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San Gil R, Pascovici D, Venturato J, Brown-Wright H, Mehta P, Madrid San Martin L, Wu J, Luan W, Chui YK, Bademosi AT, Swaminathan S, Naidoo S, Berning BA, Wright AL, Keating SS, Curtis MA, Faull RLM, Lee JD, Ngo ST, Lee A, Morsch M, Chung RS, Scotter E, Lisowski L, Mirzaei M, Walker AK. A transient protein folding response targets aggregation in the early phase of TDP-43-mediated neurodegeneration. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1508. [PMID: 38374041 PMCID: PMC10876645 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45646-9] [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: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms that drive TDP-43 pathology is integral to combating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) and other neurodegenerative diseases. Here we generated a longitudinal quantitative proteomic map of the cortex from the cytoplasmic TDP-43 rNLS8 mouse model of ALS and FTLD, and developed a complementary open-access webtool, TDP-map ( https://shiny.rcc.uq.edu.au/TDP-map/ ). We identified distinct protein subsets enriched for diverse biological pathways with temporal alterations in protein abundance, including increases in protein folding factors prior to disease onset. This included increased levels of DnaJ homolog subfamily B member 5, DNAJB5, which also co-localized with TDP-43 pathology in diseased human motor cortex. DNAJB5 over-expression decreased TDP-43 aggregation in cell and cortical neuron cultures, and knockout of Dnajb5 exacerbated motor impairments caused by AAV-mediated cytoplasmic TDP-43 expression in mice. Together, these findings reveal molecular mechanisms at distinct stages of ALS and FTLD progression and suggest that protein folding factors could be protective in neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca San Gil
- Neurodegeneration Pathobiology Laboratory, Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Dana Pascovici
- Insight Stats, Croydon Park, NSW, Australia
- Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Juliana Venturato
- Neurodegeneration Pathobiology Laboratory, Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Heledd Brown-Wright
- Neurodegeneration Pathobiology Laboratory, Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Prachi Mehta
- Neurodegeneration Pathobiology Laboratory, Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Motor Neuron Disease Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Lidia Madrid San Martin
- Neurodegeneration Pathobiology Laboratory, Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Jemma Wu
- Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Wei Luan
- Neurodegeneration Pathobiology Laboratory, Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Yi Kit Chui
- Neurodegeneration Pathobiology Laboratory, Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Adekunle T Bademosi
- Neurodegeneration Pathobiology Laboratory, Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Shilpa Swaminathan
- Neurodegeneration Pathobiology Laboratory, Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Serey Naidoo
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Britt A Berning
- Neurodegeneration Pathobiology Laboratory, Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Amanda L Wright
- Neurodegeneration Pathobiology Laboratory, Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Sean S Keating
- Neurodegeneration Pathobiology Laboratory, Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Maurice A Curtis
- Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Richard L M Faull
- Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - John D Lee
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Shyuan T Ngo
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Albert Lee
- Motor Neuron Disease Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Marco Morsch
- Motor Neuron Disease Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Roger S Chung
- Motor Neuron Disease Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Emma Scotter
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Leszek Lisowski
- Vector and Genome Engineering Facility, Children's Medical Research Institute, Westmead, NSW, Australia
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Innovative Therapies, Military Institute of Medicine - National Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia
| | - Mehdi Mirzaei
- Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Adam K Walker
- Neurodegeneration Pathobiology Laboratory, Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
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2
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Zhao B, Cowan CM, Coutts JA, Christy DD, Saraph A, Hsueh SCC, Plotkin SS, Mackenzie IR, Kaplan JM, Cashman NR. Targeting RACK1 to alleviate TDP-43 and FUS proteinopathy-mediated suppression of protein translation and neurodegeneration. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2023; 11:200. [PMID: 38111057 PMCID: PMC10726565 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-023-01705-8] [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: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) and Fused in Sarcoma/Translocated in Sarcoma (FUS) are ribonucleoproteins associated with pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). Under physiological conditions, TDP-43 and FUS are predominantly localized in the nucleus, where they participate in transcriptional regulation, RNA splicing and metabolism. In disease, however, they are typically mislocalized to the cytoplasm where they form aggregated inclusions. A number of shared cellular pathways have been identified that contribute to TDP-43 and FUS toxicity in neurodegeneration. In the present study, we report a novel pathogenic mechanism shared by these two proteins. We found that pathological FUS co-aggregates with a ribosomal protein, the Receptor for Activated C-Kinase 1 (RACK1), in the cytoplasm of spinal cord motor neurons of ALS, as previously reported for pathological TDP-43. In HEK293T cells transiently transfected with TDP-43 or FUS mutant lacking a functional nuclear localization signal (NLS; TDP-43ΔNLS and FUSΔNLS), cytoplasmic TDP-43 and FUS induced co-aggregation with endogenous RACK1. These co-aggregates sequestered the translational machinery through interaction with the polyribosome, accompanied by a significant reduction of global protein translation. RACK1 knockdown decreased cytoplasmic aggregation of TDP-43ΔNLS or FUSΔNLS and alleviated associated global translational suppression. Surprisingly, RACK1 knockdown also led to partial nuclear localization of TDP-43ΔNLS and FUSΔNLS in some transfected cells, despite the absence of NLS. In vivo, RACK1 knockdown alleviated retinal neuronal degeneration in transgenic Drosophila melanogaster expressing hTDP-43WT or hTDP-43Q331K and improved motor function of hTDP-43WT flies, with no observed adverse effects on neuronal health in control knockdown flies. In conclusion, our results revealed a novel shared mechanism of pathogenesis for misfolded aggregates of TDP-43 and FUS mediated by interference with protein translation in a RACK1-dependent manner. We provide proof-of-concept evidence for targeting RACK1 as a potential therapeutic approach for TDP-43 or FUS proteinopathy associated with ALS and FTLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beibei Zhao
- University of British Columbia, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
- ProMIS Neurosciences, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Catherine M Cowan
- University of British Columbia, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Juliane A Coutts
- University of British Columbia, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Darren D Christy
- University of British Columbia, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Ananya Saraph
- University of British Columbia, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Shawn C C Hsueh
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z1, Canada
| | - Stephen S Plotkin
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z1, Canada
| | - Ian R Mackenzie
- University of British Columbia, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | | | - Neil R Cashman
- University of British Columbia, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
- ProMIS Neurosciences, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA.
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3
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Kour S, Fortuna T, Anderson EN, Mawrie D, Bilstein J, Sivasubramanian R, Ward C, Roy R, Rajasundaram D, Sterneckert J, Pandey UB. Drosha-dependent microRNAs modulate FUS-mediated neurodegeneration in vivo. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:11258-11276. [PMID: 37791873 PMCID: PMC10639082 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad774] [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: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the Fused in Sarcoma (FUS) gene cause the familial and progressive form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). FUS is a nuclear RNA-binding protein involved in RNA processing and the biogenesis of a specific set of microRNAs. Here we report that Drosha and two previously uncharacterized Drosha-dependent miRNAs are strong modulators of FUS expression and prevent the cytoplasmic segregation of insoluble mutant FUS in vivo. We demonstrate that depletion of Drosha mitigates FUS-mediated degeneration, survival and motor defects in Drosophila. Mutant FUS strongly interacts with Drosha and causes its cytoplasmic mis-localization into the insoluble FUS inclusions. Reduction in Drosha levels increases the solubility of mutant FUS. Interestingly, we found two Drosha dependent microRNAs, miR-378i and miR-6832-5p, which differentially regulate the expression, solubility and cytoplasmic aggregation of mutant FUS in iPSC neurons and mammalian cells. More importantly, we report different modes of action of these miRNAs against mutant FUS. Whereas miR-378i may regulate mutant FUS inclusions by preventing G3BP-mediated stress granule formation, miR-6832-5p may affect FUS expression via other proteins or pathways. Overall, our research reveals a possible association between ALS-linked FUS mutations and the Drosha-dependent miRNA regulatory circuit, as well as a useful perspective on potential ALS treatment via microRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sukhleen Kour
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA
| | - Tyler Fortuna
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA
| | - Eric N Anderson
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA
| | - Darilang Mawrie
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA
| | - Jessica Bilstein
- Center for Regenerative Therapies TU Dresden (CRTD), Technische Universität (TU) Dresden, Dresden, 01307, Germany
| | - Ramakrishnan Sivasubramanian
- Center for Regenerative Therapies TU Dresden (CRTD), Technische Universität (TU) Dresden, Dresden, 01307, Germany
| | - Caroline Ward
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA
| | - Rishit Roy
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA
| | - Dhivyaa Rajasundaram
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA
| | - Jared Sterneckert
- Center for Regenerative Therapies TU Dresden (CRTD), Technische Universität (TU) Dresden, Dresden, 01307, Germany
- Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus of TU Dresden, Dresden, 01307, Germany
| | - Udai Bhan Pandey
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA
- Children's Neuroscience Institute, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, USA
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4
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Sekiyama N, Kobayashi R, Kodama TS. Toward a high-resolution mechanism of intrinsically disordered protein self-assembly. J Biochem 2023; 174:391-398. [PMID: 37488093 DOI: 10.1093/jb/mvad056] [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: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Membraneless organelles formed via the self-assembly of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) play a crucial role in regulating various physiological functions. Elucidating the mechanisms behind IDP self-assembly is of great interest not only from a biological perspective but also for understanding how amino acid mutations in IDPs contribute to the development of neurodegenerative diseases and other disorders. Currently, two proposed mechanisms explain IDP self-assembly: (1) the sticker-and-spacer framework, which considers amino acid residues as beads to simulate the intermolecular interactions, and (2) the cross-β hypothesis, which focuses on the β-sheet interactions between the molecular surfaces constructed by multiple residues. This review explores the advancement of new models that provide higher resolution insights into the IDP self-assembly mechanism based on new findings obtained from structural studies of IDPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naotaka Sekiyama
- Department of Biophysics, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Ryoga Kobayashi
- Department of Biophysics, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Takashi S Kodama
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, 3-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
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5
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Li Y, Dou X, Liu J, Xiao Y, Zhang Z, Hayes L, Wu R, Fu X, Ye Y, Yang B, Ostrow LW, He C, Sun S. Globally reduced N 6-methyladenosine (m 6A) in C9ORF72-ALS/FTD dysregulates RNA metabolism and contributes to neurodegeneration. Nat Neurosci 2023; 26:1328-1338. [PMID: 37365312 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01374-9] [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: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Repeat expansion in C9ORF72 is the most common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Here we show that N6-methyladenosine (m6A), the most prevalent internal mRNA modification, is downregulated in C9ORF72-ALS/FTD patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-differentiated neurons and postmortem brain tissues. The global m6A hypomethylation leads to transcriptome-wide mRNA stabilization and upregulated gene expression, particularly for genes involved in synaptic activity and neuronal function. Moreover, the m6A modification in the C9ORF72 intron sequence upstream of the expanded repeats enhances RNA decay via the nuclear reader YTHDC1, and the antisense RNA repeats can also be regulated through m6A modification. The m6A reduction increases the accumulation of repeat RNAs and the encoded poly-dipeptides, contributing to disease pathogenesis. We further demonstrate that, by elevating m6A methylation, we could significantly reduce repeat RNA levels from both strands and the derived poly-dipeptides, rescue global mRNA homeostasis and improve survival of C9ORF72-ALS/FTD patient iPSC-derived neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yini Li
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Xiaoyang Dou
- Department of Chemistry and Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Jun Liu
- Department of Chemistry and Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chicago, IL, USA
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Xiao
- Department of Chemistry and Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Zhe Zhang
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lindsey Hayes
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Rong Wu
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Xiujuan Fu
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yingzhi Ye
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Cellular and Molecular Physiology Graduate Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Bing Yang
- Laboratory of Cellular and Developmental Biology, NIDDK Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Lyle W Ostrow
- Department of Neurology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Chuan He
- Department of Chemistry and Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chicago, IL, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Shuying Sun
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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Yamoah A, Tripathi P, Guo H, Scheve L, Walter P, Johnen S, Müller F, Weis J, Goswami A. Early Alterations of RNA Binding Protein (RBP) Homeostasis and ER Stress-Mediated Autophagy Contributes to Progressive Retinal Degeneration in the rd10 Mouse Model of Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP). Cells 2023; 12:cells12071094. [PMID: 37048167 PMCID: PMC10092976 DOI: 10.3390/cells12071094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The retinal degeneration 10 (rd10) mouse model is widely used to study retinitis pigmentosa (RP) pathomechanisms. It offers a rather unique opportunity to study trans-neuronal degeneration because the cell populations in question are separated anatomically and the mutated Pde6b gene is selectively expressed in rod photoreceptors. We hypothesized that RNA binding protein (RBP) aggregation and abnormal autophagy might serve as early pathogenic events, damaging non-photoreceptor retinal cell types that are not primarily targeted by the Pde6b gene defect. We used a combination of immunohistochemistry (DAB, immunofluorescence), electron microscopy (EM), subcellular fractionation, and Western blot analysis on the retinal preparations obtained from both rd10 and wild-type mice. We found early, robust increases in levels of the protective endoplasmic reticulum (ER) calcium (Ca2+) buffering chaperone Sigma receptor 1 (SigR1) together with other ER-Ca2+ buffering proteins in both photoreceptors and non-photoreceptor neuronal cells before any noticeable photoreceptor degeneration. In line with this, we found markedly altered expression of the autophagy proteins p62 and LC3, together with abnormal ER widening and large autophagic vacuoles as detected by EM. Interestingly, these changes were accompanied by early, prominent cytoplasmic and nuclear aggregation of the key RBPs including pTDP-43 and FET family RBPs and stress granule formation. We conclude that progressive neurodegeneration in the rd10 mouse retina is associated with early disturbances of proteostasis and autophagy, along with abnormal cytoplasmic RBP aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfred Yamoah
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany
- EURON-European Graduate School of Neuroscience, Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Priyanka Tripathi
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany
- EURON-European Graduate School of Neuroscience, Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Haihong Guo
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Leonie Scheve
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Peter Walter
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Sandra Johnen
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Frank Müller
- Institute of Biological Information Processing, Molecular and Cellular Physiology, IBI-1, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Joachim Weis
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Anand Goswami
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Department of Neurology, Eleanor and Lou Gehrig ALS Center, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
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7
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Natera‐de Benito D, Olival J, Garcia‐Cabau C, Jou C, Roldan M, Codina A, Expósito‐Escudero J, Batlle C, Carrera‐García L, Ortez C, Salvatella X, Palau F, Nascimento A, Hoenicka J. Common pathophysiology for ANXA11 disorders caused by aspartate 40 variants. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2023; 10:408-425. [PMID: 36651622 PMCID: PMC10014011 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.51731] [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: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Mutations in ANXA11 cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and have recently been identified as a cause of multisystem proteinopathy and adult-onset muscular dystrophy. These conditions are adult-onset diseases and result from the substitution of Aspartate 40 (Asp40) for an apolar residue in the intrinsically disordered domain (IDD) of ANXA11. Some ALS-related variants are known to affect ANXA11 IDD; however, the mechanism by which the myopathy occurs is unknown. METHODS Genetic analysis was performed using WES-trio. For the study of variant pathogenicity, we used recombinant proteins, muscle biopsy, and fibroblasts. RESULTS Here we describe an individual with severe and rapidly progressive childhood-onset oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy who carries a new ANXA11 variant at position Asp40 (p.Asp40Ile; c.118_119delGAinsAT). p.Asp40Ile is predicted to enhance the aggregation propensity of ANXA11 to a greater extent than other changes affecting this residue. In vitro studies using recombinant ANXA11p.Asp40Ile showed abnormal phase separation and confirmed this variant is more aggregation-prone than the ALS-associated variant ANXA11p.Asp40Gly . The study of the patient's fibroblasts revealed defects in stress granules dynamics and clearance, and muscle histopathology showed a myopathic pattern with ANXA11 protein aggregates. Super-resolution imaging showed aggregates expressed as pearl strips or large complex structures in the sarcoplasm, and as layered subsarcolemmal chains probably reflecting ANXA11 multifunctionality. INTERPRETATION We demonstrate common pathophysiology for disorders associated with ANXA11 Asp40 allelic variants. Clinical phenotypes may result from different deleterious impacts of variants upon ANXA11 stability against aggregation, and differential muscle or motor neuron dysfunction expressed as a temporal and tissue-specific continuum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Natera‐de Benito
- Neuromuscular Unit, Department of NeurologyHospital Sant Joan de DéuBarcelona08950Spain
- Applied Research in Neuromuscular DiseasesInstitut de Recerca Sant Joan de DéuBarcelona08950Spain
| | - Jonathan Olival
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Molecular Medicine – IPERInstitut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu08950BarcelonaSpain
| | - Carla Garcia‐Cabau
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona)The Barcelona Institute of Science and TechnologyBarcelona08029Spain
| | - Cristina Jou
- Applied Research in Neuromuscular DiseasesInstitut de Recerca Sant Joan de DéuBarcelona08950Spain
- Department of PathologyHospital Sant Joan de DéuBarcelona08950Spain
| | - Mònica Roldan
- Confocal Microscopy and Cellular Imaging UnitInstitut de Recerca Sant Joan de DéuBarcelona08950Spain
- Department of Genetics and Developmental Medicine – IPERHospital Sant Joan de DéuBarcelona08950Spain
| | - Anna Codina
- Applied Research in Neuromuscular DiseasesInstitut de Recerca Sant Joan de DéuBarcelona08950Spain
| | - Jessica Expósito‐Escudero
- Neuromuscular Unit, Department of NeurologyHospital Sant Joan de DéuBarcelona08950Spain
- Applied Research in Neuromuscular DiseasesInstitut de Recerca Sant Joan de DéuBarcelona08950Spain
| | - Cristina Batlle
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Molecular Medicine – IPERInstitut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu08950BarcelonaSpain
| | - Laura Carrera‐García
- Neuromuscular Unit, Department of NeurologyHospital Sant Joan de DéuBarcelona08950Spain
- Applied Research in Neuromuscular DiseasesInstitut de Recerca Sant Joan de DéuBarcelona08950Spain
| | - Carlos Ortez
- Neuromuscular Unit, Department of NeurologyHospital Sant Joan de DéuBarcelona08950Spain
- Applied Research in Neuromuscular DiseasesInstitut de Recerca Sant Joan de DéuBarcelona08950Spain
- Center for Biomedical Research Network on Rare Diseases (CIBERER)ISCIIIBarcelonaSpain
| | - Xavier Salvatella
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona)The Barcelona Institute of Science and TechnologyBarcelona08029Spain
- ICREABarcelona08010Spain
| | - Francesc Palau
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Molecular Medicine – IPERInstitut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu08950BarcelonaSpain
- Department of Genetics and Developmental Medicine – IPERHospital Sant Joan de DéuBarcelona08950Spain
- Center for Biomedical Research Network on Rare Diseases (CIBERER)ISCIIIBarcelonaSpain
- Division of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Health SciencesUniversity of BarcelonaBarcelona08007Spain
- ERN ITHACABarcelona08950Spain
| | - Andrés Nascimento
- Neuromuscular Unit, Department of NeurologyHospital Sant Joan de DéuBarcelona08950Spain
- Applied Research in Neuromuscular DiseasesInstitut de Recerca Sant Joan de DéuBarcelona08950Spain
- Center for Biomedical Research Network on Rare Diseases (CIBERER)ISCIIIBarcelonaSpain
| | - Janet Hoenicka
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Molecular Medicine – IPERInstitut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu08950BarcelonaSpain
- Center for Biomedical Research Network on Rare Diseases (CIBERER)ISCIIIBarcelonaSpain
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Fare CM, Rhine K, Lam A, Myong S, Shorter J. A minimal construct of nuclear-import receptor Karyopherin-β2 defines the regions critical for chaperone and disaggregation activity. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:102806. [PMID: 36529289 PMCID: PMC9860449 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Karyopherin-β2 (Kapβ2) is a nuclear-import receptor that recognizes proline-tyrosine nuclear localization signals of diverse cytoplasmic cargo for transport to the nucleus. Kapβ2 cargo includes several disease-linked RNA-binding proteins with prion-like domains, such as FUS, TAF15, EWSR1, hnRNPA1, and hnRNPA2. These RNA-binding proteins with prion-like domains are linked via pathology and genetics to debilitating degenerative disorders, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, frontotemporal dementia, and multisystem proteinopathy. Remarkably, Kapβ2 prevents and reverses aberrant phase transitions of these cargoes, which is cytoprotective. However, the molecular determinants of Kapβ2 that enable these activities remain poorly understood, particularly from the standpoint of nuclear-import receptor architecture. Kapβ2 is a super-helical protein comprised of 20 HEAT repeats. Here, we design truncated variants of Kapβ2 and assess their ability to antagonize FUS aggregation and toxicity in yeast and FUS condensation at the pure protein level and in human cells. We find that HEAT repeats 8 to 20 of Kapβ2 recapitulate all salient features of Kapβ2 activity. By contrast, Kapβ2 truncations lacking even a single cargo-binding HEAT repeat display reduced activity. Thus, we define a minimal Kapβ2 construct for delivery in adeno-associated viruses as a potential therapeutic for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/frontotemporal dementia, multisystem proteinopathy, and related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte M Fare
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics Graduate Group, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kevin Rhine
- Program in Cell, Molecular, Developmental Biology, and Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Andrew Lam
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Sua Myong
- Program in Cell, Molecular, Developmental Biology, and Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - James Shorter
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics Graduate Group, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
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9
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Ito D, Morimoto S, Takahashi S, Okada K, Nakahara J, Okano H. Maiden voyage: induced pluripotent stem cell-based drug screening for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Brain 2023; 146:13-19. [PMID: 36004509 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awac306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Using patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells, neurodegenerative disease phenotypes have been recapitulated and their pathogenesis analysed leading to significant progress in drug screening. In amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, high-throughput screening using induced pluripotent stem cells-derived motor neurons has identified candidate drugs. Owing to induced pluripotent stem cell-based drug evaluation/screening, three compounds, retigabine, ropinirole and bosutinib, have progressed to clinical trials. Retigabine blocks hyperexcitability and improves survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patient-derived motor neurons. In a randomized clinical trial (n = 65), treatment with retigabine reduced neuronal excitability after 8 weeks. Ropinirole, identified in a high-throughput screening, attenuates pathological phenotypes in patient-derived motor neurons. In a trial limited by a small sample size (n = 20), ropinirole was tolerable and had clinical benefits on function and survival. A phase 1 study of bosutinib has reported safety and tolerability for 12 weeks. Thus, these clinical trials show safety and positive effects and confirm the reliability of stem cell-based drug discovery. This novel strategy leads to reduced costs and time when compared to animal testing and opens new avenues for therapy in intractable diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Ito
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Satoru Morimoto
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
- Department of Neurology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Shinichi Takahashi
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
- Department of Neurology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
- Department of Neurology, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, Saitama 350-1298, Japan
| | - Kensuke Okada
- Department of Neurology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Jin Nakahara
- Department of Neurology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Okano
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
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10
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Nikolaou N, Gordon PM, Hamid F, Taylor R, Lloyd-Jones J, Makeyev EV, Houart C. Cytoplasmic pool of U1 spliceosome protein SNRNP70 shapes the axonal transcriptome and regulates motor connectivity. Curr Biol 2022; 32:5099-5115.e8. [PMID: 36384140 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.10.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Regulation of pre-mRNA splicing and polyadenylation plays a profound role in neurons by diversifying the proteome and modulating gene expression in response to physiological cues. Although most of the pre-mRNA processing is thought to occur in the nucleus, numerous splicing regulators are also found in neurites. Here, we show that U1-70K/SNRNP70, a component of the major spliceosome, localizes in RNA-associated granules in zebrafish axons. We identify the extra-nuclear SNRNP70 as an important regulator of motor axonal growth, nerve-dependent acetylcholine receptor (AChR) clustering, and neuromuscular synaptogenesis. This cytoplasmic pool has a protective role for a limited number of transcripts regulating their abundance and trafficking inside axons. Moreover, non-nuclear SNRNP70 regulates splice variants of transcripts such as agrin, thereby controlling synapse formation. Our results point to an unexpected, yet essential, function of non-nuclear SNRNP70 in axonal development, indicating a role of spliceosome proteins in cytoplasmic RNA metabolism during neuronal connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolas Nikolaou
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology MRC CNDD, IoPPN, Guy's Campus, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK; Department of Life Sciences, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK.
| | - Patricia M Gordon
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology MRC CNDD, IoPPN, Guy's Campus, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Fursham Hamid
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology MRC CNDD, IoPPN, Guy's Campus, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Richard Taylor
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology MRC CNDD, IoPPN, Guy's Campus, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | | | - Eugene V Makeyev
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology MRC CNDD, IoPPN, Guy's Campus, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Corinne Houart
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology MRC CNDD, IoPPN, Guy's Campus, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK.
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11
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Zhang J, Fakharzadeh A, Roland C, Sagui C. RNA as a Major-Groove Ligand: RNA-RNA and RNA-DNA Triplexes Formed by GAA and UUC or TTC Sequences. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:38728-38743. [PMID: 36340174 PMCID: PMC9631886 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c04358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Friedreich's ataxia is associated with noncanonical nucleic acid structures that emerge when GAA:TTC repeats in the first intron of the FXN gene expand beyond a critical number of repeats. Specifically, the noncanonical repeats are associated with both triplexes and R-loops. Here, we present an in silico investigation of all possible triplexes that form by attaching a third RNA strand to an RNA:RNA or DNA:DNA duplex, complementing previous DNA-based triplex studies. For both new triplexes results are similar. For a pyridimine UUC+ third strand, the parallel orientation is stable while its antiparallel counterpart is unstable. For a neutral GAA third strand, the parallel conformation is stable. A protonated GA+A third strand is stable in both parallel and antiparallel orientations. We have also investigated Na+ and Mg2+ ion distributions around the triplexes. The presence of Mg2+ ions helps stabilize neutral, antiparallel GAA triplexes. These results (along with previous DNA-based studies) allow for the emergence of a complete picture of the stability and structural characteristics of triplexes based on the GAA and TTC/UUC sequences, thereby contributing to the field of trinucleotide repeats and the associated unusual structures that trigger expansion.
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12
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ALS mutations in the TIA-1 prion-like domain trigger highly condensed pathogenic structures. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2122523119. [PMID: 36112647 PMCID: PMC9499527 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2122523119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
T cell intracellular antigen-1 (TIA-1) plays a central role in stress granule (SG) formation by self-assembly via the prion-like domain (PLD). In the TIA-1 PLD, amino acid mutations associated with neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or Welander distal myopathy (WDM), have been identified. However, how these mutations affect PLD self-assembly properties has remained elusive. In this study, we uncovered the implicit pathogenic structures caused by the mutations. NMR analysis indicated that the dynamic structures of the PLD are synergistically determined by the physicochemical properties of amino acids in units of five residues. Molecular dynamics simulations and three-dimensional electron crystallography, together with biochemical assays, revealed that the WDM mutation E384K attenuated the sticky properties, whereas the ALS mutations P362L and A381T enhanced the self-assembly by inducing β-sheet interactions and highly condensed assembly, respectively. These results suggest that the P362L and A381T mutations increase the likelihood of irreversible amyloid fibrillization after phase-separated droplet formation, and this process may lead to pathogenicity.
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13
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Synucleinopathy in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Potential Avenue for Antisense Therapeutics? Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23169364. [PMID: 36012622 PMCID: PMC9409035 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23169364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common adult-onset motor neuron disease classified as both a neurodegenerative and neuromuscular disorder. With a complex aetiology and no current cure for ALS, broadening the understanding of disease pathology and therapeutic avenues is required to progress with patient care. Alpha-synuclein (αSyn) is a hallmark for disease in neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, Lewy body dementia, and multiple system atrophy. A growing body of evidence now suggests that αSyn may also play a pathological role in ALS, with αSyn-positive Lewy bodies co-aggregating alongside known ALS pathogenic proteins, such as SOD1 and TDP-43. This review endeavours to capture the scope of literature regarding the aetiology and development of ALS and its commonalities with "synucleinopathy disorders". We will discuss the involvement of αSyn in ALS and motor neuron disease pathology, and the current theories and strategies for therapeutics in ALS treatment, as well as those targeting αSyn for synucleinopathies, with a core focus on small molecule RNA technologies.
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14
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Wu S, Yin Y, Du L. FUS aggregation following ischemic stroke favors brain astrocyte activation through inducing excessive autophagy. Exp Neurol 2022; 355:114144. [PMID: 35718207 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2022.114144] [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: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
As is the case with neurodegenerative diseases, abnormal accumulation of aggregated proteins in neurons and glial are also known to implicate in the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke. However, the potential role of protein aggregates in brain ischemia remains largely unknown. Fused in Sarcoma (FUS) protein has a vital role in RNA metabolism and regulating cellular homeostasis. FUS pathology has been demonstrated in the formation of toxic aggregates and critically affecting cell viability in neurodegenerative diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), but whether this also applies to neurological injury following cerebral ischemia is unclear. Herein, we demonstrated a critical role of aggregated FUS in astrocyte activation caused by cerebral ischemia and a possible underlying molecular mechanism. Cerebral ischemic injury significantly induced the formation of cytoplasmic FUS aggregates in reactive astrocytes and injured neurons, thereby aggravating neurofunctional damages and worsening stroke outcomes. Further analysis revealed that extranuclear aggregation of FUS in astrocytes was involved in the induction of excessive autophagy, which contributes to autophagic cell injury or death. In conclusion, our results reveal the important contribution of FUS aggregates in promoting astrocyte activation in stroke pathology independent of its transcriptional regulation activity. We thus propose that aggregation of FUS is an important pathological process in ischemic stroke and targeting FUS aggregates might be of unique therapeutic value in the development of future treatment strategies for ischemic stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shusheng Wu
- Department of Immunology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, China
| | - Yuye Yin
- Department of Immunology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, China
| | - Longfei Du
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China.
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15
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He F, Kuwasako K, Takizawa M, Takahashi M, Tsuda K, Nagata T, Watanabe S, Tanaka A, Kobayashi N, Kigawa T, Güntert P, Shirouzu M, Yokoyama S, Muto Y. 1H, 13C and 15N resonance assignments and solution structures of the two RRM domains of Matrin-3. BIOMOLECULAR NMR ASSIGNMENTS 2022; 16:41-49. [PMID: 34783967 DOI: 10.1007/s12104-021-10057-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Matrin-3 is a multifunctional protein that binds to both DNA and RNA. Its DNA-binding activity is linked to the formation of the nuclear matrix and transcriptional regulation, while its RNA-binding activity is linked to mRNA metabolism including splicing, transport, stabilization, and degradation. Correspondingly, Matrin-3 has two zinc finger domains for DNA binding and two consecutive RNA recognition motif (RRM) domains for RNA binding. Matrin-3 has been reported to cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) when its disordered region contains pathogenic mutations. Simultaneously, it has been shown that the RNA-binding activity of Matrin-3 mediated by its RRM domains, affects the formation of insoluble cytoplasmic granules, which are related to the pathogenic mechanism of ALS/FTD. Thus, the effect of the RRM domains on the phase separation of condensed protein/RNA mixtures has to be clarified for a comprehensive understanding of ALS/FTD. Here, we report the 1H, 15N, and 13C resonance assignments of the two RNA binding domains and their solution structures. The resonance assignments and the solution structures obtained in this work will contribute to the elucidation of the molecular basis of Matrin-3 in the pathogenic mechanism of ALS and/or FTD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fahu He
- RIKEN Center for Life Science and Technologies, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan
- RIKEN, Systems and Structural Biology Center, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Kanako Kuwasako
- RIKEN Center for Life Science and Technologies, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan
- RIKEN, Systems and Structural Biology Center, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Musashino University, Tokyo, 202-8585, Japan
| | - Masayuki Takizawa
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Musashino University, Tokyo, 202-8585, Japan
| | - Mari Takahashi
- RIKEN Center for Life Science and Technologies, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan
- RIKEN, Systems and Structural Biology Center, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Kengo Tsuda
- RIKEN Center for Life Science and Technologies, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan
- RIKEN, Systems and Structural Biology Center, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Takashi Nagata
- RIKEN Center for Life Science and Technologies, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan
- Institute of Advanced Energy and Graduate School of Energy Science, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto, 611-0011, Japan
| | - Satoru Watanabe
- RIKEN Center for Life Science and Technologies, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan
- RIKEN Yokohama NMR Facility, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Akiko Tanaka
- RIKEN Center for Life Science and Technologies, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan
- RIKEN, Systems and Structural Biology Center, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Naohiro Kobayashi
- RIKEN Center for Life Science and Technologies, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan
- RIKEN Yokohama NMR Facility, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Takanori Kigawa
- RIKEN Center for Life Science and Technologies, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan
- RIKEN Quantitative Biology Center, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Peter Güntert
- Tatsuo Miyazawa Memorial Program, RIKEN Genomic Sciences Center, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan
- Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance, Institute of Biophysical Chemistry, Goethe-University Frankfurt am Main, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Department of Chemistry, Tokyo Metropolitan University, 1-1 Minami-Ohsawa, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-0397, Japan
| | - Mikako Shirouzu
- RIKEN Center for Life Science and Technologies, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan
- RIKEN, Systems and Structural Biology Center, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Shigeyuki Yokoyama
- RIKEN, Systems and Structural Biology Center, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan.
- RIKEN Structural Biology Laboratory, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan.
- RIKEN Cluster for Science, Technology and Innovation Hub, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan.
| | - Yutaka Muto
- RIKEN Center for Life Science and Technologies, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan.
- RIKEN, Systems and Structural Biology Center, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi, Yokohama, 230-0045, Japan.
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Musashino University, Tokyo, 202-8585, Japan.
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16
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Farrugia M, Vassallo N, Cauchi RJ. Disruption of Smn in glia impacts survival but has no effect on neuromuscular function in Drosophila. Neuroscience 2022; 491:32-42. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Gianferrara T, Cescon E, Grieco I, Spalluto G, Federico S. Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3β Involvement in Neuroinflammation and Neurodegenerative Diseases. Curr Med Chem 2022; 29:4631-4697. [PMID: 35170406 DOI: 10.2174/0929867329666220216113517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND GSK-3β activity has been strictly related to neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. Alzheimer's disease is the most studied neurodegenerative disease, but GSK-3β seems to be involved in almost all neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, frontotemporal dementia, Huntington's disease and the autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis. OBJECTIVE The aim of this review is to help researchers both working on this research topic or not to have a comprehensive overview on GSK-3β in the context of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. METHOD Literature has been searched using PubMed and SciFinder databases by inserting specific keywords. A total of more than 500 articles have been discussed. RESULTS First of all, the structure and regulation of the kinase were briefly discussed and then, specific GSK-3β implications in neuroinflammation and neurodegenerative diseases were illustrated also with the help of figures, to conclude with a comprehensive overview on the most important GSK-3β and multitarget inhibitors. For all discussed compounds, the structure and IC50 values at the target kinase have been reported. CONCLUSION GSK-3β is involved in several signaling pathways both in neurons as well as in glial cells and immune cells. The fine regulation and interconnection of all these pathways are at the base of the rationale use of GSK-3β inhibitors in neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. In fact, some compounds are now under clinical trials. Despite this, pharmacodynamic and ADME/Tox profiles of the compounds were often not fully characterized and this is deleterious in such a complex system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Gianferrara
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Eleonora Cescon
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Ilenia Grieco
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Giampiero Spalluto
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Stephanie Federico
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
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18
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Sproviero D, Gagliardi S, Zucca S, Arigoni M, Giannini M, Garofalo M, Fantini V, Pansarasa O, Avenali M, Ramusino MC, Diamanti L, Minafra B, Perini G, Zangaglia R, Costa A, Ceroni M, Calogero RA, Cereda C. Extracellular Vesicles Derived From Plasma of Patients With Neurodegenerative Disease Have Common Transcriptomic Profiling. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:785741. [PMID: 35250537 PMCID: PMC8889100 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.785741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives There is a lack of effective biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and frontotemporal dementia. Extracellular vesicle (EV) RNA cargo can have an interesting potential as a non-invasive biomarker for NDs. However, the knowledge about the abundance of EV-mRNAs and their contribution to neurodegeneration is not clear. Methods Large and small EVs (LEVs and SEVs) were isolated from plasma of patients and healthy volunteers (control, CTR) by differential centrifugation and filtration, and RNA was extracted. Whole transcriptome was carried out using next generation sequencing (NGS). Results Coding RNA (i.e., mRNA) but not long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in SEVs and LEVs of patients with ALS could be distinguished from healthy CTRs and from other NDs using the principal component analysis (PCA). Some mRNAs were found in commonly deregulated between SEVs of patients with ALS and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and they were classified in mRNA processing and splicing pathways. In LEVs, instead, one mRNA and one antisense RNA (i.e., MAP3K7CL and AP003068.3) were found to be in common among ALS, FTD, and PD. No deregulated mRNAs were found in EVs of patients with AD. Conclusion Different RNA regulation occurs in LEVs and SEVs of NDs. mRNAs and lncRNAs are present in plasma-derived EVs of NDs, and there are common and specific transcripts that characterize LEVs and SEVs from the NDs considered in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisy Sproviero
- Genomic and Post-genomic Unit, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Stella Gagliardi
- Genomic and Post-genomic Unit, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
- *Correspondence: Stella Gagliardi
| | - Susanna Zucca
- Genomic and Post-genomic Unit, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
- EnGenome SRL, Pavia, Italy
| | - Maddalena Arigoni
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Bioinformatics and Genomics Unit, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Marta Giannini
- Genomic and Post-genomic Unit, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Maria Garofalo
- Genomic and Post-genomic Unit, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology (“L. Spallanzani”), University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Valentina Fantini
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and Neurogenetic, Golgi-Cenci Foundation, Milan, Italy
| | - Orietta Pansarasa
- Genomic and Post-genomic Unit, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Micol Avenali
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Neurorehabilitation Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Matteo Cotta Ramusino
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Unit of Behavioral Neurology, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Luca Diamanti
- Neuro-Oncology Unit, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (SRCCS) Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Brigida Minafra
- Parkinson Disease and Movement Disorders Unit, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Giulia Perini
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Unit of Behavioral Neurology, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Roberta Zangaglia
- Parkinson Disease and Movement Disorders Unit, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Alfredo Costa
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Unit of Behavioral Neurology, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Mauro Ceroni
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Unit of Behavioral Neurology, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Raffaele A. Calogero
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Bioinformatics and Genomics Unit, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Cristina Cereda
- Genomic and Post-genomic Unit, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
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19
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Nicolas G, Sévigny M, Lecoquierre F, Marguet F, Deschênes A, del Pelaez MC, Feuillette S, Audebrand A, Lecourtois M, Rousseau S, Richard AC, Cassinari K, Deramecourt V, Duyckaerts C, Boland A, Deleuze JF, Meyer V, Clarimon Echavarria J, Gelpi E, Akiyama H, Hasegawa M, Kawakami I, Wong TH, Van Rooij JGJ, Van Swieten JC, Campion D, Dutchak PA, Wallon D, Lavoie-Cardinal F, Laquerrière A, Rovelet-Lecrux A, Sephton CF. A postzygotic de novo NCDN mutation identified in a sporadic FTLD patient results in neurochondrin haploinsufficiency and altered FUS granule dynamics. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:20. [PMID: 35151370 PMCID: PMC8841087 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01314-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a heterogeneous clinical disorder characterized by progressive abnormalities in behavior, executive functions, personality, language and/or motricity. A neuropathological subtype of FTD, frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD)-FET, is characterized by protein aggregates consisting of the RNA-binding protein fused in sarcoma (FUS). The cause of FTLD-FET is not well understood and there is a lack of genetic evidence to aid in the investigation of mechanisms of the disease. The goal of this study was to identify genetic variants contributing to FTLD-FET and to investigate their effects on FUS pathology. We performed whole-exome sequencing on a 50-year-old FTLD patient with ubiquitin and FUS-positive neuronal inclusions and unaffected parents, and identified a de novo postzygotic nonsense variant in the NCDN gene encoding Neurochondrin (NCDN), NM_014284.3:c.1206G > A, p.(Trp402*). The variant was associated with a ~ 31% reduction in full-length protein levels in the patient’s brain, suggesting that this mutation leads to NCDN haploinsufficiency. We examined the effects of NCDN haploinsufficiency on FUS and found that depleting primary cortical neurons of NCDN causes a reduction in the total number of FUS-positive cytoplasmic granules. Moreover, we found that these granules were significantly larger and more highly enriched with FUS. We then examined the effects of a loss of FUS function on NCDN in neurons and found that depleting cells of FUS leads to a decrease in NCDN protein and mRNA levels. Our study identifies the NCDN protein as a likely contributor of FTLD-FET pathophysiology. Moreover, we provide evidence for a negative feedback loop of toxicity between NCDN and FUS, where loss of NCDN alters FUS cytoplasmic dynamics, which in turn has an impact on NCDN expression.
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20
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Deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs): decipher underlying basis of neurodegenerative diseases. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:259-268. [PMID: 34285347 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01233-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are characterized by the aggregation of neurotoxic proteins in the central nervous system. Aberrant protein accumulation in NDs is largely caused by the dysfunction of the two principal protein catabolism pathways, the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), and the autophagy-lysosomal pathway (ALP). The two protein quality control pathways are bridged by ubiquitination, a post-translational modification that can induce protein degradation via both the UPS and the ALP. Perturbed ubiquitination leads to the formation of toxic aggregates and inclusion bodies that are deleterious to neurons. Ubiquitination is promoted by a cascade of ubiquitinating enzymes and counter-regulated by deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs). As fine-tuning regulators of ubiquitination and protein degradation, DUBs modulate the stability of ND-associated pathogenic proteins including amyloid β protein, Tau, and α-synuclein. Besides, DUBs also influence ND-associated mitophagy, protein secretion, and neuroinflammation. Given the various and critical functions of DUBs in NDs, DUBs may become potential therapeutic targets for NDs.
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21
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James C, Lenz C, Urlaub H, Kehlenbach RH. Sequestosome 1 Is Part of the Interaction Network of VAPB. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222413271. [PMID: 34948065 PMCID: PMC8707790 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222413271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
VAPB (Vesicle-Associated-membrane Protein-associated protein B) is a tail-anchored membrane protein of the endoplasmic reticulum that can also be detected at the inner nuclear membrane. As a component of many contact sites between the endoplasmic reticulum and other organelles, VAPB is engaged in multiple protein interactions with a plethora of binding partners. A mutant version of VAPB, P56S-VAPB, which results from a single point mutation, is involved in a familial form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS8). We performed RAPIDS (rapamycin- and APEX-dependent identification of proteins by SILAC) to identify proteins that interact with or are in close proximity to P56S-VAPB. The mutation abrogates the interaction of VAPB with many known binding partners. Here, we identify Sequestosome 1 (SQSTM1), a well-known autophagic adapter protein, as a major interaction/proximity partner of P56S-VAPB. Remarkably, not only the mutant protein, but also wild-type VAPB interacts with SQSTM1, as shown by proximity ligation assays and co-immunoprecipiation experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina James
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, GZMB (Göttinger Zentrum für Molekulare Biowissenschaften), Georg-August-University Göttingen, Humboldtallee 23, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
- Correspondence: (C.J.); (R.H.K.)
| | - Christof Lenz
- Bioanalytics Group, Institute of Clinical Chemistry, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straße 40, 37075 Göttingen, Germany; (C.L.); (H.U.)
| | - Henning Urlaub
- Bioanalytics Group, Institute of Clinical Chemistry, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Straße 40, 37075 Göttingen, Germany; (C.L.); (H.U.)
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Group, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ralph H. Kehlenbach
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, GZMB (Göttinger Zentrum für Molekulare Biowissenschaften), Georg-August-University Göttingen, Humboldtallee 23, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
- Correspondence: (C.J.); (R.H.K.)
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22
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Ito D. Promise of Nucleic Acid Therapeutics for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Ann Neurol 2021; 91:13-20. [PMID: 34704267 DOI: 10.1002/ana.26259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Nucleic acid therapeutics have been attracting attention as novel drug discovery modalities for intractable diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. This review provides an overview of the current status and prospects of antisense oligonucleotide treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Recently, the results of a phase I/II study using the antisense oligonucleotides Tofersen to treat familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with superoxide dismutase 1 mutation have been reported. Intrathecal Tofersen administration resulted in a 36% reduction in superoxide dismutase 1 level in the cerebrospinal fluid. Another report described 2 patients with mutant superoxide dismutase 1 treated with an adeno-associated virus encoding a microRNA targeting superoxide dismutase 1. The first patient, who possessed the fast progressive mutant A5V, received a single intrathecal infusion. Although the patient died of respiratory arrest 16 months after treatment, autopsy findings showed a reduction of >90% in superoxide dismutase 1 level in the spinal cord. Clinical trials on antisense oligonucleotide therapies targeting other major amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-causative genes, fused in sarcoma and chromosome 9 open reading frame 72, are ongoing. To attenuate the pathology of TDP-43, strategies targeting regulators of TDP-43 (ataxin 2) and proteins downstream of TDP-43 (stathmin 2) by antisense oligonucleotides are being developed. The advent of nucleic acid therapeutics has enabled to specifically attack the molecules in the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis pathological cascade, expanding the options for therapeutic targets. ANN NEUROL 2021.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Ito
- Department of Neurology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
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23
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Nahm M, Lim SM, Kim YE, Park J, Noh MY, Lee S, Roh JE, Hwang SM, Park CK, Kim YH, Lim G, Lee J, Oh KW, Ki CS, Kim SH. ANXA11 mutations in ALS cause dysregulation of calcium homeostasis and stress granule dynamics. Sci Transl Med 2021; 12:12/566/eaax3993. [PMID: 33087501 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aax3993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Revised: 12/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Dysregulation of calcium ion homeostasis and abnormal protein aggregation have been proposed as major pathogenic hallmarks underpinning selective degeneration of motor neurons in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Recently, mutations in annexin A11 (ANXA11), a gene encoding a Ca2+-dependent phospholipid-binding protein, have been identified in familial and sporadic ALS. However, the physiological and pathophysiological roles of ANXA11 remain unknown. Here, we report functions of ANXA11 related to intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis and stress granule dynamics. We analyzed the exome sequences of 500 Korean patients with sALS and identified nine ANXA11 variants in 13 patients. The amino-terminal variants p.G38R and p.D40G within the low-complexity domain of ANXA11 enhanced aggregation propensity, whereas the carboxyl-terminal ANX domain variants p.H390P and p.R456H altered Ca2+ responses. Furthermore, all four variants in ANXA11 underwent abnormal phase separation to form droplets with aggregates and led to the alteration of the biophysical properties of ANXA11. These functional defects caused by ALS-linked variants induced alterations in both intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis and stress granule disassembly. We also revealed that p.G228Lfs*29 reduced ANXA11 expression and impaired Ca2+ homeostasis, as caused by missense variants. Ca2+-dependent interaction and coaggregation between ANXA11 and ALS-causative RNA-binding proteins, FUS and hnRNPA1, were observed in motor neuron cells and brain from a patient with ALS-FUS. The expression of ALS-linked ANXA11 variants in motor neuron cells caused cytoplasmic sequestration of endogenous FUS and triggered neuronal apoptosis. Together, our findings suggest that disease-associated ANXA11 mutations can contribute to ALS pathogenesis through toxic gain-of-function mechanisms involving abnormal protein aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minyeop Nahm
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea.,Biomedical Research Institute, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
| | - Su Min Lim
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea.,Biomedical Research Institute, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
| | - Young-Eun Kim
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
| | - Jinseok Park
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
| | - Min-Young Noh
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea.,Biomedical Research Institute, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
| | - Sanggon Lee
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
| | - Ju Eun Roh
- Gachon Pain Center and Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Gachon University, Incheon 21999, Korea
| | - Sung-Min Hwang
- Gachon Pain Center and Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Gachon University, Incheon 21999, Korea
| | - Chul-Kyu Park
- Gachon Pain Center and Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Gachon University, Incheon 21999, Korea
| | - Yong Ho Kim
- Gachon Pain Center and Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Gachon University, Incheon 21999, Korea
| | - GyuTae Lim
- Genome Editing Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon 34141, Korea.,Department of Bioinformatics, KRIBB School of Bioscience, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon 34113, Korea
| | - Jinhyuk Lee
- Genome Editing Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon 34141, Korea.,Department of Bioinformatics, KRIBB School of Bioscience, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon 34113, Korea
| | - Ki-Wook Oh
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
| | | | - Seung Hyun Kim
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea. .,Biomedical Research Institute, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
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24
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Kakihana T, Takahashi M, Katsuragi Y, Yamashita SI, Sango J, Kanki T, Onodera O, Fujii M. The optineurin/TIA1 pathway inhibits aberrant stress granule formation and reduces ubiquitinated TDP-43. iScience 2021; 24:102733. [PMID: 34258561 PMCID: PMC8259439 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a degenerative motor neuron disease characterized by the formation of cytoplasmic ubiquitinated TDP-43 protein aggregates in motor neurons. Stress granules (SGs) are stress-induced cytoplasmic protein aggregates containing various neuropathogenic proteins, including TDP-43. Several studies have suggested that SGs are the initial site of the formation of pathogenic ubiquitinated TDP-43 aggregates in ALS neurons. Mutations in the optineurin (OPTN) and TIA1 genes are causative factors of familial ALS with TDP-43 aggregation pathology. We found that both OPTN depletion and ALS-associated OPTN mutations upregulated the TIA1 level in cells recovered from heat shock, and this upregulated TIA1 increased the amount of ubiquitinated TDP-43. Ubiquitinated TDP-43 induced by OPTN depletion was localized in SGs. Our study suggests that ALS-associated loss-of-function mutants of OPTN increase the amount of ubiquitinated TDP-43 in neurons by increasing the expression of TIA1, thereby promoting the aggregation of ubiquitinated TDP-43.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taichi Kakihana
- Division of Virology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Masahiko Takahashi
- Division of Virology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Yoshinori Katsuragi
- Division of Virology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Shun-Ichi Yamashita
- Department of Cellular Physiology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Junya Sango
- Division of Virology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Tomotake Kanki
- Department of Cellular Physiology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Osamu Onodera
- Department of Neurology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8585, Japan
| | - Masahiro Fujii
- Division of Virology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
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25
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Pathomechanisms of ALS8: altered autophagy and defective RNA binding protein (RBP) homeostasis due to the VAPB P56S mutation. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:466. [PMID: 33972508 PMCID: PMC8110809 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-03710-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Mutations in RNA binding proteins (RBPs) and in genes regulating autophagy are frequent causes of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (fALS). The P56S mutation in vesicle-associated membrane protein-associated protein B (VAPB) leads to fALS (ALS8) and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). While VAPB is primarily involved in the unfolded protein response (UPR), vesicular trafficking and in initial steps of the autophagy pathway, the effect of mutant P56S-VAPB on autophagy regulation in connection with RBP homeostasis has not been explored yet. Examining the muscle biopsy of our index ALS8 patient of European origin revealed globular accumulations of VAPB aggregates co-localised with autophagy markers LC3 and p62 in partially atrophic and atrophic muscle fibres. In line with this skin fibroblasts obtained from the same patient showed accumulation of P56S-VAPB aggregates together with LC3 and p62. Detailed investigations of autophagic flux in cell culture models revealed that P56S-VAPB alters both initial and late steps of the autophagy pathway. Accordingly, electron microscopy complemented with live cell imaging highlighted the impaired fusion of accumulated autophagosomes with lysosomes in cells expressing P56S-VAPB. Consistent with these observations, neuropathological studies of brain and spinal cord of P56S-VAPB transgenic mice revealed signs of neurodegeneration associated with altered protein quality control and defective autophagy. Autophagy and RBP homeostasis are interdependent, as demonstrated by the cytoplasmic mis-localisation of several RBPs including pTDP-43, FUS, Matrin 3 which often sequestered with P56S-VAPB aggregates both in cell culture and in the muscle biopsy of the ALS8 patient. Further confirming the notion that aggregation of the RBPs proceeds through the stress granule (SG) pathway, we found persistent G3BP- and TIAR1-positive SGs in P56S-VAPB expressing cells as well as in the ALS8 patient muscle biopsy. We conclude that P56S-VAPB-ALS8 involves a cohesive pathomechanism of aberrant RBP homeostasis together with dysfunctional autophagy.
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26
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Mamon L, Yakimova A, Kopytova D, Golubkova E. The RNA-Binding Protein SBR (Dm NXF1) Is Required for the Constitution of Medulla Boundaries in Drosophila melanogaster Optic Lobes. Cells 2021; 10:1144. [PMID: 34068524 PMCID: PMC8151460 DOI: 10.3390/cells10051144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2021] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Drosophila melanogaster sbr (small bristles) is an orthologue of the Nxf1 (nuclear export factor 1) genes in different Opisthokonta. The known function of Nxf1 genes is the export of various mRNAs from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. The cytoplasmic localization of the SBR protein indicates that the nuclear export function is not the only function of this gene in Drosophila. RNA-binding protein SBR enriches the nucleus and cytoplasm of specific neurons and glial cells. In sbr12 mutant males, the disturbance of medulla boundaries correlates with the defects of photoreceptor axons pathfinding, axon bundle individualization, and developmental neurodegeneration. RNA-binding protein SBR participates in processes allowing axons to reach and identify their targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludmila Mamon
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, Saint-Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya Emb. 7/9, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia; or
| | - Anna Yakimova
- A. Tsyb Medical Radiological Research Center—Branch of the National Medical Research Radiological Center of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Koroleva Str. 4, 249036 Obninsk, Russia;
| | - Daria Kopytova
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilov St. 34/5, 119334 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Elena Golubkova
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, Saint-Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya Emb. 7/9, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia; or
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27
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Baade I, Hutten S, Sternburg EL, Pörschke M, Hofweber M, Dormann D, Kehlenbach RH. The RNA-binding protein FUS is chaperoned and imported into the nucleus by a network of import receptors. J Biol Chem 2021; 296:100659. [PMID: 33857479 PMCID: PMC8131929 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Fused in sarcoma (FUS) is a predominantly nuclear RNA-binding protein with key functions in RNA processing and DNA damage repair. Defects in nuclear import of FUS have been linked to severe neurodegenerative diseases; hence, it is of great interest to understand this process and how it is dysregulated in disease. Transportin-1 (TNPO1) and the closely related transportin-2 have been identified as major nuclear import receptors of FUS. They bind to the C-terminal nuclear localization signal of FUS and mediate the protein's nuclear import and at the same time also suppress aberrant phase transitions of FUS in the cytoplasm. Whether FUS can utilize other nuclear transport receptors for the purpose of import and chaperoning has not been examined so far. Here, we show that FUS directly binds to different import receptors in vitro. FUS formed stable complexes not only with TNPO1 but also with transportin-3, importin β, importin 7, or the importin β/7 heterodimer. Binding of these alternative import receptors required arginine residues within FUS-RG/RGG motifs and was weakened by arginine methylation. Interaction with these importins suppressed FUS phase separation and reduced its sequestration into stress granules. In a permeabilized cell system, we further showed that transportin-3 had the capacity to import FUS into the nucleus, albeit with lower efficiency than TNPO1. Our data suggest that aggregation-prone RNA-binding proteins such as FUS may utilize a network of importins for chaperoning and import, similar to histones and ribosomal proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imke Baade
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, GZMB, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Saskia Hutten
- BioMedical Center (BMC), Cell Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Erin L Sternburg
- BioMedical Center (BMC), Cell Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Marius Pörschke
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, GZMB, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Mario Hofweber
- BioMedical Center (BMC), Cell Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Dorothee Dormann
- BioMedical Center (BMC), Cell Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany; Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany.
| | - Ralph H Kehlenbach
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, GZMB, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
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28
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Basu S, Alagar S, Bahadur RP. Unusual RNA binding of FUS RRM studied by molecular dynamics simulation and enhanced sampling method. Biophys J 2021; 120:1765-1776. [PMID: 33705755 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobe degeneration (FTLD) are two inter-related intractable diseases of motor neuron degeneration. Fused in sarcoma (FUS) is found in cytoplasmic accumulation of ALS and FTLD patients, which readily link the protein with the diseases. The RNA recognition motif (RRM) of FUS has the canonical α-β folds along with an unusual lysine-rich loop (KK-loop) between α1 and β2. This KK-loop is highly conserved among FET family proteins. Another contrasting feature of FUS RRM is the absence of critical binding residues, which are otherwise highly conserved in canonical RRMs. These residues in FUS RRM are Thr286, Glu336, Thr338, and Ser367, which are substitutions of lysine, phenylalanine, phenylalanine, and lysine, respectively, in other RRMs. Considering the importance of FUS in RNA regulation and metabolism, and its implication in ALS and FTLD, it is important to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanism of RNA recognition. In this study, we have performed molecular dynamics simulation with enhanced sampling to understand the conformational dynamics of noncanonical FUS RRM and its binding with RNA. We studied two sets of mutations: one with alanine mutation of KK-loop and another with KK-loop mutations along with critical binding residues mutated back to their canonical form. We find that concerted movement of KK-loop and loop between β2 and β3 facilitates the folding of the partner RNA, indicating an induced-fit mechanism of RNA binding. Flexibility of the RRM is highly restricted upon mutating the lysine residues of the KK-loop, resulting in weaker binding with the RNA. Our results also suggest that absence of the canonical residues in FUS RRM along with the KK-loop is equally important in regulating its binding dynamics. This study provides a significant structural insight into the binding of FUS RRM with its cognate RNA, which may further help in designing potential drugs targeting noncanonical RNA recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sushmita Basu
- Computational Structural Biology Lab, Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, India
| | - Suresh Alagar
- Computational Structural Biology Lab, Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, India
| | - Ranjit Prasad Bahadur
- Computational Structural Biology Lab, Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, India.
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29
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Kim W, Kim DY, Lee KH. RNA-Binding Proteins and the Complex Pathophysiology of ALS. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22052598. [PMID: 33807542 PMCID: PMC7961459 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22052598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic analyses of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have identified disease-causing mutations and accelerated the unveiling of complex molecular pathogenic mechanisms, which may be important for understanding the disease and developing therapeutic strategies. Many disease-related genes encode RNA-binding proteins, and most of the disease-causing RNA or proteins encoded by these genes form aggregates and disrupt cellular function related to RNA metabolism. Disease-related RNA or proteins interact or sequester other RNA-binding proteins. Eventually, many disease-causing mutations lead to the dysregulation of nucleocytoplasmic shuttling, the dysfunction of stress granules, and the altered dynamic function of the nucleolus as well as other membrane-less organelles. As RNA-binding proteins are usually components of several RNA-binding protein complexes that have other roles, the dysregulation of RNA-binding proteins tends to cause diverse forms of cellular dysfunction. Therefore, understanding the role of RNA-binding proteins will help elucidate the complex pathophysiology of ALS. Here, we summarize the current knowledge regarding the function of disease-associated RNA-binding proteins and their role in the dysfunction of membrane-less organelles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanil Kim
- Division of Cosmetic Science and Technology, Daegu Haany University, Hanuidae-ro 1, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk 38610, Korea;
| | - Do-Yeon Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41940, Korea
- Correspondence: (D.-Y.K.); (K.-H.L.); Tel.: +82-53-660-6880 (D.-Y.K.); +82-53-819-7743 (K.-H.L.)
| | - Kyung-Ha Lee
- Division of Cosmetic Science and Technology, Daegu Haany University, Hanuidae-ro 1, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk 38610, Korea;
- Correspondence: (D.-Y.K.); (K.-H.L.); Tel.: +82-53-660-6880 (D.-Y.K.); +82-53-819-7743 (K.-H.L.)
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30
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Baker JD, Uhrich RL, Strovas TJ, Saxton AD, Kraemer BC. AlphaScreen Identifies MSUT2 Inhibitors for Tauopathy-Targeting Therapeutic Discovery. SLAS DISCOVERY : ADVANCING LIFE SCIENCES R & D 2021; 26:400-409. [PMID: 32981422 PMCID: PMC8592089 DOI: 10.1177/2472555220958387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Tauopathies are neurological disorders characterized by intracellular tau deposits forming neurofibrillary tangles, neuropil threads, or other disease-specific aggregates composed of the protein tau. Tauopathy disorders include frontotemporal lobar degeneration, corticobasal degeneration, Pick's disease, and the largest cause of dementia, Alzheimer's disease. The lack of disease-modifying therapeutic strategies to address tauopathies remains a critical unmet need in dementia care. Thus, novel broad-spectrum tau-targeted therapeutics could have a profound impact in multiple tauopathy disorders, including Alzheimer's disease. Here we have designed a drug discovery paradigm to identify inhibitors of the pathological tau-enabling protein, MSUT2. We previously showed that activity of the RNA-binding protein MSUT2 drives tauopathy, including tau-mediated neurodegeneration and cognitive dysfunction, in mouse models. Thus, we hypothesized that MSUT2 inhibitors could be therapeutic for tauopathy disorders. Our pipeline for MSUT2 inhibitory compound identification included a primary AlphaScreen, followed by dose-response validation, a secondary fluorescence polarization orthogonal assay, a tertiary specificity screen, and a preliminary toxicity screen. Our work here serves as a proof-of-principle methodology for finding specific inhibitors of the poly(A) RNA-binding protein MSUT2 interaction. Here we identify 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-sulfonic acid (DIDS) as a potential tool compound for future work probing the mechanism of MSUT2-induced tau pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy D. Baker
- Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Rikki L. Uhrich
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Timothy J. Strovas
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Aleen D. Saxton
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Brian C. Kraemer
- Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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31
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Mitochondrial dysfunction and traffic jams in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Mitochondrion 2021; 58:102-110. [PMID: 33639271 DOI: 10.1016/j.mito.2021.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 02/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by progressive neuronal loss anatomically or physiologically and accumulation of protein in the cells. Mitochondria provide energy to these neuronal cells consuming 20% of the body's oxygen. Mitochondria are the dynamic membrane-bound cell organelles that function to generate ATP, regulate calcium homeostasis, and produce reactive oxygen species. Because of alterations in the electron transport chain, mutation, and environmental toxins, there is reduced ATP production, calcium dyshomeostasis, and increased oxidative stress, resulting in mitochondrial dysfunction, leading to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS. ALS is described as the loss of upper and lower motor neurons resulting in progressive muscle denervation and loss of voluntary movements. There are multiple shreds of evidence in the literature regarding the mechanism involved in mitochondrial dysfunction and possible therapeutic targets to treat the condition. Moreover, different studies reported the role of different gene mutations and malfunctions in transport system responsible for the accumulation and aggregation of the proteins inside the brain cells. This accumulation and/or aggregation of proteins in the neuronal cells is known as neuronal traffic jam, which also plays the leading role in the progressive neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we have elucidated the critical insights into mitochondrial dysfunction and neuronal traffic jam; and its role in the initiation and progression of ALS. Moreover, the pharmacological targets and possible conducts to this scenario are also brought together.
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Charif SE, Luchelli L, Vila A, Blaustein M, Igaz LM. Cytoplasmic Expression of the ALS/FTD-Related Protein TDP-43 Decreases Global Translation Both in vitro and in vivo. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:594561. [PMID: 33363456 PMCID: PMC7752804 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.594561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
TDP-43 is a major component of cytoplasmic inclusions observed in neurodegenerative diseases like frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). To further understand the role of TDP-43 in mRNA/protein metabolism and proteostasis, we used a combined approach with cellular and animal models overexpressing a cytoplasmic form of human TDP-43 (TDP-43-ΔNLS), recapitulating ALS/FTD features. We applied in HEK293 cells a method for labeling de novo translation, surface sensing of translation (SUnSET), based on puromycin (PURO) incorporation. While control cells displayed robust puromycilation, TDP-43-ΔNLS transfected cells exhibited reduced ongoing protein synthesis. Next, by using a transgenic mouse overexpressing cytoplasmic TDP-43 in the forebrain (TDP-43-ΔNLS mice) we assessed whether cytoplasmic TDP-43 regulates global translation in vivo. Polysome profiling of brain cortices from transgenic mice showed a shift toward non-polysomal fractions as compared to wild-type littermates, indicating a decrease in global translation. Lastly, cellular level translational assessment by SUNSET was performed in TDP-43-ΔNLS mice brain slices. Control mice slices incubated with PURO exhibited robust cytoplasmic PURO signal in layer 5 neurons from motor cortex, and normal nuclear TDP-43 staining. Neurons in TDP-43-ΔNLS mice slices incubated with PURO exhibited high cytoplasmic expression of TDP-43 and reduced puromycilation respect to control mice. These in vitro and in vivo results indicate that cytoplasmic TDP-43 decreases global translation and potentially cause functional/cytotoxic effects as observed in ALS/FTD. Our study provide in vivo evidence (by two independent and complementary methods) for a role of mislocalized TDP-43 in the regulation of global mRNA translation, with implications for TDP-43 proteinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago E Charif
- Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica "Bernardo Houssay", (IFIBIO-Houssay), Grupo de Neurociencia de Sistemas, Universidad de Buenos Aires y Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Luciana Luchelli
- Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica "Bernardo Houssay", (IFIBIO-Houssay), Grupo de Neurociencia de Sistemas, Universidad de Buenos Aires y Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Antonella Vila
- Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biología Traslacional, Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Matías Blaustein
- Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biología Traslacional, Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Lionel M Igaz
- Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica "Bernardo Houssay", (IFIBIO-Houssay), Grupo de Neurociencia de Sistemas, Universidad de Buenos Aires y Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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HuD regulates SOD1 expression during oxidative stress in differentiated neuroblastoma cells and sporadic ALS motor cortex. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 148:105211. [PMID: 33271327 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.105211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The neuronal RNA-binding protein (RBP) HuD plays an important role in brain development, synaptic plasticity and neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's (PD) and Alzheimer's (AD). Bioinformatics analysis of the human SOD1 mRNA 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) demonstrated the presence of HuD binding adenine-uridine (AU)-rich instability-conferring elements (AREs). Using differentiated SH-SY5Y cells along with brain tissues from sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (sALS) patients, we assessed HuD-dependent regulation of SOD1 mRNA. In vitro binding and mRNA decay assays demonstrate that HuD specifically binds to SOD1 ARE motifs promoting mRNA stabilization. In SH-SY5Y cells, overexpression of full-length HuD increased SOD1 mRNA and protein levels while a dominant negative form of the RBP downregulated its expression. HuD regulation of SOD1 mRNA was also found to be oxidative stress (OS)-dependent, as shown by the increased HuD binding and upregulation of this mRNA after H2O2 exposure. This treatment also induced a shift in alternative polyadenylation (APA) site usage in SOD1 3'UTR, increasing the levels of a long variant bearing HuD binding sites. The requirement of HuD for SOD1 upregulation during oxidative damage was validated using a specific siRNA that downregulated HuD protein levels to 36% and prevented upregulation of SOD1 and 91 additional genes. In the motor cortex from sALS patients, we found increases in SOD1 and HuD mRNAs and proteins, accompanied by greater HuD binding to this mRNA as confirmed by RNA-immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays. Altogether, our results suggest a role of HuD in the post-transcriptional regulation of SOD1 expression during ALS pathogenesis.
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Dysregulated ribonucleoprotein granules promote cardiomyopathy in RBM20 gene-edited pigs. Nat Med 2020; 26:1788-1800. [PMID: 33188278 PMCID: PMC9270981 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-020-1087-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2018] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Ribonucleoprotein (RNP) granules are biomolecular condensates-liquid-liquid phase-separated droplets that organize and manage messenger RNA metabolism, cell signaling, biopolymer assembly, biochemical reactions and stress granule responses to cellular adversity. Dysregulated RNP granules drive neuromuscular degenerative disease but have not previously been linked to heart failure. By exploring the molecular basis of congenital dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in genome-edited pigs homozygous for an RBM20 allele encoding the pathogenic R636S variant of human RNA-binding motif protein-20 (RBM20), we discovered that RNP granules accumulated abnormally in the sarcoplasm, and we confirmed this finding in myocardium and reprogrammed cardiomyocytes from patients with DCM carrying the R636S allele. Dysregulated sarcoplasmic RBM20 RNP granules displayed liquid-like material properties, docked at precisely spaced intervals along cytoskeletal elements, promoted phase partitioning of cardiac biomolecules and fused with stress granules. Our results link dysregulated RNP granules to myocardial cellular pathobiology and heart failure in gene-edited pigs and patients with DCM caused by RBM20 mutation.
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35
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Wang Q, Conlon EG, Manley JL, Rio DC. Widespread intron retention impairs protein homeostasis in C9orf72 ALS brains. Genome Res 2020; 30:1705-1715. [PMID: 33055097 PMCID: PMC7706729 DOI: 10.1101/gr.265298.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The GGGGCC hexanucleotide expansion in C9orf72 (C9) is the most frequent known cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), yet a clear understanding of how C9 fits into the broader context of ALS/FTD pathology has remained lacking. The repetitive RNA derived from the C9 repeat is known to sequester hnRNPH, a splicing regulator, into insoluble aggregates, resulting in aberrant alternative splicing. Furthermore, hnRNPH insolubility and altered splicing of a robust set of targets have been observed to correlate in C9 and sporadic ALS/FTD patients alike, suggesting that changes along this axis are a core feature of disease pathogenesis. Here, we characterize previously uncategorized RNA splicing defects involving widespread intron retention affecting almost 2000 transcripts in C9ALS/FTD brains exhibiting a high amount of sequestered, insoluble hnRNPH. These intron retention events appear not to alter overall expression levels of the affected transcripts but rather the protein-coding regions. These retained introns affect transcripts in multiple cellular pathways predicted to be involved in C9 as well as sporadic ALS/FTD etiology, including the proteasomal and autophagy systems. The retained intron pre-mRNAs display a number of characteristics, including enrichment of hnRNPH-bound splicing enhancer motifs and a propensity for G-quadruplex (G-Q) formation, linking the defective splicing directly to high amounts of sequestered hnRNPH. Together, our results reveal previously undetected splicing defects in high insoluble hnRNPH-associated C9ALS brains, suggesting a feedback between effective RNA-binding protein dosage and protein quality control in C9, and perhaps all, ALS/FTD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingqing Wang
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.,California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Erin G Conlon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA
| | - James L Manley
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA
| | - Donald C Rio
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.,California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
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36
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Choi HJ, Joo Cha S, Do HA, Kim HJ, Lee JW, Kim K. SCF-Slimb is critical for Glycogen synthase kinase-3β-mediated suppression of TAF15-induced neurotoxicity in Drosophila. J Neurochem 2020; 157:2119-2127. [PMID: 32915460 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a severe neurodegenerative disorder characterized pathologically by motor neuron degeneration and associated with aggregation of RNA-binding proteins. TATA-binding protein-associated factor 15 (TAF15) accumulates as cytoplasmic aggregates in neuronal cells, and clearance of these aggregates is considered a potential therapeutic strategy for ALS. However, the exact pathogenic mechanism of TAF15-induced neurotoxicity remains to be elucidated. Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) plays a critical role in the protection of ALS pathology. In the present study, we use a transgenic fly model over-expressing human TAF15 to study the protective effects of Shaggy/GSK3β on TAF15-induced neuronal toxicity in Drosophila brain. Transgenic flies were examined for locomotor activity and lithium treatment. The expression level and solubility of TAF15 were assessed with western blotting, whereas immunohistochemistry was used to assess TAF15 aggregation in Drosophila brain. We have revealed that Shaggy/GSK3β was abnormally activated in neurons of TAF15-expressing flies and its inhibition can suppress the defective phenotypes, thereby preventing retinal degeneration and locomotive activity caused by TAF15. We have also found that Shaggy/GSK3β inhibition in neuronal cells leads to a reduction in TAF15 levels. Indeed, the F-box proteins Slimb and archipelago genetically interact with TAF15 and control TAF15 protein level in Drosophila. Importantly, SCFslimb is a critical regulator for Shaggy/GSK3β-mediated suppression of TAF15-induced toxicity in Drosophila. The present study has provided an in vivo evidence supporting the molecular mechanism of GSK3β inhibition for protection against TAF15-linked proteinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun-Jun Choi
- Department of Integrated Biomedical Science, Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, Korea
| | - Sun Joo Cha
- Department of Integrated Biomedical Science, Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, Korea
| | - Hyeon-Ah Do
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Korea
| | - Hyung-Jun Kim
- Dimentia Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute (KBRI), Daegu, Korea
| | - Jang-Won Lee
- Department of Integrated Bio-industry, Sejong University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kiyoung Kim
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Korea
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37
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Baker JD, Uhrich RL, Strovas TJ, Saxton AD, Kraemer BC. Targeting Pathological Tau by Small Molecule Inhibition of the Poly(A):MSUT2 RNA-Protein Interaction. ACS Chem Neurosci 2020; 11:2277-2285. [PMID: 32589834 PMCID: PMC8629322 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurofibrillary tangles composed of aberrantly aggregating tau protein are a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease and related dementia disorders. Recent work has shown that mammalian suppressor of tauopathy 2 (MSUT2), also named ZC3H14 (Zinc Finger CCCH-Type Containing 14), controls accumulation of pathological tau in cultured human cells and mice. Knocking out MSUT2 protects neurons from neurodegenerative tauopathy and preserves learning and memory. MSUT2 protein functions to bind polyadenosine [poly(A)] tails of mRNA through its C-terminal CCCH type zinc finger domains, and loss of CCCH domain function suppresses tauopathy in Caenorhabditis elegans and mice. Thus, we hypothesized that inhibiting the poly(A):MSUT2 RNA-protein interaction would ameliorate pathological tau accumulation. Here we present a high-throughput screening method for the identification of small molecules inhibiting the poly(A):MSUT2 RNA-protein interaction. We employed a fluorescent polarization assay for initial small molecule discovery with the intention to repurpose hits identified from the NIH Clinical Collection (NIHCC). Our drug repurposing development workflow included validation of hits by dose-response analysis, specificity testing, orthogonal assays of activity, and cytotoxicity. Validated compounds passing through this screening funnel will be evaluated for translational effectiveness in future studies. This preclinical drug development pipeline identified diverse FDA approved drugs duloxetine, saquinavir, and clofazimine as potential repurposing candidates for reducing pathological tau accumulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy D Baker
- Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98104, United States
- Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington 98108, United States
| | - Rikki L Uhrich
- Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington 98108, United States
| | - Timothy J Strovas
- Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington 98108, United States
| | - Aleen D Saxton
- Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington 98108, United States
| | - Brian C Kraemer
- Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98104, United States
- Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington 98108, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
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Barp A, Gerardi F, Lizio A, Sansone VA, Lunetta C. Emerging Drugs for the Treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Focus on Recent Phase 2 Trials. Expert Opin Emerg Drugs 2020; 25:145-164. [PMID: 32456491 DOI: 10.1080/14728214.2020.1769067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disease involving both upper and lower motor neurons and resulting in increasing disability and death 3-5 years after onset of symptoms. Over 40 large clinical trials for ALS have been negative, except for Riluzole that offers a modest survival benefit, and Edaravone that modestly reduces disease progression in patients with specific characteristics. Thus, the discovery of efficient disease modifying therapy is an urgent need. AREAS COVERED Although the cause of ALS remains unclear, many studies have demonstrated that neuroinflammation, proteinopathies, glutamate-induced excitotoxicity, microglial activation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction may play a key role in the pathogenesis. This review highlights recent discoveries relating to these diverse mechanisms and their implications for the development of therapy. Ongoing phase 2 clinical trials aimed to interfere with these pathophysiological mechanisms are discussed. EXPERT OPINION This review describes the challenges that the discovery of an efficient drug therapy faces and how these issues may be addressed. With the continuous advances coming from basic research, we provided possible suggestions that may be considered to improve performance of clinical trials and turn ALS research into a 'fertile ground' for drug development for this devastating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Barp
- NEuroMuscular Omnicentre, Fondazione Serena Onlus , Milan, Italy.,Dept. Biomedical Sciences of Health, University of Milan , Milan, Italy
| | | | - Andrea Lizio
- NEuroMuscular Omnicentre, Fondazione Serena Onlus , Milan, Italy
| | - Valeria Ada Sansone
- NEuroMuscular Omnicentre, Fondazione Serena Onlus , Milan, Italy.,Dept. Biomedical Sciences of Health, University of Milan , Milan, Italy
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Ishiguro A, Kimura N, Noma T, Shimo-Kon R, Ishihama A, Kon T. Molecular dissection of ALS-linked TDP-43 - involvement of the Gly-rich domain in interaction with G-quadruplex mRNA. FEBS Lett 2020; 594:2254-2265. [PMID: 32337711 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.13800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
TDP-43 is the major pathogenic protein of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Previously, we identified that TDP-43 interacts with G-quadruplex (G4)-containing RNA and is involved in their long-distance transport in neurons. For the molecular dissection of the TDP-43 and G4-RNA interaction, we analyzed it here in vitro and in cultured cells using a set of 10 mutant TDP-43 proteins from familial and sporadic ALS patients as well as using the TDP-43 C-terminal Gly-rich domain alone. Our results altogether indicate the involvement of the Gly-rich region of TDP-43 in the initial recognition and binding of G4-RNA, which then induces tight binding of TDP-43 with target RNAs, supposedly in conjunction with its RNA recognition motifs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akira Ishiguro
- Research Center for Micro-Nano Technology, Hosei University, Koganei, Japan
| | - Nobuyuki Kimura
- Section of Cell Biology and Pathology, Department of Alzheimer's Disease Research, Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Japan
| | - Takashi Noma
- Department of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, and Faculty of Science Osaka University, Toyonaka, Japan
| | - Rieko Shimo-Kon
- Department of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, and Faculty of Science Osaka University, Toyonaka, Japan
| | - Akira Ishihama
- Research Center for Micro-Nano Technology, Hosei University, Koganei, Japan
| | - Takahide Kon
- Department of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, and Faculty of Science Osaka University, Toyonaka, Japan
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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Modifiers in Drosophila Reveal the Phospholipase D Pathway as a Potential Therapeutic Target. Genetics 2020; 215:747-766. [PMID: 32345615 PMCID: PMC7337071 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.119.302985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 04/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder lacking effective treatments. ALS pathology is linked to mutations in several different genes indicating... Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder lacking effective treatments. ALS pathology is linked to mutations in >20 different genes indicating a complex underlying genetic architecture that is effectively unknown. Here, in an attempt to identify genes and pathways for potential therapeutic intervention and explore the genetic circuitry underlying Drosophila models of ALS, we carry out two independent genome-wide screens for modifiers of degenerative phenotypes associated with the expression of transgenic constructs carrying familial ALS-causing alleles of FUS (hFUSR521C) and TDP-43 (hTDP-43M337V). We uncover a complex array of genes affecting either or both of the two strains, and investigate their activities in additional ALS models. Our studies indicate the pathway that governs phospholipase D activity as a major modifier of ALS-related phenotypes, a notion supported by data we generated in mice and others collected in humans.
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41
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Ito D, Taguchi R, Deguchi M, Ogasawara H, Inoue E. Extensive splicing changes in an ALS/FTD transgenic mouse model overexpressing cytoplasmic fused in sarcoma. Sci Rep 2020; 10:4857. [PMID: 32184412 PMCID: PMC7078223 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-61676-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) such as TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) and fused in sarcoma (FUS) are associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Recent evidence suggests that RNA dysregulation mediated by aberrant RBPs may play a critical role in neurodegeneration, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. In this study, we performed whole transcriptome profiling of various brain tissues of a transgenic (Tg) mouse model of ALS/FTD overexpressing the exogenous nuclear localization signal deletion mutant of human FUS (ΔNLS-FUS) to investigate changes associated with the early stages of ALS/FTD. Although there were not many differences in expression profiles between wild-type and Tg mice, we found that Sema3g was significantly upregulated in the frontal cortex and hippocampus of Tg mice. Interestingly, analysis of alternative splicing events identified widespread exons that were differentially regulated in Tg mice in a tissue-specific manner. Our study thus identified aberrant splicing regulation mediated by mutant FUS during the early stages of ALS/FTD. Targeting this aberrant splicing regulation represents a potential therapeutic strategy for ALS/FTD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Ito
- Departments of Neurology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan.
| | - Ryota Taguchi
- KAN Research Institute, Inc., 6-8-2 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo, 650-0047, Japan
| | - Maki Deguchi
- KAN Research Institute, Inc., 6-8-2 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo, 650-0047, Japan
| | - Hideaki Ogasawara
- KAN Research Institute, Inc., 6-8-2 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo, 650-0047, Japan
| | - Eiji Inoue
- KAN Research Institute, Inc., 6-8-2 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo, 650-0047, Japan
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Fallini C, Khalil B, Smith CL, Rossoll W. Traffic jam at the nuclear pore: All roads lead to nucleocytoplasmic transport defects in ALS/FTD. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 140:104835. [PMID: 32179176 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.104835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Revised: 01/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal late-onset neurodegenerative disease that specifically affects the function and survival of spinal and cortical motor neurons. ALS shares many genetic, clinical, and pathological characteristics with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and these diseases are now recognized as presentations of a disease spectrum known as ALS/FTD. The molecular determinants of neuronal loss in ALS/FTD are still debated, but the recent discovery of nucleocytoplasmic transport defects as a common denominator of most if not all forms of ALS/FTD has dramatically changed our understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms of this disease. Loss of nuclear pores and nucleoporin aggregation, altered nuclear morphology, and impaired nuclear transport are some of the most prominent features that have been identified using a variety of animal, cellular, and human models of disease. Here, we review the experimental evidence linking nucleocytoplasmic transport defects to the pathogenesis of ALS/FTD and propose a unifying view on how these defects may lead to a vicious cycle that eventually causes neuronal death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Fallini
- George and Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA; Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA; Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA.
| | - Bilal Khalil
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
| | - Courtney L Smith
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
| | - Wilfried Rossoll
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA.
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43
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Batlle C, Yang P, Coughlin M, Messing J, Pesarrodona M, Szulc E, Salvatella X, Kim HJ, Taylor JP, Ventura S. hnRNPDL Phase Separation Is Regulated by Alternative Splicing and Disease-Causing Mutations Accelerate Its Aggregation. Cell Rep 2020; 30:1117-1128.e5. [PMID: 31995753 PMCID: PMC6996132 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.12.080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Revised: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion-like proteins form multivalent assemblies and phase separate into membraneless organelles. Heterogeneous ribonucleoprotein D-like (hnRNPDL) is a RNA-processing prion-like protein with three alternative splicing (AS) isoforms, which lack none, one, or both of its two disordered domains. It has been suggested that AS might regulate the assembly properties of RNA-processing proteins by controlling the incorporation of multivalent disordered regions in the isoforms. This, in turn, would modulate their activity in the downstream splicing program. Here, we demonstrate that AS controls the phase separation of hnRNPDL, as well as the size and dynamics of its nuclear complexes, its nucleus-cytoplasm shuttling, and amyloidogenicity. Mutation of the highly conserved D378 in the disordered C-terminal prion-like domain of hnRNPDL causes limb-girdle muscular dystrophy 1G. We show that D378H/N disease mutations impact hnRNPDL assembly properties, accelerating aggregation and dramatically reducing the protein solubility in the muscle of Drosophila, suggesting a genetic loss-of-function mechanism for this muscular disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Batlle
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra 08193, Spain
| | - Peiguo Yang
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Maura Coughlin
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - James Messing
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 201815, USA
| | - Mireia Pesarrodona
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; Joint BSC-IRB Research Programme in Computational Biology, Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elzbieta Szulc
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; Joint BSC-IRB Research Programme in Computational Biology, Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xavier Salvatella
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; Joint BSC-IRB Research Programme in Computational Biology, Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; ICREA, Passeig Lluís Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Hong Joo Kim
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - J Paul Taylor
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 201815, USA.
| | - Salvador Ventura
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina and Departament de Bioquímica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra 08193, Spain.
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44
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Zhao Q, Li C, Yu M, Sun Y, Wang J, Ma L, Sun X, Lu B. HuR stabilizes HTT mRNA via interacting with its exon 11 in a mutant HTT-dependent manner. RNA Biol 2020; 17:500-516. [PMID: 31928144 PMCID: PMC7237150 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2020.1712894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington’s Disease (HD) is a monogenetic neurodegenerative disorder mainly caused by the cytotoxicity of the mutant HTT protein (mHTT) encoded by the mutant HTT gene. Lowering HTT mRNA has been extensively studied as a potential therapeutic strategy, but how its level is regulated endogenously has been unclear. Here we report that the RNA-binding protein (RBP) HuR interacts with and stabilizes HTT mRNA in an mHTT-dependent manner. In HD cells but not wild-type cells, siRNA knockdown or CRISPR-induced heterozygous knockout of HuR decreased HTT mRNA stability. HuR interacted with HTT mRNA at a conserved site in exon 11 rather than the 3ʹ-UTR region of the mRNA. Interestingly, this interaction was dependent on the presence of mHTT, likely via the activation of MAPK11, which enhanced cytosolic localization of the HuR protein. Thus, mHTT, MAPK11 and HuR may form a positive feedback loop that stabilizes HTT mRNA and enhances mHTT accumulation, which may contribute to HD progression. Our data reveal a novel regulatory mechanism of HTT mRNA via non-canonical binding of HuR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quan Zhao
- Neurology Department at Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chen Li
- Neurology Department at Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Meng Yu
- Neurology Department at Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yimin Sun
- Neurology Department at Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jian Wang
- Neurology Department at Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lixiang Ma
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Shanghai Basic Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoli Sun
- Neurology Department at Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Xuhui District Central Hospital, Zhongshan Xuhui Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Boxun Lu
- Neurology Department at Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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45
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Cacciottolo R, Ciantar J, Lanfranco M, Borg RM, Vassallo N, Bordonné R, Cauchi RJ. SMN complex member Gemin3 self-interacts and has a functional relationship with ALS-linked proteins TDP-43, FUS and Sod1. Sci Rep 2019; 9:18666. [PMID: 31822699 PMCID: PMC6904755 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-53508-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/29/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The predominant motor neuron disease in infants and adults is spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), respectively. SMA is caused by insufficient levels of the Survival Motor Neuron (SMN) protein, which operates as part of the multiprotein SMN complex that includes the DEAD-box RNA helicase Gemin3/DDX20/DP103. C9orf72, SOD1, TDP-43 and FUS are ranked as the four major genes causing familial ALS. Accumulating evidence has revealed a surprising molecular overlap between SMA and ALS. Here, we ask the question of whether Drosophila can also be exploited to study shared pathogenic pathways. Focusing on motor behaviour, muscle mass and survival, we show that disruption of either TBPH/TDP-43 or Caz/FUS enhance defects associated with Gemin3 loss-of-function. Gemin3-associated neuromuscular junction overgrowth was however suppressed. Sod1 depletion had a modifying effect in late adulthood. We also show that Gemin3 self-interacts and Gem3ΔN, a helicase domain deletion mutant, retains the ability to interact with its wild-type counterpart. Importantly, mutant:wild-type dimers are favoured more than wild-type:wild-type dimers. In addition to reinforcing the link between SMA and ALS, further exploration of mechanistic overlaps is now possible in a genetically tractable model organism. Notably, Gemin3 can be elevated to a candidate for modifying motor neuron degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Cacciottolo
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, CNRS-UMR 5535, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Joanna Ciantar
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Maia Lanfranco
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, CNRS-UMR 5535, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Rebecca M Borg
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, CNRS-UMR 5535, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Neville Vassallo
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Rémy Bordonné
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, CNRS-UMR 5535, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Ruben J Cauchi
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta. .,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.
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46
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Hsieh YC, Guo C, Yalamanchili HK, Abreha M, Al-Ouran R, Li Y, Dammer EB, Lah JJ, Levey AI, Bennett DA, De Jager PL, Seyfried NT, Liu Z, Shulman JM. Tau-Mediated Disruption of the Spliceosome Triggers Cryptic RNA Splicing and Neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's Disease. Cell Rep 2019; 29:301-316.e10. [PMID: 31597093 PMCID: PMC6919331 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.08.104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2019] [Revised: 06/29/2019] [Accepted: 08/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In Alzheimer's disease (AD), spliceosomal proteins with critical roles in RNA processing aberrantly aggregate and mislocalize to Tau neurofibrillary tangles. We test the hypothesis that Tau-spliceosome interactions disrupt pre-mRNA splicing in AD. In human postmortem brain with AD pathology, Tau coimmunoprecipitates with spliceosomal components. In Drosophila, pan-neuronal Tau expression triggers reductions in multiple core and U1-specific spliceosomal proteins, and genetic disruption of these factors, including SmB, U1-70K, and U1A, enhances Tau-mediated neurodegeneration. We further show that loss of function in SmB, encoding a core spliceosomal protein, causes decreased survival, progressive locomotor impairment, and neuronal loss, independent of Tau toxicity. Lastly, RNA sequencing reveals a similar profile of mRNA splicing errors in SmB mutant and Tau transgenic flies, including intron retention and non-annotated cryptic splice junctions. In human brains, we confirm cryptic splicing errors in association with neurofibrillary tangle burden. Our results implicate spliceosome disruption and the resulting transcriptome perturbation in Tau-mediated neurodegeneration in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Chen Hsieh
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Caiwei Guo
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Hari K Yalamanchili
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Measho Abreha
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Rami Al-Ouran
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yarong Li
- Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Eric B Dammer
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - James J Lah
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Allan I Levey
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - David A Bennett
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Philip L De Jager
- Center for Translational and Computational Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; Cell Circuits Program, Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Nicholas T Seyfried
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Zhandong Liu
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Joshua M Shulman
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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47
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Goodman LD, Bonini NM. Repeat-associated non-AUG (RAN) translation mechanisms are running into focus for GGGGCC-repeat associated ALS/FTD. Prog Neurobiol 2019; 183:101697. [PMID: 31550516 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2019.101697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2019] [Revised: 08/31/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Many human diseases are associated with the expansion of repeat sequences within the genes. It has become clear that expressed disease transcripts bearing such long repeats can undergo translation, even in the absence of a canonical AUG start codon. Termed "RAN translation" for repeat associated non-AUG translation, this process is becoming increasingly prominent as a contributor to these disorders. Here we discuss mechanisms and variables that impact translation of the repeat sequences associated with the C9orf72 gene. Expansions of a G4C2 repeat within intron 1 of this gene are associated with the motor neuron disease ALS and dementia FTD, which comprise a clinical and pathological spectrum. RAN translation of G4C2 repeat expansions has been studied in cells in culture (ex vivo) and in the fly in vivo. Cellular states that lead to RAN translation, like stress, may be critical contributors to disease progression. Greater elucidation of the mechanisms that impact this process and the factors contributing will lead to greater understanding of the repeat expansion diseases, to the potential development of novel approaches to therapeutics, and to a greater understanding of how these players impact biological processes in the absence of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey D Goodman
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Nancy M Bonini
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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48
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Abstract
Prion diseases are progressive, incurable and fatal neurodegenerative conditions. The term 'prion' was first nominated to express the revolutionary concept that a protein could be infectious. We now know that prions consist of PrPSc, the pathological aggregated form of the cellular prion protein PrPC. Over the years, the term has been semantically broadened to describe aggregates irrespective of their infectivity, and the prion concept is now being applied, perhaps overenthusiastically, to all neurodegenerative diseases that involve protein aggregation. Indeed, recent studies suggest that prion diseases (PrDs) and protein misfolding disorders (PMDs) share some common disease mechanisms, which could have implications for potential treatments. Nevertheless, the transmissibility of bona fide prions is unique, and PrDs should be considered as distinct from other PMDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Scheckel
- Institute of Neuropathology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Adriano Aguzzi
- Institute of Neuropathology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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49
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Tischbein M, Baron DM, Lin YC, Gall KV, Landers JE, Fallini C, Bosco DA. The RNA-binding protein FUS/TLS undergoes calcium-mediated nuclear egress during excitotoxic stress and is required for GRIA2 mRNA processing. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:10194-10210. [PMID: 31092554 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.005933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2018] [Revised: 05/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Excitotoxic levels of glutamate represent a physiological stress that is strongly linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other neurological disorders. Emerging evidence indicates a role for neurodegenerative disease-linked RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) in the cellular stress response. However, the relationships between excitotoxicity, RBP function, and disease have not been explored. Here, using primary cortical and motor neurons, we found that excitotoxicity induced the translocation of select ALS-linked RBPs from the nucleus to the cytoplasm within neurons. RBPs affected by excitotoxicity included TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) and, most robustly, fused in sarcoma/translocated in liposarcoma (FUS/TLS or FUS). We noted that FUS is translocated through a calcium-dependent mechanism and that its translocation coincides with striking alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport. Furthermore, glutamate-induced up-regulation of glutamate ionotropic receptor α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA)-type subunit 2 (GRIA2) in neurons depended on FUS expression, consistent with a functional role for FUS in excitotoxic stress. These findings reveal molecular links among prominent factors in neurodegenerative diseases, namely excitotoxicity, disease-associated RBPs, and nucleocytoplasmic transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maeve Tischbein
- From the Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605
| | - Desiree M Baron
- From the Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605
| | - Yen-Chen Lin
- From the Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605
| | - Katherine V Gall
- From the Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605
| | - John E Landers
- From the Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605
| | - Claudia Fallini
- From the Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605
| | - Daryl A Bosco
- From the Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605
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50
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Berson A, Goodman LD, Sartoris AN, Otte CG, Aykit JA, Lee VMY, Trojanowski JQ, Bonini NM. Drosophila Ref1/ALYREF regulates transcription and toxicity associated with ALS/FTD disease etiologies. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2019; 7:65. [PMID: 31036086 PMCID: PMC6487524 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-019-0710-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), but the underlying disease mechanisms remain unclear. In an unbiased screen in Drosophila for RBPs that genetically interact with TDP-43, we found that downregulation of the mRNA export factor Ref1 (fly orthologue to human ALYREF) mitigated TDP-43 induced toxicity. Further, Ref1 depletion also reduced toxicity caused by expression of the C9orf72 GGGGCC repeat expansion. Ref1 knockdown lowered the mRNA levels for these related disease genes and reduced the encoded proteins with no effect on a wild-type Tau disease transgene or a control transgene. Interestingly, expression of TDP-43 or the GGGGCC repeat expansion increased endogenous Ref1 mRNA levels in the fly brain. Further, the human orthologue ALYREF was upregulated by immunohistochemistry in ALS motor neurons, with the strongest upregulation occurring in ALS cases harboring the GGGGCC expansion in C9orf72. These data support ALYREF as a contributor to ALS/FTD and highlight its downregulation as a potential therapeutic target that may affect co-existing disease etiologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit Berson
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Lindsey D Goodman
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Ashley N Sartoris
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Charlton G Otte
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - James A Aykit
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Virginia M-Y Lee
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - John Q Trojanowski
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Nancy M Bonini
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
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