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Relovska S, Wang H, Zhang X, Fernández-Tussy P, Jeong KJ, Choi J, Suárez Y, McDonald JG, Fernández-Hernando C, Chung JJ. DHCR24-mediated sterol homeostasis during spermatogenesis is required for sperm mitochondrial sheath formation and impacts male fertility over time. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.12.21.572851. [PMID: 38187697 PMCID: PMC10769317 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.21.572851] [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
Desmosterol and cholesterol are essential lipid components of the sperm plasma membrane. Cholesterol efflux is required for capacitation, a process through which sperm acquire fertilizing ability. In this study, using a transgenic mouse model overexpressing 24-dehydrocholesterol reductase (DHCR24), an enzyme in the sterol biosynthesis pathway responsible for the conversion of desmosterol to cholesterol, we show that disruption of sterol homeostasis during spermatogenesis led to defective sperm morphology characterized by incomplete mitochondrial packing in the midpiece, reduced sperm count and motility, and a decline in male fertility with increasing paternal age, without changes in body fat composition. Sperm depleted of desmosterol exhibit inefficiency in the acrosome reaction, metabolic dysfunction, and an inability to fertilize the egg. These findings provide molecular insights into sterol homeostasis for sperm capacitation and its impact on male fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sona Relovska
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Huafeng Wang
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Xinbo Zhang
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Vascular Biology and Therapeutics Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Pablo Fernández-Tussy
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Vascular Biology and Therapeutics Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Kyung Jo Jeong
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jungmin Choi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Yajaira Suárez
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Vascular Biology and Therapeutics Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Jeffrey G. McDonald
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Center for Human Nutrition, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390
| | - Carlos Fernández-Hernando
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Vascular Biology and Therapeutics Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Jean-Ju Chung
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
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2
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Cocciadiferro D, Mazza T, Vecchio D, Biagini T, Petrizzelli F, Agolini E, Villani A, Minervino D, Martinelli D, Rizzo C, Boenzi S, Panfili FM, Buonuomo PS, Macchiaiolo M, Bartuli A, Novelli A. Exploiting in silico structural analysis to introduce emerging genotype-phenotype correlations in DHCR24-related sterol biosynthesis disorder: a case study. Front Genet 2024; 14:1307934. [PMID: 38239854 PMCID: PMC10795535 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1307934] [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: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Desmosterolosis is a rare sterol biosynthesis disorder characterized by multiple congenital anomalies, failure to thrive, severe developmental delay, progressive epileptic encephalopathy, and elevated levels of desmosterol caused by biallelic mutations of DHCR24 encoding 3-β-hydroxysterol Δ-24-reductase. DHCR24 is regarded as the key enzyme of cholesterol synthesis in the metabolism of brain cholesterol as it catalyzes the reduction of the Δ-24 double bond of sterol intermediates during cholesterol biosynthesis. To date, 15 DHCR24 variants, detected in 2 related and 14 unrelated patients, have been associated with the desmosterolosis disorder. Here, we describe a proband harboring the never-described DHCR24 homozygous missense variant NM_014762.4:c.506T>C, NP_055577.1:p.M169T, whose functional validation was confirmed through biochemical assay. By using molecular dynamics simulation techniques, we investigated the impact of this variant on the protein stability and interaction network with the flavin adenine dinucleotide cofactor, thereby providing a preliminary assessment of its mechanistic role in comparison to all known pathogenic variants, the wild-type protein, and a known benign DHCR24 variant. This report expands the clinical and molecular spectra of the DHCR24-related disorder, reports on a novel DHCR24 deleterious variant associated with desmosterolosis, and gives new insights into genotype-phenotype correlations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario Cocciadiferro
- Translational Cytogenomics Research Unit, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Tommaso Mazza
- Bioinformatics Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo Della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - Davide Vecchio
- Rare Diseases and Medical Genetics Unit, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Tommaso Biagini
- Bioinformatics Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo Della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - Francesco Petrizzelli
- Bioinformatics Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo Della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - Emanuele Agolini
- Translational Cytogenomics Research Unit, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Villani
- Translational Cytogenomics Research Unit, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Bioinformatics Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo Della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - Daniele Minervino
- Translational Cytogenomics Research Unit, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Diego Martinelli
- Division of Metabolic Diseases, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Cristiano Rizzo
- Division of Metabolic Diseases, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Boenzi
- Division of Metabolic Diseases, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Filippo Maria Panfili
- Rare Diseases and Medical Genetics Unit, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Sabrina Buonuomo
- Rare Diseases and Medical Genetics Unit, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Marina Macchiaiolo
- Rare Diseases and Medical Genetics Unit, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Bartuli
- Rare Diseases and Medical Genetics Unit, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonio Novelli
- Translational Cytogenomics Research Unit, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
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3
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Fu X, Wang Z. DHCR24 in Tumor Diagnosis and Treatment: A Comprehensive Review. Technol Cancer Res Treat 2024; 23:15330338241259780. [PMID: 38847653 PMCID: PMC11162140 DOI: 10.1177/15330338241259780] [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: 06/10/2024] Open
Abstract
As an important nutrient in the human body, cholesterol can not only provide structural components for the body's cells, but also can be transformed into a variety of active substances to regulate cell signaling pathways. As an important cholesterol synthase, DHCR24 participates in important regulatory processes in the body. The application of DHCR24 in tumor clinical diagnosis and treatment also attracts much attention. This article reviews the structure and regulatory characteristics of DHCR24, and the research of DHCR24 on tumor progression. We summarize the possible mechanisms of DHCR24 promoting tumor progression through reactive oxygen species (ROS), p53, Ras and PI3K-AKT pathways. Through our review, we hope to provide more research ideas and reference value for the application of DHCR24 in tumor prevention and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Fu
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhaosong Wang
- National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Laboratory Animal Center, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin, China
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4
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Simonen P, Lommi J, Lemström K, Tolva J, Sinisalo J, Gylling H. Amiodarone accumulates two cholesterol precursors in myocardium: A controlled clinical study. J Intern Med 2023; 294:506-514. [PMID: 37400980 DOI: 10.1111/joim.13693] [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] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Amiodarone is an effective antiarrhythmic drug, which interferes with cholesterol synthesis. In the human body, it inhibits two enzymes in the cholesterol-synthesis pathway, followed by increases especially in serum desmosterol and zymostenol concentrations and a decrease in that of serum lathosterol. OBJECTIVES We explored whether desmosterol and zymostenol accumulate also in myocardial tissue during amiodarone treatment. METHODS Thirty-three patients admitted for cardiac transplantation volunteered for the study. Ten patients were on amiodarone treatment (AD group) and 23 were not (control group). The groups were matched as regards demographic and clinical variables. Myocardial samples were obtained from the removed hearts from 31 patients. Cholesterol, non-cholesterol sterols and squalene were quantified by means of gas-liquid chromatography. RESULTS In serum and myocardium, desmosterol was 19- and 18-fold higher and zymostenol 4- and 2-fold higher in the AD group versus the control group (p < 0.001 for all). In contrast, myocardial cholesterol, squalene and lathosterol levels were lower in the AD group than in the control group (p < 0.05 for all). Levels of phytosterols and cholestanol were similar in the serum and myocardium in the two groups. Levels of myocardial and serum desmosterol, zymostenol, lathosterol and phytosterols correlated with each other in both groups (p < 0.05 for all). CONCLUSION Amiodarone treatment caused the accumulation of desmosterol and zymostenol in myocardium. In particular, myocardial desmosterol concentrations were substantially elevated, which may play a part in some of the therapeutic and adverse effects of amiodarone treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piia Simonen
- Heart and Lung Center, Cardiology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jyri Lommi
- Heart and Lung Center, Cardiology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Karl Lemström
- Heart and Lung Center, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Johanna Tolva
- Transplantation Laboratory, Department of Pathology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Juha Sinisalo
- Heart and Lung Center, Cardiology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Helena Gylling
- Heart and Lung Center, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
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5
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Hirtzel E, Edwards M, Freitas D, Liu Z, Wang F, Yan X. Aziridination-Assisted Mass Spectrometry of Nonpolar Sterol Lipids with Isomeric Resolution. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2023; 34:1998-2005. [PMID: 37523498 PMCID: PMC10863044 DOI: 10.1021/jasms.3c00161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
Characterization of nonpolar lipids is crucial due to their essential biological functions and ability to exist in various isomeric forms. In this study, we introduce the N-H aziridination method to target carbon-carbon double bonds (C═C bonds) in nonpolar sterol lipids. The resulting fragments are readily dissociated upon collision-induced dissociation, generating specific fragment ions for C═C bond position determination and fingerprint fragments for backbone characterization. This method significantly enhances lipid ionization efficiency, thereby improving the sensitivity and accuracy of nonpolar lipid analysis. We demonstrated that aziridination of sterols leads to distinctive fragmentation pathways for chain and ring C═C bonds, enabling the identification of sterol isomers such as desmosterol and 7-dehydrocholesterol. Furthermore, aziridination can assist in identifying the sterol backbone by providing fingerprint tandem mass spectra. We also demonstrated the quantitative capacity of this approach with a limit of detection of 10 nM in the solvent mixture of methanol and water. To test the feasibility of this method in complex biological samples, we used mouse prostate cancerous tissues and found significant differences in nonpolar lipid profiles between healthy and cancerous samples. The high efficiency and specificity of aziridination-assisted mass spectrometric analysis, as well as its quantitative analysis ability, make it highly suitable for broad applications in nonpolar lipid research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Hirtzel
- Department
of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Madison Edwards
- Department
of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Dallas Freitas
- Department
of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Ziying Liu
- Center
for Translational Cancer Research, Texas
A&M University, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
| | - Fen Wang
- Center
for Translational Cancer Research, Texas
A&M University, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
| | - Xin Yan
- Department
of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
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6
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Evangelista JE, Clarke DJB, Xie Z, Marino GB, Utti V, Jenkins SL, Ahooyi TM, Bologa CG, Yang JJ, Binder JL, Kumar P, Lambert CG, Grethe JS, Wenger E, Taylor D, Oprea TI, de Bono B, Ma'ayan A. Toxicology knowledge graph for structural birth defects. COMMUNICATIONS MEDICINE 2023; 3:98. [PMID: 37460679 PMCID: PMC10352311 DOI: 10.1038/s43856-023-00329-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Birth defects are functional and structural abnormalities that impact about 1 in 33 births in the United States. They have been attributed to genetic and other factors such as drugs, cosmetics, food, and environmental pollutants during pregnancy, but for most birth defects there are no known causes. METHODS To further characterize associations between small molecule compounds and their potential to induce specific birth abnormalities, we gathered knowledge from multiple sources to construct a reproductive toxicity Knowledge Graph (ReproTox-KG) with a focus on associations between birth defects, drugs, and genes. Specifically, we gathered data from drug/birth-defect associations from co-mentions in published abstracts, gene/birth-defect associations from genetic studies, drug- and preclinical-compound-induced gene expression changes in cell lines, known drug targets, genetic burden scores for human genes, and placental crossing scores for small molecules. RESULTS Using ReproTox-KG and semi-supervised learning (SSL), we scored >30,000 preclinical small molecules for their potential to cross the placenta and induce birth defects, and identified >500 birth-defect/gene/drug cliques that can be used to explain molecular mechanisms for drug-induced birth defects. The ReproTox-KG can be accessed via a web-based user interface available at https://maayanlab.cloud/reprotox-kg . This site enables users to explore the associations between birth defects, approved and preclinical drugs, and all human genes. CONCLUSIONS ReproTox-KG provides a resource for exploring knowledge about the molecular mechanisms of birth defects with the potential of predicting the likelihood of genes and preclinical small molecules to induce birth defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Erol Evangelista
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Mount Sinai Center for Bioinformatics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Daniel J B Clarke
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Mount Sinai Center for Bioinformatics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Zhuorui Xie
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Mount Sinai Center for Bioinformatics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Giacomo B Marino
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Mount Sinai Center for Bioinformatics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Vivian Utti
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Mount Sinai Center for Bioinformatics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Sherry L Jenkins
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Mount Sinai Center for Bioinformatics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Taha Mohseni Ahooyi
- The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics; Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Cristian G Bologa
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Translational Informatics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Jeremy J Yang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Translational Informatics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Jessica L Binder
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Translational Informatics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Praveen Kumar
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Translational Informatics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Christophe G Lambert
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Translational Informatics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Jeffrey S Grethe
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Eric Wenger
- The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics; Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Deanne Taylor
- The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics; Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Tudor I Oprea
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Translational Informatics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Bernard de Bono
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Avi Ma'ayan
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Mount Sinai Center for Bioinformatics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
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7
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Zhang WB, Huang Y, Guo XR, Zhang MQ, Yuan XS, Zu HB. DHCR24 reverses Alzheimer's disease-related pathology and cognitive impairment via increasing hippocampal cholesterol levels in 5xFAD mice. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2023; 11:102. [PMID: 37344916 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-023-01593-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidences reveal that cellular cholesterol deficiency could trigger the onset of Alzheimer's disease (AD). As a key regulator, 24-dehydrocholesterol reductase (DHCR24) controls cellular cholesterol homeostasis, which was found to be downregulated in AD vulnerable regions and involved in AD-related pathological activities. However, DHCR24 as a potential therapeutic target for AD remains to be identified. In present study, we demonstrated the role of DHCR24 in AD by employing delivery of adeno-associated virus carrying DHCR24 gene into the hippocampus of 5xFAD mice. Here, we found that 5xFAD mice had lower levels of cholesterol and DHCR24 expression, and the cholesterol loss was alleviated by DHCR24 overexpression. Surprisingly, the cognitive impairment of 5xFAD mice was significantly reversed after DHCR24-based gene therapy. Moreover, we revealed that DHCR24 knock-in successfully prevented or reversed AD-related pathology in 5xFAD mice, including amyloid-β deposition, synaptic injuries, autophagy, reactive astrocytosis, microglial phagocytosis and apoptosis. In conclusion, our results firstly demonstrated that the potential value of DHCR24-mediated regulation of cellular cholesterol level as a promising treatment for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Bin Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Jinshan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, No.1508 Long-Hang Road, Jinshan District, Shanghai, 201508, China
| | - Yue Huang
- Department of Neurology, Jinshan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, No.1508 Long-Hang Road, Jinshan District, Shanghai, 201508, China
| | - Xiao-Rou Guo
- Department of Neurology, Jinshan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, No.1508 Long-Hang Road, Jinshan District, Shanghai, 201508, China
| | - Meng-Qi Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Jinshan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, No.1508 Long-Hang Road, Jinshan District, Shanghai, 201508, China
| | - Xiang-Shan Yuan
- Department of Neurology, Jinshan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, No.1508 Long-Hang Road, Jinshan District, Shanghai, 201508, China.
- Department of Anatomy and Histoembryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and Ministry of Education Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Heng-Bing Zu
- Department of Neurology, Jinshan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, No.1508 Long-Hang Road, Jinshan District, Shanghai, 201508, China.
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8
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Hill C, Noureldein M, Karkhanis P, Kinning E, Vijay S, Gowda H. First case of desmosterolosis diagnosed by prenatal whole exome sequencing. Am J Med Genet A 2023; 191:859-863. [PMID: 36538928 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.63083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Desmosterolosis is a rare autosomal recessive disorder of cholesterol biosynthesis resulting in multiple congenital abnormalities and syndromic intellectual disability. It is caused by defects in DHCR24, the gene encoding 3-β-hydroxysterol-24-reductase (24-dehydrocholesterol reductase), which acts in conversion of cholesterol precursor desmosterol, hence resulting in elevated plasma desmosterol levels. To date, desmosterolosis has been reported in 10 patients. Here we report an eleventh patient with desmosterolosis, and the first one to be diagnosed antenatally. Diagnosis was made on whole exome sequencing after amniocentesis due to complex antenatal abnormalities including cerebellar hypoplasia, microgyria, aortic stenosis, and renal tract abnormalities. Sterol quantitation was subsequently done postnatally, which supported the diagnosis. Although the nonspecific features make desmosterolosis difficult to suspect, we demonstrate that disorders of cholesterol synthesis can be considered as a differential diagnosis antenatally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe Hill
- Neonatal Unit, Heartlands Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Mona Noureldein
- Neonatal Unit, Heartlands Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Pallavi Karkhanis
- Fetal Medicine, Heartlands Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Esther Kinning
- Clinical Genetics, Birmingham Women's and Children's, Birmingham, UK
| | - Suresh Vijay
- Paediatric Inherited Metabolic Disease, Birmingham Women's and Children's, Birmingham, UK
| | - Harsha Gowda
- Neonatal Unit, Heartlands Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
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9
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DHCR24, a Key Enzyme of Cholesterol Synthesis, Serves as a Marker Gene of the Mouse Adrenal Gland Inner Cortex. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24020933. [PMID: 36674444 PMCID: PMC9867314 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24020933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Steroid hormones are synthesized through enzymatic reactions using cholesterol as the substrate. In steroidogenic cells, the required cholesterol for steroidogenesis can be obtained from blood circulation or synthesized de novo from acetate. One of the key enzymes that control cholesterol synthesis is 24-dehydrocholesterol reductase (encoded by DHCR24). In humans and rats, DHCR24 is highly expressed in the adrenal gland, especially in the zona fasciculata. We recently reported that DHCR24 was expressed in the mouse adrenal gland's inner cortex and also found that thyroid hormone treatment significantly upregulated the expression of Dhcr24 in the mouse adrenal gland. In the present study, we showed the cellular expression of DHCR24 in mouse adrenal glands in early postnatal stages. We found that the expression pattern of DHCR24 was similar to the X-zone marker gene 20αHSD in most developmental stages. This finding indicates that most steroidogenic adrenocortical cells in the mouse adrenal gland do not synthesize cholesterol locally. Unlike the 20αHSD-positive X-zone regresses during pregnancy, some DHCR24-positive cells remain present in parous females. Conditional knockout mice showed that the removal of Dhcr24 in steroidogenic cells did not affect the overall development of the adrenal gland or the secretion of corticosterone under acute stress. Whether DHCR24 plays a role in conditions where a continuous high amount of corticosterone production is needed requires further investigation.
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10
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Bai X, Mai M, Yao K, Zhang M, Huang Y, Zhang W, Guo X, Xu Y, Zhang Y, Qurban A, Duan L, Bu J, Zhang J, Wu J, Zhao Y, Yuan X, Zu H. The role of DHCR24 in the pathogenesis of AD: re-cognition of the relationship between cholesterol and AD pathogenesis. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:35. [PMID: 35296367 PMCID: PMC8925223 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01338-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous studies show that 3β-hydroxysterol-Δ24 reductase (DHCR24) has a remarked decline in the brain of AD patients. In brain cholesterol synthetic metabolism, DHCR24 is known as the heavily key synthetase in cholesterol synthesis. Moreover, mutations of DHCR24 gene result in inhibition of the enzymatic activity of DHCR24, causing brain cholesterol deficiency and desmosterol accumulation. Furthermore, in vitro studies also demonstrated that DHCR24 knockdown lead to the inhibition of cholesterol synthesis, and the decrease of plasma membrane cholesterol and intracellular cholesterol level. Obviously, DHCR24 could play a crucial role in maintaining cholesterol homeostasis via the control of cholesterol synthesis. Over the past two decades, accumulating data suggests that DHCR24 activity is downregulated by major risk factors for AD, suggesting a potential link between DHCR24 downregulation and AD pathogenesis. Thus, the brain cholesterol loss seems to be induced by the major risk factors for AD, suggesting a possible causative link between brain cholesterol loss and AD. According to previous data and our study, we further found that the reduced cholesterol level in plasma membrane and intracellular compartments by the deficiency of DHCR24 activity obviously was involved in β-amyloid generation, tau hyperphosphorylation, apoptosis. Importantly, increasing evidences reveal that the brain cholesterol loss and lipid raft disorganization are obviously linked to neuropathological impairments which are associated with AD pathogenesis. Therefore, based on previous data and research on DHCR24, we suppose that the brain cholesterol deficiency/loss might be involved in the pathogenesis of AD.
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11
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Kanuri B, Fong V, Ponny SR, Weerasekera R, Pulakanti K, Patel KS, Tyshynsky R, Patel SB. Generation and validation of a conditional knockout mouse model for desmosterolosis. J Lipid Res 2021; 62:100028. [PMID: 33524375 PMCID: PMC7933790 DOI: 10.1016/j.jlr.2021.100028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2020] [Revised: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The enzyme 3β-hydroxysterol-Δ24 reductase (DHCR24, EC 1.3.1.72) catalyzes the conversion of desmosterol to cholesterol and is obligatory for post-squalene cholesterol synthesis. Genetic loss of this enzyme results in desmosterolosis (MIM #602398), a rare disease that presents with multiple congenital anomalies, features of which overlap with subjects with the Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (another post-squalene cholesterol disorder). Global knockout (KO) of Dhcr24 in mice recapitulates the biochemical phenotype, but pups die within 24 h from a lethal dermopathy, limiting its utility as a disease model. Here, we report a conditional KO mouse model (Dhcr24flx/flx) and validate it by generating a liver-specific KO (Dhcr24flx/flx,Alb-Cre). Dhcr24flx/flx,Alb-Cre mice showed normal growth and fertility, while accumulating significantly elevated levels of desmosterol in plasma and liver. Of interest, despite the loss of cholesterol synthesis in the liver, hepatic architecture, gene expression of sterol synthesis genes, and lipoprotein secretion appeared unchanged. The increased desmosterol content in bile and stool indicated a possible compensatory role of hepatobiliary secretion in maintaining sterol homeostasis. This mouse model should now allow for the study of the effects of postnatal loss of DHCR24, as well as role of tissue-specific loss of this enzyme during development and adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Babunageswararao Kanuri
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Vincent Fong
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Sithara Raju Ponny
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | | | | | - Kriya S Patel
- Clement J. Zablocki Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Roman Tyshynsky
- Clement J. Zablocki Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Shailendra B Patel
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Clement J. Zablocki Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
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12
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Role of Metabolism in Bone Development and Homeostasis. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21238992. [PMID: 33256181 PMCID: PMC7729585 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21238992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 11/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Carbohydrates, fats, and proteins are the underlying energy sources for animals and are catabolized through specific biochemical cascades involving numerous enzymes. The catabolites and metabolites in these metabolic pathways are crucial for many cellular functions; therefore, an imbalance and/or dysregulation of these pathways causes cellular dysfunction, resulting in various metabolic diseases. Bone, a highly mineralized organ that serves as a skeleton of the body, undergoes continuous active turnover, which is required for the maintenance of healthy bony components through the deposition and resorption of bone matrix and minerals. This highly coordinated event is regulated throughout life by bone cells such as osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and osteocytes, and requires synchronized activities from different metabolic pathways. Here, we aim to provide a comprehensive review of the cellular metabolism involved in bone development and homeostasis, as revealed by mouse genetic studies.
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13
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Reynolds K, Zhang S, Sun B, Garland MA, Ji Y, Zhou CJ. Genetics and signaling mechanisms of orofacial clefts. Birth Defects Res 2020; 112:1588-1634. [PMID: 32666711 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.1754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Revised: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Craniofacial development involves several complex tissue movements including several fusion processes to form the frontonasal and maxillary structures, including the upper lip and palate. Each of these movements are controlled by many different factors that are tightly regulated by several integral morphogenetic signaling pathways. Subject to both genetic and environmental influences, interruption at nearly any stage can disrupt lip, nasal, or palate fusion and result in a cleft. Here, we discuss many of the genetic risk factors that may contribute to the presentation of orofacial clefts in patients, and several of the key signaling pathways and underlying cellular mechanisms that control lip and palate formation, as identified primarily through investigating equivalent processes in animal models, are examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kurt Reynolds
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California Davis, School of Medicine, Sacramento, California, USA.,Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Shriners Hospitals for Children-Northern California; University of California Davis, School of Medicine, Sacramento, California, USA.,Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (BMCDB) Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, California, USA
| | - Shuwen Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California Davis, School of Medicine, Sacramento, California, USA.,Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Shriners Hospitals for Children-Northern California; University of California Davis, School of Medicine, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Bo Sun
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California Davis, School of Medicine, Sacramento, California, USA.,Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Shriners Hospitals for Children-Northern California; University of California Davis, School of Medicine, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Michael A Garland
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California Davis, School of Medicine, Sacramento, California, USA.,Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Shriners Hospitals for Children-Northern California; University of California Davis, School of Medicine, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Yu Ji
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California Davis, School of Medicine, Sacramento, California, USA.,Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Shriners Hospitals for Children-Northern California; University of California Davis, School of Medicine, Sacramento, California, USA.,Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (BMCDB) Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, California, USA
| | - Chengji J Zhou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California Davis, School of Medicine, Sacramento, California, USA.,Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Shriners Hospitals for Children-Northern California; University of California Davis, School of Medicine, Sacramento, California, USA.,Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (BMCDB) Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, California, USA
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14
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A gas chromatography–mass spectrometry-based whole-cell screening assay for target identification in distal cholesterol biosynthesis. Nat Protoc 2019; 14:2546-2570. [DOI: 10.1038/s41596-019-0193-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2018] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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15
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Effect of sterol structure on ordered membrane domain (raft) stability in symmetric and asymmetric vesicles. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2019; 1861:1112-1122. [PMID: 30904407 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2019.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2018] [Revised: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 03/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Sterol structure influences liquid ordered domains in membranes, and the dependence of biological functions on sterol structure can help identify processes dependent on ordered domains. In this study we compared the effect of sterol structure on ordered domain formation in symmetric vesicles composed of mixtures of sphingomyelin, 1, 2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) and cholesterol, and in asymmetric vesicles in which sphingomyelin was introduced into the outer leaflet of vesicles composed of DOPC and cholesterol. In most cases, sterol behavior was similar in symmetric and asymmetric vesicles, with ordered domains most strongly stabilized by 7-dehydrocholesterol (7DHC) and cholesterol, stabilized to a moderate degree by lanosterol, epicholesterol and desmosterol, and very little if at all by 4-cholesten-3-one. However, in asymmetric vesicles desmosterol stabilized ordered domain almost as well as cholesterol, and to a much greater degree than epicholesterol, so that the ability to support ordered domains decreased in the order 7-DHC > cholesterol > desmosterol > lanosterol > epicholesterol > 4-cholesten-3-one. This contrasts with values for intermediate stabilizing sterols in symmetric vesicles in which the ranking was cholesterol > lanosterol ~ desmosterol ~ epicholesterol or prior studies in which the ranking was cholesterol ~ epicholesterol > lanosterol ~ desmosterol. The reasons for these differences are discussed. Based on these results, we re-evaluated our prior studies in cells and conclude that endocytosis levels and bacterial uptake are even more closely correlated with the ability of sterols to form ordered domains than previously thought, and do not necessarily require that a sterol have a 3β-OH group.
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Wages PA, Kim HYH, Korade Z, Porter NA. Identification and characterization of prescription drugs that change levels of 7-dehydrocholesterol and desmosterol. J Lipid Res 2018; 59:1916-1926. [PMID: 30087204 PMCID: PMC6168312 DOI: 10.1194/jlr.m086991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2018] [Revised: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulating blood cholesterol (Chol) levels by pharmacotherapy has successfully improved cardiovascular health. There is growing interest in the role of Chol precursors in the treatment of diseases. One sterol precursor, desmosterol (Des), is a potential pharmacological target for inflammatory and neurodegenerative disorders. However, elevating levels of the precursor 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC) by inhibiting the enzyme 7-dehydrocholesterol reductase is linked to teratogenic outcomes. Thus, altering the sterol profile may either increase risk toward an adverse outcome or confer therapeutic benefit depending on the metabolite affected by the pharmacophore. In order to characterize any unknown activity of drugs on Chol biosynthesis, a chemical library of Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs was screened for the potential to modulate 7-DHC or Des levels in a neural cell line. Over 20% of the collection was shown to impact Chol biosynthesis, including 75 compounds that alter 7-DHC levels and 49 that modulate Des levels. Evidence is provided that three tyrosine kinase inhibitors, imatinib, ponatinib, and masitinib, elevate Des levels as well as other substrates of 24-dehydrocholesterol reductase, the enzyme responsible for converting Des to Chol. Additionally, the mechanism of action for ponatinib and masitinib was explored, demonstrating that protein levels are decreased as a result of treatment with these drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip A Wages
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235
| | - Hye-Young H Kim
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235
| | - Zeljka Korade
- Department of Pediatrics, Biochemistry, and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198
| | - Ned A Porter
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235
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