2
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Torella A, Ricca I, Piluso G, Galatolo D, De Michele G, Zanobio M, Trovato R, De Michele G, Zeuli R, Pane C, Cocozza S, Saccà F, Santorelli FM, Nigro V, Filla A. A new genetic cause of spastic ataxia: the p.Glu415Lys variant in TUBA4A. J Neurol 2023; 270:5057-5063. [PMID: 37418012 PMCID: PMC10511369 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-023-11816-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Tubulinopathies encompass neurodevelopmental disorders caused by mutations in genes encoding for different isotypes of α- and β-tubulins, the structural components of microtubules. Less frequently, mutations in tubulins may underlie neurodegenerative disorders. In the present study, we report two families, one with 11 affected individuals and the other with a single patient, carrying a novel, likely pathogenic, variant (p. Glu415Lys) in the TUBA4A gene (NM_006000). The phenotype, not previously described, is that of spastic ataxia. Our findings widen the phenotypic and genetic manifestations of TUBA4A variants and add a new type of spastic ataxia to be taken into consideration in the differential diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalaura Torella
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania, Luigi Vanvitelli, Caserta, Italy
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Ivana Ricca
- Molecular Medicine, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giulio Piluso
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania, Luigi Vanvitelli, Caserta, Italy
| | | | - Giuseppe De Michele
- Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, Federico II University, Naples, Italy
| | - Mariateresa Zanobio
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania, Luigi Vanvitelli, Caserta, Italy
| | - Rosanna Trovato
- Molecular Medicine, IRCCS Stella Maris Foundation, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giovanna De Michele
- Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, Federico II University, Naples, Italy
| | - Roberta Zeuli
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania, Luigi Vanvitelli, Caserta, Italy
| | - Chiara Pane
- Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, Federico II University, Naples, Italy
| | - Sirio Cocozza
- Institute of Biostructure and Bioimaging, National Council of Research, Naples, Italy
| | - Francesco Saccà
- Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, Federico II University, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Vincenzo Nigro
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania, Luigi Vanvitelli, Caserta, Italy
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Alessandro Filla
- Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.
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3
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Fortunato F, Bianchi F, Ricci G, Torri F, Gualandi F, Neri M, Farnè M, Giannini F, Malandrini A, Volpi N, Lopergolo D, Silani V, Ticozzi N, Verde F, Pareyson D, Fenu S, Bonanno S, Nigro V, Peduto C, D'Ambrosio P, Zeuli R, Zanobio M, Picillo E, Servidei S, Primiano G, Sancricca C, Sciacco M, Brusa R, Filosto M, Cotti Piccinelli S, Pegoraro E, Mongini T, Solero L, Gadaleta G, Brusa C, Minetti C, Bruno C, Panicucci C, Sansone VA, Lunetta C, Zanolini A, Toscano A, Pugliese A, Nicocia G, Bertini E, Catteruccia M, Diodato D, Atalaia A, Evangelista T, Siciliano G, Ferlini A. Digital health and Clinical Patient Management System (CPMS) platform utility for data sharing of neuromuscular patients: the Italian EURO-NMD experience. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2023; 18:196. [PMID: 37480080 PMCID: PMC10360326 DOI: 10.1186/s13023-023-02776-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The development of e-health technologies for teleconsultation and exchange of knowledge is one of the core purposes of European Reference Networks (ERNs), including the ERN EURO-NMD for rare neuromuscular diseases. Within ERNs, the Clinical Patient Management System (CPMS) is a web-based platform that seeks to boost active collaboration within and across the network, implementing data sharing. Through CPMS, it is possible to both discuss patient cases and to make patients' data available for registries and databases in a secure way. In this view, CPMS may be considered a sort of a temporary storage for patients' data and an effective tool for data sharing; it facilitates specialists' consultation since rare diseases (RDs) require multidisciplinary skills, specific, and outstanding clinical experience. Following European Union (EU) recommendation, and to promote the use of CPMS platform among EURO-NMD members, a twelve-month pilot project was set up to train the 15 Italian Health Care Providers (HCPs). In this paper, we report the structure, methods, and results of the teaching course, showing that tailored, ERN-oriented, training can significantly enhance the profitable use of the CPMS. RESULTS Throughout the training course, 45 professionals learned how to use the many features of the CPMS, eventually opening 98 panels of discussion-amounting to 82% of the total panels included in the EURO-NMD. Since clinical, genetic, diagnostic, and therapeutic data of patients can be securely stored within the platform, we also highlight the importance of this platform as an effective tool to discuss and share clinical cases, in order to ease both case solving and data storing. CONCLUSIONS In this paper, we discuss how similar course could help implementing the use of the platform, highlighting strengths and weaknesses of e-health for ERNs. The expected result is the creation of a "map" of neuromuscular patients across Europe that might be improved by a wider use of CPMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda Fortunato
- Medical Genetics Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
- Medical Genetics Unit, Department of Mother and Child, Sant'Anna University Hospital of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Francesca Bianchi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Neurological Clinic, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giulia Ricci
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Neurological Clinic, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Francesca Torri
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Neurological Clinic, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Francesca Gualandi
- Medical Genetics Unit, Department of Mother and Child, Sant'Anna University Hospital of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Marcella Neri
- Medical Genetics Unit, Department of Mother and Child, Sant'Anna University Hospital of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Marianna Farnè
- Medical Genetics Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
- Medical Genetics Unit, Department of Mother and Child, Sant'Anna University Hospital of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Fabio Giannini
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Neurological Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Alessandro Malandrini
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Neurological Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Nila Volpi
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Neurological Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Diego Lopergolo
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Neurological Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Silani
- Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, "Dino Ferrari" Center, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Nicola Ticozzi
- Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, "Dino Ferrari" Center, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Federico Verde
- Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, "Dino Ferrari" Center, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Davide Pareyson
- Unit of Rare Neurodegenerative and Neurometabolic Diseases, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Silvia Fenu
- Unit of Rare Neurodegenerative and Neurometabolic Diseases, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Silvia Bonanno
- Neuroimmunology and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Nigro
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Naples, Italy
| | - Cristina Peduto
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Paola D'Ambrosio
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Roberta Zeuli
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Mariateresa Zanobio
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Esther Picillo
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Serenella Servidei
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Guido Primiano
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Cristina Sancricca
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Monica Sciacco
- Neuromuscular and Rare Disease Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Foundation IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Roberta Brusa
- Neuromuscular and Rare Disease Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Foundation IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Filosto
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
- ASST Spedali Civili Di Brescia, Brescia, Italy
- NeMO-Brescia Clinical Center for Neuromuscular Diseases, Brescia, Italy
| | - Stefano Cotti Piccinelli
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
- ASST Spedali Civili Di Brescia, Brescia, Italy
- NeMO-Brescia Clinical Center for Neuromuscular Diseases, Brescia, Italy
| | - Elena Pegoraro
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - Tiziana Mongini
- Department of Neurosciences "Rita Levi Montalcini", University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Luca Solero
- Department of Neurosciences "Rita Levi Montalcini", University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Giulio Gadaleta
- Department of Neurosciences "Rita Levi Montalcini", University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Chiara Brusa
- Department of Neurosciences "Rita Levi Montalcini", University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Carlo Minetti
- Pediatric Neurology Unit and Muscle Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Claudio Bruno
- Center of Translational and Experimental Myology, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Chiara Panicucci
- Center of Translational and Experimental Myology, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Valeria A Sansone
- The NEMO (NEuroMuscular Omniservice) Clinical Center, Milan, Italy
- Neurorehabilitation Unit, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Alice Zanolini
- The NEMO (NEuroMuscular Omniservice) Clinical Center, Milan, Italy
| | - Antonio Toscano
- Neurology and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
- ERN-NMD Center of Messina, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Alessia Pugliese
- Neurology and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Giulia Nicocia
- Neurology and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Enrico Bertini
- Unit of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disorders, Department of Neurosciences, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Michela Catteruccia
- Unit of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disorders, Department of Neurosciences, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Daria Diodato
- Unit of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disorders, Department of Neurosciences, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Atalaia
- Service of Neuromyology, APHP-GH Pitié-Salpêtrière, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Teresinha Evangelista
- Neuromuscular Morphology Unit, Institute of Myology, GHU Pitié-Salpêtrière, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Gabriele Siciliano
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Neurological Clinic, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessandra Ferlini
- Medical Genetics Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
- Medical Genetics Unit, Department of Mother and Child, Sant'Anna University Hospital of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
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4
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Torella A, Budillon A, Zanobio M, Del Vecchio Blanco F, Picillo E, Politano L, Nigro V, Piluso G. Alu-Mediated Insertions in the DMD Gene: A Difficult Puzzle to Interpret Clinically. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24119241. [PMID: 37298193 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Disrupting variants in the DMD gene are associated with Duchenne or Becker muscular dystrophy (DMD/BMD) or with hyperCKemia, all of which present very different degrees of clinical severity. The clinical phenotypes of these disorders could not be distinguished in infancy or early childhood. Accurate phenotype prediction based on DNA variants may therefore be required in addition to invasive tests, such as muscle biopsy. Transposon insertion is one of the rarest mutation types. Depending on their position and characteristics, transposon insertions may affect the quality and/or quantity of dystrophin mRNA, leading to unpredictable alterations in gene products. Here, we report the case of a three-year-old boy showing initial skeletal muscle involvement in whom we characterized a transposon insertion (Alu sequence) in exon 15 of the DMD gene. In similar cases, the generation of a null allele is predicted, resulting in a DMD phenotype. However, mRNA analysis of muscle biopsy tissue revealed skipping of exon 15, which restored the reading frame, thus predicting a milder phenotype. This case is similar to very few others already described in the literature. This case further enriches our knowledge of the mechanisms perturbing splicing and causing exon skipping in DMD, helping to properly guide clinical diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalaura Torella
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via L. De Crecchio 7, 80138 Naples, Italy
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Alberto Budillon
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via L. De Crecchio 7, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Mariateresa Zanobio
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via L. De Crecchio 7, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Francesca Del Vecchio Blanco
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via L. De Crecchio 7, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Esther Picillo
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via L. De Crecchio 7, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Luisa Politano
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via L. De Crecchio 7, 80138 Napoli, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Nigro
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via L. De Crecchio 7, 80138 Naples, Italy
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Giulio Piluso
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via L. De Crecchio 7, 80138 Naples, Italy
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5
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Fioretti T, Zanobio M, Raia M, Errichiello S, Izzo B, Cattaneo F, Ammendola R, Cevenini A, Esposito G. MiR-27a downregulates 14-3-3θ, RUNX1, AF4, and MLL-AF4, crucial drivers of blast transformation in t(4;11) leukemia cells. Cell Biochem Funct 2022; 40:706-717. [PMID: 35981137 PMCID: PMC9804920 DOI: 10.1002/cbf.3736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The chromosomal translocation t(4;11)(q21;q23), a hallmark of an aggressive form of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), encodes mixed-lineage leukemia (MLL)-AF4 oncogenic chimera that triggers aberrant transcription of genes involved in lymphocyte differentiation, including HOXA9 and MEIS1. The scaffold protein 14-3-3θ, which promotes the binding of MLL-AF4 to the HOXA9 promoter, is a target of MiR-27a, a tumor suppressor in different human leukemia cell types. We herein study the role of MiR-27a in the pathogenesis of t(4;11) ALL. Reverse transcription quantitative PCR (qPCR) reveals that MiR-27a and 14-3-3θ expression is inversely correlated in t(4;11) ALL cell lines; interestingly, MiR-27a relative expression is significantly lower in patients affected by t(4;11) ALL than in patients affected by the less severe t(12;21) leukemia. In t(4;11) leukemia cells, ectopic expression of MiR-27a decreases protein level of 14-3-3θ and of the key transcription factor RUNX1. We show for the first time that MiR-27a also targets AF4 and MLL-AF4; in agreement, MiR-27a overexpression strongly reduces AF4 and MLL-AF4 protein levels in RS4;11 cells. Consequent to AF4 and MLL-AF4 downregulation, MiR-27a overexpression negatively affects transcription of HOXA9 and MEIS1 in different t(4;11) leukemia cell lines. In agreement, we show through chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments that MiR-27a overexpression impairs the binding of MLL-AF4 to the HOXA9 promoter. Lastly, we found that MiR-27a overexpression decreases viability, proliferation, and clonogenicity of t(4;11) cells, whereas it enhances their apoptotic rate. Overall, our study identifies the first microRNAthat strikes in one hit four crucial drivers of blast transformation in t(4;11) leukemia. Therefore, MiR-27a emerges as a new promising therapeutic target for this aggressive and poorly curable form of leukemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiziana Fioretti
- CEINGE Advanced Biotechnologies Franco Salvatore s.c. a r.l.NaplesItaly
| | - Mariateresa Zanobio
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, School of MedicineUniversity of Naples Federico IINaplesItaly,Precision MedicineUniversity of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”Naples, Italy
| | - Maddalena Raia
- CEINGE Advanced Biotechnologies Franco Salvatore s.c. a r.l.NaplesItaly
| | - Santa Errichiello
- CEINGE Advanced Biotechnologies Franco Salvatore s.c. a r.l.NaplesItaly
| | - Barbara Izzo
- CEINGE Advanced Biotechnologies Franco Salvatore s.c. a r.l.NaplesItaly,Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, School of MedicineUniversity of Naples Federico IINaplesItaly
| | - Fabio Cattaneo
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, School of MedicineUniversity of Naples Federico IINaplesItaly
| | - Rosario Ammendola
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, School of MedicineUniversity of Naples Federico IINaplesItaly
| | - Armando Cevenini
- CEINGE Advanced Biotechnologies Franco Salvatore s.c. a r.l.NaplesItaly,Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, School of MedicineUniversity of Naples Federico IINaplesItaly
| | - Gabriella Esposito
- CEINGE Advanced Biotechnologies Franco Salvatore s.c. a r.l.NaplesItaly,Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, School of MedicineUniversity of Naples Federico IINaplesItaly
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6
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Fioretti T, Cevenini A, Zanobio M, Raia M, Sarnataro D, Cattaneo F, Ammendola R, Esposito G. Nuclear FGFR2 Interacts with the MLL-AF4 Oncogenic Chimera and Positively Regulates HOXA9 Gene Expression in t(4;11) Leukemia Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22094623. [PMID: 33924850 PMCID: PMC8124917 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22094623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The chromosomal translocation t(4;11) marks an infant acute lymphoblastic leukemia associated with dismal prognosis. This rearrangement leads to the synthesis of the MLL-AF4 chimera, which exerts its oncogenic activity by upregulating transcription of genes involved in hematopoietic differentiation. Crucial for chimera’s aberrant activity is the recruitment of the AF4/ENL/P-TEFb protein complex. Interestingly, a molecular interactor of AF4 is fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2). We herein analyze the role of FGFR2 in the context of leukemia using t(4;11) leukemia cell lines. We revealed the interaction between MLL-AF4 and FGFR2 by immunoprecipitation, western blot, and immunofluorescence experiments; we also tested the effects of FGFR2 knockdown, FGFR2 inhibition, and FGFR2 stimulation on the expression of the main MLL-AF4 target genes, i.e., HOXA9 and MEIS1. Our results show that FGFR2 and MLL-AF4 interact in the nucleus of leukemia cells and that FGFR2 knockdown, which is associated with decreased expression of HOXA9 and MEIS1, impairs the binding of MLL-AF4 to the HOXA9 promoter. We also show that stimulation of leukemia cells with FGF2 increases nuclear level of FGFR2 in its phosphorylated form, as well as HOXA9 and MEIS1 expression. In contrast, preincubation with the ATP-mimetic inhibitor PD173074, before FGF2 stimulation, reduced FGFR2 nuclear amount and HOXA9 and MEIS1 transcript level, thereby indicating that MLL-AF4 aberrant activity depends on the nuclear availability of FGFR2. Overall, our study identifies FGFR2 as a new and promising therapeutic target in t(4;11) leukemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiziana Fioretti
- CEINGE Advanced Biotechnologies s.c. a r.l., via G. Salvatore, 486, 80145 Naples, Italy; (T.F.); (A.C.); (M.R.); (D.S.)
| | - Armando Cevenini
- CEINGE Advanced Biotechnologies s.c. a r.l., via G. Salvatore, 486, 80145 Naples, Italy; (T.F.); (A.C.); (M.R.); (D.S.)
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples Federico II, Via S. Pansini, 5, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.Z.); (F.C.); (R.A.)
| | - Mariateresa Zanobio
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples Federico II, Via S. Pansini, 5, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.Z.); (F.C.); (R.A.)
| | - Maddalena Raia
- CEINGE Advanced Biotechnologies s.c. a r.l., via G. Salvatore, 486, 80145 Naples, Italy; (T.F.); (A.C.); (M.R.); (D.S.)
| | - Daniela Sarnataro
- CEINGE Advanced Biotechnologies s.c. a r.l., via G. Salvatore, 486, 80145 Naples, Italy; (T.F.); (A.C.); (M.R.); (D.S.)
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples Federico II, Via S. Pansini, 5, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.Z.); (F.C.); (R.A.)
| | - Fabio Cattaneo
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples Federico II, Via S. Pansini, 5, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.Z.); (F.C.); (R.A.)
| | - Rosario Ammendola
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples Federico II, Via S. Pansini, 5, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.Z.); (F.C.); (R.A.)
| | - Gabriella Esposito
- CEINGE Advanced Biotechnologies s.c. a r.l., via G. Salvatore, 486, 80145 Naples, Italy; (T.F.); (A.C.); (M.R.); (D.S.)
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples Federico II, Via S. Pansini, 5, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.Z.); (F.C.); (R.A.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +30-0817463146
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7
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Torella A, Zanobio M, Zeuli R, del Vecchio Blanco F, Savarese M, Giugliano T, Garofalo A, Piluso G, Politano L, Nigro V. The position of nonsense mutations can predict the phenotype severity: A survey on the DMD gene. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0237803. [PMID: 32813700 PMCID: PMC7437896 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
A nonsense mutation adds a premature stop signal that hinders any further translation of a protein-coding gene, usually resulting in a null allele. To investigate the possible exceptions, we used the DMD gene as an ideal model. First, because dystrophin absence causes Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), while its reduction causes Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD). Second, the DMD gene is X-linked and there is no second allele that can interfere in males. Third, databases are accumulating reports on many mutations and phenotypic data. Finally, because DMD mutations may have important therapeutic implications. For our study, we analyzed large databases (LOVD, HGMD and ClinVar) and literature and revised critically all data, together with data from our internal patients. We totally collected 2593 patients. Positioning these mutations along the dystrophin transcript, we observed a nonrandom distribution of BMD-associated mutations within selected exons and concluded that the position can be predictive of the phenotype. Nonsense mutations always cause DMD when occurring at any point in fifty-one exons. In the remaining exons, we found milder BMD cases due to early 5’ nonsense mutations, if reinitiation can occur, or due to late 3’ nonsense when the shortened product retains functionality. In the central part of the gene, all mutations in some in-frame exons, such as in exons 25, 31, 37 and 38 cause BMD, while mutations in exons 30, 32, 34 and 36 cause DMD. This may have important implication in predicting the natural history and the efficacy of therapeutic use of drug-stimulated translational readthrough of premature termination codons, also considering the action of internal natural rescuers. More in general, our survey confirm that a nonsense mutation should be not necessarily classified as a null allele and this should be considered in genetic counselling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalaura Torella
- Dipartimento di Medicina di Precisione, Università degli Studi della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Napoli, Italy
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Mariateresa Zanobio
- Dipartimento di Medicina di Precisione, Università degli Studi della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Napoli, Italy
| | - Roberta Zeuli
- Dipartimento di Medicina di Precisione, Università degli Studi della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Napoli, Italy
| | | | - Marco Savarese
- Dipartimento di Medicina di Precisione, Università degli Studi della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Napoli, Italy
- Folkhälsan Research Center, Medicum, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Teresa Giugliano
- Dipartimento di Medicina di Precisione, Università degli Studi della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Napoli, Italy
| | - Arcomaria Garofalo
- Dipartimento di Medicina di Precisione, Università degli Studi della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Napoli, Italy
| | - Giulio Piluso
- Dipartimento di Medicina di Precisione, Università degli Studi della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Napoli, Italy
| | - Luisa Politano
- Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, Università degli Studi della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Napoli, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Nigro
- Dipartimento di Medicina di Precisione, Università degli Studi della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Napoli, Italy
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy
- * E-mail:
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