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Jin M, Lin J, Li H, Li Z, Yang D, Wang Y, Yu Y, Shao Z, Chen L, Wang Z, Zhang Y, Zhang X, Wang N, Xu C, Yang H, Chen WJ, Li G. Correction of human nonsense mutation via adenine base editing for Duchenne muscular dystrophy treatment in mouse. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2024; 35:102165. [PMID: 38571746 PMCID: PMC10988125 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2024.102165] [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: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most prevalent herediatry disease in men, characterized by dystrophin deficiency, progressive muscle wasting, cardiac insufficiency, and premature mortality, with no effective therapeutic options. Here, we investigated whether adenine base editing can correct pathological nonsense point mutations leading to premature stop codons in the dystrophin gene. We identified 27 causative nonsense mutations in our DMD patient cohort. Treatment with adenine base editor (ABE) could restore dystrophin expression by direct A-to-G editing of pathological nonsense mutations in cardiomyocytes generated from DMD patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells. We also generated two humanized mouse models of DMD expressing mutation-bearing exons 23 or 30 of human dystrophin gene. Intramuscular administration of ABE, driven by ubiquitous or muscle-specific promoters could correct these nonsense mutations in vivo, albeit with higher efficiency in exon 30, restoring dystrophin expression in skeletal fibers of humanized DMD mice. Moreover, a single systemic delivery of ABE with human single guide RNA (sgRNA) could induce body-wide dystrophin expression and improve muscle function in rotarod tests of humanized DMD mice. These findings demonstrate that ABE with human sgRNAs can confer therapeutic alleviation of DMD in mice, providing a basis for development of adenine base editing therapies in monogenic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Jin
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology of First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Neuroscience, Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China
| | - Jiajia Lin
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology of First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Neuroscience, Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China
| | - Haisen Li
- HuidaGene Therapeutics Co., Ltd, Shanghai 200131, China
- School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Zhifang Li
- Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Dong Yang
- HuidaGene Therapeutics Co., Ltd, Shanghai 200131, China
| | - Yin Wang
- HuidaGene Therapeutics Co., Ltd, Shanghai 200131, China
| | - Yuyang Yu
- HuidaGene Therapeutics Co., Ltd, Shanghai 200131, China
| | - Zhurui Shao
- HuidaGene Therapeutics Co., Ltd, Shanghai 200131, China
| | - Long Chen
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology of First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Neuroscience, Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China
| | - Zhiqiang Wang
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology of First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Neuroscience, Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- HuidaGene Therapeutics Co., Ltd, Shanghai 200131, China
| | - Xiumei Zhang
- HuidaGene Therapeutics Co., Ltd, Shanghai 200131, China
| | - Ning Wang
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology of First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Neuroscience, Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China
| | - Chunlong Xu
- Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai 200031, China
- Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Technology, Shanghai 201602, China
| | - Hui Yang
- HuidaGene Therapeutics Co., Ltd, Shanghai 200131, China
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
- Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Technology, Shanghai 201602, China
| | - Wan-Jin Chen
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology of First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Neuroscience, Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China
| | - Guoling Li
- HuidaGene Therapeutics Co., Ltd, Shanghai 200131, China
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Andrea ZA, Matteo FY, Alessandra B, Carlo PS. Molecular mechanisms and therapeutic strategies for neuromuscular diseases. Cell Mol Life Sci 2024; 81:198. [PMID: 38678519 PMCID: PMC11056344 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-024-05229-9] [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: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Neuromuscular diseases encompass a heterogeneous array of disorders characterized by varying onset ages, clinical presentations, severity, and progression. While these conditions can stem from acquired or inherited causes, this review specifically focuses on disorders arising from genetic abnormalities, excluding metabolic conditions. The pathogenic defect may primarily affect the anterior horn cells, the axonal or myelin component of peripheral nerves, the neuromuscular junction, or skeletal and/or cardiac muscles. While inherited neuromuscular disorders have been historically deemed not treatable, the advent of gene-based and molecular therapies is reshaping the treatment landscape for this group of condition. With the caveat that many products still fail to translate the positive results obtained in pre-clinical models to humans, both the technological development (e.g., implementation of tissue-specific vectors) as well as advances on the knowledge of pathogenetic mechanisms form a collective foundation for potentially curative approaches to these debilitating conditions. This review delineates the current panorama of therapies targeting the most prevalent forms of inherited neuromuscular diseases, emphasizing approved treatments and those already undergoing human testing, offering insights into the state-of-the-art interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zambon Alberto Andrea
- Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Institute for Experimental Neurology, Inspe, Milan, Italy
- Neurology Department, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Falzone Yuri Matteo
- Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Institute for Experimental Neurology, Inspe, Milan, Italy
- Neurology Department, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Bolino Alessandra
- Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Institute for Experimental Neurology, Inspe, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Previtali Stefano Carlo
- Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Institute for Experimental Neurology, Inspe, Milan, Italy.
- Neurology Department, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
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Cohen J, Huang S, Koczwara KE, Woods KT, Ho V, Woodman KG, Arbiser JL, Daman K, Lek M, Emerson CP, DeSimone AM. Flavones provide resistance to DUX4-induced toxicity via an mTor-independent mechanism. Cell Death Dis 2023; 14:749. [PMID: 37973788 PMCID: PMC10654915 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-023-06257-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is among the most common of the muscular dystrophies, affecting nearly 1 in 8000 individuals, and is a cause of profound disability. Genetically, FSHD is linked to the contraction and/or epigenetic de-repression of the D4Z4 repeat array on chromosome 4, thereby allowing expression of the DUX4 gene in skeletal muscle. If the DUX4 transcript incorporates a stabilizing polyadenylation site the myotoxic DUX4 protein will be synthesized, resulting in muscle wasting. The mechanism of toxicity remains unclear, as many DUX4-induced cytopathologies have been described, however cell death does primarily occur through caspase 3/7-dependent apoptosis. To date, most FSHD therapeutic development has focused on molecular methods targeting DUX4 expression or the DUX4 transcript, while therapies targeting processes downstream of DUX4 activity have received less attention. Several studies have demonstrated that inhibition of multiple signal transduction pathways can ameliorate DUX4-induced toxicity, and thus compounds targeting these pathways have the potential to be developed into FSHD therapeutics. To this end, we have screened a group of small molecules curated based on their reported activity in relevant pathways and/or structural relationships with known toxicity-modulating molecules. We have identified a panel of five compounds that function downstream of DUX4 activity to inhibit DUX4-induced toxicity. Unexpectedly, this effect was mediated through an mTor-independent mechanism that preserved expression of ULK1 and correlated with an increase in a marker of active cellular autophagy. This identifies these flavones as compounds of interest for therapeutic development, and potentially identifies the autophagy pathway as a target for therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Cohen
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Shushu Huang
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | | | - Kristen T Woods
- Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Program, Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
- Li Weibo Institute for Rare Disease Research University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Vincent Ho
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Keryn G Woodman
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | | | - Katelyn Daman
- Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Program, Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
- Li Weibo Institute for Rare Disease Research University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Monkol Lek
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Charles P Emerson
- Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Program, Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
- Li Weibo Institute for Rare Disease Research University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Alec M DeSimone
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
- Modalis Therapeutics, Waltham, MA, USA.
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4
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Booth BJ, Nourreddine S, Katrekar D, Savva Y, Bose D, Long TJ, Huss DJ, Mali P. RNA editing: Expanding the potential of RNA therapeutics. Mol Ther 2023; 31:1533-1549. [PMID: 36620962 PMCID: PMC9824937 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2023.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA therapeutics have had a tremendous impact on medicine, recently exemplified by the rapid development and deployment of mRNA vaccines to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, RNA-targeting drugs have been developed for diseases with significant unmet medical needs through selective mRNA knockdown or modulation of pre-mRNA splicing. Recently, RNA editing, particularly antisense RNA-guided adenosine deaminase acting on RNA (ADAR)-based programmable A-to-I editing, has emerged as a powerful tool to manipulate RNA to enable correction of disease-causing mutations and modulate gene expression and protein function. Beyond correcting pathogenic mutations, the technology is particularly well suited for therapeutic applications that require a transient pharmacodynamic effect, such as the treatment of acute pain, obesity, viral infection, and inflammation, where it would be undesirable to introduce permanent alterations to the genome. Furthermore, transient modulation of protein function, such as altering the active sites of enzymes or the interface of protein-protein interactions, opens the door to therapeutic avenues ranging from regenerative medicine to oncology. These emerging RNA-editing-based toolsets are poised to broadly impact biotechnology and therapeutic applications. Here, we review the emerging field of therapeutic RNA editing, highlight recent laboratory advancements, and discuss the key challenges on the path to clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sami Nourreddine
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Prashant Mali
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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5
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Duranti E, Villa C. Influence of DUX4 Expression in Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy and Possible Treatments. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24119503. [PMID: 37298453 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) represents the third most common form of muscular dystrophy and is characterized by muscle weakness and atrophy. FSHD is caused by the altered expression of the transcription factor double homeobox 4 (DUX4), which is involved in several significantly altered pathways required for myogenesis and muscle regeneration. While DUX4 is normally silenced in the majority of somatic tissues in healthy individuals, its epigenetic de-repression has been linked to FSHD, resulting in DUX4 aberrant expression and cytotoxicity in skeletal muscle cells. Understanding how DUX4 is regulated and functions could provide useful information not only to further understand FSHD pathogenesis, but also to develop therapeutic approaches for this disorder. Therefore, this review discusses the role of DUX4 in FSHD by examining the possible molecular mechanisms underlying the disease as well as novel pharmacological strategies targeting DUX4 aberrant expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Duranti
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy
| | - Chiara Villa
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy
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6
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Tihaya MS, Mul K, Balog J, de Greef JC, Tapscott SJ, Tawil R, Statland JM, van der Maarel SM. Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy: the road to targeted therapies. Nat Rev Neurol 2023; 19:91-108. [PMID: 36627512 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-022-00762-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Advances in the molecular understanding of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) have revealed that FSHD results from epigenetic de-repression of the DUX4 gene in skeletal muscle, which encodes a transcription factor that is active in early embryonic development but is normally silenced in almost all somatic tissues. These advances also led to the identification of targets for disease-altering therapies for FSHD, as well as an improved understanding of the molecular mechanism of the disease and factors that influence its progression. Together, these developments led the FSHD research community to shift its focus towards the development of disease-modifying treatments for FSHD. This Review presents advances in the molecular and clinical understanding of FSHD, discusses the potential targeted therapies that are currently being explored, some of which are already in clinical trials, and describes progress in the development of FSHD-specific outcome measures and assessment tools for use in future clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mara S Tihaya
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Karlien Mul
- Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Judit Balog
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jessica C de Greef
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Stephen J Tapscott
- Division of Human Biology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Rabi Tawil
- Department of Neurology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Jeffrey M Statland
- Department of Neurology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
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7
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Reshetnikov VV, Chirinskaite AV, Sopova JV, Ivanov RA, Leonova EI. Translational potential of base-editing tools for gene therapy of monogenic diseases. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:942440. [PMID: 36032737 PMCID: PMC9399415 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.942440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Millions of people worldwide have rare genetic diseases that are caused by various mutations in DNA sequence. Classic treatments of rare genetic diseases are often ineffective, and therefore great hopes are placed on gene-editing methods. A DNA base–editing system based on nCas9 (Cas9 with a nickase activity) or dCas9 (a catalytically inactive DNA-targeting Cas9 enzyme) enables editing without double-strand breaks. These tools are constantly being improved, which increases their potential usefulness for therapies. In this review, we describe the main types of base-editing systems and their application to the treatment of monogenic diseases in experiments in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, to understand the therapeutic potential of these systems, the advantages and disadvantages of base-editing systems are examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasiliy V. Reshetnikov
- Department of Biotechnology, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sochi, Russia
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Angelina V. Chirinskaite
- Сenter of Transgenesis and Genome Editing, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Julia V. Sopova
- Сenter of Transgenesis and Genome Editing, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
- Laboratory of Amyloid Biology, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Roman A. Ivanov
- Department of Biotechnology, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sochi, Russia
| | - Elena I. Leonova
- Сenter of Transgenesis and Genome Editing, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
- Scientific Center for Genetics and Life Sciences, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sochi, Russia
- *Correspondence: Elena I. Leonova,
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8
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Mariot V, Dumonceaux J. Gene Editing to Tackle Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy. Front Genome Ed 2022; 4:937879. [PMID: 35910413 PMCID: PMC9334676 DOI: 10.3389/fgeed.2022.937879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Facioscapulohumeral dystrophy (FSHD) is a skeletal muscle disease caused by the aberrant expression of the DUX4 gene in the muscle tissue. To date, different therapeutic approaches have been proposed, targeting DUX4 at the DNA, RNA or protein levels. The recent development of the clustered regularly interspaced short-palindromic repeat (CRISPR) based technology opened new avenues of research, and FSHD is no exception. For the first time, a cure for genetic muscular diseases can be considered. Here, we describe CRISPR-based strategies that are currently being investigated for FSHD. The different approaches include the epigenome editing targeting the DUX4 gene and its promoter, gene editing targeting the polyadenylation of DUX4 using TALEN, CRISPR/cas9 or adenine base editing and the CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing for SMCHD1. We also discuss challenges facing the development of these gene editing based therapeutics.
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9
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Himeda CL, Jones PL. FSHD Therapeutic Strategies: What Will It Take to Get to Clinic? J Pers Med 2022; 12:jpm12060865. [PMID: 35743650 PMCID: PMC9225474 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12060865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is arguably one of the most challenging genetic diseases to understand and treat. The disease is caused by epigenetic dysregulation of a macrosatellite repeat, either by contraction of the repeat or by mutations in silencing proteins. Both cases lead to chromatin relaxation and, in the context of a permissive allele, pathogenic misexpression of DUX4 in skeletal muscle. The complex nature of the locus and the fact that FSHD is a toxic, gain-of-function disease present unique challenges for the design of therapeutic strategies. There are three major DUX4-targeting avenues of therapy for FSHD: small molecules, oligonucleotide therapeutics, and CRISPR-based approaches. Here, we evaluate the preclinical progress of each avenue, and discuss efforts being made to overcome major hurdles to translation.
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10
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Masteika IF, Sathya A, Homma S, Miller BM, Boyce FM, Miller JB. Downstream events initiated by expression of FSHD-associated DUX4: Studies of nucleocytoplasmic transport, γH2AX accumulation, and Bax/Bak-dependence. Biol Open 2022; 11:274475. [PMID: 35191484 PMCID: PMC8890089 DOI: 10.1242/bio.059145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Abnormal expression in skeletal muscle of the double homeobox transcription factor DUX4 underlies pathogenesis in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD). Though multiple changes are known to be initiated by aberrant DUX4 expression, the downstream events initiated by DUX4 remain incompletely understood. In this study, we examined plausible downstream events initiated by DUX4. First, we found that nucleocytoplasmic protein export appeared to be decreased upon DUX4 expression as indicated by nuclear accumulation of a shuttle-GFP reporter. Second, building on studies from other labs, we showed that phospho(Ser139)-H2AX (γH2AX), an indicator of double-strand DNA breaks, accumulated both in human FSHD1 myotube nuclei upon endogenous DUX4 expression and in Bax-/-;Bak-/- (double knockout), SV40-immortalized mouse embryonic fibroblasts upon exogenous DUX4 expression. In contrast, DUX4-induced caspase 3/7 activation was prevented in Bax-/-;Bak-/- double knockout SV40-MEFs, but not by single knockouts of Bax, Bak, or Bid. Thus, aberrant DUX4 expression appeared to alter nucleocytoplasmic protein transport and generate double-strand DNA breaks in FSHD1 myotube nuclei, and the Bax/Bak pathway is required for DUX4-induced caspase activation but not γH2AX accumulation. These results add to our knowledge of downstream events induced by aberrant DUX4 expression and suggest possibilities for further mechanistic investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel F Masteika
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA
| | - Anvitha Sathya
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA
| | - Sachiko Homma
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA
| | - Bess M Miller
- Biological & Biomedical Sciences Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Frederick M Boyce
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA
| | - Jeffrey Boone Miller
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA
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11
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Goossens R, Tihaya MS, van den Heuvel A, Tabot-Ndip K, Willemsen IM, Tapscott SJ, González-Prieto R, Chang JG, Vertegaal ACO, Balog J, van der Maarel SM. A proteomics study identifying interactors of the FSHD2 gene product SMCHD1 reveals RUVBL1-dependent DUX4 repression. Sci Rep 2021; 11:23642. [PMID: 34880314 PMCID: PMC8654949 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-03030-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Structural Maintenance of Chromosomes Hinge Domain Containing 1 (SMCHD1) is a chromatin repressor, which is mutated in > 95% of Facioscapulohumeral dystrophy (FSHD) type 2 cases. In FSHD2, SMCHD1 mutations ultimately result in the presence of the cleavage stage transcription factor DUX4 in muscle cells due to a failure in epigenetic repression of the D4Z4 macrosatellite repeat on chromosome 4q, which contains the DUX4 locus. While binding of SMCHD1 to D4Z4 and its necessity to maintain a repressive D4Z4 chromatin structure in somatic cells are well documented, it is unclear how SMCHD1 is recruited to D4Z4, and how it exerts its repressive properties on chromatin. Here, we employ a quantitative proteomics approach to identify and characterize novel SMCHD1 interacting proteins, and assess their functionality in D4Z4 repression. We identify 28 robust SMCHD1 nuclear interactors, of which 12 are present in D4Z4 chromatin of myocytes. We demonstrate that loss of one of these SMCHD1 interacting proteins, RuvB-like 1 (RUVBL1), further derepresses DUX4 in FSHD myocytes. We also confirm the interaction of SMCHD1 with EZH inhibitory protein (EZHIP), a protein which prevents global H3K27me3 deposition by the Polycomb repressive complex PRC2, providing novel insights into the potential function of SMCHD1 in the repression of DUX4 in the early stages of embryogenesis. The SMCHD1 interactome outlined herein can thus provide further direction into research on the potential function of SMCHD1 at genomic loci where SMCHD1 is known to act, such as D4Z4 repeats, the inactive X chromosome, autosomal gene clusters, imprinted loci and telomeres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Remko Goossens
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Mara S Tihaya
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Anita van den Heuvel
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Klorane Tabot-Ndip
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Iris M Willemsen
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Stephen J Tapscott
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, USA
| | - Román González-Prieto
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jer-Gung Chang
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Alfred C O Vertegaal
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Judit Balog
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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