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Bustamante-Barrientos FA, Luque-Campos N, Araya MJ, Lara-Barba E, de Solminihac J, Pradenas C, Molina L, Herrera-Luna Y, Utreras-Mendoza Y, Elizondo-Vega R, Vega-Letter AM, Luz-Crawford P. Mitochondrial dysfunction in neurodegenerative disorders: Potential therapeutic application of mitochondrial transfer to central nervous system-residing cells. J Transl Med 2023; 21:613. [PMID: 37689642 PMCID: PMC10493034 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04493-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial dysfunction is reiteratively involved in the pathogenesis of diverse neurodegenerative diseases. Current in vitro and in vivo approaches support that mitochondrial dysfunction is branded by several molecular and cellular defects, whose impact at different levels including the calcium and iron homeostasis, energetic balance and/or oxidative stress, makes it difficult to resolve them collectively given their multifactorial nature. Mitochondrial transfer offers an overall solution since it contains the replacement of damage mitochondria by healthy units. Therefore, this review provides an introducing view on the structure and energy-related functions of mitochondria as well as their dynamics. In turn, we summarize current knowledge on how these features are deregulated in different neurodegenerative diseases, including frontotemporal dementia, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Friedreich ataxia, Alzheimer´s disease, Parkinson´s disease, and Huntington's disease. Finally, we analyzed current advances in mitochondrial transfer between diverse cell types that actively participate in neurodegenerative processes, and how they might be projected toward developing novel therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe A Bustamante-Barrientos
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de los Andes, Santiago, Chile.
- Centro de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica (CiiB), Universidad de los Andes, Mons. Álvaro del Portillo 12455, Las Condes, Santiago, Chile.
- IMPACT, Center of Interventional Medicine for Precision and Advanced Cellular Therapy, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Noymar Luque-Campos
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de los Andes, Santiago, Chile
- Centro de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica (CiiB), Universidad de los Andes, Mons. Álvaro del Portillo 12455, Las Condes, Santiago, Chile
- IMPACT, Center of Interventional Medicine for Precision and Advanced Cellular Therapy, Santiago, Chile
| | - María Jesús Araya
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de los Andes, Santiago, Chile
- Centro de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica (CiiB), Universidad de los Andes, Mons. Álvaro del Portillo 12455, Las Condes, Santiago, Chile
- IMPACT, Center of Interventional Medicine for Precision and Advanced Cellular Therapy, Santiago, Chile
| | - Eliana Lara-Barba
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de los Andes, Santiago, Chile
- Centro de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica (CiiB), Universidad de los Andes, Mons. Álvaro del Portillo 12455, Las Condes, Santiago, Chile
- IMPACT, Center of Interventional Medicine for Precision and Advanced Cellular Therapy, Santiago, Chile
| | - Javiera de Solminihac
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de los Andes, Santiago, Chile
- Centro de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica (CiiB), Universidad de los Andes, Mons. Álvaro del Portillo 12455, Las Condes, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carolina Pradenas
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de los Andes, Santiago, Chile
- Centro de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica (CiiB), Universidad de los Andes, Mons. Álvaro del Portillo 12455, Las Condes, Santiago, Chile
- IMPACT, Center of Interventional Medicine for Precision and Advanced Cellular Therapy, Santiago, Chile
| | - Luis Molina
- Facultad de Medicina y Ciencia, Universidad San Sebastián, Puerto Montt, Chile
| | - Yeimi Herrera-Luna
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de los Andes, Santiago, Chile
- Centro de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica (CiiB), Universidad de los Andes, Mons. Álvaro del Portillo 12455, Las Condes, Santiago, Chile
- IMPACT, Center of Interventional Medicine for Precision and Advanced Cellular Therapy, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Roberto Elizondo-Vega
- Laboratorio de Biología Celular, Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Ana María Vega-Letter
- Escuela de Ingeniería Bioquímica, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaiso, Valparaiso, Chile
| | - Patricia Luz-Crawford
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de los Andes, Santiago, Chile.
- Centro de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica (CiiB), Universidad de los Andes, Mons. Álvaro del Portillo 12455, Las Condes, Santiago, Chile.
- IMPACT, Center of Interventional Medicine for Precision and Advanced Cellular Therapy, Santiago, Chile.
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Kinger S, Dubey AR, Kumar P, Jagtap YA, Choudhary A, Kumar A, Prajapati VK, Dhiman R, Mishra A. Molecular Chaperones' Potential against Defective Proteostasis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Cells 2023; 12:cells12091302. [PMID: 37174703 PMCID: PMC10177248 DOI: 10.3390/cells12091302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neuronal degenerative condition identified via a build-up of mutant aberrantly folded proteins. The native folding of polypeptides is mediated by molecular chaperones, preventing their pathogenic aggregation. The mutant protein expression in ALS is linked with the entrapment and depletion of chaperone capacity. The lack of a thorough understanding of chaperones' involvement in ALS pathogenesis presents a significant challenge in its treatment. Here, we review how the accumulation of the ALS-linked mutant FUS, TDP-43, SOD1, and C9orf72 proteins damage cellular homeostasis mechanisms leading to neuronal loss. Further, we discuss how the HSP70 and DNAJ family co-chaperones can act as potential targets for reducing misfolded protein accumulation in ALS. Moreover, small HSPB1 and HSPB8 chaperones can facilitate neuroprotection and prevent stress-associated misfolded protein apoptosis. Designing therapeutic strategies by pharmacologically enhancing cellular chaperone capacity to reduce mutant protein proteotoxic effects on ALS pathomechanisms can be a considerable advancement. Chaperones, apart from directly interacting with misfolded proteins for protein quality control, can also filter their toxicity by initiating strong stress-response pathways, modulating transcriptional expression profiles, and promoting anti-apoptotic functions. Overall, these properties of chaperones make them an attractive target for gaining fundamental insights into misfolded protein disorders and designing more effective therapies against ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumit Kinger
- Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology Unit, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Jodhpur 342037, India
| | - Ankur Rakesh Dubey
- Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology Unit, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Jodhpur 342037, India
| | - Prashant Kumar
- Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology Unit, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Jodhpur 342037, India
| | - Yuvraj Anandrao Jagtap
- Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology Unit, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Jodhpur 342037, India
| | - Akash Choudhary
- Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology Unit, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Jodhpur 342037, India
| | - Amit Kumar
- Discipline of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Simrol, Indore 453552, India
| | - Vijay Kumar Prajapati
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer 305817, India
| | - Rohan Dhiman
- Laboratory of Mycobacterial Immunology, Department of Life Science, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela 769008, India
| | - Amit Mishra
- Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology Unit, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Jodhpur 342037, India
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3
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Suzuki N, Nishiyama A, Warita H, Aoki M. Genetics of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: seeking therapeutic targets in the era of gene therapy. J Hum Genet 2023; 68:131-152. [PMID: 35691950 PMCID: PMC9968660 DOI: 10.1038/s10038-022-01055-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an intractable disease that causes respiratory failure leading to mortality. The main locus of ALS is motor neurons. The success of antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapy in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a motor neuron disease, has triggered a paradigm shift in developing ALS therapies. The causative genes of ALS and disease-modifying genes, including those of sporadic ALS, have been identified one after another. Thus, the freedom of target choice for gene therapy has expanded by ASO strategy, leading to new avenues for therapeutic development. Tofersen for superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) was a pioneer in developing ASO for ALS. Improving protocols and devising early interventions for the disease are vital. In this review, we updated the knowledge of causative genes in ALS. We summarized the genetic mutations identified in familial ALS and their clinical features, focusing on SOD1, fused in sarcoma (FUS), and transacting response DNA-binding protein. The frequency of the C9ORF72 mutation is low in Japan, unlike in Europe and the United States, while SOD1 and FUS are more common, indicating that the target mutations for gene therapy vary by ethnicity. A genome-wide association study has revealed disease-modifying genes, which could be the novel target of gene therapy. The current status and prospects of gene therapy development were discussed, including ethical issues. Furthermore, we discussed the potential of axonal pathology as new therapeutic targets of ALS from the perspective of early intervention, including intra-axonal transcription factors, neuromuscular junction disconnection, dysregulated local translation, abnormal protein degradation, mitochondrial pathology, impaired axonal transport, aberrant cytoskeleton, and axon branching. We simultaneously discuss important pathological states of cell bodies: persistent stress granules, disrupted nucleocytoplasmic transport, and cryptic splicing. The development of gene therapy based on the elucidation of disease-modifying genes and early intervention in molecular pathology is expected to become an important therapeutic strategy in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Suzuki
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan.
| | - Ayumi Nishiyama
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Warita
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan
| | - Masashi Aoki
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan.
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4
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Vidovic M, Müschen LH, Brakemeier S, Machetanz G, Naumann M, Castro-Gomez S. Current State and Future Directions in the Diagnosis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Cells 2023; 12:cells12050736. [PMID: 36899872 PMCID: PMC10000757 DOI: 10.3390/cells12050736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by loss of upper and lower motor neurons, resulting in progressive weakness of all voluntary muscles and eventual respiratory failure. Non-motor symptoms, such as cognitive and behavioral changes, frequently occur over the course of the disease. Considering its poor prognosis with a median survival time of 2 to 4 years and limited causal treatment options, an early diagnosis of ALS plays an essential role. In the past, diagnosis has primarily been determined by clinical findings supported by electrophysiological and laboratory measurements. To increase diagnostic accuracy, reduce diagnostic delay, optimize stratification in clinical trials and provide quantitative monitoring of disease progression and treatment responsivity, research on disease-specific and feasible fluid biomarkers, such as neurofilaments, has been intensely pursued. Advances in imaging techniques have additionally yielded diagnostic benefits. Growing perception and greater availability of genetic testing facilitate early identification of pathogenic ALS-related gene mutations, predictive testing and access to novel therapeutic agents in clinical trials addressing disease-modified therapies before the advent of the first clinical symptoms. Lately, personalized survival prediction models have been proposed to offer a more detailed disclosure of the prognosis for the patient. In this review, the established procedures and future directions in the diagnostics of ALS are summarized to serve as a practical guideline and to improve the diagnostic pathway of this burdensome disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Vidovic
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Correspondence: (M.V.); (S.C.-G.)
| | | | - Svenja Brakemeier
- Department of Neurology and Center for Translational Neuro and Behavioral Sciences (C-TNBS), University Hospital Essen, 45147 Essen, Germany
| | - Gerrit Machetanz
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Marcel Naumann
- Translational Neurodegeneration Section “Albrecht Kossel”, Department of Neurology, University Medical Center, University of Rostock, 18147 Rostock, Germany
| | - Sergio Castro-Gomez
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and Geriatric Psychiatry/Neurology, University Hospital Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
- Institute of Physiology II, University Hospital Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
- Department of Neuroimmunology, Institute of Innate Immunity, University Hospital Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
- Correspondence: (M.V.); (S.C.-G.)
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5
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Pun FW, Liu BHM, Long X, Leung HW, Leung GHD, Mewborne QT, Gao J, Shneyderman A, Ozerov IV, Wang J, Ren F, Aliper A, Bischof E, Izumchenko E, Guan X, Zhang K, Lu B, Rothstein JD, Cudkowicz ME, Zhavoronkov A. Identification of Therapeutic Targets for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Using PandaOmics – An AI-Enabled Biological Target Discovery Platform. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:914017. [PMID: 35837482 PMCID: PMC9273868 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.914017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a severe neurodegenerative disease with ill-defined pathogenesis, calling for urgent developments of new therapeutic regimens. Herein, we applied PandaOmics, an AI-driven target discovery platform, to analyze the expression profiles of central nervous system (CNS) samples (237 cases; 91 controls) from public datasets, and direct iPSC-derived motor neurons (diMNs) (135 cases; 31 controls) from Answer ALS. Seventeen high-confidence and eleven novel therapeutic targets were identified and will be released onto ALS.AI (http://als.ai/). Among the proposed targets screened in the c9ALS Drosophila model, we verified 8 unreported genes (KCNB2, KCNS3, ADRA2B, NR3C1, P2RY14, PPP3CB, PTPRC, and RARA) whose suppression strongly rescues eye neurodegeneration. Dysregulated pathways identified from CNS and diMN data characterize different stages of disease development. Altogether, our study provides new insights into ALS pathophysiology and demonstrates how AI speeds up the target discovery process, and opens up new opportunities for therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank W. Pun
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Bonnie Hei Man Liu
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Xi Long
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Hoi Wing Leung
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Geoffrey Ho Duen Leung
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Quinlan T. Mewborne
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL, United States
| | - Junli Gao
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL, United States
| | - Anastasia Shneyderman
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ivan V. Ozerov
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ju Wang
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Feng Ren
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Alexander Aliper
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Evelyne Bischof
- College of Clinical Medicine, Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Shanghai, China
- International Center for Multimorbidity and Complexity in Medicine (ICMC), Universität Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Evgeny Izumchenko
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology and Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Xiaoming Guan
- 4B Technologies Limited, Suzhou BioBay, Suzhou, China
| | - Ke Zhang
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL, United States
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Jacksonville, FL, United States
| | - Bai Lu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Jeffrey D. Rothstein
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Merit E. Cudkowicz
- Healey & AMG Center for ALS, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- *Correspondence: Merit E. Cudkowicz,
| | - Alex Zhavoronkov
- Insilico Medicine Hong Kong Ltd., Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA, United States
- Alex Zhavoronkov,
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6
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Katsonis P, Wilhelm K, Williams A, Lichtarge O. Genome interpretation using in silico predictors of variant impact. Hum Genet 2022; 141:1549-1577. [PMID: 35488922 PMCID: PMC9055222 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-022-02457-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Estimating the effects of variants found in disease driver genes opens the door to personalized therapeutic opportunities. Clinical associations and laboratory experiments can only characterize a tiny fraction of all the available variants, leaving the majority as variants of unknown significance (VUS). In silico methods bridge this gap by providing instant estimates on a large scale, most often based on the numerous genetic differences between species. Despite concerns that these methods may lack reliability in individual subjects, their numerous practical applications over cohorts suggest they are already helpful and have a role to play in genome interpretation when used at the proper scale and context. In this review, we aim to gain insights into the training and validation of these variant effect predicting methods and illustrate representative types of experimental and clinical applications. Objective performance assessments using various datasets that are not yet published indicate the strengths and limitations of each method. These show that cautious use of in silico variant impact predictors is essential for addressing genome interpretation challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Katsonis
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
| | - Kevin Wilhelm
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Amanda Williams
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Olivier Lichtarge
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA. .,Department of Biochemistry, Human Genetics and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA. .,Department of Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA. .,Computational and Integrative Biomedical Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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Feng SY, Lin H, Che CH, Huang HP, Liu CY, Zou ZY. Phenotype of VCP Mutations in Chinese Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patients. Front Neurol 2022; 13:790082. [PMID: 35197922 PMCID: PMC8858817 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.790082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the valosin-containing protein (VCP) gene have been linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in the Caucasian populations. However, the phenotype of VCP mutations in Chinese patients with (ALS) remains unclear. Targeted next-generation sequencing covered 28 ALS-related genes including the VCP gene was undertaken to screen in a Chinese cohort of 275 sporadic ALS cases and 15 familial ALS pedigrees. An extensive literature review was performed to identify all patients with ALS carrying VCP mutations previously reported. The clinical characteristics and genetic features of ALS patients with VCP mutations were reviewed. One known p.R155C mutation in the VCP gene was detected in two siblings from a familial ALS pedigree and two sporadic individuals. In addition, the same VCP p.R155C mutation was detected in an additional patient with ALS referred in 2021. Three patients with VCP p.R155C mutation presented with muscular weakness starting from proximal extremities to distal extremities. The other patient developed a phenotype of Paget's disease of bone in addition to the progressive muscular atrophy. We reported the first VCP mutation carrier manifesting ALS with Paget's disease of bone in the Chinese population. Our findings expand the phenotypic spectrum of the VCP mutations in Chinese patients with ALS and suggest that ALS patients with VCP p.R155C mutations tend to present with relatively young onset, symmetrical involvement of proximal muscles weakness of arms or legs, and then progressed to distal muscles of limbs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Yan Feng
- Department of Neurophysiology, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
- Zhengzhou University People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Han Lin
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Chun-Hui Che
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Hua-Pin Huang
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, China
- Institute of Clinical Neurology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Chang-Yun Liu
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, China
- Institute of Clinical Neurology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Zhang-Yu Zou
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, China
- Institute of Clinical Neurology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Zhang-Yu Zou
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8
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Liu CY, Lin JL, Feng SY, Che CH, Huang HP, Zou ZY. Novel Variants in the FIG4 Gene Associated With Chinese Sporadic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis With Slow Progression. J Clin Neurol 2022; 18:41-47. [PMID: 35021275 PMCID: PMC8762508 DOI: 10.3988/jcn.2022.18.1.41] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Purpose Mutations in the FIG4 gene have been linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) type 11 in Caucasian populations. The purpose of this study was to identify FIG4 variants in a cohort of 15 familial ALS (FALS) indexes and 275 sporadic ALS (SALS) patients of Han Chinese origin. Methods All 23 exons of FIG4 were sequenced using targeted next-generation sequencing. An extensive literature review was performed to detect genotype-phenotype associations of FIG4 mutations. Results No FIG4 variants were identified in the FALS patients. One novel heterozygous missense variant (c.352G>T [p.D118Y]) and one novel heterozygous nonsense variant (c.2158G>T [p.E720X]) in FIG4 were identified in two SALS patients. The p.E720X variant is interpreted as likely pathogenic while the p.D118Y variant is a variant of uncertain significance. The patient carrying the p.E720X mutation developed lower-limb-onset slowly progressive ALS, and survived for 11.5 years. The patient harboring the FIG4 p.D118Y variant also presented with progressive ALS, with the score on the ALS Functional Rating Scale–Revised (ALSFRS-R) decreasing by 0.4 per month. The rate of decrease in the ALSFRS-R scores from symptom onset to diagnosis seemed to be lower in the patients carrying FIG4 variants than the no-FIG4-mutation ALS patients in this study. Conclusions Our findings suggest that ALS patients carrying FIG4 mutations are not common in the Chinese population and are more likely to exhibit slow progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Yun Liu
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, China.,Institute of Clinical Neurology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Ji-Lan Lin
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Shu-Yan Feng
- Department of Neurophysiology, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Chun-Hui Che
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Hua-Pin Huang
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Zhang-Yu Zou
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, China.,Institute of Clinical Neurology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.
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9
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Notaro A, Messina A, La Bella V. A Deletion of the Nuclear Localization Signal Domain in the Fus Protein Induces Stable Post-stress Cytoplasmic Inclusions in SH-SY5Y Cells. Front Neurosci 2022; 15:759659. [PMID: 35002600 PMCID: PMC8733393 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.759659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in Fused-in-Sarcoma (FUS) gene involving the nuclear localization signal (NLS) domain lead to juvenile-onset Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). The mutant protein mislocalizes to the cytoplasm, incorporating it into Stress Granules (SG). Whether SGs are the first step to the formation of stable FUS-containing aggregates is still unclear. In this work, we used acute and chronic stress paradigms to study the SG dynamics in a human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cell line carrying a deletion of the NLS domain of the FUS protein (homozygous: ΔNLS–/–; heterozygous: ΔNLS+/–). Wild-type (WT) cells served as controls. We evaluated the subcellular localization of the mutant protein through immunoblot and immunofluorescence, in basal conditions and after acute stress and chronic stress with sodium arsenite (NaAsO2). Cells were monitored for up to 24 h after rescue. FUS was expressed in both nucleus and cytoplasm in the ΔNLS+/– cells, whereas it was primarily cytoplasmic in the ΔNLS–/–. Acute NaAsO2 exposure induced SGs: at rescue,>90% of ΔNLS cells showed abundant FUS-containing if compared to less than 5% of the WT cells. The proportion of FUS-positive SGs remained 15–20% at 24 h in mutant cells. Cycloheximide did not abolish the long-lasting SGs in mutant cells. Chronic exposure to NaAsO2 did not induce significant SGs formation. A wealth of research has demonstrated that ALS-associated FUS mutations at the C-terminus facilitate the incorporation of the mutant protein into SGs. We have shown here that mutant FUS-containing SGs tend to fail to dissolve after stress, facilitating a liquid-to-solid phase transition. The FUS-containing inclusions seen in the dying motor neurons might therefore directly derive from SGs. This might represent an attractive target for future innovative therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonietta Notaro
- ALS Clinical Research Center and Laboratory of Neurochemistry, Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advances Diagnostics, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Antonella Messina
- ALS Clinical Research Center and Laboratory of Neurochemistry, Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advances Diagnostics, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Vincenzo La Bella
- ALS Clinical Research Center and Laboratory of Neurochemistry, Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advances Diagnostics, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
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10
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Bartoletti-Stella A, Vacchiano V, De Pasqua S, Mengozzi G, De Biase D, Bartolomei I, Avoni P, Rizzo G, Parchi P, Donadio V, Chiò A, Pession A, Oppi F, Salvi F, Liguori R, Capellari S. Targeted sequencing panels in Italian ALS patients support different etiologies in the ALS/FTD continuum. J Neurol 2021; 268:3766-3776. [PMID: 33770234 PMCID: PMC8463338 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-021-10521-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND 5-10% of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients presented a positive family history (fALS). More than 30 genes have been identified in association with ALS/frontotemporal dementia (FTD) spectrum, with four major genes accounting for 60-70% of fALS. In this paper, we aimed to assess the contribution to the pathogenesis of major and rare ALS/FTD genes in ALS patients. METHODS We analyzed ALS and ALS/FTD associated genes by direct sequencing or next-generation sequencing multigene panels in ALS patients. RESULTS Genetic abnormalities in ALS major genes included repeated expansions of hexanucleotide in C9orf72 gene (7.3%), mutations in SOD1 (4.9%), FUS (2.1%), and TARDBP (2.4%), whereas variants in rare ALS/FTD genes affected 15.5% of subjects overall, most frequently involving SQSTM1 (3.4%), and CHMP2B (1.9%). We found clustering of variants in ALS major genes in patients with a family history for "pure" ALS, while ALS/FTD related genes mainly occurred in patients with a family history for other neurodegenerative diseases (dementia and/or parkinsonism). CONCLUSIONS Our data support the presence of two different genetic components underlying ALS pathogenesis, related to the presence of a family history for ALS or other neurodegenerative diseases. Thus, family history may help in optimizing the genetic screening protocol to be applied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Bartoletti-Stella
- IRCCS Istituto Delle Scienze Neurologiche Di Bologna, Bellaria Hospital, 40139, Bologna, Italy
| | - Veria Vacchiano
- IRCCS Istituto Delle Scienze Neurologiche Di Bologna, Bellaria Hospital, 40139, Bologna, Italy
| | - Silvia De Pasqua
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Neuromotorie (DIBINEM), Università Di Bologna, 40123, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giacomo Mengozzi
- IRCCS Istituto Delle Scienze Neurologiche Di Bologna, Bellaria Hospital, 40139, Bologna, Italy
| | - Dario De Biase
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Molecular Diagnostic Unit, University of Bologna, viale Ercolani 4/2, 40138, Bologna, Italy
| | - Ilaria Bartolomei
- IRCCS Istituto Delle Scienze Neurologiche Di Bologna, Bellaria Hospital, 40139, Bologna, Italy
| | - Patrizia Avoni
- IRCCS Istituto Delle Scienze Neurologiche Di Bologna, Bellaria Hospital, 40139, Bologna, Italy
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Neuromotorie (DIBINEM), Università Di Bologna, 40123, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giovanni Rizzo
- IRCCS Istituto Delle Scienze Neurologiche Di Bologna, Bellaria Hospital, 40139, Bologna, Italy
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Neuromotorie (DIBINEM), Università Di Bologna, 40123, Bologna, Italy
| | - Piero Parchi
- IRCCS Istituto Delle Scienze Neurologiche Di Bologna, Bellaria Hospital, 40139, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Experimental Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, 40138, Bologna, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Donadio
- IRCCS Istituto Delle Scienze Neurologiche Di Bologna, Bellaria Hospital, 40139, Bologna, Italy
| | - Adriano Chiò
- Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Citta Della Salute E Della Scienza Di Torino, Turin, Italy
- Neuroscience Institute of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Annalisa Pession
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Molecular Diagnostic Unit, University of Bologna, viale Ercolani 4/2, 40138, Bologna, Italy
| | - Federico Oppi
- IRCCS Istituto Delle Scienze Neurologiche Di Bologna, Bellaria Hospital, 40139, Bologna, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Salvi
- IRCCS Istituto Delle Scienze Neurologiche Di Bologna, Bellaria Hospital, 40139, Bologna, Italy
| | - Rocco Liguori
- IRCCS Istituto Delle Scienze Neurologiche Di Bologna, Bellaria Hospital, 40139, Bologna, Italy
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Neuromotorie (DIBINEM), Università Di Bologna, 40123, Bologna, Italy
| | - Sabina Capellari
- IRCCS Istituto Delle Scienze Neurologiche Di Bologna, Bellaria Hospital, 40139, Bologna, Italy.
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Neuromotorie (DIBINEM), Università Di Bologna, 40123, Bologna, Italy.
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11
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Russell KL, Downie JM, Gibson SB, Tsetsou S, Keefe MD, Duran JA, Figueroa KP, Bromberg MB, Murtaugh LC, Bonkowsky JL, Pulst SM, Jorde LB. Pathogenic Effect of TP73 Gene Variants in People With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Neurology 2021; 97:e225-e235. [PMID: 34135078 PMCID: PMC8302149 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000012285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To identify novel disease associated loci for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), we used sequencing data and performed in vitro and in vivo experiments to demonstrate pathogenicity of mutations identified in TP73. METHODS We analyzed exome sequences of 87 patients with sporadic ALS and 324 controls, with confirmatory sequencing in independent ALS cohorts of >2,800 patients. For the top hit, TP73, a regulator of apoptosis and differentiation and a binding partner and homolog of the tumor suppressor gene TP53, we assayed mutation effects using in vitro and in vivo experiments. C2C12 myoblast differentiation assays, characterization of myotube appearance, and immunoprecipitation of p53-p73 complexes were performed in vitro. In vivo, we used clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 targeting of zebrafish tp73 to assay motor neuron number and axon morphology. RESULTS Four heterozygous rare, nonsynonymous mutations in TP73 were identified in our sporadic ALS cohort. In independent ALS cohorts, we identified an additional 19 rare, deleterious variants in TP73. Patient TP73 mutations caused abnormal differentiation and increased apoptosis in the myoblast differentiation assay, with abnormal myotube appearance. Immunoprecipitation of mutant ΔN-p73 demonstrated that patient mutations hinder the ability of ΔN-p73 to bind p53. CRISPR/Cas9 knockout of tp73 in zebrafish led to impaired motor neuron development and abnormal axonal morphology, concordant with ALS pathology. CONCLUSION Together, these results strongly suggest that variants in TP73 correlate with risk for ALS and indicate a role for apoptosis in ALS disease pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristi L Russell
- From the Departments of Human Genetics (K.L.R., J.A.D., L.C.M., L.B.J.), Neurology (S.B.G., K.P.F., M.B.B., S.M.P.), and Pediatrics (M.D.K., J.L.B.), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City; Department of Medicine (J.M.D.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; Department of Neurosurgery (S.T.), Mount Sinai Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine, New York, NY; and Brain and Spine Center (J.L.B.), Primary Children's Hospital, Salt Lake City, UT.
| | - Jonathan M Downie
- From the Departments of Human Genetics (K.L.R., J.A.D., L.C.M., L.B.J.), Neurology (S.B.G., K.P.F., M.B.B., S.M.P.), and Pediatrics (M.D.K., J.L.B.), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City; Department of Medicine (J.M.D.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; Department of Neurosurgery (S.T.), Mount Sinai Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine, New York, NY; and Brain and Spine Center (J.L.B.), Primary Children's Hospital, Salt Lake City, UT
| | - Summer B Gibson
- From the Departments of Human Genetics (K.L.R., J.A.D., L.C.M., L.B.J.), Neurology (S.B.G., K.P.F., M.B.B., S.M.P.), and Pediatrics (M.D.K., J.L.B.), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City; Department of Medicine (J.M.D.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; Department of Neurosurgery (S.T.), Mount Sinai Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine, New York, NY; and Brain and Spine Center (J.L.B.), Primary Children's Hospital, Salt Lake City, UT
| | - Spyridoula Tsetsou
- From the Departments of Human Genetics (K.L.R., J.A.D., L.C.M., L.B.J.), Neurology (S.B.G., K.P.F., M.B.B., S.M.P.), and Pediatrics (M.D.K., J.L.B.), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City; Department of Medicine (J.M.D.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; Department of Neurosurgery (S.T.), Mount Sinai Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine, New York, NY; and Brain and Spine Center (J.L.B.), Primary Children's Hospital, Salt Lake City, UT
| | - Matthew D Keefe
- From the Departments of Human Genetics (K.L.R., J.A.D., L.C.M., L.B.J.), Neurology (S.B.G., K.P.F., M.B.B., S.M.P.), and Pediatrics (M.D.K., J.L.B.), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City; Department of Medicine (J.M.D.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; Department of Neurosurgery (S.T.), Mount Sinai Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine, New York, NY; and Brain and Spine Center (J.L.B.), Primary Children's Hospital, Salt Lake City, UT
| | - Jerry A Duran
- From the Departments of Human Genetics (K.L.R., J.A.D., L.C.M., L.B.J.), Neurology (S.B.G., K.P.F., M.B.B., S.M.P.), and Pediatrics (M.D.K., J.L.B.), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City; Department of Medicine (J.M.D.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; Department of Neurosurgery (S.T.), Mount Sinai Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine, New York, NY; and Brain and Spine Center (J.L.B.), Primary Children's Hospital, Salt Lake City, UT
| | - Karla P Figueroa
- From the Departments of Human Genetics (K.L.R., J.A.D., L.C.M., L.B.J.), Neurology (S.B.G., K.P.F., M.B.B., S.M.P.), and Pediatrics (M.D.K., J.L.B.), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City; Department of Medicine (J.M.D.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; Department of Neurosurgery (S.T.), Mount Sinai Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine, New York, NY; and Brain and Spine Center (J.L.B.), Primary Children's Hospital, Salt Lake City, UT
| | - Mark B Bromberg
- From the Departments of Human Genetics (K.L.R., J.A.D., L.C.M., L.B.J.), Neurology (S.B.G., K.P.F., M.B.B., S.M.P.), and Pediatrics (M.D.K., J.L.B.), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City; Department of Medicine (J.M.D.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; Department of Neurosurgery (S.T.), Mount Sinai Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine, New York, NY; and Brain and Spine Center (J.L.B.), Primary Children's Hospital, Salt Lake City, UT
| | - L Charles Murtaugh
- From the Departments of Human Genetics (K.L.R., J.A.D., L.C.M., L.B.J.), Neurology (S.B.G., K.P.F., M.B.B., S.M.P.), and Pediatrics (M.D.K., J.L.B.), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City; Department of Medicine (J.M.D.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; Department of Neurosurgery (S.T.), Mount Sinai Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine, New York, NY; and Brain and Spine Center (J.L.B.), Primary Children's Hospital, Salt Lake City, UT
| | - Joshua L Bonkowsky
- From the Departments of Human Genetics (K.L.R., J.A.D., L.C.M., L.B.J.), Neurology (S.B.G., K.P.F., M.B.B., S.M.P.), and Pediatrics (M.D.K., J.L.B.), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City; Department of Medicine (J.M.D.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; Department of Neurosurgery (S.T.), Mount Sinai Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine, New York, NY; and Brain and Spine Center (J.L.B.), Primary Children's Hospital, Salt Lake City, UT
| | - Stefan M Pulst
- From the Departments of Human Genetics (K.L.R., J.A.D., L.C.M., L.B.J.), Neurology (S.B.G., K.P.F., M.B.B., S.M.P.), and Pediatrics (M.D.K., J.L.B.), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City; Department of Medicine (J.M.D.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; Department of Neurosurgery (S.T.), Mount Sinai Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine, New York, NY; and Brain and Spine Center (J.L.B.), Primary Children's Hospital, Salt Lake City, UT
| | - Lynn B Jorde
- From the Departments of Human Genetics (K.L.R., J.A.D., L.C.M., L.B.J.), Neurology (S.B.G., K.P.F., M.B.B., S.M.P.), and Pediatrics (M.D.K., J.L.B.), University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City; Department of Medicine (J.M.D.), Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; Department of Neurosurgery (S.T.), Mount Sinai Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine, New York, NY; and Brain and Spine Center (J.L.B.), Primary Children's Hospital, Salt Lake City, UT
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12
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Hedera P. New Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Gene Identified: Are Novel Therapies on the Horizon? Neurology 2021; 97:105-106. [PMID: 34135079 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000012279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Peter Hedera
- From the Department of Neurology, University of Louisville, KY.
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13
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He D, Shang L, Liu Q, Shen D, Sun X, Cai Z, Zhao X, Liu L, Yang X, Liu M, Zhang X, Cui L. Association of apolipoprotein E ε4 allele and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in Chinese population. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2021; 23:399-406. [PMID: 34279165 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2021.1953077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has a complex genetic origin, and how immune dysregulation may contribute to ALS etiology remain unclear. Given the roles played by apolipoprotein E (APOE) signaling in neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration, an improved knowledge of the association between APOE genotypes and ALS risk in Chinese population may help to understand the underlying etiology of the disease. Methods: A retrospective case-control study with participants of Chinese ancestry was conducted, with a total of 683 ALS patients and 369 healthy controls analyzed for APOE genotypes using Sanger sequencing. In addition, 282 of these patients were further analyzed for known ALS risk variants and rare deleterious variants related to immune disorders via whole exome sequencing. Results: Among the 683 ALS patients analyzed (346 males, 337 females; mean age at onset [SD]: 51.9 [10.9]), 145 patients (21.1%) carried ε4, the proportion of which was significantly higher than 16.0% in controls (59/369; OR, 1.42; 95%CI, 1.02-1.98; p = 0.02). There is no evidence supporting the association between APOE genotypes and disease phenotypes. We also didn't find any enrichment of currently known ALS risk variants or variants in genes related to immune abnormality in specific APOE genotypes. Conclusion: Our study highlighted the importance of trans-ethnic studies in identifying genetic risk factors, and the relevance of APOE in ALS etiopathogenesis in Chinese population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di He
- Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, China
| | - Liang Shang
- McKusick-Zhang Center for Genetic Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China, and
| | - Qing Liu
- Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, China
| | - Dongchao Shen
- Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, China
| | - Xiaohan Sun
- Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, China
| | - Zhengyi Cai
- Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, China
| | - Ximeng Zhao
- McKusick-Zhang Center for Genetic Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China, and
| | - Liyang Liu
- McKusick-Zhang Center for Genetic Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China, and
| | - Xunzhe Yang
- Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, China
| | - Mingsheng Liu
- Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, China
| | - Xue Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, China.,McKusick-Zhang Center for Genetic Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China, and.,Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS), Beijing, China
| | - Liying Cui
- Department of Neurology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC), Beijing, China.,Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS), Beijing, China
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14
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Borg R, Farrugia Wismayer M, Bonavia K, Farrugia Wismayer A, Vella M, van Vugt JJFA, Kenna BJ, Kenna KP, Vassallo N, Veldink JH, Cauchi RJ. Genetic analysis of ALS cases in the isolated island population of Malta. Eur J Hum Genet 2021; 29:604-614. [PMID: 33414559 PMCID: PMC8115635 DOI: 10.1038/s41431-020-00767-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic isolates are compelling tools for mapping genes of inherited disorders. The archipelago of Malta, a sovereign microstate in the south of Europe is home to a geographically and culturally isolated population. Here, we investigate the epidemiology and genetic profile of Maltese patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), identified throughout a 2-year window. Cases were largely male (66.7%) with a predominant spinal onset of symptoms (70.8%). Disease onset occurred around mid-age (median age: 64 years, men; 59.5 years, female); 12.5% had familial ALS (fALS). Annual incidence rate was 2.48 (95% CI 1.59–3.68) per 100,000 person-years. Male-to-female incidence ratio was 1.93:1. Prevalence was 3.44 (95% CI 2.01–5.52) cases per 100,000 inhabitants on 31st December 2018. Whole-genome sequencing allowed us to determine rare DNA variants that change the protein-coding sequence of ALS-associated genes. Interestingly, the Maltese ALS patient cohort was found to be negative for deleterious variants in C9orf72, SOD1, TARDBP or FUS genes, which are the most commonly mutated ALS genes globally. Nonetheless, ALS-associated repeat expansions were identified in ATXN2 and NIPA1. Variants predicted to be damaging were also detected in ALS2, DAO, DCTN1, ERBB4, SETX, SCFD1 and SPG11. A total of 40% of patients with sporadic ALS had a rare and deleterious variant or repeat expansion in an ALS-associated gene, whilst the genetic cause of two thirds of fALS cases could not be pinpointed to known ALS genes or risk loci. This warrants further studies to elucidate novel genes that cause ALS in this unique population isolate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Borg
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.,Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Maia Farrugia Wismayer
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.,Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Karl Bonavia
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Andrew Farrugia Wismayer
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Malcolm Vella
- Department of Neuroscience, Mater Dei Hospital, Msida, Malta
| | - Joke J F A van Vugt
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Brendan J Kenna
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Kevin P Kenna
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Neville Vassallo
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.,Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Jan H Veldink
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ruben J Cauchi
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Malta, Msida, Malta. .,Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.
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15
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Morello G, Gentile G, Spataro R, Spampinato AG, Guarnaccia M, Salomone S, La Bella V, Conforti FL, Cavallaro S. Genomic Portrait of a Sporadic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Case in a Large Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 1 Family. J Pers Med 2020; 10:jpm10040262. [PMID: 33276461 PMCID: PMC7712010 DOI: 10.3390/jpm10040262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Revised: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Repeat expansions in the spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) gene ATXN1 increases the risk for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), supporting a relationship between these disorders. We recently reported the co-existence, in a large SCA1 family, of a clinically definite ALS individual bearing an intermediate ATXN1 expansion and SCA1 patients with a full expansion, some of which manifested signs of lower motor neuron involvement. Methods: In this study, we employed a systems biology approach that integrated multiple genomic analyses of the ALS patient and some SCA1 family members. Results: Our analysis identified common and distinctive candidate genes/variants and related biological processes that, in addition to or in combination with ATXN1, may contribute to motor neuron degeneration phenotype. Among these, we distinguished ALS-specific likely pathogenic variants in TAF15 and C9ORF72, two ALS-linked genes involved in the regulation of RNA metabolism, similarly to ATXN1, suggesting a selective role for this pathway in ALS pathogenesis. Conclusions: Overall, our work supports the utility to apply personal genomic information for characterizing complex disease phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanna Morello
- Institute for Research and Biomedical Innovation (IRIB), Italian National Research Council (CNR), Via Paolo Gaifami, 18, 95125 Catania, Italy; (G.M.); (G.G.); (A.G.S.); (M.G.)
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy;
| | - Giulia Gentile
- Institute for Research and Biomedical Innovation (IRIB), Italian National Research Council (CNR), Via Paolo Gaifami, 18, 95125 Catania, Italy; (G.M.); (G.G.); (A.G.S.); (M.G.)
| | - Rossella Spataro
- ALS Clinical Research Center and Neurochemistry Laboratory, BioNeC, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (R.S.); (V.L.B.)
| | - Antonio Gianmaria Spampinato
- Institute for Research and Biomedical Innovation (IRIB), Italian National Research Council (CNR), Via Paolo Gaifami, 18, 95125 Catania, Italy; (G.M.); (G.G.); (A.G.S.); (M.G.)
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Maria Guarnaccia
- Institute for Research and Biomedical Innovation (IRIB), Italian National Research Council (CNR), Via Paolo Gaifami, 18, 95125 Catania, Italy; (G.M.); (G.G.); (A.G.S.); (M.G.)
| | - Salvatore Salomone
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Pharmacology, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy;
| | - Vincenzo La Bella
- ALS Clinical Research Center and Neurochemistry Laboratory, BioNeC, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy; (R.S.); (V.L.B.)
| | - Francesca Luisa Conforti
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende, 87036 Rende, Italy
- Correspondence: (F.L.C.); (S.C.); Tel.: +39-0984-496204 (F.L.C.); +39-095-7338111 (S.C.); Fax: +39-0984-496203 (F.L.C.); +39-095-7338110 (S.C.)
| | - Sebastiano Cavallaro
- Institute for Research and Biomedical Innovation (IRIB), Italian National Research Council (CNR), Via Paolo Gaifami, 18, 95125 Catania, Italy; (G.M.); (G.G.); (A.G.S.); (M.G.)
- Correspondence: (F.L.C.); (S.C.); Tel.: +39-0984-496204 (F.L.C.); +39-095-7338111 (S.C.); Fax: +39-0984-496203 (F.L.C.); +39-095-7338110 (S.C.)
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16
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Ungaro C, Sprovieri T, Morello G, Perrone B, Spampinato AG, Simone IL, Trojsi F, Monsurrò MR, Spataro R, La Bella V, Andò S, Cavallaro S, Conforti FL. Genetic investigation of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients in south Italy: a two-decade analysis. Neurobiol Aging 2020; 99:99.e7-99.e14. [PMID: 32951934 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2020.08.017] [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: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/22/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a multifactorial disease characterized by the interplay of genetic and environmental factors. In the majority of cases, ALS is sporadic, whereas familial forms occur in less than 10% of patients. Herein, we present the results of molecular analyses performed in a large cohort of Italian ALS patients, focusing on novel and already described variations in ALS-linked genes. Our analysis revealed that more than 10% of tested patients carried a mutation in one of the major ALS genes, with C9orf72 hexanucleotide expansion being the most common mutation. In addition, our study confirmed a significant association between ALS patients carrying the ATNX-1 intermediate repeat and the pathological C9orf72 expansion, supporting the involvement of this risk factor in neuronal degeneration. Overall, our study broadens the known mutational spectrum in ALS and provides new insights for a more accurate view of the genetic pattern of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmine Ungaro
- Department of Earth and Environment, Institute of Atmospheric Pollution (IIA), National Research Council (CNR), Rende (CS), Italy
| | - Teresa Sprovieri
- Department of Earth and Environment, Institute of Atmospheric Pollution (IIA), National Research Council (CNR), Rende (CS), Italy
| | - Giovanna Morello
- Department of Biomedical Science, Institute for Research and Biomedical Innovation (IRIB), National Research Council (CNR), Catania, Italy
| | - Benedetta Perrone
- Department of Pharmacy and Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende (CS), Italy
| | - Antonio Gianmaria Spampinato
- Department of Biomedical Science, Institute for Research and Biomedical Innovation (IRIB), National Research Council (CNR), Catania, Italy
| | - Isabella Laura Simone
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neurosciences and Sense Organs, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Francesca Trojsi
- Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, MRI Research Center SUN-FISM, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Rosaria Monsurrò
- Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, MRI Research Center SUN-FISM, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | | | - Vincenzo La Bella
- Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neurosciences, ALS Clinical Research Center and Laboratory of Neurochemistry, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Andò
- Department of Pharmacy and Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende (CS), Italy; Centro Sanitario, Università della Calabria, Rende (CS), Italy
| | - Sebastiano Cavallaro
- Department of Biomedical Science, Institute for Research and Biomedical Innovation (IRIB), National Research Council (CNR), Catania, Italy
| | - Francesca Luisa Conforti
- Department of Pharmacy and Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende (CS), Italy.
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Pro-Inflammatory Signaling Upregulates a Neurotoxic Conotoxin-Like Protein Encrypted Within Human Endogenous Retrovirus-K. Cells 2020; 9:cells9071584. [PMID: 32629888 PMCID: PMC7407490 DOI: 10.3390/cells9071584] [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: 05/30/2020] [Revised: 06/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Motor neuron degeneration and spinal cord demyelination are hallmark pathological events in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Endogenous retrovirus-K (ERVK) expression has an established association with ALS neuropathology, with murine modeling pointing to a role for the ERVK envelope (env) gene in disease processes. Here, we describe a novel viral protein cryptically encoded within the ERVK env transcript, which resembles two distinct cysteine-rich neurotoxic proteins: conotoxin proteins found in marine snails and the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Tat protein. Consistent with Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB)-induced retrotransposon expression, the ERVK conotoxin-like protein (CTXLP) is induced by inflammatory signaling. CTXLP is found in the nucleus, impacting innate immune gene expression and NF-κB p65 activity. Using human autopsy specimens from patients with ALS, we further showcase CTXLP expression in degenerating motor cortex and spinal cord tissues, concomitant with inflammation linked pathways, including enhancement of necroptosis marker mixed lineage kinase domain-like (MLKL) protein and oligodendrocyte maturation/myelination inhibitor Nogo-A. These findings identify CTXLP as a novel ERVK protein product, which may act as an effector in ALS neuropathology.
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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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Shamim U, Ambawat S, Singh J, Thomas A, Pradeep-Chandra-Reddy C, Suroliya V, Uppilli B, Parveen S, Sharma P, Chanchal S, Nashi S, Preethish-Kumar V, Vengalil S, Polavarapu K, Keerthipriya M, Mahajan NP, Reddy N, Thomas PT, Sadasivan A, Warrier M, Seth M, Zahra S, Mathur A, Vibha D, Srivastava AK, Nalini A, Faruq M. C9orf72 hexanucleotide repeat expansion in Indian patients with ALS: a common founder and its geographical predilection. Neurobiol Aging 2020; 88:156.e1-156.e9. [PMID: 32035847 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2019.12.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 12/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Hexanucleotide repeat expansion in C9orf72 is defined as a major causative factor for familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The mutation frequency varies dramatically among populations of different ethnicity; however, in most cases, C9orf72 mutant has been described on a common founder haplotype. We assessed its frequency in a study cohort involving 593 clinically and electrophysiologically defined ALS cases. We also investigated the presence of reported Finnish haplotype among the mutation carriers. The identified common haplotype region was further screened in 192 (carrying 2-6 G4C2 repeats) and 96 (≥7 repeats) control chromosomes. The G4C2 expansion was observed in 3.2% (19/593) of total cases where 9/19 (47.4%) positive cases belonged to the eastern region of India. Haplotype analysis revealed 11 G4C2-Ex carriers shared the common haplotype (haplo-A) background spanning a region of ∼90 kbp (rs895021-rs11789520) including rs3849942 (a well-known global at-risk loci with T allele for G4C2 expansion). The other 3 G4C2-Ex cases had a different haplotype (haplo-B) with core difference from haplo-A at G4C2-Ex flanking 31 kbp region between rs3849942 and rs11789520 SNPs (allele 'C' of rs3849942 which is a nonrisk allele). Out of other five G4C2-cases, four carried the risk allele T of rs3849942 while one harbored the non-risk allele. This study establishes the prevalence of C9orf72 expansion in Indian ALS cases providing further evidence for geographical predilection. The global core risk haplotype predominated C9orf72 expansion-positive ALS cases, yet the existence of a different haplotype suggests a second lineage (haplo B), which may have been derived from the Finnish core haplotype or may imply a unique haplotype among Asians. The association of risk haplotype with normal intermediate C9orf72 alleles reinforced its role in conferring instability to the C9orf72-G4C2 region. We thus present an effective support to interpret future burden of ALS cases in India.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uzma Shamim
- Genomics and Molecular Medicine Division, CSIR - Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, New Delhi, India
| | - Sakshi Ambawat
- Genomics and Molecular Medicine Division, CSIR - Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, New Delhi, India
| | - Jyotsna Singh
- Genomics and Molecular Medicine Division, CSIR - Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, New Delhi, India
| | - Aneesa Thomas
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | | | - Varun Suroliya
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Bharathram Uppilli
- Genomics and Molecular Medicine Division, CSIR - Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, New Delhi, India
| | - Shaista Parveen
- Genomics and Molecular Medicine Division, CSIR - Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, New Delhi, India
| | - Pooja Sharma
- Genomics and Molecular Medicine Division, CSIR - Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, New Delhi, India
| | - Shankar Chanchal
- Genomics and Molecular Medicine Division, CSIR - Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, New Delhi, India
| | - Saraswati Nashi
- Neurology Department, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru, India
| | | | - Seena Vengalil
- Neurology Department, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru, India
| | - Kiran Polavarapu
- Neurology Department, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru, India
| | - Muddasu Keerthipriya
- Neurology Department, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru, India
| | | | - Neeraja Reddy
- Neurology Department, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru, India
| | - Priya Treesa Thomas
- Department of Psychiatric Social Work, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru, India
| | - Arun Sadasivan
- Department of Psychiatric Social Work, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru, India
| | - Manjusha Warrier
- Department of Psychiatric Social Work, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru, India
| | - Malika Seth
- Department of Psychiatric Social Work, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru, India
| | - Sana Zahra
- Department of Psychiatric Social Work, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru, India
| | - Aradhana Mathur
- Genomics and Molecular Medicine Division, CSIR - Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, New Delhi, India
| | - Deepti Vibha
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Achal K Srivastava
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Atchayaram Nalini
- Neurology Department, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru, India
| | - Mohammed Faruq
- Genomics and Molecular Medicine Division, CSIR - Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, New Delhi, India.
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20
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Geijo-Barrientos E, Pastore-Olmedo C, De Mingo P, Blanquer M, Gómez Espuch J, Iniesta F, Iniesta NG, García-Hernández A, Martín-Estefanía C, Barrios L, Moraleda JM, Martínez S. Intramuscular Injection of Bone Marrow Stem Cells in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:195. [PMID: 32265627 PMCID: PMC7105864 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Preclinical studies suggest that stem cells may be a valuable therapeutic tool in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). As it has been demonstrated that there are molecular changes at the end-plate during the early stages of motorneuron degeneration in animal models, we hypothesize that the local effect of this stem cell delivery method could slow the progressive loss of motor units (MUs) in ALS patients. Methods We designed a Phase I/II clinical trial to study the safety of intramuscularly implanting autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMCs), including stem cells, in ALS patients and their possible effects on the MU of the tibialis anterior (TA) muscle. Twenty-two patients participated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that consisted of a baseline visit followed by one intramuscular injection of BMNCs, follow-up visits at 30, 90, 180, and 360 days, and an additional year of clinical follow-up. In each patient, one TA muscle was injected with a single dose of BMMCs while the contralateral muscle was given a placebo; the sides were selected randomly. All visits included a complete EMG study of both TA muscles. Results Our results show that (1) the intramuscular injection of BMMCs is a safe procedure; (2) ALS patients show heterogeneities in the degree of TA injury; (3) a comparison of placebo-injected muscles with BMMC-injected muscles showed significant differences in only one parameter, the D50 index used to quantify the Compound Muscle Action Potential (CMAP) scan curve. This parameter was higher in the BMMC-injected TA muscle at both 90 days (placebo side: 29.55 ± 2.89, n = 20; experimental side: 39.25 ± 3.21, n = 20; p < 0.01) and 180 days (placebo side: 29.35 ± 3.29, n = 17; experimental side: 41.24 ± 3.34, n = 17; p < 0.01). Conclusion This procedure had no effect on the TA muscle MU properties, with the exception of the D50 index. Finding differences in just this index supports the fact that it may be much more sensitive than other electrophysiological parameters when studying treatment effects. Given the low number of patients and their heterogeneity, these results justify exploring the efficacy of this procedure in further patients and other muscles, through Phase II trials. Clinical Trial Registration www.clinicaltrials.gov (identifier NCT02286011); EudraCT number 2011-004801-25.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carlos Pastore-Olmedo
- Institute of Neurosciences, Universidad Miguel Hernández-CSIC, Alicante, Spain.,Clinical Neurophysiology Service, San Juan University Hospital, Alicante, Spain
| | - Pedro De Mingo
- Service of Clinical Neurophysiology, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Clinical Hospital, Murcia, Spain
| | - Miguel Blanquer
- Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant and Cell Therapy Unit, Hematology Service, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain.,Institute for Bio-Health Research of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain
| | - Joaquín Gómez Espuch
- Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant and Cell Therapy Unit, Hematology Service, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Francisca Iniesta
- Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant and Cell Therapy Unit, Hematology Service, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain.,Institute for Bio-Health Research of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain
| | - Natalia García Iniesta
- Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant and Cell Therapy Unit, Hematology Service, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain.,Institute for Bio-Health Research of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain
| | - Ana García-Hernández
- Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant and Cell Therapy Unit, Hematology Service, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain.,Institute for Bio-Health Research of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain
| | | | - Laura Barrios
- Department of Applied Statistics, SGAI-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - José M Moraleda
- Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant and Cell Therapy Unit, Hematology Service, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain.,Institute for Bio-Health Research of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain
| | - Salvador Martínez
- Institute of Neurosciences, Universidad Miguel Hernández-CSIC, Alicante, Spain.,Institute for Bio-Health Research of Murcia (IMIB-Arrixaca), Murcia, Spain
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21
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Stringer RN, Jurkovicova-Tarabova B, Huang S, Haji-Ghassemi O, Idoux R, Liashenko A, Souza IA, Rzhepetskyy Y, Lacinova L, Van Petegem F, Zamponi GW, Pamphlett R, Weiss N. A rare CACNA1H variant associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis causes complete loss of Ca v3.2 T-type channel activity. Mol Brain 2020; 13:33. [PMID: 32143681 PMCID: PMC7060640 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-020-00577-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the progressive loss of cortical, brain stem and spinal motor neurons that leads to muscle weakness and death. A previous study implicated CACNA1H encoding for Cav3.2 calcium channels as a susceptibility gene in ALS. In the present study, two heterozygous CACNA1H variants were identified by whole genome sequencing in a small cohort of ALS patients. These variants were functionally characterized using patch clamp electrophysiology, biochemistry assays, and molecular modeling. A previously unreported c.454GTAC > G variant produced an inframe deletion of a highly conserved isoleucine residue in Cav3.2 (p.ΔI153) and caused a complete loss-of-function of the channel, with an additional dominant-negative effect on the wild-type channel when expressed in trans. In contrast, the c.3629C > T variant caused a missense substitution of a proline with a leucine (p.P1210L) and produced a comparatively mild alteration of Cav3.2 channel activity. The newly identified ΔI153 variant is the first to be reported to cause a complete loss of Cav3.2 channel function. These findings add to the notion that loss-of-function of Cav3.2 channels associated with rare CACNA1H variants may be risk factors in the complex etiology of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin N. Stringer
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo nam 2, 16610 Prague, Czech Republic
- Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Sun Huang
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Omid Haji-Ghassemi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Romane Idoux
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo nam 2, 16610 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Anna Liashenko
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo nam 2, 16610 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ivana A. Souza
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Yuriy Rzhepetskyy
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo nam 2, 16610 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Lubica Lacinova
- Center of Biosciences, Institute of Molecular Physiology and Genetics, Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Filip Van Petegem
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Gerald W. Zamponi
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Roger Pamphlett
- Discipline of Pathology, Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW Australia
| | - Norbert Weiss
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo nam 2, 16610 Prague, Czech Republic
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22
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Ravnik-Glavač M, Glavač D. Circulating RNAs as Potential Biomarkers in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21051714. [PMID: 32138249 PMCID: PMC7084402 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21051714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2020] [Revised: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a complex multi-system neurodegenerative disorder with currently limited diagnostic and no therapeutic options. Despite the intense efforts no clinically applicable biomarkers for ALS are yet established. Most current research is thus focused, in particular, in identifying potential non-invasive circulating biomarkers for more rapid and accurate diagnosis and monitoring of the disease. In this review, we have focused on messenger RNA (mRNA), non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), micro RNAs (miRNAs) and circular RNA (circRNAs) as potential biomarkers for ALS in peripheral blood serum, plasma and cells. The most promising miRNAs include miR-206, miR-133b, miR-27a, mi-338-3p, miR-183, miR-451, let-7 and miR-125b. To test clinical potential of this miRNA panel, a useful approach may be to perform such analysis on larger multi-center scale using similar experimental design. However, other types of RNAs (lncRNAs, circRNAs and mRNAs) that, together with miRNAs, represent RNA networks, have not been yet extensively studied in blood samples of patients with ALS. Additional research has to be done in order to find robust circulating biomarkers and therapeutic targets that will distinguish key RNA interactions in specific ALS-types to facilitate diagnosis, predict progression and design therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Metka Ravnik-Glavač
- Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Vrazov trg 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Correspondence: (M.R.-G.); (D.G.)
| | - Damjan Glavač
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Korytkova 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Correspondence: (M.R.-G.); (D.G.)
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23
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Morrice JR, Gregory-Evans CY, Shaw CA. Investigating microglia during motor neuron degeneration using a zebrafish model. Micron 2020; 133:102852. [PMID: 32203887 DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2020.102852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Many different types of pathologies can arise in the central nervous system (CNS), such as neurodegeneration. The incidence of neurodegenerative diseases continues to increase, yet the pathogenesis underlying most neurodegenerative diseases, notably in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), remains elusive. Neuronal support cells, or glia, are known to play a crucial role in ALS. Microglia are the resident immune cells of the CNS and also have neurotrophic support functions. These cells have a disease-modifying function in ALS, yet this role is not well understood. A likely reason for this is that the intact CNS is particularly challenging to access for investigation in patients and in most animal models, which has impeded research in this field. The zebrafish is emerging as a robust model system to investigate cells in vivo, and offer distinct advantages over other vertebrate models for investigating neurodegenerative diseases. Live imaging in vivo is a powerful technique to characterize the role of dynamic cells such as microglia during neurodegeneration, and zebrafish provide a convenient means for live imaging. Here, we discuss the zebrafish as a model for live imaging, provide a brief overview of available high resolution imaging platforms that accommodate zebrafish, and describe our own in vivo studies on the role of microglia during motor neuron degeneration. Live in vivo imaging is anticipated to provide invaluable advancements to defining the pathogenesis underlying neurodegenerative diseases, which may in turn allow for more specifically targeted therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica R Morrice
- Experimental Medicine Program, University of British Columbia, 2329 West Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
| | - Cheryl Y Gregory-Evans
- Experimental Medicine Program, University of British Columbia, 2329 West Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada; Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia, 2329 West Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Christopher A Shaw
- Experimental Medicine Program, University of British Columbia, 2329 West Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada; Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia, 2329 West Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
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24
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The role of C9orf72 in neurodegenerative disorders: a systematic review, an updated meta-analysis, and the creation of an online database. Neurobiol Aging 2019; 84:238.e25-238.e34. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2019.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Revised: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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25
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Extracellular RNAs as Biomarkers of Sporadic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Other Neurodegenerative Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20133148. [PMID: 31252669 PMCID: PMC6651127 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20133148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Revised: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent progress in the research for underlying mechanisms in neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer disease (AD), Parkinson disease (PD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has led to the development of potentially effective treatment, and hence increased the need for useful biomarkers that may enable early diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring. The deposition of abnormal proteins is a pathological hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases, including β-amyloid in AD, α-synuclein in PD, and the transactive response DNA/RNA binding protein of 43kDa (TDP-43) in ALS. Furthermore, progression of the disease process accompanies the spreading of abnormal proteins. Extracellular proteins and RNAs, including mRNA, micro RNA, and circular RNA, which are present as a composite of exosomes or other forms, play a role in cell–cell communication, and the role of extracellular molecules in the cell-to-cell spreading of pathological processes in neurodegenerative diseases is now in the spotlight. Therefore, extracellular proteins and RNAs are considered potential biomarkers of neurodegenerative diseases, in particular ALS, in which RNA dysregulation has been shown to be involved in the pathogenesis. Here, we review extracellular proteins and RNAs that have been scrutinized as potential biomarkers of neurodegenerative diseases, and discuss the possibility of extracellular RNAs as diagnostic and therapeutic monitoring biomarkers of sporadic ALS.
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26
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Weiss N, Zamponi GW. Genetic T-type calcium channelopathies. J Med Genet 2019; 57:1-10. [PMID: 31217264 PMCID: PMC6929700 DOI: 10.1136/jmedgenet-2019-106163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2019] [Revised: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 05/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
T-type channels are low-voltage-activated calcium channels that contribute to a variety of cellular and physiological functions, including neuronal excitability, hormone and neurotransmitter release as well as developmental aspects. Several human conditions including epilepsy, autism spectrum disorders, schizophrenia, motor neuron disorders and aldosteronism have been traced to variations in genes encoding T-type channels. In this short review, we present the genetics of T-type channels with an emphasis on structure-function relationships and associated channelopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norbert Weiss
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Praha, Czech Republic
| | - Gerald W Zamponi
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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Garcia-Santibanez R, Burford M, Bucelli RC. Hereditary Motor Neuropathies and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: a Molecular and Clinical Update. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 2018; 18:93. [DOI: 10.1007/s11910-018-0901-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Bartoletti-Stella A, Baiardi S, Stanzani-Maserati M, Piras S, Caffarra P, Raggi A, Pantieri R, Baldassari S, Caporali L, Abu-Rumeileh S, Linarello S, Liguori R, Parchi P, Capellari S. Identification of rare genetic variants in Italian patients with dementia by targeted gene sequencing. Neurobiol Aging 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2018.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Toth RP, Atkin JD. Dysfunction of Optineurin in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Glaucoma. Front Immunol 2018; 9:1017. [PMID: 29875767 PMCID: PMC5974248 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.01017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2018] [Accepted: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative disorders, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), frontotemporal dementia, and glaucoma, affect millions of people worldwide. ALS is caused by the loss of motor neurons in the spinal cord, brainstem, and brain, and genetic mutations are responsible for 10% of all ALS cases. Glaucoma is characterized by the loss of retinal ganglion cells and is the most common cause of irreversible blindness. Interestingly, mutations in OPTN, encoding optineurin, are associated with both ALS and glaucoma. Optineurin is a highly abundant protein involved in a wide range of cellular processes, including the inflammatory response, autophagy, Golgi maintenance, and vesicular transport. In this review, we summarize the role of optineurin in cellular mechanisms implicated in neurodegenerative disorders, including neuroinflammation, autophagy, and vesicular trafficking, focusing in particular on the consequences of expression of mutations associated with ALS and glaucoma. This review, therefore showcases the impact of optineurin dysfunction in ALS and glaucoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reka P Toth
- Motor Neuron Disease Research Centre, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Julie D Atkin
- Motor Neuron Disease Research Centre, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Department of Biochemistry, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Ryan M, Heverin M, Doherty MA, Davis N, Corr EM, Vajda A, Pender N, McLaughlin R, Hardiman O. Determining the incidence of familiality in ALS: A study of temporal trends in Ireland from 1994 to 2016. NEUROLOGY-GENETICS 2018; 4:e239. [PMID: 29845113 PMCID: PMC5961194 DOI: 10.1212/nxg.0000000000000239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Objective To assess temporal trends in familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (FALS) incidence rates in an Irish population and to determine factors influencing FALS ascertainment. Methods Population-based data collected over 23 years, using the Irish amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) register and DNA biobank, were analyzed and age-standardized rates of FALS and associated familial neuropsychiatric endophenotypes were identified. Results Between 1994 and 2016, 269 patients with a family history of ALS from 197 unique families were included on the register. Using stringent diagnostic criteria for FALS, the mean age-standardized FALS incidence rate for the study period was 11.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 8.8-13.4). The FALS incidence rate increased steadily from 5.2% in 1994 to 19.1% in 2016, an annual increase of 0.7% (95% CI, 0.5-0.9, p < 0.0001). Inclusion of the presence of neuropsychiatric endophenotypes within kindreds increased the FALS incidence rate to 30%. The incidence of FALS in newly diagnosed individuals from known families increased significantly with time, accounting for 50% of all FALS diagnoses by 2016. The mean annual rate of recategorization from "sporadic ALS" to "FALS" was 3% (95% CI, 2.6-3.8). Conclusions The true population-based rate of FALS is at least 20%. Inclusion of extended endophenotypes within kindreds increases the rate of FALS to 30%. Cross-sectional analysis of clinic-based cohorts and stringent definitions of FALS underestimate the true rate of familial disease. This has implications for genetic counseling and in the recognition of presymptomatic stages of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Ryan
- Academic Unit of Neurology (M.R., M.H., N.D., E.M.C., A.V., O.H.), Trinity College; Department of Genetics (M.A.D., R.M.), Trinity College; and Department of Psychology (N.P.), Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Mark Heverin
- Academic Unit of Neurology (M.R., M.H., N.D., E.M.C., A.V., O.H.), Trinity College; Department of Genetics (M.A.D., R.M.), Trinity College; and Department of Psychology (N.P.), Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Mark A Doherty
- Academic Unit of Neurology (M.R., M.H., N.D., E.M.C., A.V., O.H.), Trinity College; Department of Genetics (M.A.D., R.M.), Trinity College; and Department of Psychology (N.P.), Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Nicola Davis
- Academic Unit of Neurology (M.R., M.H., N.D., E.M.C., A.V., O.H.), Trinity College; Department of Genetics (M.A.D., R.M.), Trinity College; and Department of Psychology (N.P.), Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Emma M Corr
- Academic Unit of Neurology (M.R., M.H., N.D., E.M.C., A.V., O.H.), Trinity College; Department of Genetics (M.A.D., R.M.), Trinity College; and Department of Psychology (N.P.), Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Alice Vajda
- Academic Unit of Neurology (M.R., M.H., N.D., E.M.C., A.V., O.H.), Trinity College; Department of Genetics (M.A.D., R.M.), Trinity College; and Department of Psychology (N.P.), Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Niall Pender
- Academic Unit of Neurology (M.R., M.H., N.D., E.M.C., A.V., O.H.), Trinity College; Department of Genetics (M.A.D., R.M.), Trinity College; and Department of Psychology (N.P.), Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Russell McLaughlin
- Academic Unit of Neurology (M.R., M.H., N.D., E.M.C., A.V., O.H.), Trinity College; Department of Genetics (M.A.D., R.M.), Trinity College; and Department of Psychology (N.P.), Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Orla Hardiman
- Academic Unit of Neurology (M.R., M.H., N.D., E.M.C., A.V., O.H.), Trinity College; Department of Genetics (M.A.D., R.M.), Trinity College; and Department of Psychology (N.P.), Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
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Bromberg MB. What is in the Literature? J Clin Neuromuscul Dis 2017; 19:89-95. [PMID: 29189555 DOI: 10.1097/cnd.0000000000000196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
This edition of "What is in the Literature?" will focus on motor neuron disease (MND), including adult forms [amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), progressive muscular atrophy (PMA), primary lateral sclerosis (PLS), progressive bulbar palsy (PBA), and monomelic mononeuropathy (MMND)], and childhood forms [spinal muscle atrophy (SMA)].
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark B Bromberg
- Department of Neurology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
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Ockleford C, Adriaanse P, Berny P, Brock T, Duquesne S, Grilli S, Hougaard S, Klein M, Kuhl T, Laskowski R, Machera K, Pelkonen O, Pieper S, Smith R, Stemmer M, Sundh I, Teodorovic I, Tiktak A, Topping CJ, Wolterink G, Bottai M, Halldorsson T, Hamey P, Rambourg MO, Tzoulaki I, Court Marques D, Crivellente F, Deluyker H, Hernandez-Jerez AF. Scientific Opinion of the PPR Panel on the follow-up of the findings of the External Scientific Report 'Literature review of epidemiological studies linking exposure to pesticides and health effects'. EFSA J 2017; 15:e05007. [PMID: 32625302 PMCID: PMC7009847 DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2017.5007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In 2013, EFSA published a comprehensive systematic review of epidemiological studies published from 2006 to 2012 investigating the association between pesticide exposure and many health outcomes. Despite the considerable amount of epidemiological information available, the quality of much of this evidence was rather low and many limitations likely affect the results so firm conclusions cannot be drawn. Studies that do not meet the 'recognised standards' mentioned in the Regulation (EU) No 1107/2009 are thus not suited for risk assessment. In this Scientific Opinion, the EFSA Panel on Plant Protection Products and their residues (PPR Panel) was requested to assess the methodological limitations of pesticide epidemiology studies and found that poor exposure characterisation primarily defined the major limitation. Frequent use of case-control studies as opposed to prospective studies was considered another limitation. Inadequate definition or deficiencies in health outcomes need to be avoided and reporting of findings could be improved in some cases. The PPR Panel proposed recommendations on how to improve the quality and reliability of pesticide epidemiology studies to overcome these limitations and to facilitate an appropriate use for risk assessment. The Panel recommended the conduct of systematic reviews and meta-analysis, where appropriate, of pesticide observational studies as useful methodology to understand the potential hazards of pesticides, exposure scenarios and methods for assessing exposure, exposure-response characterisation and risk characterisation. Finally, the PPR Panel proposed a methodological approach to integrate and weight multiple lines of evidence, including epidemiological data, for pesticide risk assessment. Biological plausibility can contribute to establishing causation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter M Andersen
- From the Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience, Umeå University, Sweden.
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