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Zelina P, de Ruiter AA, Kolsteeg C, van Ginneken I, Vos HR, Supiot LF, Burgering BMT, Meye FJ, Veldink JH, van den Berg LH, Pasterkamp RJ. ALS-associated C21ORF2 variant disrupts DNA damage repair, mitochondrial metabolism, neuronal excitability and NEK1 levels in human motor neurons. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2024; 12:144. [PMID: 39227882 PMCID: PMC11373222 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-024-01852-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2024] [Accepted: 08/15/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an adult-onset neurodegenerative disease leading to motor neuron loss. Currently mutations in > 40 genes have been linked to ALS, but the contribution of many genes and genetic mutations to the ALS pathogenic process remains poorly understood. Therefore, we first performed comparative interactome analyses of five recently discovered ALS-associated proteins (C21ORF2, KIF5A, NEK1, TBK1, and TUBA4A) which highlighted many novel binding partners, and both unique and shared interactors. The analysis further identified C21ORF2 as a strongly connected protein. The role of C21ORF2 in neurons and in the nervous system, and of ALS-associated C21ORF2 variants is largely unknown. Therefore, we combined human iPSC-derived motor neurons with other models and different molecular cell biological approaches to characterize the potential pathogenic effects of C21ORF2 mutations in ALS. First, our data show C21ORF2 expression in ALS-relevant mouse and human neurons, such as spinal and cortical motor neurons. Further, the prominent ALS-associated variant C21ORF2-V58L caused increased apoptosis in mouse neurons and movement defects in zebrafish embryos. iPSC-derived motor neurons from C21ORF2-V58L-ALS patients, but not isogenic controls, show increased apoptosis, and changes in DNA damage response, mitochondria and neuronal excitability. In addition, C21ORF2-V58L induced post-transcriptional downregulation of NEK1, an ALS-associated protein implicated in apoptosis and DDR. In all, our study defines the pathogenic molecular and cellular effects of ALS-associated C21ORF2 mutations and implicates impaired post-transcriptional regulation of NEK1 downstream of mutant C21ORF72 in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavol Zelina
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Anna Aster de Ruiter
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Christy Kolsteeg
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ilona van Ginneken
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Harmjan R Vos
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Oncode Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Laura F Supiot
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Boudewijn M T Burgering
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Oncode Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Frank J Meye
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jan H Veldink
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, 3584 CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Leonard H van den Berg
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, 3584 CX, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - R Jeroen Pasterkamp
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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2
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Wang L, Li P. Arginine methylation-enabled FUS phase separation with SMN contributes to neuronal granule formation. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114537. [PMID: 39052476 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Various ribonucleoprotein complexes (RNPs) often function in the form of membraneless organelles derived from multivalence-driven liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS). Post-translational modifications, such as phosphorylation and arginine methylation, govern the assembly and disassembly of membraneless organelles. This study reveals that asymmetric dimethylation of arginine can create extra binding sites for multivalent Tudor domain-containing proteins like survival of motor neuron (SMN) protein, thereby lowering the threshold for LLPS of RNPs, such as fused in sarcoma (FUS). Accordingly, FUS hypomethylation or knockdown of SMN disrupts the formation and transport of neuronal granules in axons. Wild-type SMN, but not the spinal muscular atrophy-associated form of SMN, SMN-Δ7, rescues neuronal defects due to SMN knockdown. Importantly, a fusion of SMN-Δ7 to an exogenous oligomeric protein is sufficient to rescue axon length defects caused by SMN knockdown. Our findings highlight the significant role of arginine methylation-enabled multivalent interactions in LLPS and suggest their potential impact on various aspects of neuronal activities in neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingyao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University; Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Pilong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University; Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China.
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3
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Heimdörfer D, Vorleuter A, Eschlböck A, Spathopoulou A, Suarez-Cubero M, Farhan H, Reiterer V, Spanjaard M, Schaaf CP, Huber LA, Kremser L, Sarg B, Edenhofer F, Geley S, de Araujo MEG, Huettenhofer A. Truncated variants of MAGEL2 are involved in the etiologies of the Schaaf-Yang and Prader-Willi syndromes. Am J Hum Genet 2024; 111:1383-1404. [PMID: 38908375 PMCID: PMC11267527 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2024.05.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The neurodevelopmental disorders Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) and Schaaf-Yang syndrome (SYS) both arise from genomic alterations within human chromosome 15q11-q13. A deletion of the SNORD116 cluster, encoding small nucleolar RNAs, or frameshift mutations within MAGEL2 result in closely related phenotypes in individuals with PWS or SYS, respectively. By investigation of their subcellular localization, we observed that in contrast to a predominant cytoplasmic localization of wild-type (WT) MAGEL2, a truncated MAGEL2 mutant was evenly distributed between the cytoplasm and the nucleus. To elucidate regulatory pathways that may underlie both diseases, we identified protein interaction partners for WT or mutant MAGEL2, in particular the survival motor neuron protein (SMN), involved in spinal muscular atrophy, and the fragile-X-messenger ribonucleoprotein (FMRP), involved in autism spectrum disorders. The interactome of the non-coding RNA SNORD116 was also investigated by RNA-CoIP. We show that WT and truncated MAGEL2 were both involved in RNA metabolism, while regulation of transcription was mainly observed for WT MAGEL2. Hence, we investigated the influence of MAGEL2 mutations on the expression of genes from the PWS locus, including the SNORD116 cluster. Thereby, we provide evidence for MAGEL2 mutants decreasing the expression of SNORD116, SNORD115, and SNORD109A, as well as protein-coding genes MKRN3 and SNRPN, thus bridging the gap between PWS and SYS.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Heimdörfer
- Institute of Genomics and RNomics, Biocenter Innsbruck, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80/82, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Alexander Vorleuter
- Institute of Genomics and RNomics, Biocenter Innsbruck, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80/82, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Alexander Eschlböck
- Institute for Molecular Biology, Genomics, Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine Group, University of Innsbruck and CMBI, Technikerstr. 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Angeliki Spathopoulou
- Institute for Molecular Biology, Genomics, Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine Group, University of Innsbruck and CMBI, Technikerstr. 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Marta Suarez-Cubero
- Institute for Molecular Biology, Genomics, Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine Group, University of Innsbruck and CMBI, Technikerstr. 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Hesso Farhan
- Institute of Pathophysiology, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80/82, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Veronika Reiterer
- Institute of Pathophysiology, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80/82, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Melanie Spanjaard
- Institute of Human Genetics, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 366, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christian P Schaaf
- Institute of Human Genetics, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 366, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lukas A Huber
- Institute of Cell Biology, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80/82, Innsbruck 6020, Austria
| | - Leopold Kremser
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry, Protein Core Facility, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80/82, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Bettina Sarg
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry, Protein Core Facility, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80/82, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Frank Edenhofer
- Institute for Molecular Biology, Genomics, Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine Group, University of Innsbruck and CMBI, Technikerstr. 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Stephan Geley
- Institute of Pathophysiology, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80/82, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Mariana E G de Araujo
- Institute of Cell Biology, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80/82, Innsbruck 6020, Austria
| | - Alexander Huettenhofer
- Institute of Genomics and RNomics, Biocenter Innsbruck, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innrain 80/82, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
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4
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van Tartwijk FW, Wunderlich LCS, Mela I, Makarchuk S, Jakobs MAH, Qamar S, Franze K, Kaminski Schierle GS, St George-Hyslop PH, Lin JQ, Holt CE, Kaminski CF. Mutation of the ALS-/FTD-Associated RNA-Binding Protein FUS Affects Axonal Development. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e2148232024. [PMID: 38692734 PMCID: PMC7616130 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2148-23.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Aberrant condensation and localization of the RNA-binding protein (RBP) fused in sarcoma (FUS) occur in variants of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Changes in RBP function are commonly associated with changes in axonal cytoskeletal organization and branching in neurodevelopmental disorders. Here, we asked whether branching defects also occur in vivo in a model of FUS-associated disease. We use two reported Xenopus models of ALS/FTD (of either sex), the ALS-associated mutant FUS(P525L) and a mimic of hypomethylated FUS, FUS(16R). Both mutants strongly reduced axonal complexity in vivo. We also observed an axon looping defect for FUS(P525L) in the target area, which presumably arises due to errors in stop cue signaling. To assess whether the loss of axon complexity also had a cue-independent component, we assessed axonal cytoskeletal integrity in vitro. Using a novel combination of fluorescence and atomic force microscopy, we found that mutant FUS reduced actin density in the growth cone, altering its mechanical properties. Therefore, FUS mutants may induce defects during early axonal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca W van Tartwijk
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0AS, United Kingdom
| | - Lucia C S Wunderlich
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0AS, United Kingdom
| | - Ioanna Mela
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0AS, United Kingdom
| | - Stanislaw Makarchuk
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 OAH, United Kingdom
| | - Maximilian A H Jakobs
- Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3DY, United Kingdom
| | - Seema Qamar
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0XY, United Kingdom
| | - Kristian Franze
- Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3DY, United Kingdom
| | - Gabriele S Kaminski Schierle
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0AS, United Kingdom
| | - Peter H St George-Hyslop
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0XY, United Kingdom
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto and University Health Network and Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5T 0S8, Canada
- Department of Neurology, Taub Institute For Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irvine Medical Center, New York, New York 10032
| | - Julie Qiaojin Lin
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 OAH, United Kingdom
- UK Dementia Research Institute Centre and Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, London SE5 9NU, United Kingdom
| | - Christine E Holt
- Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3DY, United Kingdom
| | - Clemens F Kaminski
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0AS, United Kingdom
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5
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Garcia-Vaquero ML, Heim M, Flix B, Pereira M, Palin L, Marques TM, Pinto FR, de Las Rivas J, Voigt A, Besse F, Gama-Carvalho M. Analysis of asymptomatic Drosophila models for ALS and SMA reveals convergent impact on functional protein complexes linked to neuro-muscular degeneration. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:576. [PMID: 37759179 PMCID: PMC10523761 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09562-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) share phenotypic and molecular commonalities, including the fact that they can be caused by mutations in ubiquitous proteins involved in RNA metabolism, namely SMN, TDP-43 and FUS. Although this suggests the existence of common disease mechanisms, there is currently no model to explain the resulting motor neuron dysfunction. In this work we generated a parallel set of Drosophila models for adult-onset RNAi and tagged neuronal expression of the fly orthologues of the three human proteins, named Smn, TBPH and Caz, respectively. We profiled nuclear and cytoplasmic bound mRNAs using a RIP-seq approach and characterized the transcriptome of the RNAi models by RNA-seq. To unravel the mechanisms underlying the common functional impact of these proteins on neuronal cells, we devised a computational approach based on the construction of a tissue-specific library of protein functional modules, selected by an overall impact score measuring the estimated extent of perturbation caused by each gene knockdown. RESULTS Transcriptome analysis revealed that the three proteins do not bind to the same RNA molecules and that only a limited set of functionally unrelated transcripts is commonly affected by their knock-down. However, through our integrative approach we were able to identify a concerted effect on protein functional modules, albeit acting through distinct targets. Most strikingly, functional annotation revealed that these modules are involved in critical cellular pathways for motor neurons, including neuromuscular junction function. Furthermore, selected modules were found to be significantly enriched in orthologues of human neuronal disease genes. CONCLUSIONS The results presented here show that SMA and ALS disease-associated genes linked to RNA metabolism functionally converge on neuronal protein complexes, providing a new hypothesis to explain the common motor neuron phenotype. The functional modules identified represent promising biomarkers and therapeutic targets, namely given their alteration in asymptomatic settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina L Garcia-Vaquero
- BioISI - Institute for Biosystems and Integrative Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal
- Department of Medicine and Cytometry General Service-15 Nucleus, Cancer Research Centre (IBMCC/CSIC/USAL/IBSAL), CIBERONC, 16 37007, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Marjorie Heim
- Institut de Biologie Valrose, Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, 06108, Nice, Inserm, France
| | - Barbara Flix
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Marcelo Pereira
- BioISI - Institute for Biosystems and Integrative Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Lucile Palin
- Institut de Biologie Valrose, Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, 06108, Nice, Inserm, France
| | - Tânia M Marques
- BioISI - Institute for Biosystems and Integrative Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Francisco R Pinto
- BioISI - Institute for Biosystems and Integrative Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Javier de Las Rivas
- Cancer Research Center (CiC-IBMCC, CSIC/USAL/IBSAL), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) and University of Salamanca (USAL), 37007, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Aaron Voigt
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- JARA-BRAIN Institute Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH RWTH Aachen University, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Florence Besse
- Institut de Biologie Valrose, Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, 06108, Nice, Inserm, France
| | - Margarida Gama-Carvalho
- BioISI - Institute for Biosystems and Integrative Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal.
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6
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Rezvykh A, Ustyugov A, Chaprov K, Teterina E, Nebogatikov V, Spasskaya D, Evgen’ev M, Morozov A, Funikov S. Cytoplasmic aggregation of mutant FUS causes multistep RNA splicing perturbations in the course of motor neuron pathology. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:5810-5830. [PMID: 37115004 PMCID: PMC10287951 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Dysfunction of the RNA-binding protein (RBP) FUS implicated in RNA metabolism can cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other neurodegenerative diseases. Mutations affecting FUS nuclear localization can drive RNA splicing defects and stimulate the formation of non-amyloid inclusions in affected neurons. However, the mechanism by which FUS mutations contribute to the development of ALS remains uncertain. Here we describe a pattern of RNA splicing changes in the dynamics of the continuous proteinopathy induced by mislocalized FUS. We show that the decrease in intron retention of FUS-associated transcripts represents the hallmark of the pathogenesis of ALS and is the earliest molecular event in the course of progression of the disease. As FUS aggregation increases, the pattern of RNA splicing changes, becoming more complex, including a decrease in the inclusion of neuron-specific microexons and induction of cryptic exon splicing due to the sequestration of additional RBPs into FUS aggregates. Crucially, the identified features of the pathological splicing pattern are also observed in ALS patients in both sporadic and familial cases. Our data provide evidence that both a loss of nuclear FUS function due to mislocalization and the subsequent cytoplasmic aggregation of mutant protein lead to the disruption of RNA splicing in a multistep fashion during FUS aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander P Rezvykh
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russian Federation
| | - Aleksey A Ustyugov
- Institute of Physiologically Active Compounds at Federal Research Center of Problems of Chemical Physics and Medicinal Chemistry of Russian Academy of Sciences, Chernogolovka, 142432, Russian Federation
| | - Kirill D Chaprov
- Institute of Physiologically Active Compounds at Federal Research Center of Problems of Chemical Physics and Medicinal Chemistry of Russian Academy of Sciences, Chernogolovka, 142432, Russian Federation
| | - Ekaterina V Teterina
- Institute of Physiologically Active Compounds at Federal Research Center of Problems of Chemical Physics and Medicinal Chemistry of Russian Academy of Sciences, Chernogolovka, 142432, Russian Federation
| | - Vladimir O Nebogatikov
- Institute of Physiologically Active Compounds at Federal Research Center of Problems of Chemical Physics and Medicinal Chemistry of Russian Academy of Sciences, Chernogolovka, 142432, Russian Federation
| | - Daria S Spasskaya
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russian Federation
| | - Michael B Evgen’ev
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russian Federation
| | - Alexey V Morozov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russian Federation
| | - Sergei Yu Funikov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russian Federation
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7
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Kandhavivorn W, Glaß H, Herrmannsdörfer T, Böckers TM, Uhlarz M, Gronemann J, Funk RHW, Pietzsch J, Pal A, Hermann A. Restoring Axonal Organelle Motility and Regeneration in Cultured FUS-ALS Motoneurons through Magnetic Field Stimulation Suggests an Alternative Therapeutic Approach. Cells 2023; 12:1502. [PMID: 37296623 PMCID: PMC10252208 DOI: 10.3390/cells12111502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating motoneuron disease characterized by sustained loss of neuromuscular junctions, degenerating corticospinal motoneurons and rapidly progressing muscle paralysis. Motoneurons have unique features, essentially a highly polarized, lengthy architecture of axons, posing a considerable challenge for maintaining long-range trafficking routes for organelles, cargo, mRNA and secretion with a high energy effort to serve crucial neuronal functions. Impaired intracellular pathways implicated in ALS pathology comprise RNA metabolism, cytoplasmic protein aggregation, cytoskeletal integrity for organelle trafficking and maintenance of mitochondrial morphology and function, cumulatively leading to neurodegeneration. Current drug treatments only have marginal effects on survival, thereby calling for alternative ALS therapies. Exposure to magnetic fields, e.g., transcranial magnetic stimulations (TMS) on the central nervous system (CNS), has been broadly explored over the past 20 years to investigate and improve physical and mental activities through stimulated excitability as well as neuronal plasticity. However, studies of magnetic treatments on the peripheral nervous system are still scarce. Thus, we investigated the therapeutic potential of low frequency alternating current magnetic fields on cultured spinal motoneurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells of FUS-ALS patients and healthy persons. We report a remarkable restoration induced by magnetic stimulation on axonal trafficking of mitochondria and lysosomes and axonal regenerative sprouting after axotomy in FUS-ALS in vitro without obvious harmful effects on diseased and healthy neurons. These beneficial effects seem to derive from improved microtubule integrity. Thus, our study suggests the therapeutic potential of magnetic stimulations in ALS, which awaits further exploration and validation in future long-term in vivo studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wonphorn Kandhavivorn
- Dresden High Magnetic Field Laboratory (HLD-EMFL), Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, D-01328 Dresden, Germany; (W.K.); (T.H.); (M.U.); (J.G.)
- Institute of Anatomy, Technische Universität Dresden, D-01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Hannes Glaß
- Division for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurology, Technische Universität Dresden, D-01307 Dresden, Germany;
- Translational Neurodegeneration Section “Albrecht Kossel”, Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Rostock, University of Rostock, D-18147 Rostock, Germany
| | - Thomas Herrmannsdörfer
- Dresden High Magnetic Field Laboratory (HLD-EMFL), Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, D-01328 Dresden, Germany; (W.K.); (T.H.); (M.U.); (J.G.)
| | - Tobias M. Böckers
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Ulm, D-89081 Ulm, Germany;
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE) Ulm, D-89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Marc Uhlarz
- Dresden High Magnetic Field Laboratory (HLD-EMFL), Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, D-01328 Dresden, Germany; (W.K.); (T.H.); (M.U.); (J.G.)
| | - Jonas Gronemann
- Dresden High Magnetic Field Laboratory (HLD-EMFL), Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, D-01328 Dresden, Germany; (W.K.); (T.H.); (M.U.); (J.G.)
| | - Richard H. W. Funk
- Institute of Anatomy, Technische Universität Dresden, D-01307 Dresden, Germany
- Dresden International University, D-01067 Dresden, Germany
| | - Jens Pietzsch
- Department of Radiopharmaceutical and Chemical Biology, Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, D-01328 Dresden, Germany
- Faculty of Chemistry and Food Chemistry, School of Science, Technische Universität Dresden, D-01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Arun Pal
- Dresden High Magnetic Field Laboratory (HLD-EMFL), Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, D-01328 Dresden, Germany; (W.K.); (T.H.); (M.U.); (J.G.)
- Division for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurology, Technische Universität Dresden, D-01307 Dresden, Germany;
| | - Andreas Hermann
- Division for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurology, Technische Universität Dresden, D-01307 Dresden, Germany;
- Translational Neurodegeneration Section “Albrecht Kossel”, Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Rostock, University of Rostock, D-18147 Rostock, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE) Rostock/Greifswald, D-18147 Rostock, Germany
- Center for Transdisciplinary Neurosciences Rostock (CTNR), University Medical Center Rostock, University of Rostock, D-18147 Rostock, Germany
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8
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Li K, Wang Z. lncRNA NEAT1: Key player in neurodegenerative diseases. Ageing Res Rev 2023; 86:101878. [PMID: 36738893 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.101878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are the most common causes of disability worldwide. Given their high prevalence, devastating symptoms, and lack of definitive diagnostic tests, there is an urgent need to identify potential biomarkers and new therapeutic targets. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have recently emerged as powerful regulatory molecules in neurodegenerative diseases. Among them, lncRNA nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1 (NEAT1) has been reported to be upregulated in Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, whether this is part of a protective or harmful mechanism is still unclear. This review summarizes our current knowledge of the role of NEAT1 in neurodegenerative diseases and its association with the characteristic aggregation of misfolded proteins: amyloid-β and tau in AD, α-synuclein in PD, mutant huntingtin in HD, and TAR DNA-binding protein-43 fused in sarcoma/translocated in liposarcoma in ALS. The aim of this review is to stimulate further research on more precise and effective treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Li
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan 250014, China
| | - Ziqiang Wang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan 250014, China; Biomedical Sciences College & Shandong Medicinal Biotechnology Centre, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan 250062, China.
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9
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Piol D, Robberechts T, Da Cruz S. Lost in local translation: TDP-43 and FUS in axonal/neuromuscular junction maintenance and dysregulation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neuron 2023; 111:1355-1380. [PMID: 36963381 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.02.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2023]
Abstract
Key early features of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are denervation of neuromuscular junctions and axonal degeneration. Motor neuron homeostasis relies on local translation through controlled regulation of axonal mRNA localization, transport, and stability. Yet the composition of the local transcriptome, translatome (mRNAs locally translated), and proteome during health and disease remains largely unexplored. This review covers recent discoveries on axonal translation as a critical mechanism for neuronal maintenance/survival. We focus on two RNA binding proteins, transactive response DNA binding protein-43 (TDP-43) and fused in sarcoma (FUS), whose mutations cause ALS and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Emerging evidence points to their essential role in the maintenance of axons and synapses, including mRNA localization, transport, and local translation, and whose dysfunction may contribute to ALS. Finally, we describe recent advances in omics-based approaches mapping compartment-specific local RNA and protein compositions, which will be invaluable to elucidate fundamental local processes and identify key targets for therapy development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Piol
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tessa Robberechts
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sandrine Da Cruz
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium.
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10
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Suzuki N, Nishiyama A, Warita H, Aoki M. Genetics of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: seeking therapeutic targets in the era of gene therapy. J Hum Genet 2023; 68:131-152. [PMID: 35691950 PMCID: PMC9968660 DOI: 10.1038/s10038-022-01055-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an intractable disease that causes respiratory failure leading to mortality. The main locus of ALS is motor neurons. The success of antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapy in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a motor neuron disease, has triggered a paradigm shift in developing ALS therapies. The causative genes of ALS and disease-modifying genes, including those of sporadic ALS, have been identified one after another. Thus, the freedom of target choice for gene therapy has expanded by ASO strategy, leading to new avenues for therapeutic development. Tofersen for superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) was a pioneer in developing ASO for ALS. Improving protocols and devising early interventions for the disease are vital. In this review, we updated the knowledge of causative genes in ALS. We summarized the genetic mutations identified in familial ALS and their clinical features, focusing on SOD1, fused in sarcoma (FUS), and transacting response DNA-binding protein. The frequency of the C9ORF72 mutation is low in Japan, unlike in Europe and the United States, while SOD1 and FUS are more common, indicating that the target mutations for gene therapy vary by ethnicity. A genome-wide association study has revealed disease-modifying genes, which could be the novel target of gene therapy. The current status and prospects of gene therapy development were discussed, including ethical issues. Furthermore, we discussed the potential of axonal pathology as new therapeutic targets of ALS from the perspective of early intervention, including intra-axonal transcription factors, neuromuscular junction disconnection, dysregulated local translation, abnormal protein degradation, mitochondrial pathology, impaired axonal transport, aberrant cytoskeleton, and axon branching. We simultaneously discuss important pathological states of cell bodies: persistent stress granules, disrupted nucleocytoplasmic transport, and cryptic splicing. The development of gene therapy based on the elucidation of disease-modifying genes and early intervention in molecular pathology is expected to become an important therapeutic strategy in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Suzuki
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan.
| | - Ayumi Nishiyama
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Warita
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan
| | - Masashi Aoki
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan.
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11
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Gawade K, Plewka P, Häfner SJ, Lund AH, Marchand V, Motorin Y, Szczesniak MW, Raczynska KD. FUS regulates a subset of snoRNA expression and modulates the level of rRNA modifications. Sci Rep 2023; 13:2974. [PMID: 36806717 PMCID: PMC9941101 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-30068-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
FUS is a multifunctional protein involved in many aspects of RNA metabolism, including transcription, splicing, translation, miRNA processing, and replication-dependent histone gene expression. In this work, we show that FUS depletion results in the differential expression of numerous small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) that guide 2'-O methylation (2'-O-Me) and pseudouridylation of specific positions in ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) and small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs). Using RiboMeth-seq and HydraPsiSeq for the profiling of 2'-O-Me and pseudouridylation status of rRNA species, we demonstrated considerable hypermodification at several sites in HEK293T and SH-SY5Y cells with FUS knockout (FUS KO) compared to wild-type cells. We observed a similar direction of changes in rRNA modification in differentiated SH-SY5Y cells with the FUS mutation (R495X) related to the severe disease phenotype of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Furthermore, the pattern of modification of some rRNA positions was correlated with the abundance of corresponding guide snoRNAs in FUS KO and FUS R495X cells. Our findings reveal a new role for FUS in modulating the modification pattern of rRNA molecules, that in turn might generate ribosome heterogeneity and constitute a fine-tuning mechanism for translation efficiency/fidelity. Therefore, we suggest that increased levels of 2'-O-Me and pseudouridylation at particular positions in rRNAs from cells with the ALS-linked FUS mutation may represent a possible new translation-related mechanism that underlies disease development and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kishor Gawade
- Laboratory of RNA Processing, Department of Gene Expression, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, 61-614, Poznan, Poland
- Center for Advanced Technology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, 61-614, Poznan, Poland
| | - Patrycja Plewka
- Laboratory of RNA Processing, Department of Gene Expression, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, 61-614, Poznan, Poland
- Center for Advanced Technology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, 61-614, Poznan, Poland
| | - Sophia J Häfner
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre, University of Copenhagen, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anders H Lund
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre, University of Copenhagen, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Virginie Marchand
- Université de Lorraine, UAR2008/US40 IBSLor CNRS-INSERM and UMR7365 IMoPA CNRS, Nancy, France
| | - Yuri Motorin
- Université de Lorraine, UAR2008/US40 IBSLor CNRS-INSERM and UMR7365 IMoPA CNRS, Nancy, France
| | - Michal W Szczesniak
- Institute of Human Biology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, 61-614, Poznan, Poland
| | - Katarzyna D Raczynska
- Laboratory of RNA Processing, Department of Gene Expression, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, 61-614, Poznan, Poland.
- Center for Advanced Technology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, 61-614, Poznan, Poland.
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12
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Chia K, Klingseisen A, Sieger D, Priller J. Zebrafish as a model organism for neurodegenerative disease. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:940484. [PMID: 36311026 PMCID: PMC9606821 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.940484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The zebrafish is increasingly recognized as a model organism for translational research into human neuropathology. The zebrafish brain exhibits fundamental resemblance with human neuroanatomical and neurochemical pathways, and hallmarks of human brain pathology such as protein aggregation, neuronal degeneration and activation of glial cells, for example, can be modeled and recapitulated in the fish central nervous system. Genetic manipulation, imaging, and drug screening are areas where zebrafish excel with the ease of introducing mutations and transgenes, the expression of fluorescent markers that can be detected in vivo in the transparent larval stages overtime, and simple treatment of large numbers of fish larvae at once followed by automated screening and imaging. In this review, we summarize how zebrafish have successfully been employed to model human neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Huntington’s disease. We discuss advantages and disadvantages of choosing zebrafish as a model for these neurodegenerative conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelda Chia
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- United Kingdom Dementia Research Institute at University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Anna Klingseisen
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- United Kingdom Dementia Research Institute at University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Dirk Sieger
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Dirk Sieger,
| | - Josef Priller
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- United Kingdom Dementia Research Institute at University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Neuropsychiatry and Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, DZNE, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
- Josef Priller,
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13
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An Optimized Comparative Proteomic Approach as a Tool in Neurodegenerative Disease Research. Cells 2022; 11:cells11172653. [PMID: 36078061 PMCID: PMC9454658 DOI: 10.3390/cells11172653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in proteomic technologies now allow unparalleled assessment of the molecular composition of a wide range of sample types. However, the application of such technologies and techniques should not be undertaken lightly. Here, we describe why the design of a proteomics experiment itself is only the first step in yielding high-quality, translatable results. Indeed, the effectiveness and/or impact of the majority of contemporary proteomics screens are hindered not by commonly considered technical limitations such as low proteome coverage but rather by insufficient analyses. Proteomic experimentation requires a careful methodological selection to account for variables from sample collection, through to database searches for peptide identification to standardised post-mass spectrometry options directed analysis workflow, which should be adjusted for each study, from determining when and how to filter proteomic data to choosing holistic versus trend-wise analyses for biologically relevant patterns. Finally, we highlight and discuss the difficulties inherent in the modelling and study of the majority of progressive neurodegenerative conditions. We provide evidence (in the context of neurodegenerative research) for the benefit of undertaking a comparative approach through the application of the above considerations in the alignment of publicly available pre-existing data sets to identify potential novel regulators of neuronal stability.
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14
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Nicolas G, Sévigny M, Lecoquierre F, Marguet F, Deschênes A, del Pelaez MC, Feuillette S, Audebrand A, Lecourtois M, Rousseau S, Richard AC, Cassinari K, Deramecourt V, Duyckaerts C, Boland A, Deleuze JF, Meyer V, Clarimon Echavarria J, Gelpi E, Akiyama H, Hasegawa M, Kawakami I, Wong TH, Van Rooij JGJ, Van Swieten JC, Campion D, Dutchak PA, Wallon D, Lavoie-Cardinal F, Laquerrière A, Rovelet-Lecrux A, Sephton CF. A postzygotic de novo NCDN mutation identified in a sporadic FTLD patient results in neurochondrin haploinsufficiency and altered FUS granule dynamics. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:20. [PMID: 35151370 PMCID: PMC8841087 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01314-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a heterogeneous clinical disorder characterized by progressive abnormalities in behavior, executive functions, personality, language and/or motricity. A neuropathological subtype of FTD, frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD)-FET, is characterized by protein aggregates consisting of the RNA-binding protein fused in sarcoma (FUS). The cause of FTLD-FET is not well understood and there is a lack of genetic evidence to aid in the investigation of mechanisms of the disease. The goal of this study was to identify genetic variants contributing to FTLD-FET and to investigate their effects on FUS pathology. We performed whole-exome sequencing on a 50-year-old FTLD patient with ubiquitin and FUS-positive neuronal inclusions and unaffected parents, and identified a de novo postzygotic nonsense variant in the NCDN gene encoding Neurochondrin (NCDN), NM_014284.3:c.1206G > A, p.(Trp402*). The variant was associated with a ~ 31% reduction in full-length protein levels in the patient’s brain, suggesting that this mutation leads to NCDN haploinsufficiency. We examined the effects of NCDN haploinsufficiency on FUS and found that depleting primary cortical neurons of NCDN causes a reduction in the total number of FUS-positive cytoplasmic granules. Moreover, we found that these granules were significantly larger and more highly enriched with FUS. We then examined the effects of a loss of FUS function on NCDN in neurons and found that depleting cells of FUS leads to a decrease in NCDN protein and mRNA levels. Our study identifies the NCDN protein as a likely contributor of FTLD-FET pathophysiology. Moreover, we provide evidence for a negative feedback loop of toxicity between NCDN and FUS, where loss of NCDN alters FUS cytoplasmic dynamics, which in turn has an impact on NCDN expression.
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15
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Trnka F, Hoffmann C, Wang H, Sansevrino R, Rankovic B, Rost BR, Schmitz D, Schmidt HB, Milovanovic D. Aberrant Phase Separation of FUS Leads to Lysosome Sequestering and Acidification. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:716919. [PMID: 34746121 PMCID: PMC8569517 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.716919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that leads to the death of upper and lower motor neurons. While most cases of ALS are sporadic, some of the familial forms of the disease are caused by mutations in the gene encoding for the RNA-binding protein FUS. Under physiological conditions, FUS readily phase separates into liquid-like droplets in vivo and in vitro. ALS-associated mutations interfere with this process and often result in solid-like aggregates rather than fluid condensates. Yet, whether cells recognize and triage aberrant condensates remains poorly understood, posing a major barrier to the development of novel ALS treatments. Using a combination of ALS-associated FUS mutations, optogenetic manipulation of FUS condensation, chemically induced stress, and pH-sensitive reporters of organelle acidity, we systematically characterized the cause-effect relationship between the material state of FUS condensates and the sequestering of lysosomes. From our data, we can derive three conclusions. First, regardless of whether we use wild-type or mutant FUS, expression levels (i.e., high concentrations) play a dominant role in determining the fraction of cells having soluble or aggregated FUS. Second, chemically induced FUS aggregates recruit LAMP1-positive structures. Third, mature, acidic lysosomes accumulate only at FUS aggregates but not at liquid-condensates. Together, our data suggest that lysosome-degradation machinery actively distinguishes between fluid and solid condensates. Unraveling these aberrant interactions and testing strategies to manipulate the autophagosome-lysosome axis provides valuable clues for disease intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Trnka
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Hoffmann
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Berlin, Germany
| | - Han Wang
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Berlin, Germany
| | - Roberto Sansevrino
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Berlin, Germany
| | - Branislava Rankovic
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Berlin, Germany
| | - Benjamin R Rost
- Laboratory of Network Dysfunction, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Berlin, Germany
| | - Dietmar Schmitz
- Laboratory of Network Dysfunction, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Berlin, Germany.,Berlin Institute of Health, NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - H Broder Schmidt
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Dragomir Milovanovic
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Berlin, Germany
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16
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Molecular Classification and Interpretation of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Using Deep Convolution Neural Networks and Shapley Values. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12111754. [PMID: 34828360 PMCID: PMC8626003 DOI: 10.3390/genes12111754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 10/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a prototypical neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive degeneration of motor neurons to severely effect the functionality to control voluntary muscle movement. Most of the non-additive genetic aberrations responsible for ALS make its molecular classification very challenging along with limited sample size, curse of dimensionality, class imbalance and noise in the data. Deep learning methods have been successful in many other related areas but have low minority class accuracy and suffer from the lack of explainability when used directly with RNA expression features for ALS molecular classification. In this paper, we propose a deep-learning-based molecular ALS classification and interpretation framework. Our framework is based on training a convolution neural network (CNN) on images obtained from converting RNA expression values into pixels based on DeepInsight similarity technique. Then, we employed Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) to extract pixels with higher relevance to ALS classifications. These pixels were mapped back to the genes which made them up. This enabled us to classify ALS samples with high accuracy for a minority class along with identifying genes that might be playing an important role in ALS molecular classifications. Taken together with RNA expression images classified with CNN, our preliminary analysis of the genes identified by SHAP interpretation demonstrate the value of utilizing Machine Learning to perform molecular classification of ALS and uncover disease-associated genes.
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17
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Verzat C, Harley J, Patani R, Luisier R. Image-based deep learning reveals the responses of human motor neurons to stress and VCP-related ALS. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 2021; 48:e12770. [PMID: 34595747 PMCID: PMC9298273 DOI: 10.1111/nan.12770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
AIMS Although morphological attributes of cells and their substructures are recognised readouts of physiological or pathophysiological states, these have been relatively understudied in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research. METHODS In this study, we integrate multichannel fluorescence high-content microscopy data with deep learning imaging methods to reveal-directly from unsegmented images-novel neurite-associated morphological perturbations associated with (ALS-causing) VCP-mutant human motor neurons (MNs). RESULTS Surprisingly, we reveal that previously unrecognised disease-relevant information is withheld in broadly used and often considered 'generic' biological markers of nuclei (DAPI) and neurons ( β III-tubulin). Additionally, we identify changes within the information content of ALS-related RNA binding protein (RBP) immunofluorescence imaging that is captured in VCP-mutant MN cultures. Furthermore, by analysing MN cultures exposed to different extrinsic stressors, we show that heat stress recapitulates key aspects of ALS. CONCLUSIONS Our study therefore reveals disease-relevant information contained in a range of both generic and more specific fluorescent markers and establishes the use of image-based deep learning methods for rapid, automated and unbiased identification of biological hypotheses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colombine Verzat
- Genomics and Health Informatics Group, Idiap Research Institute, Martigny, Switzerland
| | - Jasmine Harley
- Human Stem Cells and Neurodegeneration Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK.,Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Rickie Patani
- Human Stem Cells and Neurodegeneration Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK.,Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Raphaëlle Luisier
- Genomics and Health Informatics Group, Idiap Research Institute, Martigny, Switzerland
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18
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Reber S, Jutzi D, Lindsay H, Devoy A, Mechtersheimer J, Levone BR, Domanski M, Bentmann E, Dormann D, Mühlemann O, Barabino SML, Ruepp MD. The phase separation-dependent FUS interactome reveals nuclear and cytoplasmic function of liquid-liquid phase separation. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:7713-7731. [PMID: 34233002 PMCID: PMC8287939 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2019] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) of proteins and RNAs has emerged as the driving force underlying the formation of membrane-less organelles. Such biomolecular condensates have various biological functions and have been linked to disease. The protein Fused in Sarcoma (FUS) undergoes LLPS and mutations in FUS have been causally linked to the motor neuron disease Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS-FUS). LLPS followed by aggregation of cytoplasmic FUS has been proposed to be a crucial disease mechanism. However, it is currently unclear how LLPS impacts the behaviour of FUS in cells, e.g. its interactome. Hence, we developed a method allowing for the purification of LLPS FUS-containing droplets from cell lysates. We observe substantial alterations in the interactome, depending on its biophysical state. While non-LLPS FUS interacts mainly with factors involved in pre-mRNA processing, LLPS FUS predominantly binds to proteins involved in chromatin remodelling and DNA damage repair. Interestingly, also mitochondrial factors are strongly enriched with LLPS FUS, providing a potential explanation for the observed changes in mitochondrial gene expression in mouse models of ALS-FUS. In summary, we present a methodology to investigate the interactomes of phase separating proteins and provide evidence that LLPS shapes the FUS interactome with implications for function and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Reber
- United Kingdom Dementia Research Institute Centre at King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, London, UK
| | - Daniel Jutzi
- United Kingdom Dementia Research Institute Centre at King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, London, UK
| | - Helen Lindsay
- Department of Mathematics, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Anny Devoy
- United Kingdom Dementia Research Institute Centre at King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, London, UK
| | - Jonas Mechtersheimer
- United Kingdom Dementia Research Institute Centre at King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, London, UK
| | - Brunno Rocha Levone
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Michal Domanski
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Eva Bentmann
- Biomedical Center (BMC), Cell Biology, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Germany
| | - Dorothee Dormann
- Biomedical Center (BMC), Cell Biology, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Germany.,Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany
| | - Oliver Mühlemann
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Silvia M L Barabino
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Marc-David Ruepp
- United Kingdom Dementia Research Institute Centre at King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, London, UK
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19
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Birsa N, Ule AM, Garone MG, Tsang B, Mattedi F, Chong PA, Humphrey J, Jarvis S, Pisiren M, Wilkins OG, Nosella ML, Devoy A, Bodo C, de la Fuente RF, Fisher EMC, Rosa A, Viero G, Forman-Kay JD, Schiavo G, Fratta P. FUS-ALS mutants alter FMRP phase separation equilibrium and impair protein translation. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/30/eabf8660. [PMID: 34290090 PMCID: PMC8294762 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abf8660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
FUsed in Sarcoma (FUS) is a multifunctional RNA binding protein (RBP). FUS mutations lead to its cytoplasmic mislocalization and cause the neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Here, we use mouse and human models with endogenous ALS-associated mutations to study the early consequences of increased cytoplasmic FUS. We show that in axons, mutant FUS condensates sequester and promote the phase separation of fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP), another RBP associated with neurodegeneration. This leads to repression of translation in mouse and human FUS-ALS motor neurons and is corroborated in vitro, where FUS and FMRP copartition and repress translation. Last, we show that translation of FMRP-bound RNAs is reduced in vivo in FUS-ALS motor neurons. Our results unravel new pathomechanisms of FUS-ALS and identify a novel paradigm by which mutations in one RBP favor the formation of condensates sequestering other RBPs, affecting crucial biological functions, such as protein translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicol Birsa
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK.
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Agnieszka M Ule
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Maria Giovanna Garone
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Center for Life Nano Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Brian Tsang
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Francesca Mattedi
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK
- Institute of Biophysics, CNR, Trento, Italy
| | - P Andrew Chong
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Jack Humphrey
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Seth Jarvis
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Melis Pisiren
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Oscar G Wilkins
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK
- The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Micheal L Nosella
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Anny Devoy
- Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, King's College London, London SE5 9RT, UK
| | - Cristian Bodo
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | | | - Elizabeth M C Fisher
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Alessandro Rosa
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Center for Life Nano Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | | | - Julie D Forman-Kay
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Giampietro Schiavo
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Pietro Fratta
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK.
- MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Disease, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
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20
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Gamarra M, de la Cruz A, Blanco-Urrejola M, Baleriola J. Local Translation in Nervous System Pathologies. Front Integr Neurosci 2021; 15:689208. [PMID: 34276318 PMCID: PMC8279726 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2021.689208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Dendrites and axons can extend dozens to hundreds of centimeters away from the cell body so that a single neuron can sense and respond to thousands of stimuli. Thus, for an accurate function of dendrites and axons the neuronal proteome needs to be asymmetrically distributed within neurons. Protein asymmetry can be achieved by the transport of the protein itself or the transport of the mRNA that is then translated at target sites in neuronal processes. The latter transport mechanism implies local translation of localized mRNAs. The role of local translation in nervous system (NS) development and maintenance is well established, but recently there is growing evidence that this mechanism and its deregulation are also relevant in NS pathologies, including neurodegenerative diseases. For instance, upon pathological signals disease-related proteins can be locally synthesized in dendrites and axons. Locally synthesized proteins can exert their effects at or close to the site of translation, or they can be delivered to distal compartments like the nucleus and induce transcriptional responses that lead to neurodegeneration, nerve regeneration and other cell-wide responses. Relevant key players in the process of local protein synthesis are RNA binding proteins (RBPs), responsible for mRNA transport to neurites. Several neurological and neurodegenerative disorders, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or spinal motor atrophy, are characterized by mutations in genes encoding for RBPs and consequently mRNA localization and local translation are impaired. In other diseases changes in the local mRNA repertoire and altered local protein synthesis have been reported. In this review, we will discuss how deregulation of localized translation at different levels can contribute to the development and progression of nervous system pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Gamarra
- Laboratory of Local Translation in Neurons and Glia, Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain.,Departamento de Neurociencias, Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Aida de la Cruz
- Laboratory of Local Translation in Neurons and Glia, Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain.,Departamento de Neurociencias, Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Maite Blanco-Urrejola
- Laboratory of Local Translation in Neurons and Glia, Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain.,Departamento de Neurociencias, Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain.,Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología, Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
| | - Jimena Baleriola
- Laboratory of Local Translation in Neurons and Glia, Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain.,Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología, Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain.,Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
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21
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ALS-linked FUS mutants affect the localization of U7 snRNP and replication-dependent histone gene expression in human cells. Sci Rep 2021; 11:11868. [PMID: 34088960 PMCID: PMC8178370 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-91453-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Genes encoding replication-dependent histones lack introns, and the mRNAs produced are a unique class of RNA polymerase II transcripts in eukaryotic cells that do not end in a polyadenylated tail. Mature mRNAs are thus formed by a single endonucleolytic cleavage that releases the pre-mRNA from the DNA and is the only processing event necessary. U7 snRNP is one of the key factors that determines the cleavage site within the 3ʹUTR of replication-dependent histone pre-mRNAs. We have previously showed that the FUS protein interacts with U7 snRNA/snRNP and regulates the expression of histone genes by stimulating transcription and 3ʹ end maturation. Mutations in the FUS gene first identified in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) lead to the accumulation of the FUS protein in cytoplasmic inclusions. Here, we report that mutations in FUS lead to disruption of the transcriptional activity of FUS and mislocalization of U7 snRNA/snRNP in cytoplasmic aggregates in cellular models and primary neurons. As a consequence, decreased transcriptional efficiency and aberrant 3ʹ end processing of histone pre-mRNAs were observed. This study highlights for the first time the deregulation of replication-dependent histone gene expression and its involvement in ALS.
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22
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Canosa A, Lomartire A, De Marco G, Grassano M, Brunetti M, Manera U, Vasta R, Salamone P, Fuda G, Sbaiz L, Gallone S, Moglia C, Calvo A, Chiò A. A novel splice site FUS mutation in a familial ALS case: effects on protein expression. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2021; 23:128-136. [PMID: 33879000 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2021.1909065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Objective: To investigate the impact of a novel heterozygous FUS mutation in the acceptor splice site of intron 14 (c.1542 - 1 g > t) on protein expression in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMC) from a familial ALS patient. Methods: PBMC were isolated for mRNA analysis (cDNA synthesis, sequencing and one-step RT-PCR), Western Immunoblot (WI), and Immunofluorescence (IF). Results: cDNA analysis revealed the skipping of exon 15 and a premature stop codon at c.228. RT-PCR showed reduced FUS mRNA by more than half compared to a healthy control (HC) and an ALS patient without genetic mutations (wtALS). In WI FUS band intensity in the proband was 30-50% compared to HC and wtALS. An antibody expected to detect only the wild-type protein did not reveal any reduction of FUS band intensity compared to the other antibodies. IF showed no difference among HC, wtALS, and the proband. Discussion: The reduction of FUS mRNA and protein in PBMC suggests the absence of the truncated protein, probably due to nonsense-mediated decay, leading to loss of function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Canosa
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, ALS Centre, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Neurology Unit 1, Turin, Italy
| | - Annarosa Lomartire
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, ALS Centre, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Giovanni De Marco
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, ALS Centre, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Neurology Unit 1, Turin, Italy
| | - Maurizio Grassano
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, ALS Centre, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Maura Brunetti
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, ALS Centre, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Umberto Manera
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, ALS Centre, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Rosario Vasta
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, ALS Centre, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Paolina Salamone
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, ALS Centre, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Fuda
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, ALS Centre, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Luca Sbaiz
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Laboratory of Genetics, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Salvatore Gallone
- Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Neurology Unit 1, Turin, Italy
| | - Cristina Moglia
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, ALS Centre, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Neurology Unit 1, Turin, Italy
| | - Andrea Calvo
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, ALS Centre, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Neurology Unit 1, Turin, Italy.,Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT), Turin, Italy, and
| | - Adriano Chiò
- "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, ALS Centre, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Neurology Unit 1, Turin, Italy.,Neuroscience Institute of Turin (NIT), Turin, Italy, and.,Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, C.N.R., Rome, Italy
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23
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Vangoor VR, Gomes‐Duarte A, Pasterkamp RJ. Long non-coding RNAs in motor neuron development and disease. J Neurochem 2021; 156:777-801. [PMID: 32970857 PMCID: PMC8048821 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are RNAs that exceed 200 nucleotides in length and that are not translated into proteins. Thousands of lncRNAs have been identified with functions in processes such as transcription and translation regulation, RNA processing, and RNA and protein sponging. LncRNAs show prominent expression in the nervous system and have been implicated in neural development, function and disease. Recent work has begun to report on the expression and roles of lncRNAs in motor neurons (MNs). The cell bodies of MNs are located in cortex, brainstem or spinal cord and their axons project into the brainstem, spinal cord or towards peripheral muscles, thereby controlling important functions such as movement, breathing and swallowing. Degeneration of MNs is a pathological hallmark of diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and spinal muscular atrophy. LncRNAs influence several aspects of MN development and disruptions in these lncRNA-mediated effects are proposed to contribute to the pathogenic mechanisms underlying MN diseases (MNDs). Accumulating evidence suggests that lncRNAs may comprise valuable therapeutic targets for different MNDs. In this review, we discuss the role of lncRNAs (including circular RNAs [circRNAs]) in the development of MNs, discuss how lncRNAs may contribute to MNDs and provide directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vamshidhar R. Vangoor
- Department of Translational NeuroscienceUniversity Medical Center Utrecht Brain CenterUtrecht UniversityUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | - Andreia Gomes‐Duarte
- Department of Translational NeuroscienceUniversity Medical Center Utrecht Brain CenterUtrecht UniversityUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | - R. Jeroen Pasterkamp
- Department of Translational NeuroscienceUniversity Medical Center Utrecht Brain CenterUtrecht UniversityUtrechtThe Netherlands
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24
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Sévigny M, Bourdeau Julien I, Venkatasubramani JP, Hui JB, Dutchak PA, Sephton CF. FUS contributes to mTOR-dependent inhibition of translation. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:18459-18473. [PMID: 33082139 PMCID: PMC7939483 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.013801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD)-linked RNA-binding protein called FUS (fused in sarcoma) has been implicated in several aspects of RNA regulation, including mRNA translation. The mechanism by which FUS affects the translation of polyribosomes has not been established. Here we show that FUS can associate with stalled polyribosomes and that this association is sensitive to mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) kinase activity. Specifically, we show that FUS association with polyribosomes is increased by Torin1 treatment or when cells are cultured in nutrient-deficient media, but not when cells are treated with rapamycin, the allosteric inhibitor of mTORC1. Moreover, we report that FUS is necessary for efficient stalling of translation because deficient cells are refractory to the inhibition of mTOR-dependent signaling by Torin1. We also show that ALS-linked FUS mutants R521G and P525L associate abundantly with polyribosomes and decrease global protein synthesis. Importantly, the inhibitory effect on translation by FUS is impaired by mutations that reduce its RNA-binding affinity. These findings demonstrate that FUS is an important RNA-binding protein that mediates translational repression through mTOR-dependent signaling and that ALS-linked FUS mutants can cause a toxic gain of function in the cytoplasm by repressing the translation of mRNA at polyribosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myriam Sévigny
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Isabelle Bourdeau Julien
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Janani Priya Venkatasubramani
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jeremy B Hui
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Paul A Dutchak
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Chantelle F Sephton
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, CERVO Brain Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
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25
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Jutzi D, Campagne S, Schmidt R, Reber S, Mechtersheimer J, Gypas F, Schweingruber C, Colombo M, von Schroetter C, Loughlin FE, Devoy A, Hedlund E, Zavolan M, Allain FHT, Ruepp MD. Aberrant interaction of FUS with the U1 snRNA provides a molecular mechanism of FUS induced amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Nat Commun 2020; 11:6341. [PMID: 33311468 PMCID: PMC7733473 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20191-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the RNA-binding protein Fused in Sarcoma (FUS) cause early-onset amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, a detailed understanding of central RNA targets of FUS and their implications for disease remain elusive. Here, we use a unique blend of crosslinking and immunoprecipitation (CLIP) and NMR spectroscopy to identify and characterise physiological and pathological RNA targets of FUS. We find that U1 snRNA is the primary RNA target of FUS via its interaction with stem-loop 3 and provide atomic details of this RNA-mediated mode of interaction with the U1 snRNP. Furthermore, we show that ALS-associated FUS aberrantly contacts U1 snRNA at the Sm site with its zinc finger and traps snRNP biogenesis intermediates in human and murine motor neurons. Altogether, we present molecular insights into a FUS toxic gain-of-function involving direct and aberrant RNA-binding and strengthen the link between two motor neuron diseases, ALS and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Jutzi
- United Kingdom Dementia Research Institute Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, London, UK
| | - Sébastien Campagne
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, CH-8093, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Ralf Schmidt
- Computational and Systems Biology, Biozentrum, University of Basel, CH-4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Stefan Reber
- United Kingdom Dementia Research Institute Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, London, UK
| | - Jonas Mechtersheimer
- United Kingdom Dementia Research Institute Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, London, UK
| | - Foivos Gypas
- Computational and Systems Biology, Biozentrum, University of Basel, CH-4056, Basel, Switzerland
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, CH-4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Martino Colombo
- Celgene Institute of Translational Research (CITRE), 41092, Seville, Spain
| | - Christine von Schroetter
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, CH-8093, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Fionna E Loughlin
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, CH-8093, Zürich, Switzerland
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia
| | - Anny Devoy
- United Kingdom Dementia Research Institute Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, London, UK
| | - Eva Hedlund
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mihaela Zavolan
- Computational and Systems Biology, Biozentrum, University of Basel, CH-4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Frédéric H-T Allain
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, CH-8093, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Marc-David Ruepp
- United Kingdom Dementia Research Institute Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, London, UK.
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26
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Chen L. FUS mutation is probably the most common pathogenic gene for JALS, especially sporadic JALS. Rev Neurol (Paris) 2020; 177:333-340. [PMID: 33036763 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurol.2020.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Revised: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Juvenile amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (JALS) is a rare and severe form of ALS. The development of gene sequencing methods has resulted in increased reports of JALS cases in recent years, and additional gene mutations in FUS have been identified. Fused in sarcoma (FUS) mutations, appeared rarely in classical ALS but indeed were the most frequent pathogenic mutations in JALS, especially in sporadic JALS. After studied the reports in the last 10 years about JALS cases, the case characteristics caused by FUS mutations and the commonality of the mutation sites were summarized in this review. FUS mutation associated with more than half of JALS and the very majority of sporadic JALS. It's worth noting that almost all of the mutations occur in nuclear localization signal (NLS) of FUS in sporadic JALS. This discovery emphasized a new perspective focus on NLS for the diagnosis and etiology of sporadic JALS as well as for further study about new treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Chen
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, No. 1, Janshe East Road, Zhengzhou, 450000 Henan Province, China.
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27
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Abstract
It is increasingly recognized that local protein synthesis (LPS) contributes to fundamental aspects of axon biology, in both developing and mature neurons. Mutations in RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), as central players in LPS, and other proteins affecting RNA localization and translation are associated with a range of neurological disorders, suggesting disruption of LPS may be of pathological significance. In this review, we substantiate this hypothesis by examining the link between LPS and key axonal processes, and the implicated pathophysiological consequences of dysregulated LPS. First, we describe how the length and autonomy of axons result in an exceptional reliance on LPS. We next discuss the roles of LPS in maintaining axonal structural and functional polarity and axonal trafficking. We then consider how LPS facilitates the establishment of neuronal connectivity through regulation of axonal branching and pruning, how it mediates axonal survival into adulthood and its involvement in neuronal stress responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Qiaojin Lin
- UK Dementia Research Institute at University of Cambridge, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Island Research Building, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Christine E Holt
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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28
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Ottesen EW, Singh RN. Characteristics of circular RNAs generated by human Survival Motor Neuron genes. Cell Signal 2020; 73:109696. [PMID: 32553550 PMCID: PMC7387165 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2020.109696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) belong to a diverse class of stable RNAs expressed in all cell types. Their proposed functions include sponging of microRNAs (miRNAs), sequestration and trafficking of proteins, assembly of multimeric complexes, production of peptides, and regulation of transcription. Backsplicing due to RNA structures formed by an exceptionally high number of Alu repeats lead to the production of a vast repertoire of circRNAs by human Survival Motor Neuron genes, SMN1 and SMN2, that code for SMN, an essential multifunctional protein. Low levels of SMN due to deletion or mutation of SMN1 result in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a major genetic disease of infants and children. Mild SMA is also recorded in adult population, expanding the spectrum of the disease. Here we review SMN circRNAs with respect to their biogenesis, sequence features, and potential functions. We also discuss how SMN circRNAs could be exploited for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric W Ottesen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, United States of America
| | - Ravindra N Singh
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, United States of America.
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29
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Aksoy YA, Deng W, Stoddart J, Chung R, Guillemin G, Cole NJ, Neely GG, Hesselson D. "STRESSED OUT": The role of FUS and TDP-43 in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2020; 126:105821. [PMID: 32758633 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2020.105821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in fused-in-sarcoma (FUS) and TAR DNA binding protein-43 (TDP-43; TARDBP) are known to cause the severe adult-onset neurodegenerative disorder amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Proteinopathy caused by cellular stresses such as endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, oxidative stress, mitochondrial stress and proteasomal stress and the formation of stress granules (SGs), cytoplasmic aggregates and inclusions is a hallmark of ALS. FUS and TDP-43, which are DNA/RNA binding proteins that regulate transcription, RNA homeostasis and protein translation are implicated in ALS proteinopathy. Disease-causing mutations in FUS and TDP-43 cause sequestration of these proteins and their interacting partners in the cytoplasm, which leads to aggregation. This mislocalization and formation of aggregates and SGs is cytotoxic and a contributor to neuronal death. We explore how loss-of-nuclear-function and gain-of-cytoplasmic function mechanisms that affect FUS and TPD-43 localization can generate a 'stressed out' neuronal pathology and proteinopathy that drives ALS progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yagiz Alp Aksoy
- Diabetes and Metabolism Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Wei Deng
- The Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale Biophotonics, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, Australia
| | - Jack Stoddart
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Roger Chung
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Gilles Guillemin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Nicholas James Cole
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Graham Gregory Neely
- The Dr. John and Anne Chong Laboratory for Functional Genomics, Charles Perkins Centre, Centenary Institute, and School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia; Genome Editing Initiative, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
| | - Daniel Hesselson
- Diabetes and Metabolism Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia; St Vincent's Clinical School, UNSW Sydney, Australia; Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
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30
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Perrone B, Conforti FL. Common mutations of interest in the diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: how common are common mutations in ALS genes? Expert Rev Mol Diagn 2020; 20:703-714. [PMID: 32497448 DOI: 10.1080/14737159.2020.1779060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a complex neurodegenerative disease predominantly affecting upper and lower motor neurons. Diagnosis of this devastating pathology is very difficult because the high degree of clinical heterogeneity with which it occurs and until now, no truly effective treatment exists. AREAS COVERED Molecular diagnosis may be a valuable tool for dissecting out ALS complex heterogeneity and for identifying new molecular mechanisms underlying the characteristic selective degeneration and death of motor neurons. To date, pathogenic variants in ALS genes are known to be present in up to 70% of familial and 10% of apparently sporadic ALS cases and can be associated with risks for ALS only or risks for other neurodegenerative diseases. This paper shows the procedure currently used in diagnostic laboratories to investigate most frequent mutations in ALS and evaluating the utility of involved molecular techniques as potential tools to discriminate 'common mutations' in ALS patients. EXPERT OPINION Genetic testing may allow for establishing an accurate pathological diagnosis and a more precise stratification of patient groups in future drug trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedetta Perrone
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria , Arcavacata di Rende (Cosenza), Italy
| | - Francesca Luisa Conforti
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria , Arcavacata di Rende (Cosenza), Italy
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31
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Verheijen BM. Expression Profile of Long Non-Coding RNAs during Early Postnatal Development of Mouse Spinal Cord. Noncoding RNA 2020; 6:ncrna6020018. [PMID: 32443580 DOI: 10.3390/ncrna6020018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a diverse class of transcripts that are >200 nucleotides long and lack significant protein-coding potential. LncRNAs are emerging as major regulators of gene expression networks in various physiological and pathological processes. Interestingly, many lncRNAs show tissue-specific expression, for example, in the nervous system. Although lncRNAs have been suggested to play key roles in the brain, most functions of neural lncRNAs remain poorly understood. In order to provide a catalog of lncRNA changes that occur in spinal cord during early postnatal development, RNA from mouse spinal cord was sequenced at different time points in the first week after birth (postnatal day 1 and postnatal day 7). Two hundred and ninty-six differentially expressed lncRNAs (FDR < 0.05) were identified in the resulting dataset. Altered transcripts were associated with several biological processes including myelination, neural differentiation, and glial cell development. PCR validation confirmed differential expression of select lncRNAs (i.e., Cerox1, lncOL3, Neat1, and Sox2ot). Additionally, analysis of circular RNAs (circRNAs), another class of non-coding RNA with regulatory potency, pointed out a number of circRNAs associated with spinal cord development. These data can be used as a resource for future studies on transcriptional changes during early postnatal nervous system development and studies of disorders that affect the spinal cord, e.g., spinal muscular atrophy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bert M Verheijen
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Laboratory for Experimental Neurology, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
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32
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Tsai YL, Coady TH, Lu L, Zheng D, Alland I, Tian B, Shneider NA, Manley JL. ALS/FTD-associated protein FUS induces mitochondrial dysfunction by preferentially sequestering respiratory chain complex mRNAs. Genes Dev 2020; 34:785-805. [PMID: 32381627 PMCID: PMC7263147 DOI: 10.1101/gad.335836.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Dysregulation of the DNA/RNA-binding protein FUS causes certain subtypes of ALS/FTD by largely unknown mechanisms. Recent evidence has shown that FUS toxic gain of function due either to mutations or to increased expression can disrupt critical cellular processes, including mitochondrial functions. Here, we demonstrate that in human cells overexpressing wild-type FUS or expressing mutant derivatives, the protein associates with multiple mRNAs, and these are enriched in mRNAs encoding mitochondrial respiratory chain components. Notably, this sequestration leads to reduced levels of the encoded proteins, which is sufficient to bring about disorganized mitochondrial networks, reduced aerobic respiration and increased reactive oxygen species. We further show that mutant FUS associates with mitochondria and with mRNAs encoded by the mitochondrial genome. Importantly, similar results were also observed in fibroblasts derived from ALS patients with FUS mutations. Finally, we demonstrate that FUS loss of function does not underlie the observed mitochondrial dysfunction, and also provides a mechanism for the preferential sequestration of the respiratory chain complex mRNAs by FUS that does not involve sequence-specific binding. Together, our data reveal that respiratory chain complex mRNA sequestration underlies the mitochondrial defects characteristic of ALS/FTD and contributes to the FUS toxic gain of function linked to this disease spectrum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yueh-Lin Tsai
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA
| | - Tristan H Coady
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA
| | - Lei Lu
- Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA
| | - Dinghai Zheng
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry, and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey 07103, USA
| | - Isabel Alland
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA
| | - Bin Tian
- Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry, and Molecular Genetics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey 07103, USA
| | - Neil A Shneider
- Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA
| | - James L Manley
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA
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33
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Catinozzi M, Mallik M, Frickenhaus M, Been M, Sijlmans C, Kulshrestha D, Alexopoulos I, Weitkunat M, Schnorrer F, Storkebaum E. The Drosophila FUS ortholog cabeza promotes adult founder myoblast selection by Xrp1-dependent regulation of FGF signaling. PLoS Genet 2020; 16:e1008731. [PMID: 32302304 PMCID: PMC7190187 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Revised: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The number of adult myofibers in Drosophila is determined by the number of founder myoblasts selected from a myoblast pool, a process governed by fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling. Here, we show that loss of cabeza (caz) function results in a reduced number of adult founder myoblasts, leading to a reduced number and misorientation of adult dorsal abdominal muscles. Genetic experiments revealed that loss of caz function in both adult myoblasts and neurons contributes to caz mutant muscle phenotypes. Selective overexpression of the FGF receptor Htl or the FGF receptor-specific signaling molecule Stumps in adult myoblasts partially rescued caz mutant muscle phenotypes, and Stumps levels were reduced in caz mutant founder myoblasts, indicating FGF pathway deregulation. In both adult myoblasts and neurons, caz mutant muscle phenotypes were mediated by increased expression levels of Xrp1, a DNA-binding protein involved in gene expression regulation. Xrp1-induced phenotypes were dependent on the DNA-binding capacity of its AT-hook motif, and increased Xrp1 levels in founder myoblasts reduced Stumps expression. Thus, control of Xrp1 expression by Caz is required for regulation of Stumps expression in founder myoblasts, resulting in correct founder myoblast selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marica Catinozzi
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour and Faculty of Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Molecular Neurogenetics Laboratory, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Muenster, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Moushami Mallik
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour and Faculty of Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Molecular Neurogenetics Laboratory, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Muenster, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Marie Frickenhaus
- Molecular Neurogenetics Laboratory, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Muenster, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Marije Been
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour and Faculty of Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Céline Sijlmans
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour and Faculty of Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Divita Kulshrestha
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour and Faculty of Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Molecular Neurogenetics Laboratory, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Muenster, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Ioannis Alexopoulos
- General Instruments Department, Faculty of Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Manuela Weitkunat
- Muscle Dynamics Group, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Frank Schnorrer
- Muscle Dynamics Group, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany
- Aix Marseille University, CNRS, IBDM, Marseille, France
| | - Erik Storkebaum
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour and Faculty of Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- Molecular Neurogenetics Laboratory, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Muenster, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
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34
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Suzuki N, Akiyama T, Warita H, Aoki M. Omics Approach to Axonal Dysfunction of Motor Neurons in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Front Neurosci 2020; 14:194. [PMID: 32269505 PMCID: PMC7109447 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2019] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an intractable adult-onset neurodegenerative disease that leads to the loss of upper and lower motor neurons (MNs). The long axons of MNs become damaged during the early stages of ALS. Genetic and pathological analyses of ALS patients have revealed dysfunction in the MN axon homeostasis. However, the molecular pathomechanism for the degeneration of axons in ALS has not been fully elucidated. This review provides an overview of the proposed axonal pathomechanisms in ALS, including those involving the neuronal cytoskeleton, cargo transport within axons, axonal energy supply, clearance of junk protein, neuromuscular junctions (NMJs), and aberrant axonal branching. To improve understanding of the global changes in axons, the review summarizes omics analyses of the axonal compartments of neurons in vitro and in vivo, including a motor nerve organoid approach that utilizes microfluidic devices developed by this research group. The review also discusses the relevance of intra-axonal transcription factors frequently identified in these omics analyses. Local axonal translation and the relationship among these pathomechanisms should be pursued further. The development of novel strategies to analyze axon fractions provides a new approach to establishing a detailed understanding of resilience of long MN and MN pathology in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Suzuki
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.,Department of Neurology, Shodo-kai Southern Tohoku General Hospital, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Akiyama
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Warita
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Masashi Aoki
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
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35
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Picchiarelli G, Dupuis L. Role of RNA Binding Proteins with prion-like domains in muscle and neuromuscular diseases. Cell Stress 2020; 4:76-91. [PMID: 32292882 PMCID: PMC7146060 DOI: 10.15698/cst2020.04.217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A number of neuromuscular and muscular diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and several myopathies, are associated to mutations in related RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), including TDP-43, FUS, MATR3 or hnRNPA1/B2. These proteins harbor similar modular primary sequence with RNA binding motifs and low complexity domains, that enables them to phase separate and create liquid microdomains. These RBPs have been shown to critically regulate multiple events of RNA lifecycle, including transcriptional events, splicing and RNA trafficking and sequestration. Here, we review the roles of these disease-related RBPs in muscle and motor neurons, and how their dysfunction in these cell types might contribute to disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gina Picchiarelli
- Université de Strasbourg, INSERM, Mécanismes Centraux et Périphériques de la Neurodégénérescence, UMR_S 1118, Strasbourg, France
| | - Luc Dupuis
- Université de Strasbourg, INSERM, Mécanismes Centraux et Périphériques de la Neurodégénérescence, UMR_S 1118, Strasbourg, France
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36
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Thelen MP, Kye MJ. The Role of RNA Binding Proteins for Local mRNA Translation: Implications in Neurological Disorders. Front Mol Biosci 2020; 6:161. [PMID: 32010708 PMCID: PMC6974540 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2019.00161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
As neurons are one of the most highly polarized cells in our body, they require sophisticated cellular mechanisms to maintain protein homeostasis in their subcellular compartments such as axons and dendrites. When neuronal protein homeostasis is disturbed due to genetic mutations or deletions, this often results in degeneration of neurons leading to devastating outcome such as spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and fragile X syndrome (FXS). Ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes are macromolecular complexes composed of RNA binding proteins (RBPs) and their target RNAs. RBPs contain RNA binding domains and bind to RNA molecules via specific sequence motifs. RNP complexes have various functions in gene expression including messenger RNA (mRNA) trafficking, RNA processing and silencing. In neurons, RBPs deliver specific sets of mRNAs to subcellular compartments such as axons and dendrites to be locally translated. Mutations or deletions in genes coding for RNPs have been reported as causes for neurological disorders such as SMA, ALS, and FXS. As RBPs determine axonal or dendritic mRNA repertoires as well as proteomes by trafficking selective mRNAs and regulating local protein synthesis, they play a crucial role for neuronal function. In this review, we summarize the role of well-known RBPs, SMN, TDP-43, FUS, and FMRP, and review their function for local protein synthesis in neurons. Furthermore, we discuss their pathological contribution to the neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Min Jeong Kye
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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37
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Splicing Players Are Differently Expressed in Sporadic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Molecular Clusters and Brain Regions. Cells 2020; 9:cells9010159. [PMID: 31936368 PMCID: PMC7017305 DOI: 10.3390/cells9010159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Revised: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 01/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Splicing is a tightly orchestrated process by which the brain produces protein diversity over time and space. While this process specializes and diversifies neurons, its deregulation may be responsible for their selective degeneration. In amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), splicing defects have been investigated at the singular gene level without considering the higher-order level, involving the entire splicing machinery. In this study, we analyzed the complete spectrum (396) of genes encoding splicing factors in the motor cortex (41) and spinal cord (40) samples from control and sporadic ALS (SALS) patients. A substantial number of genes (184) displayed significant expression changes in tissue types or disease states, were implicated in distinct splicing complexes and showed different topological hierarchical roles based on protein–protein interactions. The deregulation of one of these splicing factors has a central topological role, i.e., the transcription factor YBX1, which might also have an impact on stress granule formation, a pathological marker associated with ALS.
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38
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Shelkovnikova TA, An H, Skelt L, Tregoning JS, Humphreys IR, Buchman VL. Antiviral Immune Response as a Trigger of FUS Proteinopathy in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Cell Rep 2019; 29:4496-4508.e4. [PMID: 31875556 PMCID: PMC6941233 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.11.094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Revised: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the FUS gene cause familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS-FUS). In ALS-FUS, FUS-positive inclusions are detected in the cytoplasm of neurons and glia, a condition known as FUS proteinopathy. Mutant FUS incorporates into stress granules (SGs) and can spontaneously form cytoplasmic RNA granules in cultured cells. However, it is unclear what can trigger the persistence of mutant FUS assemblies and lead to inclusion formation. Using CRISPR/Cas9 cell lines and patient fibroblasts, we find that the viral mimic dsRNA poly(I:C) or a SG-inducing virus causes the sustained presence of mutant FUS assemblies. These assemblies sequester the autophagy receptor optineurin and nucleocytoplasmic transport factors. Furthermore, an integral component of the antiviral immune response, type I interferon, promotes FUS protein accumulation by increasing FUS mRNA stability. Finally, mutant FUS-expressing cells are hypersensitive to dsRNA toxicity. Our data suggest that the antiviral immune response is a plausible second hit for FUS proteinopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatyana A Shelkovnikova
- Biomedicine Division, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK; Medicines Discovery Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK.
| | - Haiyan An
- Biomedicine Division, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK; Medicines Discovery Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK
| | - Lucy Skelt
- Biomedicine Division, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK
| | - John S Tregoning
- Department of Infectious Disease, St Mary's Campus, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK
| | - Ian R Humphreys
- Systems Immunity Research Institute, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK
| | - Vladimir L Buchman
- Biomedicine Division, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AX, UK; Institute of Physiologically Active Compounds of RAS, Chernogolovka 142432, Russian Federation.
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39
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Cacciottolo R, Ciantar J, Lanfranco M, Borg RM, Vassallo N, Bordonné R, Cauchi RJ. SMN complex member Gemin3 self-interacts and has a functional relationship with ALS-linked proteins TDP-43, FUS and Sod1. Sci Rep 2019; 9:18666. [PMID: 31822699 PMCID: PMC6904755 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-53508-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/29/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The predominant motor neuron disease in infants and adults is spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), respectively. SMA is caused by insufficient levels of the Survival Motor Neuron (SMN) protein, which operates as part of the multiprotein SMN complex that includes the DEAD-box RNA helicase Gemin3/DDX20/DP103. C9orf72, SOD1, TDP-43 and FUS are ranked as the four major genes causing familial ALS. Accumulating evidence has revealed a surprising molecular overlap between SMA and ALS. Here, we ask the question of whether Drosophila can also be exploited to study shared pathogenic pathways. Focusing on motor behaviour, muscle mass and survival, we show that disruption of either TBPH/TDP-43 or Caz/FUS enhance defects associated with Gemin3 loss-of-function. Gemin3-associated neuromuscular junction overgrowth was however suppressed. Sod1 depletion had a modifying effect in late adulthood. We also show that Gemin3 self-interacts and Gem3ΔN, a helicase domain deletion mutant, retains the ability to interact with its wild-type counterpart. Importantly, mutant:wild-type dimers are favoured more than wild-type:wild-type dimers. In addition to reinforcing the link between SMA and ALS, further exploration of mechanistic overlaps is now possible in a genetically tractable model organism. Notably, Gemin3 can be elevated to a candidate for modifying motor neuron degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Cacciottolo
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, CNRS-UMR 5535, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Joanna Ciantar
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Maia Lanfranco
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, CNRS-UMR 5535, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Rebecca M Borg
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, CNRS-UMR 5535, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Neville Vassallo
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Rémy Bordonné
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, CNRS-UMR 5535, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Ruben J Cauchi
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta. .,Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.
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40
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Casci I, Krishnamurthy K, Kour S, Tripathy V, Ramesh N, Anderson EN, Marrone L, Grant RA, Oliver S, Gochenaur L, Patel K, Sterneckert J, Gleixner AM, Donnelly CJ, Ruepp MD, Sini AM, Zuccaro E, Pennuto M, Pasinelli P, Pandey UB. Muscleblind acts as a modifier of FUS toxicity by modulating stress granule dynamics and SMN localization. Nat Commun 2019; 10:5583. [PMID: 31811140 PMCID: PMC6898697 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13383-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in fused in sarcoma (FUS) lead to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with varying ages of onset, progression and severity. This suggests that unknown genetic factors contribute to disease pathogenesis. Here we show the identification of muscleblind as a novel modifier of FUS-mediated neurodegeneration in vivo. Muscleblind regulates cytoplasmic mislocalization of mutant FUS and subsequent accumulation in stress granules, dendritic morphology and toxicity in mammalian neuronal and human iPSC-derived neurons. Interestingly, genetic modulation of endogenous muscleblind was sufficient to restore survival motor neuron (SMN) protein localization in neurons expressing pathogenic mutations in FUS, suggesting a potential mode of suppression of FUS toxicity. Upregulation of SMN suppressed FUS toxicity in Drosophila and primary cortical neurons, indicating a link between FUS and SMN. Our data provide in vivo evidence that muscleblind is a dominant modifier of FUS-mediated neurodegeneration by regulating FUS-mediated ALS pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Casci
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Karthik Krishnamurthy
- Department of Neuroscience, Jefferson Weinberg ALS Center, Vickie and Jack Farber Institute for Neuroscience, Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sukhleen Kour
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Vadreenath Tripathy
- Center for Regenerative Therapies TU Dresden, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 105, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Nandini Ramesh
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Eric N Anderson
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Lara Marrone
- Center for Regenerative Therapies TU Dresden, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 105, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Rogan A Grant
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Stacie Oliver
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Lauren Gochenaur
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Krishani Patel
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jared Sterneckert
- Center for Regenerative Therapies TU Dresden, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 105, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Amanda M Gleixner
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Live Like Lou Center for ALS Research, Brain Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Christopher J Donnelly
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Live Like Lou Center for ALS Research, Brain Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Marc-David Ruepp
- UK Dementia Research Institute at King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, King's College London, London, SE5 9NU, UK
| | - Antonella M Sini
- Department of Biomedical Sciences (DBS), University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Emanuela Zuccaro
- Department of Biomedical Sciences (DBS), University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Padova, Italy
| | - Maria Pennuto
- Department of Biomedical Sciences (DBS), University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Padova, Italy
| | - Piera Pasinelli
- Department of Neuroscience, Jefferson Weinberg ALS Center, Vickie and Jack Farber Institute for Neuroscience, Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Udai Bhan Pandey
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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41
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Nussbacher JK, Tabet R, Yeo GW, Lagier-Tourenne C. Disruption of RNA Metabolism in Neurological Diseases and Emerging Therapeutic Interventions. Neuron 2019; 102:294-320. [PMID: 30998900 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2018] [Revised: 01/24/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
RNA binding proteins are critical to the maintenance of the transcriptome via controlled regulation of RNA processing and transport. Alterations of these proteins impact multiple steps of the RNA life cycle resulting in various molecular phenotypes such as aberrant RNA splicing, transport, and stability. Disruption of RNA binding proteins and widespread RNA processing defects are increasingly recognized as critical determinants of neurological diseases. Here, we describe distinct mechanisms by which the homeostasis of RNA binding proteins is compromised in neurological disorders through their reduced expression level, increased propensity to aggregate or sequestration by abnormal RNAs. These mechanisms all converge toward altered neuronal function highlighting the susceptibility of neurons to deleterious changes in RNA expression and the central role of RNA binding proteins in preserving neuronal integrity. Emerging therapeutic approaches to mitigate or reverse alterations of RNA binding proteins in neurological diseases are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia K Nussbacher
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Institute for Genomic Medicine, UCSD Stem Cell Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Ricardos Tabet
- Department of Neurology, The Sean M. Healey and AMG Center for ALS at Mass General, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Broad Institute of Harvard University and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Gene W Yeo
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Institute for Genomic Medicine, UCSD Stem Cell Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Clotilde Lagier-Tourenne
- Department of Neurology, The Sean M. Healey and AMG Center for ALS at Mass General, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Broad Institute of Harvard University and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
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Nijssen J, Aguila J, Hoogstraaten R, Kee N, Hedlund E. Axon-Seq Decodes the Motor Axon Transcriptome and Its Modulation in Response to ALS. Stem Cell Reports 2019; 11:1565-1578. [PMID: 30540963 PMCID: PMC6294264 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2018.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Revised: 11/06/2018] [Accepted: 11/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinal motor axons traverse large distances to innervate target muscles, thus requiring local control of cellular events for proper functioning. To interrogate axon-specific processes we developed Axon-seq, a refined method incorporating microfluidics, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), and bioinformatic quality control. We show that the axonal transcriptome is distinct from that of somas and contains fewer genes. We identified 3,500-5,000 transcripts in mouse and human stem cell-derived spinal motor axons, most of which are required for oxidative energy production and ribogenesis. Axons contained transcription factor mRNAs, e.g., Ybx1, with implications for local functions. As motor axons degenerate in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), we investigated their response to the SOD1G93A mutation, identifying 121 ALS-dysregulated transcripts. Several of these are implicated in axonal function, including Nrp1, Dbn1, and Nek1, a known ALS-causing gene. In conclusion, Axon-seq provides an improved method for RNA-seq of axons, increasing our understanding of peripheral axon biology and identifying therapeutic targets in motor neuron disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jik Nijssen
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm 171 77, Sweden
| | - Julio Aguila
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm 171 77, Sweden
| | - Rein Hoogstraaten
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm 171 77, Sweden; Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht 3984 CG, Netherlands
| | - Nigel Kee
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm 171 77, Sweden
| | - Eva Hedlund
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm 171 77, Sweden.
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Aberrant axon branching via Fos-B dysregulation in FUS-ALS motor neurons. EBioMedicine 2019; 45:362-378. [PMID: 31262712 PMCID: PMC6642224 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2019.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Revised: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The characteristic structure of motor neurons (MNs), particularly of the long axons, becomes damaged in the early stages of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, the molecular pathophysiology of axonal degeneration remains to be fully elucidated. Method Two sets of isogenic human-induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSCs)-derived MNs possessing the single amino acid difference (p.H517D) in the fused in sarcoma (FUS) were constructed. By combining MN reporter lentivirus, MN specific phenotype was analyzed. Moreover, RNA profiling of isolated axons were conducted by applying the microfluidic devices that enable axon bundles to be produced for omics analysis. The relationship between the target gene, which was identified as a pathological candidate in ALS with RNA-sequencing, and the MN phenotype was confirmed by intervention with si-RNA or overexpression to hiPSCs-derived MNs and even in vivo. The commonality was further confirmed with other ALS-causative mutant hiPSCs-derived MNs and human pathology. Findings We identified aberrant increasing of axon branchings in FUS-mutant hiPSCs-derived MN axons compared with isogenic controls as a novel phenotype. We identified increased level of Fos-B mRNA, the binding target of FUS, in FUS-mutant MNs. While Fos-B reduction using si-RNA or an inhibitor ameliorated the observed aberrant axon branching, Fos-B overexpression resulted in aberrant axon branching even in vivo. The commonality of those phenotypes was further confirmed with other ALS causative mutation than FUS. Interpretation Analyzing the axonal fraction of hiPSC-derived MNs using microfluidic devices revealed that Fos-B is a key regulator of FUS-mutant axon branching. Fund Japan Agency for Medical Research and development; Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Clinical Research, Innovation and Education Center, Tohoku University Hospital; Japan Intractable Diseases (Nanbyo) Research Foundation; the Kanae Foundation for the Promotion of Medical Science; and “Inochi-no-Iro” ALS research grant.
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De Santis R, Alfano V, de Turris V, Colantoni A, Santini L, Garone MG, Antonacci G, Peruzzi G, Sudria-Lopez E, Wyler E, Anink JJ, Aronica E, Landthaler M, Pasterkamp RJ, Bozzoni I, Rosa A. Mutant FUS and ELAVL4 (HuD) Aberrant Crosstalk in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Cell Rep 2019; 27:3818-3831.e5. [PMID: 31242416 PMCID: PMC6613039 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.05.085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Revised: 04/04/2019] [Accepted: 05/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has been genetically linked to mutations in RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), including FUS. Here, we report the RNA interactome of wild-type and mutant FUS in human motor neurons (MNs). This analysis identified a number of RNA targets. Whereas the wild-type protein preferentially binds introns, the ALS mutation causes a shift toward 3' UTRs. Neural ELAV-like RBPs are among mutant FUS targets. As a result, ELAVL4 protein levels are increased in mutant MNs. ELAVL4 and mutant FUS interact and co-localize in cytoplasmic speckles with altered biomechanical properties. Upon oxidative stress, ELAVL4 and mutant FUS are engaged in stress granules. In the spinal cord of FUS ALS patients, ELAVL4 represents a neural-specific component of FUS-positive cytoplasmic aggregates, whereas in sporadic patients it co-localizes with phosphorylated TDP-43-positive inclusions. We propose that pathological mutations in FUS trigger an aberrant crosstalk with ELAVL4 with implications for ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo De Santis
- Center for Life Nano Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy; Department of Biology and Biotechnology Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Alfano
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Valeria de Turris
- Center for Life Nano Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Alessio Colantoni
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Santini
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Giovanna Garone
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Antonacci
- Center for Life Nano Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanna Peruzzi
- Center for Life Nano Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Emma Sudria-Lopez
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Emanuel Wyler
- Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Robert-Rössle-Strasse 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jasper J Anink
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Department of (Neuro)Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Eleonora Aronica
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Department of (Neuro)Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Markus Landthaler
- Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Robert-Rössle-Strasse 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany; IRI Life Sciences, Institute für Biologie, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Philippstraße 13, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - R Jeroen Pasterkamp
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Irene Bozzoni
- Center for Life Nano Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy; Department of Biology and Biotechnology Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Rosa
- Center for Life Nano Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy; Department of Biology and Biotechnology Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.
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45
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Deshpande D, Higelin J, Schoen M, Vomhof T, Boeckers TM, Demestre M, Michaelis J. Synaptic FUS Localization During Motoneuron Development and Its Accumulation in Human ALS Synapses. Front Cell Neurosci 2019; 13:256. [PMID: 31244613 PMCID: PMC6582137 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2019.00256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the fused in Sarcoma (FUS) gene induce cytoplasmic FUS aggregations, contributing to the neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in certain cases. While FUS is mainly a nuclear protein involved in transcriptional processes with limited cytoplasmic functions, it shows an additional somatodendritic localization in neurons. In this study we analyzed the localization of FUS in motoneuron synapses, these being the most affected neurons in ALS, using super-resolution microscopy to distinguish between the pre- and postsynaptic compartments. We report a maturation-based variation of FUS localization in rodent synapses where a predominantly postsynaptic FUS was observed in the early stages of synaptic development, while in mature synapses the protein was entirely localized in the axonal terminal. Likewise, we also show that at the synapse of human motoneurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells of a healthy control, FUS is mainly postsynaptic in the early developmental stages. In motoneurons derived from ALS patients harboring a very aggressive juvenile FUS mutation, increased synaptic accumulation of mutated FUS was observed. Moreover increased aggregation of other synaptic proteins Bassoon and Homer1 was also detected in these abnormal synapses. Having demonstrated changes in the FUS localization during synaptogenesis, a role of synaptic FUS in both dendritic and axonal cellular compartments is probable, and we propose a gain-of-toxic function due to the synaptic aggregation of mutant FUS in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Julia Higelin
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Michael Schoen
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Thomas Vomhof
- Institute of Biophysics, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Tobias M Boeckers
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Ulm Site, Ulm, Germany
| | - Maria Demestre
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
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46
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Birsa N, Bentham MP, Fratta P. Cytoplasmic functions of TDP-43 and FUS and their role in ALS. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2019; 99:193-201. [PMID: 31132467 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2019.05.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Revised: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
TAR DNA-binding protein of 43 kDa (TDP-43) and fused in sarcoma (FUS) are RNA binding proteins (RBPs) primarily located in the nucleus, and involved in numerous aspects of RNA metabolism. Both proteins can be found to be depleted from the nucleus and accumulated in cytoplasmic inclusions in two major neurodegenerative conditions, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia. Recent evidences suggest that, in addition to their nuclear functions, both TDP-43 and FUS are involved in multiple processes in the cytoplasm, including mRNA stability and transport, translation, the stress response, mitochondrial function and autophagy regulation. Here, we review the most recent advances in understanding their functions in the cytoplasm and how these are affected in disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicol Birsa
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
| | - Matthew Peter Bentham
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Pietro Fratta
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK; MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Disease, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
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47
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Parakh S, Perri ER, Jagaraj CJ, Ragagnin AMG, Atkin JD. Rab-dependent cellular trafficking and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Crit Rev Biochem Mol Biol 2019; 53:623-651. [PMID: 30741580 DOI: 10.1080/10409238.2018.1553926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Rab GTPases are becoming increasingly implicated in neurodegenerative disorders, although their role in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has been somewhat overlooked. However, dysfunction of intracellular transport is gaining increasing attention as a pathogenic mechanism in ALS. Many previous studies have focused axonal trafficking, and the extreme length of axons in motor neurons may contribute to their unique susceptibility in this disorder. In contrast, the role of transport defects within the cell body has been relatively neglected. Similarly, whilst Rab GTPases control all intracellular membrane trafficking events, their role in ALS is poorly understood. Emerging evidence now highlights this family of proteins in ALS, particularly the discovery that C9orf72 functions in intra transport in conjunction with several Rab GTPases. Here, we summarize recent updates on cellular transport defects in ALS, with a focus on Rab GTPases and how their dysfunction may specifically target neurons and contribute to pathophysiology. We discuss the molecular mechanisms associated with dysfunction of Rab proteins in ALS. Finally, we also discuss dysfunction in other modes of transport recently implicated in ALS, including nucleocytoplasmic transport and the ER-mitochondrial contact regions (MAM compartment), and speculate whether these may also involve Rab GTPases.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Parakh
- a Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Centre for MND Research , Macquarie University , Sydney , Australia.,b Department of Biochemistry and Genetics , La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University , Melbourne , Australia
| | - E R Perri
- a Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Centre for MND Research , Macquarie University , Sydney , Australia.,b Department of Biochemistry and Genetics , La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University , Melbourne , Australia
| | - C J Jagaraj
- a Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Centre for MND Research , Macquarie University , Sydney , Australia
| | - A M G Ragagnin
- a Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Centre for MND Research , Macquarie University , Sydney , Australia
| | - J D Atkin
- a Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Centre for MND Research , Macquarie University , Sydney , Australia.,b Department of Biochemistry and Genetics , La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University , Melbourne , Australia
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48
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Ling SC, Dastidar SG, Tokunaga S, Ho WY, Lim K, Ilieva H, Parone PA, Tyan SH, Tse TM, Chang JC, Platoshyn O, Bui NB, Bui A, Vetto A, Sun S, McAlonis-Downes M, Han JS, Swing D, Kapeli K, Yeo GW, Tessarollo L, Marsala M, Shaw CE, Tucker-Kellogg G, La Spada AR, Lagier-Tourenne C, Da Cruz S, Cleveland DW. Overriding FUS autoregulation in mice triggers gain-of-toxic dysfunctions in RNA metabolism and autophagy-lysosome axis. eLife 2019; 8:40811. [PMID: 30747709 PMCID: PMC6389288 DOI: 10.7554/elife.40811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2018] [Accepted: 02/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in coding and non-coding regions of FUS cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The latter mutations may exert toxicity by increasing FUS accumulation. We show here that broad expression within the nervous system of wild-type or either of two ALS-linked mutants of human FUS in mice produces progressive motor phenotypes accompanied by characteristic ALS-like pathology. FUS levels are autoregulated by a mechanism in which human FUS downregulates endogenous FUS at mRNA and protein levels. Increasing wild-type human FUS expression achieved by saturating this autoregulatory mechanism produces a rapidly progressive phenotype and dose-dependent lethality. Transcriptome analysis reveals mis-regulation of genes that are largely not observed upon FUS reduction. Likely mechanisms for FUS neurotoxicity include autophagy inhibition and defective RNA metabolism. Thus, our results reveal that overriding FUS autoregulation will trigger gain-of-function toxicity via altered autophagy-lysosome pathway and RNA metabolism function, highlighting a role for protein and RNA dyshomeostasis in FUS-mediated toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo-Chien Ling
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States.,Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States.,Department of Physiology, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Neurobiology/Ageing Programme, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Program in Neuroscience and Behavior Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Somasish Ghosh Dastidar
- Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States
| | - Seiya Tokunaga
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States
| | - Wan Yun Ho
- Department of Physiology, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kenneth Lim
- Department of Physiology, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Hristelina Ilieva
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States
| | - Philippe A Parone
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States
| | - Sheue-Houy Tyan
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States.,Department of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Tsemay M Tse
- Department of Physiology, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jer-Cherng Chang
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States
| | - Oleksandr Platoshyn
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States
| | - Ngoc B Bui
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States
| | - Anh Bui
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States
| | - Anne Vetto
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States
| | - Shuying Sun
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States
| | - Melissa McAlonis-Downes
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States
| | - Joo Seok Han
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States
| | - Debbie Swing
- Mouse Cancer Genetics Program, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, United States
| | - Katannya Kapeli
- Department of Physiology, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Gene W Yeo
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States.,Department of Physiology, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States
| | - Lino Tessarollo
- Mouse Cancer Genetics Program, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, United States
| | - Martin Marsala
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States
| | - Christopher E Shaw
- Dementia Research Institute Centre, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.,Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Greg Tucker-Kellogg
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Albert R La Spada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States.,Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States.,Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States
| | - Clotilde Lagier-Tourenne
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States.,Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States
| | - Sandrine Da Cruz
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States
| | - Don W Cleveland
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States.,Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States
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49
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So E, Mitchell JC, Memmi C, Chennell G, Vizcay-Barrena G, Allison L, Shaw CE, Vance C. Mitochondrial abnormalities and disruption of the neuromuscular junction precede the clinical phenotype and motor neuron loss in hFUSWT transgenic mice. Hum Mol Genet 2019; 27:463-474. [PMID: 29194538 PMCID: PMC5886082 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddx415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2017] [Accepted: 11/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
FUS (fused in sarcoma) mislocalization and cytoplasmic aggregation are hallmark pathologies in FUS-related amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia. Many of the mechanistic hypotheses have focused on a loss of nuclear function in the FUS-opathies, implicating dysregulated RNA transcription and splicing in driving neurodegeneration. Recent studies describe an additional somato-dendritic localization for FUS in the cerebral cortex implying a regulatory role in mRNA transport and local translation at the synapse. Here, we report that FUS is also abundant at the pre-synaptic terminal of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), suggesting an important function for this protein at peripheral synapses. We have previously reported dose and age-dependent motor neuron degeneration in transgenic mice overexpressing human wild-type FUS, resulting in a motor phenotype detected by ∼28 days and death by ∼100 days. Now, we report the earliest structural events using electron microscopy and quantitative immunohistochemistry. Mitochondrial abnormalities in the pre-synaptic motor nerve terminals are detected at postnatal day 6, which are more pronounced at P15 and accompanied by a loss of synaptic vesicles and synaptophysin protein coupled with NMJs of a smaller size at a time when there is no detectable motor neuron loss. These changes occur in the presence of abundant FUS and support a peripheral toxic gain of function. This appearance is typical of a ‘dying-back’ axonopathy, with the earliest manifestation being mitochondrial disruption. These findings support our hypothesis that FUS has an important function at the NMJ, and challenge the ‘loss of nuclear function’ hypothesis for disease pathogenesis in the FUS-opathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva So
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience
| | | | | | - George Chennell
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience.,Wohl Cellular Imaging Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Gema Vizcay-Barrena
- Centre for Ultrastructural Imaging, King's College London, New Hunts House, Guy's Campus, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Leanne Allison
- Centre for Ultrastructural Imaging, King's College London, New Hunts House, Guy's Campus, London SE1 1UL, UK
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50
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Wadman RI, Jansen MD, Curial CAD, Groen EJN, Stam M, Wijngaarde CA, Medic J, Sodaar P, van Eijk KR, Huibers MMH, van Kuik J, Lemmink HH, van Rheenen W, Veldink JH, van den Berg LH, van der Pol WL. Analysis of FUS, PFN2, TDP-43, and PLS3 as potential disease severity modifiers in spinal muscular atrophy. NEUROLOGY-GENETICS 2019; 6:e386. [PMID: 32042914 PMCID: PMC6975178 DOI: 10.1212/nxg.0000000000000386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Objective To investigate mutations in genes that are potential modifiers of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) severity. Methods We performed a hypothesis-based search into the presence of variants in fused in sarcoma (FUS), transactive response DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43), plastin 3 (PLS3), and profilin 2 (PFN2) in a cohort of 153 patients with SMA types 1–4, including 19 families. Variants were detected with targeted next-generation sequencing and confirmed with Sanger sequencing. Functional effects of the identified variants were analyzed in silico and for PLS3, by analyzing expression levels in peripheral blood. Results We identified 2 exonic variants in FUS exons 5 and 6 (p.R216C and p.S135N) in 2 unrelated patients, but clinical effects were not evident. We identified 8 intronic variants in PLS3 in 33 patients. Five PLS3 variants (c.1511+82T>C; c.748+130 G>A; c.367+182C>T; c.891-25T>C (rs145269469); c.1355+17A>G (rs150802596)) potentially alter exonic splice silencer or exonic splice enhancer sites. The variant c.367+182C>T, but not RNA expression levels, corresponded with a more severe phenotype in 1 family. However, this variant or level of PLS3 expression did not consistently correspond with a milder or more severe phenotype in other families or the overall cohort. We found 3 heterozygous, intronic variants in PFN2 and TDP-43 with no correlation with clinical phenotype or effects on splicing. Conclusions PLS3 and FUS sequence variants do not modify SMA severity at the population level. Specific variants in individual patients or families do not consistently correlate with disease severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renske I Wadman
- Department of Neurology (R.I.W., M.D.J., C.A.D.C., E.J.N.G., M.S., C.A.W., J.M., P.S., K.R.E., W.R., J.H.V., L.H.B., W.L.P.), Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht; Department of Pathology (M.M.H.H., J.K.), University Medical Center Utrecht; Department of Genetics (M.M.H.H.), University Medical Center Utrecht; and Department of Genetics (H.H.L.), University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Marc D Jansen
- Department of Neurology (R.I.W., M.D.J., C.A.D.C., E.J.N.G., M.S., C.A.W., J.M., P.S., K.R.E., W.R., J.H.V., L.H.B., W.L.P.), Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht; Department of Pathology (M.M.H.H., J.K.), University Medical Center Utrecht; Department of Genetics (M.M.H.H.), University Medical Center Utrecht; and Department of Genetics (H.H.L.), University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Chantall A D Curial
- Department of Neurology (R.I.W., M.D.J., C.A.D.C., E.J.N.G., M.S., C.A.W., J.M., P.S., K.R.E., W.R., J.H.V., L.H.B., W.L.P.), Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht; Department of Pathology (M.M.H.H., J.K.), University Medical Center Utrecht; Department of Genetics (M.M.H.H.), University Medical Center Utrecht; and Department of Genetics (H.H.L.), University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ewout J N Groen
- Department of Neurology (R.I.W., M.D.J., C.A.D.C., E.J.N.G., M.S., C.A.W., J.M., P.S., K.R.E., W.R., J.H.V., L.H.B., W.L.P.), Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht; Department of Pathology (M.M.H.H., J.K.), University Medical Center Utrecht; Department of Genetics (M.M.H.H.), University Medical Center Utrecht; and Department of Genetics (H.H.L.), University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Marloes Stam
- Department of Neurology (R.I.W., M.D.J., C.A.D.C., E.J.N.G., M.S., C.A.W., J.M., P.S., K.R.E., W.R., J.H.V., L.H.B., W.L.P.), Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht; Department of Pathology (M.M.H.H., J.K.), University Medical Center Utrecht; Department of Genetics (M.M.H.H.), University Medical Center Utrecht; and Department of Genetics (H.H.L.), University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Camiel A Wijngaarde
- Department of Neurology (R.I.W., M.D.J., C.A.D.C., E.J.N.G., M.S., C.A.W., J.M., P.S., K.R.E., W.R., J.H.V., L.H.B., W.L.P.), Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht; Department of Pathology (M.M.H.H., J.K.), University Medical Center Utrecht; Department of Genetics (M.M.H.H.), University Medical Center Utrecht; and Department of Genetics (H.H.L.), University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jelena Medic
- Department of Neurology (R.I.W., M.D.J., C.A.D.C., E.J.N.G., M.S., C.A.W., J.M., P.S., K.R.E., W.R., J.H.V., L.H.B., W.L.P.), Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht; Department of Pathology (M.M.H.H., J.K.), University Medical Center Utrecht; Department of Genetics (M.M.H.H.), University Medical Center Utrecht; and Department of Genetics (H.H.L.), University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Peter Sodaar
- Department of Neurology (R.I.W., M.D.J., C.A.D.C., E.J.N.G., M.S., C.A.W., J.M., P.S., K.R.E., W.R., J.H.V., L.H.B., W.L.P.), Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht; Department of Pathology (M.M.H.H., J.K.), University Medical Center Utrecht; Department of Genetics (M.M.H.H.), University Medical Center Utrecht; and Department of Genetics (H.H.L.), University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Kristel R van Eijk
- Department of Neurology (R.I.W., M.D.J., C.A.D.C., E.J.N.G., M.S., C.A.W., J.M., P.S., K.R.E., W.R., J.H.V., L.H.B., W.L.P.), Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht; Department of Pathology (M.M.H.H., J.K.), University Medical Center Utrecht; Department of Genetics (M.M.H.H.), University Medical Center Utrecht; and Department of Genetics (H.H.L.), University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Manon M H Huibers
- Department of Neurology (R.I.W., M.D.J., C.A.D.C., E.J.N.G., M.S., C.A.W., J.M., P.S., K.R.E., W.R., J.H.V., L.H.B., W.L.P.), Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht; Department of Pathology (M.M.H.H., J.K.), University Medical Center Utrecht; Department of Genetics (M.M.H.H.), University Medical Center Utrecht; and Department of Genetics (H.H.L.), University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Joyce van Kuik
- Department of Neurology (R.I.W., M.D.J., C.A.D.C., E.J.N.G., M.S., C.A.W., J.M., P.S., K.R.E., W.R., J.H.V., L.H.B., W.L.P.), Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht; Department of Pathology (M.M.H.H., J.K.), University Medical Center Utrecht; Department of Genetics (M.M.H.H.), University Medical Center Utrecht; and Department of Genetics (H.H.L.), University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Henny H Lemmink
- Department of Neurology (R.I.W., M.D.J., C.A.D.C., E.J.N.G., M.S., C.A.W., J.M., P.S., K.R.E., W.R., J.H.V., L.H.B., W.L.P.), Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht; Department of Pathology (M.M.H.H., J.K.), University Medical Center Utrecht; Department of Genetics (M.M.H.H.), University Medical Center Utrecht; and Department of Genetics (H.H.L.), University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Wouter van Rheenen
- Department of Neurology (R.I.W., M.D.J., C.A.D.C., E.J.N.G., M.S., C.A.W., J.M., P.S., K.R.E., W.R., J.H.V., L.H.B., W.L.P.), Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht; Department of Pathology (M.M.H.H., J.K.), University Medical Center Utrecht; Department of Genetics (M.M.H.H.), University Medical Center Utrecht; and Department of Genetics (H.H.L.), University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Herman Veldink
- Department of Neurology (R.I.W., M.D.J., C.A.D.C., E.J.N.G., M.S., C.A.W., J.M., P.S., K.R.E., W.R., J.H.V., L.H.B., W.L.P.), Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht; Department of Pathology (M.M.H.H., J.K.), University Medical Center Utrecht; Department of Genetics (M.M.H.H.), University Medical Center Utrecht; and Department of Genetics (H.H.L.), University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Leonard H van den Berg
- Department of Neurology (R.I.W., M.D.J., C.A.D.C., E.J.N.G., M.S., C.A.W., J.M., P.S., K.R.E., W.R., J.H.V., L.H.B., W.L.P.), Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht; Department of Pathology (M.M.H.H., J.K.), University Medical Center Utrecht; Department of Genetics (M.M.H.H.), University Medical Center Utrecht; and Department of Genetics (H.H.L.), University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - W Ludo van der Pol
- Department of Neurology (R.I.W., M.D.J., C.A.D.C., E.J.N.G., M.S., C.A.W., J.M., P.S., K.R.E., W.R., J.H.V., L.H.B., W.L.P.), Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht; Department of Pathology (M.M.H.H., J.K.), University Medical Center Utrecht; Department of Genetics (M.M.H.H.), University Medical Center Utrecht; and Department of Genetics (H.H.L.), University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands
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