1
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Sharma G, Paganin M, Lauria F, Perenthaler E, Viero G. The SMN-ribosome interplay: a new opportunity for Spinal Muscular Atrophy therapies. Biochem Soc Trans 2024; 52:465-479. [PMID: 38391004 PMCID: PMC10903476 DOI: 10.1042/bst20231116] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
The underlying cause of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is in the reduction of survival motor neuron (SMN) protein levels due to mutations in the SMN1 gene. The specific effects of SMN protein loss and the resulting pathological alterations are not fully understood. Given the crucial roles of the SMN protein in snRNP biogenesis and its interactions with ribosomes and translation-related proteins and mRNAs, a decrease in SMN levels below a specific threshold in SMA is expected to affect translational control of gene expression. This review covers both direct and indirect SMN interactions across various translation-related cellular compartments and processes, spanning from ribosome biogenesis to local translation and beyond. Additionally, it aims to outline deficiencies and alterations in translation observed in SMA models and patients, while also discussing the implications of the relationship between SMN protein and the translation machinery within the context of current and future therapies.
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2
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Hoolachan JM, McCallion E, Sutton ER, Çetin Ö, Pacheco-Torres P, Dimitriadi M, Sari S, Miller GJ, Okoh M, Walter LM, Claus P, Wood MJA, Tonge DP, Bowerman M. A transcriptomics-based drug repositioning approach to identify drugs with similar activities for the treatment of muscle pathologies in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) models. Hum Mol Genet 2024; 33:400-425. [PMID: 37947217 PMCID: PMC10877467 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddad192] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a genetic neuromuscular disorder caused by the reduction of survival of motor neuron (SMN) protein levels. Although three SMN-augmentation therapies are clinically approved that significantly slow down disease progression, they are unfortunately not cures. Thus, complementary SMN-independent therapies that can target key SMA pathologies and that can support the clinically approved SMN-dependent drugs are the forefront of therapeutic development. We have previously demonstrated that prednisolone, a synthetic glucocorticoid (GC) improved muscle health and survival in severe Smn-/-;SMN2 and intermediate Smn2B/- SMA mice. However, long-term administration of prednisolone can promote myopathy. We thus wanted to identify genes and pathways targeted by prednisolone in skeletal muscle to discover clinically approved drugs that are predicted to emulate prednisolone's activities. Using an RNA-sequencing, bioinformatics, and drug repositioning pipeline on skeletal muscle from symptomatic prednisolone-treated and untreated Smn-/-; SMN2 SMA and Smn+/-; SMN2 healthy mice, we identified molecular targets linked to prednisolone's ameliorative effects and a list of 580 drug candidates with similar predicted activities. Two of these candidates, metformin and oxandrolone, were further investigated in SMA cellular and animal models, which highlighted that these compounds do not have the same ameliorative effects on SMA phenotypes as prednisolone; however, a number of other important drug targets remain. Overall, our work further supports the usefulness of prednisolone's potential as a second-generation therapy for SMA, identifies a list of potential SMA drug treatments and highlights improvements for future transcriptomic-based drug repositioning studies in SMA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph M Hoolachan
- School of Medicine, David Weatherall Building, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, United Kingdom
| | - Eve McCallion
- School of Medicine, David Weatherall Building, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, United Kingdom
| | - Emma R Sutton
- School of Medicine, David Weatherall Building, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, United Kingdom
| | - Özge Çetin
- School of Medicine, David Weatherall Building, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, United Kingdom
| | - Paloma Pacheco-Torres
- School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL910 9AB, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Dimitriadi
- School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL910 9AB, United Kingdom
| | - Suat Sari
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Hacettepe University, Ankara, 06100, Turkey
- School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Lennard-Jones Building, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, United Kingdom
| | - Gavin J Miller
- School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Lennard-Jones Building, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, United Kingdom
- Centre for Glycoscience, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, United Kingdom
| | - Magnus Okoh
- School of Medicine, David Weatherall Building, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, United Kingdom
| | - Lisa M Walter
- SMATHERIA gGmbH – Non-Profit Biomedical Research Institute, Feodor-Lynen-Straße 31, 30625, Hannover, Germany
- Centre of Systems Neuroscience (ZSN), Hannover Medical School, Bünteweg 2, 30559, Hannover, Germany
| | - Peter Claus
- SMATHERIA gGmbH – Non-Profit Biomedical Research Institute, Feodor-Lynen-Straße 31, 30625, Hannover, Germany
- Centre of Systems Neuroscience (ZSN), Hannover Medical School, Bünteweg 2, 30559, Hannover, Germany
| | - Matthew J A Wood
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Level 2, Children's Hospital, John Radcliffe, Headington Oxford, OX3 9DU, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel P Tonge
- School of Life Sciences, Huxley Building, Keele University, Staffordshire ST5 5BG, United Kingdom
| | - Melissa Bowerman
- School of Medicine, David Weatherall Building, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, United Kingdom
- Wolfson Centre for Inherited Neuromuscular Disease, RJAH Orthopaedic Hospital, Oswestry, SY10 7AG, United Kingdom
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3
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Hann SH, Kim SY, Kim YL, Jo YW, Kang JS, Park H, Choi SY, Kong YY. Depletion of SMN protein in mesenchymal progenitors impairs the development of bone and neuromuscular junction in spinal muscular atrophy. eLife 2024; 12:RP92731. [PMID: 38318851 PMCID: PMC10945524 DOI: 10.7554/elife.92731] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a neuromuscular disorder characterized by the deficiency of the survival motor neuron (SMN) protein, which leads to motor neuron dysfunction and muscle atrophy. In addition to the requirement for SMN in motor neurons, recent studies suggest that SMN deficiency in peripheral tissues plays a key role in the pathogenesis of SMA. Using limb mesenchymal progenitor cell (MPC)-specific SMN-depleted mouse models, we reveal that SMN reduction in limb MPCs causes defects in the development of bone and neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Specifically, these mice exhibited impaired growth plate homeostasis and reduced insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling from chondrocytes, rather than from the liver. Furthermore, the reduction of SMN in fibro-adipogenic progenitors (FAPs) resulted in abnormal NMJ maturation, altered release of neurotransmitters, and NMJ morphological defects. Transplantation of healthy FAPs rescued the morphological deterioration. Our findings highlight the significance of mesenchymal SMN in neuromusculoskeletal pathogenesis of SMA and provide insights into potential therapeutic strategies targeting mesenchymal cells for the treatment of SMA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang-Hyeon Hann
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seon-Yong Kim
- Department of Physiology, Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University School of Dentistry, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ye Lynne Kim
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Woo Jo
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Seol Kang
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyerim Park
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Se-Young Choi
- Department of Physiology, Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University School of Dentistry, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Yun Kong
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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4
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Miller N, Xu Z, Quinlan KA, Ji A, McGivern JV, Feng Z, Shi H, Ko CP, Tsai LH, Heckman CJ, Ebert AD, Ma YC. Mitigating aberrant Cdk5 activation alleviates mitochondrial defects and motor neuron disease symptoms in spinal muscular atrophy. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2300308120. [PMID: 37976261 PMCID: PMC10666147 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2300308120] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), the top genetic cause of infant mortality, is characterized by motor neuron degeneration. Mechanisms underlying SMA pathogenesis remain largely unknown. Here, we report that the activity of cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) and the conversion of its activating subunit p35 to the more potent activator p25 are significantly up-regulated in mouse models and human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) models of SMA. The increase of Cdk5 activity occurs before the onset of SMA phenotypes, suggesting that it may be an initiator of the disease. Importantly, aberrant Cdk5 activation causes mitochondrial defects and motor neuron degeneration, as the genetic knockout of p35 in an SMA mouse model rescues mitochondrial transport and fragmentation defects, and alleviates SMA phenotypes including motor neuron hyperexcitability, loss of excitatory synapses, neuromuscular junction denervation, and motor neuron degeneration. Inhibition of the Cdk5 signaling pathway reduces the degeneration of motor neurons derived from SMA mice and human SMA iPSCs. Altogether, our studies reveal a critical role for the aberrant activation of Cdk5 in SMA pathogenesis and suggest a potential target for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nimrod Miller
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL60611
- Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL60611
| | - Zhaofa Xu
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL60611
- Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL60611
| | - Katharina A. Quinlan
- Department of Neuroscience, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL60611
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL60611
- Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL60611
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, George and Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI02881
| | - Amy Ji
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL60611
| | - Jered V. McGivern
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI53226
| | - Zhihua Feng
- Section of Neurobiology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA90089
| | - Han Shi
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL60611
- Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL60611
| | - Chien-Ping Ko
- Section of Neurobiology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA90089
| | - Li-Huei Tsai
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
| | - Charles J. Heckman
- Department of Neuroscience, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL60611
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL60611
- Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL60611
| | - Allison D. Ebert
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI53226
| | - Yongchao C. Ma
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL60611
- Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL60611
- Department of Neuroscience, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL60611
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5
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Musawi S, Donnio LM, Zhao Z, Magnani C, Rassinoux P, Binda O, Huang J, Jacquier A, Coudert L, Lomonte P, Martinat C, Schaeffer L, Mottet D, Côté J, Mari PO, Giglia-Mari G. Nucleolar reorganization after cellular stress is orchestrated by SMN shuttling between nuclear compartments. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7384. [PMID: 37968267 PMCID: PMC10652021 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42390-4] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinal muscular atrophy is an autosomal recessive neuromuscular disease caused by mutations in the multifunctional protein Survival of Motor Neuron, or SMN. Within the nucleus, SMN localizes to Cajal bodies, which are associated with nucleoli, nuclear organelles dedicated to the first steps of ribosome biogenesis. The highly organized structure of the nucleolus can be dynamically altered by genotoxic agents. RNAP1, Fibrillarin, and nucleolar DNA are exported to the periphery of the nucleolus after genotoxic stress and, once DNA repair is fully completed, the organization of the nucleolus is restored. We find that SMN is required for the restoration of the nucleolar structure after genotoxic stress. During DNA repair, SMN shuttles from the Cajal bodies to the nucleolus. This shuttling is important for nucleolar homeostasis and relies on the presence of Coilin and the activity of PRMT1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaqraa Musawi
- Pathophysiology and Genetics of Neuron and Muscle (INMG-PGNM), CNRS UMR 5261, INSERM U1315, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 68008, Lyon, France
- Department of Medical Laboratories Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
| | - Lise-Marie Donnio
- Pathophysiology and Genetics of Neuron and Muscle (INMG-PGNM), CNRS UMR 5261, INSERM U1315, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 68008, Lyon, France.
| | - Zehui Zhao
- Pathophysiology and Genetics of Neuron and Muscle (INMG-PGNM), CNRS UMR 5261, INSERM U1315, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 68008, Lyon, France
| | - Charlène Magnani
- Pathophysiology and Genetics of Neuron and Muscle (INMG-PGNM), CNRS UMR 5261, INSERM U1315, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 68008, Lyon, France
| | - Phoebe Rassinoux
- Pathophysiology and Genetics of Neuron and Muscle (INMG-PGNM), CNRS UMR 5261, INSERM U1315, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 68008, Lyon, France
| | - Olivier Binda
- Pathophysiology and Genetics of Neuron and Muscle (INMG-PGNM), CNRS UMR 5261, INSERM U1315, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 68008, Lyon, France
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, K1H 8M5, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jianbo Huang
- Pathophysiology and Genetics of Neuron and Muscle (INMG-PGNM), CNRS UMR 5261, INSERM U1315, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 68008, Lyon, France
| | - Arnaud Jacquier
- Pathophysiology and Genetics of Neuron and Muscle (INMG-PGNM), CNRS UMR 5261, INSERM U1315, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 68008, Lyon, France
| | - Laurent Coudert
- Pathophysiology and Genetics of Neuron and Muscle (INMG-PGNM), CNRS UMR 5261, INSERM U1315, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 68008, Lyon, France
| | - Patrick Lomonte
- Pathophysiology and Genetics of Neuron and Muscle (INMG-PGNM), CNRS UMR 5261, INSERM U1315, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 68008, Lyon, France
| | - Cécile Martinat
- INSERM/UEPS UMR 861, Paris Saclay Université, I-STEM, 91100, Corbeil-Essonnes, France
| | - Laurent Schaeffer
- Pathophysiology and Genetics of Neuron and Muscle (INMG-PGNM), CNRS UMR 5261, INSERM U1315, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 68008, Lyon, France
| | - Denis Mottet
- GIGA-Molecular Biology of Diseases, Gene Expression and Cancer Laboratory, B34 + 1, University of Liege, Avenue de l'Hôpital 1, B-4000, Liège, Belgium
| | - Jocelyn Côté
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, K1H 8M5, Ontario, Canada
| | - Pierre-Olivier Mari
- Pathophysiology and Genetics of Neuron and Muscle (INMG-PGNM), CNRS UMR 5261, INSERM U1315, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 68008, Lyon, France
| | - Giuseppina Giglia-Mari
- Pathophysiology and Genetics of Neuron and Muscle (INMG-PGNM), CNRS UMR 5261, INSERM U1315, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 68008, Lyon, France.
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6
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Valsecchi V, Errico F, Bassareo V, Marino C, Nuzzo T, Brancaccio P, Laudati G, Casamassa A, Grimaldi M, D'Amico A, Carta M, Bertini E, Pignataro G, D'Ursi AM, Usiello A. SMN deficiency perturbs monoamine neurotransmitter metabolism in spinal muscular atrophy. Commun Biol 2023; 6:1155. [PMID: 37957344 PMCID: PMC10643621 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05543-1] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Beyond motor neuron degeneration, homozygous mutations in the survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene cause multiorgan and metabolic defects in patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). However, the precise biochemical features of these alterations and the age of onset in the brain and peripheral organs remain unclear. Using untargeted NMR-based metabolomics in SMA mice, we identify cerebral and hepatic abnormalities related to energy homeostasis pathways and amino acid metabolism, emerging already at postnatal day 3 (P3) in the liver. Through HPLC, we find that SMN deficiency induces a drop in cerebral norepinephrine levels in overt symptomatic SMA mice at P11, affecting the mRNA and protein expression of key genes regulating monoamine metabolism, including aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC), dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DβH) and monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A). In support of the translational value of our preclinical observations, we also discovered that SMN upregulation increases cerebrospinal fluid norepinephrine concentration in Nusinersen-treated SMA1 patients. Our findings highlight a previously unrecognized harmful influence of low SMN levels on the expression of critical enzymes involved in monoamine metabolism, suggesting that SMN-inducing therapies may modulate catecholamine neurotransmission. These results may also be relevant for setting therapeutic approaches to counteract peripheral metabolic defects in SMA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Valsecchi
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Dentistry Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Francesco Errico
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", 80055, Portici, Italy
- Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Ceinge Biotecnologie Avanzate, 80145, Naples, Italy
| | - Valentina Bassareo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09042, Monserrato, Italy
| | - Carmen Marino
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, 84084, Fisciano, Salerno, Italy
| | - Tommaso Nuzzo
- Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Ceinge Biotecnologie Avanzate, 80145, Naples, Italy
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Science and Technologies, Università degli Studi della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 81100, Caserta, Italy
| | - Paola Brancaccio
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Dentistry Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Giusy Laudati
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Dentistry Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Manuela Grimaldi
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, 84084, Fisciano, Salerno, Italy
| | - Adele D'Amico
- Unit of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disorders, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, 00163, Rome, Italy
| | - Manolo Carta
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09042, Monserrato, Italy
| | - Enrico Bertini
- Unit of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disorders, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, 00163, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Pignataro
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Dentistry Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Naples "Federico II", 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - Anna Maria D'Ursi
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, 84084, Fisciano, Salerno, Italy
| | - Alessandro Usiello
- Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Ceinge Biotecnologie Avanzate, 80145, Naples, Italy.
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Science and Technologies, Università degli Studi della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", 81100, Caserta, Italy.
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7
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Benlefki S, Younes R, Challuau D, Bernard-Marissal N, Hilaire C, Scamps F, Bowerman M, Kothary R, Schneider BL, Raoul C. Differential effect of Fas activation on spinal muscular atrophy motoneuron death and induction of axonal growth. Cell Mol Biol (Noisy-le-grand) 2023; 69:1-8. [PMID: 37953591 DOI: 10.14715/cmb/2023.69.10.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) are the most common motoneuron diseases affecting adults and infants, respectively. ALS and SMA are both characterized by the selective degeneration of motoneurons. Although different in their genetic etiology, growing evidence indicates that they share molecular and cellular pathogenic signatures that constitute potential common therapeutic targets. We previously described a motoneuron-specific death pathway elicited by the Fas death receptor, whereby vulnerable ALS motoneurons show an exacerbated sensitivity to Fas activation. However, the mechanisms that drive the loss of SMA motoneurons remains poorly understood. Here, we describe an in vitro model of SMA-associated degeneration using primary motoneurons derived from Smn2B/- SMA mice and show that Fas activation selectively triggers death of the proximal motoneurons. Fas-induced death of SMA motoneurons has the molecular signature of the motoneuron-selective Fas death pathway that requires activation of p38 kinase, caspase-8, -9 and -3 as well as upregulation of collapsin response mediator protein 4 (CRMP4). In addition, Rho-associated Kinase (ROCK) is required for Fas recruitment. Remarkably, we found that exogenous activation of Fas also promotes axonal elongation in both wildtype and SMA motoneurons. Axon outgrowth of motoneurons promoted by Fas requires the activity of ERK, ROCK and caspases. This work defines a dual role of Fas signaling in motoneurons that can elicit distinct responses from cell death to axonal growth.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Melissa Bowerman
- School of Medicine, Keele University, Staffordshire, United Kingdom.
| | - Rashmi Kothary
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Bernard L Schneider
- Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Cedric Raoul
- INM, Univ Montpellier, INSERM, Montpellier, France.
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8
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Leo M, Schmitt LI, Mairinger F, Roos A, Hansmann C, Hezel S, Skuljec J, Pul R, Schara-Schmidt U, Kleinschnitz C, Hagenacker T. Analysis of Free Circulating Messenger Ribonucleic Acids in Serum Samples from Late-Onset Spinal Muscular Atrophy Patients Using nCounter NanoString Technology. Cells 2023; 12:2374. [PMID: 37830588 PMCID: PMC10572204 DOI: 10.3390/cells12192374] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
5q-related Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a hereditary multi-systemic disorder leading to progressive muscle atrophy and weakness caused by the degeneration of spinal motor neurons (MNs) in the ventral horn of the spinal cord. Three SMN-enhancing drugs for SMA treatment are available. However, even if these drugs are highly effective when administrated early, several patients do not benefit sufficiently or remain non-responders, e.g., adults suffering from late-onset SMA and starting their therapy at advanced disease stages characterized by long-standing irreversible loss of MNs. Therefore, it is important to identify additional molecular targets to expand therapeutic strategies for SMA treatment and establish prognostic biomarkers related to the treatment response. Using high-throughput nCounter NanoString technology, we analyzed serum samples of late-onset SMA type 2 and type 3 patients before and six months under nusinersen treatment. Four genes (AMIGO1, CA2, CCL5, TLR2) were significantly altered in their transcript counts in the serum of patients, where differential expression patterns were dependent on SMA subtype and treatment response, assessed with outcome scales. No changes in gene expression were observed six months after nusinersen treatment, compared to healthy controls. These alterations in the transcription of four genes in SMA patients qualified those genes as potential SMN-independent therapeutic targets to complement current SMN-enhancing therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Leo
- Department of Neurology, Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences (C-TNBS), University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147 Essen, Germany; (L.-I.S.); (S.H.); (J.S.); (R.P.); (C.K.); (T.H.)
| | - Linda-Isabell Schmitt
- Department of Neurology, Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences (C-TNBS), University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147 Essen, Germany; (L.-I.S.); (S.H.); (J.S.); (R.P.); (C.K.); (T.H.)
| | - Fabian Mairinger
- Institute for Pathology, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147 Essen, Germany;
| | - Andreas Roos
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Center for Neuromuscular Disorders, Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences (C-TNBS), University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147 Essen, Germany; (A.R.); (U.S.-S.)
| | - Christina Hansmann
- Department of Neurology, Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences (C-TNBS), University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147 Essen, Germany; (L.-I.S.); (S.H.); (J.S.); (R.P.); (C.K.); (T.H.)
| | - Stefanie Hezel
- Department of Neurology, Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences (C-TNBS), University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147 Essen, Germany; (L.-I.S.); (S.H.); (J.S.); (R.P.); (C.K.); (T.H.)
| | - Jelena Skuljec
- Department of Neurology, Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences (C-TNBS), University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147 Essen, Germany; (L.-I.S.); (S.H.); (J.S.); (R.P.); (C.K.); (T.H.)
| | - Refik Pul
- Department of Neurology, Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences (C-TNBS), University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147 Essen, Germany; (L.-I.S.); (S.H.); (J.S.); (R.P.); (C.K.); (T.H.)
| | - Ulrike Schara-Schmidt
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Center for Neuromuscular Disorders, Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences (C-TNBS), University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147 Essen, Germany; (A.R.); (U.S.-S.)
| | - Christoph Kleinschnitz
- Department of Neurology, Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences (C-TNBS), University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147 Essen, Germany; (L.-I.S.); (S.H.); (J.S.); (R.P.); (C.K.); (T.H.)
| | - Tim Hagenacker
- Department of Neurology, Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences (C-TNBS), University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45147 Essen, Germany; (L.-I.S.); (S.H.); (J.S.); (R.P.); (C.K.); (T.H.)
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9
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Cui Q, Wang W, Namani A, Wang H, Hammad A, Huang P, Gao Y, Elshaer M, Wu Y, Wang XJ, Tang X. NRF2 has a splicing regulatory function involving the survival of motor neuron (SMN) in non-small cell lung cancer. Oncogene 2023; 42:2751-2763. [PMID: 37573407 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-023-02799-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023]
Abstract
The nuclear factor erythroid 2-like 2 (NFE2L2; NRF2) signaling pathway is frequently deregulated in human cancers. The critical functions of NRF2, other than its transcriptional activation, in cancers remain largely unknown. Here, we uncovered a previously unrecognized role of NRF2 in the regulation of RNA splicing. Global splicing analysis revealed that NRF2 knockdown in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) A549 cells altered 839 alternative splicing (AS) events in 485 genes. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that NRF2 transcriptionally regulated SMN mRNA expression by binding to two antioxidant response elements in the SMN1 promoter. Post-transcriptionally, NRF2 was physically associated with the SMN protein. The Neh2 domain of NRF2, as well as the YG box and the region encoded by exon 7 of SMN, were required for their interaction. NRF2 formed a complex with SMN and Gemin2 in nuclear gems and Cajal bodies. Furthermore, the NRF2-SMN interaction regulated RNA splicing by expressing SMN in NRF2-knockout HeLa cells, reverting some of the altered RNA splicing. Moreover, SMN overexpression was significantly associated with alterations in the NRF2 pathway in patients with lung squamous cell carcinoma from The Cancer Genome Atlas. Taken together, our findings suggest a novel therapeutic strategy for cancers involving an aberrant NRF2 pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinqin Cui
- Department of Biochemistry and Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, P. R. China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, P. R. China
| | - Akhileshwar Namani
- Department of Biochemistry and Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, P. R. China
| | - Hongyan Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, P. R. China
| | - Ahmed Hammad
- Department of Biochemistry and Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, P. R. China
| | - Pu Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, P. R. China
| | - Yang Gao
- Department of Biochemistry and Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, P. R. China
| | - Mohamed Elshaer
- Department of Biochemistry and Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, P. R. China
| | - Yihe Wu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, P. R. China
| | - Xiu Jun Wang
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Institute (Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, China National Ministry of Education), The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, P. R. China.
| | - Xiuwen Tang
- Department of Biochemistry and Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, P. R. China.
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Immunity and Inflammatory Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310003, PR China.
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10
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Lapp HS, Freigang M, Hagenacker T, Weiler M, Wurster CD, Günther R. Biomarkers in 5q-associated spinal muscular atrophy-a narrative review. J Neurol 2023; 270:4157-4178. [PMID: 37289324 PMCID: PMC10421827 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-023-11787-y] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
5q-associated spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a rare genetic disease caused by mutations in the SMN1 gene, resulting in a loss of functional SMN protein and consecutive degeneration of motor neurons in the ventral horn. The disease is clinically characterized by proximal paralysis and secondary skeletal muscle atrophy. New disease-modifying drugs driving SMN gene expression have been developed in the past decade and have revolutionized SMA treatment. The rise of treatment options led to a concomitant need of biomarkers for therapeutic guidance and an improved disease monitoring. Intensive efforts have been undertaken to develop suitable markers, and numerous candidate biomarkers for diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive values have been identified. The most promising markers include appliance-based measures such as electrophysiological and imaging-based indices as well as molecular markers including SMN-related proteins and markers of neurodegeneration and skeletal muscle integrity. However, none of the proposed biomarkers have been validated for the clinical routine yet. In this narrative review, we discuss the most promising candidate biomarkers for SMA and expand the discussion by addressing the largely unfolded potential of muscle integrity markers, especially in the context of upcoming muscle-targeting therapies. While the discussed candidate biomarkers hold potential as either diagnostic (e.g., SMN-related biomarkers), prognostic (e.g., markers of neurodegeneration, imaging-based markers), predictive (e.g., electrophysiological markers) or response markers (e.g., muscle integrity markers), no single measure seems to be suitable to cover all biomarker categories. Hence, a combination of different biomarkers and clinical assessments appears to be the most expedient solution at the time.
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Affiliation(s)
- H S Lapp
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - M Freigang
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - T Hagenacker
- Department of Neurology and Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Science (C-TNBS), University Medicine Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - M Weiler
- Department of Neurology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - C D Wurster
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - René Günther
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Germany.
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
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11
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Fortuna TR, Kour S, Chimata AV, Muiños-Bühl A, Anderson EN, Nelson Iv CH, Ward C, Chauhan O, O'Brien C, Rajasundaram D, Rajan DS, Wirth B, Singh A, Pandey UB. SMN regulates GEMIN5 expression and acts as a modifier of GEMIN5-mediated neurodegeneration. Acta Neuropathol 2023; 146:477-498. [PMID: 37369805 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-023-02607-8] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
GEMIN5 is essential for core assembly of small nuclear Ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs), the building blocks of spliceosome formation. Loss-of-function mutations in GEMIN5 lead to a neurodevelopmental syndrome among patients presenting with developmental delay, motor dysfunction, and cerebellar atrophy by perturbing SMN complex protein expression and assembly. Currently, molecular determinants of GEMIN5-mediated disease have yet to be explored. Here, we identified SMN as a genetic suppressor of GEMIN5-mediated neurodegeneration in vivo. We discovered that an increase in SMN expression by either SMN gene therapy replacement or the antisense oligonucleotide (ASO), Nusinersen, significantly upregulated the endogenous levels of GEMIN5 in mammalian cells and mutant GEMIN5-derived iPSC neurons. Further, we identified a strong functional association between the expression patterns of SMN and GEMIN5 in patient Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)-derived motor neurons harboring loss-of-function mutations in the SMN gene. Interestingly, SMN binds to the C-terminus of GEMIN5 and requires the Tudor domain for GEMIN5 binding and expression regulation. Finally, we show that SMN upregulation ameliorates defective snRNP biogenesis and alternative splicing defects caused by loss of GEMIN5 in iPSC neurons and in vivo. Collectively, these studies indicate that SMN acts as a regulator of GEMIN5 expression and neuropathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler R Fortuna
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Sukhleen Kour
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | - Anixa Muiños-Bühl
- Institute of Human Genetics, Center for Molecular Medicine, Center for Rare Disorders, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Eric N Anderson
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Charlie H Nelson Iv
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Caroline Ward
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Om Chauhan
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Casey O'Brien
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Dhivyaa Rajasundaram
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Deepa S Rajan
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Brunhilde Wirth
- Institute of Human Genetics, Center for Molecular Medicine, Center for Rare Disorders, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Amit Singh
- Department of Biology, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH, USA
| | - Udai Bhan Pandey
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
- Children's Neuroscience Institute, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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12
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Faravelli I, Gagliardi D, Abati E, Meneri M, Ongaro J, Magri F, Parente V, Petrozzi L, Ricci G, Farè F, Garrone G, Fontana M, Caruso D, Siciliano G, Comi GP, Govoni A, Corti S, Ottoboni L. Multi-omics profiling of CSF from spinal muscular atrophy type 3 patients after nusinersen treatment: a 2-year follow-up multicenter retrospective study. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:241. [PMID: 37543540 PMCID: PMC10404194 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-04885-7] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Revised: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023]
Abstract
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by mutations in the SMN1 gene resulting in reduced levels of the SMN protein. Nusinersen, the first antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) approved for SMA treatment, binds to the SMN2 gene, paralogue to SMN1, and mediates the translation of a functional SMN protein. Here, we used longitudinal high-resolution mass spectrometry (MS) to assess both global proteome and metabolome in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from ten SMA type 3 patients, with the aim of identifying novel readouts of pharmacodynamic/response to treatment and predictive markers of treatment response. Patients had a median age of 33.5 [29.5; 38.25] years, and 80% of them were ambulant at time of the enrolment, with a median HFMSE score of 37.5 [25.75; 50.75]. Untargeted CSF proteome and metabolome were measured using high-resolution MS (nLC-HRMS) on CSF samples obtained before treatment (T0) and after 2 years of follow-up (T22). A total of 26 proteins were found to be differentially expressed between T0 and T22 upon VSN normalization and LIMMA differential analysis, accounting for paired replica. Notably, key markers of the insulin-growth factor signaling pathway were upregulated after treatment together with selective modulation of key transcription regulators. Using CombiROC multimarker signature analysis, we suggest that detecting a reduction of SEMA6A and an increase of COL1A2 and GRIA4 might reflect therapeutic efficacy of nusinersen. Longitudinal metabolome profiling, analyzed with paired t-Test, showed a significant shift for some aminoacid utilization induced by treatment, whereas other metabolites were largely unchanged. Together, these data suggest perturbation upon nusinersen treatment still sustained after 22 months of follow-up and confirm the utility of CSF multi-omic profiling as pharmacodynamic biomarker for SMA type 3. Nonetheless, validation studies are needed to confirm this evidence in a larger sample size and to further dissect combined markers of response to treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Faravelli
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation (DEPT), Dino Ferrari Centre, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
| | - Delia Gagliardi
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation (DEPT), Dino Ferrari Centre, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Neurology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Abati
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation (DEPT), Dino Ferrari Centre, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Neurology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Megi Meneri
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation (DEPT), Dino Ferrari Centre, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Neurology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Jessica Ongaro
- Neurology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Magri
- Neurology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Valeria Parente
- Neurology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Lucia Petrozzi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Neurological Clinics, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giulia Ricci
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Neurological Clinics, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Donatella Caruso
- Unitech OMICs, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Gabriele Siciliano
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Neurological Clinics, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giacomo Pietro Comi
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation (DEPT), Dino Ferrari Centre, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Neurology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandra Govoni
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation (DEPT), Dino Ferrari Centre, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefania Corti
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation (DEPT), Dino Ferrari Centre, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
- Neurology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
| | - Linda Ottoboni
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation (DEPT), Dino Ferrari Centre, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
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13
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Nagasawa CK, Garcia-Blanco MA. Early Splicing Complexes and Human Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11412. [PMID: 37511171 PMCID: PMC10379813 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411412] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the last decade, our understanding of spliceosome structure and function has significantly improved, refining the study of the impact of dysregulated splicing on human disease. As a result, targeted splicing therapeutics have been developed, treating various diseases including spinal muscular atrophy and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. These advancements are very promising and emphasize the critical role of proper splicing in maintaining human health. Herein, we provide an overview of the current information on the composition and assembly of early splicing complexes-commitment complex and pre-spliceosome-and their association with human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe K. Nagasawa
- Human Pathophysiology and Translational Medicine Program, Institute for Translational Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-5302, USA;
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-5302, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903-2628, USA
| | - Mariano A. Garcia-Blanco
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-5302, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903-2628, USA
- Institute of Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-5302, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-5302, USA
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14
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Ottesen EW, Singh NN, Luo D, Kaas B, Gillette B, Seo J, Jorgensen H, Singh RN. Diverse targets of SMN2-directed splicing-modulating small molecule therapeutics for spinal muscular atrophy. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:5948-5980. [PMID: 37026480 PMCID: PMC10325915 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Designing an RNA-interacting molecule that displays high therapeutic efficacy while retaining specificity within a broad concentration range remains a challenging task. Risdiplam is an FDA-approved small molecule for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), the leading genetic cause of infant mortality. Branaplam is another small molecule which has undergone clinical trials. The therapeutic merit of both compounds is based on their ability to restore body-wide inclusion of Survival Motor Neuron 2 (SMN2) exon 7 upon oral administration. Here we compare the transcriptome-wide off-target effects of these compounds in SMA patient cells. We captured concentration-dependent compound-specific changes, including aberrant expression of genes associated with DNA replication, cell cycle, RNA metabolism, cell signaling and metabolic pathways. Both compounds triggered massive perturbations of splicing events, inducing off-target exon inclusion, exon skipping, intron retention, intron removal and alternative splice site usage. Our results of minigenes expressed in HeLa cells provide mechanistic insights into how these molecules targeted towards a single gene produce different off-target effects. We show the advantages of combined treatments with low doses of risdiplam and branaplam. Our findings are instructive for devising better dosing regimens as well as for developing the next generation of small molecule therapeutics aimed at splicing modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric W Ottesen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Natalia N Singh
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Diou Luo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Bailey Kaas
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Benjamin J Gillette
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Joonbae Seo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Hannah J Jorgensen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Ravindra N Singh
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
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15
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Lumpkin CJ, Harris AW, Connell AJ, Kirk RW, Whiting JA, Saieva L, Pellizzoni L, Burghes AHM, Butchbach MER. Evaluation of the orally bioavailable 4-phenylbutyrate-tethered trichostatin A analogue AR42 in models of spinal muscular atrophy. Sci Rep 2023; 13:10374. [PMID: 37365234 PMCID: PMC10293174 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-37496-0] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Proximal spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a leading genetic cause for infant death in the world and results from the selective loss of motor neurons in the spinal cord. SMA is a consequence of low levels of SMN protein and small molecules that can increase SMN expression are of considerable interest as potential therapeutics. Previous studies have shown that both 4-phenylbutyrate (4PBA) and trichostatin A (TSA) increase SMN expression in dermal fibroblasts derived from SMA patients. AR42 is a 4PBA-tethered TSA derivative that is a very potent histone deacetylase inhibitor. SMA patient fibroblasts were treated with either AR42, AR19 (a related analogue), 4PBA, TSA or vehicle for 5 days and then immunostained for SMN localization. AR42 as well as 4PBA and TSA increased the number of SMN-positive nuclear gems in a dose-dependent manner while AR19 did not show marked changes in gem numbers. While gem number was increased in AR42-treated SMA fibroblasts, there were no significant changes in FL-SMN mRNA or SMN protein. The neuroprotective effect of this compound was then assessed in SMNΔ7 SMA (SMN2+/+;SMNΔ7+/+;mSmn-/-) mice. Oral administration of AR42 prior to disease onset increased the average lifespan of SMNΔ7 SMA mice by ~ 27% (20.1 ± 1.6 days for AR42-treated mice vs. 15.8 ± 0.4 days for vehicle-treated mice). AR42 treatment also improved motor function in these mice. AR42 treatment inhibited histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity in treated spinal cord although it did not affect SMN protein expression in these mice. AKT and GSK3β phosphorylation were both significantly increased in SMNΔ7 SMA mouse spinal cords. In conclusion, presymptomatic administration of the HDAC inhibitor AR42 ameliorates the disease phenotype in SMNΔ7 SMA mice in a SMN-independent manner possibly by increasing AKT neuroprotective signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casey J Lumpkin
- Division of Neurology, Nemours Children's Hospital Delaware, 4462 E400 DuPont Experimental Station, 200 Powder Mill Road, Wilmington, DE, 19803, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Ashlee W Harris
- Division of Neurology, Nemours Children's Hospital Delaware, 4462 E400 DuPont Experimental Station, 200 Powder Mill Road, Wilmington, DE, 19803, USA
| | - Andrew J Connell
- Division of Neurology, Nemours Children's Hospital Delaware, 4462 E400 DuPont Experimental Station, 200 Powder Mill Road, Wilmington, DE, 19803, USA
| | - Ryan W Kirk
- Division of Neurology, Nemours Children's Hospital Delaware, 4462 E400 DuPont Experimental Station, 200 Powder Mill Road, Wilmington, DE, 19803, USA
| | - Joshua A Whiting
- Division of Neurology, Nemours Children's Hospital Delaware, 4462 E400 DuPont Experimental Station, 200 Powder Mill Road, Wilmington, DE, 19803, USA
| | - Luciano Saieva
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Livio Pellizzoni
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Arthur H M Burghes
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
- Department of Neurology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Matthew E R Butchbach
- Division of Neurology, Nemours Children's Hospital Delaware, 4462 E400 DuPont Experimental Station, 200 Powder Mill Road, Wilmington, DE, 19803, USA.
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA.
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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16
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Uriostegui-Arcos M, Mick ST, Shi Z, Rahman R, Fiszbein A. Splicing activates transcription from weak promoters upstream of alternative exons. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3435. [PMID: 37301863 PMCID: PMC10256964 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39200-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [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: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcription and splicing are intrinsically coupled. Alternative splicing of internal exons can fine-tune gene expression through a recently described phenomenon called exon-mediated activation of transcription starts (EMATS). However, the association of this phenomenon with human diseases remains unknown. Here, we develop a strategy to activate gene expression through EMATS and demonstrate its potential for treatment of genetic diseases caused by loss of expression of essential genes. We first identified a catalog of human EMATS genes and provide a list of their pathological variants. To test if EMATS can be used to activate gene expression, we constructed stable cell lines expressing a splicing reporter based on the alternative splicing of motor neuron 2 (SMN2) gene. Using small molecules and antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) currently used for treatment of spinal muscular atrophy, we demonstrated that increase of inclusion of alternative exons can trigger an activation of gene expression up to 45-fold by enhancing transcription in EMATS-like genes. We observed the strongest effects in genes under the regulation of weak human promoters located proximal to highly included skipped exons.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Steven T Mick
- Biology Department, Boston University, Boston, 02215, USA
| | - Zhuo Shi
- Biology Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, 02139, USA
| | - Rufuto Rahman
- Biology Department, Boston University, Boston, 02215, USA
| | - Ana Fiszbein
- Biology Department, Boston University, Boston, 02215, USA.
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17
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Welby E, Ebert AD. Diminished motor neuron activity driven by abnormal astrocytic EAAT1 glutamate transporter activity in spinal muscular atrophy is not fully restored after lentiviral SMN delivery. Glia 2023; 71:1311-1332. [PMID: 36655314 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24340] [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: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is characterized by the loss of the lower spinal motor neurons due to survival motor neuron (SMN) deficiency. The motor neuron cell autonomous and non-cell autonomous disease mechanisms driving early glutamatergic dysfunction, a therapeutically targetable phenotype prior to motor neuron cell loss, remain unclear. Using microelectrode array analysis, we demonstrate that the secretome and cell surface proteins needed for proper synaptic modulation are likely disrupted in human SMA astrocytes and lead to diminished motor neuron activity. While healthy astrocyte conditioned media did not improve SMA motor neuron activity, SMA motor neurons robustly responded to healthy astrocyte neuromodulation in direct contact cultures. This suggests an important role of astrocyte synaptic-associated plasma membrane proteins and contact-mediated cellular interactions for proper motor neuron function in SMA. Specifically, we identified a significant reduction of the glutamate Na+ dependent excitatory amino acid transporter EAAT1 within human SMA astrocytes and SMA lumbar spinal cord tissue. The selective inhibition of EAAT1 in healthy co-cultures phenocopied the diminished neural activity observed in SMA astrocyte co-cultures. Caveolin-1, an SMN-interacting protein previously associated with local translation at the plasma membrane, was abnormally elevated in human SMA astrocytes. Although lentiviral SMN delivery to SMA astrocytes partially rescued EAAT1 expression, limited activity of healthy motor neurons was still observed in SMN-transduced SMA astrocyte co-cultures. Together, these data highlight the detrimental impact of astrocyte-mediated disease mechanisms on motor neuron function in SMA and that SMN delivery may be insufficient to fully restore astrocyte function at the synapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Welby
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Allison D Ebert
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
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18
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Nadal M, Anton R, Dorca‐Arévalo J, Estébanez‐Perpiñá E, Tizzano EF, Fuentes‐Prior P. Structure and function analysis of Sam68 and hnRNP A1 synergy in the exclusion of exon 7 from SMN2 transcripts. Protein Sci 2023; 32:e4553. [PMID: 36560896 PMCID: PMC10031812 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4553] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by the absence of a functional copy of the Survival of Motor Neuron 1 gene (SMN1). The nearly identical paralog, SMN2, cannot compensate for the loss of SMN1 because exon 7 is aberrantly skipped from most SMN2 transcripts, a process mediated by synergistic activities of Src-associated during mitosis, 68 kDa (Sam68/KHDRBS1) and heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) A1. This results in the production of a truncated, nonfunctional protein that is rapidly degraded. Here, we present several crystal structures of Sam68 RNA-binding domain (RBD). Sam68-RBD forms stable symmetric homodimers by antiparallel association of helices α3 from two monomers. However, the details of domain organization and the dimerization interface differ significantly from previously characterized homologs. We demonstrate that Sam68 and hnRNP A1 can simultaneously bind proximal motifs within the central region of SMN2 (ex7). Furthermore, we show that the RNA-binding pockets of the two proteins are close to each other in their heterodimeric complex and identify contact residues using crosslinking-mass spectrometry. We present a model of the ternary Sam68·SMN2 (ex7)·hnRNP A1 complex that reconciles all available information on SMN1/2 splicing. Our findings have important implications for the etiology of SMA and open new avenues for the design of novel therapeutics to treat splicing diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Nadal
- Molecular Bases of DiseaseBiomedical Research Institute Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau)BarcelonaSpain
| | - Rosa Anton
- Molecular Bases of DiseaseBiomedical Research Institute Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau)BarcelonaSpain
| | - Jonatan Dorca‐Arévalo
- Molecular Bases of DiseaseBiomedical Research Institute Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau)BarcelonaSpain
- Present address:
Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Campus of BellvitgeHospitalet de Llobregat, University of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Eva Estébanez‐Perpiñá
- Structural Biology of Nuclear Receptors, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, Faculty of BiologyInstitute of Biomedicine (IBUB) of the University of Barcelona (UB)BarcelonaSpain
| | - Eduardo F. Tizzano
- Medicine Genetics GroupVall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR)BarcelonaSpain
- Department of Clinical and Molecular GeneticsHospital Vall d'HebronBarcelonaSpain
| | - Pablo Fuentes‐Prior
- Molecular Bases of DiseaseBiomedical Research Institute Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau)BarcelonaSpain
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19
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Kong L, Hassinan CW, Gerstner F, Buettner JM, Petigrow JB, Valdivia DO, Chan-Cortés MH, Mistri A, Cao A, McGaugh SA, Denton M, Brown S, Ross J, Schwab MH, Simon CM, Sumner CJ. Boosting neuregulin 1 type-III expression hastens SMA motor axon maturation. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2023; 11:53. [PMID: 36997967 PMCID: PMC10061791 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-023-01551-8] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Intercellular communication between axons and Schwann cells is critical for attaining the complex morphological steps necessary for axon maturation. In the early onset motor neuron disease spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), many motor axons are not ensheathed by Schwann cells nor grow sufficiently in radial diameter to become myelinated. These developmentally arrested motor axons are dysfunctional and vulnerable to rapid degeneration, limiting efficacy of current SMA therapeutics. We hypothesized that accelerating SMA motor axon maturation would improve their function and reduce disease features. A principle regulator of peripheral axon development is neuregulin 1 type III (NRG1-III). Expressed on axon surfaces, it interacts with Schwann cell receptors to mediate axon ensheathment and myelination. We examined NRG1 mRNA and protein expression levels in human and mouse SMA tissues and observed reduced expression in SMA spinal cord and in ventral, but not dorsal root axons. To determine the impact of neuronal NRG1-III overexpression on SMA motor axon development, we bred NRG1-III overexpressing mice to SMA∆7 mice. Neonatally, elevated NRG1-III expression increased SMA ventral root size as well as axon segregation, diameter, and myelination resulting in improved motor axon conduction velocities. NRG1-III was not able to prevent distal axonal degeneration nor improve axon electrophysiology, motor behavior, or survival of older mice. Together these findings demonstrate that early SMA motor axon developmental impairments can be ameliorated by a molecular strategy independent of SMN replacement providing hope for future SMA combinatorial therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingling Kong
- Departments of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 North Wolfe Street, Rangos Building Room 234, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Cera W Hassinan
- Departments of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 North Wolfe Street, Rangos Building Room 234, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Florian Gerstner
- Carl-Ludwig-Institute for Physiology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jannik M Buettner
- Carl-Ludwig-Institute for Physiology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jeffrey B Petigrow
- Departments of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 North Wolfe Street, Rangos Building Room 234, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - David O Valdivia
- Departments of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 North Wolfe Street, Rangos Building Room 234, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Michelle H Chan-Cortés
- Departments of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 North Wolfe Street, Rangos Building Room 234, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Amy Mistri
- Departments of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 North Wolfe Street, Rangos Building Room 234, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Annie Cao
- Departments of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 North Wolfe Street, Rangos Building Room 234, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Scott Alan McGaugh
- Departments of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 North Wolfe Street, Rangos Building Room 234, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Madeline Denton
- Departments of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 North Wolfe Street, Rangos Building Room 234, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Stephen Brown
- Departments of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 North Wolfe Street, Rangos Building Room 234, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Joshua Ross
- Departments of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 North Wolfe Street, Rangos Building Room 234, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Markus H Schwab
- Department of Neuropathology, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christian M Simon
- Carl-Ludwig-Institute for Physiology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Charlotte J Sumner
- Departments of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 North Wolfe Street, Rangos Building Room 234, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Departments of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
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20
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Sabuncu Gürses G, Erdem SS, Saçan MT. A QSAR study to predict the survival motor neuron promoter activity of candidate diaminoquinazoline derivatives for the potential treatment of spinal muscular atrophy. SAR QSAR Environ Res 2023; 34:247-266. [PMID: 37125536 DOI: 10.1080/1062936x.2023.2200975] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Spinal Muscular Atrophy is a genetic neuromuscular disease that leads to muscle weakness and atrophy and it is characterized by the loss of α-motor neurons in the spinal cord's anterior horn cells. The disease appears due to low levels of the survival motor neuron protein. There are continuing clinical trials for the treatment of Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Quinazoline-based compounds are promising since they were tested on fibroblasts derived from the patients and found to increase the survival motor neuron protein levels. In this study, using multiple linear regression, we generated robust and valid quantitative structure- activity relationship models to predict the survival motor neuron-2 promoter activity of the new candidate compounds using the experimental survival motor neuron-2 promoter activity values of 2,4-diaminoquinazoline derivatives taken from the literature. The novel compounds designed by combining the pyrido[1,2-α]pyrimidin-4-one moeity of the known drug Risdiplam with that of 2,4 - diaminoquinazoline scaffold were predicted to exhibit strong promoter activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Sabuncu Gürses
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - S S Erdem
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - M T Saçan
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Bogaziçi University, Istanbul, Turkey
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21
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Gabanella F, Onori A, Pisani C, Fiore M, Ferraguti G, Colizza A, de Vincentiis M, Ceccanti M, Inghilleri M, Corbi N, Passananti C, Di Certo MG. SMN Deficiency Destabilizes ABCA1 Expression in Human Fibroblasts: Novel Insights in Pathophysiology of Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032916. [PMID: 36769246 PMCID: PMC9917534 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032916] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The deficiency of survival motor neuron protein (SMN) causes spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a rare neuromuscular disease that affects different organs. SMN is a key player in RNA metabolism regulation. An intriguing aspect of SMN function is its relationship with plasma membrane-associated proteins. Here, we provide a first demonstration that SMN affects the ATP-binding cassette transporter A1, (ABCA1), a membrane protein critically involved in cholesterol homeostasis. In human fibroblasts, we showed that SMN associates to ABCA1 mRNA, and impacts its subcellular distribution. Consistent with the central role of ABCA1 in the efflux of free cholesterol from cells, we observed a cholesterol accumulation in SMN-depleted human fibroblasts. These results were also confirmed in SMA type I patient-derived fibroblasts. These findings not only validate the intimate connection between SMN and plasma membrane-associated proteins, but also highlight a contribution of dysregulated cholesterol efflux in SMA pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Gabanella
- CNR-Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Department of Sense Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence: (F.G.); (M.G.D.C.)
| | - Annalisa Onori
- CNR-Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Cinzia Pisani
- CNR-Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Fiore
- CNR-Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Department of Sense Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Giampiero Ferraguti
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Colizza
- Department of Sense Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Marco de Vincentiis
- Department of Sense Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Ceccanti
- Center for Rare Neuromuscular Diseases, Department of Human Neuroscience, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Maurizio Inghilleri
- Center for Rare Neuromuscular Diseases, Department of Human Neuroscience, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Corbi
- CNR-Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Claudio Passananti
- CNR-Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Grazia Di Certo
- CNR-Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Department of Sense Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence: (F.G.); (M.G.D.C.)
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22
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Abstract
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive degenerative neuromuscular disorder characterized by loss of spinal motor neurons leading to muscle weakness and atrophy that is caused by survival motor neuron (SMN) protein deficiency resulting from the biallelic loss of the SMN1 gene. The SMN2 gene modulates the SMA phenotype, as a small fraction of its transcripts are alternatively spliced to produce full-length SMN (fSMN) protein. SMN-targeted therapies increase SMN protein; mRNA therapies, nusinersen and risdiplam, increase the amount of fSMN transcripts alternatively spliced from the SMN2 gene, while gene transfer therapy, onasemnogene abeparvovec xioi, increases SMN protein by introducing the hSMN gene into various tissues, including spinal cord via an AAV9 vector. These SMN-targeted therapies have been found effective in improving outcomes and are approved for use in SMA in the US and elsewhere. This article discusses the clinical trial results for SMN-directed therapies with a focus on efficacy, side effects and treatment response predictors. It also discusses preliminary data from muscle-targeted trials, as single agents and in combination with SMN-targeted therapies, as well as other classes of SMA treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia A Chiriboga
- Division of Child Neurology, Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, 180 Fort Washington Ave, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
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23
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Franco-Espin J, Gatius A, Armengol JÁ, Arumugam S, Moradi M, Sendtner M, Calderó J, Tabares L. SMN is Physiologically Downregulated at Wild-Type Motor Nerve Terminals but Aggregates Together with Neurofilaments in SMA Mouse Models. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12101524. [PMID: 36291733 PMCID: PMC9599093 DOI: 10.3390/biom12101524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Survival motor neuron (SMN) is an essential and ubiquitously expressed protein that participates in several aspects of RNA metabolism. SMN deficiency causes a devastating motor neuron disease called spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). SMN forms the core of a protein complex localized at the cytoplasm and nuclear gems and that catalyzes spliceosomal snRNP particle synthesis. In cultured motor neurons, SMN is also present in dendrites and axons, and forms part of the ribonucleoprotein transport granules implicated in mRNA trafficking and local translation. Nevertheless, the distribution, regulation, and role of SMN at the axons and presynaptic motor terminals in vivo are still unclear. By using conventional confocal microscopy and STED super-resolution nanoscopy, we found that SMN appears in the form of granules distributed along motor axons at nerve terminals. Our fluorescence in situ hybridization and electron microscopy studies also confirmed the presence of β-actin mRNA, ribosomes, and polysomes in the presynaptic motor terminal, key elements of the protein synthesis machinery involved in local translation in this compartment. SMN granules co-localize with the microtubule-associated protein 1B (MAP1B) and neurofilaments, suggesting that the cytoskeleton participates in transporting and positioning the granules. We also found that, while SMN granules are physiologically downregulated at the presynaptic element during the period of postnatal maturation in wild-type (non-transgenic) mice, they accumulate in areas of neurofilament aggregation in SMA mice, suggesting that the high expression of SMN at the NMJ, together with the cytoskeletal defects, contribute to impairing the bi-directional traffic of proteins and organelles between the axon and the presynaptic terminal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio Franco-Espin
- Department of Medical Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of Seville, 41009 Seville, Spain
| | - Alaó Gatius
- Department of Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Lleida, Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida (IRBLleida), 25198 Lleida, Spain
| | - José Ángel Armengol
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, University Pablo de Olavide, 41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Saravanan Arumugam
- Department of Medical Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of Seville, 41009 Seville, Spain
| | - Mehri Moradi
- Institute of Clinical Neurobiology, University Hospital Wuerzburg, 97078 Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Michael Sendtner
- Institute of Clinical Neurobiology, University Hospital Wuerzburg, 97078 Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Jordi Calderó
- Department of Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Lleida, Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida (IRBLleida), 25198 Lleida, Spain
| | - Lucia Tabares
- Department of Medical Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of Seville, 41009 Seville, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-9-5455-6574
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24
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Liu Y, Iqbal A, Li W, Ni Z, Wang Y, Ramprasad J, Abraham KJ, Zhang M, Zhao DY, Qin S, Loppnau P, Jiang H, Guo X, Brown PJ, Zhen X, Xu G, Mekhail K, Ji X, Bedford MT, Greenblatt JF, Min J. A small molecule antagonist of SMN disrupts the interaction between SMN and RNAP II. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5453. [PMID: 36114190 PMCID: PMC9481570 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33229-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Survival of motor neuron (SMN) functions in diverse biological pathways via recognition of symmetric dimethylarginine (Rme2s) on proteins by its Tudor domain, and deficiency of SMN leads to spinal muscular atrophy. Here we report a potent and selective antagonist with a 4-iminopyridine scaffold targeting the Tudor domain of SMN. Our structural and mutagenesis studies indicate that both the aromatic ring and imino groups of compound 1 contribute to its selective binding to SMN. Various on-target engagement assays support that compound 1 specifically recognizes SMN in a cellular context and prevents the interaction of SMN with the R1810me2s of RNA polymerase II subunit POLR2A, resulting in transcription termination and R-loop accumulation mimicking SMN depletion. Thus, in addition to the antisense, RNAi and CRISPR/Cas9 techniques, potent SMN antagonists could be used as an efficient tool to understand the biological functions of SMN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanli Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Aman Iqbal
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Weiguo Li
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Zuyao Ni
- Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Yalong Wang
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jurupula Ramprasad
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Karan Joshua Abraham
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mengmeng Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | | | - Su Qin
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Life Science Research Center, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Peter Loppnau
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Honglv Jiang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xinghua Guo
- Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Peter J Brown
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Xuechu Zhen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Guoqiang Xu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Karim Mekhail
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Xingyue Ji
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Mark T Bedford
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Jinrong Min
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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25
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Sun J, Qiu J, Yang Q, Ju Q, Qu R, Wang X, Wu L, Xing L. Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals dysregulation of spinal cord cell types in a severe spinal muscular atrophy mouse model. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010392. [PMID: 36074806 PMCID: PMC9488758 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [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: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Although spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a motor neuron disease caused by the loss of survival of motor neuron (SMN) proteins, there is growing evidence that non-neuronal cells play important roles in SMA pathogenesis. However, transcriptome alterations occurring at the single-cell level in SMA spinal cord remain unknown, preventing us from fully comprehending the role of specific cells. Here, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing of the spinal cord of a severe SMA mouse model, and identified ten cell types as well as their differentially expressed genes. Using CellChat, we found that cellular communication between different cell types in the spinal cord of SMA mice was significantly reduced. A dimensionality reduction analysis revealed 29 cell subtypes and their differentially expressed gene. A subpopulation of vascular fibroblasts showed the most significant change in the SMA spinal cord at the single-cell level. This subpopulation was drastically reduced, possibly causing vascular defects and resulting in widespread protein synthesis and energy metabolism reductions in SMA mice. This study reveals for the first time a single-cell atlas of the spinal cord of mice with severe SMA, and sheds new light on the pathogenesis of SMA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junjie Sun
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Jiangsu Clinical Medicine Center of Tissue Engineering and Nerve Injury Repair, Nantong University, Nantong, China
- * E-mail: (JS); (LW); (LX)
| | - Jiaying Qiu
- Department of Prenatal Screening and Diagnosis Center, Affiliated Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Qiongxia Yang
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Jiangsu Clinical Medicine Center of Tissue Engineering and Nerve Injury Repair, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Qianqian Ju
- Laboratory Animal Center, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Ruobing Qu
- Biomedical Polymers Laboratory, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Xu Wang
- Laboratory Animal Center, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Liucheng Wu
- Laboratory Animal Center, Nantong University, Nantong, China
- * E-mail: (JS); (LW); (LX)
| | - Lingyan Xing
- Key Laboratory of Neuroregeneration of Jiangsu and Ministry of Education, Co-Innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Tissue Engineering Technology Products, Jiangsu Clinical Medicine Center of Tissue Engineering and Nerve Injury Repair, Nantong University, Nantong, China
- * E-mail: (JS); (LW); (LX)
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Brown SJ, Kline RA, Synowsky SA, Shirran SL, Holt I, Sillence KA, Claus P, Wirth B, Wishart TM, Fuller HR. The Proteome Signatures of Fibroblasts from Patients with Severe, Intermediate and Mild Spinal Muscular Atrophy Show Limited Overlap. Cells 2022; 11:cells11172624. [PMID: 36078032 PMCID: PMC9454632 DOI: 10.3390/cells11172624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [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: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Most research to characterise the molecular consequences of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) has focused on SMA I. Here, proteomic profiling of skin fibroblasts from severe (SMA I), intermediate (SMA II), and mild (SMA III) patients, alongside age-matched controls, was conducted using SWATH mass spectrometry analysis. Differentially expressed proteomic profiles showed limited overlap across each SMA type, and variability was greatest within SMA II fibroblasts, which was not explained by SMN2 copy number. Despite limited proteomic overlap, enriched canonical pathways common to two of three SMA severities with at least one differentially expressed protein from the third included mTOR signalling, regulation of eIF2 and eIF4 signalling, and protein ubiquitination. Network expression clustering analysis identified protein profiles that may discriminate or correlate with SMA severity. From these clusters, the differential expression of PYGB (SMA I), RAB3B (SMA II), and IMP1 and STAT1 (SMA III) was verified by Western blot. All SMA fibroblasts were transfected with an SMN-enhanced construct, but only RAB3B expression in SMA II fibroblasts demonstrated an SMN-dependent response. The diverse proteomic profiles and pathways identified here pave the way for studies to determine their utility as biomarkers for patient stratification or monitoring treatment efficacy and for the identification of severity-specific treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon J. Brown
- School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering (PhaB), Keele University, Keele ST5 5BG, UK
- Wolfson Centre for Inherited Neuromuscular Disease, RJAH Orthopaedic Hospital, Oswestry SY10 7AG, UK
| | - Rachel A. Kline
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK
- Euan MacDonald Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Silvia A. Synowsky
- BSRC Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Facility, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9ST, UK
| | - Sally L. Shirran
- BSRC Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Facility, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9ST, UK
| | - Ian Holt
- Wolfson Centre for Inherited Neuromuscular Disease, RJAH Orthopaedic Hospital, Oswestry SY10 7AG, UK
| | | | - Peter Claus
- SMATHERIA gGmbH—Non-Profit Biomedical Research Institute, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Brunhilde Wirth
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital of Cologne, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
- Center for Rare Diseases, University Hospital of Cologne, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
- Institute for Genetics, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Thomas M. Wishart
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK
- Euan MacDonald Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Heidi R. Fuller
- School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering (PhaB), Keele University, Keele ST5 5BG, UK
- Wolfson Centre for Inherited Neuromuscular Disease, RJAH Orthopaedic Hospital, Oswestry SY10 7AG, UK
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +44-(0)1-782-734546
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Karyka E, Berrueta Ramirez N, Webster CP, Marchi PM, Graves EJ, Godena VK, Marrone L, Bhargava A, Ray S, Ning K, Crane H, Hautbergue GM, El-Khamisy SF, Azzouz M. SMN-deficient cells exhibit increased ribosomal DNA damage. Life Sci Alliance 2022; 5:e202101145. [PMID: 35440492 PMCID: PMC9018017 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202101145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [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: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinal muscular atrophy, the leading genetic cause of infant mortality, is a motor neuron disease caused by low levels of survival motor neuron (SMN) protein. SMN is a multifunctional protein that is implicated in numerous cytoplasmic and nuclear processes. Recently, increasing attention is being paid to the role of SMN in the maintenance of DNA integrity. DNA damage and genome instability have been linked to a range of neurodegenerative diseases. The ribosomal DNA (rDNA) represents a particularly unstable locus undergoing frequent breakage. Instability in rDNA has been associated with cancer, premature ageing syndromes, and a number of neurodegenerative disorders. Here, we report that SMN-deficient cells exhibit increased rDNA damage leading to impaired ribosomal RNA synthesis and translation. We also unravel an interaction between SMN and RNA polymerase I. Moreover, we uncover an spinal muscular atrophy motor neuron-specific deficiency of DDX21 protein, which is required for resolving R-loops in the nucleolus. Taken together, our findings suggest a new role of SMN in rDNA integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evangelia Karyka
- The Healthy Lifespan Institute and Neuroscience Institute, Neurodegeneration and Genome Stability Group, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Nelly Berrueta Ramirez
- The Healthy Lifespan Institute and Neuroscience Institute, Neurodegeneration and Genome Stability Group, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The Institute of Neuroscience and the Healthy Lifespan Institute, School of Bioscience, Firth Court, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Christopher P Webster
- The Healthy Lifespan Institute and Neuroscience Institute, Neurodegeneration and Genome Stability Group, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Paolo M Marchi
- The Healthy Lifespan Institute and Neuroscience Institute, Neurodegeneration and Genome Stability Group, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Emily J Graves
- The Healthy Lifespan Institute and Neuroscience Institute, Neurodegeneration and Genome Stability Group, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Vinay K Godena
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Lara Marrone
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Anushka Bhargava
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Swagat Ray
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The Institute of Neuroscience and the Healthy Lifespan Institute, School of Bioscience, Firth Court, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK
| | - Ke Ning
- The Healthy Lifespan Institute and Neuroscience Institute, Neurodegeneration and Genome Stability Group, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Hannah Crane
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The Institute of Neuroscience and the Healthy Lifespan Institute, School of Bioscience, Firth Court, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Guillaume M Hautbergue
- The Healthy Lifespan Institute and Neuroscience Institute, Neurodegeneration and Genome Stability Group, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Sherif F El-Khamisy
- The Healthy Lifespan Institute and Neuroscience Institute, Neurodegeneration and Genome Stability Group, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The Institute of Neuroscience and the Healthy Lifespan Institute, School of Bioscience, Firth Court, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- The Institute of Cancer Therapeutics, University of Bradford, Bradford, UK
| | - Mimoun Azzouz
- The Healthy Lifespan Institute and Neuroscience Institute, Neurodegeneration and Genome Stability Group, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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Grice SJ, Liu JL. Motor defects in a Drosophila model for spinal muscular atrophy result from SMN depletion during early neurogenesis. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010325. [PMID: 35877682 PMCID: PMC9352204 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is the most common autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disease, and is characterised by spinal motor neuron loss, impaired motor function and, often, premature death. Mutations and deletions in the widely expressed survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene cause SMA; however, the mechanisms underlying the selectivity of motor neuron degeneration are not well understood. Although SMA is degenerative in nature, SMN function during embryonic and early postnatal development appears to be essential for motor neuron survival in animal models and humans. Notwithstanding, how developmental defects contribute to the subversion of postnatal and adult motor function remains elusive. Here, in a Drosophila SMA model, we show that neurodevelopmental defects precede gross locomotor dysfunction in larvae. Furthermore, to specifically address the relevance of SMN during neurogenesis and in neurogenic cell types, we show that SMN knockdown using neuroblast-specific and pan-neuronal drivers, but not differentiated neuron or glial cell drivers, impairs adult motor function. Using targeted knockdown, we further restricted SMN manipulation in neuroblasts to a defined time window. Our aim was to express specifically in the neuronal progenitor cell types that have not formed synapses, and thus a time that precedes neuromuscular junction formation and maturation. By restoring SMN levels in these distinct neuronal population, we partially rescue the larval locomotor defects of Smn mutants. Finally, combinatorial SMN knockdown in immature and mature neurons synergistically enhances the locomotor and survival phenotypes. Our in-vivo study is the first to directly rescue the motor defects of an SMA model by expressing Smn in an identifiable population of Drosophila neuroblasts and developing neurons, highlighting that neuronal sensitivity to SMN loss may arise before synapse establishment and nerve cell maturation. Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is the most common genetic cause of infant mortality and leads to the degeneration of the nerves that control muscle function. Loss-of-function mutations in the widely expressed survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene cause SMA, but how low levels of SMN protein cause the neuronal dysfunction is not known. Although SMA is a disease of nerve degeneration, SMN function during nerve cell development may be important, particularly in severe forms of SMA. Nevertheless, how the defects during development and throughout early life contribute to the disease is not well understood. We have previously demonstrated that SMN protein becomes enriched in neuroblasts, which are the cells that divide to produce neurons. In the present study, motor defects observed in our fly model for SMA could be rescued by restoring SMN in neuroblasts alone. In addition, we show that knocking down SMN in healthy flies within the same cell type causes impaired motor function. The present study shows that the manipulation of SMN in a developmentally important cell type can cause motor defects, indicating that a period of abnormal neurodevelopment may contribute to SMA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart J. Grice
- Medical Research Council Functional Genomics Unit, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (SJG); , (J-LL)
| | - Ji-Long Liu
- Medical Research Council Functional Genomics Unit, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai, Tech University, Shanghai, China
- * E-mail: (SJG); , (J-LL)
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Januel C, Menduti G, Mamchaoui K, Martinat C, Artero R, Konieczny P, Boido M. Moxifloxacin rescues SMA phenotypes in patient-derived cells and animal model. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:441. [PMID: 35864358 PMCID: PMC9304069 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04450-8] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a genetic disease resulting in the loss of α-motoneurons followed by muscle atrophy. It is caused by knock-out mutations in the survival of motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene, which has an unaffected, but due to preferential exon 7 skipping, only partially functional human-specific SMN2 copy. We previously described a Drosophila-based screening of FDA-approved drugs that led us to discover moxifloxacin. We showed its positive effect on the SMN2 exon 7 splicing in SMA patient-derived skin cells and its ability to increase the SMN protein level. Here, we focus on moxifloxacin's therapeutic potential in additional SMA cellular and animal models. We demonstrate that moxifloxacin rescues the SMA-related molecular and phenotypical defects in muscle cells and motoneurons by improving the SMN2 splicing. The consequent increase of SMN levels was higher than in case of risdiplam, a potent exon 7 splicing modifier, and exceeded the threshold necessary for a survival improvement. We also demonstrate that daily subcutaneous injections of moxifloxacin in a severe SMA murine model reduces its characteristic neuroinflammation and increases the SMN levels in various tissues, leading to improved motor skills and extended lifespan. We show that moxifloxacin, originally used as an antibiotic, can be potentially repositioned for the SMA treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Januel
- INSERM/UEVE, UMR 861, Université Paris Saclay, I-STEM, AFM-Telethon, Rue Henri Desbruères, 91100, Corbeil-Essonnes, France
| | - Giovanna Menduti
- Department of Neuroscience "Rita Levi Montalcini", Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, University of Turin, Regione Gonzole 10, Orbassano, 10043, Turin, TO, Italy
| | - Kamel Mamchaoui
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Institut de Myologie, Centre de Recherche en Myologie, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Cecile Martinat
- INSERM/UEVE, UMR 861, Université Paris Saclay, I-STEM, AFM-Telethon, Rue Henri Desbruères, 91100, Corbeil-Essonnes, France.
| | - Ruben Artero
- University Institute of Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, Street Dr. Moliner, 50, 46100, Burjasot, Valencia, Spain.
- Translational Genomics Group, Incliva Biomedical Research Institute, Avenue Menéndez Pelayo 4 acc, 46010, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Piotr Konieczny
- University Institute of Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, Street Dr. Moliner, 50, 46100, Burjasot, Valencia, Spain
- Translational Genomics Group, Incliva Biomedical Research Institute, Avenue Menéndez Pelayo 4 acc, 46010, Valencia, Spain
| | - Marina Boido
- Department of Neuroscience "Rita Levi Montalcini", Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, University of Turin, Regione Gonzole 10, Orbassano, 10043, Turin, TO, Italy
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Khayrullina G, Alipio‐Gloria ZA, Deguise M, Gagnon S, Chehade L, Stinson M, Belous N, Bergman EM, Lischka FW, Rotty J, Dalgard CL, Kothary R, Johnson KA, Burnett BG. Survival motor neuron protein deficiency alters microglia reactivity. Glia 2022; 70:1337-1358. [PMID: 35373853 PMCID: PMC9081169 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Survival motor neuron (SMN) protein deficiency results in loss of alpha motor neurons and subsequent muscle atrophy in patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Reactive microglia have been reported in SMA mice and depleting microglia rescues the number of proprioceptive synapses, suggesting a role in SMA pathology. Here, we explore the contribution of lymphocytes on microglia reactivity in SMA mice and investigate how SMN deficiency alters the reactive profile of human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived microglia. We show that microglia adopt a reactive morphology in spinal cords of SMA mice. Ablating lymphocytes did not alter the reactive morphology of SMA microglia and did not improve the survival or motor function of SMA mice, indicating limited impact of peripheral immune cells on the SMA phenotype. We found iPSC-derived SMA microglia adopted an amoeboid morphology and displayed a reactive transcriptome profile, increased cell migration, and enhanced phagocytic activity. Importantly, cell morphology and electrophysiological properties of motor neurons were altered when they were incubated with conditioned media from SMA microglia. Together, these data reveal that SMN-deficient microglia adopt a reactive profile and exhibit an exaggerated inflammatory response with potential impact on SMA neuropathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guzal Khayrullina
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and GeneticsUniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, F. Edward Hebert School of MedicineBethesdaMarylandUSA
| | | | - Marc‐Olivier Deguise
- Regenerative Medicine ProgramOttawa Hospital Research InstituteOttawaOntarioCanada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular MedicineUniversity of OttawaOttawaOntarioCanada
- Centre for Neuromuscular DiseaseUniversity of OttawaOttawaOntarioCanada
- Department of PediatricsChildren's Hospital of Eastern OntarioOttawaOntarioCanada
| | - Sabrina Gagnon
- Regenerative Medicine ProgramOttawa Hospital Research InstituteOttawaOntarioCanada
| | - Lucia Chehade
- Regenerative Medicine ProgramOttawa Hospital Research InstituteOttawaOntarioCanada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular MedicineUniversity of OttawaOttawaOntarioCanada
- Centre for Neuromuscular DiseaseUniversity of OttawaOttawaOntarioCanada
| | - Matthew Stinson
- Department of BiochemistryUniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, F. Edward Hebert School of MedicineBethesdaMarylandUSA
| | - Natalya Belous
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and GeneticsUniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, F. Edward Hebert School of MedicineBethesdaMarylandUSA
| | - Elizabeth M. Bergman
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and GeneticsUniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, F. Edward Hebert School of MedicineBethesdaMarylandUSA
| | - Fritz W. Lischka
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and GeneticsUniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, F. Edward Hebert School of MedicineBethesdaMarylandUSA
| | - Jeremy Rotty
- Department of BiochemistryUniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, F. Edward Hebert School of MedicineBethesdaMarylandUSA
| | - Clifton L. Dalgard
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and GeneticsUniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, F. Edward Hebert School of MedicineBethesdaMarylandUSA
- The American Genome CenterUniformed Services University of the Health SciencesBethesdaMarylandUSA
| | - Rashmi Kothary
- Regenerative Medicine ProgramOttawa Hospital Research InstituteOttawaOntarioCanada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular MedicineUniversity of OttawaOttawaOntarioCanada
- Centre for Neuromuscular DiseaseUniversity of OttawaOttawaOntarioCanada
- Department of MedicineUniversity of OttawaOttawaOntarioCanada
| | | | - Barrington G. Burnett
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and GeneticsUniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, F. Edward Hebert School of MedicineBethesdaMarylandUSA
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Forouhan M, Lim WF, Zanetti-Domingues LC, Tynan CJ, Roberts TC, Malik B, Manzano R, Speciale AA, Ellerington R, Garcia-Guerra A, Fratta P, Sorarú G, Greensmith L, Pennuto M, Wood MJA, Rinaldi C. AR cooperates with SMAD4 to maintain skeletal muscle homeostasis. Acta Neuropathol 2022; 143:713-731. [PMID: 35522298 PMCID: PMC9107400 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-022-02428-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Androgens and androgen-related molecules exert a plethora of functions across different tissues, mainly through binding to the transcription factor androgen receptor (AR). Despite widespread therapeutic use and misuse of androgens as potent anabolic agents, the molecular mechanisms of this effect on skeletal muscle are currently unknown. Muscle mass in adulthood is mainly regulated by the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) axis of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β pathway via recruitment of mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 4 (SMAD4) protein. Here we show that, upon activation, AR forms a transcriptional complex with SMAD4 to orchestrate a muscle hypertrophy programme by modulating SMAD4 chromatin binding dynamics and enhancing its transactivation activity. We challenged this mechanism of action using spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) as a model of study. This adult-onset neuromuscular disease is caused by a polyglutamine expansion (polyQ) in AR and is characterized by progressive muscle weakness and atrophy secondary to a combination of lower motor neuron degeneration and primary muscle atrophy. Here we found that the presence of an elongated polyQ tract impairs AR cooperativity with SMAD4, leading to an inability to mount an effective anti-atrophy gene expression programme in skeletal muscle in response to denervation. Furthermore, adeno-associated virus, serotype 9 (AAV9)-mediated muscle-restricted delivery of BMP7 is able to rescue the muscle atrophy in SBMA mice, supporting the development of treatments able to fine-tune AR-SMAD4 transcriptional cooperativity as a promising target for SBMA and other conditions associated with muscle loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitra Forouhan
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QX, UK
| | - Wooi Fang Lim
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QX, UK
| | - Laura C Zanetti-Domingues
- Central Laser Facility, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Christopher J Tynan
- Central Laser Facility, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Thomas C Roberts
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QX, UK
| | - Bilal Malik
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Raquel Manzano
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Alfina A Speciale
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QX, UK
| | - Ruth Ellerington
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QX, UK
| | - Antonio Garcia-Guerra
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QX, UK
| | - Pietro Fratta
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Gianni Sorarú
- Department of Neurosciences, Neurology Unit, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Venetian Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Padova, Italy
| | - Linda Greensmith
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Maria Pennuto
- Venetian Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Padova, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Matthew J A Wood
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QX, UK
- MDUK Oxford Neuromuscular Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Carlo Rinaldi
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QX, UK.
- MDUK Oxford Neuromuscular Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
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32
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Dai M, Xu Y, Sun Y, Xiao B, Ying X, Liu Y, Jiang W, Zhang J, Liu X, Ji X. Revealing diverse alternative splicing variants of the highly homologous SMN1 and SMN2 genes by targeted long-read sequencing. Mol Genet Genomics 2022; 297:1039-1048. [PMID: 35612622 DOI: 10.1007/s00438-022-01874-6] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The survival of motor neuron (SMN) genes, SMN1 and SMN2, are two highly homologous genes related to spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Different patterns of alternative splicing have been observed in the SMN genes. In this study, the long-read sequencing technique for distinguishing SMN1 and SMN2 without any assembly were developed and applied to reveal multiple alternative splicing patterns and to comprehensively identify transcript variants of the SMN genes. In total, 36 types of transcript variants were identified, with an equal number of variants generated from both SMN1 and SMN2. Of these, 18 were novel SMN transcripts that have never been reported. The structures of SMN transcripts were revealed to be much more complicated and diverse than previously discovered. These novel transcripts were derived from diverse splicing events, including skipping of one or more exons, intron retention, and exon shortening or addition. SMN1 mainly produces FL-SMN1, SMN1Δ7, SMN1Δ5 and SMN1Δ3. The distribution of SMN2 transcripts was significantly different from those of SMN1, with the majority transcripts to be SMN2Δ7, followed by FL-SMN2, SMN2Δ3,5 and SMN2Δ5,7. Targeted long-read sequencing approach could accurately distinguish sequences of SMN1 from those of SMN2. Our study comprehensively addressed naturally occurring SMN1 and SMN2 transcript variants and splicing patterns in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The novel transcripts identified in our study expanded knowledge of the diversity of transcript variants generated from the SMN genes and showed a much more comprehensive profile of the SMN splicing spectrum. Results in our study will provide valuable information for the study of low expression level of SMN proteins and SMA pathogenesis based on transcript levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyao Dai
- Department of Paediatric Endocrinology/Genetics, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Molecular Genetics Group, Shanghai Institute for Paediatric Research, Shanghai, China
- National Research Center for Translational Medicine, National Key Scientific Infrastructure for Translational Medicine (Shanghai), Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
- National Clinical Research Centre for Metabolic Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Shanghai Clinical Center for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Shanghai Institute for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Xu
- Department of Paediatric Endocrinology/Genetics, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Molecular Genetics Group, Shanghai Institute for Paediatric Research, Shanghai, China
- Department of Reproductive Genetics, International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Sun
- Department of Paediatric Endocrinology/Genetics, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Molecular Genetics Group, Shanghai Institute for Paediatric Research, Shanghai, China
| | - Bing Xiao
- Department of Paediatric Endocrinology/Genetics, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Molecular Genetics Group, Shanghai Institute for Paediatric Research, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaomin Ying
- Department of Paediatric Endocrinology/Genetics, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Molecular Genetics Group, Shanghai Institute for Paediatric Research, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Liu
- Department of Paediatric Endocrinology/Genetics, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Molecular Genetics Group, Shanghai Institute for Paediatric Research, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenting Jiang
- Department of Paediatric Endocrinology/Genetics, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Molecular Genetics Group, Shanghai Institute for Paediatric Research, Shanghai, China
| | - Jingmin Zhang
- Department of Paediatric Endocrinology/Genetics, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Molecular Genetics Group, Shanghai Institute for Paediatric Research, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoqing Liu
- Department of Paediatric Endocrinology/Genetics, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Molecular Genetics Group, Shanghai Institute for Paediatric Research, Shanghai, China
| | - Xing Ji
- Department of Paediatric Endocrinology/Genetics, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
- Molecular Genetics Group, Shanghai Institute for Paediatric Research, Shanghai, China.
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Toosaranont J, Ruschadaariyachat S, Mujchariyakul W, Arora JK, Charoensawan V, Suktitipat B, Palmer TN, Fletcher S, Wilton SD, Mitrpant C. Antisense Oligonucleotide Induction of the hnRNPA1b Isoform Affects Pre-mRNA Splicing of SMN2 in SMA Type I Fibroblasts. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23073937. [PMID: 35409296 PMCID: PMC8999010 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23073937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a severe, debilitating neuromuscular condition characterised by loss of motor neurons and progressive muscle wasting. SMA is caused by a loss of expression of SMN1 that encodes the survival motor neuron (SMN) protein necessary for the survival of motor neurons. Restoration of SMN expression through increased inclusion of SMN2 exon 7 is known to ameliorate symptoms in SMA patients. As a consequence, regulation of pre-mRNA splicing of SMN2 could provide a potential molecular therapy for SMA. In this study, we explored if splice switching antisense oligonucleotides could redirect the splicing repressor hnRNPA1 to the hnRNPA1b isoform and restore SMN expression in fibroblasts from a type I SMA patient. Antisense oligonucleotides (AOs) were designed to promote exon 7b retention in the mature mRNA and induce the hnRNPA1b isoform. RT-PCR and western blot analysis were used to assess and monitor the efficiency of different AO combinations. A combination of AOs targeting multiple silencing motifs in hnRNPA1 pre-mRNA led to robust hnRNPA1b induction, which, in turn, significantly increased expression of full-length SMN (FL-SMN) protein. A combination of PMOs targeting the same motifs also strongly induced hnRNPA1b isoform, but surprisingly SMN2 exon 5 skipping was detected, and the PMO cocktail did not lead to a significant increase in expression of FL-SMN protein. We further performed RNA sequencing to assess the genome-wide effects of hnRNPA1b induction. Some 3244 genes were differentially expressed between the hnRNPA1b-induced and untreated SMA fibroblasts, which are functionally enriched in cell cycle and chromosome segregation processes. RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that expression of the master regulator of these enrichment pathways, MYBL2 and FOXM1B, were reduced in response to PMO treatment. These findings suggested that induction of hnRNPA1b can promote SMN protein expression, but not at sufficient levels to be clinically relevant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jarichad Toosaranont
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand; (J.T.); (S.R.); (B.S.)
| | - Sukanya Ruschadaariyachat
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand; (J.T.); (S.R.); (B.S.)
| | - Warasinee Mujchariyakul
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand; (W.M.); (J.K.A.); (V.C.)
| | - Jantarika Kumar Arora
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand; (W.M.); (J.K.A.); (V.C.)
| | - Varodom Charoensawan
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand; (W.M.); (J.K.A.); (V.C.)
- Integrative Computational BioScience (ICBS) Center, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
- Systems Biology of Diseases Research Unit, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Bhoom Suktitipat
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand; (J.T.); (S.R.); (B.S.)
- Integrative Computational BioScience (ICBS) Center, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
| | - Thomas N. Palmer
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia; (T.N.P.); (S.F.); (S.D.W.)
| | - Sue Fletcher
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia; (T.N.P.); (S.F.); (S.D.W.)
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia
| | - Steve D. Wilton
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia; (T.N.P.); (S.F.); (S.D.W.)
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia
| | - Chalermchai Mitrpant
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand; (J.T.); (S.R.); (B.S.)
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia; (T.N.P.); (S.F.); (S.D.W.)
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia
- Correspondence:
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Jacquier V, Prévot M, Gostan T, Bordonné R, Benkhelifa-Ziyyat S, Barkats M, Soret J. Splicing efficiency of minor introns in a mouse model of SMA predominantly depends on their branchpoint sequence and can involve the contribution of major spliceosome components. RNA 2022; 28:303-319. [PMID: 34893560 PMCID: PMC8848931 DOI: 10.1261/rna.078329.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease caused by reduced amounts of the ubiquitously expressed Survival of Motor Neuron (SMN) protein. In agreement with its crucial role in the biogenesis of spliceosomal snRNPs, SMN-deficiency is correlated to numerous splicing alterations in patient cells and various tissues of SMA mouse models. Among the snRNPs whose assembly is impacted by SMN-deficiency, those involved in the minor spliceosome are particularly affected. Importantly, splicing of several, but not all U12-dependent introns has been shown to be affected in different SMA models. Here, we have investigated the molecular determinants of this differential splicing in spinal cords from SMA mice. We show that the branchpoint sequence (BPS) is a key element controlling splicing efficiency of minor introns. Unexpectedly, splicing of several minor introns with suboptimal BPS is not affected in SMA mice. Using in vitro splicing experiments and oligonucleotides targeting minor or major snRNAs, we show for the first time that splicing of these introns involves both the minor and major machineries. Our results strongly suggest that splicing of a subset of minor introns is not affected in SMA mice because components of the major spliceosome compensate for the loss of minor splicing activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentin Jacquier
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier 34293, France
| | - Manon Prévot
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier 34293, France
| | - Thierry Gostan
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier 34293, France
| | - Rémy Bordonné
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier 34293, France
| | - Sofia Benkhelifa-Ziyyat
- Centre de Recherche en Myologie (CRM), Institut de Myologie, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Inserm UMRS974, GH Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris 75013, France
| | - Martine Barkats
- Centre de Recherche en Myologie (CRM), Institut de Myologie, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Inserm UMRS974, GH Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris 75013, France
| | - Johann Soret
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier 34293, France
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Kolkwitz PE, Mohrlüder J, Willbold D. Inhibition of Polyglutamine Misfolding with D-Enantiomeric Peptides Identified by Mirror Image Phage Display Selection. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12020157. [PMID: 35204656 PMCID: PMC8961585 DOI: 10.3390/biom12020157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Nine heritable diseases are known that are caused by unphysiologically elongated polyglutamine tracts in human proteins leading to misfolding, aggregation and neurodegeneration. Current therapeutic strategies include efforts to inhibit the expression of the respective gene coding for the polyglutamine-containing proteins. There are, however, concerns that this may interfere with the physiological function of the respective protein. We aim to stabilize the protein’s native conformation by D-enantiomeric peptide ligands to prevent misfolding and aggregation, shift the equilibrium between aggregates and monomers towards monomers and dissolve already existing aggregates into non-toxic and functional monomers. Here, we performed a mirror image phage display selection on the polyglutamine containing a fragment of the androgen receptor. An elongated polyglutamine tract in the androgen receptor causes spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA). The selected D-enantiomeric peptides were tested for their ability to inhibit polyglutamine-induced androgen receptor aggregation. We identified D-enantiomeric peptide QF2D-2 (sqsqwstpqGkwshwprrr) as the most promising candidate. It binds to an androgen receptor fragment with 46 consecutive glutamine residues and decelerates its aggregation, even in seeded experiments. Therefore, QF2D-2 may be a promising drug candidate for SBMA treatment or even for all nine heritable polyglutamine diseases, since its aggregation-inhibiting property was shown also for a more general polyglutamine target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Elisabeth Kolkwitz
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany; (P.E.K.); (J.M.)
| | - Jeannine Mohrlüder
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany; (P.E.K.); (J.M.)
| | - Dieter Willbold
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany; (P.E.K.); (J.M.)
- Institut für Physikalische Biologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
- Correspondence:
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Comley LH, Kline RA, Thomson AK, Woschitz V, Landeros EV, Osman EY, Lorson CL, Murray LM. OUP accepted manuscript. Hum Mol Genet 2022; 31:3107-3119. [PMID: 35551393 PMCID: PMC9476628 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddac097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [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: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a childhood motor neuron disease caused by anomalies in the SMN1 gene. Although therapeutics have been approved for the treatment of SMA, there is a therapeutic time window, after which efficacy is reduced. Hallmarks of motor unit pathology in SMA include loss of motor-neurons and neuromuscular junction (NMJs). Following an increase in Smn levels, it is unclear how much damage can be repaired and the degree to which normal connections are re-established. Here, we perform a detailed analysis of motor unit pathology before and after restoration of Smn levels. Using a Smn-inducible mouse model of SMA, we show that genetic restoration of Smn results in a dramatic reduction in NMJ pathology, with restoration of innervation patterns, preservation of axon and endplate number and normalized expression of P53-associated transcripts. Notably, presynaptic swelling and elevated Pmaip levels remained. We analysed the effect of either early or delayed treated of an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) targeting SMN2 on a range of differentially vulnerable muscles. Following ASO administration, the majority of endplates appeared fully occupied. However, there was an underlying loss of axons and endplates, which was more prevalent following a delay in treatment. There was an increase in average motor unit size following both early and delayed treatment. Together this work demonstrates the remarkably regenerative capacity of the motor neuron following Smn restoration, but highlights that recovery is incomplete. This work suggests that there is an opportunity to enhance neuromuscular junction recovery following administration of Smn-enhancing therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura H Comley
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, UK
- Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Rachel A Kline
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, UK
- Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Alison K Thomson
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, UK
- Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Victoria Woschitz
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, UK
- Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Eric Villalón Landeros
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205-2185, USA
| | - Erkan Y Osman
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Christian L Lorson
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Lyndsay M Murray
- To whom correspondence should be addressed at: College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Old Medical School, Teviot Place, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK. Tel: +44 131 651 5985;
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Zhang Y, Chen X, Wang Q, Du C, Lu W, Yuan H, Zhang Z, Li D, Ling X, Ren X, Zhao Y, Su Q, Xing Z, Qin Y, Yang X, Shen Y, Wu H, Qi Y. Hyper-SUMOylation of SMN induced by SENP2 deficiency decreases its stability and leads to spinal muscular atrophy-like pathology. J Mol Med (Berl) 2021; 99:1797-1813. [PMID: 34628513 DOI: 10.1007/s00109-021-02130-x] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a degenerative motor neuron disease and a leading cause of infant mortality, is caused by loss of functional survival motor neuron (SMN) protein due to SMN1 gene mutation. Here, using mouse and cell models for behavioral and histological studies, we found that SENP2 (SUMO/sentrin-specific protease 2)-deficient mice developed a notable SMA-like pathology phenotype with significantly decreased muscle fibers and motor neurons. At the molecular level, SENP2 deficiency in mice did not affect transcription but decreased SMN protein levels by promoting the SUMOylation of SMN. SMN was modified by SUMO2 with the E3 PIAS2α and deconjugated by SENP2. SUMOylation of SMN accelerated its degradation by the ubiquitin-proteasome degradation pathway with the ubiquitin E1 UBA1 (ubiquitin-like modifier activating enzyme 1) and E3 ITCH. SUMOylation of SMN increased its acetylation to inhibit the formation of Cajal bodies (CBs). These results showed that SENP2 deficiency induced hyper-SUMOylation of the SMN protein, which further affected the stability and functions of the SMN protein, eventually leading to the SMA-like phenotype. Thus, we uncovered the important roles for hyper-SUMOylation of SMN induced by SENP2 deficiency in motor neurons and provided a novel targeted therapeutic strategy for SMA. KEY MESSAGES: SENP2 deficiency enhanced the hyper-SUMOylation of SMN and promoted the degradation of SMN by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. SUMOylation increased the acetylation of SMN to inhibit CB formation. SENP2 deficiency caused hyper-SUMOylation of SMN protein, which further affected the stability and functions of SMN protein and eventually led to the occurrence of SMA-like pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Developing of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest of China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xu Chen
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Developing of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest of China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, Shaanxi, China
| | - Qiqi Wang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Developing of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest of China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, Shaanxi, China
| | - Congcong Du
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Developing of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest of China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, Shaanxi, China
| | - Wenbin Lu
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Developing of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest of China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, Shaanxi, China
| | - Hong Yuan
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Developing of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest of China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, Shaanxi, China
| | - Zhenzhen Zhang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Developing of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest of China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, Shaanxi, China
| | - Danqing Li
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Developing of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest of China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xing Ling
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Developing of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest of China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xiang Ren
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Developing of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest of China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yang Zhao
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Developing of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest of China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, Shaanxi, China
| | - Qi Su
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Developing of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest of China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, Shaanxi, China
| | - Zhengcao Xing
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Developing of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest of China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yuanyuan Qin
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Developing of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest of China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xinyi Yang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Developing of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest of China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yajie Shen
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Developing of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest of China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, Shaanxi, China
| | - Hongmei Wu
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Developing of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest of China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, Shaanxi, China.
| | - Yitao Qi
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Medicinal Resources and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Developing of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest of China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710119, Shaanxi, China.
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Borgonetti V, Coppi E, Galeotti N. Targeting the RNA-Binding Protein HuR as Potential Thera-Peutic Approach for Neurological Disorders: Focus on Amyo-Trophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Spinal Muscle Atrophy (SMA) and Multiple Sclerosis. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms221910394. [PMID: 34638733 PMCID: PMC8508990 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910394] [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] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The importance of precise co- and post-transcriptional processing of RNA in the regulation of gene expression has become increasingly clear. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are a class of proteins that bind single- or double-chain RNA, with different affinities and selectivity, thus regulating the various functions of RNA and the fate of the cells themselves. ELAV (embryonic lethal/abnormal visual system)/Hu proteins represent an important family of RBPs and play a key role in the fate of newly transcribed mRNA. ELAV proteins bind AU-rich element (ARE)-containing transcripts, which are usually present on the mRNA of proteins such as cytokines, growth factors, and other proteins involved in neuronal differentiation and maintenance. In this review, we focused on a member of ELAV/Hu proteins, HuR, and its role in the development of neurodegenerative disorders, with a particular focus on demyelinating diseases.
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Chong LC, Gandhi G, Lee JM, Yeo WWY, Choi SB. Drug Discovery of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) from the Computational Perspective: A Comprehensive Review. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:8962. [PMID: 34445667 PMCID: PMC8396480 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), one of the leading inherited causes of child mortality, is a rare neuromuscular disease arising from loss-of-function mutations of the survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene, which encodes the SMN protein. When lacking the SMN protein in neurons, patients suffer from muscle weakness and atrophy, and in the severe cases, respiratory failure and death. Several therapeutic approaches show promise with human testing and three medications have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to date. Despite the shown promise of these approved therapies, there are some crucial limitations, one of the most important being the cost. The FDA-approved drugs are high-priced and are shortlisted among the most expensive treatments in the world. The price is still far beyond affordable and may serve as a burden for patients. The blooming of the biomedical data and advancement of computational approaches have opened new possibilities for SMA therapeutic development. This article highlights the present status of computationally aided approaches, including in silico drug repurposing, network driven drug discovery as well as artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted drug discovery, and discusses the future prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Chuin Chong
- Centre for Bioinformatics, School of Data Sciences, Perdana University, Suite 9.2, 9th Floor, Wisma Chase Perdana, Changkat Semantan, Kuala Lumpur 50490, Malaysia; (L.C.C.); (J.M.L.)
| | - Gayatri Gandhi
- Perdana University Graduate School of Medicine, Perdana University, Suite 9.2, 9th Floor, Wisma Chase Perdana, Changkat Semantan, Kuala Lumpur 50490, Malaysia; (G.G.); (W.W.Y.Y.)
| | - Jian Ming Lee
- Centre for Bioinformatics, School of Data Sciences, Perdana University, Suite 9.2, 9th Floor, Wisma Chase Perdana, Changkat Semantan, Kuala Lumpur 50490, Malaysia; (L.C.C.); (J.M.L.)
| | - Wendy Wai Yeng Yeo
- Perdana University Graduate School of Medicine, Perdana University, Suite 9.2, 9th Floor, Wisma Chase Perdana, Changkat Semantan, Kuala Lumpur 50490, Malaysia; (G.G.); (W.W.Y.Y.)
| | - Sy-Bing Choi
- Centre for Bioinformatics, School of Data Sciences, Perdana University, Suite 9.2, 9th Floor, Wisma Chase Perdana, Changkat Semantan, Kuala Lumpur 50490, Malaysia; (L.C.C.); (J.M.L.)
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Tang Z, Akhter S, Ramprasad A, Wang X, Reibarkh M, Wang J, Aryal S, Thota SS, Zhao J, Douglas JT, Gao P, Holmstrom ED, Miao Y, Wang J. Recognition of single-stranded nucleic acids by small-molecule splicing modulators. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:7870-7883. [PMID: 34283224 PMCID: PMC8373063 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [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: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Risdiplam is the first approved small-molecule splicing modulator for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Previous studies demonstrated that risdiplam analogues have two separate binding sites in exon 7 of the SMN2 pre-mRNA: (i) the 5'-splice site and (ii) an upstream purine (GA)-rich binding site. Importantly, the sequence of this GA-rich binding site significantly enhanced the potency of risdiplam analogues. In this report, we unambiguously determined that a known risdiplam analogue, SMN-C2, binds to single-stranded GA-rich RNA in a sequence-specific manner. The minimum required binding sequence for SMN-C2 was identified as GAAGGAAGG. We performed all-atom simulations using a robust Gaussian accelerated molecular dynamics (GaMD) method, which captured spontaneous binding of a risdiplam analogue to the target nucleic acids. We uncovered, for the first time, a ligand-binding pocket formed by two sequential GAAG loop-like structures. The simulation findings were highly consistent with experimental data obtained from saturation transfer difference (STD) NMR and structure-affinity-relationship studies of the risdiplam analogues. Together, these studies illuminate us to understand the molecular basis of single-stranded purine-rich RNA recognition by small-molecule splicing modulators with an unprecedented binding mode.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhichao Tang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA
| | - Sana Akhter
- Center for Computational Biology and Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA
| | - Ankita Ramprasad
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA
| | - Xiao Wang
- Analytical Research & Development, Merck and Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ 07033, USA
| | - Mikhail Reibarkh
- Analytical Research & Development, Merck and Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ 07033, USA
| | - Jinan Wang
- Center for Computational Biology and Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA
| | - Sadikshya Aryal
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA
| | - Srinivas S Thota
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA
| | - Junxing Zhao
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA
| | - Justin T Douglas
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Lab, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
| | - Philip Gao
- Protein Production Group, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA
| | - Erik D Holmstrom
- Department of Molecular Biosciences and Department of Chemistry, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
| | - Yinglong Miao
- Center for Computational Biology and Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA
| | - Jingxin Wang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA
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Blatnik AJ, McGovern VL, Burghes AHM. What Genetics Has Told Us and How It Can Inform Future Experiments for Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a Perspective. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:8494. [PMID: 34445199 PMCID: PMC8395208 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Proximal spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor neuron loss and subsequent atrophy of skeletal muscle. SMA is caused by deficiency of the essential survival motor neuron (SMN) protein, canonically responsible for the assembly of the spliceosomal small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs). Therapeutics aimed at increasing SMN protein levels are efficacious in treating SMA. However, it remains unknown how deficiency of SMN results in motor neuron loss, resulting in many reported cellular functions of SMN and pathways affected in SMA. Herein is a perspective detailing what genetics and biochemistry have told us about SMA and SMN, from identifying the SMA determinant region of the genome, to the development of therapeutics. Furthermore, we will discuss how genetics and biochemistry have been used to understand SMN function and how we can determine which of these are critical to SMA moving forward.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Arthur H. M. Burghes
- Department of Biological Chemistry & Pharmacology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Rightmire Hall, Room 168, 1060 Carmack Road, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (A.J.B.III); (V.L.M.)
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42
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In brief: Risdiplam (Evrysdi) for spinal muscular atrophy. Med Lett Drugs Ther 2021; 63:e1-2. [PMID: 34544108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
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43
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Ghanbarian H, Aghamiri S, Eftekhary M, Wagner N, Wagner KD. Small Activating RNAs: Towards the Development of New Therapeutic Agents and Clinical Treatments. Cells 2021; 10:cells10030591. [PMID: 33800164 PMCID: PMC8001863 DOI: 10.3390/cells10030591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Small double-strand RNA (dsRNA) molecules can activate endogenous genes via an RNA-based promoter targeting mechanism. RNA activation (RNAa) is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism present in diverse eukaryotic organisms ranging from nematodes to humans. Small activating RNAs (saRNAs) involved in RNAa have been successfully used to activate gene expression in cultured cells, and thereby this emergent technique might allow us to develop various biotechnological applications, without the need to synthesize hazardous construct systems harboring exogenous DNA sequences. Accordingly, this thematic issue aims to provide insights into how RNAa cellular machinery can be harnessed to activate gene expression leading to a more effective clinical treatment of various diseases.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Brain/cytology
- Brain/growth & development
- Brain/metabolism
- Genetic Therapy/methods
- Humans
- MicroRNAs/genetics
- MicroRNAs/metabolism
- Muscle Development/genetics
- Muscular Atrophy, Spinal/genetics
- Muscular Atrophy, Spinal/metabolism
- Muscular Atrophy, Spinal/pathology
- Muscular Atrophy, Spinal/therapy
- Myocardium/cytology
- Myocardium/metabolism
- Myocytes, Cardiac/cytology
- Myocytes, Cardiac/metabolism
- Neoplasm Proteins/genetics
- Neoplasm Proteins/metabolism
- Neoplasms/genetics
- Neoplasms/metabolism
- Neoplasms/pathology
- Neoplasms/therapy
- Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics
- Nerve Tissue Proteins/metabolism
- Neurogenesis/genetics
- Neurons/cytology
- Neurons/metabolism
- Promoter Regions, Genetic
- RNA, Double-Stranded/genetics
- RNA, Double-Stranded/metabolism
- RNA, Double-Stranded/therapeutic use
- RNA, Small Untranslated/genetics
- RNA, Small Untranslated/metabolism
- RNA, Small Untranslated/therapeutic use
- Survival of Motor Neuron 1 Protein/genetics
- Survival of Motor Neuron 1 Protein/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Hossein Ghanbarian
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 19857-17443, Iran;
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 19839-63113, Iran;
| | - Shahin Aghamiri
- Student Research Committee, Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 19839-63113, Iran;
| | - Mohamad Eftekhary
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 19839-63113, Iran;
| | - Nicole Wagner
- Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, INSERM, iBV, 06107 Nice, France
- Correspondence: (N.W.); (K.-D.W.); Tel.: +33-493-3776-65 (K.-D.W.)
| | - Kay-Dietrich Wagner
- Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, INSERM, iBV, 06107 Nice, France
- Correspondence: (N.W.); (K.-D.W.); Tel.: +33-493-3776-65 (K.-D.W.)
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44
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Stanga S, Boido M, Kienlen-Campard P. How to Build and to Protect the Neuromuscular Junction: The Role of the Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 22:ijms22010136. [PMID: 33374485 PMCID: PMC7794999 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22010136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is at the crossroad between the nervous system (NS) and the muscle. Following neurotransmitter release from the motor neurons (MNs), muscle contraction occurs and movement is generated. Besides eliciting muscle contraction, the NMJ represents a site of chemical bidirectional interplay between nerve and muscle with the active participation of Schwann cells. Indeed, signals originating from the muscle play an important role in synapse formation, stabilization, maintenance and function, both in development and adulthood. We focus here on the contribution of the Glial cell line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (GDNF) to these processes and to its potential role in the protection of the NMJ during neurodegeneration. Historically related to the maintenance and survival of dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra, GDNF also plays a fundamental role in the peripheral NS (PNS). At this level, it promotes muscle trophism and it participates to the functionality of synapses. Moreover, compared to the other neurotrophic factors, GDNF shows unique peculiarities, which make its contribution essential in neurodegenerative disorders. While describing the known structural and functional changes occurring at the NMJ during neurodegeneration, we highlight the role of GDNF in the NMJ–muscle cross-talk and we review its therapeutic potential in counteracting the degenerative process occurring in the PNS in progressive and severe diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). We also describe functional 3D neuromuscular co-culture systems that have been recently developed as a model for studying both NMJ formation in vitro and its involvement in neuromuscular disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Stanga
- Department of Neuroscience Rita Levi Montalcini, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy;
- Laboratory of Brain Development and Disease, Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, University of Turin, 10043 Orbassano, Italy
- National Institute of Neuroscience (INN), 10125 Turin, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Marina Boido
- Department of Neuroscience Rita Levi Montalcini, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy;
- Laboratory of Brain Development and Disease, Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, University of Turin, 10043 Orbassano, Italy
- National Institute of Neuroscience (INN), 10125 Turin, Italy
| | - Pascal Kienlen-Campard
- Institute of Neuroscience (IoNS), Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), 1200 Bruxelles, Belgium;
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Li YJ, Chen TH, Wu YZ, Tseng YH. Metabolic and Nutritional Issues Associated with Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Nutrients 2020; 12:nu12123842. [PMID: 33339220 PMCID: PMC7766651 DOI: 10.3390/nu12123842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Revised: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), the main genetic cause of infant death, is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the selective loss of motor neurons in the anterior horn of the spinal cord, accompanied by muscle wasting. Pathomechanically, SMA is caused by low levels of the survival motor neuron protein (SMN) resulting from the loss of the SMN1 gene. However, emerging research extends the pathogenic effect of SMN deficiency beyond motor neurons. A variety of metabolic abnormalities, especially altered fatty acid metabolism and impaired glucose tolerance, has been described in isolated cases of SMA; therefore, the impact of SMN deficiency in metabolic abnormalities has been speculated. Although the life expectancy of these patients has increased due to novel disease-modifying therapies and standardization of care, understanding of the involvement of metabolism and nutrition in SMA is still limited. Optimal nutrition support and metabolic monitoring are essential for patients with SMA, and a comprehensive nutritional assessment can guide personalized nutritional therapy for this vulnerable population. It has recently been suggested that metabolomics studies before and after the onset of SMA in patients can provide valuable information about the direct or indirect effects of SMN deficiency on metabolic abnormalities. Furthermore, identifying and quantifying the specific metabolites in SMA patients may serve as an authentic biomarker or therapeutic target for SMA. Here, we review the main epidemiological and mechanistic findings that link metabolic changes to SMA and further discuss the principles of metabolomics as a novel approach to seek biomarkers and therapeutic insights in SMA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang-Jean Li
- Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsiung Municipal United Hospital, Kaohsiung 80455, Taiwan;
| | - Tai-Heng Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Emergency, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan; (Y.-Z.W.); (Y.-H.T.)
- School of Post-Baccalaureate Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +886-7-312-1101; Fax: +886-7-321-2062
| | - Yan-Zhang Wu
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Emergency, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan; (Y.-Z.W.); (Y.-H.T.)
| | - Yung-Hao Tseng
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Emergency, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan; (Y.-Z.W.); (Y.-H.T.)
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Lauria F, Bernabò P, Tebaldi T, Groen EJN, Perenthaler E, Maniscalco F, Rossi A, Donzel D, Clamer M, Marchioretto M, Omersa N, Orri J, Dalla Serra M, Anderluh G, Quattrone A, Inga A, Gillingwater TH, Viero G. SMN-primed ribosomes modulate the translation of transcripts related to spinal muscular atrophy. Nat Cell Biol 2020; 22:1239-1251. [PMID: 32958857 PMCID: PMC7610479 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-020-00577-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [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: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The contribution of ribosome heterogeneity and ribosome-associated proteins to the molecular control of proteomes in health and disease remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that survival motor neuron (SMN) protein-the loss of which causes the neuromuscular disease spinal muscular atrophy (SMA)-binds to ribosomes and that this interaction is tissue-dependent. SMN-primed ribosomes are preferentially positioned within the first five codons of a set of mRNAs that are enriched for translational enhancer sequences in the 5' untranslated region (UTR) and rare codons at the beginning of their coding sequence. These SMN-specific mRNAs are associated with neurogenesis, lipid metabolism, ubiquitination, chromatin regulation and translation. Loss of SMN induces ribosome depletion, especially at the beginning of the coding sequence of SMN-specific mRNAs, leading to impairment of proteins that are involved in motor neuron function and stability, including acetylcholinesterase. Thus, SMN plays a crucial role in the regulation of ribosome fluxes along mRNAs encoding proteins that are relevant to SMA pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Lauria
- Institute of Biophysics, CNR Unit at Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Paola Bernabò
- Institute of Biophysics, CNR Unit at Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Toma Tebaldi
- Department CIBIO, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
- Yale Comprehensive Cancer Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Ewout Joan Nicolaas Groen
- Edinburgh Medical School, Biomedical Sciences & Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Elena Perenthaler
- Institute of Biophysics, CNR Unit at Trento, Trento, Italy
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Federica Maniscalco
- Institute of Biophysics, CNR Unit at Trento, Trento, Italy
- Department CIBIO, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | | | - Deborah Donzel
- Institute of Biophysics, CNR Unit at Trento, Trento, Italy
| | | | | | - Neža Omersa
- National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Julia Orri
- Institute of Biophysics, CNR Unit at Trento, Trento, Italy
- La Fundació Jesuïtes Educació, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | | | - Alberto Inga
- Department CIBIO, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Thomas Henry Gillingwater
- Edinburgh Medical School, Biomedical Sciences & Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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47
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Ando S, Osanai D, Takahashi K, Nakamura S, Shimazawa M, Hara H. Survival motor neuron protein regulates oxidative stress and inflammatory response in microglia of the spinal cord in spinal muscular atrophy. J Pharmacol Sci 2020; 144:204-211. [PMID: 33070839 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphs.2020.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The deficiency of survival motor neuron (SMN) protein can result in the onset of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by a progressive loss of motor neurons and skeletal muscle atrophy. The mechanism underlying SMA pathology remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that SMN protein regulates oxidative stress and inflammatory response in microglia. Antisense oligonucleotide, which increases SMN protein expression (SMN-ASO), attenuated SMA model mice phenotypes and suppressed the activation of microglia in the spinal cord. The expression of oxidative stress marker in microglia was decreased by SMN-ASO injection in SMA model mice. Increased reactive oxygen species production and subsequent antioxidative stress reaction was observed in SMN protein-depleted RAW264.7. Furthermore, nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) and c-Jun amino terminal kinase (JNK) signaling, which mainly mediate the inflammatory response, are activated in SMN protein-depleted RAW264.7. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) production is also increased in SMN protein-depleted RAW264.7. These findings suggest that SMN protein regulates oxidative stress and inflammatory response in microglia, supporting current claims that microglia can be an effective target for SMA therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiori Ando
- Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biofunctional Evaluation, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, Gifu, Japan
| | - Daiki Osanai
- Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biofunctional Evaluation, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, Gifu, Japan
| | - Kei Takahashi
- Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biofunctional Evaluation, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, Gifu, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Nakamura
- Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biofunctional Evaluation, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, Gifu, Japan.
| | - Masamitsu Shimazawa
- Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biofunctional Evaluation, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, Gifu, Japan
| | - Hideaki Hara
- Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biofunctional Evaluation, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, Gifu, Japan
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48
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Abstract
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) belong to a diverse class of stable RNAs expressed in all cell types. Their proposed functions include sponging of microRNAs (miRNAs), sequestration and trafficking of proteins, assembly of multimeric complexes, production of peptides, and regulation of transcription. Backsplicing due to RNA structures formed by an exceptionally high number of Alu repeats lead to the production of a vast repertoire of circRNAs by human Survival Motor Neuron genes, SMN1 and SMN2, that code for SMN, an essential multifunctional protein. Low levels of SMN due to deletion or mutation of SMN1 result in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a major genetic disease of infants and children. Mild SMA is also recorded in adult population, expanding the spectrum of the disease. Here we review SMN circRNAs with respect to their biogenesis, sequence features, and potential functions. We also discuss how SMN circRNAs could be exploited for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric W Ottesen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, United States of America
| | - Ravindra N Singh
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, United States of America.
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49
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Singh NN, Ottesen EW, Singh RN. A survey of transcripts generated by spinal muscular atrophy genes. Biochim Biophys Acta Gene Regul Mech 2020; 1863:194562. [PMID: 32387331 PMCID: PMC7302838 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2020.194562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Human Survival Motor Neuron (SMN) genes code for SMN, an essential multifunctional protein. Complete loss of SMN is embryonic lethal, while low levels of SMN lead to spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a major genetic disease of children and infants. Reduced levels of SMN are associated with the abnormal development of heart, lung, muscle, gastro-intestinal system and testis. The SMN loci have been shown to generate a vast repertoire of transcripts, including linear, back- and trans-spliced RNAs as well as antisense long noncoding RNAs. However, functions of the majority of these transcripts remain unknown. Here we review the nature of RNAs generated from the SMN loci and discuss their potential functions in cellular metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia N Singh
- Department of Biomedical Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, United States of America
| | - Eric W Ottesen
- Department of Biomedical Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, United States of America
| | - Ravindra N Singh
- Department of Biomedical Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, United States of America.
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50
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Berciano MT, Castillo-Iglesias MS, Val-Bernal JF, Lafarga V, Rodriguez-Rey JC, Lafarga M, Tapia O. Mislocalization of SMN from the I-band and M-band in human skeletal myofibers in spinal muscular atrophy associates with primary structural alterations of the sarcomere. Cell Tissue Res 2020; 381:461-478. [PMID: 32676861 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-020-03236-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is caused by a deletion or mutation of the survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene. Reduced SMN levels lead to motor neuron degeneration and muscular atrophy. SMN protein localizes to the cytoplasm and Cajal bodies. Moreover, in myofibrils from Drosophila and mice, SMN is a sarcomeric protein localized to the Z-disc. Although SMN participates in multiple functions, including the biogenesis of spliceosomal small nuclear ribonucleoproteins, its role in the sarcomere is unclear. Here, we analyzed the sarcomeric organization of SMN in human control and type I SMA skeletal myofibers. In control sarcomeres, we demonstrate that human SMN is localized to the titin-positive M-band and actin-positive I-band, and to SMN-positive granules that flanked the Z-discs. Co-immunoprecipitation assays revealed that SMN interacts with the sarcomeric protein actin, α-actinin, titin, and profilin2. In the type I SMA muscle, SMN levels were reduced, and atrophic (denervated) and hypertrophic (nondenervated) myofibers coexisted. The hypertrophied myofibers, which are potential primary targets of SMN deficiency, exhibited sites of focal or segmental alterations of the actin cytoskeleton, where the SMN immunostaining pattern was altered. Moreover, SMN was relocalized to the Z-disc in overcontracted minisarcomeres from hypertrophic myofibers. We propose that SMN could have an integrating role in the molecular components of the sarcomere. Consequently, low SMN levels might impact the normal sarcomeric architecture, resulting in the disruption of myofibrils found in SMA muscle. This primary effect might be independent of the neurogenic myopathy produced by denervation and contribute to pathophysiology of the SMA myopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- María T Berciano
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Universidad de Cantabria-IDIVAL, Santander, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Valdecilla (IDIVAL) and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Santander, Spain
| | | | - J Fernando Val-Bernal
- Unidad de Patología, Departamento de Ciencias Médicas y Quirúrgicas, Universidad de Cantabria-IDIVAL, Santander, Spain
| | - Vanesa Lafarga
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | - José C Rodriguez-Rey
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Universidad de Cantabria-IDIVAL, Santander, Spain
| | - Miguel Lafarga
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Valdecilla (IDIVAL) and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Santander, Spain.
- Departamento de Anatomía y Biología Celular, Universidad de Cantabria-IDIVAL, Santander, Spain.
| | - Olga Tapia
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Valdecilla (IDIVAL) and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Santander, Spain.
- Universidad Europea del Atlántico, Santander, Spain.
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