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Cerón J. Caenorhabditis elegans for research on cancer hallmarks. Dis Model Mech 2023; 16:dmm050079. [PMID: 37278614 PMCID: PMC10259857 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.050079] [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] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
After decades of research, our knowledge of the complexity of cancer mechanisms, elegantly summarized as 'hallmarks of cancer', is expanding, as are the therapeutic opportunities that this knowledge brings. However, cancer still needs intense research to diminish its tremendous impact. In this context, the use of simple model organisms such as Caenorhabditis elegans, in which the genetics of the apoptotic pathway was discovered, can facilitate the investigation of several cancer hallmarks. Amenable for genetic and drug screens, convenient for fast and efficient genome editing, and aligned with the 3Rs ('Replacement, Reduction and Refinement') principles for ethical animal research, C. elegans plays a significant role in unravelling the intricate network of cancer mechanisms and presents a promising option in clinical diagnosis and drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julián Cerón
- Modeling Human Diseases in C. elegans Group – Genes, Disease and Therapy Program, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute – IDIBELL, 08908 L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
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Krausová M, Kreplová M, Banik P, Cvačková Z, Kubovčiak J, Modrák M, Zudová D, Lindovský J, Kubik-Zahorodna A, Pálková M, Kolář M, Procházka J, Sedláček R, Staněk D. Retinitis pigmentosa-associated mutations in mouse Prpf8 cause misexpression of circRNAs and degeneration of cerebellar granule cells. Life Sci Alliance 2023; 6:e202201855. [PMID: 37019475 PMCID: PMC10078954 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202201855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
A subset of patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) carry mutations in several spliceosomal components including the PRPF8 protein. Here, we established two alleles of murine Prpf8 that genocopy or mimic aberrant PRPF8 found in RP patients-the substitution p.Tyr2334Asn and an extended protein variant p.Glu2331ValfsX15. Homozygous mice expressing the aberrant Prpf8 variants developed within the first 2 mo progressive atrophy of the cerebellum because of extensive granule cell loss, whereas other cerebellar cells remained unaffected. We further show that a subset of circRNAs were deregulated in the cerebellum of both Prpf8-RP mouse strains. To identify potential risk factors that sensitize the cerebellum for Prpf8 mutations, we monitored the expression of several splicing proteins during the first 8 wk. We observed down-regulation of all selected splicing proteins in the WT cerebellum, which coincided with neurodegeneration onset. The decrease in splicing protein expression was further pronounced in mouse strains expressing mutated Prpf8. Collectively, we propose a model where physiological reduction in spliceosomal components during postnatal tissue maturation sensitizes cells to the expression of aberrant Prpf8 and the subsequent deregulation of circRNAs triggers neuronal death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaela Krausová
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Michaela Kreplová
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Poulami Banik
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Zuzana Cvačková
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Kubovčiak
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Modrák
- Core Facility Bioinformatics, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Dagmar Zudová
- Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Lindovský
- Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Agnieszka Kubik-Zahorodna
- Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Marcela Pálková
- Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Kolář
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Procházka
- Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Radislav Sedláček
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
- Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - David Staněk
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
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Lange KI, Best S, Tsiropoulou S, Berry I, Johnson CA, Blacque OE. Interpreting ciliopathy-associated missense variants of uncertain significance (VUS) in Caenorhabditis elegans. Hum Mol Genet 2022; 31:1574-1587. [PMID: 34964473 PMCID: PMC9122650 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddab344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Better methods are required to interpret the pathogenicity of disease-associated variants of uncertain significance (VUS), which cannot be actioned clinically. In this study, we explore the use of an animal model (Caenorhabditis elegans) for in vivo interpretation of missense VUS alleles of TMEM67, a cilia gene associated with ciliopathies. CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing was used to generate homozygous knock-in C. elegans worm strains carrying TMEM67 patient variants engineered into the orthologous gene (mks-3). Quantitative phenotypic assays of sensory cilia structure and function (neuronal dye filling, roaming and chemotaxis assays) measured how the variants impacted mks-3 gene function. Effects of the variants on mks-3 function were further investigated by looking at MKS-3::GFP localization and cilia ultrastructure. The quantitative assays in C. elegans accurately distinguished between known benign (Asp359Glu, Thr360Ala) and known pathogenic (Glu361Ter, Gln376Pro) variants. Analysis of eight missense VUS generated evidence that three are benign (Cys173Arg, Thr176Ile and Gly979Arg) and five are pathogenic (Cys170Tyr, His782Arg, Gly786Glu, His790Arg and Ser961Tyr). Results from worms were validated by a genetic complementation assay in a human TMEM67 knock-out hTERT-RPE1 cell line that tests a TMEM67 signalling function. We conclude that efficient genome editing and quantitative functional assays in C. elegans make it a tractable in vivo animal model for rapid, cost-effective interpretation of ciliopathy-associated missense VUS alleles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen I Lange
- School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Sunayna Best
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Leeds Institute of Medical Research, University of Leeds, Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK
| | - Sofia Tsiropoulou
- School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Ian Berry
- Bristol Genetics Laboratory, Pathology Sciences, Southmead Hospital, Bristol BS10 5NB, UK
| | - Colin A Johnson
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Leeds Institute of Medical Research, University of Leeds, Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK
| | - Oliver E Blacque
- School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
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Kropp PA, Bauer R, Zafra I, Graham C, Golden A. Caenorhabditis elegans for rare disease modeling and drug discovery: strategies and strengths. Dis Model Mech 2021; 14:dmm049010. [PMID: 34370008 PMCID: PMC8380043 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.049010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Although nearly 10% of Americans suffer from a rare disease, clinical progress in individual rare diseases is severely compromised by lack of attention and research resources compared to common diseases. It is thus imperative to investigate these diseases at their most basic level to build a foundation and provide the opportunity for understanding their mechanisms and phenotypes, as well as potential treatments. One strategy for effectively and efficiently studying rare diseases is using genetically tractable organisms to model the disease and learn about the essential cellular processes affected. Beyond investigating dysfunctional cellular processes, modeling rare diseases in simple organisms presents the opportunity to screen for pharmacological or genetic factors capable of ameliorating disease phenotypes. Among the small model organisms that excel in rare disease modeling is the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. With a staggering breadth of research tools, C. elegans provides an ideal system in which to study human disease. Molecular and cellular processes can be easily elucidated, assayed and altered in ways that can be directly translated to humans. When paired with other model organisms and collaborative efforts with clinicians, the power of these C. elegans studies cannot be overstated. This Review highlights studies that have used C. elegans in diverse ways to understand rare diseases and aid in the development of treatments. With continuing and advancing technologies, the capabilities of this small round worm will continue to yield meaningful and clinically relevant information for human health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Andy Golden
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Genetics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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Arzalluz-Luque Á, Cabrera JL, Skottman H, Benguria A, Bolinches-Amorós A, Cuenca N, Lupo V, Dopazo A, Tarazona S, Delás B, Carballo M, Pascual B, Hernan I, Erceg S, Lukovic D. Mutant PRPF8 Causes Widespread Splicing Changes in Spliceosome Components in Retinitis Pigmentosa Patient iPSC-Derived RPE Cells. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:636969. [PMID: 33994920 PMCID: PMC8116631 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.636969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a rare, progressive disease that affects photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells with blindness as a final outcome. Despite high medical and social impact, there is currently no therapeutic options to slow down the progression of or cure the disease. The development of effective therapies was largely hindered by high genetic heterogeneity, inaccessible disease tissue, and unfaithful model organisms. The fact that components of ubiquitously expressed splicing factors lead to the retina-specific disease is an additional intriguing question. Herein, we sought to correlate the retinal cell-type-specific disease phenotype with the splicing profile shown by a patient with autosomal recessive RP, caused by a mutation in pre-mRNA splicing factor 8 (PRPF8). In order to get insight into the role of PRPF8 in homeostasis and disease, we capitalize on the ability to generate patient-specific RPE cells and reveal differentially expressed genes unique to RPE cells. We found that spliceosomal complex and ribosomal functions are crucial in determining cell-type specificity through differential expression and alternative splicing (AS) and that PRPF8 mutation causes global changes in splice site selection and exon inclusion that particularly affect genes involved in these cellular functions. This finding corroborates the hypothesis that retinal tissue identity is conferred by a specific splicing program and identifies retinal AS events as a framework toward the design of novel therapeutic opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ángeles Arzalluz-Luque
- Department of Applied Statistics, Operations Research and Quality, Universitat Politècnica de València, València, Spain
| | - Jose Luis Cabrera
- Genomics Unit, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC). Madrid, Spain
| | - Heli Skottman
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Alberto Benguria
- Genomics Unit, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC). Madrid, Spain
| | - Arantxa Bolinches-Amorós
- Stem Cells Therapies in Neurodegenerative Diseases Lab, Research Center Principe Felipe, Valencia, Spain
- National Stem Cell Bank-Valencia Node, Research Center Principe Felipe, Valencia, Spain
| | - Nicolás Cuenca
- Department of Physiology, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain
| | - Vincenzo Lupo
- Unit of Genetics and Genomics of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disorders, Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe (CIPF), Valencia, Spain
- Rare Diseases Joint Units, IIS La Fe-CIPF, Valencia, Spain
| | - Ana Dopazo
- Genomics Unit, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC). Madrid, Spain
| | - Sonia Tarazona
- Department of Applied Statistics, Operations Research and Quality, Universitat Politècnica de València, València, Spain
| | - Bárbara Delás
- Unitat de Genética Molecular, Hospital de Terrassa, Terrassa, Spain
| | - Miguel Carballo
- Unitat de Genética Molecular, Hospital de Terrassa, Terrassa, Spain
| | - Beatriz Pascual
- Unitat de Genética Molecular, Hospital de Terrassa, Terrassa, Spain
| | - Imma Hernan
- Unitat de Genética Molecular, Hospital de Terrassa, Terrassa, Spain
| | - Slaven Erceg
- Stem Cells Therapies in Neurodegenerative Diseases Lab, Research Center Principe Felipe, Valencia, Spain
- National Stem Cell Bank-Valencia Node, Research Center Principe Felipe, Valencia, Spain
- Rare Diseases Joint Units, IIS La Fe-CIPF, Valencia, Spain
- Department of Neuroregeneration, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia
| | - Dunja Lukovic
- Rare Diseases Joint Units, IIS La Fe-CIPF, Valencia, Spain
- Retinal Degeneration Lab, Research Centre Principe Felipe, Valencia, Spain
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Bailly C. Medicinal applications and molecular targets of dequalinium chloride. Biochem Pharmacol 2021; 186:114467. [PMID: 33577890 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2021.114467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
For more than 60 years dequalinium chloride (DQ) has been used as anti-infective drug, mainly to treat local infections. It is a standard drug to treat bacterial vaginosis and an active ingredient of sore-throat lozenges. As a lipophilic bis-quaternary ammonium molecule, the drug displays membrane effects and selectively targets mitochondria to deplete DNA and to block energy production in cells. But beyond its mitochondriotropic property, DQ can interfere with the correct functioning of diverse proteins. A dozen of DQ protein targets have been identified and their implication in the antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antiparasitic and anticancer properties of the drug is discussed here. The anticancer effects of DQ combine a mitochondrial action, a selective inhibition of kinases (PKC-α/β, Cdc7/Dbf4), and a modulation of Ca2+-activated K+ channels. At the bacterial level, DQ interacts with different multidrug transporters (QacR, AcrB, EmrE) and with the transcriptional regulator RamR. Other proteins implicated in the antiviral (MPER domain of gp41 HIV-1) and antiparasitic (chitinase A from Vibrio harveyi) activities have been identified. DQ also targets α -synuclein oligomers to restrict protofibrils formation implicated in some neurodegenerative disorders. In addition, DQ is a typical bolaamphiphile molecule, well suited to form liposomes and nanoparticules useful for drug entrapment and delivery (DQAsomes and others). Altogether, the review highlights the many pharmacological properties and therapeutic benefits of this old 'multi-talented' drug, which may be exploited further. Its multiple sites of actions in cells should be kept in mind when using DQ in experimental research.
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Application of CRISPR Tools for Variant Interpretation and Disease Modeling in Inherited Retinal Dystrophies. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11050473. [PMID: 32349249 PMCID: PMC7290804 DOI: 10.3390/genes11050473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2020] [Revised: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Inherited retinal dystrophies are an assorted group of rare diseases that collectively account for the major cause of visual impairment of genetic origin worldwide. Besides clinically, these vision loss disorders present a high genetic and allelic heterogeneity. To date, over 250 genes have been associated to retinal dystrophies with reported causative variants of every nature (nonsense, missense, frameshift, splice-site, large rearrangements, and so forth). Except for a fistful of mutations, most of them are private and affect one or few families, making it a challenge to ratify the newly identified candidate genes or the pathogenicity of dubious variants in disease-associated loci. A recurrent option involves altering the gene in in vitro or in vivo systems to contrast the resulting phenotype and molecular imprint. To validate specific mutations, the process must rely on simulating the precise genetic change, which, until recently, proved to be a difficult endeavor. The rise of the CRISPR/Cas9 technology and its adaptation for genetic engineering now offers a resourceful suite of tools to alleviate the process of functional studies. Here we review the implementation of these RNA-programmable Cas9 nucleases in culture-based and animal models to elucidate the role of novel genes and variants in retinal dystrophies.
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