101
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Abstract
Temporal and spatial patterns of pathological changes such as loss of neurons and presence of pathological protein aggregates are characteristic of neurodegenerative diseases such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Frontotemporal Dementia, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. These patterns are consistent with the propagation of protein misfolding and aggregation reminiscent of the prion diseases. There is a surge of evidence that suggests that large protein aggregates of a range of proteins are able to enter cells via macropinocytosis. Our recent work suggests that this process is activated by the binding of aggregates to the neuron cell surface. The current review considers the potential role of cell surface receptors in the triggering of macropinocytosis by protein aggregates and the possibility of utilizing macropinocytosis pathways as a therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin J Yerbury
- a Proteostasis and Disease Research Center, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health , University of Wollongong , Wollongong , Australia ; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute , Wollongong , Australia
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102
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Huang TY, Zhao Y, Jiang LL, Li X, Liu Y, Sun Y, Piña-Crespo JC, Zhu B, Masliah E, Willnow TE, Pasquale EB, Xu H. SORLA attenuates EphA4 signaling and amyloid β-induced neurodegeneration. J Exp Med 2017; 214:3669-3685. [PMID: 29114064 PMCID: PMC5716044 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20171413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2017] [Revised: 09/12/2017] [Accepted: 09/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Sortilin-related receptor with LDLR class A repeats (SORLA, SORL1, or LR11) is a genetic risk factor associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although SORLA is known to regulate trafficking of the amyloid β (Aβ) precursor protein to decrease levels of proteotoxic Aβ oligomers, whether SORLA can counteract synaptic dysfunction induced by Aβ oligomers remains unclear. Here, we show that SORLA interacts with the EphA4 receptor tyrosine kinase and attenuates ephrinA1 ligand-induced EphA4 clustering and activation to limit downstream effects of EphA4 signaling in neurons. Consistent with these findings, SORLA transgenic mice, compared with WT mice, exhibit decreased EphA4 activation and redistribution to postsynaptic densities, with milder deficits in long-term potentiation and memory induced by Aβ oligomers. Importantly, we detected elevated levels of active EphA4 in human AD brains, where EphA4 activation is inversely correlated with SORLA/EphA4 association. These results demonstrate a novel role for SORLA as a physiological and pathological EphA4 modulator, which attenuates synaptotoxic EphA4 activation and cognitive impairment associated with Aβ-induced neurodegeneration in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Y Huang
- Neuroscience Initiative, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA
| | - Yingjun Zhao
- Neuroscience Initiative, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA
| | - Lu-Lin Jiang
- Neuroscience Initiative, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA
| | - Xiaoguang Li
- Neuroscience Initiative, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA
| | - Yan Liu
- Neuroscience Initiative, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA.,Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease and Aging Research, Institute of Neuroscience, Medical College, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Yu Sun
- Neuroscience Initiative, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA
| | - Juan C Piña-Crespo
- Neuroscience Initiative, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA
| | - Bing Zhu
- Neuroscience Initiative, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA
| | - Eliezer Masliah
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA.,Department of Neuroscience, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | | | - Elena B Pasquale
- Neuroscience Initiative, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA.,Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Huaxi Xu
- Neuroscience Initiative, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA .,Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease and Aging Research, Institute of Neuroscience, Medical College, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
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103
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Tyzack GE, Hall CE, Sibley CR, Cymes T, Forostyak S, Carlino G, Meyer IF, Schiavo G, Zhang SC, Gibbons GM, Newcombe J, Patani R, Lakatos A. A neuroprotective astrocyte state is induced by neuronal signal EphB1 but fails in ALS models. Nat Commun 2017; 8:1164. [PMID: 29079839 PMCID: PMC5660125 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-01283-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2016] [Accepted: 09/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Astrocyte responses to neuronal injury may be beneficial or detrimental to neuronal recovery, but the mechanisms that determine these different responses are poorly understood. Here we show that ephrin type-B receptor 1 (EphB1) is upregulated in injured motor neurons, which in turn can activate astrocytes through ephrin-B1-mediated stimulation of signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3). Transcriptional analysis shows that EphB1 induces a protective and anti-inflammatory signature in astrocytes, partially linked to the STAT3 network. This is distinct from the response evoked by interleukin (IL)-6 that is known to induce both pro inflammatory and anti-inflammatory processes. Finally, we demonstrate that the EphB1-ephrin-B1 pathway is disrupted in human stem cell derived astrocyte and mouse models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Our work identifies an early neuronal help-me signal that activates a neuroprotective astrocytic response, which fails in ALS, and therefore represents an attractive therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia E Tyzack
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, E.D. Adrian Building, Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0PY, UK
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Claire E Hall
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Christopher R Sibley
- Division of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, Burlington Danes Building Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Tomasz Cymes
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, E.D. Adrian Building, Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0PY, UK
| | - Serhiy Forostyak
- Institute of Experimental Medicine ASCR and Charles University in Prague, Department of Neuroscience, Videnská 1083, Prague 4, 142 20, Czech Republic
| | - Giulia Carlino
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Ione F Meyer
- Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience & Movement Disorders, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Giampietro Schiavo
- Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience & Movement Disorders, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Su-Chun Zhang
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin, 1500 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - George M Gibbons
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, E.D. Adrian Building, Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0PY, UK
| | - Jia Newcombe
- Department of Neuroinflammation, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 1PJ, UK
| | - Rickie Patani
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK.
| | - András Lakatos
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, E.D. Adrian Building, Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0PY, UK.
- Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK.
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104
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Schultz J, Lee SJ, Cole T, Hoang HD, Vibbert J, Cottee PA, Miller MA, Han SM. The secreted MSP domain of C. elegans VAPB homolog VPR-1 patterns the adult striated muscle mitochondrial reticulum via SMN-1. Development 2017. [PMID: 28634272 PMCID: PMC5482996 DOI: 10.1242/dev.152025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The major sperm protein domain (MSPd) has an extracellular signaling function implicated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Secreted MSPds derived from the C. elegans VAPB homolog VPR-1 promote mitochondrial localization to actin-rich I-bands in body wall muscle. Here we show that the nervous system and germ line are key MSPd secretion tissues. MSPd signals are transduced through the CLR-1 Lar-like tyrosine phosphatase receptor. We show that CLR-1 is expressed throughout the muscle plasma membrane, where it is accessible to MSPd within the pseudocoelomic fluid. MSPd signaling is sufficient to remodel the muscle mitochondrial reticulum during adulthood. An RNAi suppressor screen identified survival of motor neuron 1 (SMN-1) as a downstream effector. SMN-1 acts in muscle, where it colocalizes at myofilaments with ARX-2, a component of the Arp2/3 actin-nucleation complex. Genetic studies suggest that SMN-1 promotes Arp2/3 activity important for localizing mitochondria to I-bands. Our results support the model that VAPB homologs are circulating hormones that pattern the striated muscle mitochondrial reticulum. This function is crucial in adults and requires SMN-1 in muscle, likely independent of its role in pre-mRNA splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Schultz
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Se-Jin Lee
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Tim Cole
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Hieu D Hoang
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Jack Vibbert
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Pauline A Cottee
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Michael A Miller
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Sung Min Han
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
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105
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Gelfman S, Wang Q, McSweeney KM, Ren Z, La Carpia F, Halvorsen M, Schoch K, Ratzon F, Heinzen EL, Boland MJ, Petrovski S, Goldstein DB. Annotating pathogenic non-coding variants in genic regions. Nat Commun 2017; 8:236. [PMID: 28794409 PMCID: PMC5550444 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-00141-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2016] [Accepted: 06/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying the underlying causes of disease requires accurate interpretation of genetic variants. Current methods ineffectively capture pathogenic non-coding variants in genic regions, resulting in overlooking synonymous and intronic variants when searching for disease risk. Here we present the Transcript-inferred Pathogenicity (TraP) score, which uses sequence context alterations to reliably identify non-coding variation that causes disease. High TraP scores single out extremely rare variants with lower minor allele frequencies than missense variants. TraP accurately distinguishes known pathogenic and benign variants in synonymous (AUC = 0.88) and intronic (AUC = 0.83) public datasets, dismissing benign variants with exceptionally high specificity. TraP analysis of 843 exomes from epilepsy family trios identifies synonymous variants in known epilepsy genes, thus pinpointing risk factors of disease from non-coding sequence data. TraP outperforms leading methods in identifying non-coding variants that are pathogenic and is therefore a valuable tool for use in gene discovery and the interpretation of personal genomes. While non-coding synonymous and intronic variants are often not under strong selective constraint, they can be pathogenic through affecting splicing or transcription. Here, the authors develop a score that uses sequence context alterations to predict pathogenicity of synonymous and non-coding genetic variants, and provide a web server of pre-computed scores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahar Gelfman
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, 10032, USA. .,Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, 10032, USA.
| | - Quanli Wang
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, 10032, USA.,Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, 10032, USA
| | - K Melodi McSweeney
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, 10032, USA.,Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, 10032, USA
| | - Zhong Ren
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, 10032, USA.,Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, 10032, USA
| | - Francesca La Carpia
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, 10032, USA
| | - Matt Halvorsen
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, 10032, USA.,Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, 10032, USA
| | - Kelly Schoch
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Health System, Durham, North Carolina, 27705, USA
| | - Fanni Ratzon
- Department of Pathology, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York, New York, 10075, USA
| | - Erin L Heinzen
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, 10032, USA.,Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, 10032, USA
| | - Michael J Boland
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, 10032, USA.,Department of Neurology, Columbia University, New York, New York, 10032, USA
| | - Slavé Petrovski
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, 10032, USA.,Department of Medicine, Austin Health and Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, 3050, Australia
| | - David B Goldstein
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, 10032, USA.,Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, 10032, USA
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106
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Atomic structure of a toxic, oligomeric segment of SOD1 linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:8770-8775. [PMID: 28760994 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1705091114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Fibrils and oligomers are the aggregated protein agents of neuronal dysfunction in ALS diseases. Whereas we now know much about fibril architecture, atomic structures of disease-related oligomers have eluded determination. Here, we determine the corkscrew-like structure of a cytotoxic segment of superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) in its oligomeric state. Mutations that prevent formation of this structure eliminate cytotoxicity of the segment in isolation as well as cytotoxicity of the ALS-linked mutants of SOD1 in primary motor neurons and in a Danio rerio (zebrafish) model of ALS. Cytotoxicity assays suggest that toxicity is a property of soluble oligomers, and not large insoluble aggregates. Our work adds to evidence that the toxic oligomeric entities in protein aggregation diseases contain antiparallel, out-of-register β-sheet structures and identifies a target for structure-based therapeutics in ALS.
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107
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Pegg CL, Cooper LT, Zhao J, Gerometta M, Smith FM, Yeh M, Bartlett PF, Gorman JJ, Boyd AW. Glycoengineering of EphA4 Fc leads to a unique, long-acting and broad spectrum, Eph receptor therapeutic antagonist. Sci Rep 2017; 7:6519. [PMID: 28747680 PMCID: PMC5529513 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-06685-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2017] [Accepted: 06/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Eph receptors have emerged as targets for therapy in both neoplastic and non-neoplastic disease, however, particularly in non-neoplastic diseases, redundancy of function limits the effectiveness of targeting individual Eph proteins. We have shown previously that a soluble fusion protein, where the EphA4 ectodomain was fused to IgG Fc (EphA4 Fc), was an effective therapy in acute injuries and demonstrated that EphA4 Fc was a broad spectrum Eph/ephrin antagonist. However, a very short in vivo half-life effectively limited its therapeutic development. We report a unique glycoengineering approach to enhance the half-life of EphA4 Fc. Progressive deletion of three demonstrated N-linked sites in EphA4 progressively increased in vivo half-life such that the triple mutant protein showed dramatically improved pharmacokinetic characteristics. Importantly, protein stability, affinity for ephrin ligands and antagonism of cell expressed EphA4 was fully preserved, enabling it to be developed as a broad spectrum Eph/ephrin antagonist for use in both acute and chronic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra L Pegg
- Protein Discovery Centre, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland, 4006, Australia.
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Queensland, 4072, Australia.
| | - Leanne T Cooper
- Leukaemia Foundation Research Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland, 4006, Australia
| | - Jing Zhao
- Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Michael Gerometta
- Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Fiona M Smith
- Leukaemia Foundation Research Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland, 4006, Australia
| | - Michael Yeh
- The Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, Queensland, 4006, Australia
| | - Perry F Bartlett
- Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Jeffrey J Gorman
- Protein Discovery Centre, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland, 4006, Australia
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Andrew W Boyd
- Leukaemia Foundation Research Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Queensland, 4006, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, Queensland, 4006, Australia
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108
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Lall D, Baloh RH. Microglia and C9orf72 in neuroinflammation and ALS and frontotemporal dementia. J Clin Invest 2017; 127:3250-3258. [PMID: 28737506 DOI: 10.1172/jci90607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a degenerative disorder that is characterized by loss of motor neurons and shows clinical, pathological, and genetic overlap with frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Activated microglia are a universal feature of ALS/FTD pathology; however, their role in disease pathogenesis remains incompletely understood. The recent discovery that ORF 72 on chromosome 9 (C9orf72), the gene most commonly mutated in ALS/FTD, has an important role in myeloid cells opened the possibility that altered microglial function plays an active role in disease. This Review highlights the contribution of microglia to ALS/FTD pathogenesis, discusses the connection between autoimmunity and ALS/FTD, and explores the possibility that C9orf72 and other ALS/FTD genes may have a "dual effect" on both neuronal and myeloid cell function that could explain a shared propensity for altered systemic immunity and neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepti Lall
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute and
| | - Robert H Baloh
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute and.,Department of Neurology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
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109
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert H Brown
- From the Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester (R.H.B.); and the Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, King's College London, London (A.A.-C.)
| | - Ammar Al-Chalabi
- From the Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester (R.H.B.); and the Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, King's College London, London (A.A.-C.)
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110
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Fan R, Enkhjargal B, Camara R, Yan F, Gong L, ShengtaoYao, Tang J, Chen Y, Zhang JH. Critical role of EphA4 in early brain injury after subarachnoid hemorrhage in rat. Exp Neurol 2017; 296:41-48. [PMID: 28698029 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2017.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2017] [Revised: 06/07/2017] [Accepted: 07/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Early brain injury (EBI) is reported as a primary cause of mortality in subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) patients. Eph receptor A4 (EphA4) has been associated with blood-brain barrier integrity and pro-apoptosis. We aimed to investigate a role of EphA4 in EBI after SAH. One hundred and seventy-nine male adult Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham versus endovascular perforation model of SAH groups. SAH grade, neurological score, Evans blue dye extravasation, brain water content, mortality, Fluoro-Jade staining, immunofluorescence staining, and western blot experiments were performed after SAH. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) for EphA4, recombinant Ephexin-1 (rEphx-1), and Fasudil, a potent ROCK2 inhibitor, were used for intervention to study a role of EphA4 on EBI after SAH. The expression of EphA4, Ephexin-1, RhoA, and ROCK2 significantly increased after SAH. Knockdown of EphA4 using EphA4 siRNA injection intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v) reduced Evans blue extravasation, decreased brain water content, and alleviated neurobehavioral dysfunction after SAH. Additionally, the expression of Ephexin-1, RhoA, ROCK2 and cleaved caspase-3 were decreased. Tight junction proteins increased, and apoptotic neuron death decreased. The effects of EphA4 siRNA were abolished by rEphx-1. In contrast, Fasudil abolished the effects of rEphx-1. These results suggest that EphA4, a novel and promising target for treatment, exacerbates EBI through an Ephexin-1/ROCK2 pathway after SAH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiming Fan
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92354, United States
| | - Budbazar Enkhjargal
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92354, United States
| | - Richard Camara
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92354, United States
| | - Feng Yan
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92354, United States
| | - Lei Gong
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92354, United States
| | - ShengtaoYao
- Department of cerebrovascular, the Affiliated Hospital, Zunyi Medical University, Guizhou 563000, China
| | - Jiping Tang
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92354, United States
| | - Yangmei Chen
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China.
| | - John H Zhang
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92354, United States; Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, 92354, United States; Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92354, United States.
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111
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Nijssen J, Comley LH, Hedlund E. Motor neuron vulnerability and resistance in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Acta Neuropathol 2017; 133:863-885. [PMID: 28409282 PMCID: PMC5427160 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-017-1708-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 196] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2017] [Revised: 03/29/2017] [Accepted: 04/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
In the fatal disease-amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)-upper (corticospinal) motor neurons (MNs) and lower somatic MNs, which innervate voluntary muscles, degenerate. Importantly, certain lower MN subgroups are relatively resistant to degeneration, even though pathogenic proteins are typically ubiquitously expressed. Ocular MNs (OMNs), including the oculomotor, trochlear and abducens nuclei (CNIII, IV and VI), which regulate eye movement, persist throughout the disease. Consequently, eye-tracking devices are used to enable paralysed ALS patients (who can no longer speak) to communicate. Additionally, there is a gradient of vulnerability among spinal MNs. Those innervating fast-twitch muscle are most severely affected and degenerate first. MNs innervating slow-twitch muscle can compensate temporarily for the loss of their neighbours by re-innervating denervated muscle until later in disease these too degenerate. The resistant OMNs and the associated extraocular muscles (EOMs) are anatomically and functionally very different from other motor units. The EOMs have a unique set of myosin heavy chains, placing them outside the classical characterization spectrum of all skeletal muscle. Moreover, EOMs have multiple neuromuscular innervation sites per single myofibre. Spinal fast and slow motor units show differences in their dendritic arborisations and the number of myofibres they innervate. These motor units also differ in their functionality and excitability. Identifying the molecular basis of cell-intrinsic pathways that are differentially activated between resistant and vulnerable MNs could reveal mechanisms of selective neuronal resistance, degeneration and regeneration and lead to therapies preventing progressive MN loss in ALS. Illustrating this, overexpression of OMN-enriched genes in spinal MNs, as well as suppression of fast spinal MN-enriched genes can increase the lifespan of ALS mice. Here, we discuss the pattern of lower MN degeneration in ALS and review the current literature on OMN resistance in ALS and differential spinal MN vulnerability. We also reflect upon the non-cell autonomous components that are involved in lower MN degeneration in ALS.
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112
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Imamura K, Izumi Y, Watanabe A, Tsukita K, Woltjen K, Yamamoto T, Hotta A, Kondo T, Kitaoka S, Ohta A, Tanaka A, Watanabe D, Morita M, Takuma H, Tamaoka A, Kunath T, Wray S, Furuya H, Era T, Makioka K, Okamoto K, Fujisawa T, Nishitoh H, Homma K, Ichijo H, Julien JP, Obata N, Hosokawa M, Akiyama H, Kaneko S, Ayaki T, Ito H, Kaji R, Takahashi R, Yamanaka S, Inoue H. The Src/c-Abl pathway is a potential therapeutic target in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Sci Transl Med 2017; 9:eaaf3962. [PMID: 28539470 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aaf3962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 165] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2015] [Revised: 02/04/2016] [Accepted: 12/13/2016] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal disease causing progressive loss of motor neurons, still has no effective treatment. We developed a phenotypic screen to repurpose existing drugs using ALS motor neuron survival as readout. Motor neurons were generated from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from an ALS patient with a mutation in superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1). Results of the screen showed that more than half of the hits targeted the Src/c-Abl signaling pathway. Src/c-Abl inhibitors increased survival of ALS iPSC-derived motor neurons in vitro. Knockdown of Src or c-Abl with small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) also rescued ALS motor neuron degeneration. One of the hits, bosutinib, boosted autophagy, reduced the amount of misfolded mutant SOD1 protein, and attenuated altered expression of mitochondrial genes. Bosutinib also increased survival in vitro of ALS iPSC-derived motor neurons from patients with sporadic ALS or other forms of familial ALS caused by mutations in TAR DNA binding protein (TDP-43) or repeat expansions in C9orf72 Furthermore, bosutinib treatment modestly extended survival of a mouse model of ALS with an SOD1 mutation, suggesting that Src/c-Abl may be a potentially useful target for developing new drugs to treat ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keiko Imamura
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Yuishin Izumi
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Akira Watanabe
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Kayoko Tsukita
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Knut Woltjen
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
- Hakubi Center for Advanced Research, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Takuya Yamamoto
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
- Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Akitsu Hotta
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
- Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
- Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology (PRESTO), Japan Science and Technology Agency, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
| | - Takayuki Kondo
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Shiho Kitaoka
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Akira Ohta
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Akito Tanaka
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Dai Watanabe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Mitsuya Morita
- Division of Neurology, Department of Internal Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi 329-0498, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Takuma
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8575, Japan
| | - Akira Tamaoka
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8575, Japan
| | - Tilo Kunath
- MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, 5 Little France Drive, Edinburgh EH16 4UU, UK
| | - Selina Wray
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, University College London Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Hirokazu Furuya
- Department of Neurology, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Kochi 783-8505, Japan
| | - Takumi Era
- Department of Cell Modulation, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-0811, Japan
| | - Kouki Makioka
- Department of Neurology, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi 371-8511, Japan
| | - Koichi Okamoto
- Geriatrics Research Institute and Hospital, Maebashi 371-0847, Japan
| | - Takao Fujisawa
- Cell Signaling, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Hideki Nishitoh
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki 889-1601, Japan
| | - Kengo Homma
- Cell Signaling, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Hidenori Ichijo
- Cell Signaling, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Jean-Pierre Julien
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Research Centre of Mental Health Institute of Quebec (IUSMQ), Laval University, Québec, Canada
| | - Nanako Obata
- Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 2-1-6 Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan
| | - Masato Hosokawa
- Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 2-1-6 Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan
| | - Haruhiko Akiyama
- Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 2-1-6 Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan
| | - Satoshi Kaneko
- Department of Neurology, Kansai Medical University, Hirakata 573-1191, Japan
| | - Takashi Ayaki
- Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Hidefumi Ito
- Department of Neurology, Wakayama Medical University, Kimiidera, Wakayama 641-8509, Japan
| | - Ryuji Kaji
- Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Ryosuke Takahashi
- Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Shinya Yamanaka
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
- Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Haruhisa Inoue
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.
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113
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Schoonaert L, Rué L, Roucourt B, Timmers M, Little S, Chávez-Gutiérrez L, Dewilde M, Joyce P, Curnock A, Weber P, Haustraete J, Hassanzadeh-Ghassabeh G, De Strooper B, Van Den Bosch L, Van Damme P, Lemmens R, Robberecht W. Identification and characterization of Nanobodies targeting the EphA4 receptor. J Biol Chem 2017; 292:11452-11465. [PMID: 28526745 PMCID: PMC5500810 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m116.774141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2017] [Revised: 05/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The ephrin receptor A4 (EphA4) is one of the receptors in the ephrin system that plays a pivotal role in a variety of cell-cell interactions, mostly studied during development. In addition, EphA4 has been found to play a role in cancer biology as well as in the pathogenesis of several neurological disorders such as stroke, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and Alzheimer's disease. Pharmacological blocking of EphA4 has been suggested to be a therapeutic strategy for these disorders. Therefore, the aim of our study was to generate potent and selective Nanobodies against the ligand-binding domain of the human EphA4 receptor. We identified two Nanobodies, Nb 39 and Nb 53, that bind EphA4 with affinities in the nanomolar range. These Nanobodies were most selective for EphA4, with residual binding to EphA7 only. Using Alphascreen technology, we found that both Nanobodies displaced all known EphA4-binding ephrins from the receptor. Furthermore, Nb 39 and Nb 53 inhibited ephrin-induced phosphorylation of the EphA4 protein in a cell-based assay. Finally, in a cortical neuron primary culture, both Nanobodies were able to inhibit endogenous EphA4-mediated growth-cone collapse induced by ephrin-B3. Our results demonstrate the potential of Nanobodies to target the ligand-binding domain of EphA4. These Nanobodies may deserve further evaluation as potential therapeutics in disorders in which EphA4-mediated signaling plays a role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lies Schoonaert
- From the KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Research Institute for Neuroscience and Disease (LIND), 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, Center for Brain and Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Laura Rué
- From the KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Research Institute for Neuroscience and Disease (LIND), 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, Center for Brain and Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bart Roucourt
- KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Laboratory for Signal Integration in Cell Fate Decision, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mieke Timmers
- From the KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Research Institute for Neuroscience and Disease (LIND), 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, Center for Brain and Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Susan Little
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals (Europe) Ltd., Biology Department, OX14 4RW Abingdon, United Kingdom
| | - Lucía Chávez-Gutiérrez
- VIB, Center for Brain and Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences and Leuven Research Institute for Neuroscience and Disease (LIND), 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Maarten Dewilde
- VIB, Center for Brain and Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences and Leuven Research Institute for Neuroscience and Disease (LIND), 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Peter Joyce
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals (Europe) Ltd., Biology Department, OX14 4RW Abingdon, United Kingdom
| | - Adam Curnock
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals (Europe) Ltd., Biology Department, OX14 4RW Abingdon, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Weber
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals (Europe) Ltd., Biology Department, OX14 4RW Abingdon, United Kingdom
| | - Jurgen Haustraete
- Protein Service Facility, Inflammation Research Center, VIB, Ghent University, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Bart De Strooper
- VIB, Center for Brain and Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences and Leuven Research Institute for Neuroscience and Disease (LIND), 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,Institute of Neurology, University College London, WC1E 6BT London, United Kingdom, and
| | - Ludo Van Den Bosch
- From the KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Research Institute for Neuroscience and Disease (LIND), 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, Center for Brain and Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Philip Van Damme
- From the KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Research Institute for Neuroscience and Disease (LIND), 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, Center for Brain and Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,University Hospitals Leuven, Department of Neurology, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Robin Lemmens
- From the KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Research Institute for Neuroscience and Disease (LIND), 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,VIB, Center for Brain and Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,University Hospitals Leuven, Department of Neurology, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Wim Robberecht
- From the KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Research Institute for Neuroscience and Disease (LIND), 3000 Leuven, Belgium, .,University Hospitals Leuven, Department of Neurology, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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114
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Corcia P, Couratier P, Blasco H, Andres C, Beltran S, Meininger V, Vourc’h P. Genetics of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Rev Neurol (Paris) 2017; 173:254-262. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurol.2017.03.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2016] [Accepted: 03/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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115
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Kim DY, Yu J, Mui RK, Niibori R, Taufique HB, Aslam R, Semple JW, Cordes SP. The tyrosine kinase receptor Tyro3 enhances lifespan and neuropeptide Y (Npy) neuron survival in the mouse anorexia ( anx) mutation. Dis Model Mech 2017; 10:581-595. [PMID: 28093506 PMCID: PMC5451163 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.027433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2016] [Accepted: 12/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe appetite and weight loss define the eating disorder anorexia nervosa, and can also accompany the progression of some neurodegenerative disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Although acute loss of hypothalamic neurons that produce appetite-stimulating neuropeptide Y (Npy) and agouti-related peptide (Agrp) in adult mice or in mice homozygous for the anorexia (anx) mutation causes aphagia, our understanding of the factors that help maintain appetite regulatory circuitry is limited. Here we identify a mutation (C19T) that converts an arginine to a tryptophan (R7W) in the TYRO3 protein tyrosine kinase 3 (Tyro3) gene, which resides within the anx critical interval, as contributing to the severity of anx phenotypes. Our observation that, like Tyro3-/- mice, anx/anx mice exhibit abnormal secondary platelet aggregation suggested that the C19T Tyro3 variant might have functional consequences. Tyro3 is expressed in the hypothalamus and other brain regions affected by the anx mutation, and its mRNA localization appeared abnormal in anx/anx brains by postnatal day 19 (P19). The presence of wild-type Tyro3 transgenes, but not an R7W-Tyro3 transgene, doubled the weight and lifespans of anx/anx mice and near-normal numbers of hypothalamic Npy-expressing neurons were present in Tyro3-transgenic anx/anx mice at P19. Although no differences in R7W-Tyro3 signal sequence function or protein localization were discernible in vitro, distribution of R7W-Tyro3 protein differed from that of Tyro3 protein in the cerebellum of transgenic wild-type mice. Thus, R7W-Tyro3 protein localization deficits are only detectable in vivo Further analyses revealed that the C19T Tyro3 mutation is present in a few other mouse strains, and hence is not the causative anx mutation, but rather an anx modifier. Our work shows that Tyro3 has prosurvival roles in the appetite regulatory circuitry and could also provide useful insights towards the development of interventions targeting detrimental weight loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis Y Kim
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Room 876, Mount Sinai Hospital, 600 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1X5, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, 1 King's Crescent, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Joanna Yu
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Room 876, Mount Sinai Hospital, 600 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1X5, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, 1 King's Crescent, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Ryan K Mui
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Room 876, Mount Sinai Hospital, 600 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1X5, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, 1 King's Crescent, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Rieko Niibori
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Room 876, Mount Sinai Hospital, 600 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1X5, Canada
| | - Hamza Bin Taufique
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Room 876, Mount Sinai Hospital, 600 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1X5, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, 1 King's Crescent, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Rukhsana Aslam
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, St. Michaels Hospital, Toronto, ON M5B 1W8, Canada
- Canadian Blood Services, 67 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 2M1, Canada
| | - John W Semple
- Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, St. Michaels Hospital, Toronto, ON M5B 1W8, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada
- Canadian Blood Services, 67 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 2M1, Canada
| | - Sabine P Cordes
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Room 876, Mount Sinai Hospital, 600 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1X5, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, 1 King's Crescent, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
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116
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Hogan AL, Don EK, Rayner SL, Lee A, Laird AS, Watchon M, Winnick C, Tarr IS, Morsch M, Fifita JA, Gwee SSL, Formella I, Hortle E, Yuan KC, Molloy MP, Williams KL, Nicholson GA, Chung RS, Blair IP, Cole NJ. Expression of ALS/FTD-linked mutant CCNF in zebrafish leads to increased cell death in the spinal cord and an aberrant motor phenotype. Hum Mol Genet 2017; 26:2616-2626. [DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddx136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2017] [Accepted: 03/29/2017] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
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117
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Filareti M, Luotti S, Pasetto L, Pignataro M, Paolella K, Messina P, Pupillo E, Filosto M, Lunetta C, Mandrioli J, Fuda G, Calvo A, Chiò A, Corbo M, Bendotti C, Beghi E, Bonetto V. Decreased Levels of Foldase and Chaperone Proteins Are Associated with an Early-Onset Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Front Mol Neurosci 2017; 10:99. [PMID: 28428745 PMCID: PMC5382314 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2017.00099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2017] [Accepted: 03/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by a progressive upper and lower motor neuron degeneration. One of the peculiar clinical characteristics of ALS is the wide distribution in age of onset, which is probably caused by different combinations of intrinsic and exogenous factors. We investigated whether these modifying factors are converging into common pathogenic pathways leading either to an early or a late disease onset. This would imply the identification of phenotypic biomarkers, that can distinguish the two populations of ALS patients, and of relevant pathways to consider in a therapeutic intervention. Toward this aim a differential proteomic analysis was performed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from a group of 16 ALS patients with an age of onset ≤55 years and a group of 16 ALS patients with an age of onset ≥75 years, and matched healthy controls. We identified 43 differentially expressed proteins in the two groups of patients. Gene ontology analysis revealed that there was a significant enrichment in annotations associated with protein folding and response to stress. We next validated a selected number of proteins belonging to this functional group in 85 patients and 83 age- and sex-matched healthy controls using immunoassays. The results of the validation study confirmed that there was a decreased level of peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase A (also known as cyclophilin A), heat shock protein HSP 90-alpha, 78 kDa glucose-regulated protein (also known as BiP) and protein deglycase DJ-1 in PBMC of ALS patients with an early onset. Similar results were obtained in PBMC and spinal cord from two SOD1G93A mouse models with an early and late disease onset. This study suggests that a different ability to upregulate proteins involved in proteostasis, such as foldase and chaperone proteins, may be at the basis of a different susceptibility to ALS, putting forward the development of therapeutic approaches aiming at boosting the protein quality control system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melania Filareti
- Istituto Di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS)Milan, Italy.,Department of Neurorehabilitation Sciences, Casa Cura PoliclinicoMilan, Italy
| | - Silvia Luotti
- Istituto Di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS)Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Pasetto
- Istituto Di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS)Milan, Italy
| | - Mauro Pignataro
- Istituto Di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS)Milan, Italy
| | - Katia Paolella
- Istituto Di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS)Milan, Italy
| | - Paolo Messina
- Istituto Di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS)Milan, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Pupillo
- Istituto Di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS)Milan, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Filosto
- Center for Neuromuscular Diseases and Neuropathies, Unit of Neurology, ASST Spedali Civili and University of BresciaBrescia, Italy
| | | | - Jessica Mandrioli
- Department of Neuroscience, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria di Modena, Ospedale Civile S. Agostino-EstenseModena, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Fuda
- ALS Center, Department of Neuroscience Rita Levi Montalcini, University of TorinoTorino, Italy
| | - Andrea Calvo
- ALS Center, Department of Neuroscience Rita Levi Montalcini, University of TorinoTorino, Italy
| | - Adriano Chiò
- ALS Center, Department of Neuroscience Rita Levi Montalcini, University of TorinoTorino, Italy
| | - Massimo Corbo
- Department of Neurorehabilitation Sciences, Casa Cura PoliclinicoMilan, Italy
| | - Caterina Bendotti
- Istituto Di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS)Milan, Italy
| | - Ettore Beghi
- Istituto Di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS)Milan, Italy
| | - Valentina Bonetto
- Istituto Di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS)Milan, Italy
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118
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Genome-wide RNA-seq of iPSC-derived motor neurons indicates selective cytoskeletal perturbation in Brown-Vialetto disease that is partially rescued by riboflavin. Sci Rep 2017; 7:46271. [PMID: 28382968 PMCID: PMC5382781 DOI: 10.1038/srep46271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2017] [Accepted: 03/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Riboflavin is essential in numerous cellular oxidation/reduction reactions but is not synthesized by mammalian cells. Riboflavin absorption occurs through the human riboflavin transporters RFVT1 and RFVT3 in the intestine and RFVT2 in the brain. Mutations in these genes are causative for the Brown–Vialetto–Van Laere (BVVL), childhood-onset syndrome characterized by a variety of cranial nerve palsies as well as by spinal cord motor neuron (MN) degeneration. Why mutations in RFVTs result in a neural cell–selective disorder is unclear. As a novel tool to gain insights into the pathomechanisms underlying the disease, we generated MNs from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from BVVL patients as an in vitro disease model. BVVL-MNs explained a reduction in axon elongation, partially improved by riboflavin supplementation. RNA sequencing profiles and protein studies of the cytoskeletal structures showed a perturbation in the neurofilament composition in BVVL-MNs. Furthermore, exploring the autophagy–lysosome pathway, we observed a reduced autophagic/mitophagic flux in patient MNs. These features represent emerging pathogenetic mechanisms in BVVL-associated neurodegeneration, partially rescued by riboflavin supplementation. Our data showed that this therapeutic strategy could have some limits in rescuing all of the disease features, suggesting the need to develop complementary novel therapeutic strategies.
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119
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Wu B, De SK, Kulinich A, Salem AF, Koeppen J, Wang R, Barile E, Wang S, Zhang D, Ethell I, Pellecchia M. Potent and Selective EphA4 Agonists for the Treatment of ALS. Cell Chem Biol 2017; 24:293-305. [PMID: 28196613 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2017.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2016] [Revised: 09/16/2016] [Accepted: 01/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive degenerative disease that affects motor neurons. Recent studies identified the receptor tyrosine kinase EphA4 as a disease-modifying gene that is critical for the progression of motor neuron degeneration. We report on the design and characterization of a family of EphA4 targeting agents that bind to its ligand binding domain with nanomolar affinity. The molecules exhibit excellent selectivity and display efficacy in a SOD1 mutant mouse model of ALS. Interestingly, the molecules appear to act as agonists for the receptor in certain surrogate cellular assays. While the exact mechanisms responsible for the therapeutic effect of the new agonists remain to be elucidated, we believe that the described agent represents both an invaluable pharmacological tool to further decipher the role of the EphA4 in ALS and potentially other human diseases, and a significant stepping stone for the development of novel treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bainan Wu
- Sanford-Burnham-Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, 10901 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Surya K De
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Anna Kulinich
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Ahmed F Salem
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Jordan Koeppen
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Rengang Wang
- Sanford-Burnham-Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, 10901 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Brain Development, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92090, USA
| | - Elisa Barile
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Si Wang
- Sanford-Burnham-Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, 10901 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Dongxiang Zhang
- Sanford-Burnham-Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, 10901 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Iryna Ethell
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Maurizio Pellecchia
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
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120
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Zhao J, Boyd AW, Bartlett PF. The identification of a novel isoform of EphA4 and ITS expression in SOD1 G93A mice. Neuroscience 2017; 347:11-21. [PMID: 28153688 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.01.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2016] [Revised: 01/18/2017] [Accepted: 01/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by the degeneration of motor neurons, leading to progressive muscle atrophy and fatal paralysis. Mutations in more than 20 genes, including full-length EphA4 (EphA4-FL), have been implicated in this pathogenesis. The present study aimed to identify novel isoforms of EphA4-FL and to investigate the expression of EphA4-FL and its isoforms in the superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) mutant mouse model of ALS. Two novel transcripts were verified in mouse and humans. In transfected cells, both transcripts could be translated into proteins, which respectively contained the N- and C-termini of EphA4-FL, referred as EphA4-N and EphA4-C. EphA4-N, which was expressed on the surface of transfected cells, was shown to act as a dominant negative receptor by significantly suppressing the activation of EphA4-FL in vitro. The expression of both EphA4-FL and EphA4-N was significantly higher in the nervous tissue of SOD1G93A compared to wild-type mice suggesting that both forms are modulated during the disease process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhao
- Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Qld 4072, Australia
| | - Andrew W Boyd
- School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Qld 4072, Australia; QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Qld 4006, Australia
| | - Perry F Bartlett
- Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Qld 4072, Australia.
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121
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Copy Number Variations in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Piecing the Mosaic Tiles Together through a Systems Biology Approach. Mol Neurobiol 2017; 55:1299-1322. [PMID: 28120152 PMCID: PMC5820374 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-017-0393-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2016] [Accepted: 01/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating and still untreatable motor neuron disease. Despite the molecular mechanisms underlying ALS pathogenesis that are still far from being understood, several studies have suggested the importance of a genetic contribution in both familial and sporadic forms of the disease. In addition to single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which account for only a limited number of ALS cases, a consistent number of common and rare copy number variations (CNVs) have been associated to ALS. Most of the CNV-based association studies use a traditional candidate-gene approach that is inadequate for uncovering the genetic architectures of complex traits like ALS. The emergent paradigm of “systems biology” may offer a new perspective to better interpret the wide spectrum of CNVs in ALS, enabling the characterization of the complex network of gene products underlying ALS pathogenesis. In this review, we will explore the landscape of CNVs in ALS, putting specific emphasis on the functional impact of common CNV regions and genes consistently associated with increased risk of developing disease. In addition, we will discuss the potential contribution of multiple rare CNVs in ALS pathogenesis, focusing our attention on the complex mechanisms by which these proteins might impact, individually or in combination, the genetic susceptibility of ALS. The comprehensive detection and functional characterization of common and rare candidate risk CNVs in ALS susceptibility may bring new pieces into the intricate mosaic of ALS pathogenesis, providing interesting and important implications for a more precise molecular biomarker-assisted diagnosis and more effective and personalized treatments.
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122
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Rozas P, Bargsted L, Martínez F, Hetz C, Medinas DB. The ER proteostasis network in ALS: Determining the differential motoneuron vulnerability. Neurosci Lett 2017; 636:9-15. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2016.04.066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2016] [Revised: 04/17/2016] [Accepted: 04/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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123
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Taylor JP, Brown RH, Cleveland DW. Decoding ALS: from genes to mechanism. Nature 2016; 539:197-206. [PMID: 27830784 DOI: 10.1038/nature20413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1359] [Impact Index Per Article: 169.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2016] [Accepted: 09/13/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive and uniformly fatal neurodegenerative disease. A plethora of genetic factors have been identified that drive the degeneration of motor neurons in ALS, increase susceptibility to the disease or influence the rate of its progression. Emerging themes include dysfunction in RNA metabolism and protein homeostasis, with specific defects in nucleocytoplasmic trafficking, the induction of stress at the endoplasmic reticulum and impaired dynamics of ribonucleoprotein bodies such as RNA granules that assemble through liquid-liquid phase separation. Extraordinary progress in understanding the biology of ALS provides new reasons for optimism that meaningful therapies will be identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Paul Taylor
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, USA
| | - Robert H Brown
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01655, USA
| | - Don W Cleveland
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
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124
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Coyne AN, Zarnescu DC. A Helping Hand: RNA-Binding Proteins Guide Gene-Binding Choices by Cohesin Complexes. PLoS Genet 2016; 12:e1006419. [PMID: 27855157 PMCID: PMC5147772 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa N. Coyne
- Departments of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Neuroscience and Neurology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Daniela C. Zarnescu
- Departments of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Neuroscience and Neurology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
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125
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Gaastra B, Shatunov A, Pulit S, Jones AR, Sproviero W, Gillett A, Chen Z, Kirby J, Fogh I, Powell JF, Leigh PN, Morrison KE, Shaw PJ, Shaw CE, van den Berg LH, Veldink JH, Lewis CM, Al-Chalabi A. Rare genetic variation in UNC13A may modify survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2016; 17:593-599. [PMID: 27584932 PMCID: PMC5125285 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2016.1213852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2016] [Revised: 05/31/2016] [Accepted: 06/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Our objective was to identify whether rare genetic variation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) candidate survival genes modifies ALS survival. Candidate genes were selected based on evidence for modifying ALS survival. Each tail of the extreme 1.5% of survival was selected from the UK MND DNA Bank and all samples available underwent whole genome sequencing. A replication set from the Netherlands was used for validation. Sequences of candidate survival genes were extracted and variants passing quality control with a minor allele frequency ≤0.05 were selected for association testing. Analysis was by burden testing using SKAT. Candidate survival genes UNC13A, KIFAP3, and EPHA4 were tested for association in a UK sample comprising 25 short survivors and 25 long survivors. Results showed that only SNVs in UNC13A were associated with survival (p = 6.57 × 10-3). SNV rs10419420:G > A was found exclusively in long survivors (3/25) and rs4808092:G > A exclusively in short survivors (4/25). These findings were not replicated in a Dutch sample. In conclusion, population specific rare variants of UNC13A may modulate survival in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Gaastra
- Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience,
London,
UK
| | - Aleksey Shatunov
- Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience,
London,
UK
| | - Sara Pulit
- University Medical Centre Utrecht,
Utrecht,
The Netherlands
| | - Ashley R. Jones
- Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience,
London,
UK
| | - William Sproviero
- Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience,
London,
UK
| | - Alexandra Gillett
- Department of Statistical Genetics, King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience,
London, UK
| | - Zhongbo Chen
- Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience,
London,
UK
| | - Janine Kirby
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience,
Sheffield, UK
| | - Isabella Fogh
- Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience,
London,
UK
| | - John F. Powell
- Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience,
London,
UK
| | | | | | - Pamela J. Shaw
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience,
Sheffield, UK
| | - Christopher E. Shaw
- Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience,
London,
UK
| | | | - Jan H. Veldink
- University Medical Centre Utrecht,
Utrecht,
The Netherlands
| | - Cathryn M. Lewis
- Department of Statistical Genetics, King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience,
London, UK
| | - Ammar Al-Chalabi
- Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience,
London,
UK
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126
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Takano H, Nakamura T, Tsuchikawa T, Kushibiki T, Hontani K, Inoko K, Takahashi M, Sato S, Abe H, Takeuchi S, Sato N, Hiraoka K, Nishihara H, Shichinohe T, Hirano S. Inhibition of Eph receptor A4 by 2,5-dimethylpyrrolyl benzoic acid suppresses human pancreatic cancer growing orthotopically in nude mice. Oncotarget 2016; 6:41063-76. [PMID: 26516928 PMCID: PMC4747390 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.5729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2015] [Accepted: 09/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Ephrin receptor A4 (EphA4) is overexpressed in human pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and activate cell growth. Recent studies have identified small molecules that block EphA4. In this study, we investigated the correlation between EphA4 expression and the prognosis of patients with PDAC. We also examined the cytostatic efficacy of 2,5-dimethylpyrrolyl benzoic acid (compound 1), a small molecule that blocks EphA4, in PDAC cells. Overall survival of patients with EphA4 positivity was significantly shorter than that of patients with EphA4 negativity (P = 0.029). In addition, multivariate analysis revealed that EphA4 expression was an independent prognostic factor in PDAC patients (P = 0.039). Compound 1 showed a cytostatic efficacy in PDAC cells expressing EphA4 in vitro and in vivo. Our study indicated that compound 1 suppressed both EphA4 and Akt phosphorylations, and induced apoptosis in PDAC cells expressing EphA4. In conclusion,compound 1 has a high potential as a therapeutic agent for patients with PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hironobu Takano
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery II, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan
| | - Toru Nakamura
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery II, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan
| | - Takahiro Tsuchikawa
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery II, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan
| | - Toshihiro Kushibiki
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery II, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan
| | - Kouji Hontani
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery II, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan
| | - Kazuho Inoko
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery II, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan
| | - Mizuna Takahashi
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery II, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan
| | - Shoki Sato
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery II, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan
| | - Hirotake Abe
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery II, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan
| | - Shintaro Takeuchi
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery II, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan
| | - Nagato Sato
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery II, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan
| | - Kei Hiraoka
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery II, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Nishihara
- Department of Translational Pathology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan
| | - Toshiaki Shichinohe
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery II, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan
| | - Satoshi Hirano
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery II, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan
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127
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Olson EJ, Lechtenberg BC, Zhao C, de la Torre ER, Lamberto I, Riedl SJ, Dawson PE, Pasquale EB. Modifications of a Nanomolar Cyclic Peptide Antagonist for the EphA4 Receptor To Achieve High Plasma Stability. ACS Med Chem Lett 2016; 7:841-6. [PMID: 27660688 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.6b00132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2016] [Accepted: 06/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
EphA4 is a receptor tyrosine kinase with a critical role in repulsive axon guidance and synaptic function. However, aberrant EphA4 activity can inhibit neural repair after injury and exacerbate neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Alzheimer's. We previously identified the cyclic peptide APY-d2 (APYCVYRβASWSC-nh2, containing a disulfide bond) as a potent and selective EphA4 antagonist. However, APY-d2 lacks sufficient plasma stability to be useful for EphA4 inhibition in vivo through peripheral administration. Using structure-activity relationship studies, we show that protecting the peptide N-terminus from proteolytic degradation dramatically increases the persistence of the active peptide in plasma and that a positively charged peptide N-terminus is essential for high EphA4 binding affinity. Among several improved APY-d2 derivatives, the cyclic peptides APY-d3 (βAPYCVYRβASWSC-nh2) and APY-d4 (βAPYCVYRβAEWEC-nh2) combine high stability in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid with slightly enhanced potency. These properties make them valuable research tools and leads toward development of therapeutics for neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika J. Olson
- Departments
of Chemistry and Cell and Molecular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Bernhard C. Lechtenberg
- Cancer
Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Chunxia Zhao
- Cancer
Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Elena Rubio de la Torre
- Cancer
Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Ilaria Lamberto
- Cancer
Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Stefan J. Riedl
- Cancer
Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Philip E. Dawson
- Departments
of Chemistry and Cell and Molecular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Elena B. Pasquale
- Cancer
Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
- Pathology
Department, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
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128
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Watanabe H, Atsuta N, Hirakawa A, Nakamura R, Nakatochi M, Ishigaki S, Iida A, Ikegawa S, Kubo M, Yokoi D, Watanabe H, Ito M, Katsuno M, Izumi Y, Morita M, Kanai K, Taniguchi A, Aiba I, Abe K, Mizoguchi K, Oda M, Kano O, Okamoto K, Kuwabara S, Hasegawa K, Imai T, Kawata A, Aoki M, Tsuji S, Nakashima K, Kaji R, Sobue G. A rapid functional decline type of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is linked to low expression of TTN. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2016; 87:851-8. [PMID: 26746183 DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2015-311541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2015] [Accepted: 11/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To classify the patterns of functional decline in patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and explore the genetic backgrounds that modified these patterns. METHODS We included 465 patients with sporadic ALS in the analysis and clustered the longitudinal functional scores in the registered patients, using a mixture approach of a non-linear mixed-effects model. We conducted a genome-wide analysis of 572 983 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). We then assessed the association between the clusters of longitudinal functional scores and SNPs. RESULTS We identified the following four clusters of longitudinal functional decline in the cases: a rapid decline cluster, an intermediate decline cluster, a sigmoidal decline cluster and a moderate decline cluster. We identified seven SNPs associated with the rapid decline cluster, using a recessive model (p=3.47-8.34×10(-8)). The OR for the probabilities of the rapid decline cluster ranged from 5.5 to 5.84. Homozygosity for the minor alleles in the seven SNPs, which constituted a linkage disequilibrium (LD) block, was associated with decreased expression of TTN (encoding Titin, a large sarcomere protein) in the expression quantitative trait loci database of a large-scale Japanese genetic variation database (p=8.6×10(-10)-1.1×10(-7)). TTN expression in immortalised lymphocyte lines was decreased in patients who were homozygous for the minor alleles compared with those who were homozygous for the major alleles (n=19 in each group, p=0.002). CONCLUSIONS We detected an LD block associated with a rapid functional decline in patients with sporadic ALS, which is linked to decreased expression of TTN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hazuki Watanabe
- Department of Neurology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Naoki Atsuta
- Department of Neurology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Akihiro Hirakawa
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Section, Center for Advanced Medicine and Clinical Research, Nagoya University Hospital, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Ryoichi Nakamura
- Department of Neurology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Masahiro Nakatochi
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Section, Center for Advanced Medicine and Clinical Research, Nagoya University Hospital, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Ishigaki
- Department of Neurology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Aritoshi Iida
- Laboratory for Bone and Joint Diseases, Center for Integrative Medical Science, RIKEN, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shiro Ikegawa
- Laboratory for Bone and Joint Diseases, Center for Integrative Medical Science, RIKEN, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Michiaki Kubo
- Laboratory for Genotyping Development, Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, RIKEN, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Daichi Yokoi
- Department of Neurology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Hirohisa Watanabe
- Department of Neurology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Mizuki Ito
- Department of Neurology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Masahisa Katsuno
- Department of Neurology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Yuishin Izumi
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Health Biosciences, University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Mitsuya Morita
- Division of Neurology, Department of Internal Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Kazuaki Kanai
- Department of Neurology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akira Taniguchi
- Department of Neurology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Japan
| | - Ikuko Aiba
- Department of Neurology, National Hospital Organization, Higashinagoya National Hospital, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Koji Abe
- Department of Neurology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Okayama, Japan
| | - Koichi Mizoguchi
- Department of Neurology, National Hospital Organization, Shizuoka-Fuji National Hospital, Fujinomiya, Japan
| | - Masaya Oda
- Department of Neurology, Vihara Hananosato Hospital, Miyoshi, Japan
| | - Osamu Kano
- Department of Neurology, Toho University Omori Medical Center, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Koichi Okamoto
- Department of Neurology, Geriatrics Research Institute, Maebashi, Japan
| | - Satoshi Kuwabara
- Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Kazuko Hasegawa
- Division of Neurology, National Hospital Organization, Sagamihara National Hospital, Sagamihara, Japan
| | - Takashi Imai
- Division of Neurology, National Hospital Organization, Miyagi National Hospital, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Akihiro Kawata
- Department of Neurology, Tokyo Metropolitan Neurological Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masashi Aoki
- Department of Neurology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Shoji Tsuji
- Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kenji Nakashima
- Division of Neurology, Department of Brain and Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago, Japan
| | - Ryuji Kaji
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Health Biosciences, University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Gen Sobue
- Department of Neurology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
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129
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Fogh I, Lin K, Tiloca C, Rooney J, Gellera C, Diekstra FP, Ratti A, Shatunov A, van Es MA, Proitsi P, Jones A, Sproviero W, Chiò A, McLaughlin RL, Sorarù G, Corrado L, Stahl D, Del Bo R, Cereda C, Castellotti B, Glass JD, Newhouse S, Dobson R, Smith BN, Topp S, van Rheenen W, Meininger V, Melki J, Morrison KE, Shaw PJ, Leigh PN, Andersen PM, Comi GP, Ticozzi N, Mazzini L, D'Alfonso S, Traynor BJ, Van Damme P, Robberecht W, Brown RH, Landers JE, Hardiman O, Lewis CM, van den Berg LH, Shaw CE, Veldink JH, Silani V, Al-Chalabi A, Powell J. Association of a Locus in the CAMTA1 Gene With Survival in Patients With Sporadic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. JAMA Neurol 2016; 73:812-20. [PMID: 27244217 PMCID: PMC5556366 DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2016.1114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating adult-onset neurodegenerative disorder with a poor prognosis and a median survival of 3 years. However, a significant proportion of patients survive more than 10 years from symptom onset. OBJECTIVE To identify gene variants influencing survival in ALS. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This genome-wide association study (GWAS) analyzed survival in data sets from several European countries and the United States that were collected by the Italian Consortium for the Genetics of ALS and the International Consortium on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Genetics. The study population included 4256 patients with ALS (3125 [73.4%] deceased) with genotype data extended to 7 174 392 variants by imputation analysis. Samples of DNA were collected from January 1, 1993, to December 31, 2009, and analyzed from March 1, 2014, to February 28, 2015. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Cox proportional hazards regression under an additive model with adjustment for age at onset, sex, and the first 4 principal components of ancestry, followed by meta-analysis, were used to analyze data. Survival distributions for the most associated genetic variants were assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis. RESULTS Among the 4256 patients included in the analysis (2589 male [60.8%] and 1667 female [39.2%]; mean [SD] age at onset, 59 [12] years), the following 2 novel loci were significantly associated with ALS survival: at 10q23 (rs139550538; P = 1.87 × 10-9) and in the CAMTA1 gene at 1p36 (rs2412208, P = 3.53 × 10-8). At locus 10q23, the adjusted hazard ratio for patients with the rs139550538 AA or AT genotype was 1.61 (95% CI, 1.38-1.89; P = 1.87 × 10-9), corresponding to an 8-month reduction in survival compared with TT carriers. For rs2412208 CAMTA1, the adjusted hazard ratio for patients with the GG or GT genotype was 1.17 (95% CI, 1.11-1.24; P = 3.53 × 10-8), corresponding to a 4-month reduction in survival compared with TT carriers. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This GWAS robustly identified 2 loci at genome-wide levels of significance that influence survival in patients with ALS. Because ALS is a rare disease and prevention is not feasible, treatment that modifies survival is the most realistic strategy. Therefore, identification of modifier genes that might influence ALS survival could improve the understanding of the biology of the disease and suggest biological targets for pharmaceutical intervention. In addition, genetic risk scores for survival could be used as an adjunct to clinical trials to account for the genetic contribution to survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella Fogh
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, England
| | - Kuang Lin
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, England
| | - Cinzia Tiloca
- Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milano, Italy
| | - James Rooney
- Academic Unit of Neurology, Trinity College Dublin, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Cinzia Gellera
- Unit of Genetics of Neurodegenerative and Metabolic Diseases, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milano, Italy
| | - Frank P Diekstra
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Antonia Ratti
- Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milano, Italy6Department of Pathophysiology and Tranplantation, Dino Ferrari Center, Università degli Studi d
| | - Aleksey Shatunov
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, England
| | - Michael A van Es
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Petroula Proitsi
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, England
| | - Ashley Jones
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, England
| | - William Sproviero
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, England
| | - Adriano Chiò
- Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) Centre, University of Torino, Turin, Italy8Azienda Ospedaliera Città della Salute e della Scienza, Torino, Italy
| | - Russell Lewis McLaughlin
- Population Genetics Laboratory, Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Gianni Sorarù
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - Lucia Corrado
- Department of Health Sciences, Interdisciplinary Research Center of Autoimmune Diseases, A. Avogadro University, Novara, Italy
| | - Daniel Stahl
- Department of Biostatistics, IoPPN, King's College London, London, England
| | - Roberto Del Bo
- Neurologic Unit, IRCCS Foundation Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Cereda
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurobiology, IRCCS C. Mondino National Institute of Neurology Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Barbara Castellotti
- Unit of Genetics of Neurodegenerative and Metabolic Diseases, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milano, Italy
| | | | - Steven Newhouse
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health, IoPPN, King's College London, London, England17Department of Biostatistics, IoPPN, King's College London, London, England
| | - Richard Dobson
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health, IoPPN, King's College London, London, England18NIHR Biomedical Research Unit in Dementia, King's College London, London, England
| | - Bradley N Smith
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, England
| | - Simon Topp
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, England
| | - Wouter van Rheenen
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Vincent Meininger
- Département des Maladies du Système Nerveux, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Réseau SLA (Sclérose Latérale) Île de France, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Judith Melki
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Medicale Unité Mixte de Recherché-788 and University of Paris 11, Bicetre Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Karen E Morrison
- School of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, College of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, England22Neurosciences Division, University Hospitals Birmingham National Health Service Foundation Trust, Birmingham, England
| | - Pamela J Shaw
- Academic Neurology Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, England
| | - P Nigel Leigh
- Section of Neurology, Division of Medicine, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Trafford Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Sussex, East Sussex, England
| | - Peter M Andersen
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany26Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Giacomo P Comi
- Neurologic Unit, IRCCS Foundation Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Nicola Ticozzi
- Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milano, Italy6Department of Pathophysiology and Tranplantation, Dino Ferrari Center, Università degli Studi d
| | - Letizia Mazzini
- Department of Health Sciences, Interdisciplinary Research Center of Autoimmune Diseases, A. Avogadro University, Novara, Italy27ALS Center Department of Neurology, Maggiore della Carità University Hospital, Novara, Italy
| | - Sandra D'Alfonso
- Department of Health Sciences, Interdisciplinary Research Center of Autoimmune Diseases, A. Avogadro University, Novara, Italy
| | - Bryan J Traynor
- Neuromuscular Diseases Research Section, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Philip Van Damme
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, Flanders Instititue for Biotechnology, Vesalius Research Center, Laboratory of Neurobiology, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium30Department of Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven
| | - Wim Robberecht
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, Flanders Instititue for Biotechnology, Vesalius Research Center, Laboratory of Neurobiology, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Robert H Brown
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester
| | - John E Landers
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester
| | - Orla Hardiman
- Population Genetics Laboratory, Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Cathryn M Lewis
- IoPPN Genomics and Biomarker Core, Translational Genetics Group, Medical Research Council Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, King's College London, London, England33Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, King's College London, Lon
| | - Leonard H van den Berg
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Christopher E Shaw
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, England
| | - Jan H Veldink
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Vincenzo Silani
- Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milano, Italy6Department of Pathophysiology and Tranplantation, Dino Ferrari Center, Università degli Studi d
| | - Ammar Al-Chalabi
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, England
| | - John Powell
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, England
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Zufiría M, Gil-Bea FJ, Fernández-Torrón R, Poza JJ, Muñoz-Blanco JL, Rojas-García R, Riancho J, López de Munain A. ALS: A bucket of genes, environment, metabolism and unknown ingredients. Prog Neurobiol 2016; 142:104-129. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2016.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2015] [Revised: 03/22/2016] [Accepted: 05/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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131
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Complementary Roles of GADD34- and CReP-Containing Eukaryotic Initiation Factor 2α Phosphatases during the Unfolded Protein Response. Mol Cell Biol 2016; 36:1868-80. [PMID: 27161320 DOI: 10.1128/mcb.00190-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2016] [Accepted: 04/27/2016] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (eIF2α) controls transcriptome-wide changes in mRNA translation in stressed cells. While phosphorylated eIF2α (P-eIF2α) attenuates global protein synthesis, mRNAs encoding stress proteins are more efficiently translated. Two eIF2α phosphatases, containing GADD34 and CReP, catalyze P-eIF2α dephosphorylation. The current view of GADD34, whose transcription is stress induced, is that it functions in a feedback loop to resolve cell stress. In contrast, CReP, which is constitutively expressed, controls basal P-eIF2α levels in unstressed cells. Our studies show that GADD34 drives substantial changes in mRNA translation in unstressed cells, particularly targeting the secretome. Following activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR), rapid translation of GADD34 mRNA occurs and GADD34 is essential for UPR progression. In the absence of GADD34, eIF2α phosphorylation is persistently enhanced and the UPR translational program is significantly attenuated. This "stalled" UPR is relieved by the subsequent activation of compensatory mechanisms that include AKT-mediated suppression of PKR-like kinase (PERK) and increased expression of CReP mRNA, partially restoring protein synthesis. Our studies highlight the coordinate regulation of UPR by the GADD34- and CReP-containing eIF2α phosphatases to control cell viability.
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132
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Korecka J, Levy S, Isacson O. In vivo modeling of neuronal function, axonal impairment and connectivity in neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders using induced pluripotent stem cells. Mol Cell Neurosci 2016; 73:3-12. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2015.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2015] [Revised: 12/04/2015] [Accepted: 12/08/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
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Scekic-Zahirovic J, Sendscheid O, El Oussini H, Jambeau M, Sun Y, Mersmann S, Wagner M, Dieterlé S, Sinniger J, Dirrig-Grosch S, Drenner K, Birling MC, Qiu J, Zhou Y, Li H, Fu XD, Rouaux C, Shelkovnikova T, Witting A, Ludolph AC, Kiefer F, Storkebaum E, Lagier-Tourenne C, Dupuis L. Toxic gain of function from mutant FUS protein is crucial to trigger cell autonomous motor neuron loss. EMBO J 2016; 35:1077-97. [PMID: 26951610 PMCID: PMC4868956 DOI: 10.15252/embj.201592559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 171] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2015] [Revised: 01/28/2016] [Accepted: 02/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
FUS is an RNA-binding protein involved in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Cytoplasmic FUS-containing aggregates are often associated with concomitant loss of nuclear FUS Whether loss of nuclear FUS function, gain of a cytoplasmic function, or a combination of both lead to neurodegeneration remains elusive. To address this question, we generated knockin mice expressing mislocalized cytoplasmic FUS and complete FUS knockout mice. Both mouse models display similar perinatal lethality with respiratory insufficiency, reduced body weight and length, and largely similar alterations in gene expression and mRNA splicing patterns, indicating that mislocalized FUS results in loss of its normal function. However, FUS knockin mice, but not FUS knockout mice, display reduced motor neuron numbers at birth, associated with enhanced motor neuron apoptosis, which can be rescued by cell-specific CRE-mediated expression of wild-type FUS within motor neurons. Together, our findings indicate that cytoplasmic FUS mislocalization not only leads to nuclear loss of function, but also triggers motor neuron death through a toxic gain of function within motor neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Scekic-Zahirovic
- Faculté de Médecine, INSERM U1118, Strasbourg, France Université de Strasbourg UMR_S1118, Strasbourg, France
| | - Oliver Sendscheid
- Molecular Neurogenetics Laboratory, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Muenster, Germany Faculty of Medicine, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Hajer El Oussini
- Faculté de Médecine, INSERM U1118, Strasbourg, France Université de Strasbourg UMR_S1118, Strasbourg, France
| | - Mélanie Jambeau
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego La Jolla, CA, USA Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Ying Sun
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego La Jolla, CA, USA Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Sina Mersmann
- Molecular Neurogenetics Laboratory, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Muenster, Germany Faculty of Medicine, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Marina Wagner
- Molecular Neurogenetics Laboratory, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Muenster, Germany Faculty of Medicine, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Stéphane Dieterlé
- Faculté de Médecine, INSERM U1118, Strasbourg, France Université de Strasbourg UMR_S1118, Strasbourg, France
| | - Jérome Sinniger
- Faculté de Médecine, INSERM U1118, Strasbourg, France Université de Strasbourg UMR_S1118, Strasbourg, France
| | - Sylvie Dirrig-Grosch
- Faculté de Médecine, INSERM U1118, Strasbourg, France Université de Strasbourg UMR_S1118, Strasbourg, France
| | - Kevin Drenner
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego La Jolla, CA, USA Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - Jinsong Qiu
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Yu Zhou
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Hairi Li
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Xiang-Dong Fu
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Caroline Rouaux
- Faculté de Médecine, INSERM U1118, Strasbourg, France Université de Strasbourg UMR_S1118, Strasbourg, France
| | | | - Anke Witting
- Department of Neurology University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Friedemann Kiefer
- Mammalian Cell Signaling Laboratory, Department of Vascular Cell Biology, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Muenster, Germany
| | - Erik Storkebaum
- Molecular Neurogenetics Laboratory, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Muenster, Germany Faculty of Medicine, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Clotilde Lagier-Tourenne
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego La Jolla, CA, USA Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Luc Dupuis
- Faculté de Médecine, INSERM U1118, Strasbourg, France Université de Strasbourg UMR_S1118, Strasbourg, France
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Differential neuronal vulnerability identifies IGF-2 as a protective factor in ALS. Sci Rep 2016; 6:25960. [PMID: 27180807 PMCID: PMC4867585 DOI: 10.1038/srep25960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2016] [Accepted: 04/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The fatal disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by the loss of somatic motor neurons leading to muscle wasting and paralysis. However, motor neurons in the oculomotor nucleus, controlling eye movement, are for unknown reasons spared. We found that insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF-2) was maintained in oculomotor neurons in ALS and thus could play a role in oculomotor resistance in this disease. We also showed that IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R), which mediates survival pathways upon IGF binding, was highly expressed in oculomotor neurons and on extraocular muscle endplate. The addition of IGF-2 induced Akt phosphorylation, glycogen synthase kinase-3β phosphorylation and β-catenin levels while protecting ALS patient motor neurons. IGF-2 also rescued motor neurons derived from spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) patients from degeneration. Finally, AAV9::IGF-2 delivery to muscles of SOD1G93A ALS mice extended life-span by 10%, while preserving motor neurons and inducing motor axon regeneration. Thus, our studies demonstrate that oculomotor-specific expression can be utilized to identify candidates that protect vulnerable motor neurons from degeneration.
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135
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Stoica L, Todeasa SH, Cabrera GT, Salameh JS, ElMallah MK, Mueller C, Brown RH, Miguel SE. Adeno-associated virus-delivered artificial microRNA extends survival and delays paralysis in an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis mouse model. Ann Neurol 2016; 79:687-700. [PMID: 26891182 PMCID: PMC5374859 DOI: 10.1002/ana.24618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2015] [Revised: 02/09/2016] [Accepted: 02/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by loss of motor neurons, resulting in progressive muscle weakness, paralysis, and death within 5 years of diagnosis. About 10% of cases are inherited, of which 20% are due to mutations in the superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) gene. Riluzole, the only US Food and Drug Administration-approved ALS drug, prolongs survival by only a few months. Experiments in transgenic ALS mouse models have shown decreasing levels of mutant SOD1 protein as a potential therapeutic approach. We sought to develop an efficient adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated RNAi gene therapy for ALS. METHODS A single-stranded AAV9 vector encoding an artificial microRNA against human SOD1 was injected into the cerebral lateral ventricles of neonatal SOD1(G93A) mice, and impact on disease progression and survival was assessed. RESULTS This therapy extended median survival by 50% and delayed hindlimb paralysis, with animals remaining ambulatory until the humane endpoint, which was due to rapid body weight loss. AAV9-treated SOD1(G93A) mice showed reduction of mutant human SOD1 mRNA levels in upper and lower motor neurons and significant improvements in multiple parameters including the numbers of spinal motor neurons, diameter of ventral root axons, and extent of neuroinflammation in the SOD1(G93A) spinal cord. Mice also showed previously unexplored changes in pulmonary function, with AAV9-treated SOD1(G93A) mice displaying a phenotype reminiscent of patient pathophysiology. INTERPRETATION These studies clearly demonstrate that an AAV9-delivered SOD1-specific artificial microRNA is an effective and translatable therapeutic approach for ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorelei Stoica
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Sophia H. Todeasa
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Gabriela Toro Cabrera
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Johnny S. Salameh
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Mai K. ElMallah
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Christian Mueller
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Robert H. Brown
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Sena-Esteves Miguel
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
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Nikolakopoulou AM, Koeppen J, Garcia M, Leish J, Obenaus A, Ethell IM. Astrocytic Ephrin-B1 Regulates Synapse Remodeling Following Traumatic Brain Injury. ASN Neuro 2016; 8:1-18. [PMID: 26928051 PMCID: PMC4774052 DOI: 10.1177/1759091416630220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2015] [Accepted: 12/31/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can result in tissue alterations distant from the site of the initial injury, which can trigger pathological changes within hippocampal circuits and are thought to contribute to long-term cognitive and neuropsychological impairments. However, our understanding of secondary injury mechanisms is limited. Astrocytes play an important role in brain repair after injury and astrocyte-mediated mechanisms that are implicated in synapse development are likely important in injury-induced synapse remodeling. Our studies suggest a new role of ephrin-B1, which is known to regulate synapse development in neurons, in astrocyte-mediated synapse remodeling following TBI. Indeed, we observed a transient upregulation of ephrin-B1 immunoreactivity in hippocampal astrocytes following moderate controlled cortical impact model of TBI. The upregulation of ephrin-B1 levels in hippocampal astrocytes coincided with a decline in the number of vGlut1-positive glutamatergic input to CA1 neurons at 3 days post injury even in the absence of hippocampal neuron loss. In contrast, tamoxifen-induced ablation of ephrin-B1 from adult astrocytes in ephrin-B1loxP/yERT2-CreGFAP mice accelerated the recovery of vGlut1-positive glutamatergic input to CA1 neurons after TBI. Finally, our studies suggest that astrocytic ephrin-B1 may play an active role in injury-induced synapse remodeling through the activation of STAT3-mediated signaling in astrocytes. TBI-induced upregulation of STAT3 phosphorylation within the hippocampus was suppressed by astrocyte-specific ablation of ephrin-B1 in vivo, whereas the activation of ephrin-B1 in astrocytes triggered an increase in STAT3 phosphorylation in vitro. Thus, regulation of ephrin-B1 signaling in astrocytes may provide new therapeutic opportunities to aid functional recovery after TBI.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jordan Koeppen
- Biomedical Sciences Division, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside, CA, USA Cell, Molecular, and Developmental Biology graduate program, University of California Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Michael Garcia
- Biomedical Sciences Division, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Joshua Leish
- Biomedical Sciences Division, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Andre Obenaus
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Loma Linda University, CA, USA
| | - Iryna M Ethell
- Biomedical Sciences Division, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside, CA, USA Cell, Molecular, and Developmental Biology graduate program, University of California Riverside, CA, USA
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Körner S, Böselt S, Wichmann K, Thau-Habermann N, Zapf A, Knippenberg S, Dengler R, Petri S. The Axon Guidance Protein Semaphorin 3A Is Increased in the Motor Cortex of Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2016; 75:326-333. [PMID: 26921371 DOI: 10.1093/jnen/nlw003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a degenerative motor neuron disorder that leads to progressive paralysis of skeletal muscles and death by respiratory failure. There is increasing evidence that ALS is at least in part an axonopathy and that mechanisms regulating axonal degeneration and regeneration might be pathogenetically relevant. Semaphorin 3A (Sema3A) is an axon guidance protein; it acts as an axon repellent and prevents axonal regeneration. Increased Sema3A expression has been described in a mouse model of ALS in which it may contribute to motor neuron degeneration. This study aimed to investigate Sema3A mRNA and protein expression in human CNS tissues. We assessed Sema3A expression using quantitative real-time PCR, in situ hybridization, and immunohistochemistry in motor cortex and spinal cord tissue of 8 ALS patients and 6 controls. We found a consistent increase of Sema3A expression in the motor cortex of ALS patients by all 3 methods. In situ hybridization further confirmed that Sema3A expression was present in motor neurons. These findings indicate that upregulation of Sema3A may contribute to axonal degeneration and failure of regeneration in ALS patients. The inhibition of Sema3A therefore might be a promising future therapeutic option for patients with this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja Körner
- From the Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany (SK, SB, KW, NTH, RD); Department of Medical Statistics, University Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany (AZ); Department of Experimental Pneumology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany (SK); and Center for Systems Neuroscience (ZSN), Hannover, Germany (RD, SP).
| | - Sebastian Böselt
- From the Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany (SK, SB, KW, NTH, RD); Department of Medical Statistics, University Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany (AZ); Department of Experimental Pneumology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany (SK); and Center for Systems Neuroscience (ZSN), Hannover, Germany (RD, SP)
| | - Klaudia Wichmann
- From the Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany (SK, SB, KW, NTH, RD); Department of Medical Statistics, University Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany (AZ); Department of Experimental Pneumology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany (SK); and Center for Systems Neuroscience (ZSN), Hannover, Germany (RD, SP)
| | - Nadine Thau-Habermann
- From the Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany (SK, SB, KW, NTH, RD); Department of Medical Statistics, University Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany (AZ); Department of Experimental Pneumology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany (SK); and Center for Systems Neuroscience (ZSN), Hannover, Germany (RD, SP)
| | - Antonia Zapf
- From the Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany (SK, SB, KW, NTH, RD); Department of Medical Statistics, University Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany (AZ); Department of Experimental Pneumology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany (SK); and Center for Systems Neuroscience (ZSN), Hannover, Germany (RD, SP)
| | - Sarah Knippenberg
- From the Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany (SK, SB, KW, NTH, RD); Department of Medical Statistics, University Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany (AZ); Department of Experimental Pneumology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany (SK); and Center for Systems Neuroscience (ZSN), Hannover, Germany (RD, SP)
| | - Reinhard Dengler
- From the Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany (SK, SB, KW, NTH, RD); Department of Medical Statistics, University Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany (AZ); Department of Experimental Pneumology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany (SK); and Center for Systems Neuroscience (ZSN), Hannover, Germany (RD, SP)
| | - Susanne Petri
- From the Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany (SK, SB, KW, NTH, RD); Department of Medical Statistics, University Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany (AZ); Department of Experimental Pneumology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany (SK); and Center for Systems Neuroscience (ZSN), Hannover, Germany (RD, SP)
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138
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Mechanisms of ephrin-Eph signalling in development, physiology and disease. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2016; 17:240-56. [PMID: 26790531 DOI: 10.1038/nrm.2015.16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 433] [Impact Index Per Article: 54.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Eph receptor Tyr kinases and their membrane-tethered ligands, the ephrins, elicit short-distance cell-cell signalling and thus regulate many developmental processes at the interface between pattern formation and morphogenesis, including cell sorting and positioning, and the formation of segmented structures and ordered neural maps. Their roles extend into adulthood, when ephrin-Eph signalling regulates neuronal plasticity, homeostatic events and disease processes. Recently, new insights have been gained into the mechanisms of ephrin-Eph signalling in different cell types, and into the physiological importance of ephrin-Eph in different organs and in disease, raising questions for future research directions.
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139
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Gupta G, Song J. C-Terminal Auto-Regulatory Motif of Hepatitis C Virus NS5B Interacts with Human VAPB-MSP to Form a Dynamic Replication Complex. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0147278. [PMID: 26784321 PMCID: PMC4718513 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0147278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2015] [Accepted: 01/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a pathogen of global importance and nearly 200 million people are chronically infected with HCV. HCV is an enveloped single-stranded RNA virus, which is characteristic of the formation of the host membrane associated replication complex. Previous functional studies have already established that the human ER-anchored VAPB protein acts as a host factor to form a complex with HCV NS5A and NS5B, which may be established as a drug target. However, there is lacking of biophysical characterization of the structures and interfaces of the complex, partly due to the dynamic nature of the complex formation and dissociation, which is extensively involved in intrinsically-disordered domains. Here by an integrated use of domain dissection and NMR spectroscopy, for the first time we have successfully deciphered that the HCV NS5B utilizes its auto-regulatory C-linker to bind the VAPB-MSP domain to form a dynamic complex. This finding implies that the NS5B C-linker is capable of playing dual roles by a switch between the folded and disordered states. Interestingly, our previous and present studies together reveal that both HCV NS5A and NS5B bind to the MSP domains of the dimeric VAP with significantly overlapped interfaces and similar affinities. The identification that EphA2 and EphA5 bind to the MSP domain with higher affinity than EphA4 provides a biophysical basis for further exploring whether other than inducing ALS-like syndrome, the HCV infection might also trigger pathogenesis associated with signalling pathways mediated by EphA2 and EphA5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garvita Gupta
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jianxing Song
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- * E-mail:
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Bedlack RS, Vaughan T, Wicks P, Heywood J, Sinani E, Selsov R, Macklin EA, Schoenfeld D, Cudkowicz M, Sherman A. How common are ALS plateaus and reversals? Neurology 2015; 86:808-12. [PMID: 26658909 PMCID: PMC4793781 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000002251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2015] [Accepted: 09/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective: To determine the frequency of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) plateaus and reversals in the Pooled Resource Open-Access ALS Clinical Trials (PRO-ACT) database. Methods: We analyzed Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS) and ALSFRS–revised (ALSFRS-R) data from PRO-ACT participants. The frequencies of participants experiencing plateaus (periods where scores did not change) were calculated over 6-, 12-, and 18-month epochs. The percentage of participants ever experiencing reversals (periods where scores improved) of different lengths were also calculated and plotted. Results: Over 6 months, 25% of 3,132 participants did not decline. Over 12 months, 16% of 2,105 participants did not decline. Over 18 months, 7% of 1,218 participants did not decline. Small ALS reversals were also common, especially over shorter follow-up intervals; 14% of 1,343 participants had a 180-day interval where their ALSFRS-R slope was greater than zero. Fewer than 1% of participants ever experienced improvements of 4 or more ALSFRS-R points lasting at least 12 months. Conclusion: ALS plateaus and small reversals are common, especially over brief intervals. In light of these data, stable disease, especially for a short period of time, should not be interpreted as an ALS treatment effect. Large sustained ALS reversals, on the other hand, are rare, potentially important, and warrant further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard S Bedlack
- From the Department of Neurology (R.S.B.), Duke University and Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC; PatientsLikeMe (T.V., P.W., J.H.), Cambridge, MA; Massachusetts General Hospital (E.S., R.S., E.A.M., D.S., M.C., A.S.), Boston; and Harvard Medical School (E.A.M.), Boston, MA.
| | - Timothy Vaughan
- From the Department of Neurology (R.S.B.), Duke University and Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC; PatientsLikeMe (T.V., P.W., J.H.), Cambridge, MA; Massachusetts General Hospital (E.S., R.S., E.A.M., D.S., M.C., A.S.), Boston; and Harvard Medical School (E.A.M.), Boston, MA
| | - Paul Wicks
- From the Department of Neurology (R.S.B.), Duke University and Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC; PatientsLikeMe (T.V., P.W., J.H.), Cambridge, MA; Massachusetts General Hospital (E.S., R.S., E.A.M., D.S., M.C., A.S.), Boston; and Harvard Medical School (E.A.M.), Boston, MA
| | - Jamie Heywood
- From the Department of Neurology (R.S.B.), Duke University and Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC; PatientsLikeMe (T.V., P.W., J.H.), Cambridge, MA; Massachusetts General Hospital (E.S., R.S., E.A.M., D.S., M.C., A.S.), Boston; and Harvard Medical School (E.A.M.), Boston, MA
| | - Ervin Sinani
- From the Department of Neurology (R.S.B.), Duke University and Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC; PatientsLikeMe (T.V., P.W., J.H.), Cambridge, MA; Massachusetts General Hospital (E.S., R.S., E.A.M., D.S., M.C., A.S.), Boston; and Harvard Medical School (E.A.M.), Boston, MA
| | - Roger Selsov
- From the Department of Neurology (R.S.B.), Duke University and Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC; PatientsLikeMe (T.V., P.W., J.H.), Cambridge, MA; Massachusetts General Hospital (E.S., R.S., E.A.M., D.S., M.C., A.S.), Boston; and Harvard Medical School (E.A.M.), Boston, MA
| | - Eric A Macklin
- From the Department of Neurology (R.S.B.), Duke University and Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC; PatientsLikeMe (T.V., P.W., J.H.), Cambridge, MA; Massachusetts General Hospital (E.S., R.S., E.A.M., D.S., M.C., A.S.), Boston; and Harvard Medical School (E.A.M.), Boston, MA
| | - David Schoenfeld
- From the Department of Neurology (R.S.B.), Duke University and Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC; PatientsLikeMe (T.V., P.W., J.H.), Cambridge, MA; Massachusetts General Hospital (E.S., R.S., E.A.M., D.S., M.C., A.S.), Boston; and Harvard Medical School (E.A.M.), Boston, MA
| | - Merit Cudkowicz
- From the Department of Neurology (R.S.B.), Duke University and Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC; PatientsLikeMe (T.V., P.W., J.H.), Cambridge, MA; Massachusetts General Hospital (E.S., R.S., E.A.M., D.S., M.C., A.S.), Boston; and Harvard Medical School (E.A.M.), Boston, MA
| | - Alex Sherman
- From the Department of Neurology (R.S.B.), Duke University and Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, NC; PatientsLikeMe (T.V., P.W., J.H.), Cambridge, MA; Massachusetts General Hospital (E.S., R.S., E.A.M., D.S., M.C., A.S.), Boston; and Harvard Medical School (E.A.M.), Boston, MA
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141
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Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a severely debilitating neurodegenerative disease linked to mutations in various genes implicated in cytoplasmic RNA metabolism. Recent studies from genetic models have also helped reveal connections between various ALS-linked factors and RNA-DNA hybrid (R-loop) regulation. Here, we examine how such hybrid-regulatory processes are pointing to a key role for the nucleus in ALS. We also present a potential molecular mechanism in which hybrids may represent at least one of the long sought after missing links between different ALS genes. Our opinion is that RNA-DNA hybrids will play a key role in deciphering ALS and other human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayesh S Salvi
- a Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology; Faculty of Medicine ; University of Toronto ; Toronto , ON Canada
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142
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Abstract
Genes linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) susceptibility are being identified at an increasing rate owing to advances in molecular genetic technology. Genetic mechanisms in ALS pathogenesis seem to exert major effects in about 10% of patients, but genetic factors at some level may be important components of disease risk in most patients with ALS. Identification of gene variants associated with ALS has informed concepts of the pathogenesis of ALS, aided the identification of therapeutic targets, facilitated research to develop new ALS biomarkers, and supported the establishment of clinical diagnostic tests for ALS-linked genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Boylan
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA.
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143
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Takahashi I, Hama Y, Matsushima M, Hirotani M, Kano T, Hohzen H, Yabe I, Utsumi J, Sasaki H. Identification of plasma microRNAs as a biomarker of sporadic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Mol Brain 2015; 8:67. [PMID: 26497046 PMCID: PMC4619470 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-015-0161-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2015] [Accepted: 10/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease, which leads to the loss of upper and lower motor neurons, with a currently unknown etiology. Specific biomarkers could help in early detection and diagnosis, and could also act as indicators of disease progression and therapy effectiveness. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small (18–25 nucleotides), single-stranded non-coding RNA molecules that play important regulatory roles in animals and plants by targeting mRNAs for cleavage or translational repression, and are essential for nervous system development. Many of the genes associated with genetic ALS have pathological biological pathways related to RNA metabolism, and their pathogenesis may be affecting the maturing processes of miRNA. Results We compared miRNA from the plasma of sALS patients and healthy controls using two cohorts; a discovery cohort analyzed with microarray (16 sALS patients and ten healthy controls) and a validation cohort confirmed with qPCR (48 sALS patients, 47 healthy controls and 30 disease controls). We measured the total amount of extracted RNA along with a spike-in control that ensured the quality of our quantification. A percentage of the 10–40 nt RNAs extracted from the total RNA showed a significant increase in ALS patients. There was a negative correlation between total RNA concentration and disease duration from onset to end point. Three of the miRNAs were up-regulated and six were down-regulated significantly in the discovery cohort. Since an internal control is required as a sample stability indicator of both the patients and controls in microarray analysis, we selected the miRNA showing the smallest dispersion and equivalency between the two groups’ mean value, and decided to use hsa-miR-4516. We found hsa-miR-4649-5p to be up-regulated, and hsa-miR-4299 to be down-regulated, where each was not influenced by clinical characteristics. EPHA4, a target gene linked to the nervous system which has also been reported to be a disease modifier of ALS, is the common and most notable target gene of hsa-miR-4649-5p and hsa-miR-4299. Conclusion We have shown the relationship circulating plasma miRNA has with both healthy controls and diseased patients. Hsa-miR-4649-5p and hsa-miR-4299 have the potential to be ALS diagnosis biomarkers. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13041-015-0161-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ikuko Takahashi
- Department of Neurology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, North 15 West 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-8638, Japan.
| | - Yuka Hama
- Department of Neurology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, North 15 West 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-8638, Japan.
| | - Masaaki Matsushima
- Department of Neurology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, North 15 West 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-8638, Japan.
| | - Makoto Hirotani
- Department of Neurology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, North 15 West 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-8638, Japan.
| | - Takahiro Kano
- Department of Neurology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, North 15 West 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-8638, Japan.
| | - Hideki Hohzen
- Department of Neurology, Obihiro Kosei General Hospital, West 6, South 8, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-0016, Japan.
| | - Ichiro Yabe
- Department of Neurology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, North 15 West 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-8638, Japan.
| | - Jun Utsumi
- Department of Neurology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, North 15 West 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-8638, Japan. .,Cancer Institute, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, 3-8-31, Ariake, Koto, Tokyo, 135-8550, Japan.
| | - Hidenao Sasaki
- Department of Neurology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, North 15 West 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-8638, Japan.
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144
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Collins MA, An J, Hood BL, Conrads TP, Bowser RP. Label-Free LC-MS/MS Proteomic Analysis of Cerebrospinal Fluid Identifies Protein/Pathway Alterations and Candidate Biomarkers for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. J Proteome Res 2015; 14:4486-501. [PMID: 26401960 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.5b00804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) proteome has proven valuable to the study of neurodegenerative disorders. To identify new protein/pathway alterations and candidate biomarkers for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), we performed comparative proteomic profiling of CSF from sporadic ALS (sALS), healthy control (HC), and other neurological disease (OND) subjects using label-free liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). A total of 1712 CSF proteins were detected and relatively quantified by spectral counting. Levels of several proteins with diverse biological functions were significantly altered in sALS samples. Enrichment analysis was used to link these alterations to biological pathways, which were predominantly related to inflammation, neuronal activity, and extracellular matrix regulation. We then used our CSF proteomic profiles to create a support vector machines classifier capable of discriminating training set ALS from non-ALS (HC and OND) samples. Four classifier proteins, WD repeat-containing protein 63, amyloid-like protein 1, SPARC-like protein 1, and cell adhesion molecule 3, were identified by feature selection and externally validated. The resultant classifier distinguished ALS from non-ALS samples with 83% sensitivity and 100% specificity in an independent test set. Collectively, our results illustrate the utility of CSF proteomic profiling for identifying ALS protein/pathway alterations and candidate disease biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahlon A Collins
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh , E1448 Biomedical Science Tower, 200 Lothrop Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States.,Departments of Neurology and Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute , NRC427, 350 West Thomas Road, Phoenix, Arizona 85013, United States
| | - Jiyan An
- Departments of Neurology and Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute , NRC427, 350 West Thomas Road, Phoenix, Arizona 85013, United States
| | - Brian L Hood
- Women's Health Integrated Research Center , 3289 Woodburn Road, Annandale, Virginia 22003, United States
| | - Thomas P Conrads
- Women's Health Integrated Research Center , 3289 Woodburn Road, Annandale, Virginia 22003, United States
| | - Robert P Bowser
- Departments of Neurology and Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute , NRC427, 350 West Thomas Road, Phoenix, Arizona 85013, United States
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145
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Dasgupta N, Xu YH, Li R, Peng Y, Pandey MK, Tinch SL, Liou B, Inskeep V, Zhang W, Setchell KDR, Keddache M, Grabowski GA, Sun Y. Neuronopathic Gaucher disease: dysregulated mRNAs and miRNAs in brain pathogenesis and effects of pharmacologic chaperone treatment in a mouse model. Hum Mol Genet 2015; 24:7031-48. [PMID: 26420838 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddv404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2015] [Accepted: 09/21/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Defective lysosomal acid β-glucosidase (GCase) in Gaucher disease causes accumulation of glucosylceramide (GC) and glucosylsphingosine (GS) that distress cellular functions. To study novel pathological mechanisms in neuronopathic Gaucher disease (nGD), a mouse model (4L;C*), an analogue to subacute human nGD, was investigated for global profiles of differentially expressed brain mRNAs (DEGs) and miRNAs (DEmiRs). 4L;C* mice displayed accumulation of GC and GS, activated microglial cells, reduced number of neurons and aberrant mitochondrial function in the brain followed by deterioration in motor function. DEGs and DEmiRs were characterized from sequencing of mRNA and miRNA from cerebral cortex, brain stem, midbrain and cerebellum of 4L;C* mice. Gene ontology enrichment and pathway analysis showed preferential mitochondrial dysfunction in midbrain and uniform inflammatory response and identified novel pathways, axonal guidance signaling, synaptic transmission, eIF2 and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling potentially involved in nGD. Similar analyses were performed with mice treated with isofagomine (IFG), a pharmacologic chaperone for GCase. IFG treatment did not alter the GS and GC accumulation significantly but attenuated the progression of the disease and altered numerous DEmiRs and target DEGs to their respective normal levels in inflammation, mitochondrial function and axonal guidance pathways, suggesting its regulation on miRNA and the associated mRNA that underlie the neurodegeneration in nGD. These analyses demonstrate that the neurodegenerative phenotype in 4L;C* mice was associated with dysregulation of brain mRNAs and miRNAs in axonal guidance, synaptic plasticity, mitochondria function, eIF2 and mTOR signaling and inflammation and provides new insights for the nGD pathological mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nupur Dasgupta
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - You-Hai Xu
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Ronghua Li
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Yanyan Peng
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Manoj K Pandey
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Stuart L Tinch
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Benjamin Liou
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Venette Inskeep
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Wujuan Zhang
- Division of Pathology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA and
| | - Kenneth D R Setchell
- Division of Pathology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA and Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Mehdi Keddache
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Gregory A Grabowski
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Ying Sun
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
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146
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Endolysosomal Deficits Augment Mitochondria Pathology in Spinal Motor Neurons of Asymptomatic fALS Mice. Neuron 2015; 87:355-70. [PMID: 26182418 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2015.06.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2013] [Revised: 05/05/2015] [Accepted: 06/16/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
One pathological hallmark in ALS motor neurons (MNs) is axonal accumulation of damaged mitochondria. A fundamental question remains: does reduced degradation of those mitochondria by an impaired autophagy-lysosomal system contribute to mitochondrial pathology? We reveal MN-targeted progressive lysosomal deficits accompanied by impaired autophagic degradation beginning at asymptomatic stages in fALS-linked hSOD1(G93A) mice. Lysosomal deficits result in accumulation of autophagic vacuoles engulfing damaged mitochondria along MN axons. Live imaging of spinal MNs from the adult disease mice demonstrates impaired dynein-driven retrograde transport of late endosomes (LEs). Expressing dynein-adaptor snapin reverses transport defects by competing with hSOD1(G93A) for binding dynein, thus rescuing autophagy-lysosomal deficits, enhancing mitochondrial turnover, improving MN survival, and ameliorating the disease phenotype in hSOD1(G93A) mice. Our study provides a new mechanistic link for hSOD1(G93A)-mediated impairment of LE transport to autophagy-lysosomal deficits and mitochondrial pathology. Understanding these early pathological events benefits development of new therapeutic interventions for fALS-linked MN degeneration.
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147
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DeLoach A, Cozart M, Kiaei A, Kiaei M. A retrospective review of the progress in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis drug discovery over the last decade and a look at the latest strategies. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2015; 10:1099-118. [PMID: 26307158 DOI: 10.1517/17460441.2015.1067197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Drug discovery for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has experienced a surge in clinical studies and remarkable preclinical milestones utilizing a variety of mutant superoxide dismutase 1 model systems. Of the drugs that were tested and showed positive preclinical effects, none demonstrated therapeutic benefits to ALS patients in clinical settings. AREAS COVERED This review discusses the advances made in drug discovery for ALS and highlights why drug development is proving to be so difficult. It also discusses how a closer look at both preclinical and clinical studies could uncover the reasons why these preclinical successes have yet to result in the availability of an effective drug for clinical use. EXPERT OPINION Valuable lessons from the numerous preclinical and clinical studies supply the biggest advantage in the monumental task of finding a cure for ALS. Obviously, a single design type for ALS clinical trials has not yielded success. The authors suggest a two-pronged approach that may prove essential to achieve clinical efficacy in the identification of novel targets and preclinical testing in multiple models to identify biomarkers that can function in diagnostic, predictive and prognostic roles, and changes to clinical trial design and patient recruitment criteria. The advancement of technology and invention of more powerful tools will further enhance the above. This will give rise to more sophisticated clinical trials with consideration of a range of criteria from: optimum dose, route of delivery, specific biomarkers, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and toxicology to biomarkers, timing for trial and patients' clinical status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail DeLoach
- a 1 University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences , Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Michael Cozart
- b 2 University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology , Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Arianna Kiaei
- a 1 University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences , Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Mahmoud Kiaei
- a 1 University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences , Little Rock, AR 72205, USA.,b 2 University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology , Little Rock, AR 72205, USA.,c 3 University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Department of Neurology , 4301 W. Markham St, 846, Little Rock, AR 72205 7199, USA
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148
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Role of EphA4 signaling in the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and therapeutic potential of traditional Chinese medicine rhynchophylline. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2015; 232:2873-5. [PMID: 26141194 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-015-4013-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2015] [Accepted: 06/27/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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149
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C-kit is important for SOD1(G93A) mouse survival independent of mast cells. Neuroscience 2015; 301:415-20. [PMID: 26112382 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.06.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2015] [Revised: 05/28/2015] [Accepted: 06/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease leading to progressive and lethal paralysis. The disease process is multi-factorial and is characterized by selective motor neuron degeneration. Previous work demonstrated that the local concentration of various growth factors can influence motor neuron survival and disease progression. A potential role for c-kit, a growth factor receptor present in the spinal cord, in ALS is unknown. To dissect the role of c-kit in ALS we interbred SOD1(G93A) mice with kit(w-sh/w-sh) mice, which have a 70% decrease in c-kit expression in the spinal cord. kit(w-sh/w-sh) SOD1(G93A) mice have a reduced survival compared to SOD1(G93A) mice, while the amount of motor neurons at end stage is similar. By means of grip strength and nerve conductance analysis we show that kit(w-sh/w-sh) mice have diminished strength and slightly impaired compound muscle action potential latency, although the number of neurons is similar across genotypes. Decreasing kit gene expression in SOD1(G93A) mice is detrimental and our results imply that this effect is independent of mast cells, as tested by ketotifen administration. To conclude, our data expand on the protective role of growth factors in ALS, as decreasing c-kit by approximately 70% is detrimental in SOD1(G93A) mice.
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150
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Krishnaraj RN, Kumari SSS, Mukhopadhyay SS. Antagonistic molecular interactions of photosynthetic pigments with molecular disease targets: a new approach to treat AD and ALS. J Recept Signal Transduct Res 2015; 36:67-71. [PMID: 26053508 DOI: 10.3109/10799893.2015.1024851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are progressive neurodegenerative diseases that affect the neurons in the brain and the spinal cord. Neuroinflamation and apoptosis are key players in the progressive damage of the neurons in AD and ALS. Currently, there is no drug to offer complete cure for both these diseases. Riluzole is the only available drug that can prolong the life time of the ALS patients for nearly 3 months. Molecules that offer good HIT to the molecular targets of ALS will help to treat AD and ALS patients. P53 kinase receptor (4AT3), EphA4 (3CKH) and histone deacetylase (3SFF) are the promising disease targets of AD and ALS. This paper discusses on a new approach to combat neurodegenerative diseases using photosynthetic pigments. The docking studies were performed with the Autodock Vina algorithm to predict the binding of the natural pigments such as β carotene, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, phycoerythrin and phycocyanin on these targets. The β carotene, phycoerythrin and phycocyanin had higher binding energies indicating the antagonistic activity to the disease targets. These pigments serve as a potential therapeutic molecule to treat neuroinflammation and apoptosis in the AD and ALS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Navanietha Krishnaraj
- a Department of Biotechnology , National Institute of Technology , Durgapur , West Bengal , India and
| | - S S Sreeja Kumari
- b CSIR - Central Electrochemical Research Institute , Karaikudi , Tamil Nadu , India
| | - Sudit Sekhar Mukhopadhyay
- a Department of Biotechnology , National Institute of Technology , Durgapur , West Bengal , India and
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