1
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Hale OJ, Wells TR, Mead RJ, Cooper HJ. Mass spectrometry imaging of SOD1 protein-metal complexes in SOD1G93A transgenic mice implicates demetalation with pathology. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6518. [PMID: 39117623 PMCID: PMC11310518 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50514-7] [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: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by degeneration of motor neurons in the central nervous system (CNS). Mutations in the metalloenzyme SOD1 are associated with inherited forms of ALS and cause a toxic gain of function thought to be mediated by dimer destabilization and misfolding. SOD1 binds two Cu and two Zn ions in its homodimeric form. We have applied native ambient mass spectrometry imaging to visualize the spatial distributions of intact metal-bound SOD1G93A complexes in SOD1G93A transgenic mouse spinal cord and brain sections and evaluated them against disease pathology. The molecular specificity of our approach reveals that metal-deficient SOD1G93A species are abundant in CNS structures correlating with ALS pathology whereas fully metalated SOD1G93A species are homogenously distributed. Monomer abundance did not correlate with pathology. We also show that the dimer-destabilizing post-translational modification, glutathionylation, has limited influence on the spatial distribution of SOD1 dimers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver J Hale
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Tyler R Wells
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Richard J Mead
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, UK.
| | - Helen J Cooper
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
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2
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Mielke JK, Klingeborn M, Schultz EP, Markham EL, Reese ED, Alam P, Mackenzie IR, Ly CV, Caughey B, Cashman NR, Leavens MJ. Seeding activity of human superoxide dismutase 1 aggregates in familial and sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis postmortem neural tissues by real-time quaking-induced conversion. Acta Neuropathol 2024; 147:100. [PMID: 38884646 PMCID: PMC11182821 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-024-02752-8] [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: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disease with average lifespan of 2-5 years after diagnosis. The identification of novel prognostic and pharmacodynamic biomarkers are needed to facilitate therapeutic development. Metalloprotein human superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) is known to accumulate and form aggregates in patient neural tissue with familial ALS linked to mutations in their SOD1 gene. Aggregates of SOD1 have also been detected in other forms of ALS, including the sporadic form and the most common familial form linked to abnormal hexanucleotide repeat expansions in the Chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9ORF72) gene. Here, we report the development of a real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) seed amplification assay using a recombinant human SOD1 substrate to measure SOD1 seeding activity in postmortem spinal cord and motor cortex tissue from persons with different ALS etiologies. Our SOD1 RT-QuIC assay detected SOD1 seeds in motor cortex and spinal cord dilutions down to 10-5. Importantly, we detected SOD1 seeding activity in specimens from both sporadic and familial ALS cases, with the latter having mutations in either their SOD1 or C9ORF72 genes. Analyses of RT-QuIC parameters indicated similar lag phases in spinal cords of sporadic and familial ALS patients, but higher ThT fluorescence maxima by SOD1 familial ALS specimens and sporadic ALS thoracic cord specimens. For a subset of sporadic ALS patients, motor cortex and spinal cords were examined, with seeding activity in both anatomical regions. Our results suggest SOD1 seeds are in ALS patient neural tissues not linked to SOD1 mutation, suggesting that SOD1 seeding activity may be a promising biomarker, particularly in sporadic ALS cases for whom genetic testing is uninformative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin K Mielke
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, McLaughlin Research Institute, 1520 23rd St. South, Great Falls, MT, 59405, USA
| | - Mikael Klingeborn
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, McLaughlin Research Institute, 1520 23rd St. South, Great Falls, MT, 59405, USA
| | - Eric P Schultz
- Center for Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics, University of Montana, 32 Campus Drive ISB #106, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - Erin L Markham
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, McLaughlin Research Institute, 1520 23rd St. South, Great Falls, MT, 59405, USA
| | - Emily D Reese
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, McLaughlin Research Institute, 1520 23rd St. South, Great Falls, MT, 59405, USA
| | - Parvez Alam
- Laboratory of Neurological Infections and Immunity, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 903 S. 4th St., Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
| | - Ian R Mackenzie
- Departments of Pathology and Medicine, University of British Columbia, 2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 2B5, Canada
| | - Cindy V Ly
- Department of Neurology, Washington University, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Byron Caughey
- Laboratory of Neurological Infections and Immunity, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 903 S. 4th St., Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
| | - Neil R Cashman
- Departments of Pathology and Medicine, University of British Columbia, 2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 2B5, Canada
| | - Moses J Leavens
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, McLaughlin Research Institute, 1520 23rd St. South, Great Falls, MT, 59405, USA.
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3
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McAlary L, Nan JR, Shyu C, Sher M, Plotkin SS, Cashman NR. Amyloidogenic regions in beta-strands II and III modulate the aggregation and toxicity of SOD1 in living cells. Open Biol 2024; 14:230418. [PMID: 38835240 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.230418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the protein superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1) promote its misfolding and aggregation, ultimately causing familial forms of the debilitating neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Currently, over 220 (mostly missense) ALS-causing mutations in the SOD1 protein have been identified, indicating that common structural features are responsible for aggregation and toxicity. Using in silico tools, we predicted amyloidogenic regions in the ALS-associated SOD1-G85R mutant, finding seven regions throughout the structure. Introduction of proline residues into β-strands II (I18P) or III (I35P) reduced the aggregation propensity and toxicity of SOD1-G85R in cells, significantly more so than proline mutations in other amyloidogenic regions. The I18P and I35P mutations also reduced the capability of SOD1-G85R to template onto previously formed non-proline mutant SOD1 aggregates as measured by fluorescence recovery after photobleaching. Finally, we found that, while the I18P and I35P mutants are less structurally stable than SOD1-G85R, the proline mutants are less aggregation-prone during proteasome inhibition, and less toxic to cells overall. Our research highlights the importance of a previously underappreciated SOD1 amyloidogenic region in β-strand II (15QGIINF20) to the aggregation and toxicity of SOD1 in ALS mutants, and suggests that β-strands II and III may be good targets for the development of SOD1-associated ALS therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke McAlary
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jeremy R Nan
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Clay Shyu
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Mine Sher
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Steven S Plotkin
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Genome Sciences and Technology Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Neil R Cashman
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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4
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Tsekrekou M, Giannakou M, Papanikolopoulou K, Skretas G. Protein aggregation and therapeutic strategies in SOD1- and TDP-43- linked ALS. Front Mol Biosci 2024; 11:1383453. [PMID: 38855322 PMCID: PMC11157337 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2024.1383453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease with severe socio-economic impact. A hallmark of ALS pathology is the presence of aberrant cytoplasmic inclusions composed of misfolded and aggregated proteins, including both wild-type and mutant forms. This review highlights the critical role of misfolded protein species in ALS pathogenesis, particularly focusing on Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) and TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43), and emphasizes the urgent need for innovative therapeutic strategies targeting these misfolded proteins directly. Despite significant advancements in understanding ALS mechanisms, the disease remains incurable, with current treatments offering limited clinical benefits. Through a comprehensive analysis, the review focuses on the direct modulation of the misfolded proteins and presents recent discoveries in small molecules and peptides that inhibit SOD1 and TDP-43 aggregation, underscoring their potential as effective treatments to modify disease progression and improve clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Tsekrekou
- Institute of Chemical Biology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, Athens, Greece
| | - Maria Giannakou
- Institute of Chemical Biology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, Athens, Greece
- Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Katerina Papanikolopoulou
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Biomedical Sciences Research Centre “Alexander Fleming”, Vari, Greece
- ResQ Biotech, Patras Science Park, Rio, Greece
| | - Georgios Skretas
- Institute of Chemical Biology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, Athens, Greece
- ResQ Biotech, Patras Science Park, Rio, Greece
- Institute for Bio-innovation, Biomedical Sciences Research Centre “Alexander Fleming”, Vari, Greece
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5
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Tokuda E, Sakashita Y, Tokoro N, Date A, Kosuge Y, Miyasaka T. MS785-MS27 Reactive Misfolded/Non-Native Zn-Deficient SOD1 Species Exhibit Cytotoxicity and Adopt Heterozygous Conformations in Motor Neurons. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5603. [PMID: 38891791 PMCID: PMC11171496 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115603] [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: 04/04/2024] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Misfolding of superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1) is a pathological hallmark of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with SOD1 mutations. The development of antibodies specific for misfolded SOD1 deepens our understanding of how the protein participates in ALS pathogenesis. Since the term "misfolding" refers to various disordered conformers other than the natively folded one, which misfolded species are recognized by specific antibodies should be determined. Here, we molecularly characterized the recognition by MS785-MS27, an antibody cocktail experimentally confirmed to recognize over 100 ALS-linked SOD1 mutants. Indirect ELISA revealed that the antibody cocktail recognized Zn-deficient wild-type and mutated SOD1 species. It also recognized conformation-disordered wild-type and mutated SOD1 species, such as unfolded and oligomeric forms, but had less affinity for the aggregated form. Antibody-reactive SOD1 exhibited cytotoxicity to a motor neuron cell model, which was blocked by Zn treatment with Zn-deficient SOD1. Immunohistochemistry revealed antibody-reactive SOD1 mainly in spinal motor neurons of SOD1G93A mice throughout the disease course, and the distribution after symptomatic stages differed from that of other misfolded SOD1 species. This suggests that misfolded/non-native SOD1 species exist as heterogeneous populations. In conclusion, MS785-MS27 recognizes various conformation-disordered SOD1 species lacking the Zn ion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eiichi Tokuda
- Laboratory of Clinical Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Nihon University, 7-7-1 Narashinodai, Funabashi 274-8555, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yume Sakashita
- Laboratory of Clinical Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Nihon University, 7-7-1 Narashinodai, Funabashi 274-8555, Chiba, Japan
| | - Naoya Tokoro
- Laboratory of Clinical Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Nihon University, 7-7-1 Narashinodai, Funabashi 274-8555, Chiba, Japan
| | - Ayano Date
- Laboratory of Clinical Medicine, School of Pharmacy, Nihon University, 7-7-1 Narashinodai, Funabashi 274-8555, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Kosuge
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nihon University, 7-7-1 Narashinodai, Funabashi 274-8555, Chiba, Japan;
| | - Tomohiro Miyasaka
- Laboratory of Physiology and Anatomy, School of Pharmacy, Nihon University, 7-7-1 Narashinodai, Funabashi 274-8555, Chiba, Japan;
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6
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Bayandina SV, Mukha DV. Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a Model for Studying Human Neurodegenerative Disorders: Viral Capsid Protein Expression. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17213. [PMID: 38139041 PMCID: PMC10743263 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
In this article, we briefly describe human neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) and the experimental models used to study them. The main focus is the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as an experimental model used to study neurodegenerative processes. We review recent experimental data on the aggregation of human neurodegenerative disease-related proteins in yeast cells. In addition, we describe the results of studies that were designed to investigate the molecular mechanisms that underlie the aggregation of reporter proteins. The advantages and disadvantages of the experimental approaches that are currently used to study the formation of protein aggregates are described. Special attention is given to the similarity between aggregates that form as a result of protein misfolding and viral factories-special structural formations in which viral particles are formed inside virus-infected cells. A separate part of the review is devoted to our previously published study on the formation of aggregates upon expression of the insect densovirus capsid protein in yeast cells. Based on the reviewed results of studies on NDs and related protein aggregation, as well as viral protein aggregation, a new experimental model system for the study of human NDs is proposed. The core of the proposed system is a comparative transcriptomic analysis of changes in signaling pathways during the expression of viral capsid proteins in yeast cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dmitry V. Mukha
- Vavilov Institute of General Genetics Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991 Moscow, Russia
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7
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Cascella R, Banchelli M, Abolghasem Ghadami S, Ami D, Gagliani MC, Bigi A, Staderini T, Tampellini D, Cortese K, Cecchi C, Natalello A, Adibi H, Matteini P, Chiti F. An in situ and in vitro investigation of cytoplasmic TDP-43 inclusions reveals the absence of a clear amyloid signature. Ann Med 2023; 55:72-88. [PMID: 36495262 PMCID: PMC9746631 DOI: 10.1080/07853890.2022.2148734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Several neurodegenerative conditions are associated with a common histopathology within neurons of the central nervous system, consisting of the deposition of cytoplasmic inclusions of TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43). Such inclusions have variably been described as morphologically and molecularly ordered aggregates having amyloid properties, as filaments without the cross-β-structure and dye binding specific for amyloid, or as amorphous aggregates with no defined structure and fibrillar morphology.Aims and Methods: Here we have expressed human full-length TDP-43 in neuroblastoma x spinal cord 34 (NSC-34) cells to investigate the morphological, structural, and tinctorial properties of TDP-43 inclusions in situ. We have used last-generation amyloid diagnostic probes able to cross the cell membrane and detect amyloid in the cytoplasm and have adopted Raman and Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopies to study in situ the secondary structure of the TDP-43 protein in the inclusions. We have then used transmission electron microscopy to study the morphology of the TDP-43 inclusions.Results: The results show the absence of amyloid dye binding, the lack of an enrichment of cross-β structure in the inclusions, and of a fibrillar texture in the round inclusions. The aggregates formed in vitro from the purified protein under conditions in which it is initially native also lack all these characteristics, ruling out a clear amyloid-like signature.Conclusions: These findings indicate a low propensity of TDP-43 to form amyloid fibrils and even non-amyloid filaments, under conditions in which the protein is initially native and undergoes its typical nucleus-to-cell mislocalization. It cannot be excluded that filaments emerge on the long time scale from such inclusions, but the high propensity of the protein to form initially other types of inclusions appear to be an essential characteristic of TDP-43 proteinopathies.KEY MESSAGESCytoplasmic inclusions of TDP-43 formed in NSC-34 cells do not stain with amyloid-diagnostic dyes, are not enriched with cross-β structure, and do not show a fibrillar morphology.TDP-43 assemblies formed in vitro from pure TDP-43 do not have any hallmarks of amyloid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Cascella
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio", University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Martina Banchelli
- Institute of Applied Physics "Nello Carrara", National Research Council, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | | | - Diletta Ami
- Department of Biotechnologies and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy.,Milan Center of Neuroscience (NeuroMI), Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Cristina Gagliani
- Cellular Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova, Genoa, Italy
| | - Alessandra Bigi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio", University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Tommaso Staderini
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio", University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Davide Tampellini
- U 1195 INSERM-Université Paris-Saclay, Paris, France.,Institut Professeur Baulieu, Paris, France
| | - Katia Cortese
- Cellular Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova, Genoa, Italy
| | - Cristina Cecchi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio", University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Antonino Natalello
- Department of Biotechnologies and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy.,Milan Center of Neuroscience (NeuroMI), Milan, Italy
| | - Hadi Adibi
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Paolo Matteini
- Institute of Applied Physics "Nello Carrara", National Research Council, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Chiti
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio", University of Florence, Florence, Italy
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8
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Arnold FJ, Nguyen AD, Bedlack RS, Bennett CL, La Spada AR. Intercellular transmission of pathogenic proteins in ALS: Exploring the pathogenic wave. Neurobiol Dis 2023:106218. [PMID: 37394036 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
In patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), disease symptoms and pathology typically spread in a predictable spatiotemporal pattern beginning at a focal site of onset and progressing along defined neuroanatomical tracts. Like other neurodegenerative diseases, ALS is characterized by the presence of protein aggregates in postmortem patient tissue. Cytoplasmic, ubiquitin-positive aggregates of TDP-43 are observed in approximately 97% of sporadic and familial ALS patients, while SOD1 inclusions are likely specific to cases of SOD1-ALS. Additionally, the most common subtype of familial ALS, caused by a hexanucleotide repeat expansion in the first intron of the C9orf72 gene (C9-ALS), is further characterized by the presence of aggregated dipeptide repeat proteins (DPRs). As we will describe, cell-to-cell propagation of these pathological proteins tightly correlates with the contiguous spread of disease. While TDP-43 and SOD1 are capable of seeding protein misfolding and aggregation in a prion-like manner, C9orf72 DPRs appear to induce (and transmit) a 'disease state' more generally. Multiple mechanisms of intercellular transport have been described for all of these proteins, including anterograde and retrograde axonal transport, extracellular vesicle secretion, and macropinocytosis. In addition to neuron-to-neuron transmission, transmission of pathological proteins occurs between neurons and glia. Given that the spread of ALS disease pathology corresponds with the spread of symptoms in patients, the various mechanisms by which ALS-associated protein aggregates propagate through the central nervous system should be closely examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- F J Arnold
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA; Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - A D Nguyen
- Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - R S Bedlack
- Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - C L Bennett
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA; Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
| | - A R La Spada
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA; Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Departments of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Department of Neurology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA; UCI Center for Neurotherapeutics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
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9
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Doke AA, Jha SK. Shapeshifter TDP-43: Molecular mechanism of structural polymorphism, aggregation, phase separation and their modulators. Biophys Chem 2023; 295:106972. [PMID: 36812677 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2023.106972] [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: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
TDP-43 is a nucleic acid-binding protein that performs physiologically essential functions and is known to undergo phase separation and aggregation during stress. Initial observations have shown that TDP-43 forms heterogeneous assemblies, including monomer, dimer, oligomers, aggregates, phase-separated assemblies, etc. However, the significance of each assembly of TDP-43 concerning its function, phase separation, and aggregation is poorly known. Furthermore, how different assemblies of TDP-43 are related to each other is unclear. In this review, we focus on the various assemblies of TDP-43 and discuss the plausible origin of the structural heterogeneity of TDP-43. TDP-43 is involved in multiple physiological processes like phase separation, aggregation, prion-like seeding, and performing physiological functions. However, the molecular mechanism behind the physiological process performed by TDP-43 is not well understood. The current review discusses the plausible molecular mechanism of phase separation, aggregation, and prion-like propagation of TDP-43.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhilasha A Doke
- Physical and Materials Chemistry Division, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune 411008, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Santosh Kumar Jha
- Physical and Materials Chemistry Division, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune 411008, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India.
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10
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Biological aspects of nitrogen heterocycles for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2022; 107:43-56. [DOI: 10.1007/s00253-022-12317-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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11
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Staderini T, Bigi A, Mongiello D, Cecchi C, Chiti F. Biophysical characterization of full-length TAR DNA-binding protein (TDP-43) phase separation. Protein Sci 2022; 31:e4509. [PMID: 36371546 PMCID: PMC9703588 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal lobar degeneration with ubiquitin-positive inclusions are associated with deposition of cytosolic inclusion bodies of TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) in brain and motor neurons. We induced phase separation of purified full-length TDP-43 devoid of large tags using a solution-jump method, and monitored it with an array of biophysical techniques. The tetramethylrhodamine-5-maleimide- or Alexa488-labeled protein formed rapidly (<1 min) apparently round, homogeneous and 0.5-1.0 μm wide assemblies, when imaged using confocal fluorescence, bright-field, and stimulated emission depletion microscopy. The assemblies, however, had limited internal diffusion, as assessed with fluorescence recovery after photobleaching, and did not coalesce, but rather clustered into irregular bunches, unlike those formed by the C-terminal domain. They were enriched with α-helical structure, with minor contributions of β-sheet/random structure, had a red-shifted tryptophan fluorescence and did not bind thioflavin T. By monitoring with turbidimetry both the formation of the spherical species and their further clustering under different experimental conditions, we carried out a multiparametric analysis of the two phenomena. In particular, both processes were found to be promoted by high protein concentrations, salts, crowding agents, weakly by reducing agents, as the pH approached a value of 6.0 from either side (corresponding to the TDP-43 isoionic point), and as the temperature approached a value of 31°C from either side. Important differences were found with respect to the TDP-43 C-terminal domain. Our multiparametric results also provide explanations to some of the solubility data obtained on full-length TDP-43 that were difficult to explain following the multiparametric analysis acquired on the C-terminal domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommaso Staderini
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences “Mario Serio”University of FlorenceFlorenceItaly
| | - Alessandra Bigi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences “Mario Serio”University of FlorenceFlorenceItaly
| | - Daniele Mongiello
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences “Mario Serio”University of FlorenceFlorenceItaly
| | - Cristina Cecchi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences “Mario Serio”University of FlorenceFlorenceItaly
| | - Fabrizio Chiti
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences “Mario Serio”University of FlorenceFlorenceItaly
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12
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Cascella R, Bigi A, Riffert DG, Gagliani MC, Ermini E, Moretti M, Cortese K, Cecchi C, Chiti F. A quantitative biology approach correlates neuronal toxicity with the largest inclusions of TDP-43. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabm6376. [PMID: 35895809 PMCID: PMC9328675 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm6376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
A number of neurodegenerative conditions are associated with the formation of cytosolic inclusions of TDP-43 within neurons. We expressed full-length TDP-43 in a motoneuron/neuroblastoma hybrid cell line (NSC-34) and exploited the high-resolution power of stimulated emission depletion microscopy to monitor the changes of nuclear and cytoplasmic TDP-43 levels and the formation of various size classes of cytoplasmic TDP-43 aggregates with time. Concomitantly, we monitored oxidative stress and mitochondrial impairment using the MitoSOX and MTT reduction assays, respectively. Using a quantitative biology approach, we attributed neuronal dysfunction associated with cytoplasmic deposition component to the formation of the largest inclusions, independently of stress granules. This is in contrast to other neurodegenerative diseases where toxicity is attributed to small oligomers. Using specific inhibitors, markers, and electron microscopy, the proteasome and autophagy were found to target mainly the largest deleterious inclusions, but their efficiency soon decreases without full recovery of neuronal viability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Cascella
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences “Mario Serio”, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy
| | - Alessandra Bigi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences “Mario Serio”, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy
| | - Dylan Giorgino Riffert
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences “Mario Serio”, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy
| | - Maria Cristina Gagliani
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Cellular Electron Microscopy Laboratory, University of Genova, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Emilio Ermini
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences “Mario Serio”, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy
| | - Matteo Moretti
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences “Mario Serio”, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy
| | - Katia Cortese
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Cellular Electron Microscopy Laboratory, University of Genova, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Cristina Cecchi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences “Mario Serio”, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy
- Corresponding author. (C.C.); (F.C.)
| | - Fabrizio Chiti
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences “Mario Serio”, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy
- Corresponding author. (C.C.); (F.C.)
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13
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Naser D, Tarasca MV, Siebeneichler B, Schaefer A, Deol HK, Soule TGB, Almey J, Kelso S, Mishra GG, Simon H, Meiering EM. High-Resolution NMR H/D Exchange of Human Superoxide Dismutase Inclusion Bodies Reveals Significant Native Features Despite Structural Heterogeneity. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 61:e202112645. [PMID: 35316563 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202112645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Protein aggregation is central to aging, disease and biotechnology. While there has been recent progress in defining structural features of cellular protein aggregates, many aspects remain unclear due to heterogeneity of aggregates presenting obstacles to characterization. Here we report high-resolution analysis of cellular inclusion bodies (IBs) of immature human superoxide dismutase (SOD1) mutants using NMR quenched amide hydrogen/deuterium exchange (qHDX), FTIR and Congo red binding. The extent of aggregation is correlated with mutant global stability and, notably, the free energy of native dimer dissociation, indicating contributions of native-like monomer associations to IB formation. This is further manifested by a common pattern of extensive protection against H/D exchange throughout nine mutant SOD1s despite their diverse characteristics. These results reveal multiple aggregation-prone regions in SOD1 and illuminate how aggregation may occur via an ensemble of pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalia Naser
- Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Michael V Tarasca
- Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Bruna Siebeneichler
- Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Anna Schaefer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Harmeen K Deol
- Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Tyler G B Soule
- Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada.,Current address: Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Johnathan Almey
- Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Susan Kelso
- Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada.,Current address: Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A1, Canada
| | - Gyana G Mishra
- Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada.,Current address: Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Hilary Simon
- Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
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14
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Alaskarov A, Barel S, Bakavayev S, Kahn J, Israelson A. MIF homolog d-dopachrome tautomerase (D-DT/MIF-2) does not inhibit accumulation and toxicity of misfolded SOD1. Sci Rep 2022; 12:9570. [PMID: 35688953 PMCID: PMC9187739 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-13744-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by loss of upper and lower motor neurons. About 20% of familial ALS cases are caused by dominant mutations in SOD1. It has been suggested that toxicity of mutant SOD1 results from its misfolding, however, it is unclear why misfolded SOD1 accumulates within specific tissues. We have demonstrated that macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), a multifunctional protein with cytokine/chemokine and chaperone-like activity, inhibits the accumulation and aggregation of misfolded SOD1. Although MIF homolog, D-dopachrome tautomerase (D-DT/MIF-2), shares structural and genetic similarities with MIF, its biological function is not well understood. In the current study, we investigated, for the first time, the mechanism of action of D-DT in a model of ALS. We show that D-DT inhibits mutant SOD1 amyloid aggregation in vitro, promoting the formation of amorphous aggregates. Moreover, we report that D-DT interacts with mutant SOD1, but does not inhibit misfolded mutant SOD1 accumulation and toxicity in neuronal cells. Finally, we show that D-DT is expressed mainly in liver and kidney, with extremely low expression in brain and spinal cord of adult mice. Our findings contribute to better understanding of D-DT versus MIF function in the context of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amina Alaskarov
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences and The Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Shir Barel
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences and The Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Shamchal Bakavayev
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences and The Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Joy Kahn
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences and The Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Adrian Israelson
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences and The Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel.
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15
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Deol HK, Broom HR, Sienbeneichler B, Lee B, Leonenko Z, Meiering EM. Immature ALS-associated mutant superoxide dismutases form variable aggregate structures through distinct oligomerization processes. Biophys Chem 2022; 288:106844. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2022.106844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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16
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Trist BG, Genoud S, Roudeau S, Rookyard A, Abdeen A, Cottam V, Hare DJ, White M, Altvater J, Fifita JA, Hogan A, Grima N, Blair IP, Kysenius K, Crouch PJ, Carmona A, Rufin Y, Claverol S, Van Malderen S, Falkenberg G, Paterson DJ, Smith B, Troakes C, Vance C, Shaw CE, Al-Sarraj S, Cordwell S, Halliday G, Ortega R, Double KL. Altered SOD1 maturation and post-translational modification in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis spinal cord. Brain 2022; 145:3108-3130. [PMID: 35512359 PMCID: PMC9473357 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awac165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant self-assembly and toxicity of wild-type and mutant superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) has been widely examined in silico, in vitro, and in transgenic animal models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Detailed examination of the protein in disease-affected tissues from ALS patients, however, remains scarce. We employed histological, biochemical and analytical techniques to profile alterations to SOD1 protein deposition, subcellular localization, maturation and post-translational modification in post-mortem spinal cord tissues from ALS cases and controls. Tissues were dissected into ventral and dorsal spinal cord grey matter to assess the specificity of alterations within regions of motor neuron degeneration. We provide evidence of the mislocalization and accumulation of structurally-disordered, immature SOD1 protein conformers in spinal cord motor neurons of SOD1-linked and non-SOD1-linked familial ALS cases, and sporadic ALS cases, compared with control motor neurons. These changes were collectively associated with instability and mismetallation of enzymatically-active SOD1 dimers, as well as alterations to SOD1 post-translational modifications and molecular chaperones governing SOD1 maturation. Atypical changes to SOD1 protein were largely restricted to regions of neurodegeneration in ALS cases, and clearly differentiated all forms of ALS from controls. Substantial heterogeneity in the presence of these changes was also observed between ALS cases. Our data demonstrates that varying forms of SOD1 proteinopathy are a common feature of all forms of ALS, and support the presence of one or more convergent biochemical pathways leading to SOD1 proteinopathy in ALS. The majority of these alterations are specific to regions of neurodegeneration, and may therefore constitute valid targets for therapeutic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin G Trist
- Brain and Mind Centre and School of Medical Sciences (Neuroscience), Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Sian Genoud
- Brain and Mind Centre and School of Medical Sciences (Neuroscience), Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Stéphane Roudeau
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, CENBG, UMR 5797, F-33170 Gradignan, France
| | - Alexander Rookyard
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Amr Abdeen
- Brain and Mind Centre and School of Medical Sciences (Neuroscience), Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Veronica Cottam
- Brain and Mind Centre and School of Medical Sciences (Neuroscience), Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Dominic J Hare
- School of Biosciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.,Atomic Medicine Initiative, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Melanie White
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Jens Altvater
- Sydney Mass Spectrometry, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Jennifer A Fifita
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Alison Hogan
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Natalie Grima
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ian P Blair
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Kai Kysenius
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Peter J Crouch
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Asuncion Carmona
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, CENBG, UMR 5797, F-33170 Gradignan, France
| | - Yann Rufin
- Plateforme Biochimie, University of Bordeaux, France
| | | | - Stijn Van Malderen
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Gerald Falkenberg
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - David J Paterson
- Australian Synchrotron, ANSTO, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia
| | - Bradley Smith
- Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, Camberwell, SE5 9RT, London, UK
| | - Claire Troakes
- UK Dementia Research Institute at King's College London, 5 Cutcombe Road, London, SE5 9RT, UK
| | - Caroline Vance
- Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, Camberwell, SE5 9RT, London, UK
| | - Christopher E Shaw
- UK Dementia Research Institute at King's College London, 5 Cutcombe Road, London, SE5 9RT, UK
| | - Safa Al-Sarraj
- London Neurodegenerative Diseases Brain Bank, Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, SE5 8AF, London, UK
| | - Stuart Cordwell
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Glenda Halliday
- Brain and Mind Centre and School of Medical Sciences (Neuroscience), Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Richard Ortega
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, CENBG, UMR 5797, F-33170 Gradignan, France
| | - Kay L Double
- Brain and Mind Centre and School of Medical Sciences (Neuroscience), Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
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17
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Hnath B, Dokholyan NV. Toxic SOD1 trimers are off-pathway in the formation of amyloid-like fibrils in ALS. Biophys J 2022; 121:2084-2095. [PMID: 35505609 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.04.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Accumulation of insoluble amyloid fibrils is widely studied as a critical factor in the pathology of multiple neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal neurodegenerative disease. Misfolded Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) was the first protein linked to ALS, and non-native SOD1 trimeric oligomers were recently linked to cytotoxicity, while larger oligomers were protective to cells. The balance between trimers and larger aggregates in the process of SOD1 aggregation is, thus, a critical determinant of potential therapeutic approaches to treat ALS. Yet, it is unknown whether these trimeric oligomers are a necessary intermediate for larger aggregate formation or a distinct off-pathway species competing with fibril formation. Depending on the on- or off-pathway scenario of trimer formation, we expect drastically different therapeutic approaches. Here, we show that the toxic SOD1 trimer is an off-pathway intermediate competing with protective fibril formation. We design mutant SOD1 constructs that remain in a trimeric state (super stable trimers) and show that stabilizing the trimeric SOD1 prevents formation of fibrils in vitro and in a motor neuron like cell model (NSC-34). Using size exclusion chromatography, we track the aggregation kinetics of purified SOD1 and show direct competition of trimeric SOD1 with larger oligomer and fibril formation. Finally, we show the trimer is structurally independent of both larger soluble oligomers and insoluble fibrils using circular dichroism spectroscopy and limited proteolysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brianna Hnath
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Nikolay V Dokholyan
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
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18
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Naser D, Tarasca MV, Siebeneichler B, Schaefer A, Deol HK, Soule TGB, Almey J, Kelso S, Mishra GG, Simon H, Meiering EM. High‐Resolution NMR H/D Exchange of Human Superoxide Dismutase Inclusion Bodies Reveals Significant Native Features Despite Structural Heterogeneity. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202112645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dalia Naser
- Department of Chemistry University of Waterloo Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1 Canada
| | - Michael V. Tarasca
- Department of Chemistry University of Waterloo Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1 Canada
| | | | - Anna Schaefer
- Department of Chemistry University of Waterloo Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1 Canada
| | - Harmeen K. Deol
- Department of Chemistry University of Waterloo Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1 Canada
| | - Tyler G. B. Soule
- Department of Chemistry University of Waterloo Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1 Canada
- Current address: Department of Clinical Neurosciences University of Calgary Calgary, AB T2N 1N4 Canada
| | - Johnathan Almey
- Department of Chemistry University of Waterloo Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1 Canada
| | - Susan Kelso
- Department of Chemistry University of Waterloo Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1 Canada
- Current address: Department of Molecular Genetics University of Toronto Toronto, ON M5S 1A1 Canada
| | - Gyana G. Mishra
- Department of Chemistry University of Waterloo Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1 Canada
- Current address: Department of Biology University of Waterloo Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1 Canada
| | - Hilary Simon
- Department of Chemistry University of Waterloo Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1 Canada
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19
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Kon T, Mori F, Tanji K, Miki Y, Nishijima H, Nakamura T, Kinoshita I, Suzuki C, Kurotaki H, Tomiyama M, Wakabayashi K. Accumulation of Nonfibrillar TDP-43 in the Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum Is the Early-Stage Pathology in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2022; 81:271-281. [PMID: 35294549 DOI: 10.1093/jnen/nlac015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Transactivation response DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43)-immunoreactive neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions (NCIs) are the histopathological hallmarks of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). They are classified as skein-like inclusions, round inclusions, dot-like inclusions, linear wisps, and diffuse punctate cytoplasmic staining (DPCS). We hypothesized that TDP-43-immunoreactive DPCS may form the early-stage pathology of ALS. Hence, we investigated phosphorylated TDP-43 pathology in the upper and lower motor neurons of patients with ALS and control participants. We designated patients whose disease duration was ≤1 year as short-duration ALS (n = 7) and those whose duration equaled 3-5 years as standard-duration ALS (n = 6). DPCS and skein-like inclusions were the most common NCIs in short-duration and standard-duration ALS, respectively. The density of DPCS was significantly higher in short-duration ALS than that in standard-duration ALS and was inversely correlated with disease duration. DPCS was not ubiquitinated and disappeared after proteinase K treatment, suggesting that it was not aggregated. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed that DPCS corresponded to nonfibrillar TDP-43 localized to the ribosomes of the rough endoplasmic reticulum (ER). These findings suggest that nonfibrillar TDP-43 accumulation in the rough ER is the earliest TDP-43 pathology in ALS, which may be helpful in developing future TDP-43 breakdown strategies for ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoya Kon
- From the Department of Neurology, Institute of Brain Science, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan
| | - Fumiaki Mori
- Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Brain Science, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan
| | - Kunikazu Tanji
- Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Brain Science, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan
| | - Yasuo Miki
- Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Brain Science, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan
| | - Haruo Nishijima
- From the Department of Neurology, Institute of Brain Science, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan
| | - Takashi Nakamura
- From the Department of Neurology, Institute of Brain Science, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan
| | - Iku Kinoshita
- From the Department of Neurology, Institute of Brain Science, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan
| | - Chieko Suzuki
- From the Department of Neurology, Institute of Brain Science, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan
| | - Hidekachi Kurotaki
- Department of Pathology, Aomori Prefectural Central Hospital, Aomori, Japan
| | - Masahiko Tomiyama
- From the Department of Neurology, Institute of Brain Science, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan
| | - Koichi Wakabayashi
- Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Brain Science, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan
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20
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Spatial sequestration of misfolded proteins in neurodegenerative diseases. Biochem Soc Trans 2022; 50:759-771. [PMID: 35311889 DOI: 10.1042/bst20210862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Properly folded, functional proteins are essential for cell health. Cells sustain protein homeostasis, or proteostasis, via protein quality control (PQC) mechanisms. It is currently hypothesized that a breakdown in proteostasis during ageing leads to the accumulation of protein aggregates in the cell and disease. Sequestration of misfolded proteins into PQC compartments represents one branch of the PQC network. In neurodegenerative diseases, certain proteins form abnormal protein deposits. Which PQC compartments house misfolded proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases is still being investigated. It remains unclear if sequestration of these misfolded proteins is toxic or protective to the cell. Here, we review the current knowledge on various PQC compartments that form in the cell, the kinds of protein aggregates found in neurodegenerative diseases, and what is known about their sequestration. Understanding how protein sequestration occurs can shed light on why aggregates are toxic to the cell and are linked to neurodegenerative diseases like Huntington's, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's diseases.
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21
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Sun J, Huang T, Debelius JW, Fang F. Gut microbiome and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A systematic review of current evidence. J Intern Med 2021; 290:758-788. [PMID: 34080741 DOI: 10.1111/joim.13336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), characterized by a loss of motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord, is a relatively rare but currently incurable neurodegenerative disease. The global incidence of ALS is estimated as 1.75 per 100,000 person-years and the global prevalence is estimated as 4.1-8.4 per 100,000 individuals. Contributions from outside the central nervous system to the etiology of ALS have been increasingly recognized. Gut microbiome is one of the most quickly growing fields of research for ALS. In this article, we performed a comprehensive review of the results from existing animal and human studies, to provide an up-to-date summary of the current research on gut microbiome and ALS. In brief, we found relatively consistent results from animal studies, suggesting an altered gut microbiome composition in experimental ALS. Publication bias might however be a concern. Findings from human studies are largely inconclusive. A few animal and human studies demonstrated the usefulness of intervention with microbial-derived metabolites in modulating the disease progression of ALS. We discussed potential methodological concerns in these studies, including study design, statistical power, handling process of biospecimens and sequencing data, as well as statistical methods and interpretation of results. Finally, we made a few proposals for continued microbiome research in ALS, with the aim to provide valid, reproducible, and translatable findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangwei Sun
- Unit of Integrative Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tingting Huang
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, People's Republic of China
| | - Justine W Debelius
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Fang Fang
- Unit of Integrative Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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22
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Gonçalves CC, Sharon I, Schmeing TM, Ramos CHI, Young JC. The chaperone HSPB1 prepares protein aggregates for resolubilization by HSP70. Sci Rep 2021; 11:17139. [PMID: 34429462 PMCID: PMC8384840 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-96518-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
In human cells under stress conditions, misfolded polypeptides can form potentially cytotoxic insoluble aggregates. To eliminate aggregates, the HSP70 chaperone machinery extracts and resolubilizes polypeptides for triage to refolding or degradation. Yeast and bacterial chaperones of the small heat-shock protein (sHSP) family can bind substrates at early stages of misfolding, during the aggregation process. The co-aggregated sHSPs then facilitate downstream disaggregation by HSP70. Because it is unknown whether a human sHSP has this activity, we investigated the disaggregation role of human HSPB1. HSPB1 co-aggregated with unfolded protein substrates, firefly luciferase and mammalian lactate dehydrogenase. The co-aggregates formed with HSPB1 were smaller and more regularly shaped than those formed in its absence. Importantly, co-aggregation promoted the efficient disaggregation and refolding of the substrates, led by HSP70. HSPB1 itself was also extracted during disaggregation, and its homo-oligomerization ability was not required. Therefore, we propose that a human sHSP is an integral part of the chaperone network for protein disaggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conrado C Gonçalves
- Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, 3655 Promenade Sir William Osler, Room 900, Montreal, QC, H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Itai Sharon
- Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, 3649 Promenade Sir William Osler, Room 457, Montreal, QC, H3G 0B1, Canada
| | - T Martin Schmeing
- Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, 3649 Promenade Sir William Osler, Room 457, Montreal, QC, H3G 0B1, Canada
| | - Carlos H I Ramos
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, 13083-970, Brazil
| | - Jason C Young
- Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, 3655 Promenade Sir William Osler, Room 900, Montreal, QC, H3G 1Y6, Canada.
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23
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Bacterial Extracellular DNA Promotes β-Amyloid Aggregation. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9061301. [PMID: 34203755 PMCID: PMC8232312 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9061301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Revised: 06/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease is associated with prion-like aggregation of the amyloid β (Aβ) peptide and the subsequent accumulation of misfolded neurotoxic aggregates in the brain. Therefore, it is critical to clearly identify the factors that trigger the cascade of Aβ misfolding and aggregation. Numerous studies have pointed out the association between microorganisms and their virulence factors and Alzheimer’s disease; however, their exact mechanisms of action remain unclear. Recently, we discovered a new pathogenic role of bacterial extracellular DNA, triggering the formation of misfolded Tau aggregates. In this study, we investigated the possible role of DNA extracted from different bacterial and eukaryotic cells in triggering Aβ aggregation in vitro. Interestingly, we found that the extracellular DNA of some, but not all, bacteria is an effective trigger of Aβ aggregation. Furthermore, the acceleration of Aβ nucleation and elongation can vary based on the concentration of the bacterial DNA and the bacterial strain from which this DNA had originated. Our findings suggest that bacterial extracellular DNA might play a previously overlooked role in the Aβ protein misfolding associated with Alzheimer’s disease pathogenesis. Moreover, it highlights a new mechanism of how distantly localized bacteria can remotely contribute to protein misfolding and diseases associated with this process. These findings might lead to the use of bacterial DNA as a novel therapeutic target for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
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24
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Capitini C, Fani G, Vivoli Vega M, Penco A, Canale C, Cabrita LD, Calamai M, Christodoulou J, Relini A, Chiti F. Full-length TDP-43 and its C-terminal domain form filaments in vitro having non-amyloid properties. Amyloid 2021; 28:56-65. [PMID: 33026249 PMCID: PMC7613275 DOI: 10.1080/13506129.2020.1826425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Accumulation of ubiquitin-positive, tau- and α-synuclein-negative intracellular inclusions of TDP-43 in the central nervous system represents the major hallmark correlated to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration with ubiquitin-positive inclusions (FTLD-U). Such inclusions have variably been described as amorphous aggregates or more structured deposits having amyloid properties. Here we have purified full-length TDP-43 (FL TDP-43) and its C-terminal domain (Ct TDP-43) to investigate the morphological, structural and tinctorial features of aggregates formed in vitro by them at pH 7.4 and 37 °C. AFM images indicate that both protein variants show a tendency to form filaments. Moreover, we show that both FL TDP-43 and Ct TDP-43 filaments possess a largely disordered secondary structure, as ascertained by far-UV circular dichroism and Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy, do not bind Congo red and induce a very weak increase of thioflavin T fluorescence, indicating the absence of a clear amyloid-like signature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Capitini
- Section of Biochemistry, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.,European Laboratory for Non-linear Spectroscopy, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Giulia Fani
- Section of Biochemistry, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Mirella Vivoli Vega
- Section of Biochemistry, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Amanda Penco
- Department of Physics, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Claudio Canale
- Department of Physics, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Lisa D Cabrita
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, UCL and Birkbeck College London, London, UK
| | - Martino Calamai
- European Laboratory for Non-linear Spectroscopy, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.,National Institute of Optics, National Research Council, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - John Christodoulou
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, UCL and Birkbeck College London, London, UK
| | | | - Fabrizio Chiti
- Section of Biochemistry, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
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25
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Jagaraj CJ, Parakh S, Atkin JD. Emerging Evidence Highlighting the Importance of Redox Dysregulation in the Pathogenesis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 14:581950. [PMID: 33679322 PMCID: PMC7929997 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.581950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The cellular redox state, or balance between cellular oxidation and reduction reactions, serves as a vital antioxidant defence system that is linked to all important cellular activities. Redox regulation is therefore a fundamental cellular process for aerobic organisms. Whilst oxidative stress is well described in neurodegenerative disorders including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), other aspects of redox dysfunction and their contributions to pathophysiology are only just emerging. ALS is a fatal neurodegenerative disease affecting motor neurons, with few useful treatments. Hence there is an urgent need to develop more effective therapeutics in the future. Here, we discuss the increasing evidence for redox dysregulation as an important and primary contributor to ALS pathogenesis, which is associated with multiple disease mechanisms. Understanding the connection between redox homeostasis, proteins that mediate redox regulation, and disease pathophysiology in ALS, may facilitate a better understanding of disease mechanisms, and lead to the design of better therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyril Jones Jagaraj
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University Centre for MND Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Sonam Parakh
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University Centre for MND Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Julie D Atkin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University Centre for MND Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
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26
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Furukawa Y. Good and Bad of Cu/Zn-Superoxide Dismutase Controlled by Metal Ions and Disulfide Bonds. CHEM LETT 2021. [DOI: 10.1246/cl.200770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yoshiaki Furukawa
- Department of Chemistry, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku, Kanagawa 223-8522, Japan
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27
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Ding X, Xiang Z, Qin C, Chen Y, Tian H, Meng L, Xia D, Liu H, Song J, Fu J, Ma M, Wang X. Spreading of TDP-43 pathology via pyramidal tract induces ALS-like phenotypes in TDP-43 transgenic mice. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2021; 9:15. [PMID: 33461623 PMCID: PMC7814549 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-020-01112-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Transactive response DNA-binding protein 43 kDa (TDP-43) has been identified as the major component of ubiquitinated inclusions found in patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Increasing evidence suggests prion-like transmission of TDP-43 aggregates via neuroanatomic connection in vitro and pyramidal tract in vivo. However, it is still unknown whether the spreading of pathological TDP-43 sequentially via pyramidal tract can initiate ALS-like pathology and phenotypes. In this study, we reported that injection of TDP-43 preformed fibrils (PFFs) into the primary motor cortex (M1) of Thy1-e (IRES-TARDBP) 1 mice induced the spreading of pathological TDP-43 along pyramidal tract axons anterogradely. Moreover, TDP-43 PFFs-injected Thy1-e (IRES-TARDBP) 1 mice displayed ALS-like neuropathological features and symptoms, including motor dysfunctions and electrophysiological abnormalities. These findings provide direct evidence that transmission of pathological TDP-43 along pyramidal tract induces ALS-like phenotypes, which further suggest the potential mechanism for TDP-43 proteinopathy.
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28
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Leyton-Jaimes MF, Ivert P, Hoeber J, Han Y, Feiler A, Zhou C, Pankratova S, Shoshan-Barmatz V, Israelson A, Kozlova EN. Empty mesoporous silica particles significantly delay disease progression and extend survival in a mouse model of ALS. Sci Rep 2020; 10:20675. [PMID: 33244084 PMCID: PMC7691331 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77578-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating incurable neurological disorder characterized by motor neuron (MN) death and muscle dysfunction leading to mean survival time after diagnosis of only 2-5 years. A potential ALS treatment is to delay the loss of MNs and disease progression by the delivery of trophic factors. Previously, we demonstrated that implanted mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSPs) loaded with trophic factor peptide mimetics support survival and induce differentiation of co-implanted embryonic stem cell (ESC)-derived MNs. Here, we investigate whether MSP loaded with peptide mimetics of ciliary neurotrophic factor (Cintrofin), glial-derived neurotrophic factor (Gliafin), and vascular endothelial growth factor (Vefin1) injected into the cervical spinal cord of mutant SOD1 mice affect disease progression and extend survival. We also transplanted boundary cap neural crest stem cells (bNCSCs) which have been shown previously to have a positive effect on MN survival in vitro and in vivo. We show that mimetic-loaded MSPs and bNCSCs significantly delay disease progression and increase survival of mutant SOD1 mice, and also that empty particles significantly improve the condition of ALS mice. Our results suggest that intraspinal delivery of MSPs is a potential therapeutic approach for the treatment of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcel F Leyton-Jaimes
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Patrik Ivert
- Department of Neuroscience, Regenerative Neurobiology, Uppsala University Biomedical Center, Box 593, 751 24, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jan Hoeber
- Department of Neuroscience, Regenerative Neurobiology, Uppsala University Biomedical Center, Box 593, 751 24, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 815, 751 08, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Yilin Han
- Department of Neuroscience, Regenerative Neurobiology, Uppsala University Biomedical Center, Box 593, 751 24, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Adam Feiler
- Nanologica AB, Forskargatan 20G, 151 36, Södertälje, Sweden.,Chemistry Department, KTH, Royal Institute of Technology, 100 44, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Chunfang Zhou
- Chemistry Department, KTH, Royal Institute of Technology, 100 44, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Stanislava Pankratova
- Laboratory of Neural Plasticity, Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Comparative Pediatrics and Nutrition, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1870, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Varda Shoshan-Barmatz
- Department of Life Sciences, The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev Ltd, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Adrian Israelson
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel.
| | - Elena N Kozlova
- Department of Neuroscience, Regenerative Neurobiology, Uppsala University Biomedical Center, Box 593, 751 24, Uppsala, Sweden.
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29
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McAlary L, Chew YL, Lum JS, Geraghty NJ, Yerbury JJ, Cashman NR. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Proteins, Proteostasis, Prions, and Promises. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:581907. [PMID: 33328890 PMCID: PMC7671971 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.581907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by the progressive degeneration of the motor neurons that innervate muscle, resulting in gradual paralysis and culminating in the inability to breathe or swallow. This neuronal degeneration occurs in a spatiotemporal manner from a point of onset in the central nervous system (CNS), suggesting that there is a molecule that spreads from cell-to-cell. There is strong evidence that the onset and progression of ALS pathology is a consequence of protein misfolding and aggregation. In line with this, a hallmark pathology of ALS is protein deposition and inclusion formation within motor neurons and surrounding glia of the proteins TAR DNA-binding protein 43, superoxide dismutase-1, or fused in sarcoma. Collectively, the observed protein aggregation, in conjunction with the spatiotemporal spread of symptoms, strongly suggests a prion-like propagation of protein aggregation occurs in ALS. In this review, we discuss the role of protein aggregation in ALS concerning protein homeostasis (proteostasis) mechanisms and prion-like propagation. Furthermore, we examine the experimental models used to investigate these processes, including in vitro assays, cultured cells, invertebrate models, and murine models. Finally, we evaluate the therapeutics that may best prevent the onset or spread of pathology in ALS and discuss what lies on the horizon for treating this currently incurable disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke McAlary
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Yee Lian Chew
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Jeremy Stephen Lum
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Nicholas John Geraghty
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Justin John Yerbury
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Neil R. Cashman
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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30
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McAlary L, Yerbury JJ, Cashman NR. The prion-like nature of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2020; 175:261-296. [PMID: 32958236 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2020.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The misfolding, aggregation, and deposition of specific proteins is the key hallmark of most progressive neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). ALS is characterized by the rapid and progressive degenerations of motor neurons in the spinal cord and motor cortex, resulting in paralysis of those who suffer from it. Pathologically, there are three major aggregating proteins associated with ALS, including TAR DNA-binding protein of 43kDa (TDP-43), superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1), and fused in sarcoma (FUS). While there are ALS-associated mutations found in each of these proteins, the most prevalent aggregation pathology is that of wild-type TDP-43 (97% of cases), with the remaining split between mutant forms of SOD1 (~2%) and FUS (~1%). Considering the progressive nature of ALS and its association with the aggregation of specific proteins, a growing notion is that the spread of pathology and symptoms can be explained by a prion-like mechanism. Prion diseases are a group of highly infectious neurodegenerative disorders caused by the misfolding, aggregation, and spread of a transmissible conformer of prion protein (PrP). Pathogenic PrP is capable of converting healthy PrP into a toxic form through template-directed misfolding. Application of this finding to other neurodegenerative disorders, and in particular ALS, has revolutionized our understanding of cause and progression of these disorders. In this chapter, we first provide a background on ALS pathology and genetic origin. We then detail and discuss the evidence supporting a prion-like propagation of protein misfolding and aggregation in ALS with a particular focus on SOD1 and TDP-43 as these are the most well-established models in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- L McAlary
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW, Australia; Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - J J Yerbury
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW, Australia; Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - N R Cashman
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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31
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Does wild-type Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase have pathogenic roles in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis? Transl Neurodegener 2020; 9:33. [PMID: 32811540 PMCID: PMC7437001 DOI: 10.1186/s40035-020-00209-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by adult-onset progressive degeneration of upper and lower motor neurons. Increasing numbers of genes are found to be associated with ALS; among those, the first identified gene, SOD1 coding a Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase protein (SOD1), has been regarded as the gold standard in the research on a pathomechanism of ALS. Abnormal accumulation of misfolded SOD1 in affected spinal motor neurons has been established as a pathological hallmark of ALS caused by mutations in SOD1 (SOD1-ALS). Nonetheless, involvement of wild-type SOD1 remains quite controversial in the pathology of ALS with no SOD1 mutations (non-SOD1 ALS), which occupies more than 90% of total ALS cases. In vitro studies have revealed post-translationally controlled misfolding and aggregation of wild-type as well as of mutant SOD1 proteins; therefore, SOD1 proteins could be a therapeutic target not only in SOD1-ALS but also in more prevailing cases, non-SOD1 ALS. In order to search for evidence on misfolding and aggregation of wild-type SOD1 in vivo, we reviewed pathological studies using mouse models and patients and then summarized arguments for and against possible involvement of wild-type SOD1 in non-SOD1 ALS as well as in SOD1-ALS.
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32
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Neumann M, Mackenzie IRA. Review: Neuropathology of non-tau frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 2020; 45:19-40. [PMID: 30357887 DOI: 10.1111/nan.12526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2018] [Accepted: 09/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a heterogeneous clinical syndrome associated with frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) as a relatively consistent neuropathological hallmark feature. However, the discoveries in the past decade of many of the relevant pathological proteins aggregating in human FTD brains in addition to several new FTD causing gene mutations underlined that FTD is a diverse condition on the neuropathological and genetic basis. This resulted in a novel molecular classification of these conditions based on the predominant protein abnormality and allows most cases of FTD to be placed now into one of three broad molecular subgroups; FTLD with tau, TAR DNA-binding protein 43 or FET protein accumulation (FTLD-tau, FTLD-TDP and FTLD-FET respectively). This review will provide an overview of the molecular neuropathology of non-tau FTLD, insights into disease mechanisms gained from the study of human post mortem tissue as well as discussion of current controversies in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Neumann
- Department of Neuropathology, University Hospital of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Molecular Neuropathology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Tübingen, Germany
| | - I R A Mackenzie
- Department of Pathology, University of British Columbia and Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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33
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Perri ER, Parakh S, Vidal M, Mehta P, Ma Y, Walker AK, Atkin JD. The Cysteine (Cys) Residues Cys-6 and Cys-111 in Mutant Superoxide Dismutase 1 (SOD1) A4V Are Required for Induction of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. J Mol Neurosci 2020; 70:1357-1368. [PMID: 32445072 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-020-01551-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2019] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the degeneration of motor neurons. Between 12 and 20% of inherited cases and approximately 1-2% of all cases are caused by mutations in the gene encoding dismutase 1 (SOD1). Mutant SOD1 A4V (alanine to valine) induces endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, which is increasingly implicated as a pathway to motor neuron degeneration and death in ALS. However, it remains unclear how ER stress is induced by mutant SOD1 A4V. Previous studies have established that it is induced early in pathophysiology and it precedes the formation of mutant SOD1 inclusions. SOD1 contains four cysteine residues, two of which form an intra-subunit disulphide bond involving Cys-57 and Cys-146. The remaining two cysteines, Cys-6 and Cys-111, remain unpaired and have been implicated in mutant SOD1 aggregation. In this study, we examined the relationship between the SOD1 A4V cysteine residues and aggregation, ER stress induction and toxicity. We report here that mutation of Cys-6 and Cys-111 in mutant SOD1 A4V, but not Cys-57 or Cys-146, ameliorates ER stress, inclusion formation and apoptosis in neuronal cell lines. These results imply that protein misfolding, induced by Cys-6 and Cys-111, is required for these pathological events in neuronal cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma R Perri
- Centre for MND Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Sonam Parakh
- Centre for MND Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Marta Vidal
- Centre for MND Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Prachi Mehta
- Centre for MND Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Yi Ma
- Department of General Surgery, Monash Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Adam K Walker
- Centre for MND Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia.,Neurodegeneration Pathobiology Laboratory, Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Julie D Atkin
- Centre for MND Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia. .,Department of General Surgery, Monash Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
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34
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Changes in hydrophobicity mainly promotes the aggregation tendency of ALS associated SOD1 mutants. Int J Biol Macromol 2020; 145:904-913. [PMID: 31669277 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.09.181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2019] [Revised: 09/24/2019] [Accepted: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Protein misfolding and aggregation due to mutations, are associated with fatal neurodegenerative disorders. The mutations in Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) causing its misfolding and aggregation are found linked to the motor neuron disorder, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Since the mutations are scattered throughout SOD1 structure, determining the exact molecular mechanism underlying the ALS pathology remains unresolved. In this study, we have investigated the major molecular factors that mainly contribute to SOD1 destabilization, intrinsic disorder, and misfolding using sequence and structural information. We have analysed 153 ALS causing SOD1 point mutants for aggregation tendency using four different aggregation prediction tools, viz., Aggrescan3D (A3D), CamSol, GAP and Zyggregator. Our results suggest that 74-79 mutants are susceptible to aggregation, due to distorted native interactions originated at the mutation site. Majority of the aggregation prone mutants are located in the buried regions of SOD1 molecule. Further, the mutations at the hydrophobic amino acids primarily promote the aggregation tendency of SOD1 protein through different destabilizing mechanisms including changes in hydrophobic free energy, loss of electrostatic interactions in the protein's surface and loss of hydrogen bonds that bridges the protein core and surface.
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35
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Baumer KM, Koone JC, Shaw BF. Kinetic Variability in Seeded Formation of ALS-Linked SOD1 Fibrils Across Multiple Generations. ACS Chem Neurosci 2020; 11:304-313. [PMID: 31895541 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.9b00464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The unseeded aggregation of superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1) into amyloid-like fibrils occurs stochastically in vitro and in vivo, that is, isolated populations of SOD1 proteins (within microplate wells or living cells) self-assemble into amyloid at rates that span a probability distribution. This stochasticity has been attributed to variable degrees of monomer depletion by competing pathways of amorphous and fibrillar aggregation (inter alia). Here, microplate-based thioflavin-T (ThT) fluorescence assays were performed at high iteration (∼300) to establish whether this observed stochasticity persists when progenitor ("parent") SOD1 fibrils are used to seed the formation of multiple generations of progeny fibrils (daughter, granddaughter, and great-granddaughter fibrils). Populations of progenitor fibrils formed stochastically at different rates and fluorescence intensity, however, progeny fibrils formed at more similar rates regardless of the formation rate of the progenitor fibril. For example, populations of progenitor fibrils that formed with a lag time of ∼30 h or ∼15 h both produced progeny fibrils with lag times of ∼8 h. Likewise, populations of progenitor fibrils with high or low maximum fluorescence (e.g., ∼450 or ∼75 A.U.) both produced progeny fibrils with more similar maximum fluorescence (∼125 A.U.). The rate of propagation was found to be more dependent on monomer concentration than seed concentration. These results can be rationalized by classical rate laws for primary nucleation and monomer-dependent secondary nucleation. We also find that the seeding propensity of some "families" of in vitro grown fibrils exhibit a finite lifetime (similar to that observed in the seeding of small molecule crystals and colloids). The single biological takeaway of this study is that the concentration of native SOD1 in a cell can have a stronger effect on rates of seeded aggregation than the concentration of prion-like seed that infected the cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katelyn M Baumer
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , Baylor University , Waco , Texas 76706 , United States
| | - Jordan C Koone
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , Baylor University , Waco , Texas 76706 , United States
| | - Bryan F Shaw
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry , Baylor University , Waco , Texas 76706 , United States
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36
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Crown A, McAlary L, Fagerli E, Brown H, Yerbury JJ, Galaleldeen A, Cashman NR, Borchelt DR, Ayers JI. Tryptophan residue 32 in human Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase modulates prion-like propagation and strain selection. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0227655. [PMID: 31999698 PMCID: PMC6991973 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 12/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) associated with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis cause the protein to aggregate via a prion-like process in which soluble molecules are recruited to aggregates by conformational templating. These misfolded SOD1 proteins can propagate aggregation-inducing conformations across cellular membranes. Prior studies demonstrated that mutation of a Trp (W) residue at position 32 to Ser (S) suppresses the propagation of misfolded conformations between cells, whereas other studies have shown that mutation of Trp 32 to Phe (F), or Cys 111 to Ser, can act in cis to attenuate aggregation of mutant SOD1. By expressing mutant SOD1 fused with yellow fluorescent protein (YFP), we compared the relative ability of these mutations to modulate the formation of inclusions by ALS-mutant SOD1 (G93A and G85R). Only mutation of Trp 32 to Ser persistently reduced the formation of the amorphous inclusions that form in these cells, consistent with the idea that a Ser at position 32 inhibits templated propagation of aggregation prone conformations. To further test this idea, we produced aggregated fibrils of recombinant SOD1-W32S in vitro and injected them into the spinal cords of newborn mice expressing G85R-SOD1: YFP. The injected mice developed an earlier onset paralysis with a frequency similar to mice injected with WT SOD1 fibrils, generating a strain of misfolded SOD1 that produced highly fibrillar inclusion pathology. These findings suggest that the effect of Trp 32 in modulating the propagation of misfolded SOD1 conformations may be dependent upon the “strain” of the conformer that is propagating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Crown
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, SantaFe HealthCare Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Luke McAlary
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry & Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, School of Chemistry & Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Eric Fagerli
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, SantaFe HealthCare Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Hilda Brown
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, SantaFe HealthCare Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Justin J. Yerbury
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry & Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, School of Chemistry & Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ahmad Galaleldeen
- Department of Biological Sciences, St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
| | - Neil R. Cashman
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - David R. Borchelt
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, SantaFe HealthCare Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Jacob I. Ayers
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, SantaFe HealthCare Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, University of California, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Abstract
Few proteins have come under such intense scrutiny as superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1). For almost a century, scientists have dissected its form, function and then later its malfunction in the neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We now know SOD1 is a zinc and copper metalloenzyme that clears superoxide as part of our antioxidant defence and respiratory regulation systems. The possibility of reduced structural integrity was suggested by the first crystal structures of human SOD1 even before deleterious mutations in the sod1 gene were linked to the ALS. This concept evolved in the intervening years as an impressive array of biophysical studies examined the characteristics of mutant SOD1 in great detail. We now recognise how ALS-related mutations perturb the SOD1 maturation processes, reduce its ability to fold and reduce its thermal stability and half-life. Mutant SOD1 is therefore predisposed to monomerisation, non-canonical self-interactions, the formation of small misfolded oligomers and ultimately accumulation in the tell-tale insoluble inclusions found within the neurons of ALS patients. We have also seen that several post-translational modifications could push wild-type SOD1 down this toxic pathway. Recently we have come to view ALS as a prion-like disease where both the symptoms, and indeed SOD1 misfolding itself, are transmitted to neighbouring cells. This raises the possibility of intervention after the initial disease presentation. Several small-molecule and biologic-based strategies have been devised which directly target the SOD1 molecule to change the behaviour thought to be responsible for ALS. Here we provide a comprehensive review of the many biophysical advances that sculpted our view of SOD1 biology and the recent work that aims to apply this knowledge for therapeutic outcomes in ALS.
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Tokuda E, Takei YI, Ohara S, Fujiwara N, Hozumi I, Furukawa Y. Wild-type Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase is misfolded in cerebrospinal fluid of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Mol Neurodegener 2019; 14:42. [PMID: 31744522 PMCID: PMC6862823 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-019-0341-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background A subset of familial forms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are caused by mutations in the gene coding Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD1). Mutant SOD1 proteins are susceptible to misfolding and abnormally accumulated in spinal cord, which is most severely affected in ALS. It, however, remains quite controversial whether misfolding of wild-type SOD1 is involved in more prevalent sporadic ALS (sALS) cases without SOD1 mutations. Methods Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from patients including sALS as well as several other neurodegenerative diseases and non-neurodegenerative diseases was examined with an immunoprecipitation assay and a sandwich ELISA using antibodies specifically recognizing misfolded SOD1. Results We found that wild-type SOD1 was misfolded in CSF from all sALS cases examined in this study. The misfolded SOD1 was also detected in CSF from a subset of Parkinson’s disease and progressive supranuclear palsy, albeit with smaller amounts than those in sALS. Furthermore, the CSF samples containing the misfolded SOD1 exhibited significant toxicity toward motor neuron-like NSC-34 cells, which was ameliorated by removal of the misfolded wild-type SOD1 with immunoprecipitation. Conclusions Taken together, we propose that misfolding of wild-type SOD1 in CSF is a common pathological process of ALS cases regardless of SOD1 mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eiichi Tokuda
- Laboratory for Mechanistic Chemistry of Biomolecules, Department of Chemistry, Keio University, Yokohama, 223-8522, Japan
| | - Yo-Ichi Takei
- Department of Neurology, Matsumoto Medical Center, Matsumoto, 399-0021, Japan
| | - Shinji Ohara
- Department of Neurology, Matsumoto Medical Center, Matsumoto, 399-0021, Japan.,Department of Neurology, Iida Hospital, Iida, 395-8505, Japan
| | - Noriko Fujiwara
- Department of Biochemistry, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, 663-8501, Japan
| | - Isao Hozumi
- Laboratory of Medical Therapeutics and Molecular Therapeutics, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, Gifu, 501-1196, Japan.,Department of Neurology and Geriatrics, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, 501-1194, Japan
| | - Yoshiaki Furukawa
- Laboratory for Mechanistic Chemistry of Biomolecules, Department of Chemistry, Keio University, Yokohama, 223-8522, Japan.
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McAlary L, Plotkin SS, Yerbury JJ, Cashman NR. Prion-Like Propagation of Protein Misfolding and Aggregation in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Front Mol Neurosci 2019; 12:262. [PMID: 31736708 PMCID: PMC6838634 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2019.00262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The discovery that prion protein can misfold into a pathological conformation that encodes structural information capable of both propagation and inducing severe neuropathology has revolutionized our understanding of neurodegenerative disease. Many neurodegenerative diseases with a protein misfolding component are now classified as “prion-like” owing to the propagation of both symptoms and protein aggregation pathology in affected individuals. The neuromuscular disorder amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by protein inclusions formed by either TAR DNA-binding protein of 43 kDa (TDP-43), Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1), or fused in sarcoma (FUS), in both upper and lower motor neurons. Evidence from in vitro, cell culture, and in vivo studies has provided strong evidence to support the involvement of a prion-like mechanism in ALS. In this article, we review the evidence suggesting that prion-like propagation of protein aggregation is a primary pathomechanism in ALS, focusing on the key proteins and genes involved in disease (TDP-43, SOD1, FUS, and C9orf72). In each case, we discuss the evidence ranging from biophysical studies to in vivo examinations of prion-like spreading. We suggest that the idiopathic nature of ALS may stem from its prion-like nature and that elucidation of the specific propagating protein assemblies is paramount to developing effective therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke McAlary
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.,Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Steven S Plotkin
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Genome Sciences and Technology Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Justin J Yerbury
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.,Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Neil R Cashman
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Elucidation of the Molecular Characteristics of Wild-Type and ALS-Linked Mutant SOD1 Using the NanoLuc Complementation Reporter System. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 2019; 190:674-685. [PMID: 31422561 DOI: 10.1007/s12010-019-03114-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 07/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Previously, we evaluated human SOD1 (hSOD1) dimerization in living cells using the NanoLuc complementation reporter system and found that homodimerization of G85R and G93A mutant SOD1 was lower than that of wild-type hSOD1. Since these assays were performed only using N-terminal NanoBiT-tagged hSOD1 constructs in our previous study, we constructed additional hSOD1 genes with NanoBiT-tags at the C-terminus and evaluated the NanoBiT luciferase activities. Among the tested combinations, the luciferase activity in cells expressing NanoBiT-tagged wild-type hSOD1 was higher than that in cells expressing G85R or G93A mutant hSOD1. The NanoBiT luciferase activities were detected both inside and outside of cells; however, the extracellular luciferase activities were minimally dampened by treatment with brefeldin A, which inhibits canonical ER-Golgi transport. In addition to studies on the homodimerization of SOD1, we investigated the interaction between hSOD1 and three chaperone proteins, copper chaperone for SOD1 (CCS), FKBP, and GRP78. The NanoBiT luciferase activities in cells expressing NanoBiT-tagged SOD1 and CCS were relatively high, but weak signals were also observed in cells expressing SOD1 together with FKBP or GRP78. These luciferase activities were different between wild-type and mutant hSOD1. Finally, we investigated the effects of two selenocompounds, ebselen and Se-methylselenocysteine, on SOD1 dimerization and found that ebselen increased the NanoBiT luciferase activity in cells expressing wild-type and mutant hSOD1. In conclusion, we show the differential molecular characteristics of wild-type and mutant hSOD1 in live cells by transfection with NanoBiT-tagged hSOD1 and chaperone genes and demonstrate that this assay might be useful for the development and re-evaluation of chemical compounds modulating the SOD1 conformation.
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Forsberg K, Graffmo K, Pakkenberg B, Weber M, Nielsen M, Marklund S, Brännström T, Andersen PM. Misfolded SOD1 inclusions in patients with mutations in C9orf72 and other ALS/FTD-associated genes. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2019; 90:861-869. [PMID: 30992335 PMCID: PMC6691870 DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2018-319386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Revised: 02/24/2019] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE A hallmark of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) caused by mutations in superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1) are inclusions containing SOD1 in motor neurons. Here, we searched for SOD1-positive inclusions in 29 patients carrying ALS-linked mutations in six other genes. METHODS A panel of antibodies that specifically recognise misfolded SOD1 species were used for immunohistochemical investigations of autopsy tissue. RESULTS The 18 patients with hexanucleotide-repeat-expansions in C9orf72 had inclusions of misfolded wild type (WT) SOD1WT in spinal motor neurons. Similar inclusions were occasionally observed in medulla oblongata and in the motor cortex and frontal lobe. Patients with mutations in FUS, KIF5A, NEK1, ALSIN or VAPB, carried similar SOD1WT inclusions. Minute amounts of misSOD1WT inclusions were detected in 2 of 20 patients deceased from non-neurological causes and in 4 of 10 patients with other neurodegenerative diseases. Comparison was made with 17 patients with 9 different SOD1 mutations. Morphologically, the inclusions in patients with mutations in C9orf72HRE, FUS, KIF5A, NEK1, VAPB and ALSIN resembled inclusions in patients carrying the wildtype-like SOD1D90A mutation, whereas patients carrying unstable SOD1 mutations (A4V, V5M, D76Y, D83G, D101G, G114A, G127X, L144F) had larger skein-like SOD1-positive inclusions. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Abundant inclusions containing misfolded SOD1WT are found in spinal and cortical motor neurons in patients carrying mutations in six ALS-causing genes other than SOD1. This suggests that misfolding of SOD1WT can be part of a common downstream event that may be pathogenic. The new anti-SOD1 therapeutics in development may have applications for a broader range of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Forsberg
- Medical Biosciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.,Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | | | - Bente Pakkenberg
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Markus Weber
- Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
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AAV2/9-mediated overexpression of MIF inhibits SOD1 misfolding, delays disease onset, and extends survival in mouse models of ALS. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:14755-14760. [PMID: 31262807 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1904665116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in superoxide dismutase (SOD1) cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the loss of upper and lower motor neurons. Transgenic mice that overexpress mutant SOD1 develop paralysis and accumulate misfolded SOD1 onto the cytoplasmic faces of intracellular organelles, including mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Recently, macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) was shown to directly inhibit mutant SOD1 misfolding and binding to intracellular membranes. In addition, complete elimination of endogenous MIF accelerated disease onset and late disease progression, as well as shortened the lifespan of mutant SOD1 mice with higher amounts of misfolded SOD1 detected within the spinal cord. Based on these findings, we used adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors to overexpress MIF in the spinal cord of mutant SOD1G93A and loxSOD1G37R mice. Our data show that MIF mRNA and protein levels were increased in the spinal cords of AAV2/9-MIF-injected mice. Furthermore, mutant SOD1G93A and loxSOD1G37R mice injected with AAV2/9-MIF demonstrated a significant delay in disease onset and prolonged survival compared with their AAV2/9-GFP-injected or noninjected littermates. Moreover, these mice accumulated reduced amounts of misfolded SOD1 in their spinal cords, with no observed effect on glial overactivation as a result of MIF up-regulation. Our findings indicate that MIF plays a significant role in SOD1 folding and misfolding mechanisms and strengthen the hypothesis that MIF acts as a chaperone for misfolded SOD1 in vivo and may have further implications regarding the therapeutic potential role of up-regulation of MIF in modulating the specific accumulation of misfolded SOD1.
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RNA recognition motifs of disease-linked RNA-binding proteins contribute to amyloid formation. Sci Rep 2019; 9:6171. [PMID: 30992467 PMCID: PMC6467989 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-42367-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant expression, dysfunction and particularly aggregation of a group of RNA-binding proteins, including TDP-43, FUS and RBM45, are associated with neurological disorders. These three disease-linked RNA-binding proteins all contain at least one RNA recognition motif (RRM). However, it is not clear if these RRMs contribute to their aggregation-prone character. Here, we compare the biophysical and fibril formation properties of five RRMs from disease-linked RNA-binding proteins and five RRMs from non-disease-associated proteins to determine if disease-linked RRMs share specific features making them prone to self-assembly. We found that most of the disease-linked RRMs exhibit reversible thermal unfolding and refolding, and have a slightly lower average thermal melting point compared to that of normal RRMs. The full domain of TDP-43 RRM1 and FUS RRM, as well as the β-peptides from these two RRMs, could self-assemble into fibril-like aggregates which are amyloids of parallel β-sheets as verified by X-ray diffraction and FT-IR spectroscopy. Our results suggest that some disease-linked RRMs indeed play important roles in amyloid formation and shed light on why RNA-binding proteins with RRMs are frequently identified in the cellular inclusions of neurodegenerative diseases.
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44
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Experimental Mutations in Superoxide Dismutase 1 Provide Insight into Potential Mechanisms Involved in Aberrant Aggregation in Familial Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2019; 9:719-728. [PMID: 30622123 PMCID: PMC6404617 DOI: 10.1534/g3.118.200787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Mutations in more than 80 different positions in superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) have been associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (fALS). There is substantial evidence that a common consequence of these mutations is to induce the protein to misfold and aggregate. How these mutations perturb native structure to heighten the propensity to misfold and aggregate is unclear. In the present study, we have mutagenized Glu residues at positions 40 and 133 that are involved in stabilizing the β-barrel structure of the native protein and a critical Zn binding domain, respectively, to examine how specific mutations may cause SOD1 misfolding and aggregation. Mutations associated with ALS as well as experimental mutations were introduced into these positions. We used an assay in which mutant SOD1 was fused to yellow fluorescent protein (SOD1:YFP) to visualize the formation of cytosolic inclusions by mutant SOD1. We then used existing structural data on SOD1, to predict how different mutations might alter local 3D conformation. Our findings reveal an association between mutant SOD1 aggregation and amino acid substitutions that are predicted to introduce steric strain, sometimes subtly, in the 3D conformation of the peptide backbone.
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45
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TDP-43 extracted from frontotemporal lobar degeneration subject brains displays distinct aggregate assemblies and neurotoxic effects reflecting disease progression rates. Nat Neurosci 2018; 22:65-77. [PMID: 30559480 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-018-0294-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Accumulation of abnormally phosphorylated TDP-43 (pTDP-43) is the main pathology in affected neurons of people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). Morphological diversity and neuroanatomical distribution of pTDP-43 accumulations allowed classification of FTLD cases into at least four subtypes, which are correlated with clinical presentations and genetic causes. To understand the molecular basis of this heterogeneity, we developed SarkoSpin, a new method for biochemical isolation of pathological TDP-43. By combining SarkoSpin with mass spectrometry, we revealed proteins beyond TDP-43 that become abnormally insoluble in a disease subtype-specific manner. We show that pTDP-43 extracted from brain forms stable assemblies of distinct densities and morphologies that are associated with disease subtypes. Importantly, biochemically extracted pTDP-43 assemblies showed differential neurotoxicity and seeding that were correlated with disease duration of FTLD subjects. Our data are consistent with the notion that disease heterogeneity could originate from alternate pathological TDP-43 conformations, which are reminiscent of prion strains.
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46
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Sun Y, Medina Cruz A, Hadley KC, Galant NJ, Law R, Vernon RM, Morris VK, Robertson J, Chakrabartty A. Physiologically Important Electrolytes as Regulators of TDP-43 Aggregation and Droplet-Phase Behavior. Biochemistry 2018; 58:590-607. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.8b00842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yulong Sun
- University Health Network, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University of Toronto, TMDT 4-305, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Alison Medina Cruz
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University of Toronto, TMDT 4-305, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Kevin C. Hadley
- University Health Network, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University of Toronto, TMDT 4-305, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Natalie J. Galant
- University Health Network, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University of Toronto, TMDT 4-305, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Ryan Law
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University of Toronto, TMDT 4-305, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Robert M. Vernon
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Vanessa K. Morris
- University Health Network, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University of Toronto, TMDT 4-305, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Ilam, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand
| | - Janice Robertson
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 2S8, Canada
| | - Avijit Chakrabartty
- University Health Network, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University of Toronto, TMDT 4-305, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University of Toronto, TMDT 4-305, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, TMDT 4-305, 101 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada
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47
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Cantini F, Calderone V, Di Cesare Mannelli L, Korsak M, Gonnelli L, Francesconi O, Ghelardini C, Banci L, Nativi C. Interaction of Half Oxa-/Half cis-Platin Complex with Human Superoxide Dismutase and Induced Reduction of Neurotoxicity. ACS Med Chem Lett 2018; 9:1094-1098. [PMID: 30429951 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.8b00199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 10/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The formation of amorphous protein aggregates containing human superoxide dismutase (hSOD1) is thought to be involved in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis onset. cis-Platin inhibits the oligomerization of apo hSOD1, but its toxicity precludes any possible use in therapy. Herein, we propose a less toxic platinum complex, namely oxa/cis-platin, as hSOD1 antiaggregation lead compound. Oxa/cis-platin is able to interact with hSOD1 in the disulfide oxidized apo form by binding cysteine 111 (Cys111). The mild neurotoxic phenomena induced in vitro and in vivo by oxa/cis-platin can be successfully reverted by using lypoyl derivatives, which do not interfere with the antiaggregation properties of the platin derivative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Cantini
- Dipartimento di Chimica “Ugo Schiff”, University of Florence, via della Lastruccia, 3-13 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (FI), Italy
- CERM, University of Florence, via L. Sacconi, 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (FI), Italy
| | - Vito Calderone
- Dipartimento di Chimica “Ugo Schiff”, University of Florence, via della Lastruccia, 3-13 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (FI), Italy
- CERM, University of Florence, via L. Sacconi, 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (FI), Italy
| | | | - Magdalena Korsak
- CERM, University of Florence, via L. Sacconi, 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (FI), Italy
| | - Leonardo Gonnelli
- Dipartimento di Chimica “Ugo Schiff”, University of Florence, via della Lastruccia, 3-13 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (FI), Italy
- CERM, University of Florence, via L. Sacconi, 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (FI), Italy
| | - Oscar Francesconi
- Dipartimento di Chimica “Ugo Schiff”, University of Florence, via della Lastruccia, 3-13 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (FI), Italy
| | - Carla Ghelardini
- NEUROFARBA, University of Florence, v.le Pieraccini, 50, 50134 Firenze, Italy
| | - Lucia Banci
- Dipartimento di Chimica “Ugo Schiff”, University of Florence, via della Lastruccia, 3-13 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (FI), Italy
- CERM, University of Florence, via L. Sacconi, 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (FI), Italy
| | - Cristina Nativi
- Dipartimento di Chimica “Ugo Schiff”, University of Florence, via della Lastruccia, 3-13 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (FI), Italy
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48
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Crosby K, Crown AM, Roberts BL, Brown H, Ayers JI, Borchelt DR. Loss of charge mutations in solvent exposed Lys residues of superoxide dismutase 1 do not induce inclusion formation in cultured cell models. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0206751. [PMID: 30399166 PMCID: PMC6219784 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0206751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 10/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) associated with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (fALS) induce the protein to misfold and aggregate. Missense mutations at more than 80 different amino acid positions have been associated with disease. How these mutations heighten the propensity of SOD1 to misfold and aggregate is unclear. With so many mutations, it is possible that more than one mechanism of aggregation may be involved. Of many possible mechanisms to explain heightened aggregation, one that has been suggested is that mutations that eliminate charged amino acids could diminish repulsive forces that would inhibit aberrant protein:protein interactions. Mutations at twenty-one charged residues in SOD1 have been associated with fALS, but of the 11 Lys residues in the protein, only 1 has been identified as mutated in ALS patients. Here, we examined whether loss of positively charged surface Lys residues in SOD1 would induce misfolding and formation of intracellular inclusions. We mutated four different Lys residues (K30, K36, K75, K91) in SOD1 that are not particularly well conserved, and expressed these variants as fusion proteins with yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) to assess inclusion formation. We also assessed whether these mutations induced binding to a conformation-restricted SOD1 antibody, designated C4F6, which recognizes non-natively folded protein. Although we observed some mutations to cause enhanced C4F6 binding, we did not observe that mutations that reduce charge at these positions caused the protein to form intracellular inclusions. Our findings may have implications for the low frequency of mutations at Lys residues SOD1 in ALS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith Crosby
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Anthony M. Crown
- College of Arts and Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Brittany L. Roberts
- College of Arts and Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Hilda Brown
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- SantaFe HealthCare Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Jacob I. Ayers
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - David R. Borchelt
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- College of Arts and Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- SantaFe HealthCare Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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49
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Peng X, Cashman NR, Plotkin SS. Prediction of Misfolding-Specific Epitopes in SOD1 Using Collective Coordinates. J Phys Chem B 2018; 122:11662-11676. [PMID: 30351123 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.8b07680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
We introduce a global, collective coordinate bias into molecular dynamics simulations that partially unfolds a protein, in order to predict misfolding-specific epitopes based on the regions that locally unfold. Several metrics are used to measure local disorder, including solvent exposed surface area (SASA), native contacts ( Q), and root mean squared fluctuations (RMSF). The method is applied to Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1). For this protein, the processes of monomerization, metal loss, and conformational unfolding due to microenvironmental stresses are all separately taken into account. Several misfolding-specific epitopes are predicted, and consensus epitopes are calculated. These predicted epitopes are consistent with the "lower-resolution" peptide sequences used to raise disease-specific antibodies, but the epitopes derived from collective coordinates contain shorter, more refined sequences for the key residues constituting the epitope.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xubiao Peng
- Department of Physics and Astronomy , University of British Columbia , Vancouver , British Columbia V6T 1Z1 , Canada.,Center for Quantum Technology Research, School of Physics , Beijing Institute of Technology , Haidian, Beijing 100081 , China
| | - Neil R Cashman
- Brain Research Centre , University of British Columbia , Vancouver , British Columbia V6T 2B5 , Canada
| | - Steven S Plotkin
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, and Genome Sciences and Technology Program , University of British Columbia , Vancouver , British Columbia V6T 1Z1 , Canada
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50
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Dantas LS, Chaves-Filho AB, Coelho FR, Genaro-Mattos TC, Tallman KA, Porter NA, Augusto O, Miyamoto S. Cholesterol secosterol aldehyde adduction and aggregation of Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase: Potential implications in ALS. Redox Biol 2018; 19:105-115. [PMID: 30142602 PMCID: PMC6106709 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2018.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2018] [Revised: 08/06/2018] [Accepted: 08/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by degeneration of upper and lower motor neurons. While the fundamental causes of the disease are still unclear, the accumulation of Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD1) immunoreactive aggregates is associated with familial ALS cases. Cholesterol 5,6-secosterol aldehydes (Seco A and Seco B) are reported to contribute to neurodegenerative disease pathology by inducing protein modification and aggregation. Here we have investigated the presence of secosterol aldehydes in ALS SOD1-G93A rats and their capacity to induce SOD1 aggregation. Secosterol aldehydes were analyzed in blood plasma, spinal cord and motor cortex of ALS rats at the pre-symptomatic and symptomatic stages. Seco B was significantly increased in plasma of symptomatic ALS rats compared to pre-symptomatic animals, suggesting an association with disease progression. In vitro experiments showed that both Seco A and Seco B induce the formation of high molecular weight (HMW) SOD1 aggregates with amorphous morphology. SOD1 adduction to ω-alkynyl-secosterols analyzed by click assay showed that modified proteins are only detected in the HMW region, indicating that secosterol adduction generates species highly prone to aggregate. Of note, SOD1-secosterol adducts containing up to five secosterol molecules were confirmed by MALDI-TOF analysis. Interestingly, mass spectrometry sequencing of SOD1 aggregates revealed preferential secosterol adduction to Lys residues located at the electrostatic loop (Lys 122, 128 and 136) and nearby the dimer interface (Lys 3 and 9). Altogether, our results show that secosterol aldehydes are increased in plasma of symptomatic ALS rats and represent a class of aldehydes that can potentially modify SOD1 enhancing its propensity to aggregate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas S Dantas
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Adriano B Chaves-Filho
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Fernando R Coelho
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Thiago C Genaro-Mattos
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology and Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Keri A Tallman
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology and Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Ned A Porter
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology and Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Ohara Augusto
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Sayuri Miyamoto
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
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