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Krzeski JC, Judson MC, Philpot BD. Neuronal UBE3A substrates hold therapeutic potential for Angelman syndrome. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2024; 88:102899. [PMID: 39126903 PMCID: PMC11397222 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2024.102899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2024] [Revised: 06/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
Emerging therapies for Angelman syndrome, a severe neurodevelopmental disorder, are focused on restoring UBE3A gene expression in the brain. Further therapeutic opportunities may arise from a better understanding of how UBE3A gene products-both long and short isoforms of the ubiquitin ligase E3A (UBE3A)-function in neurons. Great strides have been made recently toward identifying ubiquitin substrates of UBE3A in vitro and in heterologous expression systems. From this work, a particularly close relationship between UBE3A and subunits of the 19S regulatory particle of the proteasome has become evident. We propose that further research cognizant of isoform-specific UBE3A functional roles will be instrumental in elucidating key UBE3A/substrate relationships within distinct neuronal compartments, lending to the discovery of novel therapeutic targets and valuable clinical biomarkers for the treatment of Angelman syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph C Krzeski
- Department of Cell Biology & Physiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Matthew C Judson
- Department of Cell Biology & Physiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Benjamin D Philpot
- Department of Cell Biology & Physiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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2
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Chair SY, Chow KM, Chan CWL, Chan JYW, Law BMH, Waye MMY. Structural Variations Identified in Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the Chinese Population: A Systematic Review of Case-Control Studies. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:1082. [PMID: 39202440 PMCID: PMC11353326 DOI: 10.3390/genes15081082] [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: 07/15/2024] [Revised: 08/08/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 09/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disability characterised by the impairment of social interaction and communication ability. The alarming increase in its prevalence in children urged researchers to obtain a better understanding of the causes of this disease. Genetic factors are considered to be crucial, as ASD has a tendency to run in families. In recent years, with technological advances, the importance of structural variations (SVs) in ASD began to emerge. Most of these studies, however, focus on the Caucasian population. As a populated ethnicity, ASD shall be a significant health issue in China. This systematic review aims to summarise current case-control studies of SVs associated with ASD in the Chinese population. A list of genes identified in the nine included studies is provided. It also reveals that similar research focusing on other genetic backgrounds is demanded to manifest the disease etiology in different ethnic groups, and assist the development of accurate ethnic-oriented genetic diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sek-Ying Chair
- The Nethersole School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; (K.-M.C.); (C.W.-L.C.); (J.Y.-W.C.); (B.M.-H.L.); (M.M.-Y.W.)
- Asia-Pacific Genomic and Genetic Nursing Centre, The Nethersole School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- The Croucher Laboratory for Human Genomics, The Nethersole School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ka-Ming Chow
- The Nethersole School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; (K.-M.C.); (C.W.-L.C.); (J.Y.-W.C.); (B.M.-H.L.); (M.M.-Y.W.)
- Asia-Pacific Genomic and Genetic Nursing Centre, The Nethersole School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- The Croucher Laboratory for Human Genomics, The Nethersole School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Cecilia Wai-Ling Chan
- The Nethersole School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; (K.-M.C.); (C.W.-L.C.); (J.Y.-W.C.); (B.M.-H.L.); (M.M.-Y.W.)
| | - Judy Yuet-Wa Chan
- The Nethersole School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; (K.-M.C.); (C.W.-L.C.); (J.Y.-W.C.); (B.M.-H.L.); (M.M.-Y.W.)
| | - Bernard Man-Hin Law
- The Nethersole School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; (K.-M.C.); (C.W.-L.C.); (J.Y.-W.C.); (B.M.-H.L.); (M.M.-Y.W.)
| | - Mary Miu-Yee Waye
- The Nethersole School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; (K.-M.C.); (C.W.-L.C.); (J.Y.-W.C.); (B.M.-H.L.); (M.M.-Y.W.)
- Asia-Pacific Genomic and Genetic Nursing Centre, The Nethersole School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- The Croucher Laboratory for Human Genomics, The Nethersole School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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3
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Gardner Z, Holbrook O, Tian Y, Odamah K, Man HY. The role of glia in the dysregulation of neuronal spinogenesis in Ube3a-dependent ASD. Exp Neurol 2024; 376:114756. [PMID: 38508482 PMCID: PMC11058030 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2024.114756] [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: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Overexpression of the Ube3a gene and the resulting increase in Ube3a protein are linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the cellular and molecular processes underlying Ube3a-dependent ASD remain unclear. Using both male and female mice, we find that neurons in the somatosensory cortex of the Ube3a 2× Tg ASD mouse model display reduced dendritic spine density and increased immature filopodia density. Importantly, the increased gene dosage of Ube3a in astrocytes alone is sufficient to confer alterations in neurons as immature dendritic protrusions, as observed in primary hippocampal neuron cultures. We show that Ube3a overexpression in astrocytes leads to a loss of astrocyte-derived spinogenic protein, thrombospondin-2 (TSP2), due to a suppression of TSP2 gene transcription. By neonatal intraventricular injection of astrocyte-specific virus, we demonstrate that Ube3a overexpression in astrocytes in vivo results in a reduction in dendritic spine maturation in prelimbic cortical neurons, accompanied with autistic-like behaviors in mice. These findings reveal an astrocytic dominance in initiating ASD pathobiology at the neuronal and behavior levels. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Increased gene dosage of Ube3a is tied to autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), yet cellular and molecular alterations underlying autistic phenotypes remain unclear. We show that Ube3a overexpression leads to impaired dendritic spine maturation, resulting in reduced spine density and increased filopodia density. We find that dysregulation of spine development is not neuron autonomous, rather, it is mediated by an astrocytic mechanism. Increased gene dosage of Ube3a in astrocytes leads to reduced production of the spinogenic glycoprotein thrombospondin-2 (TSP2), leading to abnormalities in spines. Astrocyte-specific Ube3a overexpression in the brain in vivo confers dysregulated spine maturation concomitant with autistic-like behaviors in mice. These findings indicate the importance of astrocytes in aberrant neurodevelopment and brain function in Ube3a-depdendent ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary Gardner
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215, United States of America
| | - Otto Holbrook
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215, United States of America
| | - Yuan Tian
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215, United States of America
| | - KathrynAnn Odamah
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215, United States of America
| | - Heng-Ye Man
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215, United States of America; Department of Pharmacology, Physiology & Biophysics, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 East Concord St., L-603, Boston, MA 02118, United States of America; Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, 610 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215, United States of America.
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4
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Müller F, Jansen J, Offensperger F, Eichbichler D, Stengel F, Scheffner M. Cobalamins Function as Allosteric Activators of an Angelman Syndrome-Associated UBE3A/E6AP Variant. Chembiochem 2024; 25:e202400184. [PMID: 38573110 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202400184] [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: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Genetic aberrations of the maternal UBE3A allele, which encodes the E3 ubiquitin ligase E6AP, are the cause of Angelman syndrome (AS), an imprinting disorder. In most cases, the maternal UBE3A allele is not expressed. Yet, approximately 10 percent of AS individuals harbor distinct point mutations in the maternal allele resulting in the expression of full-length E6AP variants that frequently display compromised ligase activity. In a high-throughput screen, we identified cyanocobalamin, a vitamin B12-derivative, and several alloxazine derivatives as activators of the AS-linked E6AP-F583S variant. Furthermore, we show by cross-linking coupled to mass spectrometry that cobalamins affect the structural dynamics of E6AP-F583S and apply limited proteolysis coupled to mass spectrometry to obtain information about the regions of E6AP that are involved in, or are affected by binding cobalamins and alloxazine derivatives. Our data suggest that dietary supplementation with vitamin B12 can be beneficial for AS individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Müller
- Department of Biology, Konstanz Research School Chemical Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstr. 10, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Jasmin Jansen
- Department of Biology, Konstanz Research School Chemical Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstr. 10, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Fabian Offensperger
- Department of Biology, Konstanz Research School Chemical Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstr. 10, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Daniela Eichbichler
- Department of Biology, Konstanz Research School Chemical Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstr. 10, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Florian Stengel
- Department of Biology, Konstanz Research School Chemical Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstr. 10, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Martin Scheffner
- Department of Biology, Konstanz Research School Chemical Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstr. 10, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
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5
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Xie X, Zhang O, Yeo MJR, Lee C, Harry SA, Paul L, Li Y, Payne NC, Nam E, Kwok HS, Jiang H, Mao H, Hadley JL, Lin H, Batts M, Gosavi PM, D'Angiolella V, Cole PA, Mazitschek R, Northcott PA, Zheng N, Liau BB. KBTBD4 Cancer Hotspot Mutations Drive Neomorphic Degradation of HDAC1/2 Corepressor Complexes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.14.593970. [PMID: 38798357 PMCID: PMC11118371 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.14.593970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Cancer mutations can create neomorphic protein-protein interactions to drive aberrant function 1 . As a substrate receptor of the CULLIN3-RBX1 E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, KBTBD4 is recurrently mutated in medulloblastoma (MB) 2 , the most common embryonal brain tumor in children, and pineoblastoma 3 . These mutations impart gain-of-function to KBTBD4 to induce aberrant degradation of the transcriptional corepressor CoREST 4 . However, their mechanism of action remains unresolved. Here, we elucidate the mechanistic basis by which KBTBD4 mutations promote CoREST degradation through engaging HDAC1/2, the direct neomorphic target of the substrate receptor. Using deep mutational scanning, we systematically map the mutational landscape of the KBTBD4 cancer hotspot, revealing distinct preferences by which insertions and substitutions can promote gain-of-function and the critical residues involved in the hotspot interaction. Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) analysis of two distinct KBTBD4 cancer mutants bound to LSD1-HDAC1-CoREST reveals that a KBTBD4 homodimer asymmetrically engages HDAC1 with two KELCH-repeat propeller domains. The interface between HDAC1 and one of the KBTBD4 propellers is stabilized by the MB mutations, which directly insert a bulky side chain into the active site pocket of HDAC1. Our structural and mutational analyses inform how this hotspot E3-neo-substrate interface can be chemically modulated. First, our results unveil a converging shape complementarity-based mechanism between gain-of-function E3 mutations and a molecular glue degrader, UM171. Second, we demonstrate that HDAC1/2 inhibitors can block the mutant KBTBD4-HDAC1 interface, the aberrant degradation of CoREST, and the growth of KBTBD4-mutant MB models. Altogether, our work reveals the structural and mechanistic basis of cancer mutation-driven neomorphic protein-protein interactions and pharmacological strategies to modulate their action for therapeutic applications.
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6
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Xia QQ, Singh A, Wang J, Xuan ZX, Singer JD, Powell CM. Autism risk gene Cul3 alters neuronal morphology via caspase-3 activity in mouse hippocampal neurons. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1320784. [PMID: 38803442 PMCID: PMC11129687 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1320784] [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: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) are neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) in which children display differences in social interaction/communication and repetitive stereotyped behaviors along with variable associated features. Cul3, a gene linked to ASD, encodes CUL3 (CULLIN-3), a protein that serves as a key component of a ubiquitin ligase complex with unclear function in neurons. Cul3 homozygous deletion in mice is embryonic lethal; thus, we examine the role of Cul3 deletion in early synapse development and neuronal morphology in hippocampal primary neuronal cultures. Homozygous deletion of Cul3 significantly decreased dendritic complexity and dendritic length, as well as axon formation. Synaptic spine density significantly increased, mainly in thin and stubby spines along with decreased average spine volume in Cul3 knockouts. Both heterozygous and homozygous knockout of Cul3 caused significant reductions in the density and colocalization of gephyrin/vGAT puncta, providing evidence of decreased inhibitory synapse number, while excitatory synaptic puncta vGulT1/PSD95 density remained unchanged. Based on previous studies implicating elevated caspase-3 after Cul3 deletion, we demonstrated increased caspase-3 in our neuronal cultures and decreased neuronal cell viability. We then examined the efficacy of the caspase-3 inhibitor Z-DEVD-FMK to rescue the decrease in neuronal cell viability, demonstrating reversal of the cell viability phenotype with caspase-3 inhibition. Studies have also implicated caspase-3 in neuronal morphological changes. We found that caspase-3 inhibition largely reversed the dendrite, axon, and spine morphological changes along with the inhibitory synaptic puncta changes. Overall, these data provide additional evidence that Cul3 regulates the formation or maintenance of cell morphology, GABAergic synaptic puncta, and neuronal viability in developing hippocampal neurons in culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang-qiang Xia
- Department of Neurobiology, Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine & Civitan International Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Anju Singh
- Department of Neurobiology, Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine & Civitan International Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Neurobiology, Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine & Civitan International Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Zhong Xin Xuan
- Department of Neurobiology, Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine & Civitan International Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Jeffrey D. Singer
- Department of Biology, Portland State University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Craig M. Powell
- Department of Neurobiology, Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine & Civitan International Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
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7
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Tian Y, Qiao H, Zhu LQ, Man HY. Sexually dimorphic phenotypes and the role of androgen receptors in UBE3A-dependent autism spectrum disorder. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.02.592248. [PMID: 38746146 PMCID: PMC11092617 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.02.592248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are characterized by social, communication, and behavioral challenges. UBE3A is one of the most common ASD genes. ASDs display a remarkable sex difference with a 4:1 male to female prevalence ratio; however, the underlying mechanism remains largely unknown. Using the UBE3A-overexpressing mouse model for ASD, we studied sex differences at behavioral, genetic, and molecular levels. We found that male mice with extra copies of Ube3A exhibited greater impairments in social interaction, repetitive self-grooming behavior, memory, and pain sensitivity, whereas female mice with UBE3A overexpression displayed greater olfactory defects. Social communication was impaired in both sexes, with males making more calls and females preferring complex syllables. At the molecular level, androgen receptor (AR) levels were reduced in both sexes due to enhanced degradation mediated by UBE3A. However, AR reduction significantly dysregulated AR target genes only in male, not female, UBE3A-overexpressing mice. Importantly, restoring AR levels in the brain effectively normalized the expression of AR target genes, and rescued the deficits in social preference, grooming behavior, and memory in male UBE3A-overexpressing mice, without affecting females. These findings suggest that AR and its signaling cascade play an essential role in mediating the sexually dimorphic changes in UBE3A-dependent ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Tian
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Hui Qiao
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Ling-Qiang Zhu
- Department of Pathophysiology, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China
| | - Heng-Ye Man
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology & Biophysics, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 East Concord St., Boston, MA 02118, USA
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, 610 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215, USA
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8
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Wang Z, Fan F, Li Z, Ye F, Wang Q, Gao R, Qiu J, Lv Y, Lin M, Xu W, Luo C, Yu X. Structural insights into the functional mechanism of the ubiquitin ligase E6AP. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3531. [PMID: 38670961 PMCID: PMC11053172 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47586-w] [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: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
E6AP dysfunction is associated with Angelman syndrome and Autism spectrum disorder. Additionally, the host E6AP is hijacked by the high-risk HPV E6 to aberrantly ubiquitinate the tumor suppressor p53, which is linked with development of multiple types of cancer, including most cervical cancers. Here we show that E6AP and the E6AP/E6 complex exist, respectively, as a monomer and a dimer of the E6AP/E6 protomer. The short α1-helix of E6AP transforms into a longer helical structure when in complex with E6. The extended α1-helices of the dimer intersect symmetrically and contribute to the dimerization. The two protomers sway around the crossed region of the two α1-helices to promote the attachment and detachment of substrates to the catalytic C-lobe of E6AP, thus facilitating ubiquitin transfer. These findings, complemented by mutagenesis analysis, suggest that the α1-helix, through conformational transformations, controls the transition between the inactive monomer and the active dimer of E6AP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Fengying Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Zhihai Li
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310024, China
| | - Fei Ye
- College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, 310018, China
| | - Qingxia Wang
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Rongchao Gao
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Jiaxuan Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yixin Lv
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310024, China
| | - Min Lin
- College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, 310018, China
| | - Wenwen Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Cheng Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310024, China.
- Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan, 528437, China.
- Department of Pharmacy, Guiyang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, South Dong Qing Road, Huaxi District, Guizhou, 550025, China.
| | - Xuekui Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.
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9
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Tian Y, Yu F, Yun E, Lin JW, Man HY. mRNA nuclear retention reduces AMPAR expression and promotes autistic behavior in UBE3A-overexpressing mice. EMBO Rep 2024; 25:1282-1309. [PMID: 38316900 PMCID: PMC10933332 DOI: 10.1038/s44319-024-00073-1] [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: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
UBE3A is a common genetic factor in ASD etiology, and transgenic mice overexpressing UBE3A exhibit typical autistic-like behaviors. Because AMPA receptors (AMPARs) mediate most of the excitatory synaptic transmission in the brain, and synaptic dysregulation is considered one of the primary cellular mechanisms in ASD pathology, we investigate here the involvement of AMPARs in UBE3A-dependent ASD. We show that expression of the AMPAR GluA1 subunit is decreased in UBE3A-overexpressing mice, and that AMPAR-mediated neuronal activity is reduced. GluA1 mRNA is trapped in the nucleus of UBE3A-overexpressing neurons, suppressing GluA1 protein synthesis. Also, SARNP, an mRNA nuclear export protein, is downregulated in UBE3A-overexpressing neurons, causing GluA1 mRNA nuclear retention. Restoring SARNP levels not only rescues GluA1 mRNA localization and protein expression, but also normalizes neuronal activity and autistic behaviors in mice overexpressing UBE3A. These findings indicate that SARNP plays a crucial role in the cellular and behavioral phenotypes of UBE3A-induced ASD by regulating nuclear mRNA trafficking and protein translation of a key AMPAR subunit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Tian
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Feiyuan Yu
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Eunice Yun
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Jen-Wei Lin
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Heng-Ye Man
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology & Biophysics, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 East Concord Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA.
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, 610 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
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Jana S, Giri B, Das S, Manna A, Mandal SC, Ranjan Jana N. Azadiradione up-regulates the expression of parvalbumin and BDNF via Ube3a. Gene 2024; 897:148081. [PMID: 38101713 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2023.148081] [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: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Azadiradione is a small bioactive limonoid found in the seed of Azadirachta Indica, an Indian medicinal plant commonly known as Neem. Recently, it has been shown to ameliorate the disease pathology in fly and mouse model of Huntington's disease by restoring impaired proteostasis. Here we report that the azadiradione could be involved in modulating the synaptic function through increased expression of Ube3a, a dual function protein having ubiquitin ligase and co-activator functions and associated with Angelman syndrome and autism. Treatment of azadiradione to HT22 hippocampal cell line and in adult mice induced the expression of Ube3a as well as two important synaptic function and plasticity regulating proteins, parvalbumin and brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF). Interestingly, another synaptic plasticity modulating protein Arc (activity-regulated cytoskeletal associated protein) was down-regulated by azadiradione. Partial knockdown of Ube3a in HT22 cell abrogated azadiradione induced expression of parvalbumin and BDNF. Ube3a-maternal deficient mice also exhibited significantly decreased expression of parvalbumin and BDNF in their brain and treatment of azadiradione in these animals did not rescue the altered expression of either parvalbumin or BDNF. These results indicate that azadiradione-induced expression of parvalbumin and BDNF in the brain is mediated through Ube3a and suggest that azadiradione could be implicated in restoring synaptic dysfunction in many neuropsychiatric/neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudipta Jana
- School of Bioscience, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 721302, India
| | - Bhaskarjyoti Giri
- School of Bioscience, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 721302, India
| | - Sagarika Das
- School of Bioscience, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 721302, India
| | - Anirban Manna
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Bose Institute, Kolkata 700054, India
| | - Subhash C Mandal
- Division of Pharmacognosy, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Nihar Ranjan Jana
- School of Bioscience, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 721302, India.
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11
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Roy B, Amemasor E, Hussain S, Castro K. UBE3A: The Role in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) and a Potential Candidate for Biomarker Studies and Designing Therapeutic Strategies. Diseases 2023; 12:7. [PMID: 38248358 PMCID: PMC10814747 DOI: 10.3390/diseases12010007] [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: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Published reports from the CDC's Autism and Development Disabilities Monitoring Networks have shown that an average of 1 in every 44 (2.3%) 8-year-old children were estimated to have ASD in 2018. Many of the ASDs exhibiting varying degrees of autism-like phenotypes have chromosomal anomalies in the Chr15q11-q13 region. Numerous potential candidate genes linked with ASD reside in this chromosomal segment. However, several clinical, in vivo, and in vitro studies selected one gene more frequently than others randomly and unbiasedly. This gene codes for UBE3A or Ubiquitin protein ligase E3A [also known as E6AP ubiquitin-protein ligase (E6AP)], an enzyme involved in the cellular degradation of proteins. This gene has been listed as one of the several genes with a high potential of causing ASD in the Autism Database. The gain of function mutations, triplication, or duplication in the UBE3A gene is also associated with ASDs like Angelman Syndrome (AS) and Dup15q Syndrome. The genetic imprinting of UBE3A in the brain and a preference for neuronal maternal-specific expression are the key features of various ASDs. Since the UBE3A gene is involved in two main important diseases associated with autism-like symptoms, there has been widespread research going on in understanding the link between this gene and autism. Additionally, since no universal methodology or mechanism exists for identifying UBE3A-mediated ASD, it continues to be challenging for neurobiologists, neuroscientists, and clinicians to design therapies or diagnostic tools. In this review, we focus on the structure and functional aspects of the UBE3A protein, discuss the primary relevance of the 15q11-q13 region in the cause of ASDs, and highlight the link between UBE3A and ASD. We try to broaden the knowledge of our readers by elaborating on the possible mechanisms underlying UBE3A-mediated ASDs, emphasizing the usage of UBE3A as a prospective biomarker in the preclinical diagnosis of ASDs and discuss the positive outcomes, advanced developments, and the hurdles in the field of therapeutic strategies against UBE3A-mediated ASDs. This review is novel as it lays a very detailed and comprehensive platform for one of the most important genes associated with diseases showing autistic-like symptoms. Additionally, this review also attempts to lay optimistic feedback on the possible steps for the diagnosis, prevention, and therapy of these UBE3A-mediated ASDs in the upcoming years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bidisha Roy
- Life Science Centre, Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers University-Newark, Newark, NJ 07102, USA; (E.A.); (S.H.); (K.C.)
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12
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Chaudhary P, Proulx J, Park IW. Ubiquitin-protein ligase E3A (UBE3A) mediation of viral infection and human diseases. Virus Res 2023; 335:199191. [PMID: 37541588 PMCID: PMC10430597 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2023.199191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023]
Abstract
The Ubiquitin-protein ligase E3A, UBE3A, also known as E6-associated protein (E6-AP), is known to play an essential role in regulating the degradation of various proteins by transferring Ub from E2 Ub conjugating enzymes to the substrate proteins. Several studies indicate that UBE3A regulates the stabilities of key viral proteins in the virus-infected cells and, thereby, the infected virus-mediated diseases, even if it were reported that UBE3A participates in non-viral-related human diseases. Furthermore, mutations such as deletions and duplications in the maternally inherited gene in the brain cause human neurodevelopmental disorders such as Angelman syndrome (AS) and autism. It is also known that UBE3A functions as a transcriptional coactivator for the expression of steroid hormone receptors. These reports establish that UBE3A is distinguished by its multitudinous functions that are paramount to viral pathology and human diseases. This review is focused on molecular mechanisms for such intensive participation of UBE3A in disease formation and virus regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pankaj Chaudhary
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107, United States.
| | - Jessica Proulx
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107, United States
| | - In-Woo Park
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107, United States.
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13
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Xing L, Simon JM, Ptacek TS, Yi JJ, Loo L, Mao H, Wolter JM, McCoy ES, Paranjape SR, Taylor-Blake B, Zylka MJ. Autism-linked UBE3A gain-of-function mutation causes interneuron and behavioral phenotypes when inherited maternally or paternally in mice. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112706. [PMID: 37389991 PMCID: PMC10530456 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112706] [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: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The E3 ubiquitin ligase Ube3a is biallelically expressed in neural progenitors and glial cells, suggesting that UBE3A gain-of-function mutations might cause neurodevelopmental disorders irrespective of parent of origin. Here, we engineered a mouse line that harbors an autism-linked UBE3AT485A (T503A in mouse) gain-of-function mutation and evaluated phenotypes in animals that inherited the mutant allele paternally, maternally, or from both parents. We find that paternally and maternally expressed UBE3AT503A results in elevated UBE3A activity in neural progenitors and glial cells. Expression of UBE3AT503A from the maternal allele, but not the paternal one, leads to a persistent elevation of UBE3A activity in neurons. Mutant mice display behavioral phenotypes that differ by parent of origin. Expression of UBE3AT503A, irrespective of its parent of origin, promotes transient embryonic expansion of Zcchc12 lineage interneurons. Phenotypes of Ube3aT503A mice are distinct from Angelman syndrome model mice. Our study has clinical implications for a growing number of disease-linked UBE3A gain-of-function mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Xing
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Jeremy M Simon
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box #7255, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Genetics, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box #7264, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Travis S Ptacek
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box #7255, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Jason J Yi
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box #7255, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Lipin Loo
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Hanqian Mao
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box #7255, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Justin M Wolter
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box #7255, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Genetics, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box #7264, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Eric S McCoy
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Smita R Paranjape
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Bonnie Taylor-Blake
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Mark J Zylka
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box #7255, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
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14
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Ryan NM, Heron EA. Evidence for parent-of-origin effects in autism spectrum disorder: a narrative review. J Appl Genet 2023; 64:303-317. [PMID: 36710277 PMCID: PMC10076404 DOI: 10.1007/s13353-022-00742-8] [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: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous group of early-onset neurodevelopmental disorders known to be highly heritable with a complex genetic architecture. Abnormal brain developmental trajectories that impact synaptic functioning, excitation-inhibition balance and brain connectivity are now understood to play a central role in ASD. Ongoing efforts to identify the genetic underpinnings still prove challenging, in part due to phenotypic and genetic heterogeneity.This review focuses on parent-of-origin effects (POEs), where the phenotypic effect of an allele depends on its parental origin. POEs include genomic imprinting, transgenerational effects, mitochondrial DNA, sex chromosomes and mutational transmission bias. The motivation for investigating these mechanisms in ASD has been driven by their known impacts on early brain development and brain functioning, in particular for the most well-documented POE, genomic imprinting. Moreover, imprinting is implicated in syndromes such as Angelman and Prader-Willi, which frequently share comorbid symptoms with ASD. In addition to other regions in the genome, this comprehensive review highlights the 15q11-q13 and 7q chromosomal regions as well as the mitochondrial DNA as harbouring the majority of currently identified POEs in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niamh M Ryan
- Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Elizabeth A Heron
- Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
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15
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Klocke B, Krone K, Tornes J, Moore C, Ott H, Pitychoutis PM. Insights into the role of intracellular calcium signaling in the neurobiology of neurodevelopmental disorders. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1093099. [PMID: 36875674 PMCID: PMC9975342 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1093099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Calcium (Ca2+) comprises a critical ionic second messenger in the central nervous system that is under the control of a wide array of regulatory mechanisms, including organellar Ca2+ stores, membrane channels and pumps, and intracellular Ca2+-binding proteins. Not surprisingly, disturbances in Ca2+ homeostasis have been linked to neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. However, aberrations in Ca2+ homeostasis have also been implicated in neuropsychiatric disorders with a strong neurodevelopmental component including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and schizophrenia (SCZ). While plasma membrane Ca2+ channels and synaptic Ca2+-binding proteins have been extensively studied, increasing evidence suggests a prominent role for intracellular Ca2+ stores, such as the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), in aberrant neurodevelopment. In the context of the current mini-review, we discuss recent findings implicating critical intracellular Ca2+-handling regulators such as the sarco-ER Ca2+ ATPase 2 (SERCA2), ryanodine receptors (RyRs), inositol triphosphate receptors (IP3Rs), and parvalbumin (PVALB), in the emergence of ASD, SCZ, and ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Klocke
- Department of Biology, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH, United States
| | - Kylie Krone
- Department of Biology, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH, United States
| | - Jason Tornes
- Department of Biology, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH, United States
| | - Carter Moore
- Department of Biology, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH, United States
| | - Hayden Ott
- Department of Biology, University of Dayton, Dayton, OH, United States
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16
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Viho EMG, Punt AM, Distel B, Houtman R, Kroon J, Elgersma Y, Meijer OC. The Hippocampal Response to Acute Corticosterone Elevation Is Altered in a Mouse Model for Angelman Syndrome. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 24:ijms24010303. [PMID: 36613751 PMCID: PMC9820460 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Angelman Syndrome (AS) is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder, caused by the neuronal absence of the ubiquitin protein ligase E3A (UBE3A). UBE3A promotes ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation and functions as a transcriptional coregulator of nuclear hormone receptors, including the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). Previous studies showed anxiety-like behavior and hippocampal-dependent memory disturbances in AS mouse models. Hippocampal GR is an important regulator of the stress response and memory formation, and we therefore investigated whether the absence of UBE3A in AS mice disrupted GR signaling in the hippocampus. We first established a strong cortisol-dependent interaction between the GR ligand binding domain and a UBE3A nuclear receptor box in a high-throughput interaction screen. In vivo, we found that UBE3A-deficient AS mice displayed significantly more variation in circulating corticosterone levels throughout the day compared to wildtypes (WT), with low to undetectable levels of corticosterone at the trough of the circadian cycle. Additionally, we observed an enhanced transcriptomic response in the AS hippocampus following acute corticosterone treatment. Surprisingly, chronic corticosterone treatment showed less contrast between AS and WT mice in the hippocampus and liver transcriptomic responses. This suggests that UBE3A limits the acute stimulation of GR signaling, likely as a member of the GR transcriptional complex. Altogether, these data indicate that AS mice are more sensitive to acute glucocorticoid exposure in the brain compared to WT mice. This suggests that stress responsiveness is altered in AS which could lead to anxiety symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva M. G. Viho
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
- Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
- Correspondence:
| | - A. Mattijs Punt
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- ENCORE Expertise Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ben Distel
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- ENCORE Expertise Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - René Houtman
- Precision Medicine Lab, 5349 AB Oss, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Kroon
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
- Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ype Elgersma
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- ENCORE Expertise Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Onno C. Meijer
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
- Einthoven Laboratory for Experimental Vascular Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
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17
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Pérez-Villegas EM, Ruiz R, Bachiller S, Ventura F, Armengol JA, Rosa JL. The HERC proteins and the nervous system. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2022; 132:5-15. [PMID: 34848147 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.11.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The HERC protein family is one of three subfamilies of Homologous to E6AP C-terminus (HECT) E3 ubiquitin ligases. Six HERC genes have been described in humans, two of which encode Large HERC proteins -HERC1 and HERC2- with molecular weights above 520 kDa that are constitutively expressed in the brain. There is a large body of evidence that mutations in these Large HERC genes produce clinical syndromes in which key neurodevelopmental events are altered, resulting in intellectual disability and other neurological disorders like epileptic seizures, dementia and/or signs of autism. In line with these consequences in humans, two mice carrying mutations in the Large HERC genes have been studied quite intensely: the tambaleante mutant for Herc1 and the Herc2+/530 mutant for Herc2. In both these mutant mice there are clear signs that autophagy is dysregulated, eliciting cerebellar Purkinje cell death and impairing motor control. The tambaleante mouse was the first of these mice to appear and is the best studied, in which the Herc1 mutation elicits: (i) delayed neural transmission in the peripheral nervous system; (ii) impaired learning, memory and motor control; and (iii) altered presynaptic membrane dynamics. In this review, we discuss the information currently available on HERC proteins in the nervous system and their biological activity, the dysregulation of which could explain certain neurodevelopmental syndromes and/or neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva M Pérez-Villegas
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, University Pablo de Olavide, Seville, Spain
| | - Rocío Ruiz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Pharmacy, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - Sara Bachiller
- Clinical Unit of Infectious Diseases, Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine of Sevilla, Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, CSIC, University of Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Francesc Ventura
- Departament de Ciències Fisiològiques, IBIDELL, Universitat de Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jose A Armengol
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, University Pablo de Olavide, Seville, Spain.
| | - Jose Luis Rosa
- Departament de Ciències Fisiològiques, IBIDELL, Universitat de Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
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18
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Abstract
Recent advances in genomics have revealed a wide spectrum of genetic variants associated with neurodevelopmental disorders at an unprecedented scale. An increasing number of studies have consistently identified mutations-both inherited and de novo-impacting the function of specific brain circuits. This suggests that, during brain development, alterations in distinct neural circuits, cell types, or broad regulatory pathways ultimately shaping synapses might be a dysfunctional process underlying these disorders. Here, we review findings from human studies and animal model research to provide a comprehensive description of synaptic and circuit mechanisms implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders. We discuss how specific synaptic connections might be commonly disrupted in different disorders and the alterations in cognition and behaviors emerging from imbalances in neuronal circuits. Moreover, we review new approaches that have been shown to restore or mitigate dysfunctional processes during specific critical windows of brain development. Considering the heterogeneity of neurodevelopmental disorders, we also highlight the recent progress in developing improved clinical biomarkers and strategies that will help to identify novel therapeutic compounds and opportunities for early intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Exposito-Alonso
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, United Kingdom;
- Current affiliation: Division of Genetics and Genomics, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA;
| | - Beatriz Rico
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, United Kingdom;
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19
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Kane E, Beasley S, Schafer J, Bohl J, Lee Y, Rich K, Bosia E, Spratt D. Redefining the catalytic HECT domain boundaries for the HECT E3 ubiquitin ligase family. Biosci Rep 2022; 42:BSR20221036. [PMID: 36111624 PMCID: PMC9547173 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20221036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
There are 28 unique human members of the homologous to E6AP C-terminus (HECT) E3 ubiquitin ligase family. Each member of the HECT E3 ubiquitin ligases contains a conserved bilobal HECT domain of approximately 350 residues found near their C-termini that is responsible for their respective ubiquitylation activities. Recent studies have begun to elucidate specific roles that each HECT E3 ubiquitin ligase has in various cancers, age-induced neurodegeneration, and neurological disorders. New structural models have been recently released for some of the HECT E3 ubiquitin ligases, but many HECT domain structures have yet to be examined due to chronic insolubility and/or protein folding issues. Building on these recently published structural studies coupled with our in-house experiments discussed in the present study, we suggest that the addition of ∼50 conserved residues preceding the N-terminal to the current UniProt defined boundaries of the HECT domain are required for isolating soluble, stable, and active HECT domains. We show using in silico bioinformatic analyses coupled with secondary structural prediction software that this predicted N-terminal α-helix found in all 28 human HECT E3 ubiquitin ligases forms an obligate amphipathic α-helix that binds to a hydrophobic pocket found within the HECT N-terminal lobe. The present study brings forth the proposal to redefine the residue boundaries of the HECT domain to include this N-terminal extension that will likely be critical for future biochemical, structural, and therapeutic studies on the HECT E3 ubiquitin ligase family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma I. Kane
- Gustaf H. Carlson School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Clark University, 950 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01610, U.S.A
| | - Steven A. Beasley
- Gustaf H. Carlson School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Clark University, 950 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01610, U.S.A
| | - Johanna M. Schafer
- Gustaf H. Carlson School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Clark University, 950 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01610, U.S.A
| | - Justine E. Bohl
- Gustaf H. Carlson School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Clark University, 950 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01610, U.S.A
| | - Young Sun Lee
- Gustaf H. Carlson School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Clark University, 950 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01610, U.S.A
| | - Kayla J. Rich
- Gustaf H. Carlson School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Clark University, 950 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01610, U.S.A
| | - Elizabeth F. Bosia
- Gustaf H. Carlson School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Clark University, 950 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01610, U.S.A
| | - Donald E. Spratt
- Gustaf H. Carlson School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Clark University, 950 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01610, U.S.A
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20
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Stelzer JA, Yi JJ. A Scalable, Cell-based Method for the Functional Assessment of Ube3a Variants. J Vis Exp 2022:10.3791/64454. [PMID: 36282706 PMCID: PMC10563361 DOI: 10.3791/64454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The increased use of sequencing in medicine has identified millions of coding variants in the human genome. Many of these variants occur in genes associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, but the functional significance of the vast majority of variants remains unknown. The present protocol describes the study of variants for Ube3a, a gene that encodes an E3 ubiquitin ligase linked to both autism and Angelman syndrome. Duplication or triplication of Ube3a is strongly linked to autism, whereas its deletion causes Angelman syndrome. Thus, understanding the valence of changes in UBE3A protein activity is important for clinical outcomes. Here, a rapid, cell-based method that pairs Ube3a variants with a Wnt pathway reporter is described. This simple assay is scalable and can be used to determine the valence and magnitude of activity changes in any Ube3a variant. Moreover, the facility of this method allows the generation of a wealth of structure-function information, which can be used to gain deep insights into the enzymatic mechanisms of UBE3A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jalin A Stelzer
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine
| | - Jason J Yi
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine;
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21
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Purushotham SS, Reddy NMN, D'Souza MN, Choudhury NR, Ganguly A, Gopalakrishna N, Muddashetty R, Clement JP. A perspective on molecular signalling dysfunction, its clinical relevance and therapeutics in autism spectrum disorder. Exp Brain Res 2022; 240:2525-2567. [PMID: 36063192 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-022-06448-x] [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: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Intellectual disability (ID) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are neurodevelopmental disorders that have become a primary clinical and social concern, with a prevalence of 2-3% in the population. Neuronal function and behaviour undergo significant malleability during the critical period of development that is found to be impaired in ID/ASD. Human genome sequencing studies have revealed many genetic variations associated with ASD/ID that are further verified by many approaches, including many mouse and other models. These models have facilitated the identification of fundamental mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of ASD/ID, and several studies have proposed converging molecular pathways in ASD/ID. However, linking the mechanisms of the pathogenic genes and their molecular characteristics that lead to ID/ASD has progressed slowly, hampering the development of potential therapeutic strategies. This review discusses the possibility of recognising the common molecular causes for most ASD/ID based on studies from the available models that may enable a better therapeutic strategy to treat ID/ASD. We also reviewed the potential biomarkers to detect ASD/ID at early stages that may aid in diagnosis and initiating medical treatment, the concerns with drug failure in clinical trials, and developing therapeutic strategies that can be applied beyond a particular mutation associated with ASD/ID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sushmitha S Purushotham
- Neuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru, 560064, India
| | - Neeharika M N Reddy
- Neuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru, 560064, India
| | - Michelle Ninochka D'Souza
- Centre for Brain Research, Indian Institute of Science Campus, CV Raman Avenue, Bangalore, 560 012, India.,The University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology (TDU), Bangalore, 560064, India
| | - Nilpawan Roy Choudhury
- Neuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru, 560064, India
| | - Anusa Ganguly
- Neuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru, 560064, India
| | - Niharika Gopalakrishna
- Neuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru, 560064, India
| | - Ravi Muddashetty
- Centre for Brain Research, Indian Institute of Science Campus, CV Raman Avenue, Bangalore, 560 012, India.,The University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology (TDU), Bangalore, 560064, India
| | - James P Clement
- Neuroscience Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru, 560064, India.
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22
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Wolter JM, Jimenez JA, Stein JL, Zylka MJ. ToxCast chemical library Wnt screen identifies diethanolamine as an activator of neural progenitor proliferation. FASEB Bioadv 2022; 4:441-453. [PMID: 35812078 PMCID: PMC9254222 DOI: 10.1096/fba.2021-00163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous autism spectrum disorder (ASD) risk genes are associated with Wnt signaling, suggesting that brain development may be especially sensitive to genetic perturbation of this pathway. Additionally, valproic acid, which modulates Wnt signaling, increases risk for ASD when taken during pregnancy. We previously found that an autism-linked gain-of-function UBE3A T485A mutant construct hyperactivated canonical Wnt signaling, providing a genetic means to elevate Wnt signaling above baseline levels. To identify environmental use chemicals that enhance or suppress Wnt signaling, we screened the ToxCast Phase I and II libraries in cells expressing this autism-linked UBE3A T485A gain-of-function mutant construct. Using structural comparisons, we identify classes of chemicals that stimulated Wnt signaling, including ethanolamines, as well as chemicals that inhibited Wnt signaling, such as agricultural pesticides, and synthetic hormone analogs. To prioritize chemicals for follow-up, we leveraged predicted human exposure data, and identified diethanolamine (DEA) as a chemical that stimulates Wnt signaling in UBE3A T485A -transfected cells, and has a high potential for prenatal exposure in humans. DEA enhanced proliferation in primary human neural progenitor cell lines (phNPC), but did not affect expression of canonical Wnt target genes in NPCs or primary mouse neuron cultures. Instead, we found DEA increased expression of the H3K9 methylation sensitive gene CALB1, consistent with competitive inhibition of the methyl donor enzymatic pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin M. Wolter
- UNC Neuroscience CenterThe University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
- Department of Cell Biology and PhysiologyThe University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
- Carolina Institute for Developmental DisabilitiesThe University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Jessica A. Jimenez
- Curriculum in Toxicology & Environmental MedicineThe University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Jason L. Stein
- UNC Neuroscience CenterThe University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
- Department of GeneticsThe University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Mark J. Zylka
- UNC Neuroscience CenterThe University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
- Department of Cell Biology and PhysiologyThe University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
- Carolina Institute for Developmental DisabilitiesThe University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
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23
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Chaudry S, Vasudevan N. mTOR-Dependent Spine Dynamics in Autism. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:877609. [PMID: 35782388 PMCID: PMC9241970 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.877609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) are a group of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by deficits in social communication and interaction as well as repetitive behaviors and restricted range of interests. ASC are complex genetic disorders with moderate to high heritability, and associated with atypical patterns of neural connectivity. Many of the genes implicated in ASC are involved in dendritic spine pruning and spine development, both of which can be mediated by the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. Consistent with this idea, human postmortem studies have shown increased spine density in ASC compared to controls suggesting that the balance between autophagy and spinogenesis is altered in ASC. However, murine models of ASC have shown inconsistent results for spine morphology, which may underlie functional connectivity. This review seeks to establish the relevance of changes in dendritic spines in ASC using data gathered from rodent models. Using a literature survey, we identify 20 genes that are linked to dendritic spine pruning or development in rodents that are also strongly implicated in ASC in humans. Furthermore, we show that all 20 genes are linked to the mTOR pathway and propose that the mTOR pathway regulating spine dynamics is a potential mechanism underlying the ASC signaling pathway in ASC. We show here that the direction of change in spine density was mostly correlated to the upstream positive or negative regulation of the mTOR pathway and most rodent models of mutant mTOR regulators show increases in immature spines, based on morphological analyses. We further explore the idea that these mutations in these genes result in aberrant social behavior in rodent models that is due to these altered spine dynamics. This review should therefore pave the way for further research on the specific genes outlined, their effect on spine morphology or density with an emphasis on understanding the functional role of these changes in ASC.
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24
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Lim ET, Chan Y, Dawes P, Guo X, Erdin S, Tai DJC, Liu S, Reichert JM, Burns MJ, Chan YK, Chiang JJ, Meyer K, Zhang X, Walsh CA, Yankner BA, Raychaudhuri S, Hirschhorn JN, Gusella JF, Talkowski ME, Church GM. Orgo-Seq integrates single-cell and bulk transcriptomic data to identify cell type specific-driver genes associated with autism spectrum disorder. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3243. [PMID: 35688811 PMCID: PMC9187732 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30968-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Cerebral organoids can be used to gain insights into cell type specific processes perturbed by genetic variants associated with neuropsychiatric disorders. However, robust and scalable phenotyping of organoids remains challenging. Here, we perform RNA sequencing on 71 samples comprising 1,420 cerebral organoids from 25 donors, and describe a framework (Orgo-Seq) to integrate bulk RNA and single-cell RNA sequence data. We apply Orgo-Seq to 16p11.2 deletions and 15q11-13 duplications, two loci associated with autism spectrum disorder, to identify immature neurons and intermediate progenitor cells as critical cell types for 16p11.2 deletions. We further applied Orgo-Seq to identify cell type-specific driver genes. Our work presents a quantitative phenotyping framework to integrate multi-transcriptomic datasets for the identification of cell types and cell type-specific co-expressed driver genes associated with neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine T Lim
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA. .,Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA. .,NeuroNexus Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA. .,Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA.
| | - Yingleong Chan
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA.,Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA.,NeuroNexus Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA
| | - Pepper Dawes
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA.,Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA.,NeuroNexus Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA.,Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA
| | - Xiaoge Guo
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineerin, Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Serkan Erdin
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.,Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.,Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Derek J C Tai
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.,Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.,Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02115, USA.,Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Songlei Liu
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineerin, Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Julia M Reichert
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA.,Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA.,NeuroNexus Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA
| | - Mannix J Burns
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA.,Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA.,NeuroNexus Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA.,Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA
| | - Ying Kai Chan
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineerin, Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Jessica J Chiang
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineerin, Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Katharina Meyer
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Xiaochang Zhang
- Department of Human Genetics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.,The Grossman Neuroscience Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Christopher A Walsh
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02115, USA.,Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Bruce A Yankner
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Soumya Raychaudhuri
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02115, USA.,Center for Data Sciences, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Division of Rheumatology and Genetics, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Centre for Genetics and Genomics Versus Arthritis, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Joel N Hirschhorn
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02115, USA.,Division of Endocrinology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Center for Basic and Translational Obesity Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - James F Gusella
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.,Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02115, USA.,Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Michael E Talkowski
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.,Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.,Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02115, USA.,Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02115, USA
| | - George M Church
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. .,Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineerin, Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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25
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The RBPJ/DAPK3/UBE3A signaling axis induces PBRM1 degradation to modulate the sensitivity of renal cell carcinoma to CDK4/6 inhibitors. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:295. [PMID: 35368029 PMCID: PMC8976838 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-04760-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
AbstractRenal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a kind of malignant tumor originating from the renal tubular epithelium. Approximately 30% of patients with renal cancer are found to have metastasis when first diagnosed. Exploring other effective treatment methods in addition to surgery is an urgent need in the research field of renal cell carcinoma. Polybromo 1 (PBRM1) is the second most mutated gene in RCC, with a mutation rate of ~40%. Notably, the posttranscriptional modification of PBRM1 in RCC is unclear. In this study, we performed unbiased mass spectrometry of PBRM1 and identified ubiquitin-protein ligase E3A (UBE3A), an extensively studied E3 ligase that can bind with PBRM1 and regulate the stability of PBRM1 in renal cancer cells. We further found that RBPJ/DAPK3 modulated the E3 ligase activity of UBE3A by interfering with the PKA phosphorylation of UBE3A. Finally, we demonstrated that the RBPJ/DAPK3/UBE3A/PBRM1/p21 axis contributed to the sensitivity of renal cancer cells to CDK4/6 inhibitors. In addition, in combination with RBPJ inhibitors, CDK4/6 inhibitors showed synergistically enhanced effects on renal cancer cells. In summary, we not only revealed a novel RBPJ/DAPK3/UBE3A/PBRM1/p21 signaling axis but also identified a combination strategy for overcoming the resistance of renal cancer cells to CDK4/6 inhibitors.
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26
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Mapelli L, Soda T, D’Angelo E, Prestori F. The Cerebellar Involvement in Autism Spectrum Disorders: From the Social Brain to Mouse Models. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23073894. [PMID: 35409253 PMCID: PMC8998980 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23073894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are pervasive neurodevelopmental disorders that include a variety of forms and clinical phenotypes. This heterogeneity complicates the clinical and experimental approaches to ASD etiology and pathophysiology. To date, a unifying theory of these diseases is still missing. Nevertheless, the intense work of researchers and clinicians in the last decades has identified some ASD hallmarks and the primary brain areas involved. Not surprisingly, the areas that are part of the so-called “social brain”, and those strictly connected to them, were found to be crucial, such as the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, hippocampus, limbic system, and dopaminergic pathways. With the recent acknowledgment of the cerebellar contribution to cognitive functions and the social brain, its involvement in ASD has become unmistakable, though its extent is still to be elucidated. In most cases, significant advances were made possible by recent technological developments in structural/functional assessment of the human brain and by using mouse models of ASD. Mouse models are an invaluable tool to get insights into the molecular and cellular counterparts of the disease, acting on the specific genetic background generating ASD-like phenotype. Given the multifaceted nature of ASD and related studies, it is often difficult to navigate the literature and limit the huge content to specific questions. This review fulfills the need for an organized, clear, and state-of-the-art perspective on cerebellar involvement in ASD, from its connections to the social brain areas (which are the primary sites of ASD impairments) to the use of monogenic mouse models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Mapelli
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (T.S.); (E.D.)
- Correspondence: (L.M.); (F.P.)
| | - Teresa Soda
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (T.S.); (E.D.)
| | - Egidio D’Angelo
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (T.S.); (E.D.)
- Brain Connectivity Center, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Francesca Prestori
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (T.S.); (E.D.)
- Correspondence: (L.M.); (F.P.)
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27
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DiCarlo GE, Wallace MT. Modeling dopamine dysfunction in autism spectrum disorder: From invertebrates to vertebrates. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 133:104494. [PMID: 34906613 PMCID: PMC8792250 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a highly heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social communication and by patterns of restricted interests and/or repetitive behaviors. The Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative's Human Gene and CNV Modules now list over 1000 genes implicated in ASD and over 2000 copy number variant loci reported in individuals with ASD. Given this ever-growing list of genetic changes associated with ASD, it has become evident that there is likely not a single genetic cause of this disorder nor a single neurobiological basis of this disorder. Instead, it is likely that many different neurobiological perturbations (which may represent subtypes of ASD) can result in the set of behavioral symptoms that we called ASD. One such of possible subtype of ASD may be associated with dopamine dysfunction. Precise regulation of synaptic dopamine (DA) is required for reward processing and behavioral learning, behaviors which are disrupted in ASD. Here we review evidence for DA dysfunction in ASD and in animal models of ASD. Further, we propose that these studies provide a scaffold for scientists and clinicians to consider subcategorizing the ASD diagnosis based on the genetic changes, neurobiological difference, and behavioral features identified in individuals with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriella E DiCarlo
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Mark T Wallace
- Vanderbilt University Brain Institute, Nashville, TN, United States; Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States; Department of Hearing & Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States; Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States.
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28
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Weston KP, Gao X, Zhao J, Kim KS, Maloney SE, Gotoff J, Parikh S, Leu YC, Wu KP, Shinawi M, Steimel JP, Harrison JS, Yi JJ. Identification of disease-linked hyperactivating mutations in UBE3A through large-scale functional variant analysis. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6809. [PMID: 34815418 PMCID: PMC8635412 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27156-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms that underlie the extensive phenotypic diversity in genetic disorders are poorly understood. Here, we develop a large-scale assay to characterize the functional valence (gain or loss-of-function) of missense variants identified in UBE3A, the gene whose loss-of-function causes the neurodevelopmental disorder Angelman syndrome. We identify numerous gain-of-function variants including a hyperactivating Q588E mutation that strikingly increases UBE3A activity above wild-type UBE3A levels. Mice carrying the Q588E mutation exhibit aberrant early-life motor and communication deficits, and individuals possessing hyperactivating UBE3A variants exhibit affected phenotypes that are distinguishable from Angelman syndrome. Additional structure-function analysis reveals that Q588 forms a regulatory site in UBE3A that is conserved among HECT domain ubiquitin ligases and perturbed in various neurodevelopmental disorders. Together, our study indicates that excessive UBE3A activity increases the risk for neurodevelopmental pathology and suggests that functional variant analysis can help delineate mechanistic subtypes in monogenic disorders. UBE3A gene dysregulation is associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, but predicting the function of UBE3A variants remains difficult. The authors use a high-throughput assay to categorize variants by functional activity, and show that UBE3A hyperactivity increases the risk of neurodevelopmental disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kellan P Weston
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Xiaoyi Gao
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Jinghan Zhao
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Kwang-Soo Kim
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Susan E Maloney
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Jill Gotoff
- Department of Pediatrics, Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA, 17822, USA
| | - Sumit Parikh
- Department of Neurogenetics, Neurosciences Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Yen-Chen Leu
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Kuen-Phon Wu
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Marwan Shinawi
- Division of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, St. Louis Children's Hospital, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Joshua P Steimel
- Deparment of Mechanical Engineering, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA, 95211, USA
| | - Joseph S Harrison
- Department of Chemistry, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA, 95211, USA
| | - Jason J Yi
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
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29
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Kissoondoyal A, Rai-Bhogal R, Crawford DA. Abnormal dendritic morphology in the cerebellum of cyclooxygenase-2 - knockin mice. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 54:6355-6373. [PMID: 34510613 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15454] [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: 06/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is a bioactive signalling molecule metabolized from the phospholipid membranes by the enzymatic activity of cycloxygenase-2 (COX-2). In the developing brain, COX-2 constitutively regulates the production of PGE2, which is important in neuronal development. However, abnormal COX-2/PGE2 signalling has been linked to neurodevelopmental disorders including autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). We have previously demonstrated that COX-2- -KI mice show autism-related behaviours including social deficits, repetitive behaviours and anxious behaviours. COX-2-deficient mice also have deficits in pathways involved in synaptic transmission and dendritic spine formation. In this study, we use a Golgi-COX staining method to examine sex-dependent differences in dendritic and dendritic spine morphology in neurons of COX-2- -KI mice cerebellum compared with wild-type (WT) matched controls at postnatal day 25 (P25). We show that COX-2- -KI mice have increased dendritic arborization closer to the cell soma and increased dendritic looping. We also observed a sex-dependent effect of the COX-2- -KI on dendritic thickness, dendritic spine density, dendritic spine morphology, and the expression of β-actin and the actin-binding protein spinophilin. Our findings show that changes in COX-2/PGE2 signalling lead to impaired morphology of dendrites and dendritic spines in a sex-dependant manner and may contribute the pathology of the cerebellum seen in individuals with ASD. This study provides further evidence that the COX-2- -KI mouse model can be used to study a subset of ASD pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashby Kissoondoyal
- School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Neuroscience Graduate Diploma Program, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ravneet Rai-Bhogal
- Neuroscience Graduate Diploma Program, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Dorota A Crawford
- School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Neuroscience Graduate Diploma Program, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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30
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Zheng Z, Zhang B, Yu H, Li S, Song N, Jin X, Li J. UBE3A activates the NOTCH pathway and promotes esophageal cancer progression by degradation of ZNF185. Int J Biol Sci 2021; 17:3024-3035. [PMID: 34421347 PMCID: PMC8375240 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.61117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Esophageal cancer is the sixth-most common fatal malignant tumor worldwide. Little is known regarding the genetic drivers that influence targeted therapy outcomes in patients with esophageal cancer. Exploring the pathogenesis of this lethal tumor could provide clues for developing appropriate therapeutic drugs. Ubiquitin-protein ligase E3A (UBE3A) reportedly promotes or suppresses various types of malignant tumors. However, the cancer-related role of UBE3A in esophageal cancer remains unclear. Methods: The relationship of UBE3A with the clinicopathological features of pancreatic tumors was bioinformatically investigated in the TCGA dataset. The protein levels of UBE3A and ZNF185 were assessed by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. The role of UBE3A and ZNF185 in esophageal cancer growth was assessed by MTS assays, colony formation assays, and experiments in mouse xenograft models. The interaction between UBE3A and ZNF185 was investigated by co-immunoprecipitation. The relationship between UBE3A, ZNF185, and NOTCH signaling pathway was explored by Western blot and quantitative real-time PCR. Results: We found that UBE3A was upregulated in patients with esophageal cancer and enhanced the cellular progression of esophageal cancer. Moreover, we found that UBE3A degraded ZNF185 in esophageal cancer. Additionally, ZNF185 suppressed the progression of esophageal cancer by inactivating the NOTCH pathway. Conclusions: These data demonstrated that aberrant expression of UBE3A led to enhanced progression of esophageal cancer through the ZNF185/NOTCH signaling axis. Therefore, UBE3A might be an ideal therapeutic candidate for esophageal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhikun Zheng
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
| | - Bin Zhang
- Cancer center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Haixin Yu
- Cancer center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China
| | - Shoukang Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
| | - Naicheng Song
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
| | - Xin Jin
- Department of Urology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, China
| | - Jinsong Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
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31
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Historical perspective and progress on protein ubiquitination at glutamatergic synapses. Neuropharmacology 2021; 196:108690. [PMID: 34197891 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Transcription-translation coupling leads to the production of proteins that are key for controlling essential neuronal processes that include neuronal development and changes in synaptic strength. Although these events have been a prevailing theme in neuroscience, the regulation of proteins via posttranslational signaling pathways are equally relevant for these neuronal processes. Ubiquitin is one type of posttranslational modification that covalently attaches to its targets/substrates. Ubiquitination of proteins play a key role in multiple signaling pathways, the predominant being removal of its substrates by a large molecular machine called the proteasome. Here, I review 40 years of progress on ubiquitination in the nervous system at glutamatergic synapses focusing on axon pathfinding, synapse formation, presynaptic release, dendritic spine formation, and regulation of postsynaptic glutamate receptors. Finally, I elucidate emerging themes in ubiquitin biology that may challenge our current understanding of ubiquitin signaling in the nervous system.
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Liaci C, Camera M, Caslini G, Rando S, Contino S, Romano V, Merlo GR. Neuronal Cytoskeleton in Intellectual Disability: From Systems Biology and Modeling to Therapeutic Opportunities. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22116167. [PMID: 34200511 PMCID: PMC8201358 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22116167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Intellectual disability (ID) is a pathological condition characterized by limited intellectual functioning and adaptive behaviors. It affects 1–3% of the worldwide population, and no pharmacological therapies are currently available. More than 1000 genes have been found mutated in ID patients pointing out that, despite the common phenotype, the genetic bases are highly heterogeneous and apparently unrelated. Bibliomic analysis reveals that ID genes converge onto a few biological modules, including cytoskeleton dynamics, whose regulation depends on Rho GTPases transduction. Genetic variants exert their effects at different levels in a hierarchical arrangement, starting from the molecular level and moving toward higher levels of organization, i.e., cell compartment and functions, circuits, cognition, and behavior. Thus, cytoskeleton alterations that have an impact on cell processes such as neuronal migration, neuritogenesis, and synaptic plasticity rebound on the overall establishment of an effective network and consequently on the cognitive phenotype. Systems biology (SB) approaches are more focused on the overall interconnected network rather than on individual genes, thus encouraging the design of therapies that aim to correct common dysregulated biological processes. This review summarizes current knowledge about cytoskeleton control in neurons and its relevance for the ID pathogenesis, exploiting in silico modeling and translating the implications of those findings into biomedical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Liaci
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Via Nizza 52, 10126 Torino, Italy; (C.L.); (M.C.); (G.C.); (S.R.)
| | - Mattia Camera
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Via Nizza 52, 10126 Torino, Italy; (C.L.); (M.C.); (G.C.); (S.R.)
| | - Giovanni Caslini
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Via Nizza 52, 10126 Torino, Italy; (C.L.); (M.C.); (G.C.); (S.R.)
| | - Simona Rando
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Via Nizza 52, 10126 Torino, Italy; (C.L.); (M.C.); (G.C.); (S.R.)
| | - Salvatore Contino
- Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed. 8, 90128 Palermo, Italy;
| | - Valentino Romano
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed. 16, 90128 Palermo, Italy;
| | - Giorgio R. Merlo
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Torino, Via Nizza 52, 10126 Torino, Italy; (C.L.); (M.C.); (G.C.); (S.R.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0116706449; Fax: +39-0116706432
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Bossuyt SNV, Punt AM, de Graaf IJ, van den Burg J, Williams MG, Heussler H, Elgersma Y, Distel B. Loss of nuclear UBE3A activity is the predominant cause of Angelman syndrome in individuals carrying UBE3A missense mutations. Hum Mol Genet 2021; 30:430-442. [PMID: 33607653 PMCID: PMC8101352 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddab050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Angelman syndrome (AS) is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder caused by deletion (~75%) or mutation (~10%) of the ubiquitin E3 ligase A (UBE3A) gene, which encodes a HECT type E3 ubiquitin protein ligase. Although the critical substrates of UBE3A are unknown, previous studies have suggested a critical role of nuclear UBE3A in AS pathophysiology. Here, we investigated to what extent UBE3A missense mutations disrupt UBE3A subcellular localization as well as catalytic activity, stability and protein folding. Our functional screen of 31 UBE3A missense mutants revealed that UBE3A mislocalization is the predominant cause of UBE3A dysfunction, accounting for 55% of the UBE3A mutations tested. The second major cause (29%) is a loss of E3-ubiquitin ligase activity, as assessed in an Escherichia coli in vivo ubiquitination assay. Mutations affecting catalytic activity are found not only in the catalytic HECT domain, but also in the N-terminal half of UBE3A, suggesting an important contribution of this N-terminal region to its catalytic potential. Together, our results show that loss of nuclear UBE3A E3 ligase activity is the predominant cause of UBE3A-linked AS. Moreover, our functional analysis screen allows rapid assessment of the pathogenicity of novel UBE3A missense variants which will be of particular importance when treatments for AS become available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stijn N V Bossuyt
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - A Mattijs Punt
- Department of Clinical Genetics and Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,ENCORE Expertise Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Erasmus MC, 3015, 3015 CN, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ilona J de Graaf
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Janny van den Burg
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mark G Williams
- Mater Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, 4101, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Helen Heussler
- Mater Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, 4101, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.,Child Development Program, Queensland Children's Hospital, 4101, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.,Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, 4101, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ype Elgersma
- Department of Clinical Genetics and Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,ENCORE Expertise Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Erasmus MC, 3015, 3015 CN, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ben Distel
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Genetics and Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus MC, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,ENCORE Expertise Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Erasmus MC, 3015, 3015 CN, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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Xu Y, Song X, Wang D, Wang Y, Li P, Li J. Proteomic insights into synaptic signaling in the brain: the past, present and future. Mol Brain 2021; 14:37. [PMID: 33596935 PMCID: PMC7888154 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-021-00750-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemical synapses in the brain connect neurons to form neural circuits, providing the structural and functional bases for neural communication. Disrupted synaptic signaling is closely related to a variety of neurological and psychiatric disorders. In the past two decades, proteomics has blossomed as a versatile tool in biological and biomedical research, rendering a wealth of information toward decoding the molecular machinery of life. There is enormous interest in employing proteomic approaches for the study of synapses, and substantial progress has been made. Here, we review the findings of proteomic studies of chemical synapses in the brain, with special attention paid to the key players in synaptic signaling, i.e., the synaptic protein complexes and their post-translational modifications. Looking toward the future, we discuss the technological advances in proteomics such as data-independent acquisition mass spectrometry (DIA-MS), cross-linking in combination with mass spectrometry (CXMS), and proximity proteomics, along with their potential to untangle the mystery of how the brain functions at the molecular level. Last but not least, we introduce the newly developed synaptomic methods. These methods and their successful applications marked the beginnings of the synaptomics era.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yalan Xu
- Institute for Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266021, China
| | - Xiuyue Song
- Institute for Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266021, China
| | - Dong Wang
- Institute for Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266021, China
| | - Yin Wang
- Institute for Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266021, China
| | - Peifeng Li
- Institute for Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266021, China
| | - Jing Li
- Institute for Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266021, China.
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Salcedo-Arellano MJ, Cabal-Herrera AM, Punatar RH, Clark CJ, Romney CA, Hagerman RJ. Overlapping Molecular Pathways Leading to Autism Spectrum Disorders, Fragile X Syndrome, and Targeted Treatments. Neurotherapeutics 2021; 18:265-283. [PMID: 33215285 PMCID: PMC8116395 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-020-00968-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are subdivided into idiopathic (unknown) etiology and secondary, based on known etiology. There are hundreds of causes of ASD and most of them are genetic in origin or related to the interplay of genetic etiology and environmental toxicology. Approximately 30 to 50% of the etiologies can be identified when using a combination of available genetic testing. Many of these gene mutations are either core components of the Wnt signaling pathway or their modulators. The full mutation of the fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1) gene leads to fragile X syndrome (FXS), the most common cause of monogenic origin of ASD, accounting for ~ 2% of the cases. There is an overlap of molecular mechanisms in those with idiopathic ASD and those with FXS, an interaction between various signaling pathways is suggested during the development of the autistic brain. This review summarizes the cross talk between neurobiological pathways found in ASD and FXS. These signaling pathways are currently under evaluation to target specific treatments in search of the reversal of the molecular abnormalities found in both idiopathic ASD and FXS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Jimena Salcedo-Arellano
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA.
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UC Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA.
- Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute UCDHS, University of California Davis, 2825 50th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA.
| | - Ana Maria Cabal-Herrera
- Group on Congenital Malformations and Dysmorphology, Faculty of Health, Universidad del Valle, Cali, 00000, Colombia
| | - Ruchi Harendra Punatar
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA
- Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute UCDHS, University of California Davis, 2825 50th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA
| | - Courtney Jessica Clark
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA
- Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute UCDHS, University of California Davis, 2825 50th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA
| | - Christopher Allen Romney
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA
- Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute UCDHS, University of California Davis, 2825 50th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA
| | - Randi J Hagerman
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA.
- Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute UCDHS, University of California Davis, 2825 50th Street, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA.
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Perrino PA, Chamberlain SJ, Eigsti IM, Fitch RH. Communication-related assessments in an Angelman syndrome mouse model. Brain Behav 2021; 11:e01937. [PMID: 33151040 PMCID: PMC7821623 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Angelman syndrome (AS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by motor deficits, seizures, some autistic-like behaviors, and severe impairment of speech. A dysfunction of the maternally imprinted UBE3A gene, coupled with a functional yet silenced paternal copy, results in AS. Although studies of transgenic mouse models have revealed a great deal about neural populations and rescue timeframes for specific features of AS, these studies have largely failed to examine intermediate phenotypes that contribute to the profound communicative disabilities associated with AS. METHODS Here, we use a variety of tasks, including assessments of rapid auditory processing and social communication. Expressive vocalizations were directly assessed and correlated against other core behavioral measures (motor, social, acoustic perception) to model putative influences on communication. RESULTS AS mice displayed the characteristic phenotypes associated with Angelman syndrome (i.e., social and motor deficits), as well as marginal enhancements in rapid auditory processing ability. Our characterization of adult ultrasonic vocalizations further showed that AS mice produce fewer vocalizations and vocalized for a shorter amount of time when compared to controls. Additionally, a strong correlation between motor indices and ultrasonic vocalization output was shown, suggesting that the motor impairments in AS may contribute heavily to communication impairments. CONCLUSION In summary, the combination of motor deficits, social impairment, marginal rapid auditory enhancements, and altered ultrasonic vocalizations reported in a mouse model of AS clearly parallel the human symptoms of the disorder. This mouse model offers a novel route to interrogate the underlying genetic, physiologic, and behavioral influences on the under-studied topic of impaired communication in AS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter A Perrino
- Department of Psychological Science/Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Stormy J Chamberlain
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Inge-Marie Eigsti
- Department of Psychological Science/Clinical Psychology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Roslyn Holly Fitch
- Department of Psychological Science/Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
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Keute M, Miller MT, Krishnan ML, Sadhwani A, Chamberlain S, Thibert RL, Tan WH, Bird LM, Hipp JF. Angelman syndrome genotypes manifest varying degrees of clinical severity and developmental impairment. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:3625-3633. [PMID: 32792659 PMCID: PMC8505254 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-0858-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Angelman Syndrome (AS) is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder due to impaired expression of UBE3A in neurons. There are several genetic mechanisms that impair UBE3A expression, but they differ in how neighboring genes on chromosome 15 at 15q11-q13 are affected. There is evidence that different genetic subtypes present with different clinical severity, but a systematic quantitative investigation is lacking. Here we analyze natural history data on a large sample of individuals with AS (n = 250, 848 assessments), including clinical scales that quantify development of motor, cognitive, and language skills (Bayley Scales of Infant Development, Third Edition; Preschool Language Scale, Fourth Edition), adaptive behavior (Vineland Adaptive Behavioral Scales, Second Edition), and AS-specific symptoms (AS Clinical Severity Scale). We found that clinical severity, as captured by these scales, differs between genetic subtypes: individuals with UBE3A pathogenic variants and imprinting defects (IPD) are less affected than individuals with uniparental paternal disomy (UPD); of those with UBE3A pathogenic variants, individuals with truncating mutations are more impaired than those with missense mutations. Individuals with a deletion that encompasses UBE3A and other genes are most impaired, but in contrast to previous work, we found little evidence for an influence of deletion length (class I vs. II) on severity of manifestations. The results of this systematic analysis highlight the relevance of genomic regions beyond UBE3A as contributing factors in the AS phenotype, and provide important information for the development of new therapies for AS. More generally, this work exemplifies how increasing genetic irregularities are reflected in clinical severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marius Keute
- grid.417570.00000 0004 0374 1269Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Neuroscience and Rare Diseases, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Basel, Switzerland ,grid.5807.a0000 0001 1018 4307Department of Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke-University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Meghan T. Miller
- grid.417570.00000 0004 0374 1269Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Neuroscience and Rare Diseases, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Michelle L. Krishnan
- grid.417570.00000 0004 0374 1269Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Neuroscience and Rare Diseases, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Anjali Sadhwani
- grid.2515.30000 0004 0378 8438Department of Psychiatry, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA USA ,grid.38142.3c000000041936754XHarvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
| | - Stormy Chamberlain
- grid.63054.340000 0001 0860 4915Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT USA
| | - Ronald L. Thibert
- grid.32224.350000 0004 0386 9924Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA USA
| | - Wen-Hann Tan
- grid.38142.3c000000041936754XHarvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA ,grid.2515.30000 0004 0378 8438Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA USA
| | - Lynne M. Bird
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, CA USA ,grid.286440.c0000 0004 0383 2910Department of Genetics/Dysmorphology, Rady Children’s Hospital, San Diego, CA USA
| | - Joerg F. Hipp
- grid.417570.00000 0004 0374 1269Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Neuroscience and Rare Diseases, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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Zhao X, Zhang R, Yu S. Mutation screening of the UBE3A gene in Chinese Han population with autism. BMC Psychiatry 2020; 20:589. [PMID: 33308194 PMCID: PMC7733270 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-020-03000-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND 15q11-13 region is one of the most complex chromosomal regions in the human genome. UBE3A is an important candidate gene of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which located at the 15q11-13 region and encodes ubiquitin-protein ligase E3A. Previous studies about UBE3A gene and ASD have shown inconsistent results and few studies were performed in Chinese population. This study aimed to detect the genetic mutations of UBE3A gene in Chinese Han population with ASD and analyze genetic association between these variants and ASD. METHODS The samples consisted of 192 patients with autism according to the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria and 192 healthy controls. We searched for mutations at coding sequence (CDS) regions and their adjacent non-coding regions of UBE3A gene using the high resolution melting (HRM) and Sanger sequencing methods. We further increased sample size to validate the detected variants using HRM and conducted association analysis between case and control groups. RESULTS A known single nucleotide polymorphism (T > C, rs150331504) located at the CDS4 and a known 5 bp insertion/deletion variation (AACTC+/-, rs71127053) located at the intron region of the upstream 288 bp of the CDS2 of UBE3A gene were detected using Sanger sequencing method. The ASD samples of case group were 391 for rs71127053, 384 for rs150331504 and 384 healthy controls, which were used to make an association analysis. The results of association analysis suggested that there were no significant difference about the allele and genotype frequencies of rs71127053 and rs150331504 between case and control groups after extending the sample size. Besides, rs150331504 is a synonymous mutation and we compared the secondary structure and minimum free energy (MFE) of mRNA harboring the allele T or C of rs150331504 using RNAfold software. We found that the centroid secondary structure apparently differs along with the polymorphisms of rs150331504 T > C, the results suggested that this variant might change the secondary structure of mRNA of UBE3A gene. We did not detect mutations in other coding regions of UBE3A gene. CONCLUSIONS These findings showed that UBE3A gene might not be a major disease gene in Chinese ASD cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Zhao
- grid.16821.3c0000 0004 0368 8293Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 600 Wanping Nan Road, Shanghai, 200030 China
| | - Ran Zhang
- grid.16821.3c0000 0004 0368 8293Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 600 Wanping Nan Road, Shanghai, 200030 China
| | - Shunying Yu
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 600 Wanping Nan Road, Shanghai, 200030, China.
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Molecular Evolution, Neurodevelopmental Roles and Clinical Significance of HECT-Type UBE3 E3 Ubiquitin Ligases. Cells 2020; 9:cells9112455. [PMID: 33182779 PMCID: PMC7697756 DOI: 10.3390/cells9112455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Revised: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein ubiquitination belongs to the best characterized pathways of protein degradation in the cell; however, our current knowledge on its physiological consequences is just the tip of an iceberg. The divergence of enzymatic executors of ubiquitination led to some 600–700 E3 ubiquitin ligases embedded in the human genome. Notably, mutations in around 13% of these genes are causative of severe neurological diseases. Despite this, molecular and cellular context of ubiquitination remains poorly characterized, especially in the developing brain. In this review article, we summarize recent findings on brain-expressed HECT-type E3 UBE3 ligases and their murine orthologues, comprising Angelman syndrome UBE3A, Kaufman oculocerebrofacial syndrome UBE3B and autism spectrum disorder-associated UBE3C. We summarize evolutionary emergence of three UBE3 genes, the biochemistry of UBE3 enzymes, their biology and clinical relevance in brain disorders. Particularly, we highlight that uninterrupted action of UBE3 ligases is a sine qua non for cortical circuit assembly and higher cognitive functions of the neocortex.
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Zampeta FI, Sonzogni M, Niggl E, Lendemeijer B, Smeenk H, de Vrij FMS, Kushner SA, Distel B, Elgersma Y. Conserved UBE3A subcellular distribution between human and mice is facilitated by non-homologous isoforms. Hum Mol Genet 2020; 29:3032-3043. [PMID: 32879944 PMCID: PMC7645710 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddaa194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The human UBE3A gene, which is essential for normal neurodevelopment, encodes three Ubiquitin E3 ligase A (UBE3A) protein isoforms. However, the subcellular localization and relative abundance of these human UBE3A isoforms are unknown. We found, as previously reported in mice, that UBE3A is predominantly nuclear in human neurons. However, this conserved subcellular distribution is achieved by strikingly distinct cis-acting mechanisms. A single amino-acid deletion in the N-terminus of human hUBE3A-Iso3, which is homologous to cytosolic mouse mUBE3A-Iso2, results in its translocation to the nucleus. This singe amino-acid deletion is shared with apes and Old World monkeys and was preceded by the appearance of the cytosolic hUBE3A-Iso2 isoform. This hUBE3A-Iso2 isoform arose after the lineage of New World monkeys and Old World monkeys separated from the Tarsiers (Tarsiidae). Due to the loss of a single nucleotide in a non-coding exon, this exon became in frame with the remainder of the UBE3A protein. RNA-seq analysis of human brain samples showed that the human UBE3A isoforms arise by alternative splicing. Consistent with the predominant nuclear enrichment of UBE3A in human neurons, the two nuclear-localized isoforms, hUBE3A-Iso1 and -Iso3, are the most abundantly expressed isoforms of UBE3A, while hUBE3A-Iso2 maintains a small pool of cytosolic UBE3A. Our findings provide new insight into UBE3A localization and evolution and may have important implications for gene therapy approaches in Angelman syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Isabella Zampeta
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- ENCORE Expertise Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Monica Sonzogni
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- ENCORE Expertise Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Eva Niggl
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- ENCORE Expertise Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Bas Lendemeijer
- Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Hilde Smeenk
- Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Femke M S de Vrij
- Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Steven A Kushner
- ENCORE Expertise Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ben Distel
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- ENCORE Expertise Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ype Elgersma
- Department of Neuroscience, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- ENCORE Expertise Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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Geerts‐Haages A, Bossuyt SNV, den Besten I, Bruggenwirth H, van der Burgt I, Yntema HG, Punt AM, Brooks A, Elgersma Y, Distel B, Valstar M. A novel UBE3A sequence variant identified in eight related individuals with neurodevelopmental delay, results in a phenotype which does not match the clinical criteria of Angelman syndrome. Mol Genet Genomic Med 2020; 8:e1481. [PMID: 32889787 PMCID: PMC7667313 DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.1481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Loss of functional UBE3A, an E3 protein ubiquitin ligase, causes Angelman syndrome (AS), a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by severe developmental delay, speech impairment, epilepsy, movement or balance disorder, and a characteristic behavioral pattern. We identified a novel UBE3A sequence variant in a large family with eight affected individuals, who did not meet the clinical AS criteria. METHODS Detailed clinical examination and genetic analysis was performed to establish the phenotypic diversity and the genetic cause. The function of the mutant UBE3A protein was assessed with respect to its subcellular localization, stability, and E3 ubiquitin ligase activity. RESULTS All eight affected individuals showed the presence of a novel maternally inherited UBE3A sequence variant (NM_130838.4(UBE3A):c.1018-1020del, p.(Asn340del), which is in line with a genetic AS diagnosis. Although they presented with moderate to severe intellectual disability, the phenotype did not match the clinical criteria for AS. In line with this, functional analysis of the UBE3A p.Asn340del mutant protein revealed no major deficits in UBE3A protein localization, stability, or E3 ubiquitin ligase activity. CONCLUSION The p.(Asn340del) mutant protein behaves distinctly different from previously described AS-linked missense mutations in UBE3A, and causes a phenotype that is markedly different from AS. This study further extends the range of phenotypes that are associated with UBE3A loss, duplication, or mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amber Geerts‐Haages
- Intellectual Disability MedicineDepartment of General PracticeErasmus MC University Medical CenterRotterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Stijn N. V. Bossuyt
- Department of Medical BiochemistryAmsterdam UMC, University of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Inge den Besten
- Intellectual Disability MedicineDepartment of General PracticeErasmus MC University Medical CenterRotterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Hennie Bruggenwirth
- Department of Clinical GeneticsErasmus MC University Medical CenterRotterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Ineke van der Burgt
- Department of Human GeneticsRadboud University Medical CenterNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Helger G. Yntema
- Department of Human GeneticsRadboud University Medical CenterNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - A. Mattijs Punt
- Department of NeuroscienceErasmus MC University Medical CenterRotterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Alice Brooks
- Department of Clinical GeneticsErasmus MC University Medical CenterRotterdamThe Netherlands
- ENCORE Expertise Center for Neurodevelopmental DisordersErasmus MC University Medical CenterRotterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Ype Elgersma
- Department of NeuroscienceErasmus MC University Medical CenterRotterdamThe Netherlands
- ENCORE Expertise Center for Neurodevelopmental DisordersErasmus MC University Medical CenterRotterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Ben Distel
- Department of Medical BiochemistryAmsterdam UMC, University of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Department of NeuroscienceErasmus MC University Medical CenterRotterdamThe Netherlands
- ENCORE Expertise Center for Neurodevelopmental DisordersErasmus MC University Medical CenterRotterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Marlies Valstar
- Intellectual Disability MedicineDepartment of General PracticeErasmus MC University Medical CenterRotterdamThe Netherlands
- ENCORE Expertise Center for Neurodevelopmental DisordersErasmus MC University Medical CenterRotterdamThe Netherlands
- ASVZ, Medical DepartmentCare and Service Centre for People with Intellectual DisabilitiesSliedrechtThe Netherlands
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Baker EK, Butler MG, Hartin SN, Ling L, Bui M, Francis D, Rogers C, Field MJ, Slee J, Gamage D, Amor DJ, Godler DE. Relationships between UBE3A and SNORD116 expression and features of autism in chromosome 15 imprinting disorders. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:362. [PMID: 33116122 PMCID: PMC7595031 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-01034-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2020] [Revised: 09/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Chromosome 15 (C15) imprinting disorders including Prader-Willi (PWS), Angelman (AS) and chromosome 15 duplication (Dup15q) syndromes are severe neurodevelopmental disorders caused by abnormal expression of genes from the 15q11-q13 region, associated with abnormal DNA methylation and/or copy number changes. This study compared changes in mRNA levels of UBE3A and SNORD116 located within the 15q11-q13 region between these disorders and their subtypes and related these to the clinical phenotypes. The study cohort included 58 participants affected with a C15 imprinting disorder (PWS = 27, AS = 21, Dup15q = 10) and 20 typically developing controls. Semi-quantitative analysis of mRNA from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was performed using reverse transcription droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for UBE3A and SNORD116 normalised to a panel of internal control genes determined using the geNorm approach. Participants completed an intellectual/developmental functioning assessment and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2nd Edition. The Dup15q group was the only condition with significantly increased UBE3A mRNA levels when compared to the control group (p < 0.001). Both the AS and Dup15q groups also had significantly elevated SNORD116 mRNA levels compared to controls (AS: p < 0.0001; Dup15q: p = 0.002). Both UBE3A and SNORD116 mRNA levels were positively correlated with all developmental functioning scores in the deletion AS group (p < 0.001), and autism features (p < 0.001) in the non-deletion PWS group. The findings suggest presence of novel interactions between expression of UBE3A and SNORD116 in PBMCs and brain specific processes underlying motor and language impairments and autism features in these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma K Baker
- Diagnosis and Development, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Merlin G Butler
- Department of Psychiatry, Behavioral Sciences and Pediatrics, University of Kansas Medical Centre, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Samantha N Hartin
- Department of Psychiatry, Behavioral Sciences and Pediatrics, University of Kansas Medical Centre, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Ling Ling
- Diagnosis and Development, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Minh Bui
- Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - David Francis
- Victorian Clinical Genetics Services and Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Carolyn Rogers
- Genetics of Learning Disability Service, Hunter Genetics, Waratah, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Michael J Field
- Genetics of Learning Disability Service, Hunter Genetics, Waratah, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jennie Slee
- Department of Health, Government of Western Australia, Genetic Services of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Dinusha Gamage
- Diagnosis and Development, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - David J Amor
- Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Neurodisability and Rehabilitation, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - David E Godler
- Diagnosis and Development, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
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43
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Identification of Small-Molecule Activators of the Ubiquitin Ligase E6AP/UBE3A and Angelman Syndrome-Derived E6AP/UBE3A Variants. Cell Chem Biol 2020; 27:1510-1520.e6. [PMID: 32966807 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2020.08.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2020] [Revised: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Genetic aberrations of the UBE3A gene encoding the E3 ubiquitin ligase E6AP underlie the development of Angelman syndrome (AS). Approximately 10% of AS individuals harbor UBE3A genes with point mutations, frequently resulting in the expression of full-length E6AP variants with defective E3 activity. Since E6AP exists in two states, an inactive and an active one, we hypothesized that distinct small molecules can stabilize the active state and that such molecules may rescue the E3 activity of AS-derived E6AP variants. Therefore, we established an assay that allows identifying modulators of E6AP in a high-throughput format. We identified several compounds that not only stimulate wild-type E6AP but also rescue the E3 activity of certain E6AP variants. Moreover, by chemical cross-linking coupled to mass spectrometry we provide evidence that the compounds stabilize an active conformation of E6AP. Thus, these compounds represent potential lead structures for the design of drugs for AS treatment.
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Sonzogni M, Zhai P, Mientjes EJ, van Woerden GM, Elgersma Y. Assessing the requirements of prenatal UBE3A expression for rescue of behavioral phenotypes in a mouse model for Angelman syndrome. Mol Autism 2020; 11:70. [PMID: 32948244 PMCID: PMC7501605 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-020-00376-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Angelman syndrome (AS) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder caused by the loss of functional ubiquitin protein ligase E3A (UBE3A). In neurons, UBE3A expression is tightly regulated by a mechanism of imprinting which suppresses the expression of the paternal UBE3A allele. Promising treatment strategies for AS are directed at activating paternal UBE3A gene expression. However, for such strategies to be successful, it is important to know when such a treatment should start, and how much UBE3A expression is needed for normal embryonic brain development. Methods Using a conditional mouse model of AS, we further delineated the critical period for UBE3A expression during early brain development. Ube3a gene expression was induced around the second week of gestation and mouse phenotypes were assessed using a behavioral test battery. To investigate the requirements of embryonic UBE3A expression, we made use of mice in which the paternal Ube3a allele was deleted. Results We observed a full behavioral rescue of the AS mouse model phenotypes when Ube3a gene reactivation was induced around the start of the last week of mouse embryonic development. We found that full silencing of the paternal Ube3a allele was not completed till the first week after birth but that deletion of the paternal Ube3a allele had no significant effect on the assessed phenotypes. Limitations Direct translation to human is limited, as we do not precisely know how human and mouse brain development aligns over gestational time. Moreover, many of the assessed phenotypes have limited translational value, as the underlying brain regions involved in these tasks are largely unknown. Conclusions Our findings provide further important insights in the requirement of UBE3A expression during brain development. We found that loss of up to 50% of UBE3A protein during prenatal mouse brain development does not significantly impact the assessed mouse behavioral phenotypes. Together with previous findings, our results indicate that the most critical function for mouse UBE3A lies in the early postnatal period between birth and P21.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Sonzogni
- Department of Neuroscience and the ENCORE Expertise Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015 CN, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Peipei Zhai
- Department of Neuroscience and the ENCORE Expertise Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015 CN, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University, No.357, Ximendajie Street, Kaifeng City, Henan Province, China
| | - Edwin J Mientjes
- Department of Neuroscience and the ENCORE Expertise Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015 CN, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Geeske M van Woerden
- Department of Neuroscience and the ENCORE Expertise Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015 CN, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ype Elgersma
- Department of Neuroscience and the ENCORE Expertise Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015 CN, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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45
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Javed S, Selliah T, Lee YJ, Huang WH. Dosage-sensitive genes in autism spectrum disorders: From neurobiology to therapy. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 118:538-567. [PMID: 32858083 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 07/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a group of heterogenous neurodevelopmental disorders affecting 1 in 59 children. Syndromic ASDs are commonly associated with chromosomal rearrangements or dosage imbalance involving a single gene. Many of these genes are dosage-sensitive and regulate transcription, protein homeostasis, and synaptic function in the brain. Despite vastly different molecular perturbations, syndromic ASDs share core symptoms including social dysfunction and repetitive behavior. However, each ASD subtype has a unique pathogenic mechanism and combination of comorbidities that require individual attention. We have learned a great deal about how these dosage-sensitive genes control brain development and behaviors from genetically-engineered mice. Here we describe the clinical features of eight monogenic neurodevelopmental disorders caused by dosage imbalance of four genes, as well as recent advances in using genetic mouse models to understand their pathogenic mechanisms and develop intervention strategies. We propose that applying newly developed quantitative molecular and neuroscience technologies will advance our understanding of the unique neurobiology of each disorder and enable the development of personalized therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sehrish Javed
- Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Tharushan Selliah
- Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Yu-Ju Lee
- Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Wei-Hsiang Huang
- Centre for Research in Neuroscience, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
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Lottes EN, Cox DN. Homeostatic Roles of the Proteostasis Network in Dendrites. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:264. [PMID: 33013325 PMCID: PMC7461941 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.00264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellular protein homeostasis, or proteostasis, is indispensable to the survival and function of all cells. Distinct from other cell types, neurons are long-lived, exhibiting architecturally complex and diverse multipolar projection morphologies that can span great distances. These properties present unique demands on proteostatic machinery to dynamically regulate the neuronal proteome in both space and time. Proteostasis is regulated by a distributed network of cellular processes, the proteostasis network (PN), which ensures precise control of protein synthesis, native conformational folding and maintenance, and protein turnover and degradation, collectively safeguarding proteome integrity both under homeostatic conditions and in the contexts of cellular stress, aging, and disease. Dendrites are equipped with distributed cellular machinery for protein synthesis and turnover, including dendritically trafficked ribosomes, chaperones, and autophagosomes. The PN can be subdivided into an adaptive network of three major functional pathways that synergistically govern protein quality control through the action of (1) protein synthesis machinery; (2) maintenance mechanisms including molecular chaperones involved in protein folding; and (3) degradative pathways (e.g., Ubiquitin-Proteasome System (UPS), endolysosomal pathway, and autophagy. Perturbations in any of the three arms of proteostasis can have dramatic effects on neurons, especially on their dendrites, which require tightly controlled homeostasis for proper development and maintenance. Moreover, the critical importance of the PN as a cell surveillance system against protein dyshomeostasis has been highlighted by extensive work demonstrating that the aggregation and/or failure to clear aggregated proteins figures centrally in many neurological disorders. While these studies demonstrate the relevance of derangements in proteostasis to human neurological disease, here we mainly review recent literature on homeostatic developmental roles the PN machinery plays in the establishment, maintenance, and plasticity of stable and dynamic dendritic arbors. Beyond basic housekeeping functions, we consider roles of PN machinery in protein quality control mechanisms linked to dendritic plasticity (e.g., dendritic spine remodeling during LTP); cell-type specificity; dendritic morphogenesis; and dendritic pruning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin N Lottes
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Daniel N Cox
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, United States
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The HECT E3 Ligase E6AP/UBE3A as a Therapeutic Target in Cancer and Neurological Disorders. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12082108. [PMID: 32751183 PMCID: PMC7464832 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12082108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The HECT (Homologous to the E6-AP Carboxyl Terminus)-family protein E6AP (E6-associated protein), encoded by the UBE3A gene, is a multifaceted ubiquitin ligase that controls diverse signaling pathways involved in cancer and neurological disorders. The oncogenic role of E6AP in papillomavirus-induced cancers is well known, with its action to trigger p53 degradation in complex with the E6 viral oncoprotein. However, the roles of E6AP in non-viral cancers remain poorly defined. It is well established that loss-of-function alterations of the UBE3A gene cause Angelman syndrome, a severe neurodevelopmental disorder with autosomal dominant inheritance modified by genomic imprinting on chromosome 15q. Moreover, excess dosage of the UBE3A gene markedly increases the penetrance of autism spectrum disorders, suggesting that the expression level of UBE3A must be regulated tightly within a physiologically tolerated range during brain development. In this review, current the knowledge about the substrates of E6AP-mediated ubiquitination and their functions in cancer and neurological disorders is discussed, alongside with the ongoing efforts to pharmacologically modulate this ubiquitin ligase as a promising therapeutic target.
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Lai A, Valdez-Sinon AN, Bassell GJ. Regulation of RNA granules by FMRP and implications for neurological diseases. Traffic 2020; 21:454-462. [PMID: 32374065 PMCID: PMC7377269 DOI: 10.1111/tra.12733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
RNA granule formation, which can be regulated by RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) such as fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP), acts as a mechanism to control both the repression and subcellular localization of translation. Dysregulated assembly of RNA granules has been implicated in multiple neurological disorders, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Thus, it is crucial to understand the cellular pathways impinging upon granule assembly or disassembly. The goal of this review is to summarize recent advances in our understanding of the role of the RBP, FMRP, in translational repression underlying RNA granule dynamics, mRNA transport and localized. We summarize the known mechanisms of translational regulation by FMRP, the role of FMRP in RNA transport granules, fragile X granules and stress granules. Focusing on the emerging link between FMRP and stress granules, we propose a model for how hyperassembly and hypoassembly of RNA granules may contribute to neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin Lai
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | | | - Gary J Bassell
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Hisanaga SI, Wei R, Huo A, Tomomura M. LMTK1, a Novel Modulator of Endosomal Trafficking in Neurons. Front Mol Neurosci 2020; 13:112. [PMID: 32714146 PMCID: PMC7344150 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2020.00112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurons extend long processes known as axons and dendrites, through which they communicate with each other. The neuronal circuits formed by the axons and dendrites are the structural basis of higher brain functions. The formation and maintenance of these processes are essential for physiological brain activities. Membrane components, both lipids, and proteins, that are required for process formation are supplied by vesicle transport. Intracellular membrane trafficking is regulated by a family of Rab small GTPases. A group of Rabs regulating endosomal trafficking has been studied mainly in nonpolarized culture cell lines, and little is known about their regulation in polarized neurons with long processes. As shown in our recent study, lemur tail (former tyrosine) kinase 1 (LMTK1), an as yet uncharacterized Ser/Thr kinase associated with Rab11-positive recycling endosomes, modulates the formation of axons, dendrites, and spines in cultured primary neurons. LMTK1 knockdown or knockout (KO) or the expression of a kinase-negative mutant stimulates the transport of endosomal vesicles in neurons, leading to the overgrowth of axons, dendrites, and spines. More recently, we found that LMTK1 regulates TBC1D9B Rab11 GAP and proposed the Cdk5/p35-LMTK1-TBC1D9B-Rab11 pathway as a signaling cascade that regulates endosomal trafficking. Here, we summarize the biochemical, cell biological, and physiological properties of LMTK1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shin-Ichi Hisanaga
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Minami-Osawa Campus, Hachioji, Japan
| | - Ran Wei
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Minami-Osawa Campus, Hachioji, Japan
| | - Anni Huo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Minami-Osawa Campus, Hachioji, Japan
| | - Mineko Tomomura
- Department of Oral Health Sciences, Meikai University School of Health Sciences, Urayasu, Japan
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PKA and Ube3a regulate SK2 channel trafficking to promote synaptic plasticity in hippocampus: Implications for Angelman Syndrome. Sci Rep 2020; 10:9824. [PMID: 32555345 PMCID: PMC7299966 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-66790-4] [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: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The ubiquitin ligase, Ube3a, plays important roles in brain development and functions, since its deficiency results in Angelman Syndrome (AS) while its over-expression increases the risk for autism. We previously showed that the lack of Ube3a-mediated ubiquitination of the Ca2+-activated small conductance potassium channel, SK2, contributes to impairment of synaptic plasticity and learning in AS mice. Synaptic SK2 levels are also regulated by protein kinase A (PKA), which phosphorylates SK2 in its C-terminal domain, facilitating its endocytosis. Here, we report that PKA activation restores theta burst stimulation (TBS)-induced long-term potentiation (LTP) in hippocampal slices from AS mice by enhancing SK2 internalization. While TBS-induced SK2 endocytosis is facilitated by PKA activation, SK2 recycling to synaptic membranes after TBS is inhibited by Ube3a. Molecular and cellular studies confirmed that phosphorylation of SK2 in the C-terminal domain increases its ubiquitination and endocytosis. Finally, PKA activation increases SK2 phosphorylation and ubiquitination in Ube3a-overexpressing mice. Our results indicate that, although both Ube3a-mediated ubiquitination and PKA-induced phosphorylation reduce synaptic SK2 levels, phosphorylation is mainly involved in TBS-induced endocytosis, while ubiquitination predominantly inhibits SK2 recycling. Understanding the complex interactions between PKA and Ube3a in the regulation of SK2 synaptic levels might provide new platforms for developing treatments for AS and various forms of autism.
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