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Gahlawat S, Nanda V, Shreiber DI. Designing collagens to shed light on the multi-scale structure-function mapping of matrix disorders. Matrix Biol Plus 2024; 21:100139. [PMID: 38186852 PMCID: PMC10765305 DOI: 10.1016/j.mbplus.2023.100139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Collagens are the most abundant structural proteins in the extracellular matrix of animals and play crucial roles in maintaining the structural integrity and mechanical properties of tissues and organs while mediating important biological processes. Fibrillar collagens have a unique triple helix structure with a characteristic repeating sequence of (Gly-X-Y)n. Variations within the repetitive sequence can cause misfolding of the triple helix, resulting in heritable connective tissue disorders. The most common variations are single-point missense mutations that lead to the substitution of a glycine residue with a bulkier amino acid (Gly → X). In this review, we will first discuss the importance of collagen's triple helix structure and how single Gly substitutions can impact its folding, structure, secretion, assembly into higher-order structures, and biological functions. We will review the role of "designer collagens," i.e., synthetic collagen-mimetic peptides and recombinant bacterial collagen as model systems to include Gly → X substitutions observed in collagen disorders and investigate their impact on structure and function utilizing in vitro studies. Lastly, we will explore how computational modeling of collagen peptides, especially molecular and steered molecular dynamics, has been instrumental in probing the effects of Gly substitutions on structure, receptor binding, and mechanical stability across multiple length scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonal Gahlawat
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Vikas Nanda
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - David I. Shreiber
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
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Chiarelli N, Cinquina V, Martini P, Bertini V, Zoppi N, Venturini M, Ritelli M, Colombi M. Deciphering disease signatures and molecular targets in vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome through transcriptome and miRNome sequencing of dermal fibroblasts. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2024; 1870:166915. [PMID: 37827202 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2023.166915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (vEDS) is a severe connective tissue disorder caused by dominant mutations in the COL3A1 gene encoding type III collagen (COLLIII). COLLIII is primarily found in blood vessels and hollow organs, and its deficiency leads to soft connective tissues fragility, resulting in life-threatening arterial and organ ruptures. There are no current targeted therapies available. Although the disease usually results from COLLIII misfolding due to triple helix structure disruption, the underlying pathomechanisms are largely unknown. To address this knowledge gap, we performed a comprehensive transcriptome analysis using RNA- and miRNA-seq on a large cohort of dermal fibroblasts from vEDS patients and healthy donors. Our investigation revealed an intricate interplay between proteostasis abnormalities, inefficient endoplasmic reticulum stress response, and compromised autophagy, which may significantly impact the molecular pathology. We also present the first detailed miRNAs expression profile in patient cells, demonstrating that several aberrantly expressed miRNAs can disrupt critical cellular functions involved in vEDS pathophysiology, such as autophagy, proteostasis, and mTOR signaling. Target prediction and regulatory networks analyses suggested potential interactions among miRNAs, lncRNAs, and candidate target genes linked to extracellular matrix organization and autophagy-lysosome pathway. Our results highlight the importance of understanding the functional role of ncRNAs in vEDS pathogenesis, shedding light on possible miRNAs and lncRNAs signatures and their functional implications for dysregulated pathways related to disease. Deciphering this complex molecular network of RNA interactions may yield additional evidence for potential disease biomolecules and targets, assisting in the design of effective patient treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Chiarelli
- Division of Biology and Genetics, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25121 Brescia, Italy.
| | - Valeria Cinquina
- Division of Biology and Genetics, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25121 Brescia, Italy
| | - Paolo Martini
- Division of Biology and Genetics, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25121 Brescia, Italy
| | - Valeria Bertini
- Division of Biology and Genetics, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25121 Brescia, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Zoppi
- Division of Biology and Genetics, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25121 Brescia, Italy
| | - Marina Venturini
- Division of Dermatology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Spedali Civili University Hospital Brescia, 25121 Brescia, Italy
| | - Marco Ritelli
- Division of Biology and Genetics, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25121 Brescia, Italy
| | - Marina Colombi
- Division of Biology and Genetics, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25121 Brescia, Italy
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Ishikawa S, Hayashi S, Sairenchi T, Miyamoto M, Yoshihara S, Kobashi G, Yamaguchi T, Kosho T, Igawa K. Clinical features and morphology of collagen fibrils in patients with vascular Ehlers-Danlos based on electron microscopy. Front Genet 2023; 14:1238209. [PMID: 37655064 PMCID: PMC10466410 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1238209] [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: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Vascular-type Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (vEDS) is caused by collagen III deficit resulting from heterogeneous mutations in COL3A1, which occasionally causes sudden death due to arterial/visceral rupture. However, it is difficult to conduct basic research on the pathophysiology of vEDS. Moreover, the number of patients with vEDS is small, limiting the number of available samples. Furthermore, the symptoms of vEDS may vary among family members, even if they share the same mutation. Accordingly, many aspects of the pathology of vEDS remain unknown. Therefore, we investigated the structural abnormalities in collagen fibrils and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in skin samples using electron microscopy as well as their relationship with clinical symptoms in 30 patients with vEDS (vEDS group) and 48 patients without vEDS (disease-negative control group). Methods: Differences between the two groups were evaluated in terms of the sizes of collagen fibrils using coefficient of variation (COV). Results: COV was found to be significantly higher in the vEDS group than in the disease-negative control group, indicating irregularity in the size of collagen fibrils. However, in the vEDS group, some patients had low COV and seldom experienced serious complications and ER stress. Conclusion: ER stress might affect collagen fibril-composing proteins. Moreover, as this stress varies among people based on environmental factors and aging, it may be the underlying cause of varying vEDS symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoko Ishikawa
- Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Dokkyo Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Shujiro Hayashi
- Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Dokkyo Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Toshimi Sairenchi
- Medical Science of Nursing, School of Nursing, Dokkyo Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Manabu Miyamoto
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Dokkyo Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Shigemi Yoshihara
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Dokkyo Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Gen Kobashi
- Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Dokkyo Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Tomomi Yamaguchi
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Shinshu University, Matsumoto, Japan
- Center for Medical Genetics, Shinshu University Hospital, Matsumoto, Japan
- Division of Clinical Sequencing, School of Medicine, Shinshu University, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Tomoki Kosho
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Shinshu University, Matsumoto, Japan
- Center for Medical Genetics, Shinshu University Hospital, Matsumoto, Japan
- Division of Clinical Sequencing, School of Medicine, Shinshu University, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Ken Igawa
- Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Dokkyo Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
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Hayashi S, Yamaguchi T, Kosho T, Igawa K. Case report: Mild phenotype of a patient with vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and COL3A1 duplication mutation without alteration in the [Gly-X-Y] repeat sequence. Front Genet 2022; 13:1017446. [PMID: 36468001 PMCID: PMC9716096 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1017446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Vascular-type Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (vEDS) is an autosomal dominant inherited disorder caused by a deficit in collagen III as a result of heterogeneous mutations in the α1 type III collagen gene (COL3A1). Patients with vEDS often experience the first major complications in their early 20s and >80% have at least one complication by their 40s, reducing their average life expectancy to 48 years. Most commonly, vEDS variants are heterozygous missense substitutions of a base-pair encoding a glycine (Gly) residue of the [Gly-X-Y] repeat of the COL3A1 protein. When a peptide chain derived from a mutant allele is present in the procollagen triple helical structure, the helical structure cannot be maintained. Therefore, typically, the mutated collagen peptide induces a dominant negative effect on procollagen production. We reported the case of a patient with vEDS and a unique novel duplication mutation without alteration in the [Gly-X-Y] triplet repeat sequence. Case presentation: A 58-year-old man developed a sudden disorder of consciousness and abdominal pain and was consequently taken to a nearby hospital, where an intra-abdominal aneurysm was found, in addition to mild small joint hypermobility and acrogeria. There has been no history of spontaneous pneumothorax, dislocation, or subcutaneous hematoma. The analysis of genomic DNA from a blood sample identified a likely pathogenic in-frame duplication mutation in the COL3A1 gene coding region. Interestingly, this mutation is not expected to alter the [Gly-X-Y] triplet repeat sequence. We verified the mutation's pathogenicity by performing an analysis of synthetic procollagen from cultured skin fibroblasts, electron microscopy, and mRNA expression analysis of unfolded protein response sensors for endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Conclusion: Although the clinical findings of the case were mild, when compared to typical vEDS, decreased α1 collagen III levels and morphological abnormalities of the collagenous bundles were observed in the patient samples when compared with the normal control samples. Our evidence supports the conclusion that this variant is pathogenic. However, unlike the common vEDS, ER stress was not observed, and the mild phenotype presentation was suggested to be due to the unique mutation, allowing the triple helical structure to be maintained to a certain extent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shujiro Hayashi
- Department of Dermatology, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine, Mibu, Japan
| | - Tomomi Yamaguchi
- Department of Medical Genetics, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
- Center for Medical Genetics, Shinshu University Hospital, Matsumoto, Japan
- Division of Clinical Sequencing, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Tomoki Kosho
- Department of Medical Genetics, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
- Center for Medical Genetics, Shinshu University Hospital, Matsumoto, Japan
- Division of Clinical Sequencing, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan
- Research Center for Supports to Advanced Science, Shinshu University, Matsumoto, Japan
| | - Ken Igawa
- Department of Dermatology, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine, Mibu, Japan
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Kida A, Hayashi S, Ueno Y, Kitano H, Nakada Y, Asakura Y, Mizutomi S, Kamiga M, Igawa K. Severe clinical manifestations in an extremely low birthweight preterm baby with vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. J Dermatol 2022; 49:e411-e412. [PMID: 35718944 DOI: 10.1111/1346-8138.16493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ayako Kida
- Department of Neonatology, Ishikawa Prefectural Central Hospital, Kanazawa City, Japan
| | - Shujiro Hayashi
- Department of Dermatology, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Yasuhisa Ueno
- Department of Neonatology, Ishikawa Prefectural Central Hospital, Kanazawa City, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Kitano
- Department of Neonatology, Ishikawa Prefectural Central Hospital, Kanazawa City, Japan
| | - Yuya Nakada
- Department of Neonatology, Ishikawa Prefectural Central Hospital, Kanazawa City, Japan
| | - Yuka Asakura
- Department of Neonatology, Ishikawa Prefectural Central Hospital, Kanazawa City, Japan
| | - Shinichiro Mizutomi
- Department of Neonatology, Ishikawa Prefectural Central Hospital, Kanazawa City, Japan
| | - Mayuna Kamiga
- Department of Dermatology, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Ken Igawa
- Department of Dermatology, Dokkyo Medical University School of Medicine, Tochigi, Japan
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Bateman JF, Shoulders MD, Lamandé SR. Collagen misfolding mutations: the contribution of the unfolded protein response to the molecular pathology. Connect Tissue Res 2022; 63:210-227. [PMID: 35225118 PMCID: PMC8977234 DOI: 10.1080/03008207.2022.2036735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Mutations in collagen genes cause a broad range of connective tissue pathologies. Structural mutations that impact procollagen assembly or triple helix formation and stability are a common and important mutation class. How misfolded procollagens engage with the cellular proteostasis machinery and whether they can elicit a cytotoxic unfolded protein response (UPR) is a topic of considerable research interest. Such interest is well justified since modulating the UPR could offer a new approach to treat collagenopathies for which there are no current disease mechanism-targeting therapies. This review scrutinizes the evidence underpinning the view that endoplasmic reticulum stress and chronic UPR activation contributes significantly to the pathophysiology of the collagenopathies. While there is strong evidence that the UPR contributes to the pathology for collagen X misfolding mutations, the evidence that misfolding mutations in other collagen types induce a canonical, cytotoxic UPR is incomplete. To gain a more comprehensive understanding about how the UPR amplifies to pathology, and thus what types of manipulations of the UPR might have therapeutic relevance, much more information is needed about how specific misfolding mutation types engage differentially with the UPR and downstream signaling responses. Most importantly, since the capacity of the proteostasis machinery to respond to collagen misfolding is likely to vary between cell types, reflecting their functional roles in collagen and extracellular matrix biosynthesis, detailed studies on the UPR should focus as much as possible on the actual target cells involved in the collagen pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- John F. Bateman
- Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Australia,Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Australia
| | | | - Shireen R. Lamandé
- Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Australia,Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Australia
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Omar R, Malfait F, Van Agtmael T. Four decades in the making: Collagen III and mechanisms of vascular Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. Matrix Biol Plus 2021; 12:100090. [PMID: 34849481 PMCID: PMC8609142 DOI: 10.1016/j.mbplus.2021.100090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Vascular Ehlers Danlos (vEDS) syndrome is a severe multi-systemic connective tissue disorder characterized by risk of dissection and rupture of the arteries, gastro-intestinal tract and gravid uterus. vEDS is caused by mutations in COL3A1, that encodes the alpha 1 chain of type III collagen, which is a major extracellular matrix component of the vasculature and hollow organs. The first causal mutations were identified in the 1980s but progress in our understanding of the pathomolecular mechanisms has been limited. Recently, the application of more refined animal models combined with global omics approaches has yielded important new insights both in terms of disease mechanisms and potential for therapeutic intervention. However, it is also becoming apparent that vEDS is a complex disorder in terms of its molecular disease mechanisms with a poorly understood allelic and mechanistic heterogeneity. In this brief review we will focus our attention on the disease mechanisms of COL3A1 mutations and vEDS, and recent progress in therapeutic approaches using animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramla Omar
- Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Fransiska Malfait
- Centre for Medical Genetics, Ghent University Hospital, Belgium
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Tom Van Agtmael
- Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
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