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Shneider NA, Harms MB, Korobeynikov VA, Rifai OM, Hoover BN, Harrington EA, Aziz-Zaman S, Singleton J, Jamil A, Madan VR, Lee I, Andrews JA, Smiley RM, Alam MM, Black LE, Shin M, Watts JK, Walk D, Newman D, Pascuzzi RM, Weber M, Neuwirth C, Da Cruz S, Soriano A, Lane R, Henry S, Mathews J, Jafar-Nejad P, Norris D, Rigo F, Brown RH, Miller S, Crean R, Bennett CF. Antisense oligonucleotide jacifusen for FUS-ALS: an investigator-initiated, multicentre, open-label case series. Lancet 2025:S0140-6736(25)00513-6. [PMID: 40414239 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(25)00513-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2024] [Revised: 03/13/2025] [Accepted: 03/14/2025] [Indexed: 05/27/2025]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pathogenic variants of fused in sarcoma (FUS) cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (FUS-ALS), with evidence of gain of function. Jacifusen is an antisense oligonucleotide targeting FUS pre-mRNA, previously shown to delay neurodegeneration in a mouse model and potentially slow functional decline in a first-in-human study. Here, we sought to further evaluate use of jacifusen as a treatment for FUS-ALS. METHODS This expanded access programme was conducted through a series of single-patient investigational new drug applications at five sites (four hospitals in the USA and one in Switzerland). Participants carried a FUS variant and had clinical evidence of motor neuron disease onset or electrophysiological abnormalities, if not a diagnosis of ALS. Participants were ineligible if chronically ventilated with tracheostomy. Enrolled sequentially, participants received serial intrathecal injections of jacifusen over 2·8-33·9 months. Based on multiple ascending doses of jacifusen (from 20 mg to 120 mg), successive protocols were modified as safety and other data were acquired, with the last participants enrolled receiving 120 mg doses monthly from the start of their treatment. Safety was assessed using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.0 and standard cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) metrics. Concentration of neurofilament light chain (NfL) in CSF was used as a biomarker of axonal injury and neurodegeneration, and the ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS-R) score was used as an overall measure of motor function. Biochemical analysis and immunohistochemical staining were done on post-mortem CNS tissues to quantify FUS protein expression and assess the burden of FUS pathology. FINDINGS Between June 11, 2019, and June 2, 2023, we recruited 12 participants (median age 26 years [range 16-45]; seven [58%] were female and five [42%] were male) into the expanded access programme. Transient elevations in cell counts or total protein concentration in CSF (six [50%] participants) were unrelated to treatment duration. The most common adverse events were back pain (six [50%]), headache (four [33%]), nausea (three [25%]), and post-lumbar puncture headache (three [25%]). Two participant deaths were recorded during the programme, both thought to be unrelated to the investigational drug. The concentration of NfL in CSF was reduced by up to 82·8% after 6 months of treatment. Although most participants had continued functional decline (as measured by ALSFRS-R) after starting treatment with jacifusen, one showed unprecedented, objective functional recovery after 10 months, and another remained asymptomatic, with documented improvement in electromyographic abnormalities. Biochemical and immunohistochemical analysis of CNS tissue samples from four participants showed reduced FUS protein levels and an apparent decrease in the burden of FUS pathology. INTERPRETATION The findings suggest the safety and possible efficacy of jacifusen for treating FUS-ALS. The efficacy of jacifusen is being further evaluated in an ongoing clinical trial. FUNDING ALS Association, Project ALS, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Tow Foundation, Nancy D Perlman and Thomas D Klingenstein Innovation Fund for Neurodegenerative Disease, National Institutes of Health, Angel Fund for ALS Research, Cellucci Fund for ALS Research, Max Rosenfeld ALS Fund, University of Minnesota, and the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil A Shneider
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Matthew B Harms
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Vlad A Korobeynikov
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Olivia M Rifai
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Benjamin N Hoover
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Sonya Aziz-Zaman
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jessica Singleton
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Arish Jamil
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Vikram R Madan
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ikjae Lee
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jinsy A Andrews
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Richard M Smiley
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mahabub M Alam
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Minwook Shin
- College of Pharmacy, Sookmyung Women's University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jonathan K Watts
- UMass Chan Medical School, University of Massachusetts, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - David Walk
- University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Sandrine Da Cruz
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven and Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Roger Lane
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Dan Norris
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, CA, USA
| | - Frank Rigo
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, CA, USA
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Moens TG, Da Cruz S, Neumann M, Shelkovnikova TA, Shneider NA, Van Den Bosch L. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis caused by FUS mutations: advances with broad implications. Lancet Neurol 2025; 24:166-178. [PMID: 39862884 DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(24)00517-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2024] [Revised: 10/25/2024] [Accepted: 12/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2025]
Abstract
Autosomal dominant mutations in the gene encoding the DNA and RNA binding protein FUS are a cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and about 0·3-0·9% of patients with ALS are FUS mutation carriers. FUS-mutation-associated ALS (FUS-ALS) is characterised by early onset and rapid progression, compared with other forms of ALS. However, different pathogenic mutations in FUS can result in markedly different age at symptom onset and rate of disease progression. Most FUS mutations disrupt its nuclear localisation, leading to its cytoplasmic accumulation in the CNS. FUS also forms inclusions in around 5% of patients with the related neurodegenerative condition frontotemporal dementia. However, there are key differences between the two diseases at the genetic and neuropathological level, which suggest distinct pathogenic processes. Experimental models have uncovered potential pathogenic mechanisms in FUS-ALS and informed therapeutic strategies that are currently in development, including the silencing of FUS expression using an intrathecally administered antisense oligonucleotide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas G Moens
- Department of Neurosciences, and Leuven Brain Institute, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Laboratory of Neurobiology, Center for Brain & Disease Research, VIB, Leuven, Belgium; CRUK Scotland Institute, Glasgow, UK
| | - Sandrine Da Cruz
- Department of Neurosciences, and Leuven Brain Institute, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Laboratory of Neurophysiology in Neurodegenerative Disorders, Center for Brain & Disease Research, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Manuela Neumann
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Tübingen, Germany; Department of Neuropathology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Tatyana A Shelkovnikova
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience and Neuroscience Institute (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Neil A Shneider
- Department of Neurology, Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease and Eleanor and Lou Gehrig ALS Center, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ludo Van Den Bosch
- Department of Neurosciences, and Leuven Brain Institute, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Laboratory of Neurobiology, Center for Brain & Disease Research, VIB, Leuven, Belgium.
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Okada K, Ito D, Morimoto S, Kato C, Oguma Y, Warita H, Suzuki N, Aoki M, Kuramoto J, Kobayashi R, Shinozaki M, Ikawa M, Nakahara J, Takahashi S, Nishimoto Y, Shibata S, Okano H. Multiple lines of evidence for disruption of nuclear lamina and nucleoporins in FUS amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Brain 2024; 147:3933-3948. [PMID: 39312484 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awae224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/09/2024] [Indexed: 09/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Advanced pathological and genetic approaches have revealed that mutations in fused in sarcoma/translated in liposarcoma (FUS/TLS), which is pivotal for DNA repair, alternative splicing, translation and RNA transport, cause familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The generation of suitable animal models for ALS is essential for understanding its pathogenesis and developing therapies. Therefore, we used CRISPR-Cas9 to generate FUS-ALS mutation in the non-classical nuclear localization signal (NLS), H517D (mouse position: H509D) and genome-edited mice. Fus WT/H509D mice showed progressive motor impairment (accelerating rotarod and DigiGait system) with age, which was associated with the loss of motor neurons and disruption of the nuclear lamina and nucleoporins and DNA damage in spinal cord motor neurons. We confirmed the validity of our model by showing that nuclear lamina and nucleoporin disruption were observed in lower motor neurons differentiated from patient-derived human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC-LMNs) with FUS-H517D and in the post-mortem spinal cord of patients with ALS. RNA sequence analysis revealed that most nuclear lamina and nucleoporin-linking genes were significantly decreased in FUS-H517D hiPSC-LMNs. This evidence suggests that disruption of the nuclear lamina and nucleoporins is crucial for ALS pathomechanisms. Combined with patient-derived hiPSC-LMNs and autopsy samples, this mouse model might provide a more reliable understanding of ALS pathogenesis and might aid in the development of therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kensuke Okada
- Department of Neurology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
- Keio University iPS Cell Research Center for Intractable Neurological Diseases (KiND), Keio University Global Research Institute, Tokyo 108-0073, Japan
| | - Daisuke Ito
- Department of Neurology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
- Keio University iPS Cell Research Center for Intractable Neurological Diseases (KiND), Keio University Global Research Institute, Tokyo 108-0073, Japan
- Memory Center, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Satoru Morimoto
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
- Keio University iPS Cell Research Center for Intractable Neurological Diseases (KiND), Keio University Global Research Institute, Tokyo 108-0073, Japan
- Keio University Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Kanagawa, 210-0821, Japan
- Division of Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, 173-0015, Japan
| | - Chris Kato
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
- Keio University Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Kanagawa, 210-0821, Japan
- Division of Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, 173-0015, Japan
| | - Yuki Oguma
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
- Keio University Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Kanagawa, 210-0821, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Warita
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, 980-8574, Japan
| | - Naoki Suzuki
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, 980-8574, Japan
| | - Masashi Aoki
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, 980-8574, Japan
| | - Junko Kuramoto
- Department of Pathology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
| | - Reona Kobayashi
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Munehisa Shinozaki
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
- Keio University Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Kanagawa, 210-0821, Japan
| | - Masahito Ikawa
- Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Jin Nakahara
- Department of Neurology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
- Keio University iPS Cell Research Center for Intractable Neurological Diseases (KiND), Keio University Global Research Institute, Tokyo 108-0073, Japan
| | - Shinichi Takahashi
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
- Keio University iPS Cell Research Center for Intractable Neurological Diseases (KiND), Keio University Global Research Institute, Tokyo 108-0073, Japan
- Keio University Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Kanagawa, 210-0821, Japan
- Department of Neurology and Stroke, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, Saitama, 350-1298, Japan
| | - Yoshinori Nishimoto
- Department of Neurology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Shibata
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
- Division of Microscopic Anatomy, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, Niigata, 951-8510, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Okano
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
- Keio University iPS Cell Research Center for Intractable Neurological Diseases (KiND), Keio University Global Research Institute, Tokyo 108-0073, Japan
- Keio University Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Kanagawa, 210-0821, Japan
- Division of Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, 173-0015, Japan
- Laboratory for Marmoset Models of Neural Diseases, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
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Jiang Q, Lin J, Wei Q, Yang T, Hou Y, Zhang L, Ou R, Xiao Y, Wang S, Zheng X, Li C, Shang H. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients with various gene mutations show diverse motor phenotypes and survival in China. J Med Genet 2024; 61:839-846. [PMID: 38886047 DOI: 10.1136/jmg-2024-109909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder characterised by progressive degeneration of motor neurons. Genetic factors have a substantial impact on ALS. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the correlation between genotype (SOD1, TARDBP, FUS, C9orf72) and phenotype in ALS. METHODS Genetic analysis was performed on 2038 patients with ALS, among which 1696 patients with sporadic ALS (SALS) as controls for genotype-phenotype analysis, and 1602 SALS as controls for survival analysis. Logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS A total of 172 patients with ALS with the gene mutations were included in the statistical analysis (SOD1, n=65; FUS, n=43; TARDBP, n=27; C9orf72, n=37). SOD1 mutations were more frequent in flail leg phenotype (OR 7.317, p=0.001) and less in bulbar phenotype (OR 0.222, p=0.038). C9orf72 expansions exhibited higher frequency in bulbar phenotype (OR 2.770, p=0.008). SOD1 and FUS mutations were significantly associated with earlier age of onset (HR 2.039, p<0.001; HR 1.762, p=0.001). The patients with SOD1 mutations, C9orf72 expansions and those carrying pathogenic FUS mutations had significantly increased death risk (HR 2.217, p<0.001; HR 1.694, p=0.008; HR 1.652, p=0.036). The increased risk of death in ALS with C9orf72 expansions was significant in females (HR 2.419, p=0.014) but not in males (HR 1.442, p=0.128). CONCLUSION Our study revealed distinct motor phenotypic tendencies in patients with ALS with different genotypes, indicating variations in the vulnerability of motor neurons during the disease's progression. Furthermore, we made novel discoveries regarding survival of different gene mutations, warranting further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qirui Jiang
- Department of Neurology, Sichuan University West China Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Junyu Lin
- Department of Neurology, Sichuan University West China Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Qianqian Wei
- Department of Neurology, Sichuan University West China Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Tianmi Yang
- Department of Neurology, Sichuan University West China Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yanbing Hou
- Department of Neurology, Sichuan University West China Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Lingyu Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Sichuan University West China Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ruwei Ou
- Sichuan University West China Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yi Xiao
- Department of Neurology, Sichuan University West China Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Shichan Wang
- Department of Neurology, Sichuan University West China Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaoting Zheng
- Department of Neurology, Sichuan University West China Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Chunyu Li
- Department of Neurology, Sichuan University West China Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Huifang Shang
- Department of Neurology, Sichuan University West China Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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Bedja-Iacona L, Richard E, Marouillat S, Brulard C, Alouane T, Beltran S, Andres CR, Blasco H, Corcia P, Veyrat-Durebex C, Vourc’h P. Post-Translational Variants of Major Proteins in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Provide New Insights into the Pathophysiology of the Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:8664. [PMID: 39201350 PMCID: PMC11354932 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25168664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2024] [Revised: 08/04/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 09/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Post-translational modifications (PTMs) affecting proteins during or after their synthesis play a crucial role in their localization and function. The modification of these PTMs under pathophysiological conditions, i.e., their appearance, disappearance, or variation in quantity caused by a pathological environment or a mutation, corresponds to post-translational variants (PTVs). These PTVs can be directly or indirectly involved in the pathophysiology of diseases. Here, we present the PTMs and PTVs of four major amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) proteins, SOD1, TDP-43, FUS, and TBK1. These modifications involve acetylation, phosphorylation, methylation, ubiquitination, SUMOylation, and enzymatic cleavage. We list the PTM positions known to be mutated in ALS patients and discuss the roles of PTVs in the pathophysiological processes of ALS. In-depth knowledge of the PTMs and PTVs of ALS proteins is needed to better understand their role in the disease. We believe it is also crucial for developing new therapies that may be more effective in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léa Bedja-Iacona
- UMR 1253, iBraiN, Université de Tours, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France; lea.bedja-- (L.B.-I.); (E.R.)
| | - Elodie Richard
- UMR 1253, iBraiN, Université de Tours, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France; lea.bedja-- (L.B.-I.); (E.R.)
| | - Sylviane Marouillat
- UMR 1253, iBraiN, Université de Tours, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France; lea.bedja-- (L.B.-I.); (E.R.)
| | | | | | - Stéphane Beltran
- UMR 1253, iBraiN, Université de Tours, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France; lea.bedja-- (L.B.-I.); (E.R.)
- Service de Neurologie, CHRU de Tours, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Christian R. Andres
- UMR 1253, iBraiN, Université de Tours, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France; lea.bedja-- (L.B.-I.); (E.R.)
- Service de Biochimie et de Biologie Moléculaire, CHRU de Tours, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Hélène Blasco
- UMR 1253, iBraiN, Université de Tours, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France; lea.bedja-- (L.B.-I.); (E.R.)
- Service de Biochimie et de Biologie Moléculaire, CHRU de Tours, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Philippe Corcia
- UMR 1253, iBraiN, Université de Tours, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France; lea.bedja-- (L.B.-I.); (E.R.)
- Service de Neurologie, CHRU de Tours, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Charlotte Veyrat-Durebex
- UMR 1253, iBraiN, Université de Tours, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France; lea.bedja-- (L.B.-I.); (E.R.)
- UTTIL, CHRU de Tours, 37000 Tours, France
- Service de Biochimie et de Biologie Moléculaire, CHRU de Tours, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Patrick Vourc’h
- UMR 1253, iBraiN, Université de Tours, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France; lea.bedja-- (L.B.-I.); (E.R.)
- UTTIL, CHRU de Tours, 37000 Tours, France
- Service de Biochimie et de Biologie Moléculaire, CHRU de Tours, 37000 Tours, France
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Wang J, Zhu H, Tian R, Zhang Q, Zhang H, Hu J, Wang S. Physiological and pathological effects of phase separation in the central nervous system. J Mol Med (Berl) 2024; 102:599-615. [PMID: 38441598 PMCID: PMC11055734 DOI: 10.1007/s00109-024-02435-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Phase separation, also known as biomolecule condensate, participates in physiological processes such as transcriptional regulation, signal transduction, gene expression, and DNA damage repair by creating a membrane-free compartment. Phase separation is primarily caused by the interaction of multivalent non-covalent bonds between proteins and/or nucleic acids. The strength of molecular multivalent interaction can be modified by component concentration, the potential of hydrogen, posttranslational modification, and other factors. Notably, phase separation occurs frequently in the cytoplasm of mitochondria, the nucleus, and synapses. Phase separation in vivo is dynamic or stable in the normal physiological state, while abnormal phase separation will lead to the formation of biomolecule condensates, speeding up the disease progression. To provide candidate suggestions for the clinical treatment of nervous system diseases, this review, based on existing studies, carefully and systematically represents the physiological roles of phase separation in the central nervous system and its pathological mechanism in neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxin Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, People's Republic of China
- School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361000, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongrui Zhu
- Department of Anesthesiology, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, People's Republic of China.
- Core Facility Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC (Anhui Provincial Hospital), Hefei, China.
| | - Ruijia Tian
- School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361000, People's Republic of China
| | - Qian Zhang
- School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361000, People's Republic of China
| | - Haoliang Zhang
- School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361000, People's Republic of China
| | - Jin Hu
- School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, 361000, People's Republic of China
| | - Sheng Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, People's Republic of China.
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7
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Chen X, Luo J, Zheng W, Huang Q, Du C, Yuan H, Xiao F. Hyperhidrosis as the initial symptom in FUS mutation-associated amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a case report and comprehensive literature review. Neurol Sci 2024; 45:1523-1527. [PMID: 37904013 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-023-07141-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that is now recognized to involve autonomic dysfunction. The burden of autonomic dysfunction is an important factor in the quality of life and prognosis of ALS patients. This article presents the clinical characteristics of a young female ALS patient with a fused in sarcoma (FUS) gene mutation and notable hyperhidrosis. METHOD Detailed clinical characteristics of the patients were collected, and comprehensive examinations such as electrophysiological assessment, neuro-ultrasound, genetic testing, and relevant blood tests were conducted. RESULT A 24-year-old female experienced progressive weakness in both lower limbs for over 5 months, along with excessive sweating on both palms and feet. A positive skin iodine-starch test was observed. Electromyography revealed extensive neurogenic damage and prolonged sympathetic skin response (SSR) latency in both lower limbs. Full exon gene sequencing showed a heterozygous mutation c.1574C>T (p.Pro525Leu) in the FUS gene. CONCLUSION The pathogenesis of ALS remains unclear at present. This case underscores the presence of autonomic nervous symptoms in ALS associated with FUS mutation and highlights the importance of early diagnosis and timely treatment intervention to enhance patient prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Chen
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No.1 Youyi Road, Yuanjiagang, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Jing Luo
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No.1 Youyi Road, Yuanjiagang, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China.
| | - Wei Zheng
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No.1 Youyi Road, Yuanjiagang, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Qinlian Huang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No.1 Youyi Road, Yuanjiagang, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Chao Du
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No.1 Youyi Road, Yuanjiagang, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Huan Yuan
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No.1 Youyi Road, Yuanjiagang, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Fei Xiao
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No.1 Youyi Road, Yuanjiagang, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China.
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8
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Ivantsik O, John A, Kydonopoulou K, Mitropoulos K, Gerou S, Ali BR, Patrinos GP. Novel Pathogenic Variants Leading to Sporadic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in Greek Patients. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:309. [PMID: 38540370 PMCID: PMC10970271 DOI: 10.3390/genes15030309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rapidly progressive disease that affects motor neurons, leading to paralysis and death usually 3-5 years after the onset of symptoms. The investigation of both sporadic and familial ALS highlighted four main genes that contribute to the pathogenesis of the disease: SOD1, FUS, TARDBP and C9orf72. This study aims to provide a comprehensive investigation of genetic variants found in SOD1, FUS and TARDBP genes in Greek sporadic ALS (sALS) cases. Our sequencing analysis of the coding regions of the abovementioned genes that include the majority of the variants that lead to ALS in 32 sALS patients and 3 healthy relatives revealed 6 variants in SOD1, 19 variants in FUS and 37 variants in TARDBP, of which the SOD1 p.D90A and the FUS c.*356G>A (rs886051940) variants have been previously associated with ALS, while two novel nonsense pathogenic variants were also identified, namely FUS p.R241* and TDP-43 p.Y214*. Our study contributes to the worldwide effort toward clarifying the genetic basis of sALS to better understand the disease's molecular pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ouliana Ivantsik
- Laboratory of Pharmacogenomics and Individualized Therapy, Division of Pharmacology and Biosciences, Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, 26504 Rion, Greece
| | - Anne John
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates
| | | | - Konstantinos Mitropoulos
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10679 Athens, Greece
| | - Spyridon Gerou
- ANALYSI Biomedical Laboratories S.A., 54623 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Bassam R. Ali
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates
- ASPIRE Abu Dhabi Precision Medicine Ρesearch Institute, Al-Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates
| | - George P. Patrinos
- Laboratory of Pharmacogenomics and Individualized Therapy, Division of Pharmacology and Biosciences, Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, 26504 Rion, Greece
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates
- ASPIRE Abu Dhabi Precision Medicine Ρesearch Institute, Al-Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates
- Zayed Center for Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates
- Clinical Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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9
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Xiao X, Li M, Ye Z, He X, Wei J, Zha Y. FUS gene mutation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a new case report and systematic review. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2024; 25:1-15. [PMID: 37926865 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2023.2272170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease associated with upper and lower motor neuron degeneration and necrosis, characterized by progressive muscle weakness, atrophy, and paralysis. The FUS mutation-associated ALS has been classified as ALS6. We reported a case of ALS6 with de novo mutation and investigated retrospectively the characteristics of cases with FUS mutation. METHODS We reported a male patient with a new heterozygous variant of the FUS gene and comprehensively reviewed 173 ALS cases with FUS mutation. The literature was reviewed from the PubMed MEDLINE electronic database (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed) using "Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Fus mutation" or "Fus mutation" as key words from 1 January 2009 to 1 January 2022. RESULTS We report a case of ALS6 with a new mutation point (c.1225-1227delGGA) and comprehensively review 173 ALS cases with FUS mutation. Though ALS6 is all with FUS mutation, it is still a highly heterogenous subtype. The average onset age of ALS6 is 35.2 ± 1.3 years, which is much lower than the average onset age of ALS (60 years old). Juvenile FUS mutations have an aggressive progression of disease, with an average time from onset to death or tracheostomy of 18.2 ± 0.5 months. FUS gene has the characteristics of early onset, faster progress, and shorter survival, especially in deletion mutation p.G504Wfs *12 and missense mutation of p.P525L. CONCLUSIONS ALS6 is a highly heterogenous subtype. Our study could allow clinicians to better understand the non-ALS typical symptoms, phenotypes, and pathophysiology of ALS6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Xiao
- Department of Neurology, Yichang Central Hospital, Institute of Neural Regeneration and Repair, College of Basic Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China and
| | - Min Li
- Department of Neurology, Yichang Central Hospital, Institute of Neural Regeneration and Repair, College of Basic Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China and
- Third-grade Pharmacological Laboratory on Traditional Chinese Medicine, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China
| | - Zhi Ye
- Department of Neurology, Yichang Central Hospital, Institute of Neural Regeneration and Repair, College of Basic Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China and
| | - Xiaoyan He
- Department of Neurology, Yichang Central Hospital, Institute of Neural Regeneration and Repair, College of Basic Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China and
| | - Jun Wei
- Department of Neurology, Yichang Central Hospital, Institute of Neural Regeneration and Repair, College of Basic Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China and
| | - Yunhong Zha
- Department of Neurology, Yichang Central Hospital, Institute of Neural Regeneration and Repair, College of Basic Medical Science, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, China and
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10
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Li C, Lin J, Jiang Q, Yang T, Xiao Y, Huang J, Hou Y, Wei Q, Cui Y, Wang S, Zheng X, Ou R, Liu K, Chen X, Song W, Zhao B, Shang H. Genetic Modifiers of Age at Onset for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Genome-Wide Association Study. Ann Neurol 2023; 94:933-941. [PMID: 37528491 DOI: 10.1002/ana.26752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Age at onset (AAO) is an essential clinical feature associated with disease progression and mortality in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Identification of genetic variants and environmental risk factors influencing AAO of ALS could help better understand the disease's biological mechanism and provide clinical guidance. However, most genetic studies focused on the risk of ALS, while the genetic background of AAO is less explored. This study aimed to identify genetic and environmental determinants for AAO of ALS. METHODS We performed a genome-wide association analysis using a Cox proportional hazards model on AAO of ALS in 10,068 patients. We further conducted colocalization analysis and in-vitro functional exploration for the target variants, as well as Mendelian randomization analysis to identify risk factors influencing AAO of ALS. RESULTS The total heritability of AAO of ALS was ~0.16 (standard error [SE] = 0.03). One novel locus rs2046243 (CTIF) was significantly associated with earlier AAO by ~1.29 years (p = 1.68E-08, beta = 0.10, SE = 0.02). Functional exploration suggested this variant was associated with increased expression of CTIF in multiple tissues including the brain. Colocalization analysis detected a colocalization signal at the locus between AAO of ALS and expression of CTIF. Causal inference indicated higher education level was associated with later AAO. INTERPRETATION These findings improve the current knowledge of the genetic and environmental etiology of AAO of ALS, and provide a novel target CTIF for further research on ALS pathogenesis and potential therapeutic options to delay the disease onset. ANN NEUROL 2023;94:933-941.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyu Li
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Junyu Lin
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qirui Jiang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Tianmi Yang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yi Xiao
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jingxuan Huang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yanbing Hou
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qianqian Wei
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yiyuan Cui
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Shichan Wang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaoting Zheng
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ruwei Ou
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Kuncheng Liu
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xueping Chen
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Wei Song
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Bi Zhao
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Huifang Shang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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Corcia P, Vourc'h P, Bernard E, Cassereau J, Codron P, Fleury MC, Guy N, Mouzat K, Pradat PF, Soriani MH, Couratier P. French National Protocol for genetic of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Rev Neurol (Paris) 2023; 179:1020-1029. [PMID: 37735015 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurol.2023.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Relationships between genes and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have been widely accepted since the first studies highlighting pathogenic mutations in the SOD1 gene 30years ago. Over the last three decades, scientific literature has clearly highlighted the central role played by genetic factors in the disease, in both clinics and pathophysiology, as well as in therapeutics. This implies that health professionals who care for patients with ALS are increasingly faced with patients and relatives eager to have answers to questions related to the role of genetic factors in the occurrence of the disease and the risk for their relatives to develop ALS. In order to address these public health issues, the French ALS network FILSLAN proposed to the Haute Autorité de santé (HAS) the drafting of a French National Protocol (PNDS) on ALS genetics. This PNDS was developed according to the "method for developing a national diagnosis and care protocol for rare diseases" published by the HAS in 2012 (methodological guide for PNDS available on the HAS website: http://www.has-sante.fr/). This document aims to provide the most recent data on the role of genes in ALS and to detail the implications for diagnosis and care.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Corcia
- CRMR SLA, CHRU Bretonneau, Tours, France; UMR 1253 iBrain, Tours, France.
| | - P Vourc'h
- UMR 1253 iBrain, Tours, France; Laboratoire de biochimie et biologie moléculaire, CHRU Bretonneau, Tours, France
| | | | | | - P Codron
- CRMR SLA, CHU d'Angers, Angers, France
| | - M-C Fleury
- CRC SLA, CHU de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - N Guy
- CRC SLA, CHU de Clermont-Ferrand, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - K Mouzat
- Laboratoire de biochimie et biologie moléculaire, CHU de Nîmes, Nîmes, France
| | - P-F Pradat
- CRMR SLA, CHU Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
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12
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Swerdlow RH, Jawdat O, Swint-Kruse L, Townley R. FUS G559A Mutation in a Patient with a Frontotemporal Dementia-Motor Neuron Disease Compatible Syndrome: A Case Report. J Alzheimers Dis Rep 2023; 7:1121-1126. [PMID: 37849626 PMCID: PMC10578331 DOI: 10.3233/adr-230103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Fused in sarcoma (FUS) mutations cause frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and motor neuron disease (MND). Here, we describe a 43-year-old man with progressive behavioral and cognitive change, myelopathy, clinical and electrophysiologic evidence of MND, and a FUS variant of unknown significance (VUS). This VUS, a heterozygous G559A transition (Gly187Ser), was previously reported in a patient with sporadic MND and affects important FUS biophysical properties. While this rare variant's presence in a second patient with a related neurodegenerative syndrome does not establish pathogenicity, it raises the question of whether its association with our patient is coincidental and increases the possibility that FUS G559A is pathogenic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Russell H. Swerdlow
- University of Kansas Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - Omar Jawdat
- Department of Neurology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - Liskin Swint-Kruse
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - Ryan Townley
- University of Kansas Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
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13
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Tzeplaeff L, Seguin J, Le Gras S, Megat S, Cosquer B, Plassard D, Dieterlé S, Paiva I, Picchiarelli G, Decraene C, Alcala-Vida R, Cassel JC, Merienne K, Dupuis L, Boutillier AL. Mutant FUS induces chromatin reorganization in the hippocampus and alters memory processes. Prog Neurobiol 2023; 227:102483. [PMID: 37327984 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2023.102483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Cytoplasmic mislocalization of the nuclear Fused in Sarcoma (FUS) protein is associated to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Cytoplasmic FUS accumulation is recapitulated in the frontal cortex and spinal cord of heterozygous Fus∆NLS/+ mice. Yet, the mechanisms linking FUS mislocalization to hippocampal function and memory formation are still not characterized. Herein, we show that in these mice, the hippocampus paradoxically displays nuclear FUS accumulation. Multi-omic analyses showed that FUS binds to a set of genes characterized by the presence of an ETS/ELK-binding motifs, and involved in RNA metabolism, transcription, ribosome/mitochondria and chromatin organization. Importantly, hippocampal nuclei showed a decompaction of the neuronal chromatin at highly expressed genes and an inappropriate transcriptomic response was observed after spatial training of Fus∆NLS/+ mice. Furthermore, these mice lacked precision in a hippocampal-dependent spatial memory task and displayed decreased dendritic spine density. These studies shows that mutated FUS affects epigenetic regulation of the chromatin landscape in hippocampal neurons, which could participate in FTD/ALS pathogenic events. These data call for further investigation in the neurological phenotype of FUS-related diseases and open therapeutic strategies towards epigenetic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Tzeplaeff
- Université de Strasbourg, Laboratoire de Neuroscience Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), Strasbourg, France; CNRS, UMR 7364, Strasbourg 67000, France; Université de Strasbourg, INSERM, UMR-S1118, Strasbourg, France
| | - Jonathan Seguin
- Université de Strasbourg, Laboratoire de Neuroscience Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), Strasbourg, France; CNRS, UMR 7364, Strasbourg 67000, France
| | - Stéphanie Le Gras
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS UMR 7104, INSERM U1258, GenomEast Platform, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France
| | - Salim Megat
- Université de Strasbourg, INSERM, UMR-S1118, Strasbourg, France
| | - Brigitte Cosquer
- Université de Strasbourg, Laboratoire de Neuroscience Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), Strasbourg, France; CNRS, UMR 7364, Strasbourg 67000, France
| | - Damien Plassard
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS UMR 7104, INSERM U1258, GenomEast Platform, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France
| | | | - Isabel Paiva
- Université de Strasbourg, Laboratoire de Neuroscience Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), Strasbourg, France; CNRS, UMR 7364, Strasbourg 67000, France
| | | | - Charles Decraene
- Université de Strasbourg, Laboratoire de Neuroscience Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), Strasbourg, France; CNRS, UMR 7364, Strasbourg 67000, France
| | - Rafael Alcala-Vida
- Université de Strasbourg, Laboratoire de Neuroscience Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), Strasbourg, France; CNRS, UMR 7364, Strasbourg 67000, France
| | - Jean-Christophe Cassel
- Université de Strasbourg, Laboratoire de Neuroscience Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), Strasbourg, France; CNRS, UMR 7364, Strasbourg 67000, France
| | - Karine Merienne
- Université de Strasbourg, Laboratoire de Neuroscience Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), Strasbourg, France; CNRS, UMR 7364, Strasbourg 67000, France
| | - Luc Dupuis
- Université de Strasbourg, INSERM, UMR-S1118, Strasbourg, France.
| | - Anne-Laurence Boutillier
- Université de Strasbourg, Laboratoire de Neuroscience Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), Strasbourg, France.
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14
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Jiang Q, Lin J, Wei Q, Li C, Hou Y, Zhang L, Ou R, Liu K, Yang T, Xiao Y, Hadano S, Shang H. Genetic and clinical characteristics of ALS patients with NEK1 gene variants. Neurobiol Aging 2023; 123:191-199. [PMID: 36443167 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2022.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
NIMA-related kinase 1(NEK1) gene was related to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, genetic spectrum and clinical characteristics of ALS patients with NEK1 variants was largely unknown. We conducted genetic analysis on 1587 Chinese ALS patients and used software to predict the pathogenicity of NEK1 missense variant. We searched the literatures in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. In our ALS cohort, 42 ALS patients (2.6%) carried NEK1 variants, including 10 novel loss-of-function (LoF) variant carriers and 32 missense variant carriers. 90% of the NEK1 LoF variant carriers had upper limbs onset. The median survival time of LoF variant carriers tend to be shorter than that of probably pathogenic variant carriers (23.80 vs. 42.77 months). In 16 related studies, 167 different NEK1 variants, including 62 LoF and 105 missense variants, were found in 237 reported ALS patients. It was found that the survival time of LoF variant carriers was significantly shorter than that of missense variant carriers. Our study expanded the genotype and phenotype spectrum of ALS patients with NEK1 variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qirui Jiang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Junyu Lin
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Qianqian Wei
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Chunyu Li
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yanbing Hou
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Lingyu Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ruwei Ou
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Kuncheng Liu
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Tianmi Yang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yi Xiao
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Shinji Hadano
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Huifang Shang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
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15
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Tan YJ, Yong ACW, Foo JN, Lian MM, Lim WK, Dominguez J, Fong ZH, Narasimhalu K, Chiew HJ, Ng KP, Ting SKS, Kandiah N, Ng ASL. C9orf72 expansions are the most common cause of genetic frontotemporal dementia in a Southeast Asian cohort. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2023; 10:568-578. [PMID: 36799407 PMCID: PMC10109321 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.51744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) encompasses a spectrum of neurodegenerative disorders, including behavioural variant FTD (bvFTD), semantic variant primary progressive aphasia (svPPA) and non-fluent variant PPA (nfvPPA). While a strong genetic component is implicated in FTD, genetic FTD in Asia is less frequently reported. We aimed to investigate the frequency of Southeast Asian FTD patients harbouring known genetic FTD variants. METHODS A total of 60 FTD-spectrum patients (25 familial and 35 sporadic) from Singapore and the Philippines were included. All underwent next-generation sequencing and repeat-primed PCR for C9orf72 expansion testing. Neurofilament light chain (NfL) levels were measured in a subset of patients. RESULTS Overall, 26.6% (16/60 cases) carried pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants in a FTD-related gene, including: MAPT Gln351Arg (n = 1); GRN Cys92Ter (n = 1), Ser301Ter (n = 2), c.462 + 1G > C (n = 1); C9orf72 expansion (35-70 repeats; n = 8); TREM2 Arg47Cys (n = 1); and OPTN frameshift insertion (n = 2). Genetic mutations accounted for 48% (12/25) of patients with familial FTD, and 11.4% (4/35) of patients with sporadic FTD. C9orf72 repeat expansions were the most common genetic mutation (13.3%, 8/60), followed by GRN (6.7%, 4/60) variants. Within mutation carriers, plasma NfL was highest in a C9orf72 expansion carrier, and CSF NfL was highest in a GRN splice variant carrier. INTERPRETATION In our cohort, genetic mutations are present in one-quarter of FTD-spectrum cases, and up to half of those with family history. Our findings highlight the importance of wider implementation of genetic testing in FTD patients from Southeast Asia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Jayne Tan
- Department of Neurology, National Neuroscience Institute, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Alisa C W Yong
- Department of Neurology, National Neuroscience Institute, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jia Nee Foo
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.,Human Genetics, Genome Institute of Singapore, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Michelle M Lian
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Weng Khong Lim
- Singhealth Duke-NUS Institute of Precision Medicine, Singapore, Singapore.,Cancer & Stem Cell Biology Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Zhi Hui Fong
- Department of Neurology, National Neuroscience Institute, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kaavya Narasimhalu
- Singhealth Duke-NUS Institute of Precision Medicine, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Neurology, National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Hui Jin Chiew
- Department of Neurology, National Neuroscience Institute, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kok Pin Ng
- Department of Neurology, National Neuroscience Institute, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Simon K S Ting
- Department of Neurology, National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Nagaendran Kandiah
- Department of Neurology, National Neuroscience Institute, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Adeline S L Ng
- Department of Neurology, National Neuroscience Institute, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.,Neuroscience and Behavioural Disorders Programme, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
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16
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Summa S, Ittiwut C, Kulsirichawaroj P, Paprad T, Likasitwattanakul S, Sanmaneechai O, Boonsimma P, Suphapeetiporn K, Shotelersuk V. Utilisation of exome sequencing for muscular disorders in Thai paediatric patients: diagnostic yield and mutational spectrum. Sci Rep 2023; 13:1376. [PMID: 36697461 PMCID: PMC9876991 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28405-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Muscular dystrophies and congenital myopathies are heterogeneous groups of inherited muscular disorders. An accurate diagnosis is challenging due to their complex clinical presentations and genetic heterogeneity. This study aimed to determine the utilisation of exome sequencing (ES) for Thai paediatric patients with muscular disorders. Of 176 paediatric patients suspected of genetic/inherited myopathies, 133 patients received a molecular diagnosis after performing conventional investigations, single gene testing, and gene panels. The remaining 43 patients from 42 families could be classified into three groups: Group 1, MLPA-negative Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) with 9 patients (9/43; 21%), Group 2, other muscular dystrophies (MD) with 18 patients (18/43; 42%) and Group 3, congenital myopathies (CM) with 16 patients (16/43; 37%). All underwent exome sequencing which could identify pathogenic variants in 8/9 (89%), 14/18 (78%), and 8/16 (50%), for each Group, respectively. Overall, the diagnostic yield of ES was 70% (30/43) and 36 pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants in 14 genes were identified. 18 variants have never been previously reported. Molecular diagnoses provided by ES changed management in 22/30 (73%) of the patients. Our study demonstrates the clinical utility and implications of ES in inherited myopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarinya Summa
- Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10700, Thailand.,Department of Paediatrics, Samutprakan Hospital, Samutprakan, 10270, Thailand
| | - Chupong Ittiwut
- Center of Excellence for Medical Genomics, Medical Genomics Cluster, Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand.,Excellence Center for Genomics and Precision Medicine, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, the Thai Red Cross Society, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - Pimchanok Kulsirichawaroj
- Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10700, Thailand.,Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Vajira Hospital, Navamindradhiraj University, Bangkok, 10300, Thailand
| | - Tanitnun Paprad
- Division of Neurology, Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - Surachai Likasitwattanakul
- Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10700, Thailand
| | - Oranee Sanmaneechai
- Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10700, Thailand.
| | - Ponghatai Boonsimma
- Center of Excellence for Medical Genomics, Medical Genomics Cluster, Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand. .,Excellence Center for Genomics and Precision Medicine, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, the Thai Red Cross Society, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand.
| | - Kanya Suphapeetiporn
- Center of Excellence for Medical Genomics, Medical Genomics Cluster, Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand.,Excellence Center for Genomics and Precision Medicine, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, the Thai Red Cross Society, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - Vorasuk Shotelersuk
- Center of Excellence for Medical Genomics, Medical Genomics Cluster, Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand.,Excellence Center for Genomics and Precision Medicine, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, the Thai Red Cross Society, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
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17
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Yang X, Sun X, Liu Q, Liu L, Li J, Cai Z, Zhang K, Liu S, He D, Shen D, Liu M, Cui L, Zhang X. Mutation spectrum of chinese amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients with frontotemporal dementia. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2022; 17:404. [DOI: 10.1186/s13023-022-02531-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Studies have reported that a noncoding hexanucleotide repeat in C9ORF72, is the most common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) among Caucasian population, nevertheless it is rare in Chinese population. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the mutation spectrum of Chinese ALS patients with FTD (ALS-FTD).
Methods
ALS patients with and without cognitive impairments were enrolled. Clinical features were collected including age, sex, disease duration, ALSFRS-r, family history and cognitive evaluation. Thirty-six ALS genes were screened by whole exome sequencing (WES) and repeat-primed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were used for detection of and abnormal repeat expansions of C9ORF72.
Results
A total of 1208 patients, including 66 familial ALS (FALS) and 1142 sporadic ALS (SALS) patients were included. Twenty-three patients with sporadic ALS and one familial ALS index had concomitant FTD, which accounts for 1.99% (24/1208) of patients with ALS. In sporadic ALS-FTD, one case harboring C9ORF72 expansion variant, two cases harboring ANXA11 variants and one individual carrying CCNF variant were identified. A recurrent UBQLN2 variant was detected in a familial ALS-FTD patient. All of the ALS-FTD patients carrying variants in known causative genes manifested motor symptom onset (two bulbar onset and three limb onset) and developed cognitive impairment thereafter. It is not easy to draw a conclusion of the genotype-phenotype association in ALS-FTD with certain variants, limited by the small number of patients.
Conclusion
Our findings provide an overview of spectrum of genetic variants in Chinese ALS-FTD patients. Variants of uncertain significance in UBQLN2, ANXA11 and CCNF were identified and further studies are required for causal relations of these variants with ALS-FTD.
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18
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Kanekura K, Kuroda M. How can we interpret the relationship between liquid-liquid phase separation and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis? J Transl Med 2022; 102:912-918. [PMID: 36775420 DOI: 10.1038/s41374-022-00791-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the critical definitions of neurodegenerative diseases is the formation of insoluble intracellular inclusion body. These inclusions are found in various neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Each inclusion body contains disease-specific proteins and is also resistant to common detergent treatments. These aggregates are generally ubiquitinated and thus recognized as misfolded by the organism. They are observed in residual neurons at the affected sites in each disease, suggesting a contribution to disease pathogenesis. The molecular mechanisms for the formation of these inclusion bodies remain unclear. Some proteins, such as superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) mutant that causes familial ALS, are highly aggregative due to altered folding caused by point mutations. Still, the aggregates observed in neurodegenerative diseases contain wild-type proteins. In recent years, it has been reported that the proteins responsible for neurodegenerative diseases undergo liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS). In particular, the ALS/FTD causative proteins such as TAR DNA-binding protein 43 kDa (TDP-43) and fused-in-sarcoma (FUS) undergo LLPS. LLPS increases the local concentration of these proteins, and these proteins eventually change their phase from liquid to solid (liquid-solid phase transition) due to abnormal folding during repetitive separation cycles into two phases and recovery to one phase. In addition to the inclusion body formation, sequestration of essential proteins into the LLPS droplets or changes in the LLPS status can directly impair neural functions and cause diseases. In this review, we will discuss the relationship between the LLPS observed in ALS causative proteins and the pathogenesis of the disease and outline potential therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kohsuke Kanekura
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Tokyo Medical University, 6-1-1 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8402, Japan.
| | - Masahiko Kuroda
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Tokyo Medical University, 6-1-1 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-8402, Japan
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19
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Li Z, Liu X, Liu M. Stress Granule Homeostasis, Aberrant Phase Transition, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:2356-2370. [PMID: 35905138 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease. In recent years, a large number of ALS-related mutations have been discovered to have a strong link to stress granules (SGs). SGs are cytoplasmic ribonucleoprotein condensates mediated by liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of biomacromolecules. They help cells cope with stress. The normal physiological functions of SGs are dependent on three key aspects of SG "homeostasis": SG assembly, disassembly, and SG components. Any of these three aspects can be disrupted, resulting in abnormalities in the cellular stress response and leading to cytotoxicity. Several ALS-related pathogenic mutants have abnormal LLPS abilities that disrupt SG homeostasis, and some of them can even cause aberrant phase transitions. As a result, ALS-related mutants may disrupt various aspects of SG homeostasis by directly disturbing the intermolecular interactions or affecting core SG components, thus disrupting the phase equilibrium of the cytoplasm during stress. Considering that the importance of the "global view" of SG homeostasis in ALS pathogenesis has not received enough attention, we first systematically summarize the physiological regulatory mechanism of SG homeostasis based on LLPS and then examine ALS pathogenesis from the perspective of disrupted SG homeostasis and aberrant phase transition of biomacromolecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhanxu Li
- Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha 410078, Hunan, China
| | - Xionghao Liu
- Center for Medical Genetics & Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Mujun Liu
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha 410078, Hunan, China
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20
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Tan J, Zeng L, Wang Y, Liu G, Huang L, Chen D, Wang X, Fan N, He Y, Liu X. Compound Heterozygous Variants of the CPAMD8 Gene Co-Segregating in Two Chinese Pedigrees With Pigment Dispersion Syndrome/Pigmentary Glaucoma. Front Genet 2022; 13:845081. [PMID: 35957697 PMCID: PMC9358689 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.845081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of pigment dispersion syndrome and pigmentary glaucoma remain unclear. In pedigree-based studies, familial aggregation and recurrences in relatives suggest a strong genetic basis for pigmentary glaucoma. In this study, we aimed to identify the genetic background of two Chinese pedigrees with pigmentary glaucoma. All members of these two pedigrees who enrolled in the study underwent a comprehensive ophthalmologic examination, and genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral venous blood samples. Whole-exome sequencing and candidate gene verifications were performed to identify the disease-causing variants; in addition, screening of the CPAMD8 gene was performed on 38 patients of sporadic pigmentary glaucoma. Changes in the structure and function of abnormal proteins caused by gene variants were analyzed with a bioinformatics assessment. Pigmentary glaucoma was identified in a total of five patients from the two pedigrees, as were compound heterozygous variants of the CPAMD8 gene. No signs of pigmentary glaucoma were found in carriers of monoallelic CPAMD8 variant/variants. All four variants were inherited in an autosomal recessive mode. In addition to the 38 patients of sporadic pigmentary glaucoma, 13 variants of the CPAMD8 gene were identified in 11 patients. This study reported a possible association between CPAMD8 variants and pigment dispersion syndrome/pigmentary glaucoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junkai Tan
- Xiamen Eye Center, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Liuzhi Zeng
- Department of Ophthalmology, Chengdu First People’s Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Yun Wang
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Eye Institute, Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Guo Liu
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory for Human Disease Gene Study, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Longxiang Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Defu Chen
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, The Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Xizhen Wang
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Eye Institute, Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ning Fan
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Eye Institute, Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yu He
- Department of Ophthalmology, Chengdu First People’s Hospital, Chengdu, China
| | - Xuyang Liu
- Xiamen Eye Center, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shenzhen People’s Hospital, The 2nd Clinical Medical College, Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
- *Correspondence: Xuyang Liu,
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21
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Degenerative dementias: a question of syndrome or disease? NEUROLOGÍA (ENGLISH EDITION) 2022; 37:480-491. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nrleng.2019.03.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
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22
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Robles Bayón A. Degenerative dementias: A question of syndrome or disease? Neurologia 2022; 37:480-491. [PMID: 31331676 DOI: 10.1016/j.nrl.2019.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurologists refer to numerous "syndromes,‿ consisting of specific combinations of clinical manifestations, following a specific progression pattern, and with the support of blood analysis (without genomic-proteomic parameters) and neuroimaging findings (MRI, CT, perfusion SPECT, or 18F-FDG-PET scans). Neurodegenerative "diseases,‿ on the other hand, are defined by specific combinations of clinical signs and histopathological findings; these must be confirmed by a clinical examination and a histology study or evidence of markers of a specific disorder for the diagnosis to be made. However, we currently know that most genetic and histopathological alterations can result in diverse syndromes. The genetic or histopathological aetiology of each syndrome is also heterogeneous, and we may encounter situations with pathophysiological alterations characterising more than one neurodegenerative disease. Sometimes, specific biomarkers are detected in the preclinical stage. DEVELOPMENT We performed a literature review to identify patients whose histopathological or genetic disorder was discordant with that expected for the clinical syndrome observed, as well as patients presenting multiple neurodegenerative diseases, confirming the heterogeneity and overlap between syndromes and diseases. We also observed that the treatments currently prescribed to patients with neurodegenerative diseases are symptomatic. CONCLUSIONS Our findings show that the search for disease biomarkers should be restricted to research centres, given the lack of disease-modifying drugs or treatments improving survival. Moreover, syndromes and specific molecular or histopathological alterations should be managed independently of one another, and new "diseases‿ should be defined and adapted to current knowledge and practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Robles Bayón
- Unidad de Neurología Cognitiva, Hospital HM Rosaleda, Santiago de Compostela, La Coruña, España.
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23
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Bazán-Rodríguez L, Ruíz-Avalos JA, Bernal-López O, Benitez-Alonso EO, Villaseñor-Sánchez J, Fernandez-Valverde F, Vargas-Cañas S. FUS as a cause of familial Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a case report in a pregnant patient. Neurocase 2022; 28:323-330. [PMID: 35833217 DOI: 10.1080/13554794.2022.2100265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease. In 10% the disease is familial and rarely occurs in childbearing age women. A 28-year-old female pregnancy patient presented a two-month history of dropped head syndrome, dysphagia, muscle weakness, atrophy, and lingual wasting. Electromyography supported the diagnosis of ALS. Due to family history and background, we carried out molecular genetic testing. We identified a novel variant of uncertain significance: c. 1566 G > C (p.Arg522Ser) in exon 15 in FUS gene. Our findings provide the first case of ALS onset during pregnancy with a novel mutation in FUS gene reported in Mexico.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisette Bazán-Rodríguez
- Neuromuscular Disorders Clinic, National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery Dr. Manuel Velasco Suarez, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Jesús A Ruíz-Avalos
- Neuromuscular Disorders Clinic, National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery Dr. Manuel Velasco Suarez, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Oscar Bernal-López
- Department of Neurology, Mexican Institute of Social Security, La Raza National Medical Center Specialty Hospital, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Edmar O Benitez-Alonso
- Department of Neurogenetics, National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery Dr. Manuel Velasco Suarez, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Jesica Villaseñor-Sánchez
- Department of Neurology, Mexican Institute of Social Security, La Raza National Medical Center Specialty Hospital, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Francisca Fernandez-Valverde
- Neuromuscular Pathology Laboratory, National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery Dr. Manuel Velasco Suarez, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Steven Vargas-Cañas
- Neuromuscular Disorders Clinic, National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery Dr. Manuel Velasco Suarez, Mexico City, Mexico
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24
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Milicevic K, Rankovic B, Andjus PR, Bataveljic D, Milovanovic D. Emerging Roles for Phase Separation of RNA-Binding Proteins in Cellular Pathology of ALS. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:840256. [PMID: 35372329 PMCID: PMC8965147 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.840256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) is emerging as a major principle for the mesoscale organization of proteins, RNAs, and membrane-bound organelles into biomolecular condensates. These condensates allow for rapid cellular responses to changes in metabolic activities and signaling. Nowhere is this regulation more important than in neurons and glia, where cellular physiology occurs simultaneously on a range of time- and length-scales. In a number of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), misregulation of biomolecular condensates leads to the formation of insoluble aggregates-a pathological hallmark of both sporadic and familial ALS. Here, we summarize how the emerging knowledge about the LLPS of ALS-related proteins corroborates with their aggregation. Understanding the mechanisms that lead to protein aggregation in ALS and how cells respond to these aggregates promises to open new directions for drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarina Milicevic
- Center for Laser Microscopy, Faculty of Biology, Institute of Physiology and Biochemistry “Ivan Djaja”, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Branislava Rankovic
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Berlin, Germany
| | - Pavle R. Andjus
- Center for Laser Microscopy, Faculty of Biology, Institute of Physiology and Biochemistry “Ivan Djaja”, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Danijela Bataveljic
- Center for Laser Microscopy, Faculty of Biology, Institute of Physiology and Biochemistry “Ivan Djaja”, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Dragomir Milovanovic
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Berlin, Germany
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25
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Kumar R, Haider S. Protein network analysis to prioritize key genes in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. IBRO Neurosci Rep 2021; 12:25-44. [PMID: 34918006 PMCID: PMC8669318 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibneur.2021.12.002] [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: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal disease, progressive nature characterizes by loss of both upper and lower motor neuron functions. One of the major challenge is to understand the mechanism of ALS multifactorial nature. We aimed to explore some key genes related to ALS through bioinformatics methods for its therapeutic intervention. Here, we applied a systems biology approach involving experimentally validated 148 ALS-associated proteins and construct ALS protein-protein interaction network (ALS-PPIN). The network was further statistically analysed and identified bottleneck-hubs. The network is also subjected to identify modules which could have similar functions. The interaction between the modules and bottleneck-hubs provides the functional regulatory role of the ALS mechanism. The ALS-PPIN demonstrated a hierarchical scale-free nature. We identified 17 bottleneck-hubs, in which CDC5L, SNW1, TP53, SOD1, and VCP were the high degree nodes (hubs) in ALS-PPIN. CDC5L was found to control highly cluster modules and play a vital role in the stability of the overall network followed by SNW1, TP53, SOD1, and VCP. HSPA5 and HSPA8 acting as a common connector for CDC5L and TP53 bottleneck-hubs. The functional and disease association analysis showed ALS has a strong correlation with mRNA processing, protein deubiquitination, and neoplasms, nervous system, immune system disease classes. In the future, biochemical investigation of the observed bottleneck-hubs and their interacting partners could provide a further understanding of their role in the pathophysiology of ALS. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis protein-protein interaction network (ALS-PPIN) followed a hierarchical scale-free nature. We identified 17 bottleneck-hubs in the ALS-PPIN. Among bottleneck-hubs we found CDC5L, SNW1, TP53, SOD1, and VCP were the high degree nodes (hubs) in the ALS-PPIN. CDC5L is the effective communicator with all five modules in the ALS-PPIN and followed by SNW1 and TP53. Modules are highly associated with various disease classes like neoplasms, nervous systems and others.
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Key Words
- ALS
- ALS, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
- ALS-PPIN
- ALS-PPIN, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Protein-Protein Interaction Network
- ALSoD, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis online database
- BC, Betweenness centrality
- Bn-H, Bottleneck-hub
- Bottleneck-hubs
- CDC5L
- CDC5L, Cell division cycle5-likeprotein
- FUS, Fused in sarcoma
- MCODE, Molecular Complex Detection
- MND, Motor neuron disease
- SMA, Spinal muscular atrophy
- SMN, Survival of motor neuron
- SNW1
- SNW1, SNW domain-containing protein 1
- SOD1
- SOD1, Superoxide dismutase
- TP53
- TP53, Tumor protein p53
- VCP
- VCP, Valosin containing protein
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Affiliation(s)
- Rupesh Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Noida, Sec-62, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Shazia Haider
- Department of Biotechnology, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Noida, Sec-62, Uttar Pradesh, India
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26
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Anoar S, Woodling NS, Niccoli T. Mitochondria Dysfunction in Frontotemporal Dementia/Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Lessons From Drosophila Models. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:786076. [PMID: 34899176 PMCID: PMC8652125 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.786076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are neurodegenerative disorders characterized by declining motor and cognitive functions. Even though these diseases present with distinct sets of symptoms, FTD and ALS are two extremes of the same disease spectrum, as they show considerable overlap in genetic, clinical and neuropathological features. Among these overlapping features, mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with both FTD and ALS. Recent studies have shown that cells derived from patients' induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC)s display mitochondrial abnormalities, and similar abnormalities have been observed in a number of animal disease models. Drosophila models have been widely used to study FTD and ALS because of their rapid generation time and extensive set of genetic tools. A wide array of fly models have been developed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of toxicity for mutations associated with FTD/ALS. Fly models have been often instrumental in understanding the role of disease associated mutations in mitochondria biology. In this review, we discuss how mutations associated with FTD/ALS disrupt mitochondrial function, and we review how the use of Drosophila models has been pivotal to our current knowledge in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharifah Anoar
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, Institute of Healthy Ageing, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nathaniel S Woodling
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, Institute of Healthy Ageing, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Teresa Niccoli
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, Institute of Healthy Ageing, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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27
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The low-complexity domain of the FUS RNA binding protein self-assembles via the mutually exclusive use of two distinct cross-β cores. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2114412118. [PMID: 34654750 PMCID: PMC8545455 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2114412118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Single amino acid changes causative of neurologic disease often map to the cross-β forming regions of low-complexity (LC) domains. All such mutations studied to date lead to enhanced avidity of cross-β interactions. The LC domain of the fused in sarcoma (FUS) RNA binding protein contains three different regions that are capable of forming labile cross-β interactions. Here we describe the perplexing effect of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)-causing mutations localized to the LC domain of FUS to substantially weaken its ability to form one of its three cross-β interactions. An understanding of how these mutations abet uncontrolled polymerization of the FUS LC domain may represent an important clue as to how LC domains achieve their proper biological function. The low-complexity (LC) domain of the fused in sarcoma (FUS) RNA binding protein self-associates in a manner causing phase separation from an aqueous environment. Incubation of the FUS LC domain under physiologically normal conditions of salt and pH leads to rapid formation of liquid-like droplets that mature into a gel-like state. Both examples of phase separation have enabled reductionist biochemical assays allowing discovery of an N-terminal region of 57 residues that assembles into a labile, cross-β structure. Here we provide evidence of a nonoverlapping, C-terminal region of the FUS LC domain that also forms specific cross-β interactions. We propose that biologic function of the FUS LC domain may operate via the mutually exclusive use of these N- and C-terminal cross-β cores. Neurodegenerative disease–causing mutations in the FUS LC domain are shown to imbalance the two cross-β cores, offering an unanticipated concept of LC domain function and dysfunction.
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28
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Wild-type FUS corrects ALS-like disease induced by cytoplasmic mutant FUS through autoregulation. Mol Neurodegener 2021; 16:61. [PMID: 34488813 PMCID: PMC8419956 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-021-00477-w] [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: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in FUS, an RNA-binding protein involved in multiple steps of RNA metabolism, are associated with the most severe forms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Accumulation of cytoplasmic FUS is likely to be a major culprit in the toxicity of FUS mutations. Thus, preventing cytoplasmic mislocalization of the FUS protein may represent a valuable therapeutic strategy. FUS binds to its own pre-mRNA creating an autoregulatory loop efficiently buffering FUS excess through multiple proposed mechanisms including retention of introns 6 and/or 7. Here, we introduced a wild-type FUS gene allele, retaining all intronic sequences, in mice whose heterozygous or homozygous expression of a cytoplasmically retained FUS protein (Fus∆NLS) was previously shown to provoke ALS-like disease or postnatal lethality, respectively. Wild-type FUS completely rescued the early lethality caused by the two Fus∆NLS alleles, and improved the age-dependent motor deficits and reduced lifespan caused by heterozygous expression of mutant FUS∆NLS. Mechanistically, wild-type FUS decreased the load of cytoplasmic FUS, increased retention of introns 6 and 7 in the endogenous mouse Fus mRNA, and decreased expression of the mutant mRNA. Thus, the wild-type FUS allele activates the homeostatic autoregulatory loop, maintaining constant FUS levels and decreasing the mutant protein in the cytoplasm. These results provide proof of concept that an autoregulatory competent wild-type FUS expression could protect against this devastating, currently intractable, neurodegenerative disease.
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Huq AJ, Sexton A, Lacaze P, Masters CL, Storey E, Velakoulis D, James PA, Winship IM. Genetic testing in dementia-A medical genetics perspective. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 2021; 36:1158-1170. [PMID: 33779003 DOI: 10.1002/gps.5535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE When a genetic cause is suspected in a person with dementia, it creates unique diagnostic and management challenges to the treating clinician. Many clinicians may be unaware of the practicalities surrounding genetic testing for their patients, such as when to test and what tests to use and how to counsel patients and their families. This review was conducted to provide guidance to clinicians caring for patients with dementia regarding clinically relevant genetics. METHODS We searched PubMed for studies that involved genetics of dementia up to March 2020. Patient file reviews were also conducted to create composite cases. RESULTS In addition to families where a strong Mendelian pattern of family history is seen, people with younger age of onset, especially before the age of 65 years were found to be at an increased risk of harbouring a genetic cause for their dementia. This review discusses some of the most common genetic syndromes, including Alzheimer disease, frontotemporal dementia, vascular dementia, Parkinson disease dementia/dementia with Lewy bodies and some rarer types of genetic dementias, along with illustrative clinical case studies. This is followed by a brief review of the current genetic technologies and a discussion on the unique genetic counselling issues in dementia. CONCLUSIONS Inclusion of genetic testing in the diagnostic pathway in some patients with dementia could potentially reduce the time taken to diagnose the cause of their dementia. Although a definite advantage as an addition to the diagnostic repository, genetic testing has many pros and cons which need to be carefully considered first.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aamira J Huq
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Adrienne Sexton
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Paul Lacaze
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, The Alfred Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Colin L Masters
- Neurosciences, The Florey Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Elsdon Storey
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Dennis Velakoulis
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Paul A James
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ingrid M Winship
- Department of Genomic Medicine, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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30
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Scekic-Zahirovic J, Sanjuan-Ruiz I, Kan V, Megat S, De Rossi P, Dieterlé S, Cassel R, Jamet M, Kessler P, Wiesner D, Tzeplaeff L, Demais V, Sahadevan S, Hembach KM, Muller HP, Picchiarelli G, Mishra N, Antonucci S, Dirrig-Grosch S, Kassubek J, Rasche V, Ludolph A, Boutillier AL, Roselli F, Polymenidou M, Lagier-Tourenne C, Liebscher S, Dupuis L. Cytoplasmic FUS triggers early behavioral alterations linked to cortical neuronal hyperactivity and inhibitory synaptic defects. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3028. [PMID: 34021132 PMCID: PMC8140148 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23187-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene mutations causing cytoplasmic mislocalization of the RNA-binding protein FUS lead to severe forms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Cytoplasmic accumulation of FUS is also observed in other diseases, with unknown consequences. Here, we show that cytoplasmic mislocalization of FUS drives behavioral abnormalities in knock-in mice, including locomotor hyperactivity and alterations in social interactions, in the absence of widespread neuronal loss. Mechanistically, we identified a progressive increase in neuronal activity in the frontal cortex of Fus knock-in mice in vivo, associated with altered synaptic gene expression. Synaptic ultrastructural and morphological defects were more pronounced in inhibitory than excitatory synapses and associated with increased synaptosomal levels of FUS and its RNA targets. Thus, cytoplasmic FUS triggers synaptic deficits, which is leading to increased neuronal activity in frontal cortex and causing related behavioral phenotypes. These results indicate that FUS mislocalization may trigger deleterious phenotypes beyond motor neuron impairment in ALS, likely relevant also for other neurodegenerative diseases characterized by FUS mislocalization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Scekic-Zahirovic
- Université de Strasbourg, Inserm, Mécanismes centraux et périphériques de la neurodégénérescence, Strasbourg, France
| | - Inmaculada Sanjuan-Ruiz
- Université de Strasbourg, Inserm, Mécanismes centraux et périphériques de la neurodégénérescence, Strasbourg, France
| | - Vanessa Kan
- Institute of Clinical Neuroimmunology, Klinikum der Universität München, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
- BioMedical Center, Medical Faculty, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Salim Megat
- Université de Strasbourg, Inserm, Mécanismes centraux et périphériques de la neurodégénérescence, Strasbourg, France
| | - Pierre De Rossi
- Department of Quantitative Biomedicine, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Stéphane Dieterlé
- Université de Strasbourg, Inserm, Mécanismes centraux et périphériques de la neurodégénérescence, Strasbourg, France
| | - Raphaelle Cassel
- Université de Strasbourg, Inserm, Mécanismes centraux et périphériques de la neurodégénérescence, Strasbourg, France
- Université de Strasbourg, UMR 7364 CNRS, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), Strasbourg, France
| | - Marguerite Jamet
- Université de Strasbourg, Inserm, Mécanismes centraux et périphériques de la neurodégénérescence, Strasbourg, France
| | - Pascal Kessler
- Université de Strasbourg, Inserm, Unité mixte de service du CRBS, UMS 038, Strasbourg, France
| | - Diana Wiesner
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Ulm, Germany
| | - Laura Tzeplaeff
- Université de Strasbourg, UMR 7364 CNRS, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), Strasbourg, France
| | - Valérie Demais
- Plateforme Imagerie In Vitro, CNRS UPS-3156, NeuroPôle, Strasbourg, France
| | - Sonu Sahadevan
- Department of Quantitative Biomedicine, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Katharina M Hembach
- Department of Quantitative Biomedicine, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | - Gina Picchiarelli
- Université de Strasbourg, Inserm, Mécanismes centraux et périphériques de la neurodégénérescence, Strasbourg, France
| | - Nibha Mishra
- Department of Neurology, The Sean M. Healey and AMG Center for ALS at Mass General, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of Harvard University and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Stefano Antonucci
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Ulm, Germany
| | - Sylvie Dirrig-Grosch
- Université de Strasbourg, Inserm, Mécanismes centraux et périphériques de la neurodégénérescence, Strasbourg, France
| | - Jan Kassubek
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Volker Rasche
- Ulm University Medical Center, Department of Internal Medicine II, Ulm, Germany
| | - Albert Ludolph
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Ulm, Germany
| | - Anne-Laurence Boutillier
- Université de Strasbourg, UMR 7364 CNRS, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), Strasbourg, France
| | - Francesco Roselli
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Clotilde Lagier-Tourenne
- Department of Neurology, The Sean M. Healey and AMG Center for ALS at Mass General, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of Harvard University and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sabine Liebscher
- Institute of Clinical Neuroimmunology, Klinikum der Universität München, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany.
- BioMedical Center, Medical Faculty, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany.
- Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany.
| | - Luc Dupuis
- Université de Strasbourg, Inserm, Mécanismes centraux et périphériques de la neurodégénérescence, Strasbourg, France.
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Yamaguchi M, Lee IS, Jantrapirom S, Suda K, Yoshida H. Drosophila models to study causative genes for human rare intractable neurological diseases. Exp Cell Res 2021; 403:112584. [PMID: 33812867 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2021.112584] [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: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Drosophila is emerging as a convenient model for investigating human diseases. Functional homologues of almost 75% of human disease-related genes are found in Drosophila. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a severe neurodegenerative disease that causes defects in motoneurons. Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is one of the most commonly found inherited neuropathies affecting both motor and sensory neurons. No effective therapy has been established for either of these diseases. In this review, after overviewing ALS, Drosophila models targeting several ALS-causing genes, including TDP-43, FUS and Ubiquilin2, are described with their genetic interactants. Then, after overviewing CMT, examples of Drosophila models targeting several CMT-causing genes, including mitochondria-related genes and FIG 4, are also described with their genetic interactants. In addition, we introduce Sotos syndrome caused by mutations in the epigenetic regulator gene NSD1. Lastly, several genes and pathways that commonly interact with ALS- and/or CMT-causing genes are described. In the case of ALS and CMT that have many causative genes, it may be not practical to perform gene therapy for each of the many disease-causing genes. The possible uses of the common genes and pathways as novel diagnosis markers and effective therapeutic targets are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masamitsu Yamaguchi
- Department of Applied Biology, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8585, Japan; Kansai Gakken Laboratory, Kankyo Eisei Yakuhin Co. Ltd., Seika-cho, Kyoto, 619-0237, Japan
| | - Im-Soon Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Salinee Jantrapirom
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Kojiro Suda
- Department of Applied Biology, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8585, Japan
| | - Hideki Yoshida
- Department of Applied Biology, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8585, Japan.
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32
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Gonzalez A, Mannen T, Çağatay T, Fujiwara A, Matsumura H, Niesman AB, Brautigam CA, Chook YM, Yoshizawa T. Mechanism of karyopherin-β2 binding and nuclear import of ALS variants FUS(P525L) and FUS(R495X). Sci Rep 2021; 11:3754. [PMID: 33580145 PMCID: PMC7881136 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83196-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the RNA-binding protein FUS cause familial amyotropic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Several mutations that affect the proline-tyrosine nuclear localization signal (PY-NLS) of FUS cause severe juvenile ALS. FUS also undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) to accumulate in stress granules when cells are stressed. In unstressed cells, wild type FUS resides predominantly in the nucleus as it is imported by the importin Karyopherin-β2 (Kapβ2), which binds with high affinity to the C-terminal PY-NLS of FUS. Here, we analyze the interactions between two ALS-related variants FUS(P525L) and FUS(R495X) with importins, especially Kapβ2, since they are still partially localized to the nucleus despite their defective/missing PY-NLSs. The crystal structure of the Kapβ2·FUS(P525L)PY-NLS complex shows the mutant peptide making fewer contacts at the mutation site, explaining decreased affinity for Kapβ2. Biochemical analysis revealed that the truncated FUS(R495X) protein, although missing the PY-NLS, can still bind Kapβ2 and suppresses LLPS. FUS(R495X) uses its C-terminal tandem arginine-glycine-glycine regions, RGG2 and RGG3, to bind the PY-NLS binding site of Kapβ2 for nuclear localization in cells when arginine methylation is inhibited. These findings suggest the importance of the C-terminal RGG regions in nuclear import and LLPS regulation of ALS variants of FUS that carry defective PY-NLSs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abner Gonzalez
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Taro Mannen
- College of Life Sciences, Ritsumeikan University, Shiga, Japan
| | - Tolga Çağatay
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Ayano Fujiwara
- College of Life Sciences, Ritsumeikan University, Shiga, Japan
| | | | - Ashley B Niesman
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Chad A Brautigam
- Department of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Yuh Min Chook
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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Lanteri P, Meola I, Canosa A, De Marco G, Lomartire A, Rinaudo MT, Albamonte E, Sansone VA, Lunetta C, Manera U, Vasta R, Moglia C, Calvo A, Origone P, Chiò A, Mandich P. The heterozygous deletion c.1509_1510delAG in exon 14 of FUS causes an aggressive childhood-onset ALS with cognitive impairment. Neurobiol Aging 2021; 103:130.e1-130.e7. [PMID: 33637330 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.01.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2020] [Revised: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
We report a case of childhood-onset ALS with a FUS gene mutation presenting cognitive impairment and a rapid clinical progression. The patient, an 11-year-old girl, presented with right distal upper limb weakness and mild intellectual disability at the Griffith Mental Development Scales. The disease rapidly worsened and the patient became tetraplegic and bed-ridden 2 years after symptom onset. A c.1509_1510delAG mutation in exon 14 of the FUS gene was detected, resulting in a predicted truncated protein, p.G504Wfs*12, lacking the nuclear localization signal. The levels of FUS mRNA in the proband were not significantly different compared to controls. Western immunoblot analysis showed that one antibody (500-526) detected in the proband ~50% of the amount of FUS protein compared to controls, while 3 other antibodies (2-27, 400-450 and FUS C-terminal), which recognize both wild type and the mutated FUS, detected 60% to 75% of the amount of the protein. These findings indicate that p.G504Wfs*12 FUS is more prone to undergo post-translational modification respect to wild type FUS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Lanteri
- Neurophysiopathology Centre, Department of Diagnostics and Applied Technology, Fondazione IRCCS, Istituto Neurologico "C. Besta", Milan, Italy
| | - Irene Meola
- Child Neurology Unit, Cesare Arrigo Children's Hospital, Alessandria, Italy
| | - Antonio Canosa
- 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Neurology 1, ALS Center, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Giovanni De Marco
- 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Annarosa Lomartire
- 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Rinaudo
- 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Emilio Albamonte
- The NEMO Clinical Center (NEuroMuscular Onmicenter), Milan, Italy
| | - Valeria Ada Sansone
- The NEMO Clinical Center (NEuroMuscular Onmicenter), Milan, Italy; Neurorehabilitation Unit, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Umberto Manera
- 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Neurology 1, ALS Center, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Rosario Vasta
- 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Neurology 1, ALS Center, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Cristina Moglia
- 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Neurology 1, ALS Center, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Andrea Calvo
- 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Neurology 1, ALS Center, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Paola Origone
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics and Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI) University of Genoa and IRCCS Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy; IRCCS Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Adriano Chiò
- 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Neurology 1, ALS Center, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy; Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, C.N.R, Rome, Italy.
| | - Paola Mandich
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics and Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI) University of Genoa and IRCCS Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy; IRCCS Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
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Pu JL, Gao T, Si XL, Zheng R, Jin CY, Ruan Y, Fang Y, Chen Y, Song Z, Yin XZ, Yan YP, Tian J, Zhang BR. Parkinson's Disease in Teneurin Transmembrane Protein 4 ( TENM4) Mutation Carriers. Front Genet 2021; 11:598064. [PMID: 33414808 PMCID: PMC7783409 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.598064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Mutations in the teneurin transmembrane protein 4 (TENM4) gene, known to be involved in neuropsychiatric disorders, have been identified in three pedigree of essential tremor (ET) from Spain. ET has overlapping clinical manifestations and epidemiological symptoms with Parkinson’s disease (PD), suggesting these two disorders may reflect common genetic risk factors. In this study, we investigated clinical and genetic manifestations in four unrelated pedigrees with both ET and PD in which TENM4 variants were identified. Methods We subsequently explored whether TENM4 variants contributed to the risk of developing PD. The frequency of TENM4 variants was evaluated from four PD pedigrees and other 407 subjects. Results The results revealed 12 different novel heterozygous variants, all at low frequency. A clear general enrichment of TENM4 variants was detected in early onset PD patients (p < 0.001, OR = 5.264, 95% CI = 1.957–14.158). Conclusion The results indicate that rare TENM4 variants may be associated with an increased risk of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Li Pu
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ting Gao
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Li Si
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ran Zheng
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chong-Yao Jin
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yang Ruan
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yi Fang
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ying Chen
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhe Song
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xin-Zhen Yin
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ya-Ping Yan
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jun Tian
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bao-Rong Zhang
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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Häkkinen S, Chu SA, Lee SE. Neuroimaging in genetic frontotemporal dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 145:105063. [PMID: 32890771 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.105063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Revised: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have a strong clinical, genetic and pathological overlap. This review focuses on the current understanding of structural, functional and molecular neuroimaging signatures of genetic FTD and ALS. We overview quantitative neuroimaging studies on the most common genes associated with FTD (MAPT, GRN), ALS (SOD1), and both (C9orf72), and summarize visual observations of images reported in the rarer genes (CHMP2B, TARDBP, FUS, OPTN, VCP, UBQLN2, SQSTM1, TREM2, CHCHD10, TBK1).
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Affiliation(s)
- Suvi Häkkinen
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Stephanie A Chu
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Suzee E Lee
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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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: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [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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37
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Neumann M, Mackenzie IRA. Review: Neuropathology of non-tau frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 2020; 45:19-40. [PMID: 30357887 DOI: 10.1111/nan.12526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2018] [Accepted: 09/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a heterogeneous clinical syndrome associated with frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) as a relatively consistent neuropathological hallmark feature. However, the discoveries in the past decade of many of the relevant pathological proteins aggregating in human FTD brains in addition to several new FTD causing gene mutations underlined that FTD is a diverse condition on the neuropathological and genetic basis. This resulted in a novel molecular classification of these conditions based on the predominant protein abnormality and allows most cases of FTD to be placed now into one of three broad molecular subgroups; FTLD with tau, TAR DNA-binding protein 43 or FET protein accumulation (FTLD-tau, FTLD-TDP and FTLD-FET respectively). This review will provide an overview of the molecular neuropathology of non-tau FTLD, insights into disease mechanisms gained from the study of human post mortem tissue as well as discussion of current controversies in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Neumann
- Department of Neuropathology, University Hospital of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Molecular Neuropathology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tübingen, Germany
| | - I R A Mackenzie
- Department of Pathology, University of British Columbia and Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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38
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Magrinelli F, Latorre A, Balint B, Mackenzie M, Mulroy E, Stamelou M, Tinazzi M, Bhatia KP. Isolated and combined genetic tremor syndromes: a critical appraisal based on the 2018 MDS criteria. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2020; 77:121-140. [PMID: 32818815 DOI: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2020.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Revised: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The 2018 consensus statement on the classification of tremors proposes a two-axis categorization scheme based on clinical features and etiology. It also defines "isolated" and "combined" tremor syndromes depending on whether tremor is the sole clinical manifestation or is associated with other neurological or systemic signs. This syndromic approach provides a guide to investigate the underlying etiology of tremors, either genetic or acquired. Several genetic defects have been proven to cause tremor disorders, including autosomal dominant and recessive, X-linked, and mitochondrial diseases, as well as chromosomal abnormalities. Furthermore, some tremor syndromes are recognized in individuals with a positive family history, but their genetic confirmation is pending. Although most genetic tremor disorders show a combined clinical picture, there are some distinctive conditions in which tremor may precede the appearance of other neurological signs by years or remain the prominent manifestation throughout the disease course, previously leading to misdiagnosis as essential tremor (ET). Advances in the knowledge of genetically determined tremors may have been hampered by the inclusion of heterogeneous entities in previous studies on ET. The recent classification of tremors therefore aims to provide more consistent clinical data for deconstructing the genetic basis of tremor syndromes in the next-generation and long-read sequencing era. This review outlines the wide spectrum of tremor disorders with defined or presumed genetic etiology, both isolated and combined, unraveling diagnostic clues of these conditions and focusing mainly on ET-like phenotypes. Furthermore, we suggest a phenotype-to-genotype algorithm to support clinicians in identifying tremor syndromes and guiding genetic investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Magrinelli
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, United Kingdom; Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
| | - Anna Latorre
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Bettina Balint
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, United Kingdom; Department of Neurology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Melissa Mackenzie
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Eoin Mulroy
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Maria Stamelou
- Department of Neurology, Attikon University Hospital, Athens, Greece.
| | - Michele Tinazzi
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
| | - Kailash P Bhatia
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, United Kingdom.
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39
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Zou ZY, Che CH, Feng SY, Fang XY, Huang HP, Liu CY. Novel FUS mutation Y526F causing rapidly progressive familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2020; 22:73-79. [PMID: 32720527 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2020.1797815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
FUS gene is one of the most common mutated genes in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We sequenced for FUS mutations in a cohort of 15 familial ALS and 275 sporadic ALS of Chinese origin. All 15 exons of the FUS gene were sequenced by targeted next-generation sequencing in a cohort of 15 familial ALS indexes and 275 sporadic ALS patients of Chinese origin. One novel p.Y526F mutation in FUS was detected in one familial ALS proband. Another novel FUS p.Q140R variant and two known FUS mutations (p.R495Efs*33 and p.R521C) were identified in four sporadic ALS cases. The frequency of FUS mutation in our cohort is 6.7% in familial ALS and 1.5% in sporadic ALS. The familial ALS proband carrying the FUS p.Y526F mutation presented with juvenile-onset lower limbs weakness and demonstrated an aggressive course, with respiratory muscles involvement 6 months after onset. The other patients in the family all had limbs weakness and died 1-2 years after disease onset. Our results strengthen that FUS mutations are the most frequent genetic causes of young-onset aggressive ALS. Genetic testing of the FUS gene should be performed in early-onset ALS patients especially those with a rapid progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhang-Yu Zou
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Chun-Hui Che
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Shu-Yan Feng
- Department of Neurophysiology, Henan Provincial People's Hospital, Zhengzhou University People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xiu-Ying Fang
- Department of Neurology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Hua-Pin Huang
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Chang-Yun Liu
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, China
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40
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Targeted next-generation sequencing study in familial ALS-FTD Portuguese patients negative for C9orf72 HRE. J Neurol 2020; 267:3578-3592. [DOI: 10.1007/s00415-020-10042-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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41
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Zafarullah M, Tang HT, Durbin-Johnson B, Fourie E, Hessl D, Rivera SM, Tassone F. FMR1 locus isoforms: potential biomarker candidates in fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS). Sci Rep 2020; 10:11099. [PMID: 32632326 PMCID: PMC7338407 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-67946-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Fragile X associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) is a late adult-onset neurodegenerative disorder that affects movement and cognition in male and female carriers of a premutation allele of 55-200 CGG repeats in the Fragile X mental retardation (FMR1) gene. It is currently unknown if and when an individual carrier of a premutation allele will develop FXTAS, as clinical assessment fails to identify carriers at risk before significant neurological symptoms are evident. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the alternative splicing landscape at the FMR1 locus in conjunction with brain measures in male individuals with a premutation allele enrolled in a very first longitudinal study, compared to age-matched healthy male controls, with the purpose of identifying biomarkers for early diagnosis, disease prediction and, a progression of FXTAS. Our findings indicate that increased expression of FMR1 mRNA isoforms, including Iso4/4b, Iso10/10b, as well as of the ASFMR1 mRNAs Iso131bp, are present in premutation carriers as compared to non-carrier healthy controls. More specifically, we observed a higher expression of Iso4/4b and Iso10/10b, which encode for truncated proteins, only in those premutation carriers who developed symptoms of FXTAS over time as compared to non-carrier healthy controls, suggesting a potential role in the development of the disorder. In addition, we found a significant association of these molecular changes with various measurements of brain morphology, including the middle cerebellar peduncle (MCP), superior cerebellar peduncle (SCP), pons, and midbrain, indicating their potential contribution to the pathogenesis of FXTAS. Interestingly, the high expression levels of Iso4/4b observed both at visit 1 and visit 2 and found to be associated with a decrease in mean MCP width only in those individuals who developed FXTAS over time, suggests their role as potential biomarkers for early diagnosis of FXTAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marwa Zafarullah
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, 95817 CA, USA
| | - Hiu-Tung Tang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, 95817 CA, USA
| | - Blythe Durbin-Johnson
- Division of Biostatistics, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Emily Fourie
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - David Hessl
- MIND Institute, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, 95817 CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, 95817 CA, USA
| | - Susan M Rivera
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- MIND Institute, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, 95817 CA, USA
| | - Flora Tassone
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, 95817 CA, USA.
- MIND Institute, University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, 95817 CA, USA.
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42
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Roggenbuck J, Fong JC. Genetic Testing for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia: Impact on Clinical Management. Clin Lab Med 2020; 40:271-287. [PMID: 32718499 DOI: 10.1016/j.cll.2020.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are devastating neurodegenerative disorders that share clinical, pathologic, and genetic features. Persons and families affected by these conditions frequently question why they developed the disease, the expected disease course, treatment options, and the likelihood that family members will be affected. Genetic testing has the potential to answers these important questions. Despite the progress in gene discovery, the offer of genetic testing is not yet "standard of care" in ALS and FTD clinics. The authors review the current genetic landscape and present recommendations for the laboratory genetic evaluation of persons with these conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Roggenbuck
- Division of Human Genetics, Department of Neurology, The Ohio State University, 2012 Kenny Road, Columbus, OH 43221, USA.
| | - Jamie C Fong
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, MS: BCM115, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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43
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Zhou B, Wang H, Cai Y, Wen H, Wang L, Zhu M, Chen Y, Yu Y, Lu X, Zhou M, Fang P, Li X, Hong D. FUS P525L mutation causing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and movement disorders. Brain Behav 2020; 10:e01625. [PMID: 32307925 PMCID: PMC7303404 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Revised: 03/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mutations in the fused in sarcoma (FUS) gene have been associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), frontotemporal lobar degeneration, and essential tremor. Among the FUS mutations, p.P525L as a hot spot variant has been reported in more than 20 patients with ALS. Apart from the typical ALS phenotype, patients with p.P525L mutation exhibit some atypical symptoms. However, movement disorders related to p.P525L mutation have not been emphasized currently. METHODS Two unrelated patients with ALS were evaluated through a set of clinical and laboratory tests. The genetic screening was performed through next-generation sequencing. Muscle biopsies were performed on the 2 patients. Muscle samples were stained according to standard histological and immunohistochemical procedures. RESULTS The first patient presented with juvenile-onset neurogenic weakness and wasting and simultaneously had dropped head, ophthalmoplegia, tremor, involuntary movements, and cognitive impairments. The second patient showed a typical ALS phenotype and prominent adventitious movements. Genetic screening disclosed de novo p.P525L FUS mutation in the 2 patients by family cosegregation analysis. Muscle biopsy showed neurogenic patterns and numerous lipid droplets aggregating in the fibers. CONCLUSION Apart from the typical ALS phenotype, patients with p.P525L mutation in the FUS gene can present with great clinical heterogeneity including multiple movement disorders. Numerous lipid droplets in muscle fibers indicate that skeletal muscle is likely an important therapeutic target for ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binbin Zhou
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Huan Wang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Yu Cai
- Department of Diagnostic Center, Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Han Wen
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Lulu Wang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Min Zhu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Yunqing Chen
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Yanyan Yu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Xi Lu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Meihong Zhou
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Pu Fang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Xiaobing Li
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Daojun Hong
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
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44
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An H, Rabesahala de Meritens C, Buchman VL, Shelkovnikova TA. Frameshift peptides alter the properties of truncated FUS proteins in ALS-FUS. Mol Brain 2020; 13:77. [PMID: 32404191 PMCID: PMC7222445 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-020-00618-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the FUS gene cause a subset of ALS cases (ALS-FUS). The majority of FUS mutations are missense mutations affecting the nuclear localisation signal (NLS) of FUS. In addition, a number of frameshift mutations which result in complete NLS deletion have been described. Patients bearing frameshift mutations usually present with more aggressive disease, characterised by an early onset and rapid progression. Both missense mutations in the NLS coding sequence and complete loss of the NLS are known to result in cytoplasmic mislocalisation of FUS protein. However, in addition to the removal of FUS functional domains, frameshift mutations in most cases lead to the attachment of a "tail" of novel amino acids at the FUS C-terminus - a frameshift peptide. It is not clear whether these peptide tails would affect the properties of truncated FUS proteins. In the current study, we compared intracellular behaviour of disease-associated truncated FUS proteins with and without the corresponding frameshift peptides. We demonstrate that some of these peptides can affect subcellular distribution and/or increase aggregation capacity and stability of the truncated FUS protein. Our study suggests that frameshift peptides can alter the properties of truncated FUS variants which may modulate FUS pathogenicity and contribute to the variability of the disease course in ALS-FUS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyan An
- Medicines Discovery Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK.,Biomedicine Division, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK
| | | | - Vladimir L Buchman
- Biomedicine Division, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK
| | - Tatyana A Shelkovnikova
- Medicines Discovery Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK. .,Biomedicine Division, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK.
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45
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Development of disease-modifying drugs for frontotemporal dementia spectrum disorders. Nat Rev Neurol 2020; 16:213-228. [PMID: 32203398 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-020-0330-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) encompasses a spectrum of clinical syndromes characterized by progressive executive, behavioural and language dysfunction. The various FTD spectrum disorders are associated with brain accumulation of different proteins: tau, the transactive response DNA binding protein of 43 kDa (TDP43), or fused in sarcoma (FUS) protein, Ewing sarcoma protein and TATA-binding protein-associated factor 15 (TAF15) (collectively known as FET proteins). Approximately 60% of patients with FTD have autosomal dominant mutations in C9orf72, GRN or MAPT genes. Currently available treatments are symptomatic and provide limited benefit. However, the increased understanding of FTD pathogenesis is driving the development of potential disease-modifying therapies. Most of these drugs target pathological tau - this category includes tau phosphorylation inhibitors, tau aggregation inhibitors, active and passive anti-tau immunotherapies, and MAPT-targeted antisense oligonucleotides. Some of these therapeutic approaches are being tested in phase II clinical trials. Pharmacological approaches that target the effects of GRN and C9orf72 mutations are also in development. Key results of large clinical trials will be available in a few years. However, clinical trials in FTD pose several challenges, and the development of specific brain imaging and molecular biomarkers could facilitate the recruitment of clinically homogenous groups to improve the chances of positive clinical trial results.
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46
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Flies CM, Veldink JH. Chorea is a pleiotropic clinical feature of mutated fused-in-sarcoma in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2020; 21:309-311. [PMID: 32116048 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2020.1733021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Around 10% of all amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) cases are familial and around 3-5% are fused-in-sarcoma (FUS)-related in Europe. We report a 43-year-old patient with a pathogenic FUS mutation (c.1561C>G p.(Arg521Gly) who presented at our clinic with chorea and subsequently with progressive symptoms of classical ALS. As a result of progressive upper and lower motor neurone deterioration, chorea disappeared and death occurred 2.5 years after the onset of the first manifestations. This first description adds chorea as a possible pleiotropic clinical feature in FUS-related ALS. It further warrants to systematically ask and check for chorea in ALS patients and their relatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- C M Flies
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - J H Veldink
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
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47
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Liu ZJ, Lin HX, Wei Q, Zhang QJ, Chen CX, Tao QQ, Liu GL, Ni W, Gitler AD, Li HF, Wu ZY. Genetic Spectrum and Variability in Chinese Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Aging Dis 2019; 10:1199-1206. [PMID: 31788332 PMCID: PMC6844596 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2019.0215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2019] [Accepted: 02/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive, fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by selective impairment of upper and lower motor neurons. We aimed to investigate the genetic spectrum and variability in Chinese patients with ALS. A total of 24 familial ALS (FALS) and 21 early-onset sporadic ALS (SALS) of Chinese ancestry were enrolled. Targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) was performed in the probands, followed by verification by Sanger sequencing and co-segregation analysis. Clinical features of patients with pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants were present. The mutation frequency of ALS-related genes was then analyzed in Chinese population. In this cohort, 17 known mutations (9 SOD1, 5 FUS, 2 TARDBP and one SETX) were identified in 14 FALS and 6 early-onset SALS. Moreover, 7 novel variants (SOD1 c.112G>C, OPTN c.811C>T, ERBB4 c.965T>A, DCTN1 c.1915C>T, NEFH c.2602G>A, NEK1 c.3622G>A, and TAF15 c.1535G>A) were identified. In southeastern Chinese FALS, the mutation frequency of SOD1, FUS, and TARDBP was 52.9%, 8.8%, 8.8% respectively. In early-onset SALS, FUS mutations were the most common (22.6%). In Chinese ALS cases, p.H47R is most frequent SOD1 mutations, while p.R521 is most common FUS mutation and p.M337V is most common TARDBP mutation. Our results revealed that mutations in SOD1, FUS and TARDBP are the most common cause of Chinese FALS, while FUS mutations are the most common cause of early-onset SALS. The genetic spectrum is different between Chinese ALS and Caucasian ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Jun Liu
- 1Department of Neurology and Research Center of Neurology in Second Affiliated Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hui-Xia Lin
- 1Department of Neurology and Research Center of Neurology in Second Affiliated Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,2Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Qiao Wei
- 1Department of Neurology and Research Center of Neurology in Second Affiliated Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qi-Jie Zhang
- 2Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Cong-Xin Chen
- 2Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Qing-Qing Tao
- 1Department of Neurology and Research Center of Neurology in Second Affiliated Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Gong-Lu Liu
- 1Department of Neurology and Research Center of Neurology in Second Affiliated Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wang Ni
- 1Department of Neurology and Research Center of Neurology in Second Affiliated Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Aaron D Gitler
- 3Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Hong-Fu Li
- 1Department of Neurology and Research Center of Neurology in Second Affiliated Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhi-Ying Wu
- 1Department of Neurology and Research Center of Neurology in Second Affiliated Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
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48
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Baradaran-Heravi Y, Van Broeckhoven C, van der Zee J. Stress granule mediated protein aggregation and underlying gene defects in the FTD-ALS spectrum. Neurobiol Dis 2019; 134:104639. [PMID: 31626953 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2019.104639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Revised: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress granules (SGs) are dynamic membraneless compartments composed out of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and RNA molecules that assemble temporarily to allow the cell to cope with cellular stress by stalling mRNA translation and moving synthesis towards cytoprotective proteins. Aberrant SGs have become prime suspects in the nucleation of toxic protein aggregation in frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Perturbed SG dynamics appears to be mediated by alterations in RNA binding proteins (RBP). Indeed, a growing number of FTD and/or ALS related RBPs coding genes (TDP43, FUS, EWSR1, TAF15, hnRNPA1, hnRNPA2B1, ATXN2, TIA1) have been identified to interfere with SG formation through mutation of their low-complexity domain (LCD), and thereby cause or influence disease. Interestingly, disease pathways associated to the C9orf72 repeat expansion, the leading genetic cause of the FTD-ALS spectrum, intersect with SG-mediated protein aggregate formation. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of known SG proteins and their genetic contribution to the FTD-ALS spectrum. Importantly, multiple LCD-baring RBPs have already been identified in FTD-ALS that have not yet been genetically linked to disease. These should be considered candidate genes and offer opportunities for gene prioritization when mining sequencing data of unresolved FTD and ALS. Further, we zoom into the current understanding of the molecular processes of perturbed RBP function leading to disturbed SG dynamics, RNA metabolism, and pathological inclusions. Finally, we indicate how these gained insights open new avenues for therapeutic strategies targeting phase separation and SG dynamics to reverse pathological protein aggregation and protect against toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yalda Baradaran-Heravi
- Neurodegenerative Brain Diseases group, Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, Antwerp, Belgium; Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Christine Van Broeckhoven
- Neurodegenerative Brain Diseases group, Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, Antwerp, Belgium; Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Julie van der Zee
- Neurodegenerative Brain Diseases group, Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, Antwerp, Belgium; Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Institute Born-Bunge, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
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Gossye H, Van Broeckhoven C, Engelborghs S. The Use of Biomarkers and Genetic Screening to Diagnose Frontotemporal Dementia: Evidence and Clinical Implications. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:757. [PMID: 31447625 PMCID: PMC6691066 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Within the wide range of neurodegenerative brain diseases, the differential diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) frequently poses a challenge. Often, signs and symptoms are not characteristic of the disease and may instead reflect atypical presentations. Consequently, the use of disease biomarkers is of importance to correctly identify the patients. Here, we describe how neuropsychological characteristics, neuroimaging and neurochemical biomarkers and screening for causal gene mutations can be used to differentiate FTD from other neurodegenerative diseases as well as to distinguish between FTD subtypes. Summarizing current evidence, we propose a stepwise approach in the diagnostic evaluation. Clinical consensus criteria that take into account a full neuropsychological examination have relatively good accuracy (sensitivity [se] 75–95%, specificity [sp] 82–95%) to diagnose FTD, although misdiagnosis (mostly AD) is common. Structural brain MRI (se 70–94%, sp 89–99%) and FDG PET (se 47–90%, sp 68–98%) or SPECT (se 36–100%, sp 41–100%) brain scans greatly increase diagnostic accuracy, showing greater involvement of frontal and anterior temporal lobes, with sparing of hippocampi and medial temporal lobes. If these results are inconclusive, we suggest detecting amyloid and tau cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers that can indicate the presence of AD with good accuracy (se 74–100%, sp 82–97%). The use of P-tau181 and the Aβ1–42/Aβ1–40 ratio significantly increases the accuracy of correctly identifying FTD vs. AD. Alternatively, an amyloid brain PET scan can be performed to differentiate FTD from AD. When autosomal dominant inheritance is suspected, or in early onset dementia, mutation screening of causal genes is indicated and may also be offered to at-risk family members. We have summarized genotype–phenotype correlations for several genes that are known to cause familial frontotemporal lobar degeneration, which is the neuropathological substrate of FTD. The genes most commonly associated with this disease (C9orf72, MAPT, GRN, TBK1) are discussed, as well as some less frequent ones (CHMP2B, VCP). Several other techniques, such as diffusion tensor imaging, tau PET imaging and measuring serum neurofilament levels, show promise for future implementation as diagnostic biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Gossye
- Neurodegenerative Brain Diseases Group, Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, Antwerp, Belgium.,Institute Born - Bunge, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.,Department of Neurology and Center for Neurosciences, UZ Brussel and Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Christine Van Broeckhoven
- Neurodegenerative Brain Diseases Group, Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, Antwerp, Belgium.,Institute Born - Bunge, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Sebastiaan Engelborghs
- Institute Born - Bunge, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.,Department of Neurology and Center for Neurosciences, UZ Brussel and Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
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Chen C, Ding X, Akram N, Xue S, Luo SZ. Fused in Sarcoma: Properties, Self-Assembly and Correlation with Neurodegenerative Diseases. Molecules 2019; 24:molecules24081622. [PMID: 31022909 PMCID: PMC6514960 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24081622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Revised: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fused in sarcoma (FUS) is a DNA/RNA binding protein that is involved in RNA metabolism and DNA repair. Numerous reports have demonstrated by pathological and genetic analysis that FUS is associated with a variety of neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), and polyglutamine diseases. Traditionally, the fibrillar aggregation of FUS was considered to be the cause of those diseases, especially via its prion-like domains (PrLDs), which are rich in glutamine and asparagine residues. Lately, a nonfibrillar self-assembling phenomenon, liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS), was observed in FUS, and studies of its functions, mechanism, and mutual transformation with pathogenic amyloid have been emerging. This review summarizes recent studies on FUS self-assembling, including both aggregation and LLPS as well as their relationship with the pathology of ALS, FTLD, and other neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Chen
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China.
| | - Xiufang Ding
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China.
| | - Nimrah Akram
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China.
| | - Song Xue
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China.
| | - Shi-Zhong Luo
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Bioprocess, College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China.
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