tuzlakoglu Ozturk M, Karagoz MS, Tazebay UH. A multi-faceted approach to unravel coding and non-coding gene fusions and target chimeric proteins in ataxia. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024:1-21. [PMID: 38411012 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2024.2321510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Ataxia represents a heterogeneous group of neurodegenerative disorders characterized by a loss of balance and coordination, often resulting from mutations in genes vital for cerebellar function and maintenance. Recent advances in genomics have identified gene fusion events as critical contributors to various cancers and neurodegenerative diseases. However, their role in ataxia pathogenesis remains largely unexplored. Our study Hdelved into this possibility by analyzing RNA sequencing data from 1443 diverse samples, including cell and mouse models, patient samples, and healthy controls. We identified 7067 novel gene fusions, potentially pivotal in disease onset. These fusions, notably in-frame, could produce chimeric proteins, disrupt gene regulation, or introduce new functions. We observed conservation of specific amino acids at fusion breakpoints and identified potential aggregate formations in fusion proteins, known to contribute to ataxia. Through AI-based protein structure prediction, we identified topological changes in three high-confidence fusion proteins-TEN1-ACOX1, PEX14-NMNAT1, and ITPR1-GRID2-which could potentially alter their functions. Subsequent virtual drug screening identified several molecules and peptides with high-affinity binding to fusion sites. Molecular dynamics simulations confirmed the stability of these protein-ligand complexes at fusion breakpoints. Additionally, we explored the role of non-coding RNA fusions as miRNA sponges. One such fusion, RP11-547P4-FLJ33910, showed strong interaction with hsa-miR-504-5p, potentially acting as its sponge. This interaction correlated with the upregulation of hsa-miR-504-5p target genes, some previously linked to ataxia. In conclusion, our study unveils new aspects of gene fusions in ataxia, suggesting their significant role in pathogenesis and opening avenues for targeted therapeutic interventions.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Omer Gullulu
- Department of Structural Biology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Emrah Ozcelik
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Gebze Technical University, Gebze, Kocaeli, Turkey
- Central Research Laboratory (GTU-MAR), Gebze Technical University, Gebze, Kocaeli, Turkey
| | - Merve Tuzlakoglu Ozturk
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Gebze Technical University, Gebze, Kocaeli, Turkey
- Central Research Laboratory (GTU-MAR), Gebze Technical University, Gebze, Kocaeli, Turkey
| | - Mustafa Safa Karagoz
- Institut für Mikrobiologie, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
- Biochemistry and Biophysics Center, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Uygar Halis Tazebay
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Gebze Technical University, Gebze, Kocaeli, Turkey
- Central Research Laboratory (GTU-MAR), Gebze Technical University, Gebze, Kocaeli, Turkey
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Pilotto F, Del Bondio A, Puccio H. Hereditary Ataxias: From Bench to Clinic, Where Do We Stand? Cells 2024; 13:319. [PMID: 38391932 PMCID: PMC10886822 DOI: 10.3390/cells13040319] [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: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Cerebellar ataxias are a wide heterogeneous group of movement disorders. Within this broad umbrella of diseases, there are both genetics and sporadic forms. The clinical presentation of these conditions can exhibit a diverse range of symptoms across different age groups, spanning from pure cerebellar manifestations to sensory ataxia and multisystemic diseases. Over the last few decades, advancements in our understanding of genetics and molecular pathophysiology related to both dominant and recessive ataxias have propelled the field forward, paving the way for innovative therapeutic strategies aimed at preventing and arresting the progression of these diseases. Nevertheless, the rarity of certain forms of ataxia continues to pose challenges, leading to limited insights into the etiology of the disease and the identification of target pathways. Additionally, the lack of suitable models hampers efforts to comprehensively understand the molecular foundations of disease's pathophysiology and test novel therapeutic interventions. In the following review, we describe the epidemiology, symptomatology, and pathological progression of hereditary ataxia, including both the prevalent and less common forms of these diseases. Furthermore, we illustrate the diverse molecular pathways and therapeutic approaches currently undergoing investigation in both pre-clinical studies and clinical trials. Finally, we address the existing and anticipated challenges within this field, encompassing both basic research and clinical endeavors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Hélène Puccio
- Institut Neuromyogène, Pathophysiology and Genetics of Neuron and Muscle, Inserm U1315, CNRS-Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 UMR5261, 69008 Lyon, France
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Tejwani L, Ravindra NG, Lee C, Cheng Y, Nguyen B, Luttik K, Ni L, Zhang S, Morrison LM, Gionco J, Xiang Y, Yoon J, Ro H, Haidery F, Grijalva RM, Bae E, Kim K, Martuscello RT, Orr HT, Zoghbi HY, McLoughlin HS, Ranum LPW, Shakkottai VG, Faust PL, Wang S, van Dijk D, Lim J. Longitudinal single-cell transcriptional dynamics throughout neurodegeneration in SCA1. Neuron 2024; 112:362-383.e15. [PMID: 38016472 PMCID: PMC10922326 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.10.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegeneration is a protracted process involving progressive changes in myriad cell types that ultimately results in the death of vulnerable neuronal populations. To dissect how individual cell types within a heterogeneous tissue contribute to the pathogenesis and progression of a neurodegenerative disorder, we performed longitudinal single-nucleus RNA sequencing of mouse and human spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) cerebellar tissue, establishing continuous dynamic trajectories of each cell population. Importantly, we defined the precise transcriptional changes that precede loss of Purkinje cells and, for the first time, identified robust early transcriptional dysregulation in unipolar brush cells and oligodendroglia. Finally, we applied a deep learning method to predict disease state accurately and identified specific features that enable accurate distinction of wild-type and SCA1 cells. Together, this work reveals new roles for diverse cerebellar cell types in SCA1 and provides a generalizable analysis framework for studying neurodegeneration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leon Tejwani
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
| | - Neal G Ravindra
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Department of Computer Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Changwoo Lee
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Yubao Cheng
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Billy Nguyen
- University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Kimberly Luttik
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Luhan Ni
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Shupei Zhang
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Logan M Morrison
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - John Gionco
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center and the New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Yangfei Xiang
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | | | - Hannah Ro
- Yale College, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | | | - Rosalie M Grijalva
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | | | - Kristen Kim
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Regina T Martuscello
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center and the New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Harry T Orr
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Huda Y Zoghbi
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Hayley S McLoughlin
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2200, USA
| | - Laura P W Ranum
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for Neurogenetics, College of Medicine, Genetics Institute, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Vikram G Shakkottai
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Phyllis L Faust
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center and the New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Siyuan Wang
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Department of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
| | - David van Dijk
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Department of Computer Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
| | - Janghoo Lim
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Wu Tsai Institute, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Shorrock HK, Lennon CD, Aliyeva A, Davey EE, DeMeo CC, Pritchard CE, Planco L, Velez JM, Mascorro-Huamancaja A, Shin DS, Cleary JD, Berglund JA. Widespread alternative splicing dysregulation occurs presymptomatically in CAG expansion spinocerebellar ataxias. Brain 2024; 147:486-504. [PMID: 37776516 PMCID: PMC10834251 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad329] [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: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) are a group of dominantly inherited neurodegenerative diseases, several of which are caused by CAG expansion mutations (SCAs 1, 2, 3, 6, 7 and 12) and more broadly belong to the large family of over 40 microsatellite expansion diseases. While dysregulation of alternative splicing is a well defined driver of disease pathogenesis across several microsatellite diseases, the contribution of alternative splicing in CAG expansion SCAs is poorly understood. Furthermore, despite extensive studies on differential gene expression, there remains a gap in our understanding of presymptomatic transcriptomic drivers of disease. We sought to address these knowledge gaps through a comprehensive study of 29 publicly available RNA-sequencing datasets. We identified that dysregulation of alternative splicing is widespread across CAG expansion mouse models of SCAs 1, 3 and 7. These changes were detected presymptomatically, persisted throughout disease progression, were repeat length-dependent, and were present in brain regions implicated in SCA pathogenesis including the cerebellum, pons and medulla. Across disease progression, changes in alternative splicing occurred in genes that function in pathways and processes known to be impaired in SCAs, such as ion channels, synaptic signalling, transcriptional regulation and the cytoskeleton. We validated several key alternative splicing events with known functional consequences, including Trpc3 exon 9 and Kcnma1 exon 23b, in the Atxn1154Q/2Q mouse model. Finally, we demonstrated that alternative splicing dysregulation is responsive to therapeutic intervention in CAG expansion SCAs with Atxn1 targeting antisense oligonucleotide rescuing key splicing events. Taken together, these data demonstrate that widespread presymptomatic dysregulation of alternative splicing in CAG expansion SCAs may contribute to disease onset, early neuronal dysfunction and may represent novel biomarkers across this devastating group of neurodegenerative disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Claudia D Lennon
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany—SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - Asmer Aliyeva
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany—SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA
- Department of Biology, University at Albany—SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - Emily E Davey
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany—SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - Cristina C DeMeo
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany—SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | | | - Lori Planco
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany—SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - Jose M Velez
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany—SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA
- Department of Biology, University at Albany—SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | | | - Damian S Shin
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY 12208, USA
| | - John D Cleary
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany—SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - J Andrew Berglund
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany—SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA
- Department of Biology, University at Albany—SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Olmos V, Thompson EN, Gogia N, Luttik K, Veeranki V, Ni L, Sim S, Chen K, Krause DS, Lim J. Dysregulation of alternative splicing in spinocerebellar ataxia type 1. Hum Mol Genet 2024; 33:138-149. [PMID: 37802886 PMCID: PMC10979408 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddad170] [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: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 is caused by an expansion of the polyglutamine tract in ATAXIN-1. Ataxin-1 is broadly expressed throughout the brain and is involved in regulating gene expression. However, it is not yet known if mutant ataxin-1 can impact the regulation of alternative splicing events. We performed RNA sequencing in mouse models of spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 and identified that mutant ataxin-1 expression abnormally leads to diverse splicing events in the mouse cerebellum of spinocerebellar ataxia type 1. We found that the diverse splicing events occurred in a predominantly cell autonomous manner. A majority of the transcripts with misregulated alternative splicing events were previously unknown, thus allowing us to identify overall new biological pathways that are distinctive to those affected by differential gene expression in spinocerebellar ataxia type 1. We also provide evidence that the splicing factor Rbfox1 mediates the effect of mutant ataxin-1 on misregulated alternative splicing and that genetic manipulation of Rbfox1 expression modifies neurodegenerative phenotypes in a Drosophila model of spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 in vivo. Together, this study provides novel molecular mechanistic insight into the pathogenesis of spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 and identifies potential therapeutic strategies for spinocerebellar ataxia type 1.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Victor Olmos
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, 295 Congress Avenue, New Haven, CT 06510, United States
| | - Evrett N Thompson
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine, 10 Amistad Street, New Haven, CT 06510, United States
- Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale School of Medicine, 10 Amistad Street, New Haven, CT 06510, United States
| | - Neha Gogia
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, 295 Congress Avenue, New Haven, CT 06510, United States
| | - Kimberly Luttik
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale School of Medicine, 295 Congress Avenue, New Haven, CT 06510, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, 295 Congress Avenue, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Vaishnavi Veeranki
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, 295 Congress Avenue, New Haven, CT 06510, United States
| | - Luhan Ni
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, 295 Congress Avenue, New Haven, CT 06510, United States
| | - Serena Sim
- Yale College, 433 Temple Street, New Haven, CT 06510, United States
| | - Kelly Chen
- Yale College, 433 Temple Street, New Haven, CT 06510, United States
| | - Diane S Krause
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine, 10 Amistad Street, New Haven, CT 06510, United States
- Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale School of Medicine, 10 Amistad Street, New Haven, CT 06510, United States
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, 10 Amistad Street, New Haven, CT 06510, United States
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, 10 Amistad Street, New Haven, CT 06510, United States
| | - Janghoo Lim
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, 295 Congress Avenue, New Haven, CT 06510, United States
- Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale School of Medicine, 10 Amistad Street, New Haven, CT 06510, United States
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale School of Medicine, 295 Congress Avenue, New Haven, CT 06510, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, 295 Congress Avenue, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration, and Repair, Yale School of Medicine, 295 Congress Avenue, New Haven, CT 06510, United States
- Wu Tsai Institute, Yale School of Medicine, 100 College, New Haven, CT 06510, United States
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Felício D, du Mérac TR, Amorim A, Martins S. Functional implications of paralog genes in polyglutamine spinocerebellar ataxias. Hum Genet 2023; 142:1651-1676. [PMID: 37845370 PMCID: PMC10676324 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-023-02607-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Polyglutamine (polyQ) spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) comprise a group of autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorders caused by (CAG/CAA)n expansions. The elongated stretches of adjacent glutamines alter the conformation of the native proteins inducing neurotoxicity, and subsequent motor and neurological symptoms. Although the etiology and neuropathology of most polyQ SCAs have been extensively studied, only a limited selection of therapies is available. Previous studies on SCA1 demonstrated that ATXN1L, a human duplicated gene of the disease-associated ATXN1, alleviated neuropathology in mice models. Other SCA-associated genes have paralogs (i.e., copies at different chromosomal locations derived from duplication of the parental gene), but their functional relevance and potential role in disease pathogenesis remain unexplored. Here, we review the protein homology, expression pattern, and molecular functions of paralogs in seven polyQ dominant ataxias-SCA1, SCA2, MJD/SCA3, SCA6, SCA7, SCA17, and DRPLA. Besides ATXN1L, we highlight ATXN2L, ATXN3L, CACNA1B, ATXN7L1, ATXN7L2, TBPL2, and RERE as promising functional candidates to play a role in the neuropathology of the respective SCA, along with the parental gene. Although most of these duplicates lack the (CAG/CAA)n region, if functionally redundant, they may compensate for a partial loss-of-function or dysfunction of the wild-type genes in SCAs. We aim to draw attention to the hypothesis that paralogs of disease-associated genes may underlie the complex neuropathology of dominant ataxias and potentiate new therapeutic strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Felício
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
- Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP), 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
- Instituto Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), Universidade do Porto, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal
| | - Tanguy Rubat du Mérac
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
- Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP), 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
- Faculty of Science, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - António Amorim
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
- Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP), 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal
| | - Sandra Martins
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.
- Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP), 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Morrison LM, Huang H, Handler HP, Fu M, Bushart DD, Pappas SS, Orr HT, Shakkottai VG. Increased intrinsic membrane excitability is associated with hypertrophic olivary degeneration in spinocerebellar ataxia type 1. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.23.563657. [PMID: 37961407 PMCID: PMC10634770 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.23.563657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
One of the characteristic areas of brainstem degeneration across multiple spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) is the inferior olive (IO), a medullary nucleus that plays a key role in motor learning. In addition to its vulnerability in SCAs, the IO is also susceptible to a distinct pathology known as hypertrophic olivary degeneration (HOD). Clinically, HOD has been exclusively observed after lesions in the brainstem disrupt inhibitory afferents to the IO. Here, for the first time, we describe HOD in another context: spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1). Using the genetically-precise SCA1 knock-in mouse model (SCA1-KI; both sexes used), we assessed SCA1-associated changes in IO neuron structure and function. Concurrent with degeneration, we found that SCA1-KI IO neurons are hypertrophic, exhibiting early dendrite lengthening and later somatic expansion. Unlike in previous descriptions of HOD, we observed no clear loss of IO inhibitory innervation; nevertheless, patch-clamp recordings from brainstem slices reveal that SCA1-KI IO neurons are hyperexcitable. Rather than synaptic disinhibition, we identify increases in intrinsic membrane excitability as the more likely mechanism underlying this novel SCA1 phenotype. Specifically, transcriptome analysis indicates that SCA1-KI IO hyperexcitability is associated with a reduced medullary expression of ion channels responsible for spike afterhyperpolarization (AHP) in IO neurons - a result that has a functional consequence, as SCA1-KI IO neuron spikes exhibit a diminished AHP. These results reveal membrane excitability as a potential link between disparate causes of IO degeneration, suggesting that HOD can result from any cause, intrinsic or extrinsic, that increases excitability of the IO neuron membrane.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Logan M. Morrison
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Haoran Huang
- Medical Scientist Training Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210 USA
- College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210 USA
| | - Hillary P. Handler
- Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory, University of Minnesota Fairview Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Min Fu
- Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - David D. Bushart
- College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210 USA
| | - Samuel S. Pappas
- Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Harry T. Orr
- Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Vikram G. Shakkottai
- Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Zhou J, Cattoglio C, Shao Y, Tirumala HP, Vetralla C, Bajikar SS, Li Y, Chen H, Wang Q, Wu Z, Tang B, Zahabiyon M, Bajic A, Meng X, Ferrie JJ, LaGrone A, Zhang P, Kim JJ, Tang J, Liu Z, Darzacq X, Heintz N, Tjian R, Zoghbi HY. A novel pathogenic mutation of MeCP2 impairs chromatin association independent of protein levels. Genes Dev 2023; 37:883-900. [PMID: 37890975 PMCID: PMC10691473 DOI: 10.1101/gad.350733.123] [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: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
Loss-of-function mutations in MECP2 cause Rett syndrome (RTT), a severe neurological disorder that mainly affects girls. Mutations in MECP2 do occur in males occasionally and typically cause severe encephalopathy and premature lethality. Recently, we identified a missense mutation (c.353G>A, p.Gly118Glu [G118E]), which has never been seen before in MECP2, in a young boy who suffered from progressive motor dysfunction and developmental delay. To determine whether this variant caused the clinical symptoms and study its functional consequences, we established two disease models, including human neurons from patient-derived iPSCs and a knock-in mouse line. G118E mutation partially reduces MeCP2 abundance and its DNA binding, and G118E mice manifest RTT-like symptoms seen in the patient, affirming the pathogenicity of this mutation. Using live-cell and single-molecule imaging, we found that G118E mutation alters MeCP2's chromatin interaction properties in live neurons independently of its effect on protein levels. Here we report the generation and characterization of RTT models of a male hypomorphic variant and reveal new insight into the mechanism by which this pathological mutation affects MeCP2's chromatin dynamics. Our ability to quantify protein dynamics in disease models lays the foundation for harnessing high-resolution single-molecule imaging as the next frontier for developing innovative therapies for RTT and other diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jian Zhou
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Claudia Cattoglio
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Li Ka Shing Center for Biomedical and Health Sciences, California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) Center of Excellence, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Yingyao Shao
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Harini P Tirumala
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Carlo Vetralla
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Li Ka Shing Center for Biomedical and Health Sciences, California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) Center of Excellence, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milan-Bicocca, Milano 20126, Italy
| | - Sameer S Bajikar
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Hu Chen
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Qi Wang
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Zhenyu Wu
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Bing Tang
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Mahla Zahabiyon
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Aleksandar Bajic
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Xiangling Meng
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Jack J Ferrie
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Li Ka Shing Center for Biomedical and Health Sciences, California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) Center of Excellence, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Anel LaGrone
- Advanced Technology Cores, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Ping Zhang
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Jean J Kim
- Advanced Technology Cores, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Jianrong Tang
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Zhandong Liu
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Xavier Darzacq
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Li Ka Shing Center for Biomedical and Health Sciences, California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) Center of Excellence, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Nathaniel Heintz
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Robert Tjian
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Li Ka Shing Center for Biomedical and Health Sciences, California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) Center of Excellence, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Huda Y Zoghbi
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA;
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Mätlik K, Baffuto M, Kus L, Deshmukh AL, Davis DA, Paul MR, Carroll TS, Caron MC, Masson JY, Pearson CE, Heintz N. Cell Type Specific CAG Repeat Expansions and Toxicity of Mutant Huntingtin in Human Striatum and Cerebellum. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.24.538082. [PMID: 37333326 PMCID: PMC10274669 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.24.538082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Brain region-specific degeneration and somatic expansions of the mutant Huntingtin (mHTT) CAG tract are key features of Huntington's disease (HD). However, the relationships between CAG expansions, death of specific cell types, and molecular events associated with these processes are not established. Here we employed fluorescence-activated nuclear sorting (FANS) and deep molecular profiling to gain insight into the properties of cell types of the human striatum and cerebellum in HD and control donors. CAG expansions arise in striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs) and cholinergic interneurons, in cerebellar Purkinje neurons, and at mATXN3 in MSNs from SCA3 donors. CAG expansions in MSNs are associated with higher levels of MSH2 and MSH3 (forming MutSβ), which can inhibit nucleolytic excision of CAG slip-outs by FAN1 in a concentration-dependent manner. Our data indicate that ongoing CAG expansions are not sufficient for cell death, and identify transcriptional changes associated with somatic CAG expansions and striatal toxicity.
Collapse
|
23
|
Botta S, de Prisco N, Chemiakine A, Brandt V, Cabaj M, Patel P, Doron‐Mandel E, Treadway CJ, Jovanovic M, Brown NG, Soni RK, Gennarino VA. Dosage sensitivity to Pumilio1 variants in the mouse brain reflects distinct molecular mechanisms. EMBO J 2023; 42:e112721. [PMID: 37070548 PMCID: PMC10233381 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2022112721] [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: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Different mutations in the RNA-binding protein Pumilio1 (PUM1) cause divergent phenotypes whose severity tracks with dosage: a mutation that reduces PUM1 levels by 25% causes late-onset ataxia, whereas haploinsufficiency causes developmental delay and seizures. Yet PUM1 targets are derepressed to equal degrees in both cases, and the more severe mutation does not hinder PUM1's RNA-binding ability. We therefore considered the possibility that the severe mutation might disrupt PUM1 interactions, and identified PUM1 interactors in the murine brain. We find that mild PUM1 loss derepresses PUM1-specific targets, but the severe mutation disrupts interactions with several RNA-binding proteins and the regulation of their targets. In patient-derived cell lines, restoring PUM1 levels restores these interactors and their targets to normal levels. Our results demonstrate that dosage sensitivity does not always signify a linear relationship with protein abundance but can involve distinct mechanisms. We propose that to understand the functions of RNA-binding proteins in a physiological context will require studying their interactions as well as their targets.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Salvatore Botta
- Department of Genetics and DevelopmentColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkNYUSA
- Department of Translational Medical ScienceUniversity of Campania Luigi VanvitelliCasertaItaly
| | - Nicola de Prisco
- Department of Genetics and DevelopmentColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Alexei Chemiakine
- Department of Genetics and DevelopmentColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Vicky Brandt
- Department of Genetics and DevelopmentColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Maximilian Cabaj
- Department of Genetics and DevelopmentColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Purvi Patel
- Proteomics and Macromolecular Crystallography Shared Resource, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer CenterColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkNYUSA
| | | | - Colton J Treadway
- Department of Pharmacology and Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer CenterUniversity of North Carolina School of MedicineChapel HillNCUSA
| | - Marko Jovanovic
- Department of Biological SciencesColumbia UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Nicholas G Brown
- Department of Pharmacology and Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer CenterUniversity of North Carolina School of MedicineChapel HillNCUSA
| | - Rajesh K Soni
- Proteomics and Macromolecular Crystallography Shared Resource, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer CenterColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Vincenzo A Gennarino
- Department of Genetics and DevelopmentColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkNYUSA
- Departments of NeurologyColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkNYUSA
- Columbia Stem Cell InitiativeColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkNYUSA
- Initiative for Columbia Ataxia and TremorColumbia University Irving Medical CenterNew YorkNYUSA
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Osório C, White JJ, Lu H, Beekhof GC, Fiocchi FR, Andriessen CA, Dijkhuizen S, Post L, Schonewille M. Pre-ataxic loss of intrinsic plasticity and motor learning in a mouse model of SCA1. Brain 2023; 146:2332-2345. [PMID: 36352508 PMCID: PMC10232256 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awac422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2022] [Revised: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxias are neurodegenerative diseases, the hallmark symptom of which is the development of ataxia due to cerebellar dysfunction. Purkinje cells, the principal neurons of the cerebellar cortex, are the main cells affected in these disorders, but the sequence of pathological events leading to their dysfunction is poorly understood. Understanding the origins of Purkinje cells dysfunction before it manifests is imperative to interpret the functional and behavioural consequences of cerebellar-related disorders, providing an optimal timeline for therapeutic interventions. Here, we report the cascade of events leading to Purkinje cells dysfunction before the onset of ataxia in a mouse model of spinocerebellar ataxia 1 (SCA1). Spatiotemporal characterization of the ATXN1[82Q] SCA1 mouse model revealed high levels of the mutant ATXN1[82Q] weeks before the onset of ataxia. The expression of the toxic protein first caused a reduction of Purkinje cells intrinsic excitability, which was followed by atrophy of Purkinje cells dendrite arborization and aberrant glutamatergic signalling, finally leading to disruption of Purkinje cells innervation of climbing fibres and loss of intrinsic plasticity of Purkinje cells. Functionally, we found that deficits in eyeblink conditioning, a form of cerebellum-dependent motor learning, precede the onset of ataxia, matching the timeline of climbing fibre degeneration and reduced intrinsic plasticity. Together, our results suggest that abnormal synaptic signalling and intrinsic plasticity during the pre-ataxia stage of spinocerebellar ataxias underlie an aberrant cerebellar circuitry that anticipates the full extent of the disease severity. Furthermore, our work indicates the potential for eyeblink conditioning to be used as a sensitive tool to detect early cerebellar dysfunction as a sign of future disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Catarina Osório
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam 3015CN, The Netherlands
| | - Joshua J White
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam 3015CN, The Netherlands
| | - Heiling Lu
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam 3015CN, The Netherlands
| | - Gerrit C Beekhof
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam 3015CN, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Stephanie Dijkhuizen
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam 3015CN, The Netherlands
| | - Laura Post
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam 3015CN, The Netherlands
| | - Martijn Schonewille
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam 3015CN, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Figueiredo AS, Loureiro JR, Macedo-Ribeiro S, Silveira I. Advances in Nucleotide Repeat Expansion Diseases: Transcription Gets in Phase. Cells 2023; 12:826. [PMID: 36980167 PMCID: PMC10047669 DOI: 10.3390/cells12060826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Unstable DNA repeat expansions and insertions have been found to cause more than 50 neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative, and neuromuscular disorders. One of the main hallmarks of repeat expansion diseases is the formation of abnormal RNA or protein aggregates in the neuronal cells of affected individuals. Recent evidence indicates that alterations of the dynamic or material properties of biomolecular condensates assembled by liquid/liquid phase separation are critical for the formation of these aggregates. This is a thermodynamically-driven and reversible local phenomenon that condenses macromolecules into liquid-like compartments responsible for compartmentalizing molecules required for vital cellular processes. Disease-associated repeat expansions modulate the phase separation properties of RNAs and proteins, interfering with the composition and/or the material properties of biomolecular condensates and resulting in the formation of abnormal aggregates. Since several repeat expansions have arisen in genes encoding crucial players in transcription, this raises the hypothesis that wide gene expression dysregulation is common to multiple repeat expansion diseases. This review will cover the impact of these mutations in the formation of aberrant aggregates and how they modify gene transcription.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana S. Figueiredo
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), Universidade do Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Joana R. Loureiro
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Sandra Macedo-Ribeiro
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Isabel Silveira
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Tammara V, Das A. Governing dynamics and preferential binding of the AXH domain influence the aggregation pathway of Ataxin-1. Proteins 2023; 91:380-394. [PMID: 36208132 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The present state of understanding the mechanism of Spinocerebellar Ataxia-1, a fatal neurodegenerative disease linked to the protein Ataxin-1 (ATXN1), is baffled by a set of self-contradictory, and hence, inconclusive observations. This fallacy poses a bottleneck to the effective designing of curable drugs as the field is currently missing the specific druggable site. To understand the fundamentals of pathogenesis, we tried to decipher the intricacies of the extremely complicated landscape by targeting the relevant species that supposedly dictate the structure-function paradigm. The atomic-level description and characterization of the dynamism of the systems reveal the existence of structural polymorphism in all the leading stakeholders of the overall system. The very existence of conformational heterogeneity in every species creates numerous possible combinations of favorable interactions because of the variability in segmental cross-talks and hence claims its role in the choice of routes between functional activity and dysfunctional disease-causing aggregation. Despite this emergent configurational diversity, there is a common mode of operative intermolecular forces that dictates the extent of stability of all the multimeric complexes due to the localized population of a specific type of residue. The present research proposes a dynamic switch mechanism between aggregability and functional activity, based on the logical interpretation of the estimated variables, which is practically dictated by the effective concentration of the interacting species involved in the cell.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vaishnavi Tammara
- Physical and Materials Chemistry Division, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, Maharashtra, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Atanu Das
- Physical and Materials Chemistry Division, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, Maharashtra, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Putka AF, McLoughlin HS. Diverse regional mechanisms drive spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 phenotypes. Neuron 2023; 111:447-449. [PMID: 36796325 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.01.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
In this issue of Neuron, a pair of studies (Handler et al.1 and Coffin et al.2) elucidate new insights into spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) pathogenesis by genetically assessing mechanistic drivers of regional vulnerability and their relationships to SCA1 phenotypes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra F Putka
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2200, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Hayley S McLoughlin
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2200, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Coffin SL, Durham MA, Nitschke L, Xhako E, Brown AM, Revelli JP, Villavicencio Gonzalez E, Lin T, Handler HP, Dai Y, Trostle AJ, Wan YW, Liu Z, Sillitoe RV, Orr HT, Zoghbi HY. Disruption of the ATXN1-CIC complex reveals the role of additional nuclear ATXN1 interactors in spinocerebellar ataxia type 1. Neuron 2023; 111:481-492.e8. [PMID: 36577402 PMCID: PMC9957872 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) is a paradigmatic neurodegenerative disease in that it is caused by a mutation in a broadly expressed protein, ATXN1; however, only select populations of cells degenerate. The interaction of polyglutamine-expanded ATXN1 with the transcriptional repressor CIC drives cerebellar Purkinje cell pathogenesis; however, the importance of this interaction in other vulnerable cells remains unknown. Here, we mutated the 154Q knockin allele of Atxn1154Q/2Q mice to prevent the ATXN1-CIC interaction globally. This normalized genome-wide CIC binding; however, it only partially corrected transcriptional and behavioral phenotypes, suggesting the involvement of additional factors in disease pathogenesis. Using unbiased proteomics, we identified three ATXN1-interacting transcription factors: RFX1, ZBTB5, and ZKSCAN1. We observed altered expression of RFX1 and ZKSCAN1 target genes in SCA1 mice and patient-derived iNeurons, highlighting their potential contributions to disease. Together, these data underscore the complexity of mechanisms driving cellular vulnerability in SCA1.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie L Coffin
- Program in Genetics and Genomics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Mark A Durham
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Medical Scientist Training Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Larissa Nitschke
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Program in Integrative Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Eder Xhako
- Program in Genetics and Genomics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Amanda M Brown
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jean-Pierre Revelli
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Esmeralda Villavicencio Gonzalez
- Program in Genetics and Genomics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Tao Lin
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Hillary P Handler
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Yanwan Dai
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Alexander J Trostle
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ying-Wooi Wan
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Zhandong Liu
- Program in Genetics and Genomics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Roy V Sillitoe
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Development, Disease Models & Therapeutics Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Harry T Orr
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Huda Y Zoghbi
- Program in Genetics and Genomics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Miceli M, Deriu MA, Grasso G. Toward the design and development of peptidomimetic inhibitors of the Ataxin-1 aggregation pathway. Biophys J 2022; 121:4679-4688. [PMID: 36262042 PMCID: PMC9748251 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.10.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 07/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 is a degenerative disorder caused by polyglutamine expansions and aggregation of Ataxin-1. The interaction between Capicua (CIC) and the AXH domain of Ataxin-1 protein has been suggested as a possible driver of aggregation for the expanded Ataxin-1 protein and the subsequent onset of spinocerebellar ataxia 1. Experimental studies have demonstrated that short constructs of CIC may prevent such aggregation and suggested this as a possible candidate to inspire the rational design of peptidomimetics. In this work, molecular modeling techniques, namely the alchemical mutation and force field-based molecular dynamics, have been employed to propose a pipeline for the rational design of a CIC-inspired inhibitor of the ataxin-1 aggregation pathway. In particular, this study has shown that the alchemical mutation can estimate the affinity between AXH and CIC with good correlation with experimental data, while molecular dynamics shed light on molecular mechanisms that occur for stabilization of the interaction between the CIC-inspired construct and the AXH domain of Ataxin-1. This work lays the foundation for a rational methodology for the in silico screening and design of peptidomimetics, which can expedite and streamline experimental studies to identify strategies for inhibiting the ataxin-1 aggregation pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marcello Miceli
- PolitoBIOMed Lab, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Marco A Deriu
- PolitoBIOMed Lab, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Gianvito Grasso
- Dalle Molle Institute for Artificial Intelligence Research, Scuola Universitaria Professionale della Svizzera Italiana, Lugano-Viganello, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Han X, Cao X, Aguiar-Pulido V, Yang W, Karki M, Ramirez PAP, Cabrera RM, Lin YL, Wlodarczyk BJ, Shaw GM, Ross ME, Zhang C, Finnell RH, Lei Y. CIC missense variants contribute to susceptibility for spina bifida. Hum Mutat 2022; 43:2021-2032. [PMID: 36054333 PMCID: PMC9772115 DOI: 10.1002/humu.24460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Neural tube defects (NTDs) are congenital malformations resulting from abnormal embryonic development of the brain, spine, or spinal column. The genetic etiology of human NTDs remains poorly understood despite intensive investigation. CIC, homolog of the Capicua transcription repressor, has been reported to interact with ataxin-1 (ATXN1) and participate in the pathogenesis of spinocerebellar ataxia type 1. Our previous study demonstrated that CIC loss of function (LoF) variants contributed to the cerebral folate deficiency syndrome by downregulating folate receptor 1 (FOLR1) expression. Given the importance of folate transport in neural tube formation, we hypothesized that CIC variants could contribute to increased risk for NTDs by depressing embryonic folate concentrations. In this study, we examined CIC variants from whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data of 140 isolated spina bifida cases and identified eight missense variants of CIC gene. We tested the pathogenicity of the observed variants through multiple in vitro experiments. We determined that CIC variants decreased the FOLR1 protein level and planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway signaling in a human cell line (HeLa). In a murine cell line (NIH3T3), CIC loss of function variants downregulated PCP signaling. Taken together, this study provides evidence supporting CIC as a risk gene for human NTD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Han
- Department of Reproductive Medicine Center, Henan
Provincial People’s Hospital, People’s Hospital of Zhengzhou
University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People’s Republic of China
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of
Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77031,
USA
| | - Xuanye Cao
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of
Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77031,
USA
| | - Vanessa Aguiar-Pulido
- Center for Neurogenetics, Brain and Mind Research
Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Computer Science, University of Miami, Coral
Gables, FL 33146, USA
| | - Wei Yang
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of
Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Menuka Karki
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of
Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77031,
USA
| | - Paula Andrea Pimienta Ramirez
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of
Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77031,
USA
| | - Robert M. Cabrera
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of
Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77031,
USA
| | - Ying Linda Lin
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of
Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77031,
USA
| | - Bogdan J. Wlodarczyk
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of
Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77031,
USA
| | - Gary M. Shaw
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of
Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - M. Elizabeth Ross
- Center for Neurogenetics, Brain and Mind Research
Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Cuilian Zhang
- Department of Reproductive Medicine Center, Henan
Provincial People’s Hospital, People’s Hospital of Zhengzhou
University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Richard H. Finnell
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of
Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77031,
USA
- Departments of Molecular and Human Genetics and Medicine,
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77031, USA
| | - Yunping Lei
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of
Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77031,
USA
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Suppressing gain-of-function proteins via CRISPR/Cas9 system in SCA1 cells. Sci Rep 2022; 12:20285. [PMID: 36434031 PMCID: PMC9700751 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-24299-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
SCAs are autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorders caused by a gain-of-function protein with toxic activities, containing an expanded polyQ tract in the coding region. There are no treatments available to delay the onset, stop or slow down the progression of these pathologies. In this work we focus our attention on SCA1 which is one of the most common genotypes circulating in Italy. Here, we develop a CRISPR/Cas9-based approach to reduce both forms of the ATXN1 protein, normal and mutated with expanded polyQ. We started with the screening of 10 different sgRNAs able to target Exon 8 of the ATXN1 gene. The two most promising sgRNAs were validated in fibroblasts isolated from SCA1 patients, following the identification of the best transfection method for this type of cell. Our silencing approach significantly downregulated the expression of ataxin1, due to large deletions and the introduction of small changes in the ATXN1 gene, evidenced by NGS analysis, without major effects on cell viability. Furthermore, very few significant guide RNA-dependent off-target effects were observed. These preliminary results not only allowed us to identify the best transfection method for SCA1 fibroblasts, but strongly support CRISPR/Cas9 as a promising approach for the treatment of expanded polyQ diseases. Further investigations will be needed to verify the efficacy of our silencing system in SCA1 neurons and animal models.
Collapse
|
32
|
Johnson SL, Tsou WL, Prifti MV, Harris AL, Todi SV. A survey of protein interactions and posttranslational modifications that influence the polyglutamine diseases. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:974167. [PMID: 36187346 PMCID: PMC9515312 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.974167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The presence and aggregation of misfolded proteins has deleterious effects in the nervous system. Among the various diseases caused by misfolded proteins is the family of the polyglutamine (polyQ) disorders. This family comprises nine members, all stemming from the same mutation—the abnormal elongation of a polyQ repeat in nine different proteins—which causes protein misfolding and aggregation, cellular dysfunction and disease. While it is the same type of mutation that causes them, each disease is distinct: it is influenced by regions and domains that surround the polyQ repeat; by proteins with which they interact; and by posttranslational modifications they receive. Here, we overview the role of non-polyQ regions that control the pathogenicity of the expanded polyQ repeat. We begin by introducing each polyQ disease, the genes affected, and the symptoms experienced by patients. Subsequently, we provide a survey of protein-protein interactions and posttranslational modifications that regulate polyQ toxicity. We conclude by discussing shared processes and pathways that bring some of the polyQ diseases together and may serve as common therapeutic entry points for this family of incurable disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sean L. Johnson
- Department of Pharmacology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Wei-Ling Tsou
- Department of Pharmacology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Matthew V. Prifti
- Department of Pharmacology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Autumn L. Harris
- Department of Pharmacology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
- Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) Program, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Sokol V. Todi
- Department of Pharmacology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
- Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) Program, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
- Department of Neurology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States
- *Correspondence: Sokol V. Todi,
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Chen JM, Chen SK, Jin PP, Sun SC. Identification of the ataxin-1 interaction network and its impact on spinocerebellar ataxia type 1. Hum Genomics 2022; 16:29. [PMID: 35906672 PMCID: PMC9335979 DOI: 10.1186/s40246-022-00404-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by a polyglutamine expansion in the ataxin-1 protein. The pathogenic mechanism resulting in SCA1 is still unclear. Protein–protein interactions affect the function and stability of ataxin-1. Methods Wild-type and mutant ataxin-1 were expressed in HEK-293T cells. The levels of expression were assessed using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Western blots. Co-immunoprecipitation was done in HEK-293T cells expressing exogenous wild-type and mutant ataxin-1 using anti-Flag antibody following by tandem affinity purification in order to study protein–protein interactions. The candidate interacting proteins were validated by immunoprecipitation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and high-throughput sequencing and RNA immunoprecipitation and high-throughput sequencing were performed using HEK-293T cells expressing wild-type or mutant ataxin-1. Results In this study using HEK-293T cells, we found that wild-type ataxin-1 interacted with MCM2, GNAS, and TMEM206, while mutant ataxin-1 lost its interaction with MCM2, GNAS, and TMEM206. Two ataxin-1 binding targets containing the core GGAG or AAAT were identified in HEK-293T cells using ChIP-seq. Gene Ontology analysis of the top ataxin-1 binding genes identified SLC6A15, NTF3, KCNC3, and DNAJC6 as functional genes in neurons in vitro. Ataxin-1 also was identified as an RNA-binding protein in HEK-293T cells using RIP-seq, but the polyglutamine expansion in the ataxin-1 had no direct effects on the RNA-binding activity of ataxin-1. Conclusions An expanded polyglutamine tract in ataxin-1 might interfere with protein–protein or protein–DNA interactions but had little effect on protein–RNA interactions. This study suggested that the dysfunction of protein–protein or protein–DNA interactions is involved in the pathogenesis of SCA1.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiu-Ming Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201801, China
| | - Shi-Kai Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201801, China
| | - Pei-Pei Jin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201801, China
| | - Shun-Chang Sun
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201801, China.
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Lee JM, MacDonald ME, Gusella JF. Inherited HTT CAG repeat length does not have a major impact on Huntington disease duration. Am J Hum Genet 2022; 109:1338-1340. [PMID: 35803234 PMCID: PMC9300875 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2022.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jong-Min Lee
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Medical and Population Genetics Program, the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Marcy E MacDonald
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Medical and Population Genetics Program, the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - James F Gusella
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Medical and Population Genetics Program, the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW CIC-DUX4 sarcoma (CDS) is a high-grade undifferentiated round cells sarcoma that belongs to the undifferentiated round cell sarcomas family. It represents less than one percent of sarcomas, defining a rarest among rare malignancies. It affects young adults, displaying soft tissue mass. Considered very aggressive, a high proportion of cases display an advanced disease with lung metastasis at diagnosis. Here we discuss recent progress in molecular characterization of CDS, the main tracks of CDS biology and the current and future prospects of therapeutic approaches. RECENT FINDINGS CDS is characterized by a specific oncogenic translocation CIC::DUX4 that induce ETV4 overexpression. Patients with CDS show an aggressive clinical course and have a significantly unfavorable outcome compared to Ewing sarcoma. As of today, there is a lack of consensus on whether they should be treated with an Ewing-like approach, as currently done by most sites, or regarded as high-grade soft tissue sarcoma (STS). Anyway, when feasible, combination regimens including anthracycline and alkylating agents should be favored and patients should not benefit from a therapeutic de-escalation. Overall, registration within clinical trials and prospective registries is recommended. SUMMARY Overall, CDS showed a poor prognosis regardless of the patterns of treatment that warrant biological studies to better understand the disease.
Collapse
|
36
|
Satomi K, Ohno M, Kubo T, Honda-Kitahara M, Matsushita Y, Ichimura K, Narita Y, Ichikawa H, Yoshida A. Central nervous system sarcoma with ATXN1::DUX4 fusion expands the concept of CIC-rearranged sarcoma. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 2022; 61:683-688. [PMID: 35715887 DOI: 10.1002/gcc.23080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
CIC-rearranged sarcoma is a high-grade sarcoma, most often harboring CIC::DUX4 fusion, and is characterized by a distinct round cell histology, co-expression of ETV4 and WT1, and a specific DNA methylation class. Herein, we report a brain tumor with ATXN1::DUX4 that had an indistinguishable phenotype and DNA methylation profile from CIC-rearranged sarcoma. A 40-year-old man presented with a 5 cm hemorrhagic mass in the right frontal lobe of the cerebrum. The tumor was resected and histologically showed a dense proliferation of relatively monomorphic round cells with multifocal myxoid changes. Immunohistochemically, the tumor was diffusely positive for ETV4, WT1, and DUX4. Through classic histomorphology and immunoprofile, the tumor was provisionally diagnosed as CIC-rearranged sarcoma. However, no CIC fusions or mutations were identified using CIC break-apart fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) or FoundationOne CDx. Despite multiple surgeries and adjuvant chemoradiation therapy, the patient succumbed 16 months after presentation. RNA exome sequencing detected an in-frame intraexonic ATXN1 (exon 9)::DUX4 (exon 1) fusion, which was validated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and ATXN1 FISH assay. Upon DNA methylation analysis, the tumor matched with CIC-rearranged sarcoma both by the Deutsche Krebsforschungszentrum classifier and t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding. Along with a recent report of a similar pediatric brain tumor, the present case suggests that ATXN1::DUX4 is a recurrent alternative molecular event in the sarcoma type that is presently defined by CIC rearrangement, which prompts an expansion of the tumor concept. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kaishi Satomi
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Makoto Ohno
- Department of Neurosurgery and Neuro-Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takashi Kubo
- Division of Cancer Genomics, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mai Honda-Kitahara
- Department of Neurosurgery and Neuro-Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuko Matsushita
- Department of Brain Disease Translational Research, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Koichi Ichimura
- Department of Brain Disease Translational Research, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshitaka Narita
- Department of Neurosurgery and Neuro-Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.,Rare Cancer Center, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Ichikawa
- Division of Cancer Genomics, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akihiko Yoshida
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.,Rare Cancer Center, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Carrell EM, Keiser MS, Robbins AB, Davidson BL. Combined overexpression of ATXN1L and mutant ATXN1 knockdown by AAV rescue motor phenotypes and gene signatures in SCA1 mice. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2022; 25:333-343. [PMID: 35573049 PMCID: PMC9062622 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2022.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease caused by a (CAG) repeat expansion in the coding sequence of ATXN1. The primary mechanism of disease in SCA1 is toxic gain of function by polyglutamine-expanded mutant ATXN1 and is compounded by partial loss of wild-type function. Addressing both disease mechanisms, we have shown that virally expressed RNA interference targeting ATXN1 can both prevent and reverse disease phenotypes in SCA1 mice, and that overexpression of the ATXN1 homolog, ataxin 1-like (ATXN1L), improves disease readouts when delivered pre-symptomatically. Here, we combined these therapeutic approaches into two, dual component recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vectors and tested their ability to reverse disease in symptomatic SCA1 mice using behavior, pathological, and next-generation sequencing assays. Mice treated with vectors expressing human ATXN1L (hATXN1L) alone showed motor improvements and changes in gene expression that reflected increases in pro-development pathways. When hATN1L was combined with miS1, a previously validated microRNA targeting h ATXN1, there was added normalization of disease allele-induced changes in gene expression along with motor improvements. Our data show the additive nature of this two-component approach for a more effective SCA1 therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ellie M. Carrell
- Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 6400 Colket Translational Research Building, 3501 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Megan S. Keiser
- Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 6400 Colket Translational Research Building, 3501 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ashley B. Robbins
- Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 6400 Colket Translational Research Building, 3501 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedical Graduate Studies Program, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104 USA
| | - Beverly L. Davidson
- Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 6400 Colket Translational Research Building, 3501 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104 USA
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Cendelin J, Cvetanovic M, Gandelman M, Hirai H, Orr HT, Pulst SM, Strupp M, Tichanek F, Tuma J, Manto M. Consensus Paper: Strengths and Weaknesses of Animal Models of Spinocerebellar Ataxias and Their Clinical Implications. CEREBELLUM (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2022; 21:452-481. [PMID: 34378174 PMCID: PMC9098367 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-021-01311-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) represent a large group of hereditary degenerative diseases of the nervous system, in particular the cerebellum, and other systems that manifest with a variety of progressive motor, cognitive, and behavioral deficits with the leading symptom of cerebellar ataxia. SCAs often lead to severe impairments of the patient's functioning, quality of life, and life expectancy. For SCAs, there are no proven effective pharmacotherapies that improve the symptoms or substantially delay disease progress, i.e., disease-modifying therapies. To study SCA pathogenesis and potential therapies, animal models have been widely used and are an essential part of pre-clinical research. They mainly include mice, but also other vertebrates and invertebrates. Each animal model has its strengths and weaknesses arising from model animal species, type of genetic manipulation, and similarity to human diseases. The types of murine and non-murine models of SCAs, their contribution to the investigation of SCA pathogenesis, pathological phenotype, and therapeutic approaches including their advantages and disadvantages are reviewed in this paper. There is a consensus among the panel of experts that (1) animal models represent valuable tools to improve our understanding of SCAs and discover and assess novel therapies for this group of neurological disorders characterized by diverse mechanisms and differential degenerative progressions, (2) thorough phenotypic assessment of individual animal models is required for studies addressing therapeutic approaches, (3) comparative studies are needed to bring pre-clinical research closer to clinical trials, and (4) mouse models complement cellular and invertebrate models which remain limited in terms of clinical translation for complex neurological disorders such as SCAs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jan Cendelin
- Department of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, alej Svobody 75, 323 00, Plzen, Czech Republic.
- Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, alej Svobody 75, 323 00, Plzen, Czech Republic.
| | - Marija Cvetanovic
- Department of Neuroscience, Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Mandi Gandelman
- Department of Neurology, University of Utah, 175 North Medical Drive East, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA
| | - Hirokazu Hirai
- Department of Neurophysiology and Neural Repair, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-39-22, Gunma, 371-8511, Japan
- Viral Vector Core, Gunma University Initiative for Advanced Research (GIAR), Gunma, 371-8511, Japan
| | - Harry T Orr
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Stefan M Pulst
- Department of Neurology, University of Utah, 175 North Medical Drive East, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA
| | - Michael Strupp
- Department of Neurology and German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders, Hospital of the Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich, Campus Grosshadern, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Filip Tichanek
- Department of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, alej Svobody 75, 323 00, Plzen, Czech Republic
- Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, alej Svobody 75, 323 00, Plzen, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Tuma
- Department of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, alej Svobody 75, 323 00, Plzen, Czech Republic
- The Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, MC 7843, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Mario Manto
- Unité des Ataxies Cérébelleuses, Service de Neurologie, CHU-Charleroi, Charleroi, Belgium
- Service des Neurosciences, Université de Mons, UMons, Mons, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Abstract
In this issue of Cell Systems, Greco et al. define high-confidence polyglutamine-dependent huntingtin interactors using AP-MS and complementary approaches and categorize them based on their interaction abundance and stability. The study reveals that a toxic gain of polyQ-dependent Htt interacting partners is a robust feature of HD pathogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo E Dionisio
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - X William Yang
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Gu X, Richman J, Langfelder P, Wang N, Zhang S, Bañez-Coronel M, Wang HB, Yang L, Ramanathan L, Deng L, Park CS, Choi CR, Cantle JP, Gao F, Gray M, Coppola G, Bates GP, Ranum LPW, Horvath S, Colwell CS, Yang XW. Uninterrupted CAG repeat drives striatum-selective transcriptionopathy and nuclear pathogenesis in human Huntingtin BAC mice. Neuron 2022; 110:1173-1192.e7. [PMID: 35114102 PMCID: PMC9462388 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2020] [Revised: 10/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
In Huntington's disease (HD), the uninterrupted CAG repeat length, but not the polyglutamine length, predicts disease onset. However, the underlying pathobiology remains unclear. Here, we developed bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) transgenic mice expressing human mutant huntingtin (mHTT) with uninterrupted, and somatically unstable, CAG repeats that exhibit progressive disease-related phenotypes. Unlike prior mHTT transgenic models with stable, CAA-interrupted, polyglutamine-encoding repeats, BAC-CAG mice show robust striatum-selective nuclear inclusions and transcriptional dysregulation resembling those in murine huntingtin knockin models and HD patients. Importantly, the striatal transcriptionopathy in HD models is significantly correlated with their uninterrupted CAG repeat length but not polyglutamine length. Finally, among the pathogenic entities originating from mHTT genomic transgenes and only present or enriched in the uninterrupted CAG repeat model, somatic CAG repeat instability and nuclear mHTT aggregation are best correlated with early-onset striatum-selective molecular pathogenesis and locomotor and sleep deficits, while repeat RNA-associated pathologies and repeat-associated non-AUG (RAN) translation may play less selective or late pathogenic roles, respectively.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofeng Gu
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Jane and Terry Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Science, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jeffrey Richman
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Jane and Terry Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Science, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Peter Langfelder
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Jane and Terry Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Science, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nan Wang
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Jane and Terry Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Science, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Shasha Zhang
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Jane and Terry Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Science, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Monica Bañez-Coronel
- Center for Neurogenetics, Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, College of Medicine, Genetics Institute, McKnight Brain Institute, Norman Fixel Institute of Neurological Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Huei-Bin Wang
- Department Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Science, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Lucia Yang
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Jane and Terry Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Science, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Lalini Ramanathan
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Jane and Terry Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Science, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Linna Deng
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Jane and Terry Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Science, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Chang Sin Park
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Jane and Terry Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Science, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Christopher R Choi
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Jane and Terry Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Science, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jeffrey P Cantle
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Jane and Terry Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Science, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Fuying Gao
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Jane and Terry Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Science, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michelle Gray
- Department of Neurology and Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Giovanni Coppola
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Jane and Terry Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Science, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Gillian P Bates
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Laura P W Ranum
- Center for Neurogenetics, Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, College of Medicine, Genetics Institute, McKnight Brain Institute, Norman Fixel Institute of Neurological Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Steve Horvath
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Christopher S Colwell
- Department Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Science, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - X William Yang
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Jane and Terry Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Science, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Kogure Y, Kameda T, Koya J, Yoshimitsu M, Nosaka K, Yasunaga JI, Imaizumi Y, Watanabe M, Saito Y, Ito Y, McClure MB, Tabata M, Shingaki S, Yoshifuji K, Chiba K, Okada A, Kakiuchi N, Nannya Y, Kamiunten A, Tahira Y, Akizuki K, Sekine M, Shide K, Hidaka T, Kubuki Y, Kitanaka A, Hidaka M, Nakano N, Utsunomiya A, Sica RA, Acuna-Villaorduna A, Janakiram M, Shah U, Ramos JC, Shibata T, Takeuchi K, Takaori-Kondo A, Miyazaki Y, Matsuoka M, Ishitsuka K, Shiraishi Y, Miyano S, Ogawa S, Ye BH, Shimoda K, Kataoka K. Whole-genome landscape of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma. Blood 2022; 139:967-982. [PMID: 34695199 PMCID: PMC8854674 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2021013568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) is an aggressive neoplasm immunophenotypically resembling regulatory T cells, associated with human T-cell leukemia virus type-1. Here, we performed whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of 150 ATL cases to reveal the overarching landscape of genetic alterations in ATL. We discovered frequent (33%) loss-of-function alterations preferentially targeting the CIC long isoform, which were overlooked by previous exome-centric studies of various cancer types. Long but not short isoform-specific inactivation of Cic selectively increased CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T cells in vivo. We also found recurrent (13%) 3'-truncations of REL, which induce transcriptional upregulation and generate gain-of-function proteins. More importantly, REL truncations are also common in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, especially in germinal center B-cell-like subtype (12%). In the non-coding genome, we identified recurrent mutations in regulatory elements, particularly splice sites, of several driver genes. In addition, we characterized the different mutational processes operative in clustered hypermutation sites within and outside immunoglobulin/T-cell receptor genes and identified the mutational enrichment at the binding sites of host and viral transcription factors, suggesting their activities in ATL. By combining the analyses for coding and noncoding mutations, structural variations, and copy number alterations, we discovered 56 recurrently altered driver genes, including 11 novel ones. Finally, ATL cases were classified into 2 molecular groups with distinct clinical and genetic characteristics based on the driver alteration profile. Our findings not only help to improve diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in ATL, but also provide insights into T-cell biology and have implications for genome-wide cancer driver discovery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yasunori Kogure
- Division of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takuro Kameda
- Division of Hematology, Diabetes, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan
| | - Junji Koya
- Division of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Makoto Yoshimitsu
- Department of Hematology and Rheumatology, Kagoshima University Hospital, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Kisato Nosaka
- Department of Hematology, Rheumatology, and Infectious Disease, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Jun-Ichirou Yasunaga
- Department of Hematology, Rheumatology, and Infectious Disease, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Yoshitaka Imaizumi
- Department of Hematology, Atomic Bomb Disease and Hibakusha Medicine Unit, Atomic Bomb Disease Institute, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Mizuki Watanabe
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yuki Saito
- Division of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Gastroenterology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuta Ito
- Division of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
- Division of Clinical Oncology and Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Marni B McClure
- Division of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mariko Tabata
- Division of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Urology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sumito Shingaki
- Division of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kota Yoshifuji
- Division of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Hematology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kenichi Chiba
- Division of Genome Analysis Platform Development, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ai Okada
- Division of Genome Analysis Platform Development, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nobuyuki Kakiuchi
- Department of Pathology and Tumor Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yasuhito Nannya
- Department of Pathology and Tumor Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Ayako Kamiunten
- Division of Hematology, Diabetes, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan
| | - Yuki Tahira
- Division of Hematology, Diabetes, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan
| | - Keiichi Akizuki
- Division of Hematology, Diabetes, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan
| | - Masaaki Sekine
- Division of Hematology, Diabetes, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan
| | - Kotaro Shide
- Division of Hematology, Diabetes, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan
| | - Tomonori Hidaka
- Division of Hematology, Diabetes, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan
| | - Yoko Kubuki
- Division of Hematology, Diabetes, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan
| | - Akira Kitanaka
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki, Japan
| | - Michihiro Hidaka
- Department of Hematology, National Hospital Organization Kumamoto Medical Center, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Nobuaki Nakano
- Department of Hematology, Imamura General Hospital, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Atae Utsunomiya
- Department of Hematology, Imamura General Hospital, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - R Alejandro Sica
- Department of Oncology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY
| | - Ana Acuna-Villaorduna
- Department of Oncology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY
| | - Murali Janakiram
- Department of Oncology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY
| | - Urvi Shah
- Department of Oncology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY
| | - Juan Carlos Ramos
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL
| | - Tatsuhiro Shibata
- Division of Cancer Genomics, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kengo Takeuchi
- Division of Pathology, Cancer Institute, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Pathology, Cancer Institute Hospital, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Tokyo, Japan
- Pathology Project for Molecular Targets, Cancer Institute, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akifumi Takaori-Kondo
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yasushi Miyazaki
- Department of Hematology, Atomic Bomb Disease and Hibakusha Medicine Unit, Atomic Bomb Disease Institute, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Masao Matsuoka
- Department of Hematology, Rheumatology, and Infectious Disease, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Kenji Ishitsuka
- Department of Hematology and Rheumatology, Kagoshima University Hospital, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Yuichi Shiraishi
- Division of Genome Analysis Platform Development, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satoru Miyano
- M&D Data Science Center, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Seishi Ogawa
- Department of Pathology and Tumor Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - B Hilda Ye
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY; and
| | - Kazuya Shimoda
- Division of Hematology, Diabetes, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan
| | - Keisuke Kataoka
- Division of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Bunting EL, Hamilton J, Tabrizi SJ. Polyglutamine diseases. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2022; 72:39-47. [PMID: 34488036 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2021.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Polyglutamine diseases are a collection of nine CAG trinucleotide expansion disorders, presenting with a spectrum of neurological and clinical phenotypes. Recent human, mouse and cell studies of Huntington's disease have highlighted the role of DNA repair genes in somatic expansion of the CAG repeat region, modifying disease pathogenesis. Incomplete splicing of the HTT gene has also been shown to occur in humans, with the resulting exon 1 fragment most probably contributing to the Huntington's disease phenotype. In the spinocerebellar ataxias, studies have converged on transcriptional dysregulation of ion channels as a key disease modifier. In addition, advances have been made in understanding how increased levels of toxic, polyglutamine-expanded proteins can arise in the spinocerebellar ataxias through post-transcriptional and -translational modifications and autophagic mechanisms. Recent studies in spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy implicate similar pathogenic pathways to the more common polyglutamine diseases, highlighting autophagy stimulation as a potential therapeutic target. Finally, the therapeutic use of antisense oligonucleotides in several polyglutamine diseases has shown preclinical benefits and serves as potential future therapies in humans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emma L Bunting
- UCL Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Joseph Hamilton
- UCL Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Sarah J Tabrizi
- UCL Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Grekhnev DA, Kaznacheyeva EV, Vigont VA. Patient-Specific iPSCs-Based Models of Neurodegenerative Diseases: Focus on Aberrant Calcium Signaling. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:624. [PMID: 35054808 PMCID: PMC8776084 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23020624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of cell reprogramming technologies became a breakthrough in the creation of new models of human diseases, including neurodegenerative pathologies. The iPSCs-based models allow for the studying of both hereditary and sporadic cases of pathologies and produce deep insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration. The use of the cells most vulnerable to a particular pathology makes it possible to identify specific pathological mechanisms and greatly facilitates the task of selecting the most effective drugs. To date, a large number of studies on patient-specific models of neurodegenerative diseases has been accumulated. In this review, we focused on the alterations of such a ubiquitous and important intracellular regulatory pathway as calcium signaling. Here, we reviewed and analyzed the data obtained from iPSCs-based models of different neurodegenerative disorders that demonstrated aberrant calcium signaling.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Vladimir A. Vigont
- Laboratory of Ionic Channels of Cell Membranes, Department of Molecular Physiology of the Cell, Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 4 Tikhoretsky Ave., 194064 St. Petersburg, Russia; (D.A.G.); (E.V.K.)
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Wozniak EAL, Chen Z, Paul S, Yang P, Figueroa KP, Friedrich J, Tschumperlin T, Berken M, Ingram M, Henzler C, Pulst SM, Orr HT. Cholecystokinin 1 receptor activation restores normal mTORC1 signaling and is protective to Purkinje cells of SCA mice. Cell Rep 2021; 37:109831. [PMID: 34644575 PMCID: PMC8916043 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) are a group of genetic diseases characterized by progressive ataxia and neurodegeneration, often in cerebellar Purkinje neurons. A SCA1 mouse model, Pcp2-ATXN1[30Q]D776, has severe ataxia in absence of progressive Purkinje neuron degeneration and death. Previous RNA-seq analyses identify cerebellar upregulation of the peptide hormone cholecystokinin (Cck) in Pcp2-ATXN1[30Q]D776 mice. Importantly, absence of Cck1 receptor (Cck1R) in Pcp2-ATXN1[30Q]D776 mice confers a progressive disease with Purkinje neuron death. Administration of a Cck1R agonist, A71623, to Pcp2-ATXN1[30Q]D776;Cck-/- and Pcp2-AXTN1[82Q] mice dampens Purkinje neuron pathology and associated deficits in motor performance. In addition, A71623 administration improves motor performance of Pcp2-ATXN2[127Q] SCA2 mice. Moreover, the Cck1R agonist A71623 corrects mTORC1 signaling and improves expression of calbindin in cerebella of AXTN1[82Q] and ATXN2[127Q] mice. These results indicate that manipulation of the Cck-Cck1R pathway is a potential therapeutic target for treatment of diseases involving Purkinje neuron degeneration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily A L Wozniak
- Institute of Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Zhao Chen
- Institute of Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Sharan Paul
- Department of Neurology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Praseuth Yang
- Institute of Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Karla P Figueroa
- Department of Neurology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Jill Friedrich
- Institute of Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Tyler Tschumperlin
- Institute of Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Michael Berken
- Institute of Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Melissa Ingram
- Institute of Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Department of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Christine Henzler
- RISS Bioinformatics, Minnesota Supercomputing Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Stefan M Pulst
- Department of Neurology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
| | - Harry T Orr
- Institute of Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Gusella JF, Lee JM, MacDonald ME. Huntington's disease: nearly four decades of human molecular genetics. Hum Mol Genet 2021; 30:R254-R263. [PMID: 34169318 PMCID: PMC8490011 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddab170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a devastating neurogenetic disorder whose familial nature and progressive course were first described in the 19th century but for which no disease-modifying treatment is yet available. Through the active participation of HD families, this disorder has acted as a flagship for the application of human molecular genetic strategies to identify disease genes, understand pathogenesis and identify rational targets for development of therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- James F Gusella
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Medical and Population Genetics Program, The Broad Institute of M.I.T. and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jong-Min Lee
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Medical and Population Genetics Program, The Broad Institute of M.I.T. and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Marcy E MacDonald
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Medical and Population Genetics Program, The Broad Institute of M.I.T. and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Leysen S, Burnley RJ, Rodriguez E, Milroy LG, Soini L, Adamski CJ, Nitschke L, Davis R, Obsil T, Brunsveld L, Crabbe T, Zoghbi HY, Ottmann C, Davis JM. A Structural Study of the Cytoplasmic Chaperone Effect of 14-3-3 Proteins on Ataxin-1. J Mol Biol 2021; 433:167174. [PMID: 34302818 PMCID: PMC8505757 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Expansion of the polyglutamine tract in the N terminus of Ataxin-1 is the main cause of the neurodegenerative disease, spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1). However, the C-terminal part of the protein - including its AXH domain and a phosphorylation on residue serine 776 - also plays a crucial role in disease development. This phosphorylation event is known to be crucial for the interaction of Ataxin-1 with the 14-3-3 adaptor proteins and has been shown to indirectly contribute to Ataxin-1 stability. Here we show that 14-3-3 also has a direct anti-aggregation or "chaperone" effect on Ataxin-1. Furthermore, we provide structural and biophysical information revealing how phosphorylated S776 in the intrinsically disordered C terminus of Ataxin-1 mediates the cytoplasmic interaction with 14-3-3 proteins. Based on these findings, we propose that 14-3-3 exerts the observed chaperone effect by interfering with Ataxin-1 dimerization through its AXH domain, reducing further self-association. The chaperone effect is particularly important in the context of SCA1, as it was previously shown that a soluble form of mutant Ataxin-1 is the major driver of pathology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Seppe Leysen
- Global Chemistry, UCB Biopharma UK, Slough SL1 3WE, UK
| | | | | | - Lech-Gustav Milroy
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, Eindhoven 5600 MB, the Netherlands
| | - Lorenzo Soini
- Global Chemistry, UCB Biopharma UK, Slough SL1 3WE, UK; Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, Eindhoven 5600 MB, the Netherlands
| | - Carolyn J Adamski
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Larissa Nitschke
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Rachel Davis
- Global Chemistry, UCB Biopharma UK, Slough SL1 3WE, UK
| | - Tomas Obsil
- Department of Physical and Macromolecular Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague 12843, Czech Republic
| | - Lucas Brunsveld
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, Eindhoven 5600 MB, the Netherlands
| | - Tom Crabbe
- Immuno-Bone Discovery, UCB Biopharma UK, Slough SL1 3WE, UK
| | - Huda Yahya Zoghbi
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Christian Ottmann
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, Eindhoven 5600 MB, the Netherlands
| | | |
Collapse
|
47
|
Mouro Pinto R, Arning L, Giordano JV, Razghandi P, Andrew MA, Gillis T, Correia K, Mysore JS, Grote Urtubey DM, Parwez CR, von Hein SM, Clark HB, Nguyen HP, Förster E, Beller A, Jayadaev S, Keene CD, Bird TD, Lucente D, Vonsattel JP, Orr H, Saft C, Petrasch-Parwez E, Wheeler VC. Patterns of CAG repeat instability in the central nervous system and periphery in Huntington's disease and in spinocerebellar ataxia type 1. Hum Mol Genet 2021; 29:2551-2567. [PMID: 32761094 PMCID: PMC7471505 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddaa139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The expanded HTT CAG repeat causing Huntington’s disease (HD) exhibits somatic expansion proposed to drive the rate of disease onset by eliciting a pathological process that ultimately claims vulnerable cells. To gain insight into somatic expansion in humans, we performed comprehensive quantitative analyses of CAG expansion in ~50 central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral postmortem tissues from seven adult-onset and one juvenile-onset HD individual. We also assessed ATXN1 CAG repeat expansion in brain regions of an individual with a neurologically and pathologically distinct repeat expansion disorder, spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1). Our findings reveal similar profiles of tissue instability in all HD individuals, which, notably, were also apparent in the SCA1 individual. CAG expansion was observed in all tissues, but to different degrees, with multiple cortical regions and neostriatum tending to have the greatest instability in the CNS, and liver in the periphery. These patterns indicate different propensities for CAG expansion contributed by disease locus-independent trans-factors and demonstrate that expansion per se is not sufficient to cause cell type or disease-specific pathology. Rather, pathology may reflect distinct toxic processes triggered by different repeat lengths across cell types and diseases. We also find that the HTT CAG length-dependent expansion propensity of an individual is reflected in all tissues and in cerebrospinal fluid. Our data indicate that peripheral cells may be a useful source to measure CAG expansion in biomarker assays for therapeutic efforts, prompting efforts to dissect underlying mechanisms of expansion that may differ between the brain and periphery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Mouro Pinto
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Larissa Arning
- Department of Human Genetics, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum 44780, Germany
| | - James V Giordano
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Pedram Razghandi
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Marissa A Andrew
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Tammy Gillis
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Kevin Correia
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Jayalakshmi S Mysore
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | | | - Constanze R Parwez
- Department of Neuroanatomy and Molecular Brain Research, Institute of Anatomy, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum 44780, Germany
| | - Sarah M von Hein
- Department of Neurology, Huntington Centre NRW, St. Josef-Hospital, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum 44791, Germany
| | - H Brent Clark
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Institute of Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Huu Phuc Nguyen
- Department of Human Genetics, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum 44780, Germany
| | - Eckart Förster
- Department of Neuroanatomy and Molecular Brain Research, Institute of Anatomy, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum 44780, Germany
| | - Allison Beller
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - Suman Jayadaev
- Department of Neurology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - C Dirk Keene
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - Thomas D Bird
- Department of Neurology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA.,Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA.,Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center, VA Puget Sound Medical Center, Seattle, WA 98108, USA
| | - Diane Lucente
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Jean-Paul Vonsattel
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Medical Center and the New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Harry Orr
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Institute of Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Carsten Saft
- Department of Neurology, Huntington Centre NRW, St. Josef-Hospital, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum 44791, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Petrasch-Parwez
- Department of Neuroanatomy and Molecular Brain Research, Institute of Anatomy, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum 44780, Germany
| | - Vanessa C Wheeler
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Zoghbi HY, Mehta AR. Purkinje cells and their trees. Lancet Neurol 2021; 20:706. [PMID: 34418395 DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(21)00243-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
|
49
|
Blatnik AJ, McGovern VL, Burghes AHM. What Genetics Has Told Us and How It Can Inform Future Experiments for Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a Perspective. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:8494. [PMID: 34445199 PMCID: PMC8395208 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Proximal spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor neuron loss and subsequent atrophy of skeletal muscle. SMA is caused by deficiency of the essential survival motor neuron (SMN) protein, canonically responsible for the assembly of the spliceosomal small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs). Therapeutics aimed at increasing SMN protein levels are efficacious in treating SMA. However, it remains unknown how deficiency of SMN results in motor neuron loss, resulting in many reported cellular functions of SMN and pathways affected in SMA. Herein is a perspective detailing what genetics and biochemistry have told us about SMA and SMN, from identifying the SMA determinant region of the genome, to the development of therapeutics. Furthermore, we will discuss how genetics and biochemistry have been used to understand SMN function and how we can determine which of these are critical to SMA moving forward.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Arthur H. M. Burghes
- Department of Biological Chemistry & Pharmacology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Rightmire Hall, Room 168, 1060 Carmack Road, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (A.J.B.III); (V.L.M.)
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Trendowski MR, Baedke JL, Sapkota Y, Travis LB, Zhang X, El Charif O, Wheeler HE, Leisenring WM, Robison LL, Hudson MM, Morton LM, Oeffinger KC, Howell RM, Armstrong GT, Bhatia S, Dolan ME. Clinical and genetic risk factors for radiation-associated ototoxicity: A report from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study and the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort. Cancer 2021; 127:4091-4102. [PMID: 34286861 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.33775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cranial radiation therapy (CRT) is associated with ototoxicity, which manifests as hearing loss and tinnitus. The authors sought to identify clinical determinants and genetic risk factors for ototoxicity among adult survivors of pediatric cancer treated with CRT. METHODS Logistic regression evaluated associations of tinnitus (n = 1991) and hearing loss (n = 2198) with nongenetic risk factors and comorbidities among CRT-treated survivors in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study. Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of CRT-related tinnitus and hearing loss were also performed. RESULTS Males were more likely to report CRT-related tinnitus (9.4% vs 5.4%; P = 5.1 × 10-4 ) and hearing loss (14.0% vs 10.7%; P = .02) than females. Survivors with tinnitus or hearing loss were more likely to experience persistent dizziness or vertigo (tinnitus: P < 2 × 10-16 ; hearing loss: P = 6.4 × 10-9 ), take antidepressants (tinnitus: P = .02; hearing loss: P = .01), and report poorer overall health (tinnitus: P = 1.5 × 10-6 ; hearing loss: P = 1.7 × 10-6 ) in comparison with controls. GWAS of CRT-related tinnitus revealed a genome-wide significant signal in chromosome 1 led by rs203248 (P = 1.5 × 10-9 ), whereas GWAS of CRT-related hearing loss identified rs332013 (P = 5.8 × 10-7 ) in chromosome 8 and rs67522722 (P = 7.8 × 10-7 ) in chromosome 6 as nearly genome-wide significant. A replication analysis identified rs67522722, intronic to ATXN1, as being significantly associated with CRT-related hearing loss (P = .03) and de novo hearing loss (P = 3.6 × 10-4 ). CONCLUSIONS CRT-associated ototoxicity was associated with sex, several neuro-otological symptoms, increased antidepressant use, and poorer self-reported health. GWAS of CRT-related hearing loss identified rs67522722, which was supported in an independent cohort of survivors. LAY SUMMARY Hearing loss and subjective tinnitus (the perception of noise or ringing in the ear) are long-term side effects of cancer treatment and are common in children treated with radiation to the brain. These toxicities can affect childhood development and potentially contribute to serious learning and behavioral difficulties. This study's data indicate that males are at greater risk for hearing loss and tinnitus than females after radiation therapy to the brain. Those who develop these toxicities are more likely to use antidepressants and report poorer overall health. Health care providers can improve the management of survivors by informing patients and/or their parents of these risks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jessica L Baedke
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Yadav Sapkota
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Lois B Travis
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fairbanks School of Public Health, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana.,Department of Epidemiology, Fairbanks School of Public Health, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Xindi Zhang
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Omar El Charif
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Heather E Wheeler
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.,Department of Computer Science, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Wendy M Leisenring
- Division of Clinical Research, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington.,Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington
| | - Leslie L Robison
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Melissa M Hudson
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee.,Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Lindsay M Morton
- Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | | | - Rebecca M Howell
- Department of Radiation Physics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Gregory T Armstrong
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Smita Bhatia
- School of Medicine Institute for Cancer Outcomes and Survivorship, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - M Eileen Dolan
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| |
Collapse
|