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Jullian E, Russi M, Turki E, Bouvelot M, Tixier L, Middendorp S, Martin E, Monnier V. Glial overexpression of Tspo extends lifespan and protects against frataxin deficiency in Drosophila. Biochimie 2024:S0300-9084(24)00097-X. [PMID: 38750879 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2024.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
The translocator protein TSPO is an evolutionary conserved mitochondrial protein overexpressed in various contexts of neurodegeneration. Friedreich Ataxia (FA) is a neurodegenerative disease due to GAA expansions in the FXN gene leading to decreased expression of frataxin, a mitochondrial protein involved in the biosynthesis of iron-sulfur clusters. We previously reported that Tspo was overexpressed in a Drosophila model of this disease generated by CRISPR/Cas9 insertion of approximately 200 GAA in the intron of fh, the fly frataxin gene. Here, we describe a new Drosophila model of FA with 42 GAA repeats, called fh-GAAs. The smaller expansion size allowed to obtain adults exhibiting hallmarks of the FA disease, including short lifespan, locomotory defects and hypersensitivity to oxidative stress. The reduced lifespan was fully rescued by ubiquitous expression of human FXN, confirming that both frataxins share conserved functions. We observed that Tspo was overexpressed in heads and decreased in intestines of these fh-GAAs flies. Then, we further overexpressed Tspo specifically in glial cells and observed improved survival. Finally, we investigated the effects of Tspo overexpression in healthy flies. Increased longevity was conferred by glial-specific overexpression, with opposite effects in neurons. Overall, this study highlights protective effects of glial TSPO in Drosophila both in a neurodegenerative and a healthy context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Estelle Jullian
- Université Paris Cité, Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative (BFA), UMR 8251, CNRS, F-75013, Paris, France.
| | - Maria Russi
- Université Paris Cité, Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative (BFA), UMR 8251, CNRS, F-75013, Paris, France.
| | - Ema Turki
- Université Paris Cité, Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative (BFA), UMR 8251, CNRS, F-75013, Paris, France.
| | - Margaux Bouvelot
- Université Paris Cité, Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative (BFA), UMR 8251, CNRS, F-75013, Paris, France.
| | - Laura Tixier
- Université Paris Cité, Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative (BFA), UMR 8251, CNRS, F-75013, Paris, France.
| | - Sandrine Middendorp
- Université Paris Cité, Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative (BFA), UMR 8251, CNRS, F-75013, Paris, France.
| | - Elodie Martin
- Université Paris Cité, Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative (BFA), UMR 8251, CNRS, F-75013, Paris, France.
| | - Véronique Monnier
- Université Paris Cité, Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative (BFA), UMR 8251, CNRS, F-75013, Paris, France.
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Doni D, Cavallari E, Noguera ME, Gentili HG, Cavion F, Parisi G, Fornasari MS, Sartori G, Santos J, Bellanda M, Carbonera D, Costantini P, Bortolus M. Searching for Frataxin Function: Exploring the Analogy with Nqo15, the Frataxin-like Protein of Respiratory Complex I from Thermus thermophilus. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1912. [PMID: 38339189 PMCID: PMC10855754 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031912] [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: 12/23/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Nqo15 is a subunit of respiratory complex I of the bacterium Thermus thermophilus, with strong structural similarity to human frataxin (FXN), a protein involved in the mitochondrial disease Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA). Recently, we showed that the expression of recombinant Nqo15 can ameliorate the respiratory phenotype of FRDA patients' cells, and this prompted us to further characterize both the Nqo15 solution's behavior and its potential functional overlap with FXN, using a combination of in silico and in vitro techniques. We studied the analogy of Nqo15 and FXN by performing extensive database searches based on sequence and structure. Nqo15's folding and flexibility were investigated by combining nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), circular dichroism, and coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations. Nqo15's iron-binding properties were studied using NMR, fluorescence, and specific assays and its desulfurase activation by biochemical assays. We found that the recombinant Nqo15 isolated from complex I is monomeric, stable, folded in solution, and highly dynamic. Nqo15 does not share the iron-binding properties of FXN or its desulfurase activation function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Doni
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, 35121 Padova, Italy; (D.D.); (F.C.)
| | - Eva Cavallari
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, 35121 Padova, Italy; (D.D.); (F.C.)
- Grenoble Alpes University, CNRS, CEA, INRAE, IRIG-LPCV, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Martin Ezequiel Noguera
- Department of Physiology and Molecular and Cellular Biology, Institute of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Translational Biology (iB3), Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences, University of Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Buenos Aires C1428EG, Argentina; (M.E.N.); (H.G.G.); (J.S.)
- Institute of Biological Chemistry and Physical Chemistry, Dr Alejandro Paladini (UBA-CONICET), University of Buenos Aires, Junín 956, Buenos Aires 1113AAD, Argentina
- Department of Science and Technology, National University of Quilmes, Roque Saenz Peña 352, Bernal B1876BXD, Argentina; (G.P.); (M.S.F.)
| | - Hernan Gustavo Gentili
- Department of Physiology and Molecular and Cellular Biology, Institute of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Translational Biology (iB3), Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences, University of Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Buenos Aires C1428EG, Argentina; (M.E.N.); (H.G.G.); (J.S.)
| | - Federica Cavion
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, 35121 Padova, Italy; (D.D.); (F.C.)
| | - Gustavo Parisi
- Department of Science and Technology, National University of Quilmes, Roque Saenz Peña 352, Bernal B1876BXD, Argentina; (G.P.); (M.S.F.)
| | - Maria Silvina Fornasari
- Department of Science and Technology, National University of Quilmes, Roque Saenz Peña 352, Bernal B1876BXD, Argentina; (G.P.); (M.S.F.)
| | - Geppo Sartori
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, 35121 Padova, Italy;
| | - Javier Santos
- Department of Physiology and Molecular and Cellular Biology, Institute of Biosciences, Biotechnology and Translational Biology (iB3), Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences, University of Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Buenos Aires C1428EG, Argentina; (M.E.N.); (H.G.G.); (J.S.)
| | - Massimo Bellanda
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy; (M.B.); (D.C.)
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Donatella Carbonera
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy; (M.B.); (D.C.)
| | - Paola Costantini
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, 35121 Padova, Italy; (D.D.); (F.C.)
| | - Marco Bortolus
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy; (M.B.); (D.C.)
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3
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Wang M, Xuan T, Li H, An J, Hao T, Cheng J. Protective effect of FXN overexpression on ferroptosis in L-Glu-induced SH-SY5Y cells. Acta Histochem 2024; 126:152135. [PMID: 38266318 DOI: 10.1016/j.acthis.2024.152135] [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: 10/14/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex, multifactorial neurodegenerative disease. However, the pathogenesis remains unclear. Recently, an increasing number of studies have demonstrated that ferroptosis is a new type of iron-dependent programmed cell death, contributes to the death of nerve cells in AD. By controlling iron homeostasis and mitochondrial function, the particular protein called frataxin (FXN), which is situated in the mitochondrial matrix, is a critical regulator of ferroptosis disease. It is encoded by the nuclear gene FXN. Here, we identified a novel underlying mechanism through which ferroptosis mediated by FXN contributes to AD. METHODS Human neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y) were injured by L-glutamate (L-Glu). Overexpression of FXN by lentiviral transfection. In each experimental group, we assessed the ultrastructure of the mitochondria, the presence of iron and intracellular Fe2 + , the levels of reactive oxygen species, the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and lipid peroxidation. Quantification was done for malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH), as well as reactive oxygen species (ROS). Western blot and cellular immunofluorescence assays were used to detect the expression of xCT and GPX4 proteins which in System Xc-/GPX4 pathway, and the protein expressions of ACSL4 and TfR1 were investigated by Western blot. RESULTS The present work showed: (1) The expression of FXN was reduced in the L-Glu group; (2) Compared with the Control group, MMP was reduced in the L-Glu group, and mitochondria were observed to shrink and cristae were deformed, reduced or disappeared by transmission electron microscopy, and after FXN overexpression and ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1) (10 μmol/L) intervened, MMP was increased and mitochondrial morphology was significantly improved, suggesting that mitochondrial function was impaired in the L-Glu group, and overexpression of FXN could improve the manifestation of mitochondrial function impairment. (3) In the L-Glu group, ROS, MDA, iron ion concentration and Fe2+ levels were increased, GSH was decreased. Elevated expression of ACSL4 and TfR1, important regulatory proteins of ferroptosis, was detected by Western blot, and the expression of xCT and GPX4 in the System Xc-/GPX4 pathway was reduced by Western blot and cellular immunofluorescence. However, the above results were reversed when FXN overexpression and Fer-1 intervened. CONCLUSION To conclude, our research demonstrates that an elevated expression of FXN effectively demonstrates a robust neuroprotective effect against oxidative damage induced by L-Glu. Moreover, it mitigates mitochondrial dysfunction and lipid metabolic dysregulation associated with ferroptosis. FXN overexpression holds promise in potential therapeutic strategies for AD by inhibiting ferroptosis in nerve cells and fostering their protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengran Wang
- Department of Neurology, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China; School of Clinical Medicine, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Tingting Xuan
- Department of Neurology, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China; School of Clinical Medicine, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Haining Li
- Department of Neurology, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China; Diagnosis and Treatment Engineering Technology Research Center of Nervous System Diseases of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Yinchuan, China
| | - Jing An
- Department of Neurology, People Hospital of Zhong wei, Zhongwei, China
| | - Tianhui Hao
- Department of Neurology, People Hospital of Zhong wei, Zhongwei, China.
| | - Jiang Cheng
- Department of Neurology, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China; Diagnosis and Treatment Engineering Technology Research Center of Nervous System Diseases of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Yinchuan, China.
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Krasilnikova MM, Humphries CL, Shinsky EM. Friedreich's ataxia: new insights. Emerg Top Life Sci 2023; 7:313-323. [PMID: 37698160 DOI: 10.1042/etls20230017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [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: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) is an inherited disease that is typically caused by GAA repeat expansion within the first intron of the FXN gene coding for frataxin. This results in the frataxin deficiency that affects mostly muscle, nervous, and cardiovascular systems with progressive worsening of the symptoms over the years. This review summarizes recent progress that was achieved in understanding of molecular mechanism of the disease over the last few years and latest treatment strategies focused on overcoming the frataxin deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria M Krasilnikova
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, U.S.A
| | - Casey L Humphries
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, U.S.A
| | - Emily M Shinsky
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, U.S.A
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Sayles NM, Napierala JS, Anrather J, Diedhiou N, Li J, Napierala M, Puccio H, Manfredi G. Comparative multi-omic analyses of cardiac mitochondrial stress in three mouse models of frataxin deficiency. Dis Model Mech 2023; 16:dmm050114. [PMID: 37691621 PMCID: PMC10581388 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.050114] [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: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Cardiomyopathy is often fatal in Friedreich ataxia (FA). However, FA hearts maintain adequate function until advanced disease stages, suggesting initial adaptation to the loss of frataxin (FXN). Conditional cardiac knockout mouse models of FXN show transcriptional and metabolic profiles of the mitochondrial integrated stress response (ISRmt), which could play an adaptive role. However, the ISRmt has not been investigated in models with disease-relevant, partial decrease in FXN. We characterized the heart transcriptomes and metabolomes of three mouse models with varying degrees of FXN depletion: YG8-800, KIKO-700 and FXNG127V. Few metabolites were changed in YG8-800 mice, which did not provide a signature of cardiomyopathy or ISRmt; several metabolites were altered in FXNG127V and KIKO-700 hearts. Transcriptional changes were found in all models, but differentially expressed genes consistent with cardiomyopathy and ISRmt were only identified in FXNG127V hearts. However, these changes were surprisingly mild even at advanced age (18 months), despite a severe decrease in FXN levels to 1% of those of wild type. These findings indicate that the mouse heart has low reliance on FXN, highlighting the difficulty in modeling genetically relevant FA cardiomyopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole M. Sayles
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, 407 East 61st Street, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Will Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 1300 York Ave, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Jill S. Napierala
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Josef Anrather
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, 407 East 61st Street, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Nadège Diedhiou
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), CNRS/Université de Strasbourg UMR7104, Inserm U1258, B. P. 163, 67404 Illkirch, France
| | - Jixue Li
- Department of Neurology, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Marek Napierala
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Hélène Puccio
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), CNRS/Université de Strasbourg UMR7104, Inserm U1258, B. P. 163, 67404 Illkirch, France
| | - Giovanni Manfredi
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, 407 East 61st Street, New York, NY 10065, USA
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Culley MK, Rao RJ, Mehta M, Zhao J, El Khoury W, Harvey LD, Perk D, Tai YY, Tang Y, Shiva S, Rabinovitch M, Gu M, Bertero T, Chan SY. Frataxin deficiency disrupts mitochondrial respiration and pulmonary endothelial cell function. Vascul Pharmacol 2023; 151:107181. [PMID: 37164245 PMCID: PMC10524929 DOI: 10.1016/j.vph.2023.107181] [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: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Deficiency of iron‑sulfur (FeS) clusters promotes metabolic rewiring of the endothelium and the development of pulmonary hypertension (PH) in vivo. Joining a growing number of FeS biogenesis proteins critical to pulmonary endothelial function, recent data highlighted that frataxin (FXN) reduction drives Fe-S-dependent genotoxic stress and senescence across multiple types of pulmonary vascular disease. Trinucleotide repeat mutations in the FXN gene cause Friedreich's ataxia, a disease characterized by cardiomyopathy and neurodegeneration. These tissue-specific phenotypes have historically been attributed to mitochondrial reprogramming and oxidative stress. Whether FXN coordinates both nuclear and mitochondrial processes in the endothelium is unknown. Here, we aim to identify the mitochondria-specific effects of FXN deficiency in the endothelium that predispose to pulmonary hypertension. Our data highlight an Fe-S-driven metabolic shift separate from previously described replication stress whereby FXN knockdown diminished mitochondrial respiration and increased glycolysis and oxidative species production. In turn, FXN-deficient endothelial cells had increased vasoconstrictor production (EDN1) and decreased nitric oxide synthase expression (NOS3). These data were observed in primary pulmonary endothelial cells after pharmacologic inhibition of FXN, mice carrying a genetic endothelial deletion of FXN, and inducible pluripotent stem cell-derived endothelial cells from patients with FXN mutations. Altogether, this study indicates FXN is an upstream driver of pathologic aberrations in metabolism and genomic stability. Moreover, our study highlights FXN-specific vasoconstriction in vivo, prompting future studies to investigate available and novel PH therapies in contexts of FXN deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miranda K Culley
- Center for Pulmonary Vascular Biology and Medicine, Pittsburgh Heart, Lung, Blood Vascular Medicine Institute, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Rashmi J Rao
- Center for Pulmonary Vascular Biology and Medicine, Pittsburgh Heart, Lung, Blood Vascular Medicine Institute, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Monica Mehta
- Center for Pulmonary Vascular Biology and Medicine, Pittsburgh Heart, Lung, Blood Vascular Medicine Institute, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jingsi Zhao
- Center for Pulmonary Vascular Biology and Medicine, Pittsburgh Heart, Lung, Blood Vascular Medicine Institute, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Wadih El Khoury
- Center for Pulmonary Vascular Biology and Medicine, Pittsburgh Heart, Lung, Blood Vascular Medicine Institute, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Lloyd D Harvey
- Center for Pulmonary Vascular Biology and Medicine, Pittsburgh Heart, Lung, Blood Vascular Medicine Institute, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Dror Perk
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Yi Yin Tai
- Center for Pulmonary Vascular Biology and Medicine, Pittsburgh Heart, Lung, Blood Vascular Medicine Institute, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Ying Tang
- Center for Pulmonary Vascular Biology and Medicine, Pittsburgh Heart, Lung, Blood Vascular Medicine Institute, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Sruti Shiva
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Vascular Medicine Institute, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, USA
| | - Marlene Rabinovitch
- Stanford Children's Health Betty Irene Moore Children's Heart Center, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Mingxia Gu
- Perinatal Institute, Division of Pulmonary Biology Center for Stem Cell and Organoid Medicine, CuSTOM, Division of Developmental Biology, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Thomas Bertero
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, UMR7275, IPMC, Valbonne, France
| | - Stephen Y Chan
- Center for Pulmonary Vascular Biology and Medicine, Pittsburgh Heart, Lung, Blood Vascular Medicine Institute, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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Falb N, Patil G, Furtmüller PG, Gabler T, Hofbauer S. Structural aspects of enzymes involved in prokaryotic Gram-positive heme biosynthesis. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2023; 21:3933-3945. [PMID: 37593721 PMCID: PMC10427985 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2023.07.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The coproporphyrin dependent heme biosynthesis pathway is almost exclusively utilized by Gram-positive bacteria. This fact makes it a worthwhile topic for basic research, since a fundamental understanding of a metabolic pathway is necessary to translate the focus towards medical biotechnology, which is very relevant in this specific case, considering the need for new antibiotic targets to counteract the pathogenicity of Gram-positive superbugs. Over the years a lot of structural data on the set of enzymes acting in Gram-positive heme biosynthesis has accumulated in the Protein Database (www.pdb.org). One major challenge is to filter and analyze all available structural information in sufficient detail in order to be helpful and to draw conclusions. Here we pursued to give a holistic overview of structural information on enzymes involved in the coproporphyrin dependent heme biosynthesis pathway. There are many aspects to be extracted from experimentally determined structures regarding the reaction mechanisms, where the smallest variation of the position of an amino acid residue might be important, but also on a larger level regarding protein-protein interactions, where the focus has to be on surface characteristics and subunit (secondary) structural elements and oligomerization. This review delivers a status quo, highlights still missing information, and formulates future research endeavors in order to better understand prokaryotic heme biosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaus Falb
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, Muthgasse 18, A-1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Gaurav Patil
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, Muthgasse 18, A-1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Paul G. Furtmüller
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, Muthgasse 18, A-1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Gabler
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, Muthgasse 18, A-1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Stefan Hofbauer
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, Muthgasse 18, A-1190 Vienna, Austria
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Liu J, Chen H, Lin H, Peng S, Chen L, Cheng X, Yao P, Tang Y. Iron- frataxin involved in the protective effect of quercetin against alcohol-induced liver mitochondrial dysfunction. J Nutr Biochem 2023; 114:109258. [PMID: 36587874 DOI: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2022.109258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 12/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Emerging evidence supports the beneficial effect of quercetin on liver mitochondrial disorders. However, the molecular mechanism by which quercetin protects mitochondria is limited, especially in alcoholic liver disease. In this study, C57BL/6N mice were fed with Lieber De Carli liquid diet (28% ethanol-derived calories) for 12 weeks plus a single binge ethanol and intervened with quercetin (100 mg/kg.bw). Moreover, HepG2CYP2E1+/+ were stimulated with ethanol (100 mM) and quercetin (50 µM) to investigate the effects of mitochondrial protein frataxin. The results indicated that quercetin alleviated alcohol-induced histopathological changes and mitochondrial functional disorders in mice livers. Consistent with increased PINK1, Parkin, Bnip3 and LC3II as well as decreased p62, TOM20 and VDAC1 expression, the inhibition of mitophagy by ethanol was blocked by quercetin. Additionally, quercetin improved the imbalance of iron metabolism-related proteins expression in alcohol-fed mice livers. Compared with ethanol-treated Lv-empty HepG2CYP2E1+/+ cells, frataxin deficiency further exacerbated the inhibition of mitochondrial function. Conversely, restoration of frataxin expression ameliorated the effect of ethanol. Furthermore, frataxin deficiency reduced the protective effects of quercetin on mitochondria disordered by ethanol. Attentively, ferric ammonium citrate (FAC) and deferiprone decreased or increased frataxin expression in HepG2CYP2E1+/+, respectively. Notably, we further found FAC reversed the increasing effect of quercetin on frataxin expression. Ultimately, silencing NCOA4 attenuated the inhibition of quercetin on LDH release and mitochondrial membrane potential increase, and similar results were observed by adding FAC. Collectively, these findings demonstrated quercetin increased frataxin expression through regulating iron level, thereby mitigating ethanol-induced mitochondrial dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Liu
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Hubei Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; Henan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Zhengzhou 450016, China
| | - Huimin Chen
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Hubei Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Hongkun Lin
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Hubei Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Shufen Peng
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Hubei Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Li Chen
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Hubei Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Xueer Cheng
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Hubei Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Ping Yao
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Hubei Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Yuhan Tang
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Hubei Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
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Ramos L. Dimorphic frataxin and its gene regulation by sex steroids in hamsters. Mol Genet Genomics 2023; 298:615-626. [PMID: 36929169 DOI: 10.1007/s00438-023-02004-6] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
The role of frataxin (FXN) has been studied extensively in Friedreich ataxia patients, however, the molecular bases underlining the sex steroid-dependent gene expression profiles of FXN in adult tissues are unknown. I describe the molecular characterization of hamster FXN by examining the sexually dimorphic expression and its regulation by sex steroids. Sequence analysis of FXN cDNA showed 630 bp-long ORF encoding 209 amino acids. qPCR analysis revealed that FXN is detected in a wide range of tissues, with the highest expression in the heart, liver, and epididymis, and the weakest expression in the lung, spleen, uterus, and gut. In the male Harderian gland (HG), castration decreased FXN expression, while dihydrotestosterone (DHT) administration reestablished levels. FXN expression levels were higher in the male HG than the female HG. Expression levels in endocrine tissues showed a certain degree of sexual dimorphism; the transcript in the testis was significantly higher than those in the ovary. The effects of the estrous cycle on FXN expression remained unchanged in the HG, ovary, and adrenal glands; however, in the pancreas, the FXN mRNA was overexpressed during proestrus and exhibited sexual dimorphism as compared to the male pancreas. The mRNA expression results indicated that Harderian FXN may play a dynamic role in intracellular Fe of heme required for processing cytochromes and other hemeproteins, also suggesting that the moderate sexual dimorphism present in the HG and gonads could be regulated by androgens, while sexually dimorphic expression of FXN in the female pancreas may be controlled by sex steroids.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Ramos
- Department of Reproductive Biology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición, Salvador Zubirán, Av. Vasco de Quiroga #15, Tlalpan, C.P. 14080, México City, México.
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10
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Mansilla S, Tórtora V, Pignataro F, Sastre S, Castro I, Chiribao ML, Robello C, Zeida A, Santos J, Castro L. Redox sensitive human mitochondrial aconitase and its interaction with frataxin: In vitro and in silico studies confirm that it takes two to tango. Free Radic Biol Med 2023; 197:71-84. [PMID: 36738801 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2023.01.028] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Mitochondrial aconitase (ACO2) has been postulated as a redox sensor in the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Its high sensitivity towards reactive oxygen and nitrogen species is due to its particularly labile [4Fe-4S]2+ prosthetic group which yields an inactive [3Fe-4S]+ cluster upon oxidation. Moreover, ACO2 was found as a main oxidant target during aging and in pathologies where mitochondrial dysfunction is implied. Herein, we report the expression and characterization of recombinant human ACO2 and its interaction with frataxin (FXN), a protein that participates in the de novo biosynthesis of Fe-S clusters. A high yield of pure ACO2 (≥99%, 22 ± 2 U/mg) was obtained and kinetic parameters for citrate, isocitrate, and cis-aconitate were determined. Superoxide, carbonate radical, peroxynitrite, and hydrogen peroxide reacted with ACO2 with second-order rate constants of 108, 108, 105, and 102 M-1 s-1, respectively. Temperature-induced unfolding assessed by tryptophan fluorescence of ACO2 resulted in apparent melting temperatures of 51.1 ± 0.5 and 43.6 ± 0.2 °C for [4Fe-4S]2+ and [3Fe-4S]+ states of ACO2, sustaining lower thermal stability upon cluster oxidation. Differences in protein dynamics produced by the Fe-S cluster redox state were addressed by molecular dynamics simulations. Reactivation of [3Fe-4S]+-ACO2 by FXN was verified by activation assays and direct iron-dependent interaction was confirmed by protein-protein interaction ELISA and fluorescence spectroscopic assays. Multimer modeling and protein-protein docking predicted an ACO2-FXN complex where the metal ion binding region of FXN approaches the [3Fe-4S]+ cluster, supporting that FXN is a partner for reactivation of ACO2 upon oxidative cluster inactivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Mansilla
- Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay; Departamento de Métodos Cuantitativos, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Verónica Tórtora
- Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay; Departamento de Educación Médica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Florencia Pignataro
- Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biología traslacional, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Santiago Sastre
- Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay; Departamento de Biofísica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Ignacio Castro
- Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biología traslacional, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ma Laura Chiribao
- Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay; Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay; Laboratorio de Interacciones Hospedero-Patógeno, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Carlos Robello
- Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay; Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay; Laboratorio de Interacciones Hospedero-Patógeno, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Ari Zeida
- Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay; Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Javier Santos
- Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biología traslacional, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Laura Castro
- Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay; Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay.
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11
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Fil D, Conley RL, Zuberi AR, Lutz CM, Gemelli T, Napierala M, Napierala JS. Neurobehavioral deficits of mice expressing a low level of G127V mutant frataxin. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 177:105996. [PMID: 36638893 PMCID: PMC9901512 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.105996] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by reduced expression of the mitochondrial protein frataxin (FXN). Most FRDA patients are homozygous for large expansions of GAA repeats in intron 1 of FXN, while some are compound heterozygotes with an expanded GAA tract in one allele and a missense or nonsense mutation in the other. A missense mutation, changing a glycine to valine at position 130 (G130V), is prevalent among the clinical variants. We and others have demonstrated that levels of mature FXN protein in FRDA G130V samples are reduced below those detected in samples harboring homozygous repeat expansions. Little is known regarding expression and function of endogenous FXN-G130V protein due to lack of reagents and models that can distinguish the mutant FXN protein from the wild-type FXN produced from the GAA-expanded allele. We aimed to determine the effect of the G130V (murine G127V) mutation on Fxn expression and to define its multi-system impact in vivo. We used CRISPR/Cas9 to introduce the G127V missense mutation in the Fxn coding sequence and generated homozygous mice (FxnG127V/G127V). We also introduced the G127V mutation into a GAA repeat expansion FRDA mouse model (FxnGAA230/KO; KIKO) to generate a compound heterozygous strain (FxnG127V/GAA230). We performed neurobehavioral tests on cohorts of WT and Fxn mutant animals at three-month intervals for one year, and collected tissue samples to analyze molecular changes during that time. The endogenous Fxn G127V protein is detected at much lower levels in all tissues analyzed from FxnG127V/G127V mice compared to age and sex-matched WT mice without differences in Fxn transcript levels. FxnG127V/G127V mice are significantly smaller than WT counterparts, but perform similarly in most neurobehavioral tasks. RNA sequencing analysis revealed reduced expression of genes in oxidative phosphorylation and protein synthesis, underscoring the metabolic consequences in our mouse model expressing extremely low levels of Fxn. Results of these studies provide insight into the unique pathogenic mechanism of the FXN G130V mechanism and the tolerable limit of Fxn/FXN expression in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Fil
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Robbie L Conley
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Aamir R Zuberi
- Technology Evaluation and Development, JAX Center for Precision Genetics, Rare Disease Translational Center, The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
| | - Cathleen M Lutz
- The Rare and Orphan Disease Center, JAX Center for Precision Genetics, Rare Disease Translational Center, The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
| | - Terry Gemelli
- Department of Neurology, Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Marek Napierala
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Jill S Napierala
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
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12
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Keita M, McIntyre K, Rodden LN, Schadt K, Lynch DR. Friedreich ataxia: clinical features and new developments. Neurodegener Dis Manag 2022; 12:267-283. [PMID: 35766110 PMCID: PMC9517959 DOI: 10.2217/nmt-2022-0011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [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: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA), a neurodegenerative disease characterized by ataxia and other neurological features, affects 1 in 50,000-100,000 individuals in the USA. However, FRDA also includes cardiac, orthopedic and endocrine dysfunction, giving rise to many secondary disease characteristics. The multifaceted approach for clinical care has necessitated the development of disease-specific clinical care guidelines. New developments in FRDA include the advancement of clinical drug trials targeting the NRF2 pathway and frataxin restoration. Additionally, a novel understanding of gene silencing in FRDA, reflecting a variegated silencing pattern, will have applications to current and future therapeutic interventions. Finally, new perspectives on the neuroanatomy of FRDA and its developmental features will refine the time course and anatomical targeting of novel approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Medina Keita
- Departments of Pediatrics & Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Kellie McIntyre
- Departments of Pediatrics & Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Layne N Rodden
- Departments of Pediatrics & Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Kim Schadt
- Departments of Pediatrics & Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - David R Lynch
- Departments of Pediatrics & Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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13
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Vicente-Acosta A, Giménez-Cassina A, Díaz-Nido J, Loria F. The smoothened agonist SAG reduces mitochondrial dysfunction and neurotoxicity of frataxin-deficient astrocytes. J Neuroinflammation 2022; 19:93. [PMID: 35413853 PMCID: PMC9006607 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-022-02442-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [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: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Friedreich's ataxia is a rare hereditary neurodegenerative disease caused by decreased levels of the mitochondrial protein frataxin. Similar to other neurodegenerative pathologies, previous studies suggested that astrocytes might contribute to the progression of the disease. To fully understand the mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration in Friedreich's ataxia, we investigated the reactivity status and functioning of cultured human astrocytes after frataxin depletion using an RNA interference-based approach and tested the effect of pharmacologically modulating the SHH pathway as a novel neuroprotective strategy. RESULTS We observed loss of cell viability, mitochondrial alterations, increased autophagy and lipid accumulation in cultured astrocytes upon frataxin depletion. Besides, frataxin-deficient cells show higher expression of several A1-reactivity markers and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Interestingly, most of these defects were prevented by chronically treating the cells with the smoothened agonist SAG. Furthermore, in vitro culture of neurons with conditioned medium from frataxin-deficient astrocytes results in a reduction of neuronal survival, neurite length and synapse formation. However, when frataxin-deficient astrocytes were chronically treated with SAG, we did not observe these alterations in neurons. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate that the pharmacological activation of the SHH pathway could be used as a target to modulate astrocyte reactivity and neuron-glia interactions to prevent neurodegeneration in Friedreich's ataxia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés Vicente-Acosta
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Nicolás Cabrera 1, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Francisco Tomás y Valiente, 7, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Puerta de Hierro, Segovia de Arana, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro, Joaquín Rodrigo 1, Majadahonda, 28222 Madrid, Spain
- Program in Molecular Biosciences, Doctoral School, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alfredo Giménez-Cassina
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Nicolás Cabrera 1, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Francisco Tomás y Valiente, 7, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Díaz-Nido
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Nicolás Cabrera 1, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Francisco Tomás y Valiente, 7, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Puerta de Hierro, Segovia de Arana, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro, Joaquín Rodrigo 1, Majadahonda, 28222 Madrid, Spain
| | - Frida Loria
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Nicolás Cabrera 1, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Francisco Tomás y Valiente, 7, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Laboratorio de Apoyo a la Investigación, Hospital Universitario Fundación Alcorcón, Budapest 1, Alcorcón, 28922 Madrid, Spain
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14
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Singh N, Bhatla SC. Heme oxygenase-nitric oxide crosstalk-mediated iron homeostasis in plants under oxidative stress. Free Radic Biol Med 2022; 182:192-205. [PMID: 35247570 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2022.02.034] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Plant growth under abiotic stress conditions significantly enhances intracellular generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Oxidative status of plant cells is directly affected by the modulation of iron homeostasis. Among mammals and plants, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is a well-known antioxidant enzyme. It catalyzes oxygenation of heme, thereby producing Fe2+, CO and biliverdin as byproducts. The antioxidant potential of HO-1 is primarily due to its catalytic reaction byproducts. Biliverdin and bilirubin possess conjugated π-electrons which escalate the ability of these biomolecules to scavenge free radicals. CO also enhances the ROS scavenging ability of plants cells by upregulating catalase and peroxidase activity. Enhanced expression of HO-1 in plants under oxidative stress accompanies sequestration of iron in specialized iron storage proteins localized in plastids and mitochondria, namely ferritin for Fe3+ storage and frataxin for storage of Fe-S clusters, respectively. Nitric oxide (NO) crosstalks with HO-1 at multiple levels, more so in plants under oxidative stress, in order to maintain intracellular iron status. Formation of dinitrosyl-iron complexes (DNICs) significantly prevents Fenton reaction during oxidative stress. DNICs also release NO upon dissociation in target cells over long distance in plants. They also function as antioxidants against superoxide anions and lipidic free radicals. A number of NO-modulated transcription factors also facilitate iron homeostasis in plant cells. Plants facing oxidative stress exhibit modulation of lateral root formation by HO-1 through NO and auxin-dependent pathways. The present review provides an in-depth analysis of the structure-function relationship of HO-1 in plants and mammals, correlating them with their adaptive mechanisms of survival under stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neha Singh
- Department of Botany, Gargi College, University of Delhi, India.
| | - Satish C Bhatla
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Department of Botany, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110007, India.
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15
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Espeche LD, Sewell KE, Castro IH, Capece L, Pignataro MF, Dain L, Santos J. Conformational stability, dynamics and function of human frataxin: Tryptophan side chain interplay. Arch Biochem Biophys 2022; 715:109086. [PMID: 34801473 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2021.109086] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
In humans, the loss of frataxin results in Friedreich's Ataxia, a neurodegenerative disease, in which a deficit in the iron-sulfur cluster assembly is observed. In this work, we analyzed three frataxin variants in which one tryptophan was replaced by a glycine: W155G, W168G and W173G. As expected, given its localization in the assembly site, W155G was not able to activate the desulfurase activity of the supercomplex for iron-sulfur cluster assembly. In turn, W168G, which was significantly more unstable than W155G, was fully active. W173G, which was highly unstable as W168G, showed a significantly decreased activity, only slightly higher than W155G. As W168G and W173G were highly sensitive to proteolysis, we investigated the protein motions by molecular dynamic simulations. We observed that W173G may display altered motions at the Trp155 site. Furthermore, we revealed a H-bond network in which Trp155 takes part, involving residues Gln148, Asn151, Gln153 and Arg165. We suggest that this motion modulation that specifically alters the population of different Trp155 rotamers can be directly transferred to the assembly site, altering the dynamics of the ISCU His137 key residue. This hypothesis was also contrasted by means of molecular dynamic simulations of frataxin in the context of the complete supercomplex. We propose that the supercomplex requires very definite motions of Trp155 to consolidate the assembly site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucía D Espeche
- Departamento de Diagnóstico Genético, Centro Nacional de Genética Médica "Dr. Eduardo E. Castilla" A.N.L.I.S., Av. Las Heras 2670, C1425ASQ, C.A.B.A, Argentina
| | - Karl Ellioth Sewell
- Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biología Traslacional (iB(3)), Departamento de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires. Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EGA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ignacio H Castro
- Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biología Traslacional (iB(3)), Departamento de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires. Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EGA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Luciana Capece
- Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Analítica y Química Física, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Química Física de los Materiales, Medio Ambiente y Energía (INQUIMAE-CONICET), C1428EGA, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - María Florencia Pignataro
- Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biología Traslacional (iB(3)), Departamento de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires. Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EGA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Liliana Dain
- Departamento de Diagnóstico Genético, Centro Nacional de Genética Médica "Dr. Eduardo E. Castilla" A.N.L.I.S., Av. Las Heras 2670, C1425ASQ, C.A.B.A, Argentina; Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biología Traslacional (iB(3)), Departamento de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires. Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EGA, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Rivadavia 1917, C1033AAJ, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Javier Santos
- Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biología Traslacional (iB(3)), Departamento de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires. Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EGA, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Rivadavia 1917, C1033AAJ, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EGA, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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16
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Hinton TV, Batelu S, Gleason N, Stemmler TL. Molecular characteristics of proteins within the mitochondrial Fe-S cluster assembly complex. Micron 2021; 153:103181. [PMID: 34823116 DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2021.103181] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Iron-Sulfur (Fe-S) clusters are essential for life, as they are widely utilized in nearly every biochemical pathway. When bound to proteins, Fe-S clusters assist in catalysis, signal recognition, and energy transfer events, as well as additional cellular pathways including cellular respiration and DNA repair and replication. In Eukaryotes, Fe-S clusters are produced through coordinated activity by mitochondrial Iron-Sulfur Cluster (ISC) assembly pathway proteins through direct assembly, or through the production of the activated sulfur substrate used by the Cytosolic Iron-Sulfur Cluster Assembly (CIA) pathway. In the mitochondria, Fe-S cluster assembly is accomplished through the coordinated activity of the ISC pathway protein complex composed of a cysteine desulfurase, a scaffold protein, the accessory ISD11 protein, the acyl carrier protein, frataxin, and a ferredoxin; downstream events that accomplish Fe-S cluster transfer and delivery are driven by additional chaperone/delivery proteins that interact with the ISC assembly complex. Deficiency in human production or activity of Fe-S cluster containing proteins is often detrimental to cell and organism viability. Here we summarize what is known about the structure and functional activities of the proteins involved in the early steps of assembling [2Fe-2S] clusters before they are transferred to proteins devoted to their delivery. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive overview of how the ISC assembly apparatus proteins interact to make the Fe-S cluster which can be delivered to proteins downstream to the assembly event.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiara V Hinton
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.
| | - Sharon Batelu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.
| | - Noah Gleason
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.
| | - Timothy L Stemmler
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.
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17
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Yang W, Thompson B, Kwa FAA. Molecular approaches for the treatment and prevention of Friedreich's ataxia. Drug Discov Today 2021; 27:866-880. [PMID: 34763067 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2021.11.003] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is caused by an intronic guanine-adenine-adenine (GAA) trinucleotide expansion in the gene encoding the frataxin protein (FXN). This triggers the transcriptional silencing of the fratxin gene (FXN) and subsequent FXN deficiency in affected cells, which accounts for the multisystemic symptoms of this condition. Current management strategies aim for symptomatic relief and no treatments can prevent disease onset or progression. Thus, research efforts have focused on targeting the molecular pathways that silence FXN and downstream pathological processes. However, progression of potential therapies into clinical use has been hindered by inconclusive clinical trials because of the small patient sample size associated with the low prevalence of this condition. Here, we discuss various molecular approaches and explore their therapeutic potential to alter the course of this progressive condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenyao Yang
- School of Health Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC 3122, Australia
| | - Bruce Thompson
- School of Health Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC 3122, Australia
| | - Faith A A Kwa
- School of Health Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC 3122, Australia.
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18
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Moreno-Lorite J, Pérez-Luz S, Katsu-Jiménez Y, Oberdoerfer D, Díaz-Nido J. DNA repair pathways are altered in neural cell models of frataxin deficiency. Mol Cell Neurosci 2021; 111:103587. [PMID: 33418083 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2020.103587] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2020] [Revised: 12/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is a hereditary and predominantly neurodegenerative disease caused by a deficiency of the protein frataxin (FXN). As part of the overall efforts to understand the molecular basis of neurodegeneration in FRDA, a new human neural cell line with doxycycline-induced FXN knockdown was established. This cell line, hereafter referred to as iFKD-SY, is derived from the human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y and retains the ability to differentiate into mature neuron-like cells. In both proliferating and differentiated iFKD-SY cells, the induction of FXN deficiency is accompanied by increases in oxidative stress and DNA damage, reduced aconitase enzyme activity, higher levels of p53 and p21, activation of caspase-3, and subsequent apoptosis. More interestingly, FXN-deficient iFKD-SY cells exhibit an important transcriptional deregulation in many of the genes implicated in DNA repair pathways. The levels of some crucial proteins involved in DNA repair appear notably diminished. Furthermore, similar changes are found in two additional neural cell models of FXN deficit: primary cultures of FXN-deficient mouse neurons and human olfactory mucosa stem cells obtained from biopsies of FRDA patients. These results suggest that the deficiency of FXN leads to a down-regulation of DNA repair pathways that synergizes with oxidative stress to provoke DNA damage, which may be involved in the pathogenesis of FRDA. Thus, a failure in DNA repair may be considered a shared common molecular mechanism contributing to neurodegeneration in a number of hereditary ataxias including FRDA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jara Moreno-Lorite
- Departamento Biología Molecular and Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (UAM-CSIC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Puerta de Hierro-Majadahonda (IDIPHIM), Spain
| | - Sara Pérez-Luz
- Departamento Biología Molecular and Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (UAM-CSIC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Puerta de Hierro-Majadahonda (IDIPHIM), Spain; Molecular Genetics Unit, Institute of Rare Diseases Research, Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII), Ctra. Majadahonda-Pozuelo Km2.200, 28220 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Yurika Katsu-Jiménez
- Departamento Biología Molecular and Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (UAM-CSIC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Puerta de Hierro-Majadahonda (IDIPHIM), Spain
| | - Daniel Oberdoerfer
- Departamento Biología Molecular and Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (UAM-CSIC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Puerta de Hierro-Majadahonda (IDIPHIM), Spain
| | - Javier Díaz-Nido
- Departamento Biología Molecular and Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (UAM-CSIC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Puerta de Hierro-Majadahonda (IDIPHIM), Spain
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19
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Takahashi Y, Kubota M, Kosaki R, Kosaki K, Ishiguro A. A severe form of autosomal recessive spinocerebellar ataxia associated with novel PMPCA variants. Brain Dev 2021; 43:464-469. [PMID: 33272776 DOI: 10.1016/j.braindev.2020.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia, autosomal recessive 2 (SCAR2) [MIM:213200] is a rare autosomal recessive disease of spinocerebellar ataxia associated with degeneration of the cerebellum with variable involvement of the brainstem and spinal cord. SCAR2 is characterized by onset of impaired motor development and ataxic gait in early childhood. Recently, several PMPCA gene variants have been reported in SCAR2 patients with mild and non-progressive symptoms. PMPCA codes frataxin, which is crucial for iron biosynthesis in cells. We report a case of a 15-year-old Japanese girl with infancy-onset, very severe and progressive developmental delay, cerebellar ataxia, and extrapyramidal symptoms. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed cerebellar atrophy and excessive brain iron accumulation in the bilateral globus pallidi and substantia nigra. Based on the clinical phenotypes and imaging, neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation was suspected. Whole-exome sequencing on the proband and her parents revealed novel compound heterozygous variants at c.667C > T (p.Arg223Cys) and c.853del (p.Asp285llefs*16) in PMPCA. Thus, her disease was diagnosed as SCAR2. Phenotype in our case was different from ones previously reported for SCARs in the points of much severer clinical presentations with extrapyramidal signs and imaging suspected iron accumulation, and might overlap neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation or NBIA subtypes. Our case might provide a new insight into PMPCA gene-related disorders and expand the disease concept.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoko Takahashi
- Center for Postgraduate Education and Training, National Center for Child Health and Development (NCCHD), Tokyo, Japan.
| | | | - Rika Kosaki
- Division of Medical Genetics, NCCHD, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kenjiro Kosaki
- Center for Medical Genetics, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akira Ishiguro
- Center for Postgraduate Education and Training, National Center for Child Health and Development (NCCHD), Tokyo, Japan
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20
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Rodríguez-Pascau L, Britti E, Calap-Quintana P, Dong YN, Vergara C, Delaspre F, Medina-Carbonero M, Tamarit J, Pallardó FV, Gonzalez-Cabo P, Ros J, Lynch DR, Martinell M, Pizcueta P. PPAR gamma agonist leriglitazone improves frataxin-loss impairments in cellular and animal models of Friedreich Ataxia. Neurobiol Dis 2021; 148:105162. [PMID: 33171227 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.105162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [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: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Friedreich ataxia (FRDA), the most common autosomal recessive ataxia, is characterized by degeneration of the large sensory neurons and spinocerebellar tracts, cardiomyopathy, and increased incidence in diabetes. The underlying pathophysiological mechanism of FRDA, driven by a significantly decreased expression of frataxin (FXN), involves increased oxidative stress, reduced activity of enzymes containing iron‑sulfur clusters (ISC), defective energy production, calcium dyshomeostasis, and impaired mitochondrial biogenesis, leading to mitochondrial dysfunction. The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) is a ligand-activated transcriptional factor playing a key role in mitochondrial function and biogenesis, fatty acid storage, energy metabolism, and antioxidant defence. It has been previously shown that the PPARγ/PPARγ coactivator 1 alpha (PGC-1α) pathway is dysregulated when there is frataxin deficiency, thus contributing to FRDA pathogenesis and supporting the PPARγ pathway as a potential therapeutic target. Here we assess whether MIN-102 (INN: leriglitazone), a novel brain penetrant and orally bioavailable PPARγ agonist with an improved profile for central nervous system (CNS) diseases, rescues phenotypic features in cellular and animal models of FRDA. In frataxin-deficient dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons, leriglitazone increased frataxin protein levels, reduced neurite degeneration and α-fodrin cleavage mediated by calpain and caspase 3, and increased survival. Leriglitazone also restored mitochondrial membrane potential and partially reversed decreased levels of mitochondrial Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCLX), resulting in an improvement of mitochondrial functions and calcium homeostasis. In frataxin-deficient primary neonatal cardiomyocytes, leriglitazone prevented lipid droplet accumulation without increases in frataxin levels. Furthermore, leriglitazone improved motor function deficit in YG8sR mice, a FRDA mouse model. In agreement with the role of PPARγ in mitochondrial biogenesis, leriglitazone significantly increased markers of mitochondrial biogenesis in FRDA patient cells. Overall, these results suggest that targeting the PPARγ pathway by leriglitazone may provide an efficacious therapy for FRDA increasing the mitochondrial function and biogenesis that could increase frataxin levels in compromised frataxin-deficient DRG neurons. Alternately, leriglitazone improved the energy metabolism by increasing the fatty acid β-oxidation in frataxin-deficient cardiomyocytes without elevation of frataxin levels. This could be linked to a lack of significant mitochondrial biogenesis and cardiac hypertrophy. The results reinforced the different tissue requirement in FRDA and the pleiotropic effects of leriglitazone that could be a promising therapy for FRDA.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elena Britti
- Departament de Ciències Mèdiques Bàsiques, IRBLleida. Universitat de Lleida, Lleida 25198, Spain
| | - Pablo Calap-Quintana
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Valencia-INCLIVA, Valencia 46010, Spain; CIBER de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Valencia, Spain
| | - Yi Na Dong
- Department of Pediatrics and Neurology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | | | - Fabien Delaspre
- Departament de Ciències Mèdiques Bàsiques, IRBLleida. Universitat de Lleida, Lleida 25198, Spain
| | - Marta Medina-Carbonero
- Departament de Ciències Mèdiques Bàsiques, IRBLleida. Universitat de Lleida, Lleida 25198, Spain
| | - Jordi Tamarit
- Departament de Ciències Mèdiques Bàsiques, IRBLleida. Universitat de Lleida, Lleida 25198, Spain
| | - Federico V Pallardó
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Valencia-INCLIVA, Valencia 46010, Spain; CIBER de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Valencia, Spain
| | - Pilar Gonzalez-Cabo
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Valencia-INCLIVA, Valencia 46010, Spain; CIBER de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Valencia, Spain
| | - Joaquim Ros
- Departament de Ciències Mèdiques Bàsiques, IRBLleida. Universitat de Lleida, Lleida 25198, Spain
| | - David R Lynch
- Department of Pediatrics and Neurology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Marc Martinell
- Minoryx Therapeutics SL., Mataró 08302, Barcelona, Spain; Minoryx Therapeutics BE., Gosselies 6041, Charleroi, Belgium
| | - Pilar Pizcueta
- Minoryx Therapeutics SL., Mataró 08302, Barcelona, Spain.
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21
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Liu J, He H, Wang J, Guo X, Lin H, Chen H, Jiang C, Chen L, Yao P, Tang Y. Oxidative stress-dependent frataxin inhibition mediated alcoholic hepatocytotoxicity through ferroptosis. Toxicology 2020; 445:152584. [PMID: 33017621 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2020.152584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [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: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is one of the severe liver diseases, resulting in high morbidity and mortality. However, frataxin, a mitochondrial protein mainly participating in iron homeostasis and oxidative stress, remains uncertain in the pathogenesis of ALD. In the present study, the role of frataxin in ALD was investigated. Ethanol (100 mM) decreased frataxin expression at 48 and 72 h in HepG2. Dramatically, in HepG2 overexpressing cytochrome P450 2E1 (HepG2CYP2E1+/+), frataxin level was down-regulated with ethanol stimulation at 12 h. Moreover, chronically feeding ethanol to mice via Lieber-DeCarli liquid diet (30 % of total calories) for 15 weeks significantly inhibited frataxin expression. Ferroptosis signature proteins were dysregulated, accompanied by mitochondrial damage of morphology, enhanced malondialdehyde and decreased glutathione in the liver, as well as accumulation of reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial labile iron pool in primary hepatocytes. Notably, proteomics screening of frataxin deficient-HepG2 further suggested frataxin was associated with ferroptosis. Furthermore, the ferroptosis inhibitor ferrostatin-1 blocked the increase of lactate dehydrogenase release by ethanol in HepG2CYP2E1+/+. Most importantly, frataxin deficiency enhanced ferroptosis driven by ethanol via evaluating the levels of lactate dehydrogenase, cell morphological changes, mitochondrial labile iron pool, and lipid peroxidation. Conversely, restoring frataxin alleviated the sensitivity to ferroptosis. In addition, frataxin overexpression mitigated the sensitivity of ethanol-induced ferroptosis in HepG2CYP2E1+/+. Collectively, our study revealed that frataxin-mediated ferroptosis contributed to ALD, highlighting a potential therapeutic strategy for ALD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Liu
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Hubei Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, Key Laboratory of Environment and Health (Wuhan), Ministry of Environmental Protection, State Key Laboratory of Environment Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Hui He
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi 046000, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Preventive Medicine Experimental Teaching Center, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Xiaoping Guo
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Hubei Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, Key Laboratory of Environment and Health (Wuhan), Ministry of Environmental Protection, State Key Laboratory of Environment Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Hongkun Lin
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Hubei Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, Key Laboratory of Environment and Health (Wuhan), Ministry of Environmental Protection, State Key Laboratory of Environment Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Huimin Chen
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Hubei Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, Key Laboratory of Environment and Health (Wuhan), Ministry of Environmental Protection, State Key Laboratory of Environment Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Chunjie Jiang
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Hubei Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, Key Laboratory of Environment and Health (Wuhan), Ministry of Environmental Protection, State Key Laboratory of Environment Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Li Chen
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Hubei Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, Key Laboratory of Environment and Health (Wuhan), Ministry of Environmental Protection, State Key Laboratory of Environment Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Ping Yao
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Hubei Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, Key Laboratory of Environment and Health (Wuhan), Ministry of Environmental Protection, State Key Laboratory of Environment Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
| | - Yuhan Tang
- Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Hubei Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, Key Laboratory of Environment and Health (Wuhan), Ministry of Environmental Protection, State Key Laboratory of Environment Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
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22
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Rodríguez LR, Calap-Quintana P, Lapeña-Luzón T, Pallardó FV, Schneuwly S, Navarro JA, Gonzalez-Cabo P. Oxidative stress modulates rearrangement of endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondria contacts and calcium dysregulation in a Friedreich's ataxia model. Redox Biol 2020; 37:101762. [PMID: 33128998 PMCID: PMC7585950 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2020.101762] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by neuromuscular and neurological manifestations. It is caused by mutations in the FXN gene, which results in loss of the mitochondrial protein frataxin. Endoplasmic Reticulum-mitochondria associated membranes (MAMs) are inter-organelle structures involved in the regulation of essential cellular processes, including lipid metabolism and calcium signaling. In the present study, we have analyzed in both, unicellular and multicellular models of FRDA, calcium management and integrity of MAMs. We observed that function of MAMs is compromised in our cellular model of FRDA, which was improved upon treatment with antioxidants. In agreement, promoting mitochondrial calcium uptake was sufficient to restore several defects caused by frataxin deficiency in Drosophila Melanogaster. Remarkably, our findings describe for the first time frataxin as a member of the protein network of MAMs, where interacts with two of the main proteins implicated in endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondria communication. These results suggest a new role of frataxin, indicate that FRDA goes beyond mitochondrial defects and highlight MAMs as novel therapeutic candidates to improve patient's conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura R Rodríguez
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry. University of Valencia-INCLIVA, Valencia, 46010, Spain; Associated Unit for Rare Diseases INCLIVA-CIPF, Valencia, Spain
| | - Pablo Calap-Quintana
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry. University of Valencia-INCLIVA, Valencia, 46010, Spain; Associated Unit for Rare Diseases INCLIVA-CIPF, Valencia, Spain; CIBER de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Valencia, Spain
| | - Tamara Lapeña-Luzón
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry. University of Valencia-INCLIVA, Valencia, 46010, Spain; Associated Unit for Rare Diseases INCLIVA-CIPF, Valencia, Spain; CIBER de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Valencia, Spain
| | - Federico V Pallardó
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry. University of Valencia-INCLIVA, Valencia, 46010, Spain; Associated Unit for Rare Diseases INCLIVA-CIPF, Valencia, Spain; CIBER de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Valencia, Spain
| | - Stephan Schneuwly
- Institute of Zoology, Universitaetsstrasse 31, University of Regensburg, 93040, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Juan A Navarro
- Institute of Zoology, Universitaetsstrasse 31, University of Regensburg, 93040, Regensburg, Germany; INCLIVA Biomedial Research Institute, Valencia, Spain
| | - Pilar Gonzalez-Cabo
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry. University of Valencia-INCLIVA, Valencia, 46010, Spain; Associated Unit for Rare Diseases INCLIVA-CIPF, Valencia, Spain; CIBER de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Valencia, Spain.
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23
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Santoro M, Perna A, La Rosa P, Petrillo S, Piemonte F, Rossi S, Riso V, Nicoletti TF, Modoni A, Pomponi MG, Chiurazzi P, Silvestri G. Compound heterozygosity for an expanded (GAA) and a (GAAGGA) repeat at FXN locus: from a diagnostic pitfall to potential clues to the pathogenesis of Friedreich ataxia. Neurogenetics 2020; 21:279-287. [PMID: 32638185 DOI: 10.1007/s10048-020-00620-7] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is usually due to a homozygous GAA expansion in intron 1 of the frataxin (FXN) gene. Rarely, uncommon molecular rearrangements at the FXN locus can cause pitfalls in the molecular diagnosis of FRDA. Here we describe a family whose proband was affected by late-onset Friedreich's ataxia (LOFA); long-range PCR (LR-PCR) documented two small expanded GAA alleles both in the proband and in her unaffected younger sister, who therefore received a diagnosis of pre-symptomatic LOFA. Later studies, however, revealed that the proband's unaffected sister, as well as their healthy mother, were both carriers of an expanded GAA allele and an uncommon (GAAGGA)66-67 repeat mimicking a GAA expansion at the LR-PCR that was the cause of the wrong initial diagnosis of pre-symptomatic LOFA. Extensive studies in tissues from all the family members, including LR-PCR, assessment of methylation status of FXN locus, MboII restriction analysis and direct sequencing of LR-PCR products, analysis of FXN mRNA, and frataxin protein expression, support the virtual lack of pathogenicity of the rare (GAAGGA)66-67 repeat, also providing significant data about the modulation of epigenetic modifications at the FXN locus. Overall, this report highlights a rare but possible pitfall in FRDA molecular diagnosis, emphasizing the need of further analysis in case of discrepancy between clinical and molecular data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Santoro
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, Piazzale Morandi, 6, 20121, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessia Perna
- Dept of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Scaro Cuore, L.go F. Vito 1, 000168, Rome, Italy
| | - Piergiorgio La Rosa
- Unit of Muscular and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, IRCCS, Viale San Paolo, 15, 00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Petrillo
- Unit of Muscular and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, IRCCS, Viale San Paolo, 15, 00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Fiorella Piemonte
- Unit of Muscular and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, IRCCS, Viale San Paolo, 15, 00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Salvatore Rossi
- Dept of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Scaro Cuore, L.go F. Vito 1, 000168, Rome, Italy
| | - Vittorio Riso
- Dept of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Scaro Cuore, L.go F. Vito 1, 000168, Rome, Italy
- Institute of Neurology, Neuroscience Area, Neurology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli, 8, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Tommaso Filippo Nicoletti
- Dept of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Scaro Cuore, L.go F. Vito 1, 000168, Rome, Italy
- Institute of Neurology, Neuroscience Area, Neurology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli, 8, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Modoni
- Institute of Neurology, Neuroscience Area, Neurology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli, 8, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Grazia Pomponi
- Institute of Genomic Medicine, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli, 8, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Pietro Chiurazzi
- Institute of Genomic Medicine, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli, 8, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Gabriella Silvestri
- Dept of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Scaro Cuore, L.go F. Vito 1, 000168, Rome, Italy.
- Institute of Neurology, Neuroscience Area, Neurology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli, 8, 00168, Rome, Italy.
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24
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Castro IH, Bringas M, Doni D, Noguera ME, Capece L, Aran M, Blaustein M, Costantini P, Santos J. Relationship between activity and stability: Design and characterization of stable variants of human frataxin. Arch Biochem Biophys 2020; 691:108491. [PMID: 32707090 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2020.108491] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Revised: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The relationships between conformational dynamics, stability and protein function are not obvious. Frataxin (FXN) is an essential protein that forms part of a supercomplex dedicated to the iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster assembly within the mitochondrial matrix. In humans, the loss of FXN expression or a decrease in its functionality results in Friedreich's Ataxia, a cardio-neurodegenerative disease. Recently, the way in which FXN interacts with the rest of the subunits of the supercomplex was uncovered. This opens a window to explore relationships between structural dynamics and function. In this study, we prepared a set of FXN variants spanning a broad range of conformational stabilities. Variants S160I, S160M and A204R were more stable than the wild-type and showed similar biological activity. Additionally, we prepared SILCAR, a variant that combines S160I, L203C and A204R mutations. SILCAR was 2.4 kcal mol-1 more stable and equally active. Some of the variants were significantly more resistant to proteolysis than the wild-type FXN. SILCAR showed the highest resistance, suggesting a more rigid structure. It was corroborated by means of molecular dynamics simulations. Relaxation dispersion NMR experiments comparing SILCAR and wild-type variants suggested similar internal motions in the microsecond to millisecond timescale. Instead, variant S157I showed higher denaturation resistance but a significant lower function, similarly to that observed for the FRDA variant N146K. We concluded that the contribution of particular side chains to the conformational stability of FXN might be highly subordinated to their impact on both the protein function and the stability of the functional supercomplex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio Hugo Castro
- Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biología Traslacional (iB(3)). Departamento de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires. Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EGA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mauro Bringas
- Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Analítica y Química Física, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Química Física de los Materiales, Medio Ambiente y Energía (INQUIMAE CONICET), C1428EGA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Davide Doni
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Viale G. Colombo 3, 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Martin Ezequiel Noguera
- Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biología Traslacional (iB(3)). Departamento de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires. Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EGA, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológicas, Dr. Alejandro Paladini, Universidad de Buenos Aires, CONICET, Junín 956, C1113AAD, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Luciana Capece
- Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Analítica y Química Física, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Química Física de los Materiales, Medio Ambiente y Energía (INQUIMAE CONICET), C1428EGA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Martín Aran
- Fundación Instituto Leloir, IIBBA-CONICET, Av. Patricias Argentinas 435, C1405BWE, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Matías Blaustein
- Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biología Traslacional (iB(3)). Departamento de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires. Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EGA, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Rivadavia 1917, C1033AAJ, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Paola Costantini
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Viale G. Colombo 3, 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Javier Santos
- Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biología Traslacional (iB(3)). Departamento de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires. Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EGA, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Rivadavia 1917, C1033AAJ, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires. Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EGA, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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25
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Pérez-Luz S, Loria F, Katsu-Jiménez Y, Oberdoerfer D, Yang OL, Lim F, Muñoz-Blanco JL, Díaz-Nido J. Altered Secretome and ROS Production in Olfactory Mucosa Stem Cells Derived from Friedreich's Ataxia Patients. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21186662. [PMID: 32933002 PMCID: PMC7555998 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [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: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Friedreich’s ataxia is the most common hereditary ataxia for which there is no cure or approved treatment at present. However, therapeutic developments based on the understanding of pathological mechanisms underlying the disease have advanced considerably, with the implementation of cellular models that mimic the disease playing a crucial role. Human olfactory ecto-mesenchymal stem cells represent a novel model that could prove useful due to their accessibility and neurogenic capacity. Here, we isolated and cultured these stem cells from Friedreich´s ataxia patients and healthy donors, characterizing their phenotype and describing disease-specific features such as reduced cell viability, impaired aconitase activity, increased ROS production and the release of cytokines involved in neuroinflammation. Importantly, we observed a positive effect on patient-derived cells, when frataxin levels were restored, confirming the utility of this in vitro model to study the disease. This model will improve our understanding of Friedreich´s ataxia pathogenesis and will help in developing rationally designed therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Pérez-Luz
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM) and Departamento de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Nicolás Cabrera, 1, 28049 Madrid, Spain; (S.P.-L.); (D.O.); (O.-L.Y.); (J.D.-N.)
- Molecular Genetics Unit, Institute of Rare Diseases Research, Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII), Ctra. Majadahonda-Pozuelo Km 2,200, 28220 Madrid, Spain
| | - Frida Loria
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM) and Departamento de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Nicolás Cabrera, 1, 28049 Madrid, Spain; (S.P.-L.); (D.O.); (O.-L.Y.); (J.D.-N.)
- Laboratorio de Apoyo a la Investigación, Hospital Universitario Fundación Alcorcón, Calle Budapest 1, 28922 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-911-964-594
| | - Yurika Katsu-Jiménez
- Karolinska Institutet, Department of Microbiology Tumor and Cell Biology, Solnaväjen 1, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden;
| | - Daniel Oberdoerfer
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM) and Departamento de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Nicolás Cabrera, 1, 28049 Madrid, Spain; (S.P.-L.); (D.O.); (O.-L.Y.); (J.D.-N.)
| | - Oscar-Li Yang
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM) and Departamento de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Nicolás Cabrera, 1, 28049 Madrid, Spain; (S.P.-L.); (D.O.); (O.-L.Y.); (J.D.-N.)
| | - Filip Lim
- Department of Molecular Biology, Autonomous University of Madrid, Francisco Tomás y Valiente 7, 28049 Madrid, Spain;
| | - José Luis Muñoz-Blanco
- Department of Neurology, Hospital Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Dr. Esquerdo 46, 28007 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Javier Díaz-Nido
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM) and Departamento de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Nicolás Cabrera, 1, 28049 Madrid, Spain; (S.P.-L.); (D.O.); (O.-L.Y.); (J.D.-N.)
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26
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Fil D, Chacko BK, Conley R, Ouyang X, Zhang J, Darley-Usmar VM, Zuberi AR, Lutz CM, Napierala M, Napierala JS. Mitochondrial damage and senescence phenotype of cells derived from a novel frataxin G127V point mutation mouse model of Friedreich's ataxia. Dis Model Mech 2020; 13:dmm045229. [PMID: 32586831 PMCID: PMC7406325 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.045229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disease caused by reduced expression of the mitochondrial protein frataxin (FXN). Most FRDA patients are homozygous for large expansions of GAA repeat sequences in intron 1 of FXN, whereas a fraction of patients are compound heterozygotes, with a missense or nonsense mutation in one FXN allele and expanded GAAs in the other. A prevalent missense mutation among FRDA patients changes a glycine at position 130 to valine (G130V). Herein, we report generation of the first mouse model harboring an Fxn point mutation. Changing the evolutionarily conserved glycine 127 in mouse Fxn to valine results in a failure-to-thrive phenotype in homozygous animals and a substantially reduced number of offspring. Like G130V in FRDA, the G127V mutation results in a dramatic decrease of Fxn protein without affecting transcript synthesis or splicing. FxnG127V mouse embryonic fibroblasts exhibit significantly reduced proliferation and increased cell senescence. These defects are evident in early passage cells and are exacerbated at later passages. Furthermore, increased frequency of mitochondrial DNA lesions and fragmentation are accompanied by marked amplification of mitochondrial DNA in FxnG127V cells. Bioenergetics analyses demonstrate higher sensitivity and reduced cellular respiration of FxnG127V cells upon alteration of fatty acid availability. Importantly, substitution of FxnWT with FxnG127V is compatible with life, and cellular proliferation defects can be rescued by mitigation of oxidative stress via hypoxia or induction of the NRF2 pathway. We propose FxnG127V cells as a simple and robust model for testing therapeutic approaches for FRDA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Fil
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1825 University Boulevard, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Balu K Chacko
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 901 19th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
- Center for Free Radical Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
- Mitochondrial Medicine Laboratory, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Robbie Conley
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1825 University Boulevard, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Xiaosen Ouyang
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 901 19th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
- Center for Free Radical Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
- Mitochondrial Medicine Laboratory, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
- Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Center, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Jianhua Zhang
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 901 19th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
- Center for Free Radical Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
- Mitochondrial Medicine Laboratory, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
- Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Center, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Victor M Darley-Usmar
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 901 19th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
- Center for Free Radical Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
- Mitochondrial Medicine Laboratory, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Aamir R Zuberi
- The Rare and Orphan Disease Center, JAX Center for Precision Genetics, 600 Main Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
| | - Cathleen M Lutz
- The Rare and Orphan Disease Center, JAX Center for Precision Genetics, 600 Main Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
| | - Marek Napierala
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1825 University Boulevard, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Jill S Napierala
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1825 University Boulevard, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
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27
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Shen X, Wong J, Prakash TP, Rigo F, Li Y, Napierala M, Corey DR. Progress towards drug discovery for Friedreich's Ataxia: Identifying synthetic oligonucleotides that more potently activate expression of human frataxin protein. Bioorg Med Chem 2020; 28:115472. [PMID: 32279920 PMCID: PMC7217746 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2020.115472] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Revised: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Friedreich's Ataxia (FRDA) is an incurable genetic disease caused by an expanded trinucleotide AAG repeat within intronic RNA of the frataxin (FXN) gene. We have previously demonstrated that synthetic antisense oligonucleotides or duplex RNAs that are complementary to the expanded repeat can activate expression of FXN and return levels of FXN protein to near normal. The potency of these compounds, however, was too low to encourage vigorous pre-clinical development. We now report testing of "gapmer" oligonucleotides consisting of a central DNA portion flanked by chemically modified RNA that increases binding affinity. We find that gapmer antisense oligonucleotides are several fold more potent activators of FXN expression relative to previously tested compounds. The potency of FXN activation is similar to a potent benchmark gapmer targeting the nuclear noncoding RNA MALAT-1, suggesting that our approach has potential for developing more effective compounds to regulate FXN expression in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiulong Shen
- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Department of Pharmacology, 6001 Forest Park Road, Dallas, TX 75390, United States
| | - Johnathan Wong
- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Department of Pharmacology, 6001 Forest Park Road, Dallas, TX 75390, United States
| | | | - Frank Rigo
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, CA 92010, United States
| | - Yanjie Li
- University of Alabama, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Birmingham, AL 35294, United States
| | - Marek Napierala
- University of Alabama, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Birmingham, AL 35294, United States
| | - David R Corey
- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Department of Pharmacology, 6001 Forest Park Road, Dallas, TX 75390, United States.
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28
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Du J, Zhou Y, Li Y, Xia J, Chen Y, Chen S, Wang X, Sun W, Wang T, Ren X, Wang X, An Y, Lu K, Hu W, Huang S, Li J, Tong X, Wang Y. Identification of Frataxin as a regulator of ferroptosis. Redox Biol 2020; 32:101483. [PMID: 32169822 PMCID: PMC7068686 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2020.101483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.3] [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: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 02/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Ferroptosis is a newly discovered form of non-apoptotic regulated cell death and is characterized by iron-dependent and lipid peroxidation. Due to the enhanced dependence on iron in cancer cells, induction of ferroptosis is becoming a promising therapeutic strategy. However, the precise underlying molecular mechanism and regulation process of ferroptosis remains largely unknown. In the present study, we demonstrate that the protein Frataxin (FXN) is a key regulator of ferroptosis by modulating iron homeostasis and mitochondrial function. Suppression of FXN expression specifically repressed the proliferation, destroyed mitochondrial morphology, impeded Fe-S cluster assembly and activated iron starvation stress. Moreover, suppression of FXN expression significantly enhanced erastin-induced cell death through accelerating free iron accumulation, lipid peroxidation and resulted in dramatic mitochondria morphological damage including enhanced fragmentation and vanished cristae. In addition, this type of cell death was confirmed to be ferroptosis, since it could be pharmacologically restored by ferroptotic inhibitor Fer-1 or GSH, but not by inhibitors of apoptosis, necrosis. Vice versa, enforced expression of FXN blocked iron starvation response and erastin-induced ferroptosis. More importantly, pharmacological or genetic blocking the signal of iron starvation could completely restore the resistance to ferroptosis in FXN knockdown cells and xenograft graft in vivo. This paper suggests that FXN is a novel ferroptosis modulator, as well as a potential provided target to improve the antitumor activity based on ferroptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Du
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China
| | - Yi Zhou
- The Second Clinical Medical School of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310053, China; Department of Wangjiangshan, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China
| | - Yanchun Li
- The Second Clinical Medical School of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310053, China
| | - Jun Xia
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China
| | - Yongjian Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China
| | - Sufeng Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China
| | - Xin Wang
- Clinical Research Institute, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China
| | - Weidong Sun
- Department of Hematology, Shaoxing Central Hospital, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, 312030, China; Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, 233000, China
| | - Tongtong Wang
- Department of Wangjiangshan, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China
| | - Xueying Ren
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China
| | - Xu Wang
- School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Yihan An
- Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, 233000, China
| | - Kang Lu
- Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, 233000, China
| | - Wanye Hu
- Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, 233000, China
| | - Siyuan Huang
- The Second Clinical Medical School of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310053, China
| | - Jianghui Li
- School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China
| | - Xiangmin Tong
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China; Phase I Clinical Research Center, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China; The Second Clinical Medical School of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310053, China; Clinical Research Institute, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China; School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325035, China; Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, 233000, China.
| | - Ying Wang
- Phase I Clinical Research Center, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China; Clinical Research Institute, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China; Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui, 233000, China.
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29
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Stepanova A, Magrané J. Mitochondrial dysfunction in neurons in Friedreich's ataxia. Mol Cell Neurosci 2020; 102:103419. [PMID: 31770591 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2019.103419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [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: 06/22/2019] [Revised: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Friedreich's ataxia is a multisystemic genetic disorder within the family of mitochondrial diseases that is characterized by reduced levels of the essential mitochondrial protein frataxin. Based on clinical evidence, the peripheral nervous system is affected early, neuronal dysfunction progresses towards the central nervous system, and other organs (such as heart and pancreas) are affected later. However, little attention has been given to the specific aspects of mitochondria function altered by frataxin depletion in the nervous system. For years, commonly accepted views on mitochondria dysfunction in Friedreich's ataxia stemmed from studies using non-neuronal systems and may not apply to neurons, which have their own bioenergetic needs and present a unique, extensive neurite network. Moreover, the basis of the selective neuronal vulnerability, which primarily affects large sensory neurons in the dorsal root ganglia, large principal neurons in the dentate nuclei of the cerebellum, and pyramidal neurons in the cerebral cortex, remains elusive. In order to identify potential misbeliefs in the field and highlight controversies, we reviewed current knowledge on frataxin expression in different tissues, discussed the molecular function of frataxin, and the consequences of its deficiency for mitochondria structural and functional properties, with a focus on the nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Stepanova
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, United States of America.
| | - Jordi Magrané
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States of America.
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30
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Weng L, Wang Q, Yu S, Yang X, Lynch DR, Mesaros C, Blair IA. Evaluation of antibodies for western blot analysis of frataxin protein isoforms. J Immunol Methods 2019; 474:112629. [PMID: 31279523 PMCID: PMC6829029 DOI: 10.1016/j.jim.2019.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [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: 03/19/2019] [Revised: 05/21/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Frataxin is the protein that is down-regulated in Friedreich ataxia (FRDA), an autosomal recessive genetic disease caused by an intronic GAA repeat expansion in intron-1 of the FXN gene. The GAA repeats result in epigenetic silencing of the FXN gene and reduced expression of the cytosolic full-length frataxin (1-210) protein. Full length frataxin translocates to the mitochondria, leading to formation of mature frataxin (81-210) formed by cleavage of the mitochondrial targeting sequence at K-80 of the full-length protein. There are currently no approved treatments for FRDA, although experimental approaches involving up-regulation or replacement of mature frataxin protein through numerous approaches are being tested. Many of the pre-clinical studies of these experimental approaches are conducted in mouse and monkey models as well as in human cell lines. Consequently, well-validated antibodies are required for use in western blot analysis to determine whether levels of various forms of frataxin have been increased. Here we examined the specificity of five commercially available anti-frataxin antibodies and determined whether they detect mature frataxin in mouse heart tissue. Four protein standards of monkey, human, and mouse frataxin as well as mouse heart tissue were examined using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) in combination with western blot analysis. One antibody failed to detect any of the frataxin standards or endogenous frataxin in mouse heart tissue. Three of the antibodies detected a protein in mouse heart tissue that ran slightly faster on PAGE (at 23.4 kDa) to that predicted for full-length frataxin (23.9 kDa). One antibody detected all four frataxin standards as well as endogenous mouse mature frataxin in mouse tissue. Significantly, this antibody, which will be useful for monitoring mature frataxin levels in monkey, human, and mouse tissues, did not detect a protein in mouse heart tissue at 23.4 kDa. Therefore, antibodies detecting the immunoreactive protein at 23.4 kDa could be misleading when testing for the up-regulation of frataxin in animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liwei Weng
- Penn/CHOP Center of Excellence in Friedreich's Ataxia, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Penn SRP Center and Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Qingqing Wang
- Penn/CHOP Center of Excellence in Friedreich's Ataxia, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Penn SRP Center and Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sixiang Yu
- Department of Cancer Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Xiaolu Yang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - David R Lynch
- Penn/CHOP Center of Excellence in Friedreich's Ataxia, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Pediatrics and Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Clementina Mesaros
- Penn/CHOP Center of Excellence in Friedreich's Ataxia, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Penn SRP Center and Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Cancer Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ian A Blair
- Penn/CHOP Center of Excellence in Friedreich's Ataxia, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Penn SRP Center and Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Cancer Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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31
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Bellanda M, Maso L, Doni D, Bortolus M, De Rosa E, Lunardi F, Alfonsi A, Noguera ME, Herrera MG, Santos J, Carbonera D, Costantini P. Exploring iron-binding to human frataxin and to selected Friedreich ataxia mutants by means of NMR and EPR spectroscopies. Biochim Biophys Acta Proteins Proteom 2019; 1867:140254. [PMID: 31344531 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2019.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Revised: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The neurodegenerative disease Friedreich ataxia results from a deficiency of frataxin, a mitochondrial protein. Most patients have a GAA expansion in the first intron of both alleles of frataxin gene, whereas a minority of them are heterozygous for the expansion and contain a mutation in the other allele. Frataxin has been claimed to participate in iron homeostasis and biosynthesis of FeS clusters, however its role in both pathways is not unequivocally defined. In this work we combined different advanced spectroscopic analyses to explore the iron-binding properties of human frataxin, as isolated and at the FeS clusters assembly machinery. For the first time we used EPR spectroscopy to address this key issue providing clear evidence of the formation of a complex with a low symmetry coordination of the metal ion. By 2D NMR, we confirmed that iron can be bound in both oxidation states, a controversial issue, and, in addition, we were able to point out a transient interaction of frataxin with a N-terminal 6his-tagged variant of ISCU, the scaffold protein of the FeS clusters assembly machinery. To obtain insights on structure/function relationships relevant to understand the disease molecular mechanism(s), we extended our studies to four clinical frataxin mutants. All variants showed a moderate to strong impairment in their ability to activate the FeS cluster assembly machinery in vitro, while keeping the same iron-binding features of the wild type protein. This supports the multifunctional nature of frataxin and the complex biochemical consequences of its mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Bellanda
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via F. Marzolo 1, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Maso
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Viale G. Colombo 3, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Davide Doni
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Viale G. Colombo 3, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Marco Bortolus
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via F. Marzolo 1, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Edith De Rosa
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via F. Marzolo 1, 35131 Padova, Italy; Department of Biology, University of Padova, Viale G. Colombo 3, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Federica Lunardi
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via F. Marzolo 1, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Arianna Alfonsi
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via F. Marzolo 1, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Martín Ezequiel Noguera
- Departamento de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencia Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biomedicina (iB3), Intendente Güiraldes 2160 - Ciudad Universitaria, 1428EGA C.A.B.A., Argentina; Intituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológicas, Dr. Alejandro Paladini, Universidad de Buenos Aires, CONICET, Junín 956, 1113AAD C.A.B.A., Argentina
| | - Maria Georgina Herrera
- Departamento de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencia Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biomedicina (iB3), Intendente Güiraldes 2160 - Ciudad Universitaria, 1428EGA C.A.B.A., Argentina; Intituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológicas, Dr. Alejandro Paladini, Universidad de Buenos Aires, CONICET, Junín 956, 1113AAD C.A.B.A., Argentina
| | - Javier Santos
- Departamento de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencia Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biomedicina (iB3), Intendente Güiraldes 2160 - Ciudad Universitaria, 1428EGA C.A.B.A., Argentina; Intituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológicas, Dr. Alejandro Paladini, Universidad de Buenos Aires, CONICET, Junín 956, 1113AAD C.A.B.A., Argentina
| | - Donatella Carbonera
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Via F. Marzolo 1, 35131 Padova, Italy.
| | - Paola Costantini
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Viale G. Colombo 3, 35131 Padova, Italy.
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Reetz K, Hilgers RD, Isfort S, Dohmen M, Didszun C, Fedosov K, Kistermann J, Mariotti C, Durr A, Boesch S, Klopstock T, Rodríguez de Rivera Garrido FJ, Schöls L, Klockgether T, Pandolfo M, Korinthenberg R, Lavin P, Molenberghs G, Libri V, Giunti P, Festenstein R, Schulz JB. Protocol of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, multicentre study of the efficacy and safety of nicotinamide in patients with Friedreich ataxia (NICOFA). Neurol Res Pract 2019; 1:33. [PMID: 33324899 PMCID: PMC7650055 DOI: 10.1186/s42466-019-0038-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Currently, no treatment that delays with the progression of Friedreich ataxia is available. In the majority of patients Friedreich ataxia is caused by homozygous pathological expansion of GAA repeats in the first intron of the FXN gene. Nicotinamide acts as a histone deacetylase inhibitor. Dose escalation studies have shown, that short term treatment with dosages of up to 4 g/day increase the expression of FXN mRNA and frataxin protein up to the levels of asymptomatic heterozygous gene carriers. The long-term effects and the effects on clinical endpoints, activities of daily living and quality of life are unknown. Methods The aim of the NICOFA study is to investigate the efficacy and safety of nicotinamide for the treatment of Friedreich ataxia over 24 months. An open-label dose adjustment wash-in period with nicotinamide (phase A: weeks 1–4) to the individually highest tolerated dose of 2–4 g nicotinamide/day will be followed by a 2 (nicotinamide group): 1 (placebo group) randomization (phase B: weeks 5–104). In the nicotinamide group, patients will continue with their individually highest tolerated dose between 2 and 4 g/d per os once daily and the placebo group patients will be receiving matching placebo. Safety assessments will consist of monitoring and recording of all adverse events and serious adverse events, regular monitoring of haematology, blood chemistry and urine values, regular measurement of vital signs and the performance of physical examinations including cardiological signs. The primary outcome is the change in the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA) over time as compared with placebo in patients with Friedreich ataxia based on the linear mixed effect model (LMEM) model. Secondary endpoints are measures of quality of life, functional motor and cognitive measures, clinician’s and patient’s global impression-change scales as well as the up-regulation of the frataxin protein level, safety and survival/death. Perspective The NICOFA study represents one of the first attempts to assess the clinical efficacy of an epigenetic therapeutic intervention for this disease and will provide evidence of possible disease modifying effects of nicotinamide treatment in patients with Friedreich ataxia. Trial registration EudraCT-No.: 2017-002163-17, ClinicalTrials.govNCT03761511.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Reetz
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany.,JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Ralf-Dieter Hilgers
- Department of Medical Statistics, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 19, Aachen, Germany
| | - Susanne Isfort
- Center for Translational & Clinical Research Aachen (CTC-A), RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, Aachen, Germany
| | - Marc Dohmen
- Center for Translational & Clinical Research Aachen (CTC-A), RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, Aachen, Germany
| | - Claire Didszun
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany.,JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Kathrin Fedosov
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany.,JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Jennifer Kistermann
- Center for Translational & Clinical Research Aachen (CTC-A), RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, Aachen, Germany
| | - Caterina Mariotti
- Unit of Genetics of Neurodegenerative and Metabolic Diseases, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Alexandra Durr
- Genetic Department, ICM (Brain and Spine Institute) Sorbonne Universités, UPMC University Paris 06 UMR S 1127, and INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225 and APHP, Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Sylvia Boesch
- Department of Neurology, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Thomas Klopstock
- Department of Neurology, Friedrich Baur Institute, University Hospital of the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Munich, Germany.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany.,Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany
| | | | - Ludger Schöls
- Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tübingen, Germany
| | - Thomas Klockgether
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - Massimo Pandolfo
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Rudolf Korinthenberg
- Ethical Commission, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Engelbergstr. 21, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Philip Lavin
- Boston Biostatistics Research Foundation, Framingham, MA USA
| | - Geert Molenberghs
- Interuniversity Institute for Biostatistics and Statistical Bioinformatics, UHasselt and KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Vincenzo Libri
- NIHR UCLH Clinical Research Facility-Leonard Wolfson Experimental Neurology Centre, University College London (UCL) Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Paola Giunti
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, University College London (UCL) Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Richard Festenstein
- Gene Control Mechanisms and Disease Group, Department of Medicine, Division of Brain Sciences and MRC London Institute for Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK
| | - Jörg B Schulz
- Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany.,JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany.,Center for Translational & Clinical Research Aachen (CTC-A), RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, Aachen, Germany
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Rawat S, Kondapalli KC, Rodrigues AV, Stemmler TL. Backbone resonance assignments and secondary structure of the apo-Drosophila melanogaster frataxin homolog (Dfh). Biomol NMR Assign 2019; 13:377-381. [PMID: 31440902 PMCID: PMC6800216 DOI: 10.1007/s12104-019-09910-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [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: 05/28/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Friedreich's ataxia, the most prevalent hereditary ataxia, is caused by a patient's inability to produce a viable form of the protein frataxin. Frataxin plays an essential role in cellular iron regulation and has been shown to participate in the assembly of iron-sulfur (Fe-S) clusters under a variety of roles, including modulating persulfide production and directing Fe(II) delivery to the assembly scaffold protein. While the activity and structure of multiple eukaryotic frataxin orthologs have been characterized, the fly ortholog has numerous advantages over other orthologs with regards to protein stability, its activity towards Fe-S cluster assembly and its stability for forming stable proteins partner assemblies. Given the obvious advantages for studying the Drosophila melanogaster frataxin homolog (Dfh) over its orthologs, we have undertaken a structural characterization of apo-Dfh as the first step towards solving the solution structure of the protein alone and in complex with protein partners within the Fe-S cluster assembly pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swati Rawat
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Kalyan C Kondapalli
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Michigan - Dearborn, Dearborn, MI, 48128, USA
| | - Andria V Rodrigues
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Timothy L Stemmler
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA.
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA.
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Nakanishi T, Kuragano T, Nanami M, Nagasawa Y, Hasuike Y. Misdistribution of iron and oxidative stress in chronic kidney disease. Free Radic Biol Med 2019; 133:248-253. [PMID: 29958932 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2018.06.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Revised: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients have an extremely high risk of developing cardiovascular diseases (CVD) compared to the general population. Systemic inflammation associated with oxidative stress could be an important determinant of morbidity and mortality associated with CVD. We suspected that dysregulation of iron metabolism should be considered in these patients. Anemia is prevalent in CKD patients and is often treated with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) and iron. In addition, iron administration sometimes causes iron overdose. Excessive iron in the cytosol and mitochondria can accelerate the formation of a highly toxic reactive oxygen species, hydroxyl radicals, which damage lipids, proteins, and DNA. In this review, we propose the following four major reasons for oxidative stress in CKD patients: 1) iron is sequestered in cells by proinflammatory cytokines and hepcidin; 2) the reduction in frataxin increases "free" iron in mitochondria; 3) the accumulation of 5-aminolevulinic acid, a heme precursor, has toxic effects on iron and mitochondrial metabolism; and 4) the elevated levels of the metabolic hormone, leptin, promote hepatic hepcidin production. Although an efficient therapy for preventing oxidative stress in these patients has not yet been well defined, we propose that ESAs for renal anemia may ameliorate these causes of oxidative stress. Further clinical trials are necessary to clarify the effectiveness of ESAs on oxidative stress in CKD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi Nakanishi
- Department of Nephrology, Gojinkai-Sumiyoshigawa Hospital, Japan; Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Kidney and Dialysis, Hyogo College of Medicine, Japan.
| | - Takahiro Kuragano
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Kidney and Dialysis, Hyogo College of Medicine, Japan.
| | - Masayoshi Nanami
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Kidney and Dialysis, Hyogo College of Medicine, Japan.
| | - Yasuyuki Nagasawa
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Kidney and Dialysis, Hyogo College of Medicine, Japan.
| | - Yukiko Hasuike
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Kidney and Dialysis, Hyogo College of Medicine, Japan.
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Abstract
Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is a degenerative disease that affects both the central and the peripheral nervous systems and non-neural tissues including, mainly, heart, and endocrine pancreas. It is an autosomal recessive disease caused by a GAA triplet-repeat localized within an Alu sequence element in intron 1 of frataxin (FXN) gene, which encodes a mitochondrial protein FXN. This protein is essential for mitochondrial function by the involvement of iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis. The effects of its deficiency also include disruption of cellular, particularly mitochondrial, iron homeostasis, i.e., relatively more iron accumulated in mitochondria and less iron presented in cytosol. Though iron toxicity is commonly thought to be mediated via Fenton reaction, oxidative stress seems not to be the main problem to result in detrimental effects on cell survival, particularly neuron survival. Therefore, the basic research on FXN function is urgently demanded to understand the disease. This chapter focuses on the outcome of FXN expression, regulation, and function in cellular or animal models of FRDA and on iron pathophysiology in the affected tissues. Finally, therapeutic strategies based on the control of iron toxicity and iron cellular redistribution are considered. The combination of multiple therapeutic targets including iron, oxidative stress, mitochondrial function, and FXN regulation is also proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuanyu Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, People's Republic of China.
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Castro IH, Pignataro MF, Sewell KE, Espeche LD, Herrera MG, Noguera ME, Dain L, Nadra AD, Aran M, Smal C, Gallo M, Santos J. Frataxin Structure and Function. Subcell Biochem 2019; 93:393-438. [PMID: 31939159 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-28151-9_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Mammalian frataxin is a small mitochondrial protein involved in iron sulfur cluster assembly. Frataxin deficiency causes the neurodegenerative disease Friedreich's Ataxia. Valuable knowledge has been gained on the structural dynamics of frataxin, metal-ion-protein interactions, as well as on the effect of mutations on protein conformation, stability and internal motions. Additionally, laborious studies concerning the enzymatic reactions involved have allowed for understanding the capability of frataxin to modulate Fe-S cluster assembly function. Remarkably, frataxin biological function depends on its interaction with some proteins to form a supercomplex, among them NFS1 desulfurase and ISCU, the scaffolding protein. By combining multiple experimental tools including high resolution techniques like NMR and X-ray, but also SAXS, crosslinking and mass-spectrometry, it was possible to build a reliable model of the structure of the desulfurase supercomplex NFS1/ACP-ISD11/ISCU/frataxin. In this chapter, we explore these issues showing how the scientific view concerning frataxin structure-function relationships has evolved over the last years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio Hugo Castro
- Departamento de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencia Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biomedicina (iB3), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160-Ciudad Universitaria, 1428EGA, C.A.B.A, Argentina
- Intituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológicas, Dr. Alejandro Paladini Universidad de Buenos Aires, CONICET, Junín 956, 1113AAD, C.A.B.A, Argentina
| | - María Florencia Pignataro
- Departamento de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencia Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biomedicina (iB3), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160-Ciudad Universitaria, 1428EGA, C.A.B.A, Argentina
- Intituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológicas, Dr. Alejandro Paladini Universidad de Buenos Aires, CONICET, Junín 956, 1113AAD, C.A.B.A, Argentina
| | - Karl Ellioth Sewell
- Departamento de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencia Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biomedicina (iB3), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160-Ciudad Universitaria, 1428EGA, C.A.B.A, Argentina
- Intituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológicas, Dr. Alejandro Paladini Universidad de Buenos Aires, CONICET, Junín 956, 1113AAD, C.A.B.A, Argentina
| | - Lucía Daniela Espeche
- Departamento de Diagnóstico Genético, Centro Nacional de Genética Médica "Dr. Eduardo E. Castilla"-A.N.L.I.S, Av. Las Heras 2670, C1425ASQ, C.A.B.A, Argentina
| | - María Georgina Herrera
- Departamento de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencia Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biomedicina (iB3), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160-Ciudad Universitaria, 1428EGA, C.A.B.A, Argentina
| | - Martín Ezequiel Noguera
- Departamento de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencia Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biomedicina (iB3), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160-Ciudad Universitaria, 1428EGA, C.A.B.A, Argentina
- Intituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológicas, Dr. Alejandro Paladini Universidad de Buenos Aires, CONICET, Junín 956, 1113AAD, C.A.B.A, Argentina
- Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad Nacional de Quilmes, Roque Sáenz Peña 352, B1876BXD, Bernal, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Liliana Dain
- Departamento de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencia Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biomedicina (iB3), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160-Ciudad Universitaria, 1428EGA, C.A.B.A, Argentina
- Departamento de Diagnóstico Genético, Centro Nacional de Genética Médica "Dr. Eduardo E. Castilla"-A.N.L.I.S, Av. Las Heras 2670, C1425ASQ, C.A.B.A, Argentina
| | - Alejandro Daniel Nadra
- Departamento de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencia Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biomedicina (iB3), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160-Ciudad Universitaria, 1428EGA, C.A.B.A, Argentina
- Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Martín Aran
- Fundación Instituto Leloir E IIBBA-CONICET, Av. Patricias Argentinas 435, C1405BWE, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Clara Smal
- Fundación Instituto Leloir E IIBBA-CONICET, Av. Patricias Argentinas 435, C1405BWE, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mariana Gallo
- IRBM Science Park S.p.A, Via Pontina km 30,600, 00071, Pomezia, RM, Italy
| | - Javier Santos
- Departamento de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencia Exactas y Naturales, Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biomedicina (iB3), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160-Ciudad Universitaria, 1428EGA, C.A.B.A, Argentina.
- Intituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológicas, Dr. Alejandro Paladini Universidad de Buenos Aires, CONICET, Junín 956, 1113AAD, C.A.B.A, Argentina.
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Shen X, Kilikevicius A, O'Reilly D, Prakash TP, Damha MJ, Rigo F, Corey DR. Activating frataxin expression by single-stranded siRNAs targeting the GAA repeat expansion. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2018; 28:2850-2855. [PMID: 30076049 PMCID: PMC6129981 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2018.07.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [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: 06/14/2018] [Revised: 07/17/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is an incurable neurodegenerative disorder caused by reduced expression of the mitochondrial protein frataxin (FXN). The genetic cause of the disease is an expanded GAA repeat within the FXN gene. Agents that increase expression of FXN protein are a potential approach to therapy. We previously described anti-trinucleotide GAA duplex RNAs (dsRNAs) and antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) that activate FXN protein expression in multiple patient derived cell lines. Here we test two distinct series of compounds for their ability to increase FXN expression. ASOs with butane linkers showed low potency, which is consistent with the low Tm values and suggesting that flexible conformation impairs activity. By contrast, single-stranded siRNAs (ss-siRNAs) that combine the strengths of dsRNA and ASO approaches had nanomolar potencies. ss-siRNAs provide an additional option for developing nucleic acid therapeutics to treat FRDA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiulong Shen
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75390, United States; Department of Biochemistry, UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75390, United States
| | - Audrius Kilikevicius
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75390, United States; Department of Biochemistry, UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75390, United States
| | - Daniel O'Reilly
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0B8, Canada
| | | | - Masad J Damha
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - Frank Rigo
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, CA 92010, United States
| | - David R Corey
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75390, United States; Department of Biochemistry, UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, TX 75390, United States.
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Khdour OM, Bandyopadhyay I, Chowdhury SR, Visavadiya NP, Hecht SM. Lipophilic methylene blue analogues enhance mitochondrial function and increase frataxin levels in a cellular model of Friedreich's ataxia. Bioorg Med Chem 2018; 26:3359-3369. [PMID: 29773347 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2018.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2018] [Revised: 04/25/2018] [Accepted: 05/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder resulting from reduced expression of the protein frataxin (FXN). Although its function is not fully understood, frataxin appears to help assemble iron sulfur clusters; these are critical for the function of many proteins, including those needed for mitochondrial energy production. Finding ways to increase FXN levels has been a major therapeutic strategy for this disease. Previously, we described a novel series of methylene violet analogues and their structural optimization as potential therapeutic agents for neurodegenerative and mitochondrial disorders. Presently, a series of methylene blue analogues has been synthesized and characterized for their in vitro biochemical and biological properties in cultured Friedreich's ataxia lymphocytes. Favorable methylene blue analogues were shown to increase frataxin levels and mitochondrial biogenesis, and to improve aconitase activity. The analogues were found to be good ROS scavengers, and able to protect cultured FRDA lymphocytes from oxidative stress resulting from inhibition of complex I and from glutathione depletion. The analogues also preserved mitochondrial membrane potential and augmented ATP production. Our results suggest that analogue 5, emerging from the initial structure of the parent compound methylene blue (MB), represents a promising lead structure and lacks the cytotoxicity associated with the parent compound MB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omar M Khdour
- Biodesign Center for BioEnergetics, and School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA.
| | - Indrajit Bandyopadhyay
- Biodesign Center for BioEnergetics, and School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Sandipan Roy Chowdhury
- Biodesign Center for BioEnergetics, and School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Nishant P Visavadiya
- Biodesign Center for BioEnergetics, and School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Sidney M Hecht
- Biodesign Center for BioEnergetics, and School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
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Chiang S, Kalinowski DS, Jansson PJ, Richardson DR, Huang MLH. Mitochondrial dysfunction in the neuro-degenerative and cardio-degenerative disease, Friedreich's ataxia. Neurochem Int 2018; 117:35-48. [PMID: 28782591 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2017.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [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: 06/27/2017] [Revised: 07/25/2017] [Accepted: 08/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Mitochondrial homeostasis is essential for maintaining healthy cellular function and survival. The detrimental involvement of mitochondrial dysfunction in neuro-degenerative diseases has recently been highlighted in human conditions, such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and Huntington's disease. Friedreich's ataxia (FA) is another neuro-degenerative, but also cardio-degenerative condition, where mitochondrial dysfunction plays a crucial role in disease progression. Deficient expression of the mitochondrial protein, frataxin, is the primary cause of FA, which leads to adverse alterations in whole cell and mitochondrial iron metabolism. Dys-regulation of iron metabolism in these compartments, results in the accumulation of inorganic iron deposits in the mitochondrial matrix that is thought to potentiate oxidative damage observed in FA. Therefore, the maintenance of mitochondrial homeostasis is crucial in the progression of neuro-degenerative conditions, particularly in FA. In this review, vital mitochondrial homeostatic processes and their roles in FA pathogenesis will be discussed. These include mitochondrial iron processing, mitochondrial dynamics (fusion and fission processes), mitophagy, mitochondrial biogenesis, mitochondrial energy production and calcium metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon Chiang
- Department of Pathology and Bosch Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia
| | - Danuta S Kalinowski
- Department of Pathology and Bosch Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia
| | - Patric J Jansson
- Department of Pathology and Bosch Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia
| | - Des R Richardson
- Department of Pathology and Bosch Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia.
| | - Michael L-H Huang
- Department of Pathology and Bosch Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia.
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Vannocci T, Notario Manzano R, Beccalli O, Bettegazzi B, Grohovaz F, Cinque G, de Riso A, Quaroni L, Codazzi F, Pastore A. Adding a temporal dimension to the study of Friedreich's ataxia: the effect of frataxin overexpression in a human cell model. Dis Model Mech 2018; 11:dmm032706. [PMID: 29794127 PMCID: PMC6031361 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.032706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2017] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The neurodegenerative disease Friedreich's ataxia is caused by lower than normal levels of frataxin, an important protein involved in iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster biogenesis. An important step in designing strategies to treat this disease is to understand whether increasing the frataxin levels by gene therapy would simply be beneficial or detrimental, because previous studies, mostly based on animal models, have reported conflicting results. Here, we have exploited an inducible model, which we developed using the CRISPR/Cas9 methodology, to study the effects of frataxin overexpression in human cells and monitor how the system recovers after overexpression. Using new tools, which range from high-throughput microscopy to in cell infrared, we prove that overexpression of the frataxin gene affects the cellular metabolism. It also leads to a significant increase of oxidative stress and labile iron pool levels. These cellular alterations are similar to those observed when the gene is partly silenced, as occurs in Friedreich's ataxia patients. Our data suggest that the levels of frataxin must be tightly regulated and fine-tuned, with any imbalance leading to oxidative stress and toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommaso Vannocci
- Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Institute, King's College London, 5 Cutcombe Road, London SE5 9RT, UK
| | - Roberto Notario Manzano
- Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Institute, King's College London, 5 Cutcombe Road, London SE5 9RT, UK
| | - Ombretta Beccalli
- Division of Neuroscience, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University and IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Barbara Bettegazzi
- Division of Neuroscience, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University and IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Fabio Grohovaz
- Division of Neuroscience, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University and IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Gianfelice Cinque
- Department of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Diamond House, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, UK
| | | | - Luca Quaroni
- Department of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, PL-30387, Kraków, Poland
| | - Franca Codazzi
- Division of Neuroscience, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University and IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Annalisa Pastore
- Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Institute, King's College London, 5 Cutcombe Road, London SE5 9RT, UK
- Molecular Medicine Department, University of Pavia, I-27100 Pavia, Italy
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Abstract
Frataxin is the protein responsible for the genetically-inherited neurodegenerative disease Friedreich's ataxia caused by partial silencing of the protein and loss of function. Although the frataxin function is not yet entirely clear, it has been associated to the machine that builds iron-sulfur clusters, essential prosthetic groups involved in several processes and is strongly conserved in organisms from bacteria to humans. Two of its important molecular partners are the protein NFS1 (or IscS in bacteria), that is the desulfurase which converts cysteine to alanine and produces sulfur, and ISU (or IscU), the scaffold protein which transiently accepts the cluster. While bacterial frataxin has been extensively characterized, only few eukaryotic frataxins have been described. Here we report the 1H, 13C and 15N backbone and side-chain chemical shift assignments of frataxin from Chaetomium thermophilum, a thermophile increasingly used by virtue of its stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masooma Rasheed
- Maurice Wohl Institute, King's College London, 5 Cutcombe Rd, London, SE5 9RT, UK
| | - Robert Yan
- Maurice Wohl Institute, King's College London, 5 Cutcombe Rd, London, SE5 9RT, UK
| | - Geoff Kelly
- MRC-NMR Centre, The Crick Institute, London, NW7 1AT, UK
| | - Annalisa Pastore
- Maurice Wohl Institute, King's College London, 5 Cutcombe Rd, London, SE5 9RT, UK.
- Molecular Medicine Department, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
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Purroy R, Britti E, Delaspre F, Tamarit J, Ros J. Mitochondrial pore opening and loss of Ca 2+ exchanger NCLX levels occur after frataxin depletion. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2018; 1864:618-631. [PMID: 29223733 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2017.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [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: 08/11/2017] [Revised: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 12/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Frataxin-deficient neonatal rat cardiomyocytes and dorsal root ganglia neurons have been used as cell models of Friedreich ataxia. In previous work we show that frataxin depletion resulted in mitochondrial swelling and lipid droplet accumulation in cardiomyocytes, and compromised DRG neurons survival. Now, we show that these cells display reduced levels of the mitochondrial calcium transporter NCLX that can be restored by calcium-chelating agents and by external addition of frataxin fused to TAT peptide. Also, the transcription factor NFAT3, involved in cardiac hypertrophy and apoptosis, becomes activated by dephosphorylation in both cardiomyocytes and DRG neurons. In cardiomyocytes, frataxin depletion also results in mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening. Since the pore opening can be inhibited by cyclosporin A, we show that this treatment reduces lipid droplets and mitochondrial swelling in cardiomyocytes, restores DRG neuron survival and inhibits NFAT dephosphorylation. These results highlight the importance of calcium homeostasis and that targeting mitochondrial pore by repurposing cyclosporin A, could be envisaged as a new strategy to treat the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Purroy
- Department of Ciències Mèdiques Bàsiques, Fac. Medicina, University of Lleida, IRB Lleida, Lleida, Spain
| | - E Britti
- Department of Ciències Mèdiques Bàsiques, Fac. Medicina, University of Lleida, IRB Lleida, Lleida, Spain
| | - F Delaspre
- Department of Ciències Mèdiques Bàsiques, Fac. Medicina, University of Lleida, IRB Lleida, Lleida, Spain
| | - J Tamarit
- Department of Ciències Mèdiques Bàsiques, Fac. Medicina, University of Lleida, IRB Lleida, Lleida, Spain
| | - J Ros
- Department of Ciències Mèdiques Bàsiques, Fac. Medicina, University of Lleida, IRB Lleida, Lleida, Spain.
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Miller JL, Rai M, Frigon NL, Pandolfo M, Punnonen J, Spencer JR. Erythropoietin and small molecule agonists of the tissue-protective erythropoietin receptor increase FXN expression in neuronal cells in vitro and in Fxn-deficient KIKO mice in vivo. Neuropharmacology 2017; 123:34-45. [PMID: 28504123 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [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: 10/20/2016] [Revised: 05/08/2017] [Accepted: 05/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Friedreich's ataxia (FA) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease caused by reduced levels of the mitochondrial protein frataxin (FXN). Recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) increased FXN protein in vitro and in early clinical studies, while no published reports evaluate rhEPO in animal models of FA. STS-E412 and STS-E424 are novel small molecule agonists of the tissue-protective, but not the erythropoietic EPO receptor. We find that rhEPO, STS-E412 and STS-E424 increase FXN expression in vitro and in vivo. RhEPO, STS-E412 and STS-E424 increase FXN by up to 2-fold in primary human cortical cells and in retinoic-acid differentiated murine P19 cells. In primary human cortical cells, the increase in FXN protein was accompanied by an increase in FXN mRNA, detectable within 4 h. RhEPO and low nanomolar concentrations of STS-E412 and STS-E424 also increase FXN in normal and FA patient-derived PBMC by 20%-40% within 24 h, an effect that was comparable to that by HDAC inhibitor 4b. In vivo, STS-E412 increased Fxn mRNA and protein in wild-type C57BL6/j mice. RhEPO, STS-E412, and STS-E424 increase FXN expression in the heart of FXN-deficient KIKO mice. In contrast, FXN expression in the brains of KIKO mice increased following treatment with STS-E412 and STS-E424, but not following treatment with rhEPO. Unexpectedly, rhEPO-treated KIKO mice developed severe splenomegaly, while no splenomegaly was observed in STS-E412- or STS-E424-treated mice. RhEPO, STS-E412 and STS-E424 upregulate FXN expression in vitro at equal efficacy, however, the effects of the small molecules on FXN expression in the CNS are superior to rhEPO in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- James L Miller
- STATegics, Inc., 428 Oakmead Pkwy, Sunnyvale, CA 94085, USA.
| | - Myriam Rai
- Université Libre de Bruxelles, Campus Erasme, CP601, Route de Lennik 808, 1070 Bruxelles, Belgium
| | | | - Massimo Pandolfo
- Université Libre de Bruxelles, Campus Erasme, CP601, Route de Lennik 808, 1070 Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Juha Punnonen
- STATegics, Inc., 428 Oakmead Pkwy, Sunnyvale, CA 94085, USA
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Buchensky C, Sánchez M, Carrillo M, Palacios O, Capdevila M, Domínguez-Vera JM, Busi MV, Atrian S, Pagani MA, Gomez-Casati DF. Identification of two frataxin isoforms in Zea mays: Structural and functional studies. Biochimie 2017; 140:34-47. [PMID: 28630009 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2017.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [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: 04/03/2017] [Accepted: 06/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Frataxin is a ubiquitous protein that plays a role in Fe-S cluster biosynthesis and iron and heme metabolism, although its molecular functions are not entirely clear. In non-photosynthetic eukaryotes, frataxin is encoded by a single gene, and the protein localizes to mitochondria. Here we report the presence of two functional frataxin isoforms in Zea mays, ZmFH-1 and ZmFH-2. We confirmed our previous findings regarding plant frataxins: both proteins have dual localization in mitochondria and chloroplasts. Physiological, biochemical and biophysical studies show some differences in the expression pattern, protection against oxidants and in the aggregation state of both isoforms, suggesting that the two frataxin homologs would play similar but not identical roles in plant cell metabolism. In addition, two specific features of plant frataxins were evidenced: their ability to form dimers and their tendency to undergo conformational change under oxygen exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celeste Buchensky
- CEFOBI - CONICET, Centro de Estudios Fotosintéticos y Bioquímicos - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Manuel Sánchez
- Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Facultad de Ciencias. Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad de Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Martin Carrillo
- CEFOBI - CONICET, Centro de Estudios Fotosintéticos y Bioquímicos - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Oscar Palacios
- Departament de Química, Facultat de Ciènces, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mercè Capdevila
- Departament de Química, Facultat de Ciènces, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jose M Domínguez-Vera
- Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Facultad de Ciencias. Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad de Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Maria V Busi
- CEFOBI - CONICET, Centro de Estudios Fotosintéticos y Bioquímicos - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Sílvia Atrian
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria A Pagani
- CEFOBI - CONICET, Centro de Estudios Fotosintéticos y Bioquímicos - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Diego F Gomez-Casati
- CEFOBI - CONICET, Centro de Estudios Fotosintéticos y Bioquímicos - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina.
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45
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Gakh O, Ranatunga W, Galeano BK, Smith DS, Thompson JR, Isaya G. Defining the Architecture of the Core Machinery for the Assembly of Fe-S Clusters in Human Mitochondria. Methods Enzymol 2017; 595:107-160. [PMID: 28882199 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2017.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [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] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Although Fe-S clusters may assemble spontaneously from elemental iron and sulfur in protein-free systems, the potential toxicity of free Fe2+, Fe3+, and S2- ions in aerobic environments underscores the requirement for specialized proteins to oversee the safe assembly of Fe-S clusters in living cells. Prokaryotes first developed multiprotein systems for Fe-S cluster assembly, from which mitochondria later derived their own system and became the main Fe-S cluster suppliers for eukaryotic cells. Early studies in yeast and human mitochondria indicated that Fe-S cluster assembly in eukaryotes is centered around highly conserved Fe-S proteins (human ISCU) that serve as scaffolds upon which new Fe-S clusters are assembled from (i) elemental sulfur, provided by a pyridoxal phosphate-dependent cysteine desulfurase (human NFS1) and its stabilizing-binding partner (human ISD11), and (ii) elemental iron, provided by an iron-binding protein of the frataxin family (human FXN). Further studies revealed that all of these proteins could form stable complexes that could reach molecular masses of megadaltons. However, the protein-protein interaction surfaces, catalytic mechanisms, and overall architecture of these macromolecular machines remained undefined for quite some time. The delay was due to difficulties inherent in reconstituting these very large multiprotein complexes in vitro or isolating them from cells in sufficient quantities to enable biochemical and structural studies. Here, we describe approaches we developed to reconstitute the human Fe-S cluster assembly machinery in Escherichia coli and to define its remarkable architecture.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Belinda K Galeano
- Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Rochester, MN, United States
| | | | | | - Grazia Isaya
- Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States; Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Rochester, MN, United States; Mayo Clinic Children's Research Center, Rochester, MN, United States.
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Becker AB, Qian J, Gelman BB, Yang M, Bauer P, Koeppen AH. Heart and Nervous System Pathology in Compound Heterozygous Friedreich Ataxia. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2017; 76:665-675. [PMID: 28789479 PMCID: PMC5901083 DOI: 10.1093/jnen/nlx047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In a small percentage of patients with Friedreich ataxia (FA), the pathogenic mutation is compound heterozygous, consisting of a guanine-adenine-adenine (GAA) trinucleotide repeat expansion in one allele, and a deletion, point mutation, or insertion in the other. In 2 cases of compound heterozygous FA, the GAA expansion was inherited from the mother, and deletions from the father. Compound heterozygous FA patient 1, an 11-year-old boy (GAA, 896/c.11_12TCdel), had ataxia, chorea, cardiomyopathy, and diabetes mellitus. Compound heterozygous FA patient 2, a 28-year-old man (GAA, 744/exon 5 del), had ataxia, cardiomyopathy, and diabetes mellitus. Microscopy showed cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, iron-positive inclusions, and disrupted intercalated discs. The cardiac lesions were similar to those in age-matched homozygous FA patients with cardiomyopathy and diabetes mellitus (boy, 10, GAA 1016/1016; woman, 25, GAA 800/1100). The neuropathology was also similar and included hypoplasia of spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia, loss of large axons in dorsal roots, and atrophy of the dentate nucleus (DN). Frataxin levels in heart and DN of all 4 FA cases were at or below the detection limits of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (≤10 ng/g wet weight) (normal DN: 126 ± 43 ng/g; normal heart: 266 ± 92 ng/g). The pathologic phenotype in homozygous and compound heterozygous FA is determined by residual frataxin levels rather than unique mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa B. Becker
- From the Research Service, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Albany, New York (ABB, AHK); Department of Pathology, Albany Medical Center, Albany, New York (JQ, AHK); Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas (BBG); Department of Pediatrics and Neurology, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado (MY); and Centogene, Rostock, Germany (PB)
| | - Jiang Qian
- From the Research Service, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Albany, New York (ABB, AHK); Department of Pathology, Albany Medical Center, Albany, New York (JQ, AHK); Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas (BBG); Department of Pediatrics and Neurology, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado (MY); and Centogene, Rostock, Germany (PB)
| | - Benjamin B. Gelman
- From the Research Service, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Albany, New York (ABB, AHK); Department of Pathology, Albany Medical Center, Albany, New York (JQ, AHK); Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas (BBG); Department of Pediatrics and Neurology, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado (MY); and Centogene, Rostock, Germany (PB)
| | - Michele Yang
- From the Research Service, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Albany, New York (ABB, AHK); Department of Pathology, Albany Medical Center, Albany, New York (JQ, AHK); Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas (BBG); Department of Pediatrics and Neurology, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado (MY); and Centogene, Rostock, Germany (PB)
| | - Peter Bauer
- From the Research Service, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Albany, New York (ABB, AHK); Department of Pathology, Albany Medical Center, Albany, New York (JQ, AHK); Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas (BBG); Department of Pediatrics and Neurology, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado (MY); and Centogene, Rostock, Germany (PB)
| | - Arnulf H. Koeppen
- From the Research Service, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Albany, New York (ABB, AHK); Department of Pathology, Albany Medical Center, Albany, New York (JQ, AHK); Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas (BBG); Department of Pediatrics and Neurology, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado (MY); and Centogene, Rostock, Germany (PB)
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Abstract
Friedreich's ataxia is an inherited neurological disorder characterised by mitochondrial dysfunction and increased susceptibility to oxidative stress. At present, no therapy has been shown to reduce disease progression. Strategies being trialled to treat Friedreich's ataxia include drugs that improve mitochondrial function and reduce oxidative injury. In addition, stem cells have been investigated as a potential therapeutic approach. We have used siRNA-induced knockdown of frataxin in SH-SY5Y cells as an in vitro cellular model for Friedreich's ataxia. Knockdown of frataxin protein expression to levels detected in patients with the disorder was achieved, leading to decreased cellular viability, increased susceptibility to hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress, dysregulation of key anti-oxidant molecules and deficiencies in both cell proliferation and differentiation. Bone marrow stem cells are being investigated extensively as potential treatments for a wide range of neurological disorders, including Friedreich's ataxia. The potential neuroprotective effects of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells were therefore studied using our frataxin-deficient cell model. Soluble factors secreted by mesenchymal stem cells protected against cellular changes induced by frataxin deficiency, leading to restoration in frataxin levels and anti-oxidant defences, improved survival against oxidative stress and stimulated both cell proliferation and differentiation down the Schwann cell lineage. The demonstration that mesenchymal stem cell-derived factors can restore cellular homeostasis and function to frataxin-deficient cells further suggests that they may have potential therapeutic benefits for patients with Friedreich's ataxia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Kemp
- Multiple Sclerosis and Stem Cell Group, School of Clinical Sciences, Clinical Neurosciences office, University of Bristol, 1st floor, Learning and Research building, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, BS10 5NB, UK.
| | - Rimi Dey
- Multiple Sclerosis and Stem Cell Group, School of Clinical Sciences, Clinical Neurosciences office, University of Bristol, 1st floor, Learning and Research building, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, BS10 5NB, UK
| | - Amelia Cook
- Multiple Sclerosis and Stem Cell Group, School of Clinical Sciences, Clinical Neurosciences office, University of Bristol, 1st floor, Learning and Research building, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, BS10 5NB, UK
| | - Neil Scolding
- Multiple Sclerosis and Stem Cell Group, School of Clinical Sciences, Clinical Neurosciences office, University of Bristol, 1st floor, Learning and Research building, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, BS10 5NB, UK
| | - Alastair Wilkins
- Multiple Sclerosis and Stem Cell Group, School of Clinical Sciences, Clinical Neurosciences office, University of Bristol, 1st floor, Learning and Research building, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, BS10 5NB, UK
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Steinkellner H, Singh HN, Muckenthaler MU, Goldenberg H, Moganty RR, Scheiber-Mojdehkar B, Sturm B. No changes in heme synthesis in human Friedreich´s ataxia erythroid progenitor cells. Gene 2017; 621:5-11. [PMID: 28412459 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2017.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [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: 11/14/2016] [Revised: 04/03/2017] [Accepted: 04/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by reduced expression of the protein frataxin. Frataxin is thought to play a role in iron-sulfur cluster biogenesis and heme synthesis. In this study, we used erythroid progenitor stem cells obtained from FRDA patients and healthy donors to investigate the putative role, if any, of frataxin deficiency in heme synthesis. We used electrochemiluminescence and qRT-PCR for frataxin protein and mRNA quantification. We used atomic absorption spectrophotometry for iron levels and a photometric assay for hemoglobin levels. Protoporphyrin IX and Ferrochelatase were analyzed using auto-fluorescence. An "IronChip" microarray analysis followed by a protein-protein interaction analysis was performed. FRDA patient cells showed no significant changes in iron levels, hemoglobin synthesis, protoporphyrin IX levels, and ferrochelatase activity. Microarray analysis presented 11 genes that were significantly changed in all patients compared to controls. The genes are especially involved in oxidative stress, iron homeostasis and angiogenesis. The mystery about the involvement of frataxin on iron metabolism raises the question why frataxin deficiency in primary FRDA cells did not lead to changes in biochemical parameters of heme synthesis. It seems that alternative pathways can circumvent the impact of frataxin deficiency on heme synthesis. We show for the first time in primary FRDA patient cells that reduced frataxin levels are still sufficient for heme synthesis and possibly other mechanisms can overcome reduced frataxin levels in this process. Our data strongly support the fact that so far no anemia in FRDA patients was reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannes Steinkellner
- Department of Medical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Department of Medical Genetics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Himanshu Narayan Singh
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India
| | | | - Hans Goldenberg
- Department of Medical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rajeswari R Moganty
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India
| | | | - Brigitte Sturm
- Department of Medical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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Vannocci T, Pastore A. The time dimension of neurodegeneration: the example of Friedreich's ataxia. J Neurol Neuromedicine 2017; 2:31-34. [PMID: 30944908 PMCID: PMC6443029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tommaso Vannocci
- Maurice Wohl Institute, King’s College London, 5 Cutcombe Rd., London SE5 9RT, UK
| | - Annalisa Pastore
- Maurice Wohl Institute, King’s College London, 5 Cutcombe Rd., London SE5 9RT, UK,Molecular Medicine Department, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy,Correspondence: Dr. Annalisa Pastore, Maurice Wohl Institute, King’s College, London, 5 Cutcombe Rd., London SE5 9RT, UK,
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50
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McMackin MZ, Henderson CK, Cortopassi GA. Neurobehavioral deficits in the KIKO mouse model of Friedreich's ataxia. Behav Brain Res 2017; 316:183-188. [PMID: 27575947 PMCID: PMC5051948 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.08.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [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: 06/08/2016] [Revised: 08/24/2016] [Accepted: 08/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Friedreich's Ataxia (FA) is a pediatric neurodegenerative disease whose clinical presentation includes ataxia, muscle weakness, and peripheral sensory neuropathy. The KIKO mouse is an animal model of FA with frataxin deficiency first described in 2002, but neurobehavioral deficits have never been described in this model. The identification of robust neurobehavioral deficits in KIKO mice could support the testing of drugs for FA, which currently has no approved therapy. We tested 13 neurobehavioral tasks to identify a robust KIKO phenotype: Open Field, Grip Strength Test(s), Cylinder, Skilled Forelimb Grasp Task(s), Treadmill Endurance, Locotronic Motor Coordination, Inverted Screen, Treadscan, and Von Frey. Of these, Inverted Screen, Treadscan and Von Frey produced significant neurobehavioral deficits at >8 months of age, and relate to the clinically relevant endpoints of muscle strength and endurance, gait ataxia, and peripheral insensitivity. Thus we identify robust phenotypic measures related to Friedreich's ataxia clinical endpoints which could be used to test effectiveness of potential drug therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa Z McMackin
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Chelsea K Henderson
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Gino A Cortopassi
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
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