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Rajan-Babu IS, Dolzhenko E, Eberle MA, Friedman JM. Sequence composition changes in short tandem repeats: heterogeneity, detection, mechanisms and clinical implications. Nat Rev Genet 2024; 25:476-499. [PMID: 38467784 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-024-00696-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Short tandem repeats (STRs) are a class of repetitive elements, composed of tandem arrays of 1-6 base pair sequence motifs, that comprise a substantial fraction of the human genome. STR expansions can cause a wide range of neurological and neuromuscular conditions, known as repeat expansion disorders, whose age of onset, severity, penetrance and/or clinical phenotype are influenced by the length of the repeats and their sequence composition. The presence of non-canonical motifs, depending on the type, frequency and position within the repeat tract, can alter clinical outcomes by modifying somatic and intergenerational repeat stability, gene expression and mutant transcript-mediated and/or protein-mediated toxicities. Here, we review the diverse structural conformations of repeat expansions, technological advances for the characterization of changes in sequence composition, their clinical correlations and the impact on disease mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Indhu-Shree Rajan-Babu
- Department of Medical Genetics, The University of British Columbia, and Children's & Women's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
| | | | | | - Jan M Friedman
- Department of Medical Genetics, The University of British Columbia, and Children's & Women's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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2
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Belgrad J, Tang Q, Hildebrand S, Summers A, Sapp E, Echeverria D, O’Reilly D, Luu E, Bramato B, Allen S, Cooper D, Alterman J, Yamada K, Aronin N, DiFiglia M, Khvorova A. A programmable dual-targeting siRNA scaffold supports potent two-gene modulation in the central nervous system. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:6099-6113. [PMID: 38726879 PMCID: PMC11194107 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae368] [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: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Divalent short-interfering RNA (siRNA) holds promise as a therapeutic approach allowing for the sequence-specific modulation of a target gene within the central nervous system (CNS). However, an siRNA modality capable of simultaneously modulating gene pairs would be invaluable for treating complex neurodegenerative disorders, where more than one pathway contributes to pathogenesis. Currently, the parameters and scaffold considerations for multi-targeting nucleic acid modalities in the CNS are undefined. Here, we propose a framework for designing unimolecular 'dual-targeting' divalent siRNAs capable of co-silencing two genes in the CNS. We systematically adjusted the original CNS-active divalent siRNA and identified that connecting two sense strands 3' and 5' through an intra-strand linker enabled a functional dual-targeting scaffold, greatly simplifying the synthetic process. Our findings demonstrate that the dual-targeting siRNA supports at least two months of maximal distribution and target silencing in the mouse CNS. The dual-targeting divalent siRNA is highly programmable, enabling simultaneous modulation of two different disease-relevant gene pairs (e.g. Huntington's disease: MSH3 and HTT; Alzheimer's disease: APOE and JAK1) with similar potency to a mixture of single-targeting divalent siRNAs against each gene. This work enhances the potential for CNS modulation of disease-related gene pairs using a unimolecular siRNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jillian Belgrad
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Qi Tang
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Sam Hildebrand
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Ashley Summers
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Ellen Sapp
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital; Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Dimas Echeverria
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Dan O’Reilly
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Eric Luu
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Brianna Bramato
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Sarah Allen
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Worcester, MA, USA
| | - David Cooper
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Julia Alterman
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Ken Yamada
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Neil Aronin
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Worcester, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Marian DiFiglia
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital; Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Anastasia Khvorova
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Worcester, MA, USA
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Worcester, MA, USA
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3
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Moldovean-Cioroianu NS. Reviewing the Structure-Function Paradigm in Polyglutamine Disorders: A Synergistic Perspective on Theoretical and Experimental Approaches. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6789. [PMID: 38928495 PMCID: PMC11204371 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Polyglutamine (polyQ) disorders are a group of neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the excessive expansion of CAG (cytosine, adenine, guanine) repeats within host proteins. The quest to unravel the complex diseases mechanism has led researchers to adopt both theoretical and experimental methods, each offering unique insights into the underlying pathogenesis. This review emphasizes the significance of combining multiple approaches in the study of polyQ disorders, focusing on the structure-function correlations and the relevance of polyQ-related protein dynamics in neurodegeneration. By integrating computational/theoretical predictions with experimental observations, one can establish robust structure-function correlations, aiding in the identification of key molecular targets for therapeutic interventions. PolyQ proteins' dynamics, influenced by their length and interactions with other molecular partners, play a pivotal role in the polyQ-related pathogenic cascade. Moreover, conformational dynamics of polyQ proteins can trigger aggregation, leading to toxic assembles that hinder proper cellular homeostasis. Understanding these intricacies offers new avenues for therapeutic strategies by fine-tuning polyQ kinetics, in order to prevent and control disease progression. Last but not least, this review highlights the importance of integrating multidisciplinary efforts to advancing research in this field, bringing us closer to the ultimate goal of finding effective treatments against polyQ disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nastasia Sanda Moldovean-Cioroianu
- Institute of Materials Science, Bioinspired Materials and Biosensor Technologies, Kiel University, Kaiserstraße 2, 24143 Kiel, Germany;
- Faculty of Physics, Babeș-Bolyai University, Kogălniceanu 1, RO-400084 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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4
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Pengo M, Squitieri F. Beyond CAG Repeats: The Multifaceted Role of Genetics in Huntington Disease. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:807. [PMID: 38927742 PMCID: PMC11203031 DOI: 10.3390/genes15060807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is a dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG expansion on the huntingtin (HTT) gene and is characterized by progressive motor, cognitive, and neuropsychiatric decline. Recently, new genetic factors besides CAG repeats have been implicated in the disease pathogenesis. Most genetic modifiers are involved in DNA repair pathways and, as the cause of the loss of CAA interruption in the HTT gene, they exert their main influence through somatic expansion. However, this mechanism might not be the only driver of HD pathogenesis, and future studies are warranted in this field. The aim of the present review is to dissect the many faces of genetics in HD pathogenesis, from cis- and trans-acting genetic modifiers to RNA toxicity, mitochondrial DNA mutations, and epigenetics factors. Exploring genetic modifiers of HD onset and progression appears crucial to elucidate not only disease pathogenesis, but also to improve disease prediction and prevention, develop biomarkers of disease progression and response to therapies, and recognize new therapeutic opportunities. Since the same genetic mechanisms are also described in other repeat expansion diseases, their implications might encompass the whole spectrum of these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Pengo
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25121 Brescia, Italy;
| | - Ferdinando Squitieri
- Centre for Neurological Rare Diseases (CMNR), Fondazione Lega Italiana Ricerca Huntington (LIRH), 00161 Rome, Italy
- Huntington and Rare Diseases Unit, IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
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5
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Lee JM, McLean ZL, Correia K, Shin JW, Lee S, Jang JH, Lee Y, Kim KH, Choi DE, Long JD, Lucente D, Seong IS, Pinto RM, Giordano JV, Mysore JS, Siciliano J, Elezi E, Ruliera J, Gillis T, Wheeler VC, MacDonald ME, Gusella JF, Gatseva A, Ciosi M, Lomeikaite V, Loay H, Monckton DG, Wills C, Massey TH, Jones L, Holmans P, Kwak S, Sampaio C, Orth M, Bernhard Landwehrmeyer G, Paulsen JS, Ray Dorsey E, Myers RH. Genetic modifiers of somatic expansion and clinical phenotypes in Huntington's disease reveal shared and tissue-specific effects. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.10.597797. [PMID: 38948755 PMCID: PMC11212857 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.10.597797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD), due to expansion of a CAG repeat in HTT , is representative of a growing number of disorders involving somatically unstable short tandem repeats. We find that overlapping and distinct genetic modifiers of clinical landmarks and somatic expansion in blood DNA reveal an underlying complexity and cell-type specificity to the mismatch repair-related processes that influence disease timing. Differential capture of non-DNA-repair gene modifiers by multiple measures of cognitive and motor dysfunction argues additionally for cell-type specificity of pathogenic processes. Beyond trans modifiers, differential effects are also illustrated at HTT by a 5'-UTR variant that promotes somatic expansion in blood without influencing clinical HD, while, even after correcting for uninterrupted CAG length, a synonymous sequence change at the end of the CAG repeat dramatically hastens onset of motor signs without increasing somatic expansion. Our findings are directly relevant to therapeutic suppression of somatic expansion in HD and related disorders and provide a route to define the individual neuronal cell types that contribute to different HD clinical phenotypes.
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6
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Choi DE, Shin JW, Zeng S, Hong EP, Jang JH, Loupe JM, Wheeler VC, Stutzman HE, Kleinstiver B, Lee JM. Base editing strategies to convert CAG to CAA diminish the disease-causing mutation in Huntington's disease. eLife 2024; 12:RP89782. [PMID: 38869243 PMCID: PMC11175616 DOI: 10.7554/elife.89782] [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] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
An expanded CAG repeat in the huntingtin gene (HTT) causes Huntington's disease (HD). Since the length of uninterrupted CAG repeat, not polyglutamine, determines the age-at-onset in HD, base editing strategies to convert CAG to CAA are anticipated to delay onset by shortening the uninterrupted CAG repeat. Here, we developed base editing strategies to convert CAG in the repeat to CAA and determined their molecular outcomes and effects on relevant disease phenotypes. Base editing strategies employing combinations of cytosine base editors and guide RNAs (gRNAs) efficiently converted CAG to CAA at various sites in the CAG repeat without generating significant indels, off-target edits, or transcriptome alterations, demonstrating their feasibility and specificity. Candidate BE strategies converted CAG to CAA on both expanded and non-expanded CAG repeats without altering HTT mRNA and protein levels. In addition, somatic CAG repeat expansion, which is the major disease driver in HD, was significantly decreased in the liver by a candidate BE strategy treatment in HD knock-in mice carrying canonical CAG repeats. Notably, CAG repeat expansion was abolished entirely in HD knock-in mice carrying CAA-interrupted repeats, supporting the therapeutic potential of CAG-to-CAA conversion strategies in HD and potentially other repeat expansion disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doo Eun Choi
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General HospitalBostonUnited States
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | - Jun Wan Shin
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General HospitalBostonUnited States
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | - Sophia Zeng
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General HospitalBostonUnited States
| | - Eun Pyo Hong
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General HospitalBostonUnited States
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
- Medical and Population Genetics Program, The Broad Institute of MIT and HarvardCambridgeUnited States
| | - Jae-Hyun Jang
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General HospitalBostonUnited States
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | - Jacob M Loupe
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General HospitalBostonUnited States
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | - Vanessa C Wheeler
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General HospitalBostonUnited States
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | - Hannah E Stutzman
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General HospitalBostonUnited States
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General HospitalBostonUnited States
| | - Ben Kleinstiver
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General HospitalBostonUnited States
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General HospitalBostonUnited States
- Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | - Jong-Min Lee
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General HospitalBostonUnited States
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
- Medical and Population Genetics Program, The Broad Institute of MIT and HarvardCambridgeUnited States
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7
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Kojak N, Kuno J, Fittipaldi KE, Khan A, Wenger D, Glasser M, Donnianni RA, Tang Y, Zhang J, Huling K, Ally R, Mujica AO, Turner T, Magardino G, Huang PY, Kerk SY, Droguett G, Prissette M, Rojas J, Gomez T, Gagliardi A, Hunt C, Rabinowitz JS, Gong G, Poueymirou W, Chiao E, Zambrowicz B, Siao CJ, Kajimura D. Somatic and intergenerational G4C2 hexanucleotide repeat instability in a human C9orf72 knock-in mouse model. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:5732-5755. [PMID: 38597682 PMCID: PMC11162798 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Expansion of a G4C2 repeat in the C9orf72 gene is associated with familial Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD). To investigate the underlying mechanisms of repeat instability, which occurs both somatically and intergenerationally, we created a novel mouse model of familial ALS/FTD that harbors 96 copies of G4C2 repeats at a humanized C9orf72 locus. In mouse embryonic stem cells, we observed two modes of repeat expansion. First, we noted minor increases in repeat length per expansion event, which was dependent on a mismatch repair pathway protein Msh2. Second, we found major increases in repeat length per event when a DNA double- or single-strand break (DSB/SSB) was artificially introduced proximal to the repeats, and which was dependent on the homology-directed repair (HDR) pathway. In mice, the first mode primarily drove somatic repeat expansion. Major changes in repeat length, including expansion, were observed when SSB was introduced in one-cell embryos, or intergenerationally without DSB/SSB introduction if G4C2 repeats exceeded 400 copies, although spontaneous HDR-mediated expansion has yet to be identified. These findings provide a novel strategy to model repeat expansion in a non-human genome and offer insights into the mechanism behind C9orf72 G4C2 repeat instability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nada Kojak
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY 10591, USA
| | - Junko Kuno
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY 10591, USA
| | | | | | - David Wenger
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY 10591, USA
| | | | | | - Yajun Tang
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY 10591, USA
| | - Jade Zhang
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY 10591, USA
| | - Katie Huling
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY 10591, USA
| | - Roxanne Ally
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY 10591, USA
| | | | | | | | - Pei Yi Huang
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY 10591, USA
| | - Sze Yen Kerk
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY 10591, USA
| | | | | | - Jose Rojas
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY 10591, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Guochun Gong
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY 10591, USA
| | | | - Eric Chiao
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY 10591, USA
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8
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Mouro Pinto R, Murtha R, Azevedo A, Douglas C, Kovalenko M, Ulloa J, Crescenti S, Burch Z, Oliver E, Vitalo A, Mota-Silva E, Riggs MJ, Correia K, Elezi E, Demelo B, Carroll JB, Gillis T, Gusella JF, MacDonald ME, Wheeler VC. Identification of genetic modifiers of Huntington's disease somatic CAG repeat instability by in vivo CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.08.597823. [PMID: 38895438 PMCID: PMC11185783 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.08.597823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD), one of >50 inherited repeat expansion disorders (Depienne and Mandel, 2021), is a dominantly-inherited neurodegenerative disease caused by a CAG expansion in HTT (The Huntington's Disease Collaborative Research Group, 1993). Inherited CAG repeat length is the primary determinant of age of onset, with human genetic studies underscoring that the property driving disease is the CAG length-dependent propensity of the repeat to further expand in brain (Swami et al ., 2009; GeM-HD, 2015; Hensman Moss et al ., 2017; Ciosi et al ., 2019; GeM-HD, 2019; Hong et al ., 2021). Routes to slowing somatic CAG expansion therefore hold great promise for disease-modifying therapies. Several DNA repair genes, notably in the mismatch repair (MMR) pathway, modify somatic expansion in HD mouse models (Wheeler and Dion, 2021). To identify novel modifiers of somatic expansion, we have used CRISPR-Cas9 editing in HD knock-in mice to enable in vivo screening of expansion-modifier candidates at scale. This has included testing of HD onset modifier genes emerging from human genome-wide association studies (GWAS), as well as interactions between modifier genes, thereby providing new insight into pathways underlying CAG expansion and potential therapeutic targets.
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9
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Ferguson R, Goold R, Coupland L, Flower M, Tabrizi SJ. Therapeutic validation of MMR-associated genetic modifiers in a human ex vivo model of Huntington disease. Am J Hum Genet 2024; 111:1165-1183. [PMID: 38749429 PMCID: PMC11179424 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2024.04.015] [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: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The pathological huntingtin (HTT) trinucleotide repeat underlying Huntington disease (HD) continues to expand throughout life. Repeat length correlates both with earlier age at onset (AaO) and faster progression, making slowing its expansion an attractive therapeutic approach. Genome-wide association studies have identified candidate variants associated with altered AaO and progression, with many found in DNA mismatch repair (MMR)-associated genes. We examine whether lowering expression of these genes affects the rate of repeat expansion in human ex vivo models using HD iPSCs and HD iPSC-derived striatal medium spiny neuron-enriched cultures. We have generated a stable CRISPR interference HD iPSC line in which we can specifically and efficiently lower gene expression from a donor carrying over 125 CAG repeats. Lowering expression of each member of the MMR complexes MutS (MSH2, MSH3, and MSH6), MutL (MLH1, PMS1, PMS2, and MLH3), and LIG1 resulted in characteristic MMR deficiencies. Reduced MSH2, MSH3, and MLH1 slowed repeat expansion to the largest degree, while lowering either PMS1, PMS2, or MLH3 slowed it to a lesser degree. These effects were recapitulated in iPSC-derived striatal cultures where MutL factor expression was lowered. CRISPRi-mediated lowering of key MMR factor expression to levels feasibly achievable by current therapeutic approaches was able to effectively slow the expansion of the HTT CAG tract. We highlight members of the MutL family as potential targets to slow pathogenic repeat expansion with the aim to delay onset and progression of HD and potentially other repeat expansion disorders exhibiting somatic instability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross Ferguson
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK; Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Robert Goold
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK; Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Lucy Coupland
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK; Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Michael Flower
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK; Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Sarah J Tabrizi
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK; Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London WC1N 3BG, UK.
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10
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Neueder A, Kojer K, Gu Z, Wang Y, Hering T, Tabrizi S, Taanman JW, Orth M. Huntington's disease affects mitochondrial network dynamics predisposing to pathogenic mitochondrial DNA mutations. Brain 2024; 147:2009-2022. [PMID: 38195181 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awae007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) predominantly affects the brain, causing a mixed movement disorder, cognitive decline and behavioural abnormalities. It also causes a peripheral phenotype involving skeletal muscle. Mitochondrial dysfunction has been reported in tissues of HD models, including skeletal muscle, and lymphoblast and fibroblast cultures from patients with HD. Mutant huntingtin protein (mutHTT) expression can impair mitochondrial quality control and accelerate mitochondrial ageing. Here, we obtained fresh human skeletal muscle, a post-mitotic tissue expressing the mutated HTT allele at physiological levels since birth, and primary cell lines from HTT CAG repeat expansion mutation carriers and matched healthy volunteers to examine whether such a mitochondrial phenotype exists in human HD. Using ultra-deep mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequencing, we showed an accumulation of mtDNA mutations affecting oxidative phosphorylation. Tissue proteomics indicated impairments in mtDNA maintenance with increased mitochondrial biogenesis of less efficient oxidative phosphorylation (lower complex I and IV activity). In full-length mutHTT expressing primary human cell lines, fission-inducing mitochondrial stress resulted in normal mitophagy. In contrast, expression of high levels of N-terminal mutHTT fragments promoted mitochondrial fission and resulted in slower, less dynamic mitophagy. Expression of high levels of mutHTT fragments due to somatic nuclear HTT CAG instability can thus affect mitochondrial network dynamics and mitophagy, leading to pathogenic mtDNA mutations. We show that life-long expression of mutant HTT causes a mitochondrial phenotype indicative of mtDNA instability in fresh post-mitotic human skeletal muscle. Thus, genomic instability may not be limited to nuclear DNA, where it results in somatic expansion of the HTT CAG repeat length in particularly vulnerable cells such as striatal neurons. In addition to efforts targeting the causative mutation, promoting mitochondrial health may be a complementary strategy in treating diseases with DNA instability such as HD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kerstin Kojer
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Zhenglong Gu
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Yiqin Wang
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Tanja Hering
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Sarah Tabrizi
- UCL Huntington's Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London WC1N 3BG, UK
- Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Jan-Willem Taanman
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London NW3 2PF, UK
| | - Michael Orth
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany
- Swiss Huntington Centre, Siloah AG, 3073 Gümligen, Switzerland
- University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Bern University, CH-3000 Bern 60, Switzerland
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11
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O'Brien BM, Moulick R, Jiménez-Avalos G, Rajasekaran N, Kaiser CM, Woodson SA. Stick-slip unfolding favors self-association of expanded HTT mRNA. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.31.596809. [PMID: 38895475 PMCID: PMC11185545 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.31.596809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
In Huntington's Disease (HD) and related disorders, expansion of CAG trinucleotide repeats produces a toxic gain of function in affected neurons. Expanded huntingtin (expHTT) mRNA forms aggregates that sequester essential RNA binding proteins, dysregulating mRNA processing and translation. The physical basis of RNA aggregation has been difficult to disentangle owing to the heterogeneous structure of the CAG repeats. Here, we probe the folding and unfolding pathways of expHTT mRNA using single-molecule force spectroscopy. Whereas normal HTT mRNAs unfold reversibly and cooperatively, expHTT mRNAs with 20 or 40 CAG repeats slip and unravel non-cooperatively at low tension. Slippage of CAG base pairs is punctuated by concerted rearrangement of adjacent CCG trinucleotides, trapping partially folded structures that readily base pair with another RNA strand. We suggest that the conformational entropy of the CAG repeats, combined with stable CCG base pairs, creates a stick-slip behavior that explains the aggregation propensity of expHTT mRNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett M O'Brien
- Chemical Biology Interface Program, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218 USA
| | - Roumita Moulick
- T. C. Jenkins Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218 USA
| | - Gabriel Jiménez-Avalos
- T. C. Jenkins Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218 USA
| | | | - Christian M Kaiser
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218 USA
- Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Sarah A Woodson
- Chemical Biology Interface Program, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218 USA
- T. C. Jenkins Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218 USA
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12
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Aviner R, Lee TT, Masto VB, Li KH, Andino R, Frydman J. Polyglutamine-mediated ribotoxicity disrupts proteostasis and stress responses in Huntington's disease. Nat Cell Biol 2024; 26:892-902. [PMID: 38741019 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-024-01414-x] [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: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by expansion of a CAG trinucleotide repeat in the Huntingtin (HTT) gene, encoding a homopolymeric polyglutamine (polyQ) tract. Although mutant HTT (mHTT) protein is known to aggregate, the links between aggregation and neurotoxicity remain unclear. Here we show that both translation and aggregation of wild-type HTT and mHTT are regulated by a stress-responsive upstream open reading frame and that polyQ expansions cause abortive translation termination and release of truncated, aggregation-prone mHTT fragments. Notably, we find that mHTT depletes translation elongation factor eIF5A in brains of symptomatic HD mice and cultured HD cells, leading to pervasive ribosome pausing and collisions. Loss of eIF5A disrupts homeostatic controls and impairs recovery from acute stress. Importantly, drugs that inhibit translation initiation reduce premature termination and mitigate this escalating cascade of ribotoxic stress and dysfunction in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranen Aviner
- Department of Biology and Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ting-Ting Lee
- Department of Biology and Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Vincent B Masto
- Department of Biology and Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Kathy H Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Raul Andino
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Judith Frydman
- Department of Biology and Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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13
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Bonsor M, Ammar O, Schnoegl S, Wanker EE, Silva Ramos E. Polyglutamine disease proteins: Commonalities and differences in interaction profiles and pathological effects. Proteomics 2024; 24:e2300114. [PMID: 38615323 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.202300114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Currently, nine polyglutamine (polyQ) expansion diseases are known. They include spinocerebellar ataxias (SCA1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 17), spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA), dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy (DRPLA), and Huntington's disease (HD). At the root of these neurodegenerative diseases are trinucleotide repeat mutations in coding regions of different genes, which lead to the production of proteins with elongated polyQ tracts. While the causative proteins differ in structure and molecular mass, the expanded polyQ domains drive pathogenesis in all these diseases. PolyQ tracts mediate the association of proteins leading to the formation of protein complexes involved in gene expression regulation, RNA processing, membrane trafficking, and signal transduction. In this review, we discuss commonalities and differences among the nine polyQ proteins focusing on their structure and function as well as the pathological features of the respective diseases. We present insights from AlphaFold-predicted structural models and discuss the biological roles of polyQ-containing proteins. Lastly, we explore reported protein-protein interaction networks to highlight shared protein interactions and their potential relevance in disease development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Bonsor
- Department of Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Orchid Ammar
- Department of Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sigrid Schnoegl
- Department of Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Erich E Wanker
- Department of Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Eduardo Silva Ramos
- Department of Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
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14
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Wang Z, Yang X, Li H, Wang S, Liu Z, Wang Y, Zhang X, Chen Y, Xu Q, Xu J, Wang Z, Wang J. Bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization analyses support causal relationships between structural and diffusion imaging-derived phenotypes and the risk of major neurodegenerative diseases. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:215. [PMID: 38806463 PMCID: PMC11133432 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02939-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Previous observational investigations suggest that structural and diffusion imaging-derived phenotypes (IDPs) are associated with major neurodegenerative diseases; however, whether these associations are causal remains largely uncertain. Herein we conducted bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization analyses to infer the causal relationships between structural and diffusion IDPs and major neurodegenerative diseases using common genetic variants-single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) as instrumental variables. Summary statistics of genome-wide association study (GWAS) for structural and diffusion IDPs were obtained from 33,224 individuals in the UK Biobank cohort. Summary statistics of GWAS for seven major neurodegenerative diseases were obtained from the largest GWAS for each disease to date. The forward MR analyses identified significant or suggestively statistical causal effects of genetically predicted three structural IDPs on Alzheimer's disease (AD), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and multiple sclerosis. For example, the reduction in the surface area of the left superior temporal gyrus was associated with a higher risk of AD. The reverse MR analyses identified significantly or suggestively statistical causal effects of genetically predicted AD, Lewy body dementia (LBD), and FTD on nine structural and diffusion IDPs. For example, LBD was associated with increased mean diffusivity in the right superior longitudinal fasciculus and AD was associated with decreased gray matter volume in the right ventral striatum. Our findings might contribute to shedding light on the prediction and therapeutic intervention for the major neurodegenerative diseases at the neuroimaging level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zirui Wang
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Key Lab of Functional Imaging & Tianjin Institute of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Xuan Yang
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Key Lab of Functional Imaging & Tianjin Institute of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
- Department of Radiology, Jining No.1 People's Hospital, Jining, Shandong, 272000, China
| | - Haonan Li
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Key Lab of Functional Imaging & Tianjin Institute of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Siqi Wang
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Key Lab of Functional Imaging & Tianjin Institute of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Zhixuan Liu
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Key Lab of Functional Imaging & Tianjin Institute of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Yaoyi Wang
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Key Lab of Functional Imaging & Tianjin Institute of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Xingyu Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Key Lab of Functional Imaging & Tianjin Institute of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Yayuan Chen
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Key Lab of Functional Imaging & Tianjin Institute of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Qiang Xu
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Key Lab of Functional Imaging & Tianjin Institute of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Jiayuan Xu
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Key Lab of Functional Imaging & Tianjin Institute of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China.
| | - Zengguang Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China.
| | - Junping Wang
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Key Lab of Functional Imaging & Tianjin Institute of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, China.
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15
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Chakraborty A, Sreenivasmurthy SG, Miller W, Huai W, Biswas T, Mandal SM, Boscá L, Krishnan B, Ghosh G, Hazra T. A glycolytic metabolite restores DNA repair and ameliorates neuropathology in Huntington's disease. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.10.26.564220. [PMID: 37961108 PMCID: PMC10634858 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.26.564220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) and spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) are the most prevalent polyglutamine (polyQ) diseases, where the activity of an essential DNA repair enzyme, polynucleotide kinase 3'-phosphatase (PNKP), is severely abrogated resulting in accumulation of double-strand breaks in patients' brain genome leading to neuronal death. However, the mechanistic basis for such loss of PNKP activity is not known. Here we report that PNKP interacts with the nuclear isoform of 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase 3 (PFKFB3), which converts fructose-6-phosphate (F6P) into fructose-2,6-bisphosphate (F2,6BP), a potent allosteric modulator of glycolysis. Depletion of PFKFB3 markedly abrogates PNKP activity. Notably, both PFKFB3 and F2,6BP levels are significantly lower in the nuclear extracts of HD and SCA3 post-mortem patients' brains. Exogenous F2,6BP, but neither F1,6BP nor F6P, restored PNKP activity in the patients' brain nuclear extracts. Moreover, intracellular delivery of F2,6BP into HD mouse striatum-derived neuronal cells restored PNKP activity and transcribed genome integrity. Importantly, supplementing F2,6BP effectively rescued the HD phenotype in Drosophila, suggesting F2,6BP to serve in vivo as a cofactor for the proper functionality of PNKP and thereby, of brain health. Our results thus provide a compelling rationale for exploring the therapeutic use of F2,6BP and structurally related compounds for treating polyQ diseases. Significance To unravel the biological basis for the loss of DNA repair activity of PNKP in both HD and SCA3, we analyzed PNKP interactome and found that the nuclear isoform of a glycolytic enzyme PFKFB3 associated with PNKP and other repair proteins forming a multiprotein complex. Surprisingly, we found that PFKFB3 and its biosynthetic product, F2,6BP are significantly low in the affected region of patients' brain. Exogenous addition of F2,6BP fully restored PNKP activity in patients' brain nuclear extract. Moreover, supplementing F2,6BP in cells and HD fruit flies restored genome integrity and rescued the disease symptoms. While there is no curative therapy for HD and SCA3, except symptom management, our discovery suggests that F2,6BP supplementation would be a promising therapeutic option.
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16
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Aldous SG, Smith EJ, Landles C, Osborne GF, Cañibano-Pico M, Nita IM, Phillips J, Zhang Y, Jin B, Hirst MB, Benn CL, Bond BC, Edelmann W, Greene JR, Bates GP. A CAG repeat threshold for therapeutics targeting somatic instability in Huntington's disease. Brain 2024; 147:1784-1798. [PMID: 38387080 PMCID: PMC11068328 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awae063] [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: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The Huntington's disease mutation is a CAG repeat expansion in the huntingtin gene that results in an expanded polyglutamine tract in the huntingtin protein. The CAG repeat is unstable and expansions of hundreds of CAGs have been detected in Huntington's disease post-mortem brains. The age of disease onset can be predicted partially from the length of the CAG repeat as measured in blood. Onset age is also determined by genetic modifiers, which in six cases involve variation in DNA mismatch repair pathways genes. Knocking-out specific mismatch repair genes in mouse models of Huntington's disease prevents somatic CAG repeat expansion. Taken together, these results have led to the hypothesis that somatic CAG repeat expansion in Huntington's disease brains is required for pathogenesis. Therefore, the pathogenic repeat threshold in brain is longer than (CAG)40, as measured in blood, and is currently unknown. The mismatch repair gene MSH3 has become a major focus for therapeutic development, as unlike other mismatch repair genes, nullizygosity for MSH3 does not cause malignancies associated with mismatch repair deficiency. Potential treatments targeting MSH3 currently under development include gene therapy, biologics and small molecules, which will be assessed for efficacy in mouse models of Huntington's disease. The zQ175 knock-in model carries a mutation of approximately (CAG)185 and develops early molecular and pathological phenotypes that have been extensively characterized. Therefore, we crossed the mutant huntingtin allele onto heterozygous and homozygous Msh3 knockout backgrounds to determine the maximum benefit of targeting Msh3 in this model. Ablation of Msh3 prevented somatic expansion throughout the brain and periphery, and reduction of Msh3 by 50% decreased the rate of expansion. This had no effect on the deposition of huntingtin aggregation in the nuclei of striatal neurons, nor on the dysregulated striatal transcriptional profile. This contrasts with ablating Msh3 in knock-in models with shorter CAG repeat expansions. Therefore, further expansion of a (CAG)185 repeat in striatal neurons does not accelerate the onset of molecular and neuropathological phenotypes. It is striking that highly expanded CAG repeats of a similar size in humans cause disease onset before 2 years of age, indicating that somatic CAG repeat expansion in the brain is not required for pathogenesis. Given that the trajectory for somatic CAG expansion in the brains of Huntington's disease mutation carriers is unknown, our study underlines the importance of administering treatments targeting somatic instability as early as possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah G Aldous
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Edward J Smith
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Christian Landles
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Georgina F Osborne
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Maria Cañibano-Pico
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Iulia M Nita
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Jemima Phillips
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Yongwei Zhang
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA
| | - Bo Jin
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA
| | | | - Caroline L Benn
- LoQus23 Therapeutics, Riverside, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, CB22 3AT, UK
| | - Brian C Bond
- Prism Training and Consultancy Limited, St John's Innovation Centre, Cambridge, CB4 0WS, UK
| | - Winfried Edelmann
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA
| | | | - Gillian P Bates
- Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
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17
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Belgrad J, Khvorova A. More than 185 CAG repeats: a point of no return in Huntington's disease biology. Brain 2024; 147:1601-1603. [PMID: 38588052 PMCID: PMC11068098 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awae105] [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: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
This scientific commentary refers to ‘A CAG repeat threshold for therapeutics targeting somatic instability in Huntington’s disease’ by Aldous et al. (https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awae063).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jillian Belgrad
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Anastasia Khvorova
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
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18
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Kacher R, Lejeune FX, David I, Boluda S, Coarelli G, Leclere-Turbant S, Heinzmann A, Marelli C, Charles P, Goizet C, Kabir N, Hilab R, Jornea L, Six J, Dommergues M, Fauret AL, Brice A, Humbert S, Durr A. CAG repeat mosaicism is gene specific in spinocerebellar ataxias. Am J Hum Genet 2024; 111:913-926. [PMID: 38626762 PMCID: PMC11080609 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2024.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Expanded CAG repeats in coding regions of different genes are the most common cause of dominantly inherited spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs). These repeats are unstable through the germline, and larger repeats lead to earlier onset. We measured somatic expansion in blood samples collected from 30 SCA1, 50 SCA2, 74 SCA3, and 30 SCA7 individuals over a mean interval of 8.5 years, along with postmortem tissues and fetal tissues from SCA1, SCA3, and SCA7 individuals to examine somatic expansion at different stages of life. We showed that somatic mosaicism in the blood increases over time. Expansion levels are significantly different among SCAs and correlate with CAG repeat lengths. The level of expansion is greater in individuals with SCA7 who manifest disease compared to that of those who do not yet display symptoms. Brain tissues from SCA individuals have larger expansions compared to the blood. The cerebellum has the lowest mosaicism among the studied brain regions, along with a high expression of ATXNs and DNA repair genes. This was the opposite in cortices, with the highest mosaicism and lower expression of ATXNs and DNA repair genes. Fetal cortices did not show repeat instability. This study shows that CAG repeats are increasingly unstable during life in the blood and the brain of SCA individuals, with gene- and tissue-specific patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radhia Kacher
- Sorbonne Université, Paris Brain Institute - ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hopital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - François-Xavier Lejeune
- Sorbonne Université, Paris Brain Institute's Data Analysis Core Facility, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hopital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Isabelle David
- Sorbonne Université, Department of Genetics, APHP, Hopital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Susana Boluda
- Sorbonne Université, Department of Neuropathology Raymond Escourolle, APHP, Hopital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Giulia Coarelli
- Sorbonne Université, Paris Brain Institute - ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hopital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Sabrina Leclere-Turbant
- Sorbonne Université, Biobank Neuro-CEB Biological Resource Platform, APHP, Hopital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Anna Heinzmann
- Sorbonne Université, Paris Brain Institute - ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hopital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Cecilia Marelli
- MMDN, Université Montpellier, EPHE, INSERM, Montpellier, France; Expert Center for Neurogenetic Diseases, CHU, Montpellier, France
| | - Perrine Charles
- Sorbonne Université, Department of Genetics, APHP, Hopital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Cyril Goizet
- Université Bordeaux, Equipe « Neurogénétique Translationnelle - NRGEN », INCIA CNRS UMR5287 Université Bordeaux and Centre de Reference Maladies Rares « Neurogénétique », Service de Génétique Médicale, Bordeaux University Hospital (CHU Bordeaux), Bordeaux, France
| | - Nisha Kabir
- Sorbonne Université, Paris Brain Institute - ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hopital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Rania Hilab
- Sorbonne Université, Paris Brain Institute - ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hopital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Ludmila Jornea
- Sorbonne Université, Paris Brain Institute - ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hopital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Julie Six
- Sorbonne Université, Paris Brain Institute - ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hopital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Marc Dommergues
- Sorbonne Université, Service de Gynécologie Obstetrique, APHP, Hopital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Anne-Laure Fauret
- Sorbonne Université, Department of Genetics, APHP, Hopital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Alexis Brice
- Sorbonne Université, Paris Brain Institute - ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hopital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Sandrine Humbert
- Sorbonne Université, Paris Brain Institute - ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hopital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Alexandra Durr
- Sorbonne Université, Paris Brain Institute - ICM, Inserm, CNRS, APHP, Hopital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France.
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19
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Sampaio C. Huntington disease - Update on ongoing therapeutic developments and a look toward the future. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2024; 122:106049. [PMID: 38418319 DOI: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2024.106049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Sampaio
- CHDI Management, Inc. Advisors to CHDI Foundation, Princeton, USA; Faculdade Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa (FMUL), Portugal.
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20
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Zhao T, Duan S, Li J, Zheng H, Liu C, Zhang H, Luo H, Xu Y. Mapping of repeat-associated non-AUG (RAN) translation knowledge: A bibliometric analysis. Heliyon 2024; 10:e29141. [PMID: 38628764 PMCID: PMC11019168 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Over 50 genetic human disorders are attributed to the irregular expansion of microsatellites. These expanded microsatellite sequences can experience bidirectional transcription, leading to new reading frames. Beyond the standard AUG initiation or adjacent start codons, they are translated into proteins characterized by disease-causing amino acid repeats through repeat-associated non-AUG translation. Despite its significance, there's a discernible gap in comprehensive and objective articles on RAN translation. This study endeavors to evaluate and delineate the contemporary landscape and progress of RAN translation research via a bibliometric analysis. We sourced literature on RAN translation from the Web of Science Core Collection. Utilizing two bibliometric analysis tools, CiteSpace and VOSviewer, we gauged individual impacts and interactions by examining annual publications, journals, co-cited journals, countries/regions, institutions, authors, and co-cited authors. Following this, we assessed the co-occurrence and bursts of keywords and co-cited references to pinpoint research hotspots and trending in RAN translation. Between 2011 and 2022, 1317 authors across 359 institutions from 34 countries/regions contributed to 250 publications on RAN translation, spread across 118 academic journals. This article presents a systematic, objective, and comprehensive analysis of the current literature on RAN translation. Our findings emphasize that mechanisms related to C9orf72 ALS/FTD are pivotal topics in the realm of RAN translation, with cellular stress and the utilization of small molecule marking the trending research areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taiqi Zhao
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Cerebrovascular Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Suying Duan
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Cerebrovascular Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Jiaqi Li
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Cerebrovascular Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Honglin Zheng
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- The Academy of Medical Sciences of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Chenyang Liu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Hang Zhang
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Haiyang Luo
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Cerebrovascular Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Institute of Neuroscience, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Yuming Xu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Henan Key Laboratory of Cerebrovascular Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Institute of Neuroscience, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
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21
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Allen S, O'Reilly D, Miller R, Sapp E, Summers A, Paquette J, Moreno DE, Bramato B, McHugh N, Yamada K, Aronin N, DiFiglia M, Khvorova A. mRNA nuclear clustering leads to a difference in mutant huntingtin mRNA and protein silencing by siRNAs in vivo. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.24.590997. [PMID: 38774633 PMCID: PMC11106801 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.24.590997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2024]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease caused by CAG repeat expansion in the first exon of the huntingtin gene (HTT). Oligonucleotide therapeutics, such as short interfering RNA (siRNA), reduce levels of huntingtin mRNA and protein in vivo and are considered a viable therapeutic strategy. However, the extent to which they silence HTT mRNA in the nucleus is not established. We synthesized siRNA cross-reactive to mouse (wild-type) Htt and human (mutant) HTT in a di-valent scaffold and delivered to two mouse models of HD. In both models, di-valent siRNA sustained lowering of wild-type Htt, but not mutant HTT mRNA expression in striatum and cortex. Near-complete silencing of both mutant HTT protein and wild-type Htt protein was observed in both models. Subsequent fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis shows that di-valent siRNA acts predominantly on cytoplasmic mutant HTT transcripts, leaving clustered mutant HTT transcripts in the nucleus largely intact in treated HD mouse brains. The observed differences between mRNA and protein levels, exaggerated in the case of extended repeats, might apply to other repeat-associated neurological disorders.
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Burtscher J, Strasser B, Pepe G, Burtscher M, Kopp M, Di Pardo A, Maglione V, Khamoui AV. Brain-Periphery Interactions in Huntington's Disease: Mediators and Lifestyle Interventions. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4696. [PMID: 38731912 PMCID: PMC11083237 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25094696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Prominent pathological features of Huntington's disease (HD) are aggregations of mutated Huntingtin protein (mHtt) in the brain and neurodegeneration, which causes characteristic motor (such as chorea and dystonia) and non-motor symptoms. However, the numerous systemic and peripheral deficits in HD have gained increasing attention recently, since those factors likely modulate disease progression, including brain pathology. While whole-body metabolic abnormalities and organ-specific pathologies in HD have been relatively well described, the potential mediators of compromised inter-organ communication in HD have been insufficiently characterized. Therefore, we applied an exploratory literature search to identify such mediators. Unsurprisingly, dysregulation of inflammatory factors, circulating mHtt, and many other messenger molecules (hormones, lipids, RNAs) were found that suggest impaired inter-organ communication, including of the gut-brain and muscle-brain axis. Based on these findings, we aimed to assess the risks and potentials of lifestyle interventions that are thought to improve communication across these axes: dietary strategies and exercise. We conclude that appropriate lifestyle interventions have great potential to reduce symptoms and potentially modify disease progression (possibly via improving inter-organ signaling) in HD. However, impaired systemic metabolism and peripheral symptoms warrant particular care in the design of dietary and exercise programs for people with HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Burtscher
- Institute of Sport Sciences, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Barbara Strasser
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Rehabilitation Research, 1100 Vienna, Austria;
- Faculty of Medicine, Sigmund Freud Private University, 1020 Vienna, Austria
| | - Giuseppe Pepe
- IRCCS Neuromed, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy; (G.P.); (A.D.P.); (V.M.)
| | - Martin Burtscher
- Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (M.B.); (M.K.)
| | - Martin Kopp
- Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (M.B.); (M.K.)
| | - Alba Di Pardo
- IRCCS Neuromed, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy; (G.P.); (A.D.P.); (V.M.)
| | | | - Andy V. Khamoui
- Department of Exercise Science and Health Promotion, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33458, USA;
- Institute for Human Health and Disease Intervention, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
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23
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Kim KH, Hong EP, Lee Y, McLean ZL, Elezi E, Lee R, Kwak S, McAllister B, Massey TH, Lobanov S, Holmans P, Orth M, Ciosi M, Monckton DG, Long JD, Lucente D, Wheeler VC, MacDonald ME, Gusella JF, Lee JM. Posttranscriptional regulation of FAN1 by miR-124-3p at rs3512 underlies onset-delaying genetic modification in Huntington's disease. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2322924121. [PMID: 38607933 PMCID: PMC11032436 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2322924121] [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: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Many Mendelian disorders, such as Huntington's disease (HD) and spinocerebellar ataxias, arise from expansions of CAG trinucleotide repeats. Despite the clear genetic causes, additional genetic factors may influence the rate of those monogenic disorders. Notably, genome-wide association studies discovered somewhat expected modifiers, particularly mismatch repair genes involved in the CAG repeat instability, impacting age at onset of HD. Strikingly, FAN1, previously unrelated to repeat instability, produced the strongest HD modification signals. Diverse FAN1 haplotypes independently modify HD, with rare genetic variants diminishing DNA binding or nuclease activity of the FAN1 protein, hastening HD onset. However, the mechanism behind the frequent and the most significant onset-delaying FAN1 haplotype lacking missense variations has remained elusive. Here, we illustrated that a microRNA acting on 3'-UTR (untranslated region) SNP rs3512, rather than transcriptional regulation, is responsible for the significant FAN1 expression quantitative trait loci signal and allelic imbalance in FAN1 messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA), accounting for the most significant and frequent onset-delaying modifier haplotype in HD. Specifically, miR-124-3p selectively targets the reference allele at rs3512, diminishing the stability of FAN1 mRNA harboring that allele and consequently reducing its levels. Subsequent validation analyses, including the use of antagomir and 3'-UTR reporter vectors with swapped alleles, confirmed the specificity of miR-124-3p at rs3512. Together, these findings indicate that the alternative allele at rs3512 renders the FAN1 mRNA less susceptible to miR-124-3p-mediated posttranscriptional regulation, resulting in increased FAN1 levels and a subsequent delay in HD onset by mitigating CAG repeat instability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyung-Hee Kim
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA02114
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02115
| | - Eun Pyo Hong
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA02114
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02115
| | - Yukyeong Lee
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA02114
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02115
| | - Zachariah L. McLean
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA02114
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02115
- Medical and Population Genetics Program, The Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA02142
| | - Emanuela Elezi
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA02114
| | | | | | - Branduff McAllister
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA02114
- Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, CardiffCF24 4HQ, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas H. Massey
- Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, CardiffCF24 4HQ, United Kingdom
| | - Sergey Lobanov
- Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, CardiffCF24 4HQ, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Holmans
- Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, CardiffCF24 4HQ, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Orth
- University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Bern University, CH-3000Bern 60, Switzerland
| | - Marc Ciosi
- School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, GlasgowG12 8QQ, United Kingdom
| | - Darren G. Monckton
- School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, GlasgowG12 8QQ, United Kingdom
| | - Jeffrey D. Long
- Department of Psychiatry, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA52242
- Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA52242
| | - Diane Lucente
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA02114
| | - Vanessa C. Wheeler
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA02114
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02115
| | - Marcy E. MacDonald
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA02114
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02115
- Medical and Population Genetics Program, The Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA02142
| | - James F. Gusella
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA02114
- Medical and Population Genetics Program, The Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA02142
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02115
| | - Jong-Min Lee
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA02114
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02115
- Medical and Population Genetics Program, The Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, Cambridge, MA02142
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24
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McLean ZL, Gao D, Correia K, Roy JCL, Shibata S, Farnum IN, Valdepenas-Mellor Z, Kovalenko M, Rapuru M, Morini E, Ruliera J, Gillis T, Lucente D, Kleinstiver BP, Lee JM, MacDonald ME, Wheeler VC, Mouro Pinto R, Gusella JF. Splice modulators target PMS1 to reduce somatic expansion of the Huntington's disease-associated CAG repeat. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3182. [PMID: 38609352 PMCID: PMC11015039 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47485-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a dominant neurological disorder caused by an expanded HTT exon 1 CAG repeat that lengthens huntingtin's polyglutamine tract. Lowering mutant huntingtin has been proposed for treating HD, but genetic modifiers implicate somatic CAG repeat expansion as the driver of onset. We find that branaplam and risdiplam, small molecule splice modulators that lower huntingtin by promoting HTT pseudoexon inclusion, also decrease expansion of an unstable HTT exon 1 CAG repeat in an engineered cell model. Targeted CRISPR-Cas9 editing shows this effect is not due to huntingtin lowering, pointing instead to pseudoexon inclusion in PMS1. Homozygous but not heterozygous inactivation of PMS1 also reduces CAG repeat expansion, supporting PMS1 as a genetic modifier of HD and a potential target for therapeutic intervention. Although splice modulation provides one strategy, genome-wide transcriptomics also emphasize consideration of cell-type specific effects and polymorphic variation at both target and off-target sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachariah L McLean
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Medical and Population Genetics Program, the Broad Institute of M.I.T. and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Dadi Gao
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Medical and Population Genetics Program, the Broad Institute of M.I.T. and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Kevin Correia
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Jennie C L Roy
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Shota Shibata
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Medical and Population Genetics Program, the Broad Institute of M.I.T. and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Iris N Farnum
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Zoe Valdepenas-Mellor
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Marina Kovalenko
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Manasa Rapuru
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Elisabetta Morini
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Jayla Ruliera
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Tammy Gillis
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Diane Lucente
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Benjamin P Kleinstiver
- Center for Genomic Medicine and Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Jong-Min Lee
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Medical and Population Genetics Program, the Broad Institute of M.I.T. and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Marcy E MacDonald
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Medical and Population Genetics Program, the Broad Institute of M.I.T. and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Vanessa C Wheeler
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Medical and Population Genetics Program, the Broad Institute of M.I.T. and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Ricardo Mouro Pinto
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Medical and Population Genetics Program, the Broad Institute of M.I.T. and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - James F Gusella
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
- Medical and Population Genetics Program, the Broad Institute of M.I.T. and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA.
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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25
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Wang L, Kranzler HR, Gelernter J, Zhou H. Multi-ancestry Whole-exome Sequencing Study of Alcohol Use Disorder in Two Cohorts. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.04.05.24305412. [PMID: 38645055 PMCID: PMC11030482 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.05.24305412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. There has been substantial progress in identifying genetic variants underlying AUD. However, there are few whole-exome sequencing (WES) studies of AUD. We analyzed WES of 4,530 samples from the Yale-Penn cohort and 469,835 samples from the UK Biobank (UKB). After quality control, 1,420 AUD cases and 619 controls of European ancestry (EUR) and 1,142 cases and 608 controls of African ancestry (AFR) from Yale-Penn were retained for subsequent analyses. WES data from 415,617 EUR samples (12,861 cases), 6,142 AFR samples (130 cases) and 4,607 South Asian (SAS) samples (130 cases) from UKB were also analyzed. Single-variant association analysis identified the well-known functional variant rs1229984 in ADH1B ( P =4.88×10 -31 ) and several other common variants in ADH1C . Gene-based tests identified ADH1B ( P =1.00×10 -31 ), ADH1C ( P =5.23×10 -7 ), CNST ( P =1.19×10 -6 ), and IFIT5 (3.74×10 -6 ). This study extends our understanding of the genetic basis of AUD.
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26
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Henriques C, Lopes MM, Silva AC, Lobo DD, Badin RA, Hantraye P, Pereira de Almeida L, Nobre RJ. Viral-based animal models in polyglutamine disorders. Brain 2024; 147:1166-1189. [PMID: 38284949 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awae012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2023] [Revised: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Polyglutamine disorders are a complex group of incurable neurodegenerative disorders caused by an abnormal expansion in the trinucleotide cytosine-adenine-guanine tract of the affected gene. To better understand these disorders, our dependence on animal models persists, primarily relying on transgenic models. In an effort to complement and deepen our knowledge, researchers have also developed animal models of polyglutamine disorders employing viral vectors. Viral vectors have been extensively used to deliver genes to the brain, not only for therapeutic purposes but also for the development of animal models, given their remarkable flexibility. In a time- and cost-effective manner, it is possible to use different transgenes, at varying doses, in diverse targeted tissues, at different ages, and in different species, to recreate polyglutamine pathology. This paper aims to showcase the utility of viral vectors in disease modelling, share essential considerations for developing animal models with viral vectors, and provide a comprehensive review of existing viral-based animal models for polyglutamine disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carina Henriques
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), Gene and Stem Cell Therapies for the Brain Group, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), Vectors, Gene and Cell Therapy Group, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- ViraVector-Viral Vector for Gene Transfer Core Facility, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Miguel M Lopes
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), Gene and Stem Cell Therapies for the Brain Group, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), Vectors, Gene and Cell Therapy Group, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- ViraVector-Viral Vector for Gene Transfer Core Facility, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Research (III), University of Coimbra, 3030-789 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ana C Silva
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), Gene and Stem Cell Therapies for the Brain Group, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), Vectors, Gene and Cell Therapy Group, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- ViraVector-Viral Vector for Gene Transfer Core Facility, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Research (III), University of Coimbra, 3030-789 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Diana D Lobo
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), Gene and Stem Cell Therapies for the Brain Group, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), Vectors, Gene and Cell Therapy Group, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- ViraVector-Viral Vector for Gene Transfer Core Facility, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Research (III), University of Coimbra, 3030-789 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Romina Aron Badin
- CEA, DRF, Institute of Biology François Jacob, Molecular Imaging Research Center (MIRCen), 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
- CNRS, CEA, Paris-Sud University, Université Paris-Saclay, Neurodegenerative Diseases Laboratory (UMR9199), 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Philippe Hantraye
- CEA, DRF, Institute of Biology François Jacob, Molecular Imaging Research Center (MIRCen), 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
- CNRS, CEA, Paris-Sud University, Université Paris-Saclay, Neurodegenerative Diseases Laboratory (UMR9199), 92265 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Luís Pereira de Almeida
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), Gene and Stem Cell Therapies for the Brain Group, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), Vectors, Gene and Cell Therapy Group, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- ViraVector-Viral Vector for Gene Transfer Core Facility, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Rui Jorge Nobre
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), Gene and Stem Cell Therapies for the Brain Group, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), Vectors, Gene and Cell Therapy Group, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- ViraVector-Viral Vector for Gene Transfer Core Facility, University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Research (III), University of Coimbra, 3030-789 Coimbra, Portugal
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27
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Goldberg ME, Noyes MD, Eichler EE, Quinlan AR, Harris K. Effects of parental age and polymer composition on short tandem repeat de novo mutation rates. Genetics 2024; 226:iyae013. [PMID: 38298127 PMCID: PMC10990422 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyae013] [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: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Short tandem repeats (STRs) are hotspots of genomic variability in the human germline because of their high mutation rates, which have long been attributed largely to polymerase slippage during DNA replication. This model suggests that STR mutation rates should scale linearly with a father's age, as progenitor cells continually divide after puberty. In contrast, it suggests that STR mutation rates should not scale with a mother's age at her child's conception, since oocytes spend a mother's reproductive years arrested in meiosis II and undergo a fixed number of cell divisions that are independent of the age at ovulation. Yet, mirroring recent findings, we find that STR mutation rates covary with paternal and maternal age, implying that some STR mutations are caused by DNA damage in quiescent cells rather than polymerase slippage in replicating progenitor cells. These results echo the recent finding that DNA damage in oocytes is a significant source of de novo single nucleotide variants and corroborate evidence of STR expansion in postmitotic cells. However, we find that the maternal age effect is not confined to known hotspots of oocyte mutagenesis, nor are postzygotic mutations likely to contribute significantly. STR nucleotide composition demonstrates divergent effects on de novo mutation (DNM) rates between sexes. Unlike the paternal lineage, maternally derived DNMs at A/T STRs display a significantly greater association with maternal age than DNMs at G/C-containing STRs. These observations may suggest the mechanism and developmental timing of certain STR mutations and contradict prior attribution of replication slippage as the primary mechanism of STR mutagenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael E Goldberg
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Departments of Human Genetics and Biomedical Informatics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Michelle D Noyes
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Evan E Eichler
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Aaron R Quinlan
- Departments of Human Genetics and Biomedical Informatics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Kelley Harris
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Computational Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
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28
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Wells RG, Neilson LE, McHill AW, Hiller AL. Dietary fasting and time-restricted eating in Huntington's disease: therapeutic potential and underlying mechanisms. Transl Neurodegener 2024; 13:17. [PMID: 38561866 PMCID: PMC10986006 DOI: 10.1186/s40035-024-00406-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder caused by aggregation of the mutant huntingtin (mHTT) protein, resulting from a CAG repeat expansion in the huntingtin gene HTT. HD is characterized by a variety of debilitating symptoms including involuntary movements, cognitive impairment, and psychiatric disturbances. Despite considerable efforts, effective disease-modifying treatments for HD remain elusive, necessitating exploration of novel therapeutic approaches, including lifestyle modifications that could delay symptom onset and disease progression. Recent studies suggest that time-restricted eating (TRE), a form of intermittent fasting involving daily caloric intake within a limited time window, may hold promise in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, including HD. TRE has been shown to improve mitochondrial function, upregulate autophagy, reduce oxidative stress, regulate the sleep-wake cycle, and enhance cognitive function. In this review, we explore the potential therapeutic role of TRE in HD, focusing on its underlying physiological mechanisms. We discuss how TRE might enhance the clearance of mHTT, recover striatal brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels, improve mitochondrial function and stress-response pathways, and synchronize circadian rhythm activity. Understanding these mechanisms is critical for the development of targeted lifestyle interventions to mitigate HD pathology and improve patient outcomes. While the potential benefits of TRE in HD animal models are encouraging, future comprehensive clinical trials will be necessary to evaluate its safety, feasibility, and efficacy in persons with HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Russell G Wells
- Department of Neurology, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR, 97239, USA.
| | - Lee E Neilson
- Department of Neurology, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Neurology and PADRECC VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Andrew W McHill
- Sleep, Chronobiology and Health Laboratory, School of Nursing, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences, Oregon Health & Sciences University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Amie L Hiller
- Department of Neurology, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Neurology and PADRECC VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
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29
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Cheng Y, Zhang S, Shang H. Latest advances on new promising molecular-based therapeutic approaches for Huntington's disease. J Transl Int Med 2024; 12:134-147. [PMID: 38779119 PMCID: PMC11107186 DOI: 10.2478/jtim-2023-0142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a devastating, autosomal-dominant inherited, neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive motor deficits, cognitive impairments, and neuropsychiatric symptoms. It is caused by excessive cytosine-adenine-guanine (CAG) trinucleotide repeats within the huntingtin gene (HTT). Presently, therapeutic interventions capable of altering the trajectory of HD are lacking, while medications for abnormal movement and psychiatric symptoms are limited. Numerous pre-clinical and clinical studies have been conducted and are currently underway to test the efficacy of therapeutic approaches targeting some of these mechanisms with varying degrees of success. In this review, we update the latest advances on new promising molecular-based therapeutic strategies for this disorder, including DNA-targeting techniques such as zinc-finger proteins, transcription activator-like effector nucleases, and CRISPR/Cas9; post-transcriptional huntingtin-lowering approaches such as RNAi, antisense oligonucleotides, and small-molecule splicing modulators; and novel methods to clear the mHTT protein, such as proteolysis-targeting chimeras. We mainly focus on the ongoing clinical trials and the latest pre-clinical studies to explore the progress of emerging potential HD therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangfan Cheng
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare disease center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu610041, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Sirui Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare disease center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu610041, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Huifang Shang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare disease center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu610041, Sichuan Province, China
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30
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Sun X, Liu L, Wu C, Li X, Guo J, Zhang J, Guan J, Wang N, Gu L, Yang XW, Li GM. Mutant huntingtin protein induces MLH1 degradation, DNA hyperexcision, and cGAS-STING-dependent apoptosis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2313652121. [PMID: 38498709 PMCID: PMC10990133 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2313652121] [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: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder caused by an expanded CAG repeat in the huntingtin (HTT) gene. The repeat-expanded HTT encodes a mutated HTT (mHTT), which is known to induce DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), activation of the cGAS-STING pathway, and apoptosis in HD. However, the mechanism by which mHTT triggers these events is unknown. Here, we show that HTT interacts with both exonuclease 1 (Exo1) and MutLα (MLH1-PMS2), a negative regulator of Exo1. While the HTT-Exo1 interaction suppresses the Exo1-catalyzed DNA end resection during DSB repair, the HTT-MutLα interaction functions to stabilize MLH1. However, mHTT displays a significantly reduced interaction with Exo1 or MutLα, thereby losing the ability to regulate Exo1. Thus, cells expressing mHTT exhibit rapid MLH1 degradation and hyperactive DNA excision, which causes severe DNA damage and cytosolic DNA accumulation. This activates the cGAS-STING pathway to mediate apoptosis. Therefore, we have identified unique functions for both HTT and mHTT in modulating DNA repair and the cGAS-STING pathway-mediated apoptosis by interacting with MLH1. Our work elucidates the mechanism by which mHTT causes HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Sun
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX75390
- The Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics, Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Women’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou310006, China
| | - Lu Liu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX75390
| | - Chao Wu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX75390
| | - Xueying Li
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX75390
| | - Jinzhen Guo
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX75390
| | - Junqiu Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX75390
| | - Junhong Guan
- Cui-ying Experimental Center, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou730030, China
| | - Nan Wang
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Liya Gu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX75390
| | - X. Willian Yang
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095
| | - Guo-Min Li
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX75390
- Institute for Cancer Research, Chinese Institutes for Medical Research, Beijing100069, China
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing100069, China
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31
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Amartumur S, Nguyen H, Huynh T, Kim TS, Woo RS, Oh E, Kim KK, Lee LP, Heo C. Neuropathogenesis-on-chips for neurodegenerative diseases. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2219. [PMID: 38472255 PMCID: PMC10933492 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46554-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Developing diagnostics and treatments for neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) is challenging due to multifactorial pathogenesis that progresses gradually. Advanced in vitro systems that recapitulate patient-like pathophysiology are emerging as alternatives to conventional animal-based models. In this review, we explore the interconnected pathogenic features of different types of ND, discuss the general strategy to modelling NDs using a microfluidic chip, and introduce the organoid-on-a-chip as the next advanced relevant model. Lastly, we overview how these models are being applied in academic and industrial drug development. The integration of microfluidic chips, stem cells, and biotechnological devices promises to provide valuable insights for biomedical research and developing diagnostic and therapeutic solutions for NDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarnai Amartumur
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Quantum Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Korea
| | - Huong Nguyen
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Quantum Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Korea
| | - Thuy Huynh
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Quantum Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Korea
| | - Testaverde S Kim
- Center for Integrated Nanostructure Physics (CINAP), Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Suwon, 16419, Korea
| | - Ran-Sook Woo
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Eulji University, Daejeon, 34824, Korea
| | - Eungseok Oh
- Department of Neurology, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, 35015, Korea
| | - Kyeong Kyu Kim
- Department of Precision Medicine, Graduate School of Basic Medical Science (GSBMS), Institute for Anti-microbial Resistance Research and Therapeutics, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon, 16419, Korea
| | - Luke P Lee
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Quantum Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Korea.
- Harvard Medical School, Division of Engineering in Medicine and Renal Division, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
| | - Chaejeong Heo
- Department of Biophysics, Institute of Quantum Biophysics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Korea.
- Center for Integrated Nanostructure Physics (CINAP), Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Suwon, 16419, Korea.
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32
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Ruiz de Sabando A, Ciosi M, Galbete A, Cumming SA, Monckton DG, Ramos-Arroyo MA. Somatic CAG repeat instability in intermediate alleles of the HTT gene and its potential association with a clinical phenotype. Eur J Hum Genet 2024:10.1038/s41431-024-01546-6. [PMID: 38433266 DOI: 10.1038/s41431-024-01546-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by ≥36 CAGs in the HTT gene. Intermediate alleles (IAs) (27-35 CAGs) are not considered HD-causing, but their potential association with neurocognitive symptoms remains controversial. As HTT somatic CAG expansion influences HD onset, we hypothesised that IAs are somatically unstable, and that somatic CAG expansion may drive phenotypic presentation in some IA carriers. We quantified HTT somatic CAG expansions by MiSeq sequencing in the blood DNA of 164 HD subjects and 191 IA (symptomatic and control) carriers, and in the brain DNA of a symptomatic 33 CAG carrier. We also performed genotype-phenotype analysis. The phenotype of symptomatic IA carriers was characterised by motor (85%), cognitive (27%) and/or behavioural (29%) signs, with a late (58.7 ± 18.6 years), but not CAG-dependent, age at onset. IAs displayed somatic expansion that were CAG and age-dependent in blood DNA, with 0.4% and 0.01% of DNA molecules expanding by CAG and year, respectively. Somatic expansions of +1 and +2 CAGs were detected in the brain of the individual with 33 CAGs, with the highest expansion frequency in the putamen (10.3%) and the lowest in the cerebellum (4.8%). Somatic expansion in blood DNA was not different in symptomatic vs. control IA carriers. In conclusion, we show that HTT IAs are somatically unstable, but we found no association with HD-like phenotypes. It is plausible, however, that some IAs, close to the HD pathological threshold and with a predisposing genetic background, could manifest with neurocognitive symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ainara Ruiz de Sabando
- Department of Medical Genetics, Hospital Universitario de Navarra, IdiSNA, 31008, Pamplona, Spain
- Department of Health Sciences, Universidad Pública de Navarra, IdiSNA, 31008, Pamplona, Spain
- Fundación Miguel Servet-Navarrabiomed, IdiSNA, 31008, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Marc Ciosi
- School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Arkaitz Galbete
- Department of Statistics, Informatics and Mathematics, Universidad Pública de Navarra, IdiSNA, 31006, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Sarah A Cumming
- School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Darren G Monckton
- School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Maria A Ramos-Arroyo
- Department of Medical Genetics, Hospital Universitario de Navarra, IdiSNA, 31008, Pamplona, Spain.
- Fundación Miguel Servet-Navarrabiomed, IdiSNA, 31008, Pamplona, Spain.
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33
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Mätlik K, Baffuto M, Kus L, Deshmukh AL, Davis DA, Paul MR, Carroll TS, Caron MC, Masson JY, Pearson CE, Heintz N. Cell-type-specific CAG repeat expansions and toxicity of mutant Huntingtin in human striatum and cerebellum. Nat Genet 2024; 56:383-394. [PMID: 38291334 PMCID: PMC10937393 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-024-01653-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Brain region-specific degeneration and somatic expansions of the mutant Huntingtin (mHTT) CAG tract are key features of Huntington's disease (HD). However, the relationships among CAG expansions, death of specific cell types and molecular events associated with these processes are not established. Here, we used fluorescence-activated nuclear sorting (FANS) and deep molecular profiling to gain insight into the properties of cell types of the human striatum and cerebellum in HD and control donors. CAG expansions arise at mHTT in striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs), cholinergic interneurons and cerebellar Purkinje neurons, and at mutant ATXN3 in MSNs from SCA3 donors. CAG expansions in MSNs are associated with higher levels of MSH2 and MSH3 (forming MutSβ), which can inhibit nucleolytic excision of CAG slip-outs by FAN1. Our data support a model in which CAG expansions are necessary but may not be sufficient for cell death and identify transcriptional changes associated with somatic CAG expansions and striatal toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kert Mätlik
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Matthew Baffuto
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Laura Kus
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Amit Laxmikant Deshmukh
- Program of Genetics & Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - David A Davis
- Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Matthew R Paul
- Bioinformatics Resource Center, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Thomas S Carroll
- Bioinformatics Resource Center, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Marie-Christine Caron
- CHU de Québec Research Center, Oncology Division, Laval University Cancer Research Center, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jean-Yves Masson
- CHU de Québec Research Center, Oncology Division, Laval University Cancer Research Center, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Christopher E Pearson
- Program of Genetics & Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Program of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nathaniel Heintz
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA.
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34
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Pérez‐Oliveira S, Castilla‐Silgado J, Painous C, Aldecoa I, Menéndez‐González M, Blázquez‐Estrada M, Corte D, Tomás‐Zapico C, Compta Y, Muñoz E, Lladó A, Balasa M, Aragonès G, García‐González P, Rosende‐Roca M, Boada M, Ruíz A, Pastor P, De la Casa‐Fages B, Rabano A, Sánchez‐Valle R, Molina‐Porcel L, Álvarez V. Huntingtin CAG repeats in neuropathologically confirmed tauopathies: Novel insights. Brain Pathol 2024; 34:e13250. [PMID: 38418081 PMCID: PMC11189778 DOI: 10.1111/bpa.13250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have suggested a relationship between the number of CAG triplet repeats in the HTT gene and neurodegenerative diseases not related to Huntington's disease (HD). This study seeks to investigate whether the number of CAG repeats of HTT is associated with the risk of developing certain tauopathies and its influence as a modulator of the clinical and neuropathological phenotype. Additionally, it aims to evaluate the potential of polyglutamine staining as a neuropathological screening. We genotyped the HTT gene CAG repeat number and APOE-ℰ isoforms in a cohort of patients with neuropathological diagnoses of tauopathies (n=588), including 34 corticobasal degeneration (CBD), 98 progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and 456 Alzheimer's disease (AD). Furthermore, we genotyped a control group of 1070 patients, of whom 44 were neuropathologic controls. We identified significant differences in the number of patients with pathological HTT expansions in the CBD group (2.7%) and PSP group (3.2%) compared to control subjects (0.2%). A significant increase in the size of the HTT CAG repeats was found in the AD compared to the control group, influenced by the presence of the Apoliprotein E (APOE)-ℰ4 isoform. Post-mortem assessments uncovered tauopathy pathology with positive polyglutamine aggregates, with a slight predominance in the neostriatum for PSP and CBD cases and somewhat greater limbic involvement in the AD case. Our results indicated a link between HTT CAG repeat expansion with other non-HD pathology, suggesting they could share common neurodegenerative pathways. These findings support that genetic or histological screening for HTT repeat expansions should be considered in tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Pérez‐Oliveira
- Laboratory of GeneticsHospital Universitario Central de AsturiasOviedoSpain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA)OviedoSpain
| | - Juan Castilla‐Silgado
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA)OviedoSpain
- Department of Functional Biology (Physiology)University of OviedoOviedoSpain
| | - Cèlia Painous
- Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Unit, Department of NeurologyHospital Clinic of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
- UB Neuro Institut de Neurociències, Maeztu CenterUniversity of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
- Fundació de Recerca Clínic Barcelona‐Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (FRCB‐IDIBAPS)BarcelonaSpain
| | - Iban Aldecoa
- Neurological Tissue Bank of the Biobank‐Hospital Clinic‐FRCB‐IDIBAPSBarcelonaSpain
- Pathology Department, Biomedical Diagnostic CenterHospital Clínic de Barcelona, University of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Manuel Menéndez‐González
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA)OviedoSpain
- Department of NeurologyHospital Universitario Central de AsturiasOviedoSpain
- Department of MedicineUniversity of OviedoOviedoSpain
| | - Marta Blázquez‐Estrada
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA)OviedoSpain
- Department of NeurologyHospital Universitario Central de AsturiasOviedoSpain
- Department of MedicineUniversity of OviedoOviedoSpain
| | - Daniela Corte
- Biobank of Principado de Asturias, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias (HUCA)OviedoSpain
| | - Cristina Tomás‐Zapico
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA)OviedoSpain
- Department of Functional Biology (Physiology)University of OviedoOviedoSpain
| | - Yaroslau Compta
- Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Unit, Department of NeurologyHospital Clinic of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
- UB Neuro Institut de Neurociències, Maeztu CenterUniversity of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
- Fundació de Recerca Clínic Barcelona‐Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (FRCB‐IDIBAPS)BarcelonaSpain
| | - Esteban Muñoz
- Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Unit, Department of NeurologyHospital Clinic of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
- UB Neuro Institut de Neurociències, Maeztu CenterUniversity of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
- Fundació de Recerca Clínic Barcelona‐Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (FRCB‐IDIBAPS)BarcelonaSpain
| | - Albert Lladó
- Alzheimer's Disease and other Cognitive Disorders UnitNeurology Service, Hospital Clínic, FRCB‐IDIBAPS, University of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Mircea Balasa
- Alzheimer's Disease and other Cognitive Disorders UnitNeurology Service, Hospital Clínic, FRCB‐IDIBAPS, University of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Gemma Aragonès
- Neurological Tissue Bank of the Biobank‐Hospital Clinic‐FRCB‐IDIBAPSBarcelonaSpain
| | - Pablo García‐González
- Ace Alzheimer Center Barcelona – Universitat Internacional de CatalunyaBarcelonaSpain
- Networking Research Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED)Instituto de Salud Carlos IIIMadridSpain
| | - Maitée Rosende‐Roca
- Ace Alzheimer Center Barcelona – Universitat Internacional de CatalunyaBarcelonaSpain
- Networking Research Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED)Instituto de Salud Carlos IIIMadridSpain
| | - Mercè Boada
- Ace Alzheimer Center Barcelona – Universitat Internacional de CatalunyaBarcelonaSpain
- Networking Research Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED)Instituto de Salud Carlos IIIMadridSpain
| | - Agustín Ruíz
- Ace Alzheimer Center Barcelona – Universitat Internacional de CatalunyaBarcelonaSpain
- Networking Research Center on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED)Instituto de Salud Carlos IIIMadridSpain
| | - Pau Pastor
- Unit of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of NeurologyUniversity Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol and The Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP) BadalonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Beatriz De la Casa‐Fages
- Movement Disorders Unit, Department of NeurologyHospital General Universitario Gregorio MarañónMadridSpain
- Instituto Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio MarañónMadridSpain
| | - Alberto Rabano
- Neuropathology Department and Brain Tissue BankCIEN Foundation, Queen Sofia Foundation Alzheimer CenterMadridSpain
| | - Raquel Sánchez‐Valle
- Alzheimer's Disease and other Cognitive Disorders UnitNeurology Service, Hospital Clínic, FRCB‐IDIBAPS, University of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Laura Molina‐Porcel
- UB Neuro Institut de Neurociències, Maeztu CenterUniversity of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
- Alzheimer's Disease and other Cognitive Disorders UnitNeurology Service, Hospital Clínic, FRCB‐IDIBAPS, University of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Victoria Álvarez
- Laboratory of GeneticsHospital Universitario Central de AsturiasOviedoSpain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA)OviedoSpain
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Dalene Skarping K, Arning L, Petersén Å, Nguyen HP, Gebre-Medhin S. Attenuated huntingtin gene CAG nucleotide repeat size in individuals with Lynch syndrome. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4300. [PMID: 38383663 PMCID: PMC10881568 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54277-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
DNA mismatch repair (MMR) is thought to contribute to the onset and progression of Huntington disease (HD) by promoting somatic expansion of the pathogenic CAG nucleotide repeat in the huntingtin gene (HTT). Here we have studied constitutional HTT CAG repeat size in two cohorts of individuals with Lynch syndrome (LS) carrying heterozygous loss-of-function variants in the MMR genes MLH1 (n = 12/60; Lund cohort/Bochum cohort, respectively), MSH2 (n = 15/88), MSH6 (n = 21/23), and controls (n = 19/559). The sum of CAG repeats for both HTT alleles in each individual was calculated due to unknown segregation with the LS allele. In the larger Bochum cohort, the sum of CAG repeats was lower in the MLH1 subgroup compared to controls (MLH1 35.40 CAG repeats ± 3.6 vs. controls 36.89 CAG repeats ± 4.5; p = 0.014). All LS genetic subgroups in the Bochum cohort displayed lower frequencies of unstable HTT intermediate alleles and lower HTT somatic CAG repeat expansion index values compared to controls. Collectively, our results indicate that MMR gene haploinsufficiency could have a restraining impact on constitutional HTT CAG repeat size and support the notion that the MMR pathway is a driver of nucleotide repeat expansion diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Dalene Skarping
- Division of Clinical Genetics, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Genetics and Pathology, Office for Medical Service, 221 85, Lund, Sweden
- Translational Neuroendocrine Research Unit, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Larissa Arning
- Department of Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, 44801, Bochum, Germany
| | - Åsa Petersén
- Translational Neuroendocrine Research Unit, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Huu Phuc Nguyen
- Department of Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, 44801, Bochum, Germany.
| | - Samuel Gebre-Medhin
- Division of Clinical Genetics, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
- Department of Clinical Genetics and Pathology, Office for Medical Service, 221 85, Lund, Sweden.
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36
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Firdaus Z, Li X. Unraveling the Genetic Landscape of Neurological Disorders: Insights into Pathogenesis, Techniques for Variant Identification, and Therapeutic Approaches. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2320. [PMID: 38396996 PMCID: PMC10889342 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25042320] [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: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Genetic abnormalities play a crucial role in the development of neurodegenerative disorders (NDDs). Genetic exploration has indeed contributed to unraveling the molecular complexities responsible for the etiology and progression of various NDDs. The intricate nature of rare and common variants in NDDs contributes to a limited understanding of the genetic risk factors associated with them. Advancements in next-generation sequencing have made whole-genome sequencing and whole-exome sequencing possible, allowing the identification of rare variants with substantial effects, and improving the understanding of both Mendelian and complex neurological conditions. The resurgence of gene therapy holds the promise of targeting the etiology of diseases and ensuring a sustained correction. This approach is particularly enticing for neurodegenerative diseases, where traditional pharmacological methods have fallen short. In the context of our exploration of the genetic epidemiology of the three most prevalent NDDs-amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease, our primary goal is to underscore the progress made in the development of next-generation sequencing. This progress aims to enhance our understanding of the disease mechanisms and explore gene-based therapies for NDDs. Throughout this review, we focus on genetic variations, methodologies for their identification, the associated pathophysiology, and the promising potential of gene therapy. Ultimately, our objective is to provide a comprehensive and forward-looking perspective on the emerging research arena of NDDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeba Firdaus
- Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA;
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Xiaogang Li
- Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA;
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
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37
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Bondulich MK, Phillips J, Cañibano-Pico M, Nita IM, Byrne LM, Wild EJ, Bates GP. Translatable plasma and CSF biomarkers for use in mouse models of Huntington's disease. Brain Commun 2024; 6:fcae030. [PMID: 38370446 PMCID: PMC10873584 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcae030] [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: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder for which a wide range of disease-modifying therapies are in development and the availability of biomarkers to monitor treatment response is essential for the success of clinical trials. Baseline levels of neurofilament light chain in CSF and plasma have been shown to be effective in predicting clinical disease status, subsequent clinical progression and brain atrophy. The identification of further sensitive prognostic fluid biomarkers is an active research area, and total-Tau and YKL-40 levels have been shown to be increased in CSF from Huntington's disease mutation carriers. The use of readouts with clinical utility in the preclinical assessment of potential therapeutics should aid in the translation of new treatments. Here, we set out to determine how the concentrations of these three proteins change in plasma and CSF with disease progression in representative, well-established mouse models of Huntington's disease. Plasma and CSF were collected throughout disease progression from R6/2 transgenic mice with CAG repeats of 200 or 90 codons (R6/2:Q200 and R6/2:Q90), zQ175 knock-in mice and YAC128 transgenic mice, along with their respective wild-type littermates. Neurofilament light chain and total-Tau concentrations were quantified in CSF and plasma using ultrasensitive single-molecule array (Quanterix) assays, and a novel Quanterix assay was developed for breast regression protein 39 (mouse homologue of YKL-40) and used to quantify breast regression protein 39 levels in plasma. CSF levels of neurofilament light chain and plasma levels of neurofilament light chain and breast regression protein 39 increased in wild-type biofluids with age, whereas total-Tau remained constant. Neurofilament light chain and breast regression protein 39 were elevated in the plasma and CSF from Huntington's disease mouse models, as compared with wild-type littermates, at presymptomatic stages, whereas total-Tau was only increased at the latest disease stages analysed. Levels of biomarkers that had been measured in the same CSF or plasma samples taken at the latest stages of disease were correlated. The demonstration that breast regression protein 39 constitutes a robust plasma biomarker in Huntington's disease mouse models supports the further investigation of YKL-40 as a CSF biomarker for Huntington's disease mutation carriers. Neurofilament light chain and Tau are considered markers of neuronal damage, and breast regression protein 39 is a marker of inflammation; the similarities and differences in the levels of these proteins between mouse models may provide future insights into their underlying pathology. These data will facilitate the use of fluid biomarkers in the preclinical assessment of therapeutic agents for Huntington's disease, providing readouts with direct relevance to clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie K Bondulich
- Huntington’s Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Jemima Phillips
- Huntington’s Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - María Cañibano-Pico
- Huntington’s Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Iulia M Nita
- Huntington’s Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Lauren M Byrne
- Huntington’s Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Edward J Wild
- Huntington’s Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Gillian P Bates
- Huntington’s Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease and UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London WC1N 3BG, UK
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Shi Y, Cao C, Zeng Y, Ding Y, Chen L, Zheng F, Chen X, Zhou F, Yang X, Li J, Xu L, Xu G, Lin M, Ishiura H, Tsuji S, Wang N, Wang Z, Chen WJ, Yang K. CGG repeat expansion in LOC642361/NUTM2B-AS1 typically presents as oculopharyngodistal myopathy. J Genet Genomics 2024; 51:184-196. [PMID: 38159879 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2023.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
CGG repeat expansions in LOC642361/NUTM2B-AS1 have recently been identified as a cause of oculopharyngeal myopathy with leukoencephalopathy. However, since only three patients from a single family were reported, it remains unknown whether their clinicopathological features are typical for CGG repeat expansions in LOC642361/NUTM2B-AS1. Here, using repeat-primed-polymerase chain reaction and long-read sequencing, we identify 12 individuals from 3 unrelated families with CGG repeat expansions in LOC642361/NUTM2B-AS1, typically presenting with oculopharyngodistal myopathy. The CGG repeat expansions range from 161 to 669 repeat units. Most of the patients present with ptosis, restricted eye movements, dysphagia, dysarthria, and diffuse limb muscle weakness. Only one patient shows T2-weighted hyperintensity in the cerebellar white matter surrounding the deep cerebellar nuclei on brain magnetic resonance imaging. Muscle biopsies from three patients show a myopathic pattern and rimmed vacuoles. Analyses of muscle biopsies suggest that CGG repeat expansions in LOC642361/NUTM2B-AS1 may deleteriously affect aggrephagic capacity, suggesting that RNA toxicity and mitochondrial dysfunction may contribute to pathogenesis. Our study thus expands the phenotypic spectrum for the CGG repeat expansion of LOC642361/NUTM2B-AS1 and indicates that this genetic variant typically manifests as oculopharyngodistal myopathy with chronic myopathic changes with rimmed vacuoles and filamentous intranuclear inclusions in muscle fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Shi
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology of First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Neuroscience, Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350005, China; Department of Neurology, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350212, China
| | - Chunyan Cao
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology of First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Neuroscience, Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350005, China; The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, Henan 471000, China
| | - Yiheng Zeng
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology of First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Neuroscience, Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350005, China; Department of Neurology, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350212, China
| | - Yuanliang Ding
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology of First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Neuroscience, Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350005, China; Department of Neurology, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350212, China
| | - Long Chen
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology of First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Neuroscience, Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350005, China; Department of Neurology, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350212, China
| | - Fuze Zheng
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology of First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Neuroscience, Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350005, China; Department of Neurology, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350212, China
| | - Xuejiao Chen
- Department of Neurology, Zhangzhou Municipal Hospital of Fujian Province and Zhangzhou Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Zhangzhou, Fujian 363000, China
| | - Fanggui Zhou
- Department of Neurology, Jian'ou Municipal Hospital of Fujian Province, Jian'ou, Fujian 353100, China
| | - Xiefeng Yang
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350005, China
| | - Jinjing Li
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology of First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Neuroscience, Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350005, China; Department of Neurology, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350212, China
| | - Liuqing Xu
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology of First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Neuroscience, Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350005, China; Department of Neurology, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350212, China
| | - Guorong Xu
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology of First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Neuroscience, Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350005, China; Department of Neurology, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350212, China
| | - Minting Lin
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology of First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Neuroscience, Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350005, China; Department of Neurology, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350212, China
| | - Hiroyuki Ishiura
- Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan; Department of Neurology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
| | - Shoji Tsuji
- Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan; Institute of Medical Genomics, International University of Health and Welfare, Chiba 286-0048, Japan
| | - Ning Wang
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology of First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Neuroscience, Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350005, China; Department of Neurology, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350212, China
| | - Zhiqiang Wang
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology of First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Neuroscience, Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350005, China; Department of Neurology, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350212, China.
| | - Wan-Jin Chen
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology of First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Neuroscience, Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350005, China; Department of Neurology, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350212, China.
| | - Kang Yang
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology of First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Neuroscience, Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350005, China; Department of Neurology, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350212, China.
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Shen Q, Guo H, Yan Y. Photobiomodulation for Neurodegenerative Diseases: A Scoping Review. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1625. [PMID: 38338901 PMCID: PMC10855709 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases involve the progressive dysfunction and loss of neurons in the central nervous system and thus present a significant challenge due to the absence of effective therapies for halting or reversing their progression. Based on the characteristics of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD), which have prolonged incubation periods and protracted courses, exploring non-invasive physical therapy methods is essential for alleviating such diseases and ensuring that patients have an improved quality of life. Photobiomodulation (PBM) uses red and infrared light for therapeutic benefits and functions by stimulating, healing, regenerating, and protecting organizations at risk of injury, degradation, or death. Over the last two decades, PBM has gained widespread recognition as a non-invasive physical therapy method, showing efficacy in pain relief, anti-inflammatory responses, and tissue regeneration. Its application has expanded into the fields of neurology and psychiatry, where extensive research has been conducted. This paper presents a review and evaluation of studies investigating PBM in neurodegenerative diseases, with a specific emphasis on recent applications in AD and PD treatment for both animal and human subjects. Molecular mechanisms related to neuron damage and cognitive impairment are scrutinized, offering valuable insights into PBM's potential as a non-invasive therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Shen
- MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, Institute of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China; (H.G.); (Y.Y.)
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Haoyun Guo
- MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, Institute of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China; (H.G.); (Y.Y.)
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Yihua Yan
- MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, Institute of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China; (H.G.); (Y.Y.)
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
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40
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Driscoll R, Hampton L, Abraham NA, Larigan JD, Joseph NF, Hernandez-Vega JC, Geisler S, Yang FC, Deninger M, Tran DT, Khatri N, Godinho BMDC, Kinberger GA, Montagna DR, Hirst WD, Guardado CL, Glajch KE, Arnold HM, Gallant-Behm CL, Weihofen A. Dose-dependent reduction of somatic expansions but not Htt aggregates by di-valent siRNA-mediated silencing of MSH3 in HdhQ111 mice. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2061. [PMID: 38267530 PMCID: PMC10808119 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52667-3] [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: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by CAG trinucleotide repeat expansions in exon 1 of the HTT gene. In addition to germline CAG expansions, somatic repeat expansions in neurons also contribute to HD pathogenesis. The DNA mismatch repair gene, MSH3, identified as a genetic modifier of HD onset and progression, promotes somatic CAG expansions, and thus presents a potential therapeutic target. However, what extent of MSH3 protein reduction is needed to attenuate somatic CAG expansions and elicit therapeutic benefits in HD disease models is less clear. In our study, we employed potent di-siRNAs to silence mouse Msh3 mRNA expression in a dose-dependent manner in HdhQ111/+ mice and correlated somatic Htt CAG instability with MSH3 protein levels from simultaneously isolated DNA and protein after siRNA treatment. Our results reveal a linear correlation with a proportionality constant of ~ 1 between the prevention of somatic Htt CAG expansions and MSH3 protein expression in vivo, supporting MSH3 as a rate-limiting step in somatic expansions. Intriguingly, despite a 75% reduction in MSH3 protein levels, striatal nuclear HTT aggregates remained unchanged. We also note that evidence for nuclear Msh3 mRNA that is inaccessible to RNA interference was found, and that MSH6 protein in the striatum was upregulated following MSH3 knockdown in HdhQ111/+ mice. These results provide important clues to address critical questions for the development of therapeutic molecules targeting MSH3 as a potential therapeutic target for HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachelle Driscoll
- Translational Sciences, Biogen, 225 Binney Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Lucas Hampton
- Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit, Biogen, 225 Binney Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Neeta A Abraham
- Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit, Biogen, 225 Binney Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - J Douglas Larigan
- Biotherapeutics and Medicinal Sciences, Biogen, 225 Binney Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Nadine F Joseph
- Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit, Biogen, 225 Binney Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Juan C Hernandez-Vega
- Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit, Biogen, 225 Binney Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Sarah Geisler
- Translational Sciences, Biogen, 225 Binney Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Fu-Chia Yang
- Translational Sciences, Biogen, 225 Binney Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Matthew Deninger
- Atalanta Therapeutics, 51 Sleeper Street, Boston, MA, 02210, USA
| | - David T Tran
- Atalanta Therapeutics, 51 Sleeper Street, Boston, MA, 02210, USA
| | - Natasha Khatri
- Atalanta Therapeutics, 51 Sleeper Street, Boston, MA, 02210, USA
| | | | | | - Daniel R Montagna
- Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit, Biogen, 225 Binney Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Warren D Hirst
- Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit, Biogen, 225 Binney Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Catherine L Guardado
- Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit, Biogen, 225 Binney Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Kelly E Glajch
- Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit, Biogen, 225 Binney Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - H Moore Arnold
- Translational Sciences, Biogen, 225 Binney Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | | | - Andreas Weihofen
- Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Unit, Biogen, 225 Binney Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA.
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41
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Hong EP, Ramos EM, Aziz NA, Massey TH, McAllister B, Lobanov S, Jones L, Holmans P, Kwak S, Orth M, Ciosi M, Lomeikaite V, Monckton DG, Long JD, Lucente D, Wheeler VC, Gillis T, MacDonald ME, Sequeiros J, Gusella JF, Lee JM. Modification of Huntington's disease by short tandem repeats. Brain Commun 2024; 6:fcae016. [PMID: 38449714 PMCID: PMC10917446 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcae016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Expansions of glutamine-coding CAG trinucleotide repeats cause a number of neurodegenerative diseases, including Huntington's disease and several of spinocerebellar ataxias. In general, age-at-onset of the polyglutamine diseases is inversely correlated with the size of the respective inherited expanded CAG repeat. Expanded CAG repeats are also somatically unstable in certain tissues, and age-at-onset of Huntington's disease corrected for individual HTT CAG repeat length (i.e. residual age-at-onset), is modified by repeat instability-related DNA maintenance/repair genes as demonstrated by recent genome-wide association studies. Modification of one polyglutamine disease (e.g. Huntington's disease) by the repeat length of another (e.g. ATXN3, CAG expansions in which cause spinocerebellar ataxia 3) has also been hypothesized. Consequently, we determined whether age-at-onset in Huntington's disease is modified by the CAG repeats of other polyglutamine disease genes. We found that the CAG measured repeat sizes of other polyglutamine disease genes that were polymorphic in Huntington's disease participants but did not influence Huntington's disease age-at-onset. Additional analysis focusing specifically on ATXN3 in a larger sample set (n = 1388) confirmed the lack of association between Huntington's disease residual age-at-onset and ATXN3 CAG repeat length. Additionally, neither our Huntington's disease onset modifier genome-wide association studies single nucleotide polymorphism data nor imputed short tandem repeat data supported the involvement of other polyglutamine disease genes in modifying Huntington's disease. By contrast, our genome-wide association studies based on imputed short tandem repeats revealed significant modification signals for other genomic regions. Together, our short tandem repeat genome-wide association studies show that modification of Huntington's disease is associated with short tandem repeats that do not involve other polyglutamine disease-causing genes, refining the landscape of Huntington's disease modification and highlighting the importance of rigorous data analysis, especially in genetic studies testing candidate modifiers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun Pyo Hong
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Medical and Population Genetics Program, The Broad Institute of M.I.T. and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Eliana Marisa Ramos
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - N Ahmad Aziz
- Population & Clinical Neuroepidemiology, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, 53127 Bonn, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bonn, Bonn D-53113, Germany
| | - Thomas H Massey
- Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Branduff McAllister
- Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Sergey Lobanov
- Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Lesley Jones
- Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Peter Holmans
- Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Seung Kwak
- Molecular System Biology, CHDI Foundation, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
| | - Michael Orth
- University Hospital of Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Bern University, CH-3000 Bern 60, Switzerland
| | - Marc Ciosi
- School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Vilija Lomeikaite
- School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Darren G Monckton
- School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Jeffrey D Long
- Department of Psychiatry, Carver College of Medicine and Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Diane Lucente
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Vanessa C Wheeler
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Tammy Gillis
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Marcy E MacDonald
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Medical and Population Genetics Program, The Broad Institute of M.I.T. and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Jorge Sequeiros
- UnIGENe, IBMC—Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology, i3S—Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto 420-135, Portugal
- ICBAS School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, Porto 420-135, Portugal
| | - James F Gusella
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Medical and Population Genetics Program, The Broad Institute of M.I.T. and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jong-Min Lee
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Medical and Population Genetics Program, The Broad Institute of M.I.T. and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
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42
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Krause A, Anderson DG, Ferreira-Correia A, Dawson J, Baine-Savanhu F, Li PP, Margolis RL. Huntington disease-like 2: insight into neurodegeneration from an African disease. Nat Rev Neurol 2024; 20:36-49. [PMID: 38114648 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-023-00906-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD)-like 2 (HDL2) is a rare genetic disease caused by an expanded trinucleotide repeat in the JPH3 gene (encoding junctophilin 3) that shows remarkable clinical similarity to HD. To date, HDL2 has been reported only in patients with definite or probable African ancestry. A single haplotype background is shared by patients with HDL2 from different populations, supporting a common African origin for the expansion mutation. Nevertheless, outside South Africa, reports of patients with HDL2 in Africa are scarce, probably owing to limited clinical services across the continent. Systematic comparisons of HDL2 and HD have revealed closely overlapping motor, cognitive and psychiatric features and similar patterns of cerebral and striatal atrophy. The pathogenesis of HDL2 remains unclear but it is proposed to occur through several mechanisms, including loss of protein function and RNA and/or protein toxicity. This Review summarizes our current knowledge of this African-specific HD phenocopy and highlights key areas of overlap between HDL2 and HD. Given the aforementioned similarities in clinical phenotype and pathology, an improved understanding of HDL2 could provide novel insights into HD and other neurodegenerative and/or trinucleotide repeat expansion disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Krause
- Division of Human Genetics, National Health Laboratory Service and School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
| | - David G Anderson
- Division of Human Genetics, National Health Laboratory Service and School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- University of Glasgow, Department of Neurology, Institute of Neurological Sciences, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, UK
| | - Aline Ferreira-Correia
- Department of Psychology, School of Human and Community Development, Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Jessica Dawson
- Division of Human Genetics, National Health Laboratory Service and School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Fiona Baine-Savanhu
- Division of Human Genetics, National Health Laboratory Service and School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Pan P Li
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Russell L Margolis
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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43
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Handley RR, Reid SJ, Burch Z, Jacobsen JC, Gillis T, Correia K, Rudiger SR, McLaughlin CJ, Bawden CS, MacDonald ME, Wheeler VC, Snell RG. Somatic CAG Repeat Stability in a Transgenic Sheep Model of Huntington's Disease. J Huntingtons Dis 2024; 13:33-40. [PMID: 38393920 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-231516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Somatic instability of the huntingtin (HTT) CAG repeat mutation modifies age-at-onset of Huntington's disease (HD). Understanding the mechanism and pathogenic consequences of instability may reveal therapeutic targets. Using small-pool PCR we analyzed CAG instability in the OVT73 sheep model which expresses a full-length human cDNA HTT transgene. Analyses of five- and ten-year old sheep revealed the transgene (CAG)69 repeat was remarkably stable in liver, striatum, and other brain tissues. As OVT73 sheep at ten years old have minimal cell death and behavioral changes, our findings support instability of the HTT expanded-CAG repeat as being required for the progression of HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renee R Handley
- Centre for Brain Research, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Suzanne J Reid
- Centre for Brain Research, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Zoe Burch
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jessie C Jacobsen
- Centre for Brain Research, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Tammy Gillis
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kevin Correia
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Skye R Rudiger
- Molecular Biology and Reproductive Technology, Laboratories, South Australian Research and Development Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Clive J McLaughlin
- Molecular Biology and Reproductive Technology, Laboratories, South Australian Research and Development Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - C Simon Bawden
- Molecular Biology and Reproductive Technology, Laboratories, South Australian Research and Development Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Marcy E MacDonald
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Vanessa C Wheeler
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Russell G Snell
- Centre for Brain Research, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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44
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Goldberg ME, Noyes MD, Eichler EE, Quinlan AR, Harris K. Effects of parental age and polymer composition on short tandem repeat de novo mutation rates. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.22.573131. [PMID: 38187618 PMCID: PMC10769404 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.22.573131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Short tandem repeats (STRs) are hotspots of genomic variability in the human germline because of their high mutation rates, which have long been attributed largely to polymerase slippage during DNA replication. This model suggests that STR mutation rates should scale linearly with a father's age, as progenitor cells continually divide after puberty. In contrast, it suggests that STR mutation rates should not scale with a mother's age at her child's conception, since oocytes spend a mother's reproductive years arrested in meiosis II and undergo a fixed number of cell divisions that are independent of the age at ovulation. Yet, mirroring recent findings, we find that STR mutation rates covary with paternal and maternal age, implying that some STR mutations are caused by DNA damage in quiescent cells rather than the classical mechanism of polymerase slippage in replicating progenitor cells. These results also echo the recent finding that DNA damage in quiescent oocytes is a significant source of de novo SNVs and corroborate evidence of STR expansion in postmitotic cells. However, we find that the maternal age effect is not confined to previously discovered hotspots of oocyte mutagenesis, nor are post-zygotic mutations likely to contribute significantly. STR nucleotide composition demonstrates divergent effects on DNM rates between sexes. Unlike the paternal lineage, maternally derived DNMs at A/T STRs display a significantly greater association with maternal age than DNMs at GC-containing STRs. These observations may suggest the mechanism and developmental timing of certain STR mutations and are especially surprising considering the prior belief in replication slippage as the dominant mechanism of STR mutagenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael E. Goldberg
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, 3720 15 Ave NE, Seattle, WA, 98195
- Departments of Human Genetics and Biomedical Informatics, University of Utah, 15 S 2030 E, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112
| | - Michelle D. Noyes
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, 3720 15 Ave NE, Seattle, WA, 98195
| | - Evan E. Eichler
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, 3720 15 Ave NE, Seattle, WA, 98195
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 3720 15 Ave NE, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195
| | - Aaron R. Quinlan
- Departments of Human Genetics and Biomedical Informatics, University of Utah, 15 S 2030 E, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Kelley Harris
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, 3720 15 Ave NE, Seattle, WA, 98195
- Computational Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave N, Seattle, WA, 98109
- These authors contributed equally to this work
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45
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Belgrad J, Tang Q, Hildebrand S, Summers A, Sapp E, Echeverria D, O’Reilly D, Luu E, Bramato B, Allen S, Cooper D, Alterman J, Yamada K, Aronin N, DiFiglia M, Khvorova A. A programmable dual-targeting di-valent siRNA scaffold supports potent multi-gene modulation in the central nervous system. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.19.572404. [PMID: 38187561 PMCID: PMC10769306 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.19.572404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Di-valent short interfering RNA (siRNA) is a promising therapeutic modality that enables sequence-specific modulation of a single target gene in the central nervous system (CNS). To treat complex neurodegenerative disorders, where pathogenesis is driven by multiple genes or pathways, di-valent siRNA must be able to silence multiple target genes simultaneously. Here we present a framework for designing unimolecular "dual-targeting" di-valent siRNAs capable of co-silencing two genes in the CNS. We reconfigured di-valent siRNA - in which two identical, linked siRNAs are made concurrently - to create linear di-valent siRNA - where two siRNAs are made sequentially attached by a covalent linker. This linear configuration, synthesized using commercially available reagents, enables incorporation of two different siRNAs to silence two different targets. We demonstrate that this dual-targeting di-valent siRNA is fully functional in the CNS of mice, supporting at least two months of maximal target silencing. Dual-targeting di-valent siRNA is highly programmable, enabling simultaneous modulation of two different disease-relevant gene pairs (e.g., Huntington's disease: MSH3 and HTT; Alzheimer's disease: APOE and JAK1) with similar potency to a mixture of single-targeting di-valent siRNAs against each gene. This work potentiates CNS modulation of virtually any pair of disease-related targets using a simple unimolecular siRNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jillian Belgrad
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Qi Tang
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sam Hildebrand
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ashley Summers
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ellen Sapp
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital; Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Dimas Echeverria
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Dan O’Reilly
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Eric Luu
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Brianna Bramato
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sarah Allen
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - David Cooper
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Julia Alterman
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ken Yamada
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Neil Aronin
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Marian DiFiglia
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital; Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Anastasia Khvorova
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School; Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
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46
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Rajagopal S, Donaldson J, Flower M, Hensman Moss DJ, Tabrizi SJ. Genetic modifiers of repeat expansion disorders. Emerg Top Life Sci 2023; 7:325-337. [PMID: 37861103 PMCID: PMC10754329 DOI: 10.1042/etls20230015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Repeat expansion disorders (REDs) are monogenic diseases caused by a sequence of repetitive DNA expanding above a pathogenic threshold. A common feature of the REDs is a strong genotype-phenotype correlation in which a major determinant of age at onset (AAO) and disease progression is the length of the inherited repeat tract. Over a disease-gene carrier's life, the length of the repeat can expand in somatic cells, through the process of somatic expansion which is hypothesised to drive disease progression. Despite being monogenic, individual REDs are phenotypically variable, and exploring what genetic modifying factors drive this phenotypic variability has illuminated key pathogenic mechanisms that are common to this group of diseases. Disease phenotypes are affected by the cognate gene in which the expansion is found, the location of the repeat sequence in coding or non-coding regions and by the presence of repeat sequence interruptions. Human genetic data, mouse models and in vitro models have implicated the disease-modifying effect of DNA repair pathways via the mechanisms of somatic mutation of the repeat tract. As such, developing an understanding of these pathways in the context of expanded repeats could lead to future disease-modifying therapies for REDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangeerthana Rajagopal
- UCL Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, U.K
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London WCC1N 3BG, U.K
| | - Jasmine Donaldson
- UCL Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, U.K
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London WCC1N 3BG, U.K
| | - Michael Flower
- UCL Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, U.K
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London WCC1N 3BG, U.K
| | - Davina J Hensman Moss
- UCL Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, U.K
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London WCC1N 3BG, U.K
- St George's University of London, London SW17 0RE, U.K
| | - Sarah J Tabrizi
- UCL Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, U.K
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London WCC1N 3BG, U.K
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47
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Goldman JS, Uhlmann WR, Naini AB, Klitzman RL, Marder KS. Genetic Testing of HTT Modifiers for Huntington's Disease: Considerations for Clinical Guidelines. Mov Disord 2023; 38:2151-2154. [PMID: 37975739 DOI: 10.1002/mds.29650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jill S Goldman
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Wendy R Uhlmann
- Departments of Internal Medicine and Human Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Ali B Naini
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Robert L Klitzman
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Karen S Marder
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
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48
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Elena-Real CA, Mier P, Sibille N, Andrade-Navarro MA, Bernadó P. Structure-function relationships in protein homorepeats. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2023; 83:102726. [PMID: 37924569 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2023.102726] [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: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
Homorepeats (or polyX), protein segments containing repetitions of the same amino acid, are abundant in proteomes from all kingdoms of life and are involved in crucial biological functions as well as several neurodegenerative and developmental diseases. Mainly inserted in disordered segments of proteins, the structure/function relationships of homorepeats remain largely unexplored. In this review, we summarize present knowledge for the most abundant homorepeats, highlighting the role of the inherent structure and the conformational influence exerted by their flanking regions. Recent experimental and computational methods enable residue-specific investigations of these regions and promise novel structural and dynamic information for this elusive group of proteins. This information should increase our knowledge about the structural bases of phenomena such as liquid-liquid phase separation and trinucleotide repeat disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos A Elena-Real
- Centre de Biologie Structurale (CBS), Université de Montpellier, INSERM, CNRS. 29 rue de Navacelles, 34090 Montpellier, France. https://twitter.com/carloselenareal
| | - Pablo Mier
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. Hans-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Nathalie Sibille
- Centre de Biologie Structurale (CBS), Université de Montpellier, INSERM, CNRS. 29 rue de Navacelles, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Miguel A Andrade-Navarro
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. Hans-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Pau Bernadó
- Centre de Biologie Structurale (CBS), Université de Montpellier, INSERM, CNRS. 29 rue de Navacelles, 34090 Montpellier, France.
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49
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Thompson LM, Orr HT. HD and SCA1: Tales from two 30-year journeys since gene discovery. Neuron 2023; 111:3517-3530. [PMID: 37863037 PMCID: PMC10842341 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.09.036] [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: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
One of the more transformative findings in human genetics was the discovery that the expansion of unstable nucleotide repeats underlies a group of inherited neurological diseases. A subset of these unstable repeat neurodegenerative diseases is due to the expansion of a CAG trinucleotide repeat encoding a stretch of glutamines, i.e., the polyglutamine (polyQ) repeat neurodegenerative diseases. Among the CAG/polyQ repeat diseases are Huntington's disease (HD) and spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1), in which the expansions are within widely expressed proteins. Although both HD and SCA1 are autosomal dominantly inherited, and both typically cause mid- to late-life-onset movement disorders with cognitive decline, they each are characterized by distinct clinical characteristics and predominant sites of neuropathology. Importantly, the respective affected proteins, Huntingtin (HTT, HD) and Ataxin 1 (ATXN1, SCA1), have unique functions and biological properties. Here, we review HD and SCA1 with a focus on how their disease-specific and shared features may provide informative insights.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie M Thompson
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Department of Biological Chemistry, Institute of Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Center, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Harry T Orr
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis and Saint Paul, MN 55455, USA.
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50
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Ikenoshita S, Matsuo K, Yabuki Y, Kawakubo K, Asamitsu S, Hori K, Usuki S, Hirose Y, Bando T, Araki K, Ueda M, Sugiyama H, Shioda N. A cyclic pyrrole-imidazole polyamide reduces pathogenic RNA in CAG/CTG triplet repeat neurological disease models. J Clin Invest 2023; 133:e164792. [PMID: 37707954 PMCID: PMC10645379 DOI: 10.1172/jci164792] [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: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Expansion of CAG and CTG (CWG) triplet repeats causes several inherited neurological diseases. The CWG repeat diseases are thought to involve complex pathogenic mechanisms through expanded CWG repeat-derived RNAs in a noncoding region and polypeptides in a coding region, respectively. However, an effective therapeutic approach has not been established for the CWG repeat diseases. Here, we show that a CWG repeat DNA-targeting compound, cyclic pyrrole-imidazole polyamide (CWG-cPIP), suppressed the pathogenesis of coding and noncoding CWG repeat diseases. CWG-cPIP bound to the hairpin form of mismatched CWG DNA, interfering with transcription elongation by RNA polymerase through a preferential activity toward repeat-expanded DNA. We found that CWG-cPIP selectively inhibited pathogenic mRNA transcripts from expanded CWG repeats, reducing CUG RNA foci and polyglutamine accumulation in cells from patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) and Huntington's disease (HD). Treatment with CWG-cPIP ameliorated behavioral deficits in adeno-associated virus-mediated CWG repeat-expressing mice and in a genetic mouse model of HD, without cytotoxicity or off-target effects. Together, we present a candidate compound that targets expanded CWG repeat DNA independently of its genomic location and reduces both pathogenic RNA and protein levels. CWG-cPIP may be used for the treatment of CWG repeat diseases and improvement of clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susumu Ikenoshita
- Department of Genomic Neurology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics (IMEG)
- Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences
| | - Kazuya Matsuo
- Department of Genomic Neurology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics (IMEG)
| | - Yasushi Yabuki
- Department of Genomic Neurology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics (IMEG)
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and
| | - Kosuke Kawakubo
- Department of Genomic Neurology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics (IMEG)
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and
| | - Sefan Asamitsu
- Department of Genomic Neurology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics (IMEG)
| | - Karin Hori
- Department of Genomic Neurology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics (IMEG)
| | - Shingo Usuki
- Liaison Laboratory Research Promotion Center, IMEG, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Yuki Hirose
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Toshikazu Bando
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Kimi Araki
- Institute of Resource Development and Analysis and
- Center for Metabolic Regulation of Healthy Aging, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Mitsuharu Ueda
- Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences
| | - Hiroshi Sugiyama
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Science (iCeMS), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Norifumi Shioda
- Department of Genomic Neurology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics (IMEG)
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and
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