1
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Thapa R, Moglad E, Afzal M, Gupta G, Bhat AA, Almalki WH, Kazmi I, Alzarea SI, Pant K, Ali H, Paudel KR, Dureja H, Singh TG, Singh SK, Dua K. ncRNAs and their impact on dopaminergic neurons: Autophagy pathways in Parkinson's disease. Ageing Res Rev 2024; 98:102327. [PMID: 38734148 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2024.102327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2024] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a complex neurological illness that causes severe motor and non-motor symptoms due to a gradual loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. The aetiology of PD is influenced by a variety of genetic, environmental, and cellular variables. One important aspect of this pathophysiology is autophagy, a crucial cellular homeostasis process that breaks down and recycles cytoplasmic components. Recent advances in genomic technologies have unravelled a significant impact of ncRNAs on the regulation of autophagy pathways, thereby implicating their roles in PD onset and progression. They are members of a family of RNAs that include miRNAs, circRNA and lncRNAs that have been shown to play novel pleiotropic functions in the pathogenesis of PD by modulating the expression of genes linked to autophagic activities and dopaminergic neuron survival. This review aims to integrate the current genetic paradigms with the therapeutic prospect of autophagy-associated ncRNAs in PD. By synthesizing the findings of recent genetic studies, we underscore the importance of ncRNAs in the regulation of autophagy, how they are dysregulated in PD, and how they represent novel dimensions for therapeutic intervention. The therapeutic promise of targeting ncRNAs in PD is discussed, including the barriers that need to be overcome and future directions that must be embraced to funnel these ncRNA molecules for the treatment and management of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riya Thapa
- Uttaranchal Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, India
| | - Ehssan Moglad
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
| | - Muhammad Afzal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmacy Program, Batterjee Medical College, P.O. Box 6231, Jeddah 21442, Saudi Arabia
| | - Gaurav Gupta
- Centre of Medical and Bio-allied Health Sciences Research, Ajman University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates; Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Rajpura, Punjab 140401, India.
| | - Asif Ahmad Bhat
- School of Pharmacy, Suresh Gyan Vihar University, Jagatpura, Mahal Road, Jaipur, India
| | - Waleed Hassan Almalki
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Imran Kazmi
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, 21589, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sami I Alzarea
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Jouf University, 72341, Sakaka, Aljouf, Saudi Arabia
| | - Kumud Pant
- Graphic Era (Deemed to be University), Clement Town, Dehradun 248002, India; Graphic Era Hill University, Clement Town, Dehradun 248002, India
| | - Haider Ali
- Centre for Global Health Research, Saveetha Medical College, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, India; Department of Pharmacology, Kyrgyz State Medical College, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
| | - Keshav Raj Paudel
- Centre of Inflammation, Centenary Institute and University of Technology Sydney, Faculty of Science, School of Life Sciences, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Harish Dureja
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak 124001, India
| | - Thakur Gurjeet Singh
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Rajpura, Punjab 140401, India
| | - Sachin Kumar Singh
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab 144411, India; Faculty of Health, Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, Australia; School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, 47500 Sunway City, Malaysia
| | - Kamal Dua
- Faculty of Health, Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, Australia; Discipline of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia; Uttaranchal Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, India
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2
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Zhang Y, Zhan L, Jiang X, Tang X. Comprehensive review for non-coding RNAs: From mechanisms to therapeutic applications. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 224:116218. [PMID: 38643906 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 04/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are an assorted collection of transcripts that are not translated into proteins. Since their discovery, ncRNAs have gained prominence as crucial regulators of various biological functions across diverse cell types and tissues, and their abnormal functioning has been implicated in disease. Notably, extensive research has focused on the relationship between microRNAs (miRNAs) and human cancers, although other types of ncRNAs, such as long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs), are also emerging as significant contributors to human disease. In this review, we provide a comprehensive summary of our current knowledge regarding the roles of miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs in cancer and other major human diseases, particularly cancer, cardiovascular, neurological, and infectious diseases. Moreover, we discuss the potential utilization of ncRNAs as disease biomarkers and as targets for therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- YanJun Zhang
- College of Pharmacy and Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu College of Nursing, Huaian, Jiangsu, 223005, China
| | - Lijuan Zhan
- College of Pharmacy and Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu College of Nursing, Huaian, Jiangsu, 223005, China
| | - Xue Jiang
- College of Pharmacy and Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu College of Nursing, Huaian, Jiangsu, 223005, China.
| | - Xiaozhu Tang
- School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China.
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3
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Zhang Y, Zhang W, Liu T, Ma Z, Zhang W, Guan Y, Chen X. Upregulation of circ0000381 attenuates microglial/macrophage pyroptosis after spinal cord injury. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:1360-1366. [PMID: 37905886 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.386399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
JOURNAL/nrgr/04.03/01300535-202406000-00041/inline-graphic1/v/2023-10-30T152229Z/r/image-tiff
Neuroinflammation exacerbates secondary damage after spinal cord injury, while microglia/macrophage pyroptosis is important to neuroinflammation. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play a role in the central nervous system. However, the functional role and mechanism of circRNAs in regulating microglia/macrophage pyroptosis after spinal cord injury are still poorly studied. In the present study, we detected microglia/macrophage pyroptosis in a female rat model of spinal cord injury, along with upregulated levels of circ0000381 in the spinal cord. Our further experimental results suggest that circ0000381 may function as a sponge to sequester endogenous microRNA423-3p (miR-423-3p), which can increase the expression of NOD-like receptor 3 (NLRP3), a pyroptosis marker. Therefore, upregulation of circ0000381 may be a compensatory change after spinal cord injury to attenuate microglia/macrophage pyroptosis. Indeed, knockdown of circ0000381 expression exacerbated microglia/macrophage pyroptosis. Collectively, our findings provide novel evidence for the upregulation of circ0000381, which may serve as a neuroprotective mechanism to attenuate microglia/macrophage pyroptosis after spinal cord injury. Accordingly, circ0000381 may be a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of spinal cord injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhang
- Central Laboratory, Beijing Luhe Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Wenkai Zhang
- Department of Orthopedics, Beijing Luhe Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Aerospace Center Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Tao Liu
- Department of Orthopedics, Beijing Luhe Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Ziqian Ma
- Department of Orthopedics, Beijing Luhe Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Wenxiu Zhang
- Central Laboratory, Beijing Luhe Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yun Guan
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Xueming Chen
- Central Laboratory, Beijing Luhe Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Department of Orthopedics, Beijing Luhe Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
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4
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Nemeth K, Bayraktar R, Ferracin M, Calin GA. Non-coding RNAs in disease: from mechanisms to therapeutics. Nat Rev Genet 2024; 25:211-232. [PMID: 37968332 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-023-00662-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are a heterogeneous group of transcripts that, by definition, are not translated into proteins. Since their discovery, ncRNAs have emerged as important regulators of multiple biological functions across a range of cell types and tissues, and their dysregulation has been implicated in disease. Notably, much research has focused on the link between microRNAs (miRNAs) and human cancers, although other ncRNAs, such as long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs), are also emerging as relevant contributors to human disease. In this Review, we summarize our current understanding of the roles of miRNAs, lncRNAs and circRNAs in cancer and other major human diseases, notably cardiovascular, neurological and infectious diseases. Further, we discuss the potential use of ncRNAs as biomarkers of disease and as therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kinga Nemeth
- Translational Molecular Pathology Department, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Recep Bayraktar
- Translational Molecular Pathology Department, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Manuela Ferracin
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences (DIMEC), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
- IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
| | - George A Calin
- Translational Molecular Pathology Department, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
- The RNA Interference and Non-coding RNA Center, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
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5
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Xie Q, Ma Y, Ren Z, Gu T, Jiang Z. Circular RNA: A new expectation for cardiovascular diseases. J Cell Biochem 2024; 125:e30512. [PMID: 38098251 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.30512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Circular RNA (circRNA) is a class of RNA with the 5' and 3' ends connected covalently to form a closed loop structure and characterized by high stability, conserved sequences and tissue specificity, which is caused by special reverse splicing methods. Currently, it has become a hot spot for research. With the discovery of its powerful regulatory functions and roles, the molecular mechanisms and future value of circRNA in participating in and regulating biological and pathological processes are becoming increasingly apparent. Among them is the increasing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Many studies have elucidated that circRNA plays a crucial role in the development and progression of CVDs. Therefore, circRNA shows its advantages and brilliant expectations in the field of CVDs. In this review, we describe the biogenesis, bioinformatics detection and function of circRNA and discuss the role of circRNA and its effects on CVDs, including atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure, myocardial fibrosis, cardiac senescence, pulmonary hypertension, and diabetic cardiomyopathy by different mechanisms. That shows circRNA advantages and brilliant expectations in the field of CVDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiao Xie
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Yun Ma
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
- Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Key Laboratory for Arteriosclerology of Hunan Province, Hunan International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Arteriosclerotic Disease, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Zhong Ren
- Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Key Laboratory for Arteriosclerology of Hunan Province, Hunan International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Arteriosclerotic Disease, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Tianhe Gu
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hengyang Medical College, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Zhisheng Jiang
- Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Key Laboratory for Arteriosclerology of Hunan Province, Hunan International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Arteriosclerotic Disease, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China
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6
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Zhou M, Li S, Huang C. Physiological and pathological functions of circular RNAs in the nervous system. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:342-349. [PMID: 37488888 PMCID: PMC10503630 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.379017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of covalently closed single-stranded RNAs that are expressed during the development of specific cells and tissues. CircRNAs play crucial roles in physiological and pathological processes by sponging microRNAs, modulating gene transcription, controlling the activity of certain RNA-binding proteins, and producing functional peptides. A key focus of research at present is the functionality of circRNAs in the nervous system and several advances have emerged over the last 2 years. However, the precise role of circRNAs in the nervous system has yet to be comprehensively reviewed. In this review, we first summarize the recently described roles of circRNAs in brain development, maturity, and aging. Then, we focus on the involvement of circRNAs in various diseases of the central nervous system, such as brain cancer, chronic neurodegenerative diseases, acute injuries of the nervous system, and neuropathic pain. A better understanding of the functionality of circRNAs will help us to develop potential diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic strategies to treat diseases of the nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Zhou
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Shi Li
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Chuan Huang
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
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7
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Hansen CE, Springstubbe D, Müller S, Petkovic S. Directed Circularization of a Short RNA. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2765:209-226. [PMID: 38381342 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3678-7_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Basic research and functional analyses of circular RNA (circRNA) have been limited by challenges in circRNA formation of desired length and sequence in adequate yields. Nowadays, circular RNA can be obtained using enzymatic, "ribozymatic," or modulated splice events. However, there are few records for the directed circularization of RNA. Here, we present a proof of principle for an affordable and efficient RNA-based system for the controlled synthesis of circRNA with a physiological 3',5'-phosphodiester conjunction. The engineered hairpin ribozyme variant circular ribozyme 3 (CRZ-3) performs self-cleavage poorly. We designed an activator-polyamine complex to complete cleavage as a prerequisite for subsequent circularization. The developed protocol allows synthesizing circRNA without external enzymatic assistance and adds a controllable way of circularization to the existing methods.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sabine Müller
- University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, Germany
| | - Sonja Petkovic
- University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, Germany.
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8
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Mohammed EM. Circular RNA in Multiple Sclerosis: Pathogenicity and Potential Biomarker Development: A Systematic Review. Epigenet Insights 2023; 16:25168657231213195. [PMID: 38033465 PMCID: PMC10687999 DOI: 10.1177/25168657231213195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex autoimmune disorder of the CNS that affects millions of people worldwide. The causes of the disease remain unknown despite extensive efforts to understand it. CircRNAs are a unique class of endogenous non-coding RNA that are abundant, stable, conserved, and specifically expressed molecules, making them a promising biomarker of diseases. This review investigates the role of circRNA in MS pathogenicity and their potential as a biomarker through a comprehensive literature search conducted in 8 scientific databases. The studies found that there are differentially expressed circRNAs in MS patients compared to healthy controls (HC), and this difference is even more pronounced in different MS subtypes. Enrichment of circRNAs in linkage disequilibrium (LD) blocks that harbor MS-associated SNPs suggests that these SNPs manipulate the levels of circRNAs in the surrounding area, contributing to disease pathogenicity. While circRNA shows promise as an indicator or biomarker for MS disease pathology, further research is needed to fully explore its potential and impact on human biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eiman M Mohammed
- Kuwait Cancer Control Centre, Medical Laboratory Department, Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Ministry of Health, Shuwaikh, Kuwait
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9
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Bai Y, Yao HH. Circular RNAs: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Perspectives in CNS Diseases. Curr Med Sci 2023; 43:879-889. [PMID: 37815742 DOI: 10.1007/s11596-023-2784-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of regulatory non-coding RNAs characterized by the presence of covalently closed ends. A growing body of evidence suggests that circRNAs play important roles in physiology and pathology. In particular, accumulating data on circRNA functions in various central nervous system (CNS) diseases and their correlations indicate that circRNAs are critical contributors to the onset and development of brain disorders. In this review, we focus on the regulatory and functional roles of circRNAs in CNS diseases, highlighting their diagnostic and therapeutic potential, with the aim of providing new insights into CNS diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Bai
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Hong-Hong Yao
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
- Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China.
- Institute of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
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10
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Hosaka T, Tsuji H, Kwak S. Roles of Aging, Circular RNAs, and RNA Editing in the Pathogenesis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Potential Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets. Cells 2023; 12:1443. [PMID: 37408276 DOI: 10.3390/cells12101443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an incurable motor neuron disease caused by upper and lower motor neuron death. Despite advances in our understanding of ALS pathogenesis, effective treatment for this fatal disease remains elusive. As aging is a major risk factor for ALS, age-related molecular changes may provide clues for the development of new therapeutic strategies. Dysregulation of age-dependent RNA metabolism plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of ALS. In addition, failure of RNA editing at the glutamine/arginine (Q/R) site of GluA2 mRNA causes excitotoxicity due to excessive Ca2+ influx through Ca2+-permeable α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid receptors, which is recognized as an underlying mechanism of motor neuron death in ALS. Circular RNAs (circRNAs), a circular form of cognate RNA generated by back-splicing, are abundant in the brain and accumulate with age. Hence, they are assumed to play a role in neurodegeneration. Emerging evidence has demonstrated that age-related dysregulation of RNA editing and changes in circRNA expression are involved in ALS pathogenesis. Herein, we review the potential associations between age-dependent changes in circRNAs and RNA editing, and discuss the possibility of developing new therapies and biomarkers for ALS based on age-related changes in circRNAs and dysregulation of RNA editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Hosaka
- Department of Neurology, Division of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8575, Japan
- University of Tsukuba Hospital/Jichi Medical University Joint Ibaraki Western Regional Clinical Education Center, Chikusei 308-0813, Japan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Ibaraki Western Medical Center, Chikusei 308-0813, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Tsuji
- Department of Neurology, Division of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 305-8575, Japan
| | - Shin Kwak
- Department of Neurology, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo 160-0023, Japan
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11
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Gantley L, Stringer BW, Conn VM, Ootsuka Y, Holds D, Slee M, Aliakbari K, Kirk K, Ormsby RJ, Webb ST, Hanson A, Lin H, Selth LA, Conn SJ. Functional Characterisation of the Circular RNA, circHTT(2-6), in Huntington's Disease. Cells 2023; 12:cells12091337. [PMID: 37174737 PMCID: PMC10177161 DOI: 10.3390/cells12091337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Trinucleotide repeat disorders comprise ~20 severe, inherited, human neuromuscular and neurodegenerative disorders, which result from an abnormal expansion of repetitive sequences in the DNA. The most common of these, Huntington's disease (HD), results from expansion of the CAG repeat region in exon 1 of the HTT gene via an unknown mechanism. Since non-coding RNAs have been implicated in the initiation and progression of many diseases, herein we focused on a circular RNA (circRNA) molecule arising from non-canonical splicing (backsplicing) of HTT pre-mRNA. The most abundant circRNA from HTT, circHTT(2-6), was found to be more highly expressed in the frontal cortex of HD patients, compared with healthy controls, and positively correlated with CAG repeat tract length. Furthermore, the mouse orthologue (mmu_circHTT(2-6)) was found to be enriched within the brain and specifically the striatum, a region enriched for medium spiny neurons that are preferentially lost in HD. Transgenic overexpression of circHTT(2-6) in two human cell lines-SH-SY5Y and HEK293-reduced cell proliferation and nuclear size without affecting cell cycle progression or cellular size, or altering the CAG repeat region length within HTT. CircHTT(2-6) overexpression did not alter total HTT protein levels, but reduced its nuclear localisation. As these phenotypic and genotypic changes resemble those observed in HD patients, our results suggest that circHTT(2-6) may play a functional role in the pathophysiology of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Gantley
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI), College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
| | - Brett W Stringer
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI), College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
- Lifelong Health, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
| | - Vanessa M Conn
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI), College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
| | - Youichirou Ootsuka
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI), College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
- Centre for Neuroscience, Human Physiology, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
| | - Duncan Holds
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Pathology, SA Pathology, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
| | - Mark Slee
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI), College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
| | - Kamelya Aliakbari
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI), College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
| | - Kirsty Kirk
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI), College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
| | - Rebecca J Ormsby
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI), College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
| | - Stuart T Webb
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI), College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
| | - Adrienne Hanson
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI), College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
| | - He Lin
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI), College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
| | - Luke A Selth
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI), College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
- Freemasons Centre for Male Health and Wellbeing, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
- Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
| | - Simon J Conn
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI), College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
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