1
|
Mishra R, Gerlach GJ, Sahoo B, Camacho CJ, Wetzel R. A Targetable Self-association Surface of the Huntingtin exon1 Helical Tetramer Required for Assembly of Amyloid Pre-nucleation Oligomers. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168607. [PMID: 38734203 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2024.168607] [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: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Polyglutamine (polyQ) sequences undergo repeat-length dependent formation of disease-associated, amyloid-like cross-β core structures with kinetics and aggregate morphologies often influenced by the flanking sequences. In Huntington's disease (HD), the httNT segment on the polyQ's N-terminal flank enhances aggregation rates by changing amyloid nucleation from a classical homogeneous mechanism to a two-step process requiring an ɑ-helix-rich oligomeric intermediate. A folded, helix-rich httNT tetrameric structure suggested to be this critical intermediate was recently reported. Here we employ single alanine replacements along the httNT sequence to assess this proposed structure and refine the mechanistic model. We find that Ala replacement of hydrophobic residues within simple httNT peptides greatly suppresses helicity, supporting the tetramer model. These same helix-disruptive replacements in the httNT segment of an exon-1 analog greatly reduce aggregation kinetics, suggesting that an ɑ-helix rich multimer - either the tetramer or a larger multimer - plays an on-pathway role in nucleation. Surprisingly, several other Ala replacements actually enhance helicity and/or amyloid aggregation. The spatial localization of these residues on the tetramer surface suggests a self-association interface responsible for formation of the octomers and higher-order multimers most likely required for polyQ amyloid nucleation. Multimer docking of the tetramer, using the protein-protein docking algorithm ClusPro, predicts this symmetric surface to be a viable tetramer dimerization interface. Intriguingly, octomer formation brings the emerging polyQ chains into closer proximity at this tetramer-tetramer interface. Further supporting the potential importance of tetramer super-assembly, computational docking with a known exon-1 aggregation inhibitor predicts ligand contacts with residues at this interface.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rakesh Mishra
- Department Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
| | - Gabriella J Gerlach
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Bankanidhi Sahoo
- Department Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
| | - Carlos J Camacho
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
| | - Ronald Wetzel
- Department Structural Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Kul E, Okoroafor U, Dougherty A, Palkovic L, Li H, Valiño-Ramos P, Aberman L, Young SM. Development of adenoviral vectors that transduce Purkinje cells and other cerebellar cell-types in the cerebellum of a humanized mouse model. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2024; 32:101243. [PMID: 38605812 PMCID: PMC11007541 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2024.101243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Viral vector gene therapy has immense promise for treating central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Although adeno-associated virus vectors (AAVs) have had success, their small packaging capacity limits their utility to treat the root cause of many CNS disorders. Adenoviral vectors (Ad) have tremendous potential for CNS gene therapy approaches. Currently, the most common vectors utilize the Group C Ad5 serotype capsid proteins, which rely on the Coxsackievirus-Adenovirus receptor (CAR) to infect cells. However, these Ad5 vectors are unable to transduce many neuronal cell types that are dysfunctional in many CNS disorders. The human CD46 (hCD46) receptor is widely expressed throughout the human CNS and is the primary attachment receptor for many Ad serotypes. Therefore, to overcome the current limitations of Ad vectors to treat CNS disorders, we created chimeric first generation Ad vectors that utilize the hCD46 receptor. Using a "humanized" hCD46 mouse model, we demonstrate these Ad vectors transduce cerebellar cell types, including Purkinje cells, that are refractory to Ad5 transduction. Since Ad vector transduction properties are dependent on their capsid proteins, these chimeric first generation Ad vectors open new avenues for high-capacity helper-dependent adenovirus (HdAd) gene therapy approaches for cerebellar disorders and multiple neurological disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emre Kul
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Uchechi Okoroafor
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Cell Developmental Biology Graduate Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Amanda Dougherty
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Lauren Palkovic
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Hao Li
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Paula Valiño-Ramos
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Leah Aberman
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Samuel M. Young
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Cell Developmental Biology Graduate Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Solana-Balaguer J, Garcia-Segura P, Campoy-Campos G, Chicote-González A, Fernández-Irigoyen J, Santamaría E, Pérez-Navarro E, Masana M, Alberch J, Malagelada C. Motor skill learning modulates striatal extracellular vesicles' content in a mouse model of Huntington's disease. Cell Commun Signal 2024; 22:321. [PMID: 38863004 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-024-01693-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurological disorder caused by a CAG expansion in the Huntingtin gene (HTT). HD pathology mostly affects striatal medium-sized spiny neurons and results in an altered cortico-striatal function. Recent studies report that motor skill learning, and cortico-striatal stimulation attenuate the neuropathology in HD, resulting in an amelioration of some motor and cognitive functions. During physical training, extracellular vesicles (EVs) are released in many tissues, including the brain, as a potential means for inter-tissue communication. To investigate how motor skill learning, involving acute physical training, modulates EVs crosstalk between cells in the striatum, we trained wild-type (WT) and R6/1 mice, the latter with motor and cognitive deficits, on the accelerating rotarod test, and we isolated their striatal EVs. EVs from R6/1 mice presented alterations in the small exosome population when compared to WT. Proteomic analyses revealed that striatal R6/1 EVs recapitulated signaling and energy deficiencies present in HD. Motor skill learning in R6/1 mice restored the amount of EVs and their protein content in comparison to naïve R6/1 mice. Furthermore, motor skill learning modulated crucial pathways in metabolism and neurodegeneration. All these data provide new insights into the pathogenesis of HD and put striatal EVs in the spotlight to understand the signaling and metabolic alterations in neurodegenerative diseases. Moreover, our results suggest that motor learning is a crucial modulator of cell-to-cell communication in the striatum.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Júlia Solana-Balaguer
- Departament de Biomedicina, Institut de Neurociències, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Universitat de Barcelona, Casanova 143, North Wing, 3rd Floor, Barcelona, Catalonia, 08036, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Pol Garcia-Segura
- Departament de Biomedicina, Institut de Neurociències, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Universitat de Barcelona, Casanova 143, North Wing, 3rd Floor, Barcelona, Catalonia, 08036, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Genís Campoy-Campos
- Departament de Biomedicina, Institut de Neurociències, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Universitat de Barcelona, Casanova 143, North Wing, 3rd Floor, Barcelona, Catalonia, 08036, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Almudena Chicote-González
- Departament de Biomedicina, Institut de Neurociències, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Universitat de Barcelona, Casanova 143, North Wing, 3rd Floor, Barcelona, Catalonia, 08036, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Enrique Santamaría
- Proteored-ISCIII, Proteomics Unit, Departamento de Salud, UPNA, Navarrabiomed, Pamplona, IdiSNA, Spain
| | - Esther Pérez-Navarro
- Departament de Biomedicina, Institut de Neurociències, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Universitat de Barcelona, Casanova 143, North Wing, 3rd Floor, Barcelona, Catalonia, 08036, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mercè Masana
- Departament de Biomedicina, Institut de Neurociències, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Universitat de Barcelona, Casanova 143, North Wing, 3rd Floor, Barcelona, Catalonia, 08036, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Alberch
- Departament de Biomedicina, Institut de Neurociències, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Universitat de Barcelona, Casanova 143, North Wing, 3rd Floor, Barcelona, Catalonia, 08036, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristina Malagelada
- Departament de Biomedicina, Institut de Neurociències, Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Universitat de Barcelona, Casanova 143, North Wing, 3rd Floor, Barcelona, Catalonia, 08036, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Barcelona, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Farag M, Coleman A, Knights H, Murphy MJ, Rajagopal S, Touzé A, Shoai M, Hearst C, Salanio DM, Wild EJ, Tabrizi SJ. Outcomes of Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy in Huntington's Disease at a Tertiary Center. Mov Disord Clin Pract 2024. [PMID: 38853375 DOI: 10.1002/mdc3.14130] [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: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Clinically assisted nutrition and hydration via percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is a therapeutic option to ameliorate the difficulties associated with enhanced catabolism, weight loss, and dysphagia in Huntington's disease (HD). OBJECTIVES The objective is to provide insights into demographics, staging (Shoulson-Fahn), complications, weight trajectories, and survival rates in people with HD (pwHD) who underwent PEG. METHODS This retrospective study included 705 consecutive pwHD who attended our HD clinic between July 2006 and March 2024, of whom 52 underwent PEG. A control group (n = 52), comprising pwHD without PEG, were closely matched for sex, stage, age, CAG length, and disease burden score at PEG. The study was registered as a service evaluation at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery. RESULTS PEG prevalence was 15.0% (n = 52/347) among manifest pwHD: 4.8% (n = 3/62) for Stage 3; 33.3% (n = 16/48) for stage 4; and 44.1% (n = 30/68) for stage 5. Commonest indications were dysphagia, weight loss, and inadequate oral intake. Complications included chest infection, tube dislodgement, and peristomal and skin infections. Modeling of weight trajectories after PEG found no difference between PEG and non-PEG groups. Mortality rate was 34.6% (n = 18/52) in the PEG and 36.5% (n = 19/52) in the non-PEG groups (P = 0.84). Treatment duration (until study endpoint or death) was 3.48 years (interquartile range = 1.71-6.02; range = 0.23-18.8), with 65.4% (n = 34/52) alive at the study endpoint. CONCLUSION PEG in pwHD at-risk for weight loss may help slow weight loss. Prospective studies are required to strengthen PEG decision-making in pwHD. PEG survival was much longer than other dementias, highlighting the need to consider PEG independently in pwHD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mena Farag
- Huntington's Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN), Queen Square, London, United Kingdom
| | - Annabelle Coleman
- Huntington's Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN), Queen Square, London, United Kingdom
| | - Harry Knights
- Huntington's Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN), Queen Square, London, United Kingdom
| | - Michael J Murphy
- Huntington's Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN), Queen Square, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sangeerthana Rajagopal
- Huntington's Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN), Queen Square, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alexiane Touzé
- Huntington's Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN), Queen Square, London, United Kingdom
| | - Maryam Shoai
- Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Cara Hearst
- Huntington's Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN), Queen Square, London, United Kingdom
| | - Desiree M Salanio
- Huntington's Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN), Queen Square, London, United Kingdom
| | - Edward J Wild
- Huntington's Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN), Queen Square, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah J Tabrizi
- Huntington's Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN), Queen Square, London, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Dickmann CGF, Milicevic Sephton S, Barker RA, Aigbirhio FI. PET Ligands for Imaging Mutant Huntingtin Aggregates: A Case Study in Non-For-Profit Scientific Management. Chembiochem 2024; 25:e202400152. [PMID: 38695673 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202400152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Positron emission tomography imaging of misfolded proteins with high-affinity and selective radioligands has played a vital role in expanding our knowledge of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. The pathogenesis of Huntington's disease, a CAG trinucleotide repeat disorder, is similarly linked to the presence of protein fibrils formed from mutant huntingtin (mHTT) protein. Development of mHTT fibril-specific radioligands has been limited by the lack of structural knowledge around mHTT and a dearth of available hit compounds for medicinal chemistry refinement. Over the past decade, the CHDI Foundation, a non-for-profit scientific management organisation has orchestrated a large-scale screen of small molecules to identify high affinity ligands of mHTT, with lead compounds now reaching clinical maturity. Here we describe the mHTT radioligands developed to date and opportunities for further improvement of this radiotracer class.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Catherine G F Dickmann
- Molecular Imaging Chemistry Laboratory, Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Selena Milicevic Sephton
- Molecular Imaging Chemistry Laboratory, Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Roger A Barker
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Franklin I Aigbirhio
- Molecular Imaging Chemistry Laboratory, Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Vogt L, Quiroz V, Ebrahimi-Fakhari D. Emerging therapies for childhood-onset movement disorders. Curr Opin Pediatr 2024; 36:331-341. [PMID: 38655812 PMCID: PMC11047116 DOI: 10.1097/mop.0000000000001354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW We highlight novel and emerging therapies in the treatment of childhood-onset movement disorders. We structured this review by therapeutic entity (small molecule drugs, RNA-targeted therapeutics, gene replacement therapy, and neuromodulation), recognizing that there are two main approaches to treatment: symptomatic (based on phenomenology) and molecular mechanism-based therapy or 'precision medicine' (which is disease-modifying). RECENT FINDINGS We highlight reports of new small molecule drugs for Tourette syndrome, Friedreich's ataxia and Rett syndrome. We also discuss developments in gene therapy for aromatic l-amino acid decarboxylase deficiency and hereditary spastic paraplegia, as well as current work exploring optimization of deep brain stimulation and lesioning with focused ultrasound. SUMMARY Childhood-onset movement disorders have traditionally been treated symptomatically based on phenomenology, but focus has recently shifted toward targeted molecular mechanism-based therapeutics. The development of precision therapies is driven by increasing capabilities for genetic testing and a better delineation of the underlying disease mechanisms. We highlight novel and exciting approaches to the treatment of genetic childhood-onset movement disorders while also discussing general challenges in therapy development for rare diseases. We provide a framework for molecular mechanism-based treatment approaches, a summary of specific treatments for various movement disorders, and a clinical trial readiness framework.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey Vogt
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto Ontario, Canada
| | - Vicente Quiroz
- Movement Disorders Program, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Darius Ebrahimi-Fakhari
- Movement Disorders Program, Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Zhang W, Zhao X, Bhuiyan P, Liu H, Wei H. Neuroprotective effects of dantrolene in neurodegenerative disease: Role of inhibition of pathological inflammation. JOURNAL OF ANESTHESIA AND TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2024; 3:27-35. [PMID: 38826587 PMCID: PMC11138240 DOI: 10.1016/j.jatmed.2024.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) refer to a group of diseases in which slow, continuous cell death is the main pathogenic event in the nervous system. Most NDs are characterized by cognitive dysfunction or progressive motor dysfunction. Treatments of NDs mainly target alleviating symptoms, and most NDs do not have disease-modifying drugs. The pathogenesis of NDs involves inflammation and apoptosis mediated by mitochondrial dysfunction. Dantrolene, approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, acts as a RyRs antagonist for the treatment of malignant hyperthermia, spasticity, neuroleptic syndrome, ecstasy intoxication and exertional heat stroke with tolerable side effects. Recently, dantrolene has also shown therapeutic effects in some NDs. Its neuroprotective mechanisms include the reduction of excitotoxicity, apoptosis and neuroinflammation. In summary, dantrolene can be considered as a potential therapeutic candidate for NDs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wenjia Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China
| | - Xu Zhao
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China
| | - Piplu Bhuiyan
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Henry Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Huafeng Wei
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Ciucci G, Braga L, Zacchigna S. Discovery platforms for RNA therapeutics. Br J Pharmacol 2024. [PMID: 38760893 DOI: 10.1111/bph.16424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024] Open
Abstract
RNA therapeutics are emerging as a unique opportunity to drug currently "undruggable" molecules and diseases. While their advantages over conventional, small molecule drugs, their therapeutic implications and the tools for their effective in vivo delivery have been extensively reviewed, little attention has been so far paid to the technological platforms exploited for the discovery of RNA therapeutics. Here, we provide an overview of the existing platforms and ex vivo assays for RNA discovery, their advantages and disadvantages, as well as their main fields of application, with specific focus on RNA therapies that have reached either phase 3 or market approval.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giulio Ciucci
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Trieste, Italy
| | - Luca Braga
- Functional Cell Biology Laboratory, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Trieste, Italy
| | - Serena Zacchigna
- Cardiovascular Biology Laboratory, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Trieste, Italy
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Hobbs NZ, Papoutsi M, Delva A, Kinnunen KM, Nakajima M, Van Laere K, Vandenberghe W, Herath P, Scahill RI. Neuroimaging to Facilitate Clinical Trials in Huntington's Disease: Current Opinion from the EHDN Imaging Working Group. J Huntingtons Dis 2024:JHD240016. [PMID: 38788082 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-240016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Neuroimaging is increasingly being included in clinical trials of Huntington's disease (HD) for a wide range of purposes from participant selection and safety monitoring, through to demonstration of disease modification. Selection of the appropriate modality and associated analysis tools requires careful consideration. On behalf of the EHDN Imaging Working Group, we present current opinion on the utility and future prospects for inclusion of neuroimaging in HD trials. Covering the key imaging modalities of structural-, functional- and diffusion- MRI, perfusion imaging, positron emission tomography, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and magnetoencephalography, we address how neuroimaging can be used in HD trials to: 1) Aid patient selection, enrichment, stratification, and safety monitoring; 2) Demonstrate biodistribution, target engagement, and pharmacodynamics; 3) Provide evidence for disease modification; and 4) Understand brain re-organization following therapy. We also present the challenges of translating research methodology into clinical trial settings, including equipment requirements and cost, standardization of acquisition and analysis, patient burden and invasiveness, and interpretation of results. We conclude, that with appropriate consideration of modality, study design and analysis, imaging has huge potential to facilitate effective clinical trials in HD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Z Hobbs
- HD Research Centre, UCL Institute of Neurology, UCL, London, UK
| | - Marina Papoutsi
- HD Research Centre, UCL Institute of Neurology, UCL, London, UK
- IXICO plc, London, UK
| | - Aline Delva
- Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium
| | | | | | - Koen Van Laere
- Department of Imaging and Pathology, Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, KU Leuven, Belgium
- Division of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium
| | - Wim Vandenberghe
- Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Choi HK, Chen M, Goldston LL, Lee KB. Extracellular vesicles as nanotheranostic platforms for targeted neurological disorder interventions. NANO CONVERGENCE 2024; 11:19. [PMID: 38739358 DOI: 10.1186/s40580-024-00426-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Central Nervous System (CNS) disorders represent a profound public health challenge that affects millions of people around the world. Diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and traumatic brain injury (TBI) exemplify the complexities and diversities that complicate their early detection and the development of effective treatments. Amid these challenges, the emergence of nanotechnology and extracellular vesicles (EVs) signals a new dawn for treating and diagnosing CNS ailments. EVs are cellularly derived lipid bilayer nanosized particles that are pivotal in intercellular communication within the CNS and have the potential to revolutionize targeted therapeutic delivery and the identification of novel biomarkers. Integrating EVs with nanotechnology amplifies their diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities, opening new avenues for managing CNS diseases. This review focuses on examining the fascinating interplay between EVs and nanotechnology in CNS theranostics. Through highlighting the remarkable advancements and unique methodologies, we aim to offer valuable perspectives on how these approaches can bring about a revolutionary change in disease management. The objective is to harness the distinctive attributes of EVs and nanotechnology to forge personalized, efficient interventions for CNS disorders, thereby providing a beacon of hope for affected individuals. In short, the confluence of EVs and nanotechnology heralds a promising frontier for targeted and impactful treatments against CNS diseases, which continue to pose significant public health challenges. By focusing on personalized and powerful diagnostic and therapeutic methods, we might improve the quality of patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hye Kyu Choi
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, The State University of New Jersey, 123 Bevier Road, Rutgers, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Meizi Chen
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, The State University of New Jersey, 123 Bevier Road, Rutgers, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Li Ling Goldston
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, The State University of New Jersey, 123 Bevier Road, Rutgers, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Ki-Bum Lee
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, The State University of New Jersey, 123 Bevier Road, Rutgers, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Aldous SG, Smith EJ, Landles C, Osborne GF, Cañibano-Pico M, Nita IM, Phillips J, Zhang Y, Jin B, Hirst MB, Benn CL, Bond BC, Edelmann W, Greene JR, Bates GP. A CAG repeat threshold for therapeutics targeting somatic instability in Huntington's disease. Brain 2024; 147:1784-1798. [PMID: 38387080 PMCID: PMC11068328 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awae063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The Huntington's disease mutation is a CAG repeat expansion in the huntingtin gene that results in an expanded polyglutamine tract in the huntingtin protein. The CAG repeat is unstable and expansions of hundreds of CAGs have been detected in Huntington's disease post-mortem brains. The age of disease onset can be predicted partially from the length of the CAG repeat as measured in blood. Onset age is also determined by genetic modifiers, which in six cases involve variation in DNA mismatch repair pathways genes. Knocking-out specific mismatch repair genes in mouse models of Huntington's disease prevents somatic CAG repeat expansion. Taken together, these results have led to the hypothesis that somatic CAG repeat expansion in Huntington's disease brains is required for pathogenesis. Therefore, the pathogenic repeat threshold in brain is longer than (CAG)40, as measured in blood, and is currently unknown. The mismatch repair gene MSH3 has become a major focus for therapeutic development, as unlike other mismatch repair genes, nullizygosity for MSH3 does not cause malignancies associated with mismatch repair deficiency. Potential treatments targeting MSH3 currently under development include gene therapy, biologics and small molecules, which will be assessed for efficacy in mouse models of Huntington's disease. The zQ175 knock-in model carries a mutation of approximately (CAG)185 and develops early molecular and pathological phenotypes that have been extensively characterized. Therefore, we crossed the mutant huntingtin allele onto heterozygous and homozygous Msh3 knockout backgrounds to determine the maximum benefit of targeting Msh3 in this model. Ablation of Msh3 prevented somatic expansion throughout the brain and periphery, and reduction of Msh3 by 50% decreased the rate of expansion. This had no effect on the deposition of huntingtin aggregation in the nuclei of striatal neurons, nor on the dysregulated striatal transcriptional profile. This contrasts with ablating Msh3 in knock-in models with shorter CAG repeat expansions. Therefore, further expansion of a (CAG)185 repeat in striatal neurons does not accelerate the onset of molecular and neuropathological phenotypes. It is striking that highly expanded CAG repeats of a similar size in humans cause disease onset before 2 years of age, indicating that somatic CAG repeat expansion in the brain is not required for pathogenesis. Given that the trajectory for somatic CAG expansion in the brains of Huntington's disease mutation carriers is unknown, our study underlines the importance of administering treatments targeting somatic instability as early as possible.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah G Aldous
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Edward J Smith
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Christian Landles
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Georgina F Osborne
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Maria Cañibano-Pico
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Iulia M Nita
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Jemima Phillips
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Yongwei Zhang
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA
| | - Bo Jin
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA
| | | | - Caroline L Benn
- LoQus23 Therapeutics, Riverside, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, CB22 3AT, UK
| | - Brian C Bond
- Prism Training and Consultancy Limited, St John's Innovation Centre, Cambridge, CB4 0WS, UK
| | - Winfried Edelmann
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA
| | | | - Gillian P Bates
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Belgrad J, Khvorova A. More than 185 CAG repeats: a point of no return in Huntington's disease biology. Brain 2024; 147:1601-1603. [PMID: 38588052 PMCID: PMC11068098 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awae105] [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: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
This scientific commentary refers to ‘A CAG repeat threshold for therapeutics targeting somatic instability in Huntington’s disease’ by Aldous et al. (https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awae063).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jillian Belgrad
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Anastasia Khvorova
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Sampaio C. Huntington disease - Update on ongoing therapeutic developments and a look toward the future. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2024; 122:106049. [PMID: 38418319 DOI: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2024.106049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Sampaio
- CHDI Management, Inc. Advisors to CHDI Foundation, Princeton, USA; Faculdade Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa (FMUL), Portugal.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Lin L, Cai M, Su F, Wu T, Yuan K, Li Y, Luo Y, Chen D, Pei Z. Real-world experience with Deutetrabenazine management in patients with Huntington's disease using video-based telemedicine. Neurol Sci 2024; 45:2047-2055. [PMID: 37973627 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-023-07179-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Huntington's disease (HD) is a rare progressive neurological disorder, and telemedicine has the potential to improve the quality of care for patients with HD. Deutetrabenazine (DTBZ) can reduce chorea symptoms in HD; however, there is limited experience with this medication in Asian countries. METHODS Retrospective and prospective studies were employed to explore the feasibility and reliability of a video-based telemedicine system for HD patient care. Reliability was demonstrated through consistency between selected-item scores (SIS) and total motor scores (TMS) and the agreement of scores obtained from hospital and home videos. Finally, a single-centre real-world DTBZ management study was conducted based on the telemedicine system to explore the efficacy of DTBZ in patients with HD. RESULTS There were 77 patients included in the retrospective study, and a strong correlation was found between SIS and TMS (r = 0.911, P < 0.0001), indicating good representativeness. There were 32 patients enrolled in the prospective study. The reliability was further confirmed, indicated by correlations between SIS and TMS (r = 0.964, P < 0.0001) and consistency of SIS derived from the in-person and virtual visits (r = 0.969, P < 0.0001). There were 17 patients included in the DTBZ study with a mean 1.41 (95% confidence interval, 0.37-2.46) improvement in chorea score and reported treatment success. CONCLUSIONS A video-based telemedicine system is a feasible and reliable option for HD patient care. It may also be used for drug management as a supplementary tool for clinical visits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lishan Lin
- Department of Neurology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Major Neurological Diseases, Department and Key Discipline of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, National Key Clinical, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mansi Cai
- Department of Neurology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Major Neurological Diseases, Department and Key Discipline of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, National Key Clinical, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fengjuan Su
- Department of Neurology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Major Neurological Diseases, Department and Key Discipline of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, National Key Clinical, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tengteng Wu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kang Yuan
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yucheng Li
- Department of Neurology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Major Neurological Diseases, Department and Key Discipline of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, National Key Clinical, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yue Luo
- Department of Neurology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Major Neurological Diseases, Department and Key Discipline of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, National Key Clinical, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Dingbang Chen
- Department of Neurology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Major Neurological Diseases, Department and Key Discipline of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, National Key Clinical, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Zhong Pei
- Department of Neurology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Treatment of Major Neurological Diseases, Department and Key Discipline of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, National Key Clinical, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Barrett MJ, Negida A, Mukhopadhyay N, Kim JK, Nawaz H, Jose J, Testa C. Optimizing Screening for Intrastriatal Interventions in Huntington's Disease Using Predictive Models. Mov Disord 2024; 39:855-862. [PMID: 38465778 PMCID: PMC11102310 DOI: 10.1002/mds.29749] [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: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intrastriatal delivery of potential therapeutics in Huntington's disease (HD) requires sufficient caudate and putamen volumes. Currently, volumetric magnetic resonance imaging is rarely done in clinical practice, and these data are not available in large research cohorts such as Enroll-HD. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to investigate whether predictive models can accurately classify HD patients who exceed caudate and putamen volume thresholds required for intrastriatal therapeutic interventions. METHODS We obtained and merged data for 1374 individuals across three HD cohorts: IMAGE-HD, PREDICT-HD, and TRACK-HD/TRACK-ON. We imputed missing data for clinical variables with >72% non-missing values and used the model-building algorithm BORUTA to identify the 10 most important variables. A random forest algorithm was applied to build a predictive model for putamen volume >2500 mm3 and caudate volume >2000 mm3 bilaterally. Using the same 10 predictors, we constructed a logistic regression model with predictors significant at P < 0.05. RESULTS The random forest model with 1000 trees and minimal terminal node size of 5 resulted in 83% area under the curve (AUC). The logistic regression model retaining age, CAG repeat size, and symbol digit modalities test-correct had 85.1% AUC. A probability cutoff of 0.8 resulted in 5.4% false positive and 66.7% false negative rates. CONCLUSIONS Using easily obtainable clinical data and machine learning-identified initial predictor variables, random forest, and logistic regression models can successfully identify people with sufficient striatal volumes for inclusion cutoffs. Adopting these models in prescreening could accelerate clinical trial enrollment in HD and other neurodegenerative disorders when volume cutoffs are necessary enrollment criteria. © 2024 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J. Barrett
- Department of Neurology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Ahmed Negida
- Department of Neurology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Nitai Mukhopadhyay
- Department of Biostatistics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Jin K. Kim
- Department of Neurology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Huma Nawaz
- Department of Neurology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Jefin Jose
- Department of Neurology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Claudia Testa
- Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Allen S, O'Reilly D, Miller R, Sapp E, Summers A, Paquette J, Moreno DE, Bramato B, McHugh N, Yamada K, Aronin N, DiFiglia M, Khvorova A. mRNA nuclear clustering leads to a difference in mutant huntingtin mRNA and protein silencing by siRNAs in vivo. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.24.590997. [PMID: 38774633 PMCID: PMC11106801 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.24.590997] [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] [Indexed: 05/24/2024]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease caused by CAG repeat expansion in the first exon of the huntingtin gene (HTT). Oligonucleotide therapeutics, such as short interfering RNA (siRNA), reduce levels of huntingtin mRNA and protein in vivo and are considered a viable therapeutic strategy. However, the extent to which they silence HTT mRNA in the nucleus is not established. We synthesized siRNA cross-reactive to mouse (wild-type) Htt and human (mutant) HTT in a di-valent scaffold and delivered to two mouse models of HD. In both models, di-valent siRNA sustained lowering of wild-type Htt, but not mutant HTT mRNA expression in striatum and cortex. Near-complete silencing of both mutant HTT protein and wild-type Htt protein was observed in both models. Subsequent fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis shows that di-valent siRNA acts predominantly on cytoplasmic mutant HTT transcripts, leaving clustered mutant HTT transcripts in the nucleus largely intact in treated HD mouse brains. The observed differences between mRNA and protein levels, exaggerated in the case of extended repeats, might apply to other repeat-associated neurological disorders.
Collapse
|
17
|
McLean ZL, Gao D, Correia K, Roy JCL, Shibata S, Farnum IN, Valdepenas-Mellor Z, Kovalenko M, Rapuru M, Morini E, Ruliera J, Gillis T, Lucente D, Kleinstiver BP, Lee JM, MacDonald ME, Wheeler VC, Mouro Pinto R, Gusella JF. Splice modulators target PMS1 to reduce somatic expansion of the Huntington's disease-associated CAG repeat. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3182. [PMID: 38609352 PMCID: PMC11015039 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47485-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a dominant neurological disorder caused by an expanded HTT exon 1 CAG repeat that lengthens huntingtin's polyglutamine tract. Lowering mutant huntingtin has been proposed for treating HD, but genetic modifiers implicate somatic CAG repeat expansion as the driver of onset. We find that branaplam and risdiplam, small molecule splice modulators that lower huntingtin by promoting HTT pseudoexon inclusion, also decrease expansion of an unstable HTT exon 1 CAG repeat in an engineered cell model. Targeted CRISPR-Cas9 editing shows this effect is not due to huntingtin lowering, pointing instead to pseudoexon inclusion in PMS1. Homozygous but not heterozygous inactivation of PMS1 also reduces CAG repeat expansion, supporting PMS1 as a genetic modifier of HD and a potential target for therapeutic intervention. Although splice modulation provides one strategy, genome-wide transcriptomics also emphasize consideration of cell-type specific effects and polymorphic variation at both target and off-target sites.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zachariah L McLean
- 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 M.I.T. and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Dadi Gao
- 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 M.I.T. and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Kevin Correia
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Jennie C L Roy
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Shota Shibata
- 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 M.I.T. and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Iris N Farnum
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Zoe Valdepenas-Mellor
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Marina Kovalenko
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Manasa Rapuru
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Elisabetta Morini
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Jayla Ruliera
- 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
| | - Diane Lucente
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Benjamin P Kleinstiver
- Center for Genomic Medicine and Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - 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 M.I.T. 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 M.I.T. and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - 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
- Medical and Population Genetics Program, the Broad Institute of M.I.T. and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - 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
- Medical and Population Genetics Program, the Broad Institute of M.I.T. 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 M.I.T. and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA.
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Tate MD, Karahan H, Kim J. APOE loss of function: A genetic shield against Alzheimer's disease. Neuron 2024; 112:1033-1035. [PMID: 38574724 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.03.003] [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: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
In this issue of Neuron, Chemparathy et al.1 provide human genetics data suggesting that APOE loss-of-function mutations may confer resistance to Alzheimer's disease (AD) without compromising longevity. These data strongly support the APOE toxic gain-of-function hypothesis for AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mason D Tate
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Medical Neuroscience Graduate Program, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Hande Karahan
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Jungsu Kim
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Medical Neuroscience Graduate Program, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Chemparathy A, Le Guen Y, Chen S, Lee EG, Leong L, Gorzynski JE, Jensen TD, Ferrasse A, Xu G, Xiang H, Belloy ME, Kasireddy N, Peña-Tauber A, Williams K, Stewart I, Talozzi L, Wingo TS, Lah JJ, Jayadev S, Hales CM, Peskind E, Child DD, Roeber S, Keene CD, Cong L, Ashley EA, Yu CE, Greicius MD. APOE loss-of-function variants: Compatible with longevity and associated with resistance to Alzheimer's disease pathology. Neuron 2024; 112:1110-1116.e5. [PMID: 38301647 PMCID: PMC10994769 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.01.008] [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: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
The ε4 allele of apolipoprotein E (APOE) is the strongest genetic risk factor for sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD). Knockdown of ε4 may provide a therapeutic strategy for AD, but the effect of APOE loss of function (LoF) on AD pathogenesis is unknown. We searched for APOE LoF variants in a large cohort of controls and patients with AD and identified seven heterozygote carriers of APOE LoF variants. Five carriers were controls (aged 71-90 years), one carrier was affected by progressive supranuclear palsy, and one carrier was affected by AD with an unremarkable age at onset of 75 years. Two APOE ε3/ε4 controls carried a stop-gain affecting ε4: one was cognitively normal at 90 years and had no neuritic plaques at autopsy; the other was cognitively healthy at 79 years, and lumbar puncture at 76 years showed normal levels of amyloid. These results suggest that ε4 drives AD risk through the gain of abnormal function and support ε4 knockdown as a viable therapeutic option.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Augustine Chemparathy
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Yann Le Guen
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Quantitative Sciences Unit, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Sunny Chen
- Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Eun-Gyung Lee
- Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Lesley Leong
- Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - John E Gorzynski
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Tanner D Jensen
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Alexis Ferrasse
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Guangxue Xu
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Hong Xiang
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Michael E Belloy
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Nandita Kasireddy
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Andrés Peña-Tauber
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Kennedy Williams
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Ilaria Stewart
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Lia Talozzi
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Thomas S Wingo
- Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA; Goizueta Alzheimer's Disease Center, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - James J Lah
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Suman Jayadev
- Department of Neurology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Chadwick M Hales
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Elaine Peskind
- Veterans Affairs Northwest Network Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Veteran Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Daniel D Child
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Sigrun Roeber
- Center for Neuropathology and Prion Research, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - C Dirk Keene
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Le Cong
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Euan A Ashley
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Disease, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Chang-En Yu
- Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Michael D Greicius
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Belgrad J, Fakih HH, Khvorova A. Nucleic Acid Therapeutics: Successes, Milestones, and Upcoming Innovation. Nucleic Acid Ther 2024; 34:52-72. [PMID: 38507678 DOI: 10.1089/nat.2023.0068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Nucleic acid-based therapies have become the third major drug class after small molecules and antibodies. The role of nucleic acid-based therapies has been strengthened by recent regulatory approvals and tremendous clinical success. In this review, we look at the major obstacles that have hindered the field, the historical milestones that have been achieved, and what is yet to be resolved and anticipated soon. This review provides a view of the key innovations that are expanding nucleic acid capabilities, setting the stage for the future of nucleic acid therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jillian Belgrad
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Hassan H Fakih
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Anastasia Khvorova
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Harding KE, Kreft KL, Ben-Shlomo Y, Robertson NP. Prodromal multiple sclerosis: considerations and future utility. J Neurol 2024; 271:2129-2140. [PMID: 38341810 PMCID: PMC10972985 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-023-12173-4] [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: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
A multiple sclerosis (MS) prodrome has recently been described and is characterised by increased rates of healthcare utilisation and an excess frequency of fatigue, bladder problems, sensory symptoms and pain, in the years leading up to clinical onset of disease. This important observation may have several potential applications including in the identification of risk factors for disease, the potential to delay or prevent disease onset and early opportunities to alter disease course. It may also offer possibilities for the use of risk stratification algorithms and effective population screening. If standardised, clearly defined and disease specific, an MS prodrome is also likely to have a profound influence on research and clinical trials directed at the earliest stages of disease. In order to achieve these goals, it is essential to consider experience already gleaned from other disorders. More specifically, in some chronic neurological disorders the understanding of disease pro-drome is now well advanced and has been successfully applied. However, understanding of the MS prodrome remains at an early stage with key questions including the length of the prodrome, symptom specificity and potential benefits of early intervention as yet unanswered. In this review we will explore the evidence available to date and suggest future research strategies to address unanswered questions. In addition, whilst current understanding of the MS prodrome is not yet sufficient to justify changes in public health policy or MS management, we will consider the practical utility and future application of the MS prodrome in a wider health care setting.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katharine E Harding
- Department of Neurology, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, Royal Gwent Hospital, Cardiff Road, Newport, NP20 2UB, UK.
| | - Karim L Kreft
- Department of Neurology, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, University Hospital of Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4XN, UK
| | - Yoav Ben-Shlomo
- Bristol Medical School, Population Health Sciences, Bristol, BS8 2PS, UK
| | - Neil P Robertson
- Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, Cardiff University, University Hospital of Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4XN, UK
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Gijs M, Jorna N, Datson N, Beekman C, Dansokho C, Weiss A, Linden DEJ, Oosterloo M. High Levels of Mutant Huntingtin Protein in Tear Fluid From Huntington's Disease Gene Expansion Carriers. J Mov Disord 2024; 17:181-188. [PMID: 38379425 PMCID: PMC11082600 DOI: 10.14802/jmd.24014] [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: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant, fully penetrant, neurodegenerative disease that most commonly affects middle-aged adults. HD is caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the HTT gene, resulting in the expression of mutant huntingtin (mHTT). Our aim was to detect and quantify mHTT in tear fluid, which, to our knowledge, has never been measured before. METHODS We recruited 20 manifest and 13 premanifest HD gene expansion carriers, and 20 age-matched controls. All patients underwent detailed assessments, including the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS) total motor score (TMS) and total functional capacity (TFC) score. Tear fluid was collected using paper Schirmer's strips. The level of tear mHTT was determined using single-molecule counting SMCxPRO technology. RESULTS The average tear mHTT levels in manifest (67,223 ± 80,360 fM) and premanifest patients (55,561 ± 45,931 fM) were significantly higher than those in controls (1,622 ± 2,179 fM). We noted significant correlations between tear mHTT levels and CAG repeat length, "estimated years to diagnosis," disease burden score and UHDRS TMS and TFC. The receiver operating curve demonstrated an almost perfect score (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.9975) when comparing controls to manifest patients. Similarly, the AUC between controls and premanifest patients was 0.9846. The optimal cutoff value for distinguishing between controls and manifest patients was 4,544 fM, whereas it was 6,596 fM for distinguishing between controls and premanifest patients. CONCLUSION Tear mHTT has potential for early and noninvasive detection of alterations in HD patients and could be integrated into both clinical trials and clinical diagnostics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marlies Gijs
- University Eye Clinic Maastricht, Mental Health and Neuroscience Research Institute (MHeNs), Maastricht University Medical Center (MUMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Nynke Jorna
- Department of Neurology, Mental Health and Neuroscience Research Institute (MHeNs), Maastricht University Medical Center (MUMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | | | - David E. J. Linden
- Department of Neurology, Mental Health and Neuroscience Research Institute (MHeNs), Maastricht University Medical Center (MUMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Mayke Oosterloo
- Department of Neurology, Mental Health and Neuroscience Research Institute (MHeNs), Maastricht University Medical Center (MUMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Cheng Y, Zhang S, Shang H. Latest advances on new promising molecular-based therapeutic approaches for Huntington's disease. J Transl Int Med 2024; 12:134-147. [PMID: 38779119 PMCID: PMC11107186 DOI: 10.2478/jtim-2023-0142] [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] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a devastating, autosomal-dominant inherited, neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive motor deficits, cognitive impairments, and neuropsychiatric symptoms. It is caused by excessive cytosine-adenine-guanine (CAG) trinucleotide repeats within the huntingtin gene (HTT). Presently, therapeutic interventions capable of altering the trajectory of HD are lacking, while medications for abnormal movement and psychiatric symptoms are limited. Numerous pre-clinical and clinical studies have been conducted and are currently underway to test the efficacy of therapeutic approaches targeting some of these mechanisms with varying degrees of success. In this review, we update the latest advances on new promising molecular-based therapeutic strategies for this disorder, including DNA-targeting techniques such as zinc-finger proteins, transcription activator-like effector nucleases, and CRISPR/Cas9; post-transcriptional huntingtin-lowering approaches such as RNAi, antisense oligonucleotides, and small-molecule splicing modulators; and novel methods to clear the mHTT protein, such as proteolysis-targeting chimeras. We mainly focus on the ongoing clinical trials and the latest pre-clinical studies to explore the progress of emerging potential HD therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yangfan Cheng
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare disease center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu610041, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Sirui Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare disease center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu610041, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Huifang Shang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare disease center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu610041, Sichuan Province, China
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Hoschek F, Natan J, Wagner M, Sathasivam K, Abdelmoez A, von Einem B, Bates GP, Landwehrmeyer GB, Neueder A. Huntingtin HTT1a is generated in a CAG repeat-length-dependent manner in human tissues. Mol Med 2024; 30:36. [PMID: 38459427 PMCID: PMC10924374 DOI: 10.1186/s10020-024-00801-2] [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: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The disease-causing mutation in Huntington disease (HD) is a CAG trinucleotide expansion in the huntingtin (HTT) gene. The mutated CAG tract results in the production of a small RNA, HTT1a, coding for only exon 1 of HTT. HTT1a is generated by a block in the splicing reaction of HTT exon 1 to exon 2 followed by cleavage in intron 1 and polyadenylation. Translation of HTT1a leads to the expression of the highly toxic HTT exon 1 protein fragment. We have previously shown that the levels of HTT1a expression in mouse models of HD is dependent on the CAG repeat length. However, these data are lacking for human tissues. METHODS To answer this question, we developed highly sensitive digital PCR assays to determine HTT1a levels in human samples. These assays allow the absolute quantification of transcript numbers and thus also facilitate the comparison of HTT1a levels between tissues, cell types and across different studies. Furthermore, we measured CAG repeat sizes for every sample used in the study. Finally, we analysed our data with ANOVA and linear modelling to determine the correlation of HTT1a expression levels with CAG repeat sizes. RESULTS In summary, we show that HTT1a is indeed expressed in a CAG repeat-length-dependent manner in human post mortem brain tissues as well as in several peripheral cell types. In particular, PBMCs show a statistically significant positive correlation of HTT1a expression with CAG repeat length, and elevated HTT1a expression levels even in the adult-onset CAG repeat range. CONCLUSIONS Our results show that HTT1a expression occurs throughout a wide range of tissues and likely with all CAG lengths. Our data from peripheral sample sources demonstrate that HTT1a is indeed generated throughout the body in a CAG repeat-length-dependent manner. Therefore, the levels of HTT1a might be a sensitive marker of disease state and/or progression and should be monitored over time, especially in clinical trials targeting HTT expression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Hoschek
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Ulm, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Julia Natan
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Ulm, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Maximilian Wagner
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Ulm, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Kirupa Sathasivam
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, WC1N 3BG, London, UK
| | - Alshaimaa Abdelmoez
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Ulm, 89081, Ulm, Germany
- Department of Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Björn von Einem
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Ulm, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Gillian P Bates
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, WC1N 3BG, London, UK
| | | | - Andreas Neueder
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Ulm, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Chang N, Li J, Lin S, Zhang J, Zeng W, Ma G, Wang Y. Emerging roles of SIRT1 activator, SRT2104, in disease treatment. Sci Rep 2024; 14:5521. [PMID: 38448466 PMCID: PMC10917792 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55923-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) is a NAD+-dependent class III deacetylase that plays important roles in the pathogenesis of numerous diseases, positioning it as a prime candidate for therapeutic intervention. Among its modulators, SRT2104 emerges as the most specific small molecule activator of SIRT1, currently advancing into the clinical translation phase. The primary objective of this review is to evaluate the emerging roles of SRT2104, and to explore its potential as a therapeutic agent in various diseases. In the present review, we systematically summarized the findings from an extensive array of literature sources including the progress of its application in disease treatment and its potential molecular mechanisms by reviewing the literature published in databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform. We focuses on the strides made in employing SRT2104 for disease treatment, elucidating its potential molecular underpinnings based on preclinical and clinical research data. The findings reveal that SRT2104, as a potent SIRT1 activator, holds considerable therapeutic potential, particularly in modulating metabolic and longevity-related pathways. This review establishes SRT2104 as a leading SIRT1 activator with significant therapeutic promise.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ning Chang
- Shunde Women and Children's Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Foshan, China
| | - Junyang Li
- Shunde Women and Children's Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Foshan, China
| | - Sufen Lin
- Shunde Women and Children's Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Foshan, China
| | - Jinfeng Zhang
- Shunde Women and Children's Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Foshan, China
| | - Weiqiang Zeng
- Shunde Women and Children's Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Foshan, China.
| | - Guoda Ma
- Shunde Women and Children's Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Foshan, China.
| | - Yajun Wang
- Shunde Women and Children's Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Foshan, China.
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Ray R, Chowdhury SG, Karmakar P. A vivid outline demonstrating the benefits of exosome-mediated drug delivery in CNS-associated disease environments. Arch Biochem Biophys 2024; 753:109906. [PMID: 38272158 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2024.109906] [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: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
The efficacy of drug delivery mechanisms has been improvised with time for different therapeutic purposes. In most cases, nano-sized delivery systems have been modeled over decades for the on-target applicability of the drugs. The use of synthetic drug delivery materials has been a common practice, although research has now focussed more on using natural vehicles, to avoid the side effects of synthetic delivery systems and easy acceptance by the body. Exosome is such a natural nano-sized vehicle that exceeds the efficiency of many natural vehicles, for being immune-friendly, due to its origin. Unlike, other natural drug delivery systems, exosomes are originated within the body's cells, and from there, they happen to travel through the extracellular matrices into neighboring cells. This capacity of exosomes has made them an efficient drug delivery system over recent years and now a large number of researches have been carried out to develop exosomes as natural drug delivery vehicles. Several experimental strategies have been practiced in this regard which have shown that exosomes are exclusively capable of carrying drugs and they can also be used in targeted delivery, for which they efficiently can reach and release the drug at their target cells for consecutive effects. One of the most interesting features of exosomes is they can cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in the body and hence, for the disease where other delivery vehicles are incapable of reaching the destination of the drug, exosomes can overcome the hurdle. This review particularly, focuses on the different aspects of using exosomes as a potential nano-sized drug delivery system for some of the severe diseases associated with the central nervous system of the human body.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rachayeeta Ray
- Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, 700032, India
| | | | - Parimal Karmakar
- Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, 700032, India.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Mestre TA. Laquinimod, Huntington's disease, and disease modification. Lancet Neurol 2024; 23:220-221. [PMID: 38280390 DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(24)00001-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/29/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Tiago A Mestre
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute; University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute; Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, The Ottawa Hospital Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1Y 4E9, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Massey TH, McLauchlan DJ. Huntington's disease: A clinical primer for acute and general physicians. Clin Med (Lond) 2024; 24:100200. [PMID: 38588915 PMCID: PMC11061216 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinme.2024.100200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) usually manifests in adulthood and is characterised by progressive neurodegeneration in the brain that causes worsening involuntary movements, mental health and cognition over many years. Depression, anxiety and apathy are common. HD is autosomal dominant and affects about 1 in 8,000 people in the UK. There are currently no disease-modifying treatments and so patient care centres on multidisciplinary therapy support and medical treatments to relieve distressing symptoms. Progression of HD is usually slow, and so acute deteriorations often indicate another problem, such as intercurrent infections, constipation, urinary retention, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease or poor dentition. In this review we outline common presentations in HD patients, both acute and chronic, consider therapeutic options and discuss specific considerations in advanced HD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas H Massey
- University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff & Vale University Health Board, Cardiff, UK; Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute at Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
| | - Duncan J McLauchlan
- Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff, UK; Morriston Hospital, Swansea Bay University Health Board, Swansea, UK
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Qian L, Zhu Y, Deng C, Liang Z, Chen J, Chen Y, Wang X, Liu Y, Tian Y, Yang Y. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 (PGC-1) family in physiological and pathophysiological process and diseases. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:50. [PMID: 38424050 PMCID: PMC10904817 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-01756-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 (PGC-1) family (PGC-1s), consisting of three members encompassing PGC-1α, PGC-1β, and PGC-1-related coactivator (PRC), was discovered more than a quarter-century ago. PGC-1s are essential coordinators of many vital cellular events, including mitochondrial functions, oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum homeostasis, and inflammation. Accumulating evidence has shown that PGC-1s are implicated in many diseases, such as cancers, cardiac diseases and cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders, kidney diseases, motor system diseases, and metabolic disorders. Examining the upstream modulators and co-activated partners of PGC-1s and identifying critical biological events modulated by downstream effectors of PGC-1s contribute to the presentation of the elaborate network of PGC-1s. Furthermore, discussing the correlation between PGC-1s and diseases as well as summarizing the therapy targeting PGC-1s helps make individualized and precise intervention methods. In this review, we summarize basic knowledge regarding the PGC-1s family as well as the molecular regulatory network, discuss the physio-pathological roles of PGC-1s in human diseases, review the application of PGC-1s, including the diagnostic and prognostic value of PGC-1s and several therapies in pre-clinical studies, and suggest several directions for future investigations. This review presents the immense potential of targeting PGC-1s in the treatment of diseases and hopefully facilitates the promotion of PGC-1s as new therapeutic targets.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lu Qian
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases, Xi'an No.3 Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Northwest University, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710021, China
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Research for Heart Failure, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, Northwest University, 229 Taibai North Road, Xi'an, 710069, China
| | - Yanli Zhu
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases, Xi'an No.3 Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Northwest University, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710021, China
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Research for Heart Failure, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, Northwest University, 229 Taibai North Road, Xi'an, 710069, China
| | - Chao Deng
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Zhenxing Liang
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, 1 Jianshe East, Zhengzhou, 450052, China
| | - Junmin Chen
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases, Xi'an No.3 Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Northwest University, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710021, China
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Research for Heart Failure, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, Northwest University, 229 Taibai North Road, Xi'an, 710069, China
| | - Ying Chen
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Xue Wang
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Yanqing Liu
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases, Xi'an No.3 Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Northwest University, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710021, China
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Research for Heart Failure, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, Northwest University, 229 Taibai North Road, Xi'an, 710069, China
| | - Ye Tian
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases, Xi'an No.3 Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Northwest University, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710021, China
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Research for Heart Failure, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, Northwest University, 229 Taibai North Road, Xi'an, 710069, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases, Xi'an No.3 Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Northwest University, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710021, China.
- Xi'an Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Research for Heart Failure, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, Northwest University, 229 Taibai North Road, Xi'an, 710069, China.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Guo X, Yang L, Wang J, Wu Y, Li Y, Du L, Li L, Fang Z, Zhang X. The cytosolic DNA-sensing cGAS-STING pathway in neurodegenerative diseases. CNS Neurosci Ther 2024; 30:e14671. [PMID: 38459658 PMCID: PMC10924111 DOI: 10.1111/cns.14671] [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: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND With the widespread prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) and high rates of mortality and disability, it is imminent to find accurate targets for intervention. There is growing evidence that neuroimmunity is pivotal in the pathology of NDs and that interventions targeting neuroimmunity hold great promise. Exogenous or dislocated nucleic acids activate the cytosolic DNA sensor cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS), activating the stimulator of interferon genes (STING). The activated STING triggers innate immune responses and then the cGAS-STING signaling pathway links abnormal nucleic acid sensing to the immune response. Recently, numerous studies have shown that neuroinflammation regulated by cGAS-STING signaling plays an essential role in NDs. AIMS In this review, we summarized the mechanism of cGAS-STING signaling in NDs and focused on inhibitors targeting cGAS-STING. CONCLUSION The cGAS-STING signaling plays an important role in the pathogenesis of NDs. Inhibiting the cGAS-STING signaling may provide new measures in the treatment of NDs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofeng Guo
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Xijing HospitalThe Fourth Military Medical UniversityChina
- Department of Intensive Care UnitJoint Logistics Force No. 988 HospitalZhengzhouChina
| | - Lin Yang
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Xijing HospitalThe Fourth Military Medical UniversityChina
| | - Jiawei Wang
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Xijing HospitalThe Fourth Military Medical UniversityChina
| | - You Wu
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Xijing HospitalThe Fourth Military Medical UniversityChina
| | - Yi Li
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Xijing HospitalThe Fourth Military Medical UniversityChina
| | - Lixia Du
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Xijing HospitalThe Fourth Military Medical UniversityChina
| | - Ling Li
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Xijing HospitalThe Fourth Military Medical UniversityChina
| | - Zongping Fang
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Xijing HospitalThe Fourth Military Medical UniversityChina
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xijing HospitalFourth Military Medical UniversityShaanxiChina
- Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain‐Like Intelligence, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of MedicineTongji UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Xijing Zhang
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Xijing HospitalThe Fourth Military Medical UniversityChina
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Jia X, He X, Huang C, Li J, Dong Z, Liu K. Protein translation: biological processes and therapeutic strategies for human diseases. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:44. [PMID: 38388452 PMCID: PMC10884018 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-01749-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Protein translation is a tightly regulated cellular process that is essential for gene expression and protein synthesis. The deregulation of this process is increasingly recognized as a critical factor in the pathogenesis of various human diseases. In this review, we discuss how deregulated translation can lead to aberrant protein synthesis, altered cellular functions, and disease progression. We explore the key mechanisms contributing to the deregulation of protein translation, including functional alterations in translation factors, tRNA, mRNA, and ribosome function. Deregulated translation leads to abnormal protein expression, disrupted cellular signaling, and perturbed cellular functions- all of which contribute to disease pathogenesis. The development of ribosome profiling techniques along with mass spectrometry-based proteomics, mRNA sequencing and single-cell approaches have opened new avenues for detecting diseases related to translation errors. Importantly, we highlight recent advances in therapies targeting translation-related disorders and their potential applications in neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, infectious diseases, and cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, the growing interest lies in targeted therapies aimed at restoring precise control over translation in diseased cells is discussed. In conclusion, this comprehensive review underscores the critical role of protein translation in disease and its potential as a therapeutic target. Advancements in understanding the molecular mechanisms of protein translation deregulation, coupled with the development of targeted therapies, offer promising avenues for improving disease outcomes in various human diseases. Additionally, it will unlock doors to the possibility of precision medicine by offering personalized therapies and a deeper understanding of the molecular underpinnings of diseases in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xuechao Jia
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450000, China
- China-US (Henan) Hormel Cancer Institute, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450000, China
| | - Xinyu He
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450000, China
- China-US (Henan) Hormel Cancer Institute, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450000, China
| | - Chuntian Huang
- Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450000, China
| | - Jian Li
- China-US (Henan) Hormel Cancer Institute, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450000, China
| | - Zigang Dong
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450000, China.
- China-US (Henan) Hormel Cancer Institute, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450000, China.
- Tianjian Laboratory of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450052, China.
- Research Center for Basic Medicine Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China.
- Provincial Cooperative Innovation Center for Cancer Chemoprevention, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450000, China.
| | - Kangdong Liu
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450000, China.
- China-US (Henan) Hormel Cancer Institute, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450000, China.
- Tianjian Laboratory of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450052, China.
- Research Center for Basic Medicine Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450052, Henan, China.
- Provincial Cooperative Innovation Center for Cancer Chemoprevention, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450000, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450000, China.
- The Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Cancer Chemoprevention, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450000, China.
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Loh JS, Mak WQ, Tan LKS, Ng CX, Chan HH, Yeow SH, Foo JB, Ong YS, How CW, Khaw KY. Microbiota-gut-brain axis and its therapeutic applications in neurodegenerative diseases. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:37. [PMID: 38360862 PMCID: PMC10869798 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-01743-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The human gastrointestinal tract is populated with a diverse microbial community. The vast genetic and metabolic potential of the gut microbiome underpins its ubiquity in nearly every aspect of human biology, including health maintenance, development, aging, and disease. The advent of new sequencing technologies and culture-independent methods has allowed researchers to move beyond correlative studies toward mechanistic explorations to shed light on microbiome-host interactions. Evidence has unveiled the bidirectional communication between the gut microbiome and the central nervous system, referred to as the "microbiota-gut-brain axis". The microbiota-gut-brain axis represents an important regulator of glial functions, making it an actionable target to ameliorate the development and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms of the microbiota-gut-brain axis in neurodegenerative diseases. As the gut microbiome provides essential cues to microglia, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes, we examine the communications between gut microbiota and these glial cells during healthy states and neurodegenerative diseases. Subsequently, we discuss the mechanisms of the microbiota-gut-brain axis in neurodegenerative diseases using a metabolite-centric approach, while also examining the role of gut microbiota-related neurotransmitters and gut hormones. Next, we examine the potential of targeting the intestinal barrier, blood-brain barrier, meninges, and peripheral immune system to counteract glial dysfunction in neurodegeneration. Finally, we conclude by assessing the pre-clinical and clinical evidence of probiotics, prebiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation in neurodegenerative diseases. A thorough comprehension of the microbiota-gut-brain axis will foster the development of effective therapeutic interventions for the management of neurodegenerative diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jian Sheng Loh
- School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 47500, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Wen Qi Mak
- School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 47500, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Li Kar Stella Tan
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences, Taylor's University, 1, Jalan Taylors, Subang Jaya, 47500, Selangor, Malaysia
- Digital Health & Medical Advancements, Taylor's University, 1, Jalan Taylors, Subang Jaya, 47500, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Chu Xin Ng
- School of Biosciences, Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences, Taylor's University, 1, Jalan Taylors, Subang Jaya, 47500, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Hong Hao Chan
- School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 47500, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Shiau Hueh Yeow
- UCL School of Pharmacy, University College London, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London, WC1N 1AX, UK
| | - Jhi Biau Foo
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences, Taylor's University, 1, Jalan Taylors, Subang Jaya, 47500, Selangor, Malaysia
- Digital Health & Medical Advancements, Taylor's University, 1, Jalan Taylors, Subang Jaya, 47500, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Yong Sze Ong
- School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 47500, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Chee Wun How
- School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 47500, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Kooi Yeong Khaw
- School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 47500, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia.
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Pérot JB, Brouillet E, Flament J. The contribution of preclinical magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy to Huntington's disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2024; 16:1306312. [PMID: 38414634 PMCID: PMC10896846 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2024.1306312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease is an inherited disorder characterized by psychiatric, cognitive, and motor symptoms due to degeneration of medium spiny neurons in the striatum. A prodromal phase precedes the onset, lasting decades. Current biomarkers include clinical score and striatal atrophy using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). These markers lack sensitivity for subtle cellular changes during the prodromal phase. MRI and MR spectroscopy offer different contrasts for assessing metabolic, microstructural, functional, or vascular alterations in the disease. They have been used in patients and mouse models. Mouse models can be of great interest to study a specific mechanism of the degenerative process, allow better understanding of the pathogenesis from the prodromal to the symptomatic phase, and to evaluate therapeutic efficacy. Mouse models can be divided into three different constructions: transgenic mice expressing exon-1 of human huntingtin (HTT), mice with an artificial chromosome expressing full-length human HTT, and knock-in mouse models with CAG expansion inserted in the murine htt gene. Several studies have used MRI/S to characterized these models. However, the multiplicity of modalities and mouse models available complicates the understanding of this rich corpus. The present review aims at giving an overview of results obtained using MRI/S for each mouse model of HD, to provide a useful resource for the conception of neuroimaging studies using mouse models of HD. Finally, despite difficulties in translating preclinical protocols to clinical applications, many biomarkers identified in preclinical models have already been evaluated in patients. This review also aims to cover this aspect to demonstrate the importance of MRI/S for studying HD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Baptiste Pérot
- Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Molecular Imaging Research Center, Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Paris-Saclay, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
- Institut du Cerveau – Paris Brain Institute – ICM, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Emmanuel Brouillet
- Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Molecular Imaging Research Center, Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Paris-Saclay, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Julien Flament
- Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Molecular Imaging Research Center, Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Paris-Saclay, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Bondulich MK, Phillips J, Cañibano-Pico M, Nita IM, Byrne LM, Wild EJ, Bates GP. Translatable plasma and CSF biomarkers for use in mouse models of Huntington's disease. Brain Commun 2024; 6:fcae030. [PMID: 38370446 PMCID: PMC10873584 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcae030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder for which a wide range of disease-modifying therapies are in development and the availability of biomarkers to monitor treatment response is essential for the success of clinical trials. Baseline levels of neurofilament light chain in CSF and plasma have been shown to be effective in predicting clinical disease status, subsequent clinical progression and brain atrophy. The identification of further sensitive prognostic fluid biomarkers is an active research area, and total-Tau and YKL-40 levels have been shown to be increased in CSF from Huntington's disease mutation carriers. The use of readouts with clinical utility in the preclinical assessment of potential therapeutics should aid in the translation of new treatments. Here, we set out to determine how the concentrations of these three proteins change in plasma and CSF with disease progression in representative, well-established mouse models of Huntington's disease. Plasma and CSF were collected throughout disease progression from R6/2 transgenic mice with CAG repeats of 200 or 90 codons (R6/2:Q200 and R6/2:Q90), zQ175 knock-in mice and YAC128 transgenic mice, along with their respective wild-type littermates. Neurofilament light chain and total-Tau concentrations were quantified in CSF and plasma using ultrasensitive single-molecule array (Quanterix) assays, and a novel Quanterix assay was developed for breast regression protein 39 (mouse homologue of YKL-40) and used to quantify breast regression protein 39 levels in plasma. CSF levels of neurofilament light chain and plasma levels of neurofilament light chain and breast regression protein 39 increased in wild-type biofluids with age, whereas total-Tau remained constant. Neurofilament light chain and breast regression protein 39 were elevated in the plasma and CSF from Huntington's disease mouse models, as compared with wild-type littermates, at presymptomatic stages, whereas total-Tau was only increased at the latest disease stages analysed. Levels of biomarkers that had been measured in the same CSF or plasma samples taken at the latest stages of disease were correlated. The demonstration that breast regression protein 39 constitutes a robust plasma biomarker in Huntington's disease mouse models supports the further investigation of YKL-40 as a CSF biomarker for Huntington's disease mutation carriers. Neurofilament light chain and Tau are considered markers of neuronal damage, and breast regression protein 39 is a marker of inflammation; the similarities and differences in the levels of these proteins between mouse models may provide future insights into their underlying pathology. These data will facilitate the use of fluid biomarkers in the preclinical assessment of therapeutic agents for Huntington's disease, providing readouts with direct relevance to clinical trials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marie K Bondulich
- Huntington’s Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Jemima Phillips
- Huntington’s Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - María Cañibano-Pico
- Huntington’s Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Iulia M Nita
- Huntington’s Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Lauren M Byrne
- Huntington’s Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Edward J Wild
- Huntington’s Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Gillian P Bates
- Huntington’s Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Zheng H, Liu Q, Zhou S, Luo H, Zhang W. Role and therapeutic targets of P2X7 receptors in neurodegenerative diseases. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1345625. [PMID: 38370420 PMCID: PMC10869479 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1345625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The P2X7 receptor (P2X7R), a non-selective cation channel modulated by adenosine triphosphate (ATP), localizes to microglia, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and neurons in the central nervous system, with the most incredible abundance in microglia. P2X7R partake in various signaling pathways, engaging in the immune response, the release of neurotransmitters, oxidative stress, cell division, and programmed cell death. When neurodegenerative diseases result in neuronal apoptosis and necrosis, ATP activates the P2X7R. This activation induces the release of biologically active molecules such as pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, proteases, reactive oxygen species, and excitotoxic glutamate/ATP. Subsequently, this leads to neuroinflammation, which exacerbates neuronal involvement. The P2X7R is essential in the development of neurodegenerative diseases. This implies that it has potential as a drug target and could be treated using P2X7R antagonists that are able to cross the blood-brain barrier. This review will comprehensively and objectively discuss recent research breakthroughs on P2X7R genes, their structural features, functional properties, signaling pathways, and their roles in neurodegenerative diseases and possible therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huiyong Zheng
- Second Clinical Medical School, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Qiang Liu
- Second Clinical Medical School, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Siwei Zhou
- Second Clinical Medical School, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Hongliang Luo
- Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Wenjun Zhang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Tao Y, Zhang Q, Wang H, Yang X, Mu H. Alternative splicing and related RNA binding proteins in human health and disease. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:26. [PMID: 38302461 PMCID: PMC10835012 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-01734-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Alternative splicing (AS) serves as a pivotal mechanism in transcriptional regulation, engendering transcript diversity, and modifications in protein structure and functionality. Across varying tissues, developmental stages, or under specific conditions, AS gives rise to distinct splice isoforms. This implies that these isoforms possess unique temporal and spatial roles, thereby associating AS with standard biological activities and diseases. Among these, AS-related RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) play an instrumental role in regulating alternative splicing events. Under physiological conditions, the diversity of proteins mediated by AS influences the structure, function, interaction, and localization of proteins, thereby participating in the differentiation and development of an array of tissues and organs. Under pathological conditions, alterations in AS are linked with various diseases, particularly cancer. These changes can lead to modifications in gene splicing patterns, culminating in changes or loss of protein functionality. For instance, in cancer, abnormalities in AS and RBPs may result in aberrant expression of cancer-associated genes, thereby promoting the onset and progression of tumors. AS and RBPs are also associated with numerous neurodegenerative diseases and autoimmune diseases. Consequently, the study of AS across different tissues holds significant value. This review provides a detailed account of the recent advancements in the study of alternative splicing and AS-related RNA-binding proteins in tissue development and diseases, which aids in deepening the understanding of gene expression complexity and offers new insights and methodologies for precision medicine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yining Tao
- Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200000, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Bone Tumor Institution, 200000, Shanghai, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200000, Shanghai, China
| | - Haoyu Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200000, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Bone Tumor Institution, 200000, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiyu Yang
- Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200000, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Bone Tumor Institution, 200000, Shanghai, China
| | - Haoran Mu
- Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 200000, Shanghai, China.
- Shanghai Bone Tumor Institution, 200000, Shanghai, China.
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Chen C, Qi J, Li Y, Li D, Wu L, Li R, Chen Q, Sun N. Applications of Raman spectroscopy in the diagnosis and monitoring of neurodegenerative diseases. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1301107. [PMID: 38370434 PMCID: PMC10869569 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1301107] [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: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Raman scattering is an inelastic light scattering that occurs in a manner reflective of the molecular vibrations of molecular structures and chemical conditions in a given sample of interest. Energy changes in the scattered light can be assessed to determine the vibration mode and associated molecular and chemical conditions within the sample, providing a molecular fingerprint suitable for sample identification and characterization. Raman spectroscopy represents a particularly promising approach to the molecular analysis of many diseases owing to clinical advantages including its instantaneous nature and associated high degree of stability, as well as its ability to yield signal outputs corresponding to a single molecule type without any interference from other molecules as a result of its narrow peak width. This technology is thus ideally suited to the simultaneous assessment of multiple analytes. Neurodegenerative diseases represent an increasingly significant threat to global public health owing to progressive population aging, imposing a severe physical and social burden on affected patients who tend to develop cognitive and/or motor deficits beginning between the ages of 50 and 70. Owing to a relatively limited understanding of the etiological basis for these diseases, treatments are lacking for the most common neurodegenerative diseases, which include Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The present review was formulated with the goal of briefly explaining the principle of Raman spectroscopy and discussing its potential applications in the diagnosis and evaluation of neurodegenerative diseases, with a particular emphasis on the research prospects of this novel technological platform.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chao Chen
- Central Laboratory, Liaocheng People’s Hospital and Liaocheng School of Clinical Medicine, Shandong First Medical University, Liaocheng, China
| | - Jinfeng Qi
- Department of Geriatrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Geriatrics Institute, Tianjin, China
| | - Ying Li
- Department of Geriatrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Geriatrics Institute, Tianjin, China
| | - Ding Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Liaocheng People’s Hospital and Liaocheng School of Clinical Medicine, Shandong First Medical University, Liaocheng, China
| | - Lihong Wu
- Department of Geriatrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Geriatrics Institute, Tianjin, China
| | - Ruihua Li
- Department of Geriatrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Geriatrics Institute, Tianjin, China
| | - Qingfa Chen
- Institute of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Liaocheng People’s Hospital and Liaocheng School of Clinical Medicine, Shandong First Medical University, Liaocheng, China
- Research Center of Basic Medicine, Jinan Central Hospital, Jinan, China
| | - Ning Sun
- Department of Geriatrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Geriatrics Institute, Tianjin, China
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Ahamad S, Bano N, Khan S, Hussain MK, Bhat SA. Unraveling the Puzzle of Therapeutic Peptides: A Promising Frontier in Huntington's Disease Treatment. J Med Chem 2024; 67:783-815. [PMID: 38207096 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative genetic disorder characterized by a mutation in the huntingtin (HTT) gene, resulting in the production of a mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT). The accumulation of mHTT leads to the development of toxic aggregates in neurons, causing cell dysfunction and, eventually, cell death. Peptide therapeutics target various aspects of HD pathology, including mHTT reduction and aggregation inhibition, extended CAG mRNA degradation, and modulation of dysregulated signaling pathways, such as BDNF/TrkB signaling. In addition, these peptide therapeutics also target the detrimental interactions of mHTT with InsP3R1, CaM, or Caspase-6 proteins to mitigate HD. This Perspective provides a detailed perspective on anti-HD therapeutic peptides, highlighting their design, structural characteristics, neuroprotective effects, and specific mechanisms of action. Peptide therapeutics for HD exhibit promise in preclinical models, but further investigation is required to confirm their effectiveness as viable therapeutic strategies, recognizing that no approved peptide therapy for HD currently exists.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shakir Ahamad
- Department of Chemistry, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002, India
| | - Nargis Bano
- Department of Zoology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002, India
| | - Sameera Khan
- Department of Zoology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002, India
| | | | - Shahnawaz A Bhat
- Department of Zoology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002, India
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Krause A, Anderson DG, Ferreira-Correia A, Dawson J, Baine-Savanhu F, Li PP, Margolis RL. Huntington disease-like 2: insight into neurodegeneration from an African disease. Nat Rev Neurol 2024; 20:36-49. [PMID: 38114648 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-023-00906-y] [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: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD)-like 2 (HDL2) is a rare genetic disease caused by an expanded trinucleotide repeat in the JPH3 gene (encoding junctophilin 3) that shows remarkable clinical similarity to HD. To date, HDL2 has been reported only in patients with definite or probable African ancestry. A single haplotype background is shared by patients with HDL2 from different populations, supporting a common African origin for the expansion mutation. Nevertheless, outside South Africa, reports of patients with HDL2 in Africa are scarce, probably owing to limited clinical services across the continent. Systematic comparisons of HDL2 and HD have revealed closely overlapping motor, cognitive and psychiatric features and similar patterns of cerebral and striatal atrophy. The pathogenesis of HDL2 remains unclear but it is proposed to occur through several mechanisms, including loss of protein function and RNA and/or protein toxicity. This Review summarizes our current knowledge of this African-specific HD phenocopy and highlights key areas of overlap between HDL2 and HD. Given the aforementioned similarities in clinical phenotype and pathology, an improved understanding of HDL2 could provide novel insights into HD and other neurodegenerative and/or trinucleotide repeat expansion disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Krause
- Division of Human Genetics, National Health Laboratory Service and School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
| | - David G Anderson
- Division of Human Genetics, National Health Laboratory Service and School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- University of Glasgow, Department of Neurology, Institute of Neurological Sciences, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, UK
| | - Aline Ferreira-Correia
- Department of Psychology, School of Human and Community Development, Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Jessica Dawson
- Division of Human Genetics, National Health Laboratory Service and School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Fiona Baine-Savanhu
- Division of Human Genetics, National Health Laboratory Service and School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Pan P Li
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Russell L Margolis
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Kuijper EC, Overzier M, Suidgeest E, Dzyubachyk O, Maguin C, Pérot JB, Flament J, Ariyurek Y, Mei H, Buijsen RAM, van der Weerd L, van Roon-Mom W. Antisense oligonucleotide-mediated disruption of HTT caspase-6 cleavage site ameliorates the phenotype of YAC128 Huntington disease mice. Neurobiol Dis 2024; 190:106368. [PMID: 38040383 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
In Huntington disease, cellular toxicity is particularly caused by toxic protein fragments generated from the mutant huntingtin (HTT) protein. By modifying the HTT protein, we aim to reduce proteolytic cleavage and ameliorate the consequences of mutant HTT without lowering total HTT levels. To that end, we use an antisense oligonucleotide (AON) that targets HTT pre-mRNA and induces partial skipping of exon 12, which contains the critical caspase-6 cleavage site. Here, we show that AON-treatment can partially restore the phenotype of YAC128 mice, a mouse model expressing the full-length human HTT gene including 128 CAG-repeats. Wild-type and YAC128 mice were treated intracerebroventricularly with AON12.1, scrambled AON or vehicle starting at 6 months of age and followed up to 12 months of age, when MRI was performed and mice were sacrificed. AON12.1 treatment induced around 40% exon skip and protein modification. The phenotype on body weight and activity, but not rotarod, was restored by AON treatment. Genes differentially expressed in YAC128 striatum changed toward wild-type levels and striatal volume was preserved upon AON12.1 treatment. However, scrambled AON also showed a restorative effect on gene expression and appeared to generally increase brain volume.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elsa C Kuijper
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, the Netherlands.
| | - Maurice Overzier
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, the Netherlands
| | - Ernst Suidgeest
- Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, the Netherlands
| | - Oleh Dzyubachyk
- Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, the Netherlands
| | - Cécile Maguin
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Molecular Imaging Research Center, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, France
| | - Jean-Baptiste Pérot
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Molecular Imaging Research Center, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, France; Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute, Sorbonne Université, France
| | - Julien Flament
- Université Paris-Saclay, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Molecular Imaging Research Center, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives, France
| | - Yavuz Ariyurek
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, the Netherlands
| | - Hailiang Mei
- Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Center, the Netherlands
| | - Ronald A M Buijsen
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, the Netherlands
| | - Louise van der Weerd
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, the Netherlands; Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, the Netherlands
| | | |
Collapse
|
41
|
Louessard M, Cailleret M, Jarrige M, Bigarreau J, Lenoir S, Dufour N, Rey M, Saudou F, Deglon N, Perrier AL. Mono- and Biallelic Inactivation of Huntingtin Gene in Patient-Specific Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Reveal HTT Roles in Striatal Development and Neuronal Functions. J Huntingtons Dis 2024; 13:41-53. [PMID: 38427495 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-231509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Background Mutations in the Huntingtin (HTT) gene cause Huntington's disease (HD), a neurodegenerative disorder. As a scaffold protein, HTT is involved in numerous cellular functions, but its normal and pathogenic functions during human forebrain development are poorly understood. Objective To investigate the developmental component of HD, with a specific emphasis on understanding the functions of wild-type and mutant HTT alleles during forebrain neuron development in individuals carrying HD mutations. Methods We used CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology to disrupt the ATG region of the HTT gene via non-homologous end joining to produce mono- or biallelic HTT knock-out human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) clones. Results We showed that the loss of wild-type, mutant, or both HTT isoforms does not affect the pluripotency of iPSCs or their transition into neural cells. However, we observed that HTT loss causes division impairments in forebrain neuro-epithelial cells and alters maturation of striatal projection neurons (SPNs) particularly in the acquisition of DARPP32 expression, a key functional marker of SPNs. Finally, young post-mitotic neurons derived from HTT-/- human iPSCs display cellular dysfunctions observed in adult HD neurons. Conclusions We described a novel collection of isogenic clones with mono- and biallelic HTT inactivation that complement existing HD-hiPSC isogenic series to explore HTT functions and test therapeutic strategies in particular HTT-lowering drugs. Characterizing neural and neuronal derivatives from human iPSCs of this collection, we show evidence that HTT loss or mutation has impacts on neuro-epithelial and striatal neurons maturation, and on basal DNA damage and BDNF axonal transport in post-mitotic neurons.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Morgane Louessard
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, Molecular Imaging Research Center, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: Mécanismes, Thérapies, Imagerie, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, Inserm, Univ Evry, Institut des Cellules Souches pour le Traitement et l'étude des Maladies Monogéniques, Corbeil-Essonne, France
| | - Michel Cailleret
- Université Paris-Saclay, Inserm, Univ Evry, Institut des Cellules Souches pour le Traitement et l'étude des Maladies Monogéniques, Corbeil-Essonne, France
| | - Margot Jarrige
- CECS/AFM, Institut des Cellules Souches pour le Traitement et l'étude des Maladies Monogéniques, Corbeil-Essonne, France
| | - Julie Bigarreau
- Université Paris-Saclay, Inserm, Univ Evry, Institut des Cellules Souches pour le Traitement et l'étude des Maladies Monogéniques, Corbeil-Essonne, France
| | - Sophie Lenoir
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, U1216, CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut Neuroscience, GIN, Grenoble, France
| | - Noëlle Dufour
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, Molecular Imaging Research Center, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: Mécanismes, Thérapies, Imagerie, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Maria Rey
- Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Department of Clinical Neurosciences (DNC), and Neuroscience Research Center (CRN), Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurotherapies, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Frédéric Saudou
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, U1216, CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut Neuroscience, GIN, Grenoble, France
| | - Nicole Deglon
- Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Department of Clinical Neurosciences (DNC), and Neuroscience Research Center (CRN), Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurotherapies, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Anselme L Perrier
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, Molecular Imaging Research Center, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Laboratoire des Maladies Neurodégénératives: Mécanismes, Thérapies, Imagerie, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, Inserm, Univ Evry, Institut des Cellules Souches pour le Traitement et l'étude des Maladies Monogéniques, Corbeil-Essonne, France
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Hannan AJ. Expanding horizons of tandem repeats in biology and medicine: Why 'genomic dark matter' matters. Emerg Top Life Sci 2023; 7:ETLS20230075. [PMID: 38088823 PMCID: PMC10754335 DOI: 10.1042/etls20230075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
Approximately half of the human genome includes repetitive sequences, and these DNA sequences (as well as their transcribed repetitive RNA and translated amino-acid repeat sequences) are known as the repeatome. Within this repeatome there are a couple of million tandem repeats, dispersed throughout the genome. These tandem repeats have been estimated to constitute ∼8% of the entire human genome. These tandem repeats can be located throughout exons, introns and intergenic regions, thus potentially affecting the structure and function of tandemly repetitive DNA, RNA and protein sequences. Over more than three decades, more than 60 monogenic human disorders have been found to be caused by tandem-repeat mutations. These monogenic tandem-repeat disorders include Huntington's disease, a variety of ataxias, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia, as well as many other neurodegenerative diseases. Furthermore, tandem-repeat disorders can include fragile X syndrome, related fragile X disorders, as well as other neurological and psychiatric disorders. However, these monogenic tandem-repeat disorders, which were discovered via their dominant or recessive modes of inheritance, may represent the 'tip of the iceberg' with respect to tandem-repeat contributions to human disorders. A previous proposal that tandem repeats may contribute to the 'missing heritability' of various common polygenic human disorders has recently been supported by a variety of new evidence. This includes genome-wide studies that associate tandem-repeat mutations with autism, schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease and various types of cancers. In this article, I will discuss how tandem-repeat mutations and polymorphisms could contribute to a wide range of common disorders, along with some of the many major challenges of tandem-repeat biology and medicine. Finally, I will discuss the potential of tandem repeats to be therapeutically targeted, so as to prevent and treat an expanding range of human disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anthony J Hannan
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Regio S, Vachey G, Goñi E, Duarte F, Rybarikova M, Sipion M, Rey M, Huarte M, Déglon N. Revisiting the outcome of adult wild-type Htt inactivation in the context of HTT-lowering strategies for Huntington's disease. Brain Commun 2023; 5:fcad344. [PMID: 38116140 PMCID: PMC10729863 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcad344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntingtin-lowering strategies are central to therapeutic approaches for Huntington's disease. Recent studies reported the induction of age- and cell type-specific phenotypes by conditional huntingtin knockout, but these experimental conditions did not precisely mimic huntingtin-lowering or gene-editing conditions in terms of the cells targeted and brain distribution, and no transcriptional profiles were provided. Here, we used the adeno-associated delivery system commonly used in CNS gene therapy programmes and the self-inactivating KamiCas9 gene-editing system to investigate the long-term consequences of wild-type mouse huntingtin inactivation in adult neurons and, thus, the feasibility and safety of huntingtin inactivation in these cells. Behavioural and neuropathological analyses and single-nuclei RNA sequencing indicated that huntingtin editing in 77% of striatal neurons and 16% of cortical projecting neurons in adult mice induced no behavioural deficits or cellular toxicity. Single-nuclei RNA sequencing in 11.5-month-old animals showed that huntingtin inactivation did not alter striatal-cell profiles or proportions. Few differentially expressed genes were identified and Augur analysis confirmed an extremely limited response to huntingtin inactivation in all cell types. Our results therefore indicate that wild-type huntingtin inactivation in adult striatal and projection neurons is well tolerated in the long term.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sara Regio
- Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Department of Clinical Neurosciences (DNC), Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurotherapies (LCMN), Lausanne 1011, Switzerland
- Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Neuroscience Research Center (CRN), Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurotherapies (LCMN), Lausanne 1011, Switzerland
| | - Gabriel Vachey
- Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Department of Clinical Neurosciences (DNC), Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurotherapies (LCMN), Lausanne 1011, Switzerland
- Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Neuroscience Research Center (CRN), Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurotherapies (LCMN), Lausanne 1011, Switzerland
| | - Enrique Goñi
- Center for Applied Medical Research, University of Navarra, Pamplona 31008, Spain
- Institute of Health Research of Navarra (IdiSNA), Cancer Center Clínica Universidad de Navarra (CCUN), Pamplona 31008, Spain
| | - Fabio Duarte
- Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Department of Clinical Neurosciences (DNC), Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurotherapies (LCMN), Lausanne 1011, Switzerland
- Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Neuroscience Research Center (CRN), Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurotherapies (LCMN), Lausanne 1011, Switzerland
| | - Margareta Rybarikova
- Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Department of Clinical Neurosciences (DNC), Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurotherapies (LCMN), Lausanne 1011, Switzerland
- Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Neuroscience Research Center (CRN), Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurotherapies (LCMN), Lausanne 1011, Switzerland
| | - Mélanie Sipion
- Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Department of Clinical Neurosciences (DNC), Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurotherapies (LCMN), Lausanne 1011, Switzerland
- Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Neuroscience Research Center (CRN), Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurotherapies (LCMN), Lausanne 1011, Switzerland
| | - Maria Rey
- Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Department of Clinical Neurosciences (DNC), Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurotherapies (LCMN), Lausanne 1011, Switzerland
- Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Neuroscience Research Center (CRN), Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurotherapies (LCMN), Lausanne 1011, Switzerland
| | - Maite Huarte
- Center for Applied Medical Research, University of Navarra, Pamplona 31008, Spain
- Institute of Health Research of Navarra (IdiSNA), Cancer Center Clínica Universidad de Navarra (CCUN), Pamplona 31008, Spain
| | - Nicole Déglon
- Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Department of Clinical Neurosciences (DNC), Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurotherapies (LCMN), Lausanne 1011, Switzerland
- Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Neuroscience Research Center (CRN), Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurotherapies (LCMN), Lausanne 1011, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Thompson LM, Orr HT. HD and SCA1: Tales from two 30-year journeys since gene discovery. Neuron 2023; 111:3517-3530. [PMID: 37863037 PMCID: PMC10842341 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.09.036] [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: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
One of the more transformative findings in human genetics was the discovery that the expansion of unstable nucleotide repeats underlies a group of inherited neurological diseases. A subset of these unstable repeat neurodegenerative diseases is due to the expansion of a CAG trinucleotide repeat encoding a stretch of glutamines, i.e., the polyglutamine (polyQ) repeat neurodegenerative diseases. Among the CAG/polyQ repeat diseases are Huntington's disease (HD) and spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1), in which the expansions are within widely expressed proteins. Although both HD and SCA1 are autosomal dominantly inherited, and both typically cause mid- to late-life-onset movement disorders with cognitive decline, they each are characterized by distinct clinical characteristics and predominant sites of neuropathology. Importantly, the respective affected proteins, Huntingtin (HTT, HD) and Ataxin 1 (ATXN1, SCA1), have unique functions and biological properties. Here, we review HD and SCA1 with a focus on how their disease-specific and shared features may provide informative insights.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leslie M Thompson
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Department of Biological Chemistry, Institute of Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Center, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Harry T Orr
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis and Saint Paul, MN 55455, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Li Y, Zeng PM, Wu J, Luo ZG. Advances and Applications of Brain Organoids. Neurosci Bull 2023; 39:1703-1716. [PMID: 37222855 PMCID: PMC10603019 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-023-01065-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the fundamental processes of human brain development and diseases is of great importance for our health. However, existing research models such as non-human primate and mouse models remain limited due to their developmental discrepancies compared with humans. Over the past years, an emerging model, the "brain organoid" integrated from human pluripotent stem cells, has been developed to mimic developmental processes of the human brain and disease-associated phenotypes to some extent, making it possible to better understand the complex structures and functions of the human brain. In this review, we summarize recent advances in brain organoid technologies and their applications in brain development and diseases, including neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative, psychiatric diseases, and brain tumors. Finally, we also discuss current limitations and the potential of brain organoids.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yang Li
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Peng-Ming Zeng
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Jian Wu
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Zhen-Ge Luo
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China.
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Gupta R, Advani D, Yadav D, Ambasta RK, Kumar P. Dissecting the Relationship Between Neuropsychiatric and Neurodegenerative Disorders. Mol Neurobiol 2023; 60:6476-6529. [PMID: 37458987 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03502-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) and neuropsychiatric disorders (NPDs) are two common causes of death in elderly people, which includes progressive neuronal cell death and behavioral changes. NDDs include Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, and motor neuron disease, characterized by cognitive defects and memory impairment, whereas NPDs include depression, seizures, migraine headaches, eating disorders, addictions, palsies, major depressive disorders, anxiety, and schizophrenia, characterized by behavioral changes. Mounting evidence demonstrated that NDDs and NPDs share an overlapping mechanism, which includes post-translational modifications, the microbiota-gut-brain axis, and signaling events. Mounting evidence demonstrated that various drug molecules, namely, natural compounds, repurposed drugs, multitarget directed ligands, and RNAs, have been potentially implemented as therapeutic agents against NDDs and NPDs. Herein, we highlighted the overlapping mechanism, the role of anxiety/stress-releasing factors, cytosol-to-nucleus signaling, and the microbiota-gut-brain axis in the pathophysiology of NDDs and NPDs. We summarize the therapeutic application of natural compounds, repurposed drugs, and multitarget-directed ligands as therapeutic agents. Lastly, we briefly described the application of RNA interferences as therapeutic agents in the pathogenesis of NDDs and NPDs. Neurodegenerative diseases and neuropsychiatric diseases both share a common signaling molecule and molecular phenomenon, namely, pro-inflammatory cytokines, γCaMKII and MAPK/ERK, chemokine receptors, BBB permeability, and the gut-microbiota-brain axis. Studies have demonstrated that any alterations in the signaling mentioned above molecules and molecular phenomena lead to the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases, namely, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and neuropsychiatric disorders, such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, autism spectrum disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rohan Gupta
- Molecular Neuroscience and Functional Genomics Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Delhi Technological University, Shahbad Daulatpur, Bawana Road, New Delhi, Delhi, 110042, India
| | - Dia Advani
- Molecular Neuroscience and Functional Genomics Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Delhi Technological University, Shahbad Daulatpur, Bawana Road, New Delhi, Delhi, 110042, India
| | - Divya Yadav
- Molecular Neuroscience and Functional Genomics Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Delhi Technological University, Shahbad Daulatpur, Bawana Road, New Delhi, Delhi, 110042, India
| | - Rashmi K Ambasta
- Molecular Neuroscience and Functional Genomics Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Delhi Technological University, Shahbad Daulatpur, Bawana Road, New Delhi, Delhi, 110042, India
| | - Pravir Kumar
- Molecular Neuroscience and Functional Genomics Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Delhi Technological University, Shahbad Daulatpur, Bawana Road, New Delhi, Delhi, 110042, India.
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Van de Roovaart HJ, Nguyen N, Veenstra TD. Huntington's Disease Drug Development: A Phase 3 Pipeline Analysis. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1513. [PMID: 38004378 PMCID: PMC10674993 DOI: 10.3390/ph16111513] [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: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's Disease (HD) is a severely debilitating neurodegenerative disorder in which sufferers exhibit different combinations of movement disorders, dementia, and behavioral or psychiatric abnormalities. The disorder is a result of a trinucleotide repeat expansion mutation that is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. While there is currently no treatment to alter the course of HD, there are medications that lessen abnormal movement and psychiatric symptoms. ClinicalTrials.gov was searched to identify drugs that are currently in or have completed phase III drug trials for the treatment of HD. The described phase III trials were further limited to interventional studies that were recruiting, active not recruiting, or completed. In addition, all studies must have posted an update within the past year. PubMed was used to gather further information on these interventional studies. Of the nine clinical trials that met these criteria, eight involved the following drugs: metformin, dextromethorphan/quinidine, deutetrabenazine, valbenazine, Cellavita HD, pridopidine, SAGE-718, and RO7234292 (RG6042). Of these drug treatments, four are already FDA approved. This systematic review provides a resource that summarizes the present therapies for treating this devastating condition that are currently in phase III clinical trials in the United States.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Timothy D. Veenstra
- School of Pharmacy, Cedarville University, Cedarville, OH 45314, USA; (H.J.V.d.R.); (N.N.)
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Tong H, Yang T, Liu L, Li C, Sun Y, Jia Q, Qin Y, Chen L, Zhao X, Zhou G, Yan S, Li XJ, Li S. Aberrant splicing of mutant huntingtin in Huntington's disease knock-in pigs. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 187:106291. [PMID: 37716514 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106291] [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: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal-dominant inherited neurodegenerative disease caused by a CAG repeat expansion in exon1 of the huntingtin gene (HTT). This expansion leads to the production of N-terminal mutant huntingtin protein (mHtt) that contains an expanded polyglutamine tract, which is toxic to neurons and causes neurodegeneration. While the production of N-terminal mHtt can be mediated by proteolytic cleavage of full-length mHtt, abnormal splicing of exon1-intron1 of mHtt has also been identified in the brains of HD mice and patients. However, the proportion of aberrantly spliced exon1 mHTT in relation to normal mHTT exon remains to be defined. In this study, HTT exon1 production was examined in the HD knock-in (KI) pig model, which more closely recapitulates neuropathology seen in HD patient brains than HD mouse models. The study revealed that aberrant spliced HTT exon1 is also present in the brains of HD pigs, but it is expressed at a much lower level than the normally spliced HTT exon products. These findings suggest that careful consideration is needed when assessing the contribution of aberrantly spliced mHTT exon1 to HD pathogenesis, and further rigorous investigation is required.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huichun Tong
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Non-human Primate Research, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Tianqi Yang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Non-human Primate Research, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Li Liu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Non-human Primate Research, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Caijuan Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Non-human Primate Research, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Yize Sun
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Non-human Primate Research, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Qingqing Jia
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Non-human Primate Research, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Yiyang Qin
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Non-human Primate Research, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Laiqiang Chen
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Non-human Primate Research, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Xianxian Zhao
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Non-human Primate Research, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Gongke Zhou
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Non-human Primate Research, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Sen Yan
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Non-human Primate Research, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
| | - Xiao-Jiang Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Non-human Primate Research, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
| | - Shihua Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Non-human Primate Research, Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Merino M, González S, Tronch MC, Sánchez-Sánchez AV, Clares MP, García-España A, García-España E, Mullor JL. Small Molecule Pytren-4QMn Metal Complex Slows down Huntington's Disease Progression in Male zQ175 Transgenic Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15153. [PMID: 37894844 PMCID: PMC10607077 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242015153] [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: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder considered a rare disease with a prevalence of 5.7 per 100,000 people. It is caused by an autosomal dominant mutation consisting of expansions of trinucleotide repeats that translate into poly-glutamine enlarged mutant huntingtin proteins (mHTT), which are particularly deleterious in brain tissues. Since there is no cure for this progressive fatal disease, searches for new therapeutic approaches are much needed. The small molecule pytren-4QMn (4QMn), a highly water-soluble mimic of the enzyme superoxide dismutase, has shown in vivo beneficial anti-inflammatory activity in mice and was able to remove mHTT deposits in a C. elegans model of HD. In this study, we assessed 4QMn therapeutic potential in zQ175 neo-deleted knock-in mice, a model of HD that closely mimics the heterozygosity, genetic injury, and progressive nature of the human disease. We provide evidence that 4QMn has good acute and chronic tolerability, and can cross the blood-brain barrier, and in male, but not female, zQ175 mice moderately ameliorate HD-altered gene expression, mHtt aggregation, and HD disease phenotype. Our data highlight the importance of considering sex-specific differences when testing new therapies using animal models and postulate 4QMn as a potential novel type of small water-soluble metal complex that could be worth further investigating for its therapeutic potential in HD, as well as in other polyglutamine diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marián Merino
- Bionos Biotech SL, Biopolo Hospital La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | - Sonia González
- Bionos Biotech SL, Biopolo Hospital La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | - Mª Carmen Tronch
- Bionos Biotech SL, Biopolo Hospital La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | | | - Mª Paz Clares
- Departamento de Química Orgánica e Inorgánica, Instituto de Ciencia Molecular, Universidad de Valencia, 46980 Valencia, Spain
| | | | - Enrique García-España
- Departamento de Química Orgánica e Inorgánica, Instituto de Ciencia Molecular, Universidad de Valencia, 46980 Valencia, Spain
| | - José L Mullor
- Bionos Biotech SL, Biopolo Hospital La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Bertoglio D, Weiss AR, Liguore W, Martin LD, Hobbs T, Templon J, Srinivasan S, Dominguez C, Munoz-Sanjuan I, Khetarpal V, Verhaeghe J, Staelens S, Link J, Liu L, Bard JA, McBride JL. In Vivo Cerebral Imaging of Mutant Huntingtin Aggregates Using 11C-CHDI-180R PET in a Nonhuman Primate Model of Huntington Disease. J Nucl Med 2023; 64:1581-1587. [PMID: 37591545 PMCID: PMC10586486 DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.123.265569] [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: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by an expanded polyglutamine (CAG) trinucleotide expansion in the huntingtin (HTT) gene that encodes the mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT). Visualization and quantification of cerebral mHTT will provide a proxy for target engagement and a means to evaluate therapeutic interventions aimed at lowering mHTT in the brain. Here, we validated the novel radioligand 11C-labeled 6-(5-((5-methoxypyridin-2-yl)methoxy)benzo[d]oxazol-2-yl)-2-methylpyridazin-3(2H)-one (11C-CHDI-180R) using PET imaging to quantify cerebral mHTT aggregates in a macaque model of HD. Methods: Rhesus macaques received MRI-guided intrastriatal delivery of a mixture of AAV2 and AAV2.retro viral vectors expressing an HTT fragment bearing 85 CAG repeats (85Q, n = 5), a control HTT fragment bearing 10 CAG repeats (10Q, n = 4), or vector diluent only (phosphate-buffered saline, n = 5). Thirty months after surgery, 90-min dynamic PET/CT imaging was used to investigate 11C-CHDI-180R brain kinetics, along with serial blood sampling to measure input function and stability of the radioligand. The total volume of distribution was calculated using a 2-tissue-compartment model as well as Logan graphical analysis for regional quantification. Immunostaining for mHTT was performed to corroborate the in vivo findings. Results: 11C-CHDI-180R displayed good metabolic stability (51.4% ± 4.0% parent in plasma at 60 min after injection). Regional time-activity curves displayed rapid uptake and reversible binding, which were described by a 2-tissue-compartment model. Logan graphical analysis was associated with the 2-tissue-compartment model (r 2 = 0.96, P < 0.0001) and used to generate parametric volume of distribution maps. Compared with controls, animals administered the 85Q fragment exhibited significantly increased 11C-CHDI-180R binding in several cortical and subcortical brain regions (group effect, P < 0.0001). No difference in 11C-CHDI-180R binding was observed between buffer and 10Q animals. The presence of mHTT aggregates in the 85Q animals was confirmed histologically. Conclusion: We validated 11C-CHDI-180R as a radioligand to visualize and quantify mHTT aggregated species in a HD macaque model. These findings corroborate our previous work in rodent HD models and show that 11C-CHDI-180R is a promising tool to assess the mHTT aggregate load and the efficacy of therapeutic strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Bertoglio
- Bio-Imaging Lab, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium;
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Alison R Weiss
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, Oregon;
| | - William Liguore
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, Oregon
| | - Lauren Drew Martin
- Division of Animal Resources and Research Support, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, Oregon
| | - Theodore Hobbs
- Division of Animal Resources and Research Support, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, Oregon
| | - John Templon
- Center for Radiochemistry Research, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Sathya Srinivasan
- Integrated Pathology Core, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, Oregon
| | - Celia Dominguez
- CHDI Management/CHDI Foundation, Los Angeles, California; and
| | | | - Vinod Khetarpal
- CHDI Management/CHDI Foundation, Los Angeles, California; and
| | - Jeroen Verhaeghe
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Steven Staelens
- Molecular Imaging Center Antwerp, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Jeanne Link
- Center for Radiochemistry Research, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Longbin Liu
- CHDI Management/CHDI Foundation, Los Angeles, California; and
| | - Jonathan A Bard
- CHDI Management/CHDI Foundation, Los Angeles, California; and
| | - Jodi L McBride
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, Oregon
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| |
Collapse
|