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Li L, Wang M, Huang L, Zheng X, Wang L, Miao H. Ataxin-2: a powerful RNA-binding protein. Discov Oncol 2024; 15:298. [PMID: 39039334 PMCID: PMC11263328 DOI: 10.1007/s12672-024-01158-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Ataxin-2 (ATXN2) was originally discovered in the context of spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2), but it has become a key player in various neurodegenerative diseases. This review delves into the multifaceted roles of ATXN2 in human diseases, revealing its diverse molecular and cellular pathways. The impact of ATXN2 on diseases extends beyond functional outcomes; it mainly interacts with various RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) to regulate different stages of post-transcriptional gene expression in diseases. With the progress of research, ATXN2 has also been found to play an important role in the development of various cancers, including breast cancer, gastric cancer, pancreatic cancer, colon cancer, and esophageal cancer. This comprehensive exploration underscores the crucial role of ATXN2 in the pathogenesis of diseases and warrants further investigation by the scientific community. By reviewing the latest discoveries on the regulatory functions of ATXN2 in diseases, this article helps us understand the complex molecular mechanisms of a series of human diseases related to this intriguing protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lulu Li
- Department of Clinical and Military Laboratory Medicine, College of Medical Laboratory Science, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
- Department of Clinical and Military Laboratory Medicine, College of Medical Laboratory Science, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Meng Wang
- Department of Pathophysiology, College of High Altitude Military Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Lai Huang
- Department of Clinical and Military Laboratory Medicine, College of Medical Laboratory Science, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Xiaoli Zheng
- Department of Clinical and Military Laboratory Medicine, College of Medical Laboratory Science, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China.
| | - Lina Wang
- Department of Clinical and Military Laboratory Medicine, College of Medical Laboratory Science, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China.
| | - Hongming Miao
- Department of Pathophysiology, College of High Altitude Military Medicine, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China.
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2
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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; 32:770-778. [PMID: 38433266 PMCID: PMC11220145 DOI: 10.1038/s41431-024-01546-6] [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: 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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3
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Schaub A, Erdmann H, Scholz V, Timmer M, Cordts I, Günther R, Reilich P, Abicht A, Schöberl F. Analysis and occurrence of biallelic pathogenic repeat expansions in RFC1 in a German cohort of patients with a main clinical phenotype of motor neuron disease. J Neurol 2024:10.1007/s00415-024-12519-6. [PMID: 38916676 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-024-12519-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2024] [Revised: 06/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
Biallelic pathogenic repeat expansions in RFC1 were recently identified as molecular origin of cerebellar ataxia, neuropathy, vestibular areflexia syndrome (CANVAS) as well as of one of the most common causes of adult-onset ataxia. In the meantime, the phenotypic spectrum has expanded massively and now includes mimics of multiple system atrophy or parkinsonism. After identifying a patient with a clinical diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) as a carrier of biallelic pathogenic repeat expansions in RFC1, we studied a cohort of 106 additional patients with a clinical main phenotype of motor neuron disease (MND) to analyze whether such repeat expansions are more common in MND patients. Indeed, two additional MND patients (one also with ALS and one with primary lateral sclerosis/PLS) have been identified as carrier of biallelic pathogenic repeat expansions in RFC1 in the absence of another genetic alteration explaining the phenotype, suggesting motor neuron disease as another extreme phenotype of RFC1 spectrum disorder. Therefore, MND might belong to the expanding phenotypic spectrum of pathogenic RFC1 repeat expansions, particularly in those MND patients with additional features such as sensory and/or autonomic neuropathy, vestibular deficits, or cerebellar signs. By systematically analyzing the RFC1 repeat array using Oxford nanopore technology long-read sequencing, our study highlights the high intra- and interallelic heterogeneity of this locus and allows the identification of the novel repeat motif 'ACAAG'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa Schaub
- Medical Genetics Center, Munich, Germany
- Department of Neurology With Friedrich-Baur-Institute, Klinikum Der Universität, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Hannes Erdmann
- Medical Genetics Center, Munich, Germany
- Department of Neurology With Friedrich-Baur-Institute, Klinikum Der Universität, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | | | - Manuela Timmer
- Gemeinschaftspraxis Für Humangenetik Dresden, Medizinische Genetik, Dresden, Germany
| | - Isabell Cordts
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum Rechts Der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Rene Günther
- Department of Neurology, Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Peter Reilich
- Department of Neurology With Friedrich-Baur-Institute, Klinikum Der Universität, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Angela Abicht
- Medical Genetics Center, Munich, Germany
- Department of Neurology With Friedrich-Baur-Institute, Klinikum Der Universität, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Florian Schöberl
- Department of Neurology With Friedrich-Baur-Institute, Klinikum Der Universität, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany.
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4
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Jiang S, Xu R. The Current Potential Pathogenesis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Mol Neurobiol 2024:10.1007/s12035-024-04269-3. [PMID: 38829511 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-024-04269-3] [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: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease mainly characterized by the accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins in the affected motor neurons. At present, the accurate pathogenesis of ALS remains unclear and there are still no effective treatment measures for ALS. The potential pathogenesis of ALS mainly includes the misfolding of some pathogenic proteins, the genetic variation, mitochondrial dysfunction, autophagy disorders, neuroinflammation, the misregulation of RNA, the altered axonal transport, and gut microbial dysbiosis. Exploring the pathogenesis of ALS is a critical step in searching for the effective therapeutic approaches. The current studies suggested that the genetic variation, gut microbial dysbiosis, the activation of glial cells, and the transportation disorder of extracellular vesicles may play some important roles in the pathogenesis of ALS. This review conducts a systematic review of these current potential promising topics closely related to the pathogenesis of ALS; it aims to provide some new evidences and clues for searching the novel treatment measures of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shishi Jiang
- Department of Neurology, Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital, Clinical College of Nanchang Medical College, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, National Regional Center for Neurological Diseases, Xiangya Hospital of Center South University, Jiangxi Hospital. No. 152 of Aiguo Road, Donghu District, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China
- Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, China
| | - Renshi Xu
- Department of Neurology, Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital, Clinical College of Nanchang Medical College, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, National Regional Center for Neurological Diseases, Xiangya Hospital of Center South University, Jiangxi Hospital. No. 152 of Aiguo Road, Donghu District, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China.
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5
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Nagy ZF, Pál M, Engelhardt JI, Molnár MJ, Klivényi P, Széll M. Beyond C9orf72: repeat expansions and copy number variations as risk factors of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis across various populations. BMC Med Genomics 2024; 17:30. [PMID: 38254109 PMCID: PMC10804878 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-024-01807-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder which is characterized by the loss of both upper and lower motor neurons in the central nervous system. In a significant fraction of ALS cases - irrespective of family history- a genetic background may be identified. The genetic background of ALS shows a high variability from one ethnicity to another. The most frequent genetic cause of ALS is the repeat expansion of the C9orf72 gene. With the emergence of next-generation sequencing techniques and copy number alteration calling tools the focus in ALS genetics has shifted from disease causing genes and mutations towards genetic susceptibility and risk factors.In this review we aimed to summarize the most widely recognized and studied ALS linked repeat expansions and copy number variations other than the hexanucleotide repeat expansion in the C9orf72 gene. We compare and contrast their involvement and phenotype modifying roles in ALS among different populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zsófia Flóra Nagy
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary.
- Institute of Genomic Medicine and Rare Disorders, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Margit Pál
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
- HUN-REN - SZTE Functional Clinical Genetics Research Group, Szeged, Hungary
| | | | - Mária Judit Molnár
- Institute of Genomic Medicine and Rare Disorders, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- HUN-REN-SE Multiomics Neurodegeneration Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Péter Klivényi
- Department of Neurology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Márta Széll
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
- HUN-REN - SZTE Functional Clinical Genetics Research Group, Szeged, Hungary
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6
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Sucha M, Benediktova S, Tichanek F, Jedlicka J, Kapl S, Jelinkova D, Purkartova Z, Tuma J, Kuncova J, Cendelin J. Experimental Treatment with Edaravone in a Mouse Model of Spinocerebellar Ataxia 1. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10689. [PMID: 37445867 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310689] [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: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Edaravone is a mitochondrially targeted drug with a suggested capability to modify the course of diverse neurological diseases. Nevertheless, edaravone has not been tested yet in the context of spinocerebellar ataxia 1 (SCA1), an incurable neurodegenerative disease characterized mainly by cerebellar disorder, with a strong contribution of inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction. This study aimed to address this gap, exploring the potential of edaravone to slow down SCA1 progression in a mouse knock-in SCA1 model. SCA1154Q/2Q and healthy SCA12Q/2Q mice were administered either edaravone or saline daily for more than 13 weeks. The functional impairments were assessed via a wide spectrum of behavioral assays reflecting motor and cognitive deficits and behavioral abnormalities. Moreover, we used high-resolution respirometry to explore mitochondrial function, and immunohistochemical and biochemical tools to assess the magnitude of neurodegeneration, inflammation, and neuroplasticity. Data were analyzed using (hierarchical) Bayesian regression models, combined with the methods of multivariate statistics. Our analysis pointed out various previously documented neurological and behavioral deficits of SCA1 mice. However, we did not detect any plausible therapeutic effect of edaravone on either behavioral dysfunctions or other disease hallmarks in SCA1 mice. Thus, our results did not provide support for the therapeutic potential of edaravone in SCA1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Sucha
- Department of Pathological Physiology, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, alej Svobody 76, 323 00 Pilsen, Czech Republic
- Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, alej Svobody 76, 323 00 Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Simona Benediktova
- Department of Pathological Physiology, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, alej Svobody 76, 323 00 Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Filip Tichanek
- Department of Pathological Physiology, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, alej Svobody 76, 323 00 Pilsen, Czech Republic
- Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, alej Svobody 76, 323 00 Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Jedlicka
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, alej Svobody 76, 323 00 Pilsen, Czech Republic
- Mitochondrial Laboratory, Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, alej Svobody 76, 323 00 Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Stepan Kapl
- Department of Pathological Physiology, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, alej Svobody 76, 323 00 Pilsen, Czech Republic
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurophysiology, Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, alej Svobody 76, 323 00 Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Dana Jelinkova
- Department of Pathological Physiology, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, alej Svobody 76, 323 00 Pilsen, Czech Republic
- Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, alej Svobody 76, 323 00 Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Zdenka Purkartova
- Department of Pathological Physiology, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, alej Svobody 76, 323 00 Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Tuma
- Department of Pathological Physiology, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, alej Svobody 76, 323 00 Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Jitka Kuncova
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, alej Svobody 76, 323 00 Pilsen, Czech Republic
- Mitochondrial Laboratory, Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, alej Svobody 76, 323 00 Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Cendelin
- Department of Pathological Physiology, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, alej Svobody 76, 323 00 Pilsen, Czech Republic
- Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, alej Svobody 76, 323 00 Pilsen, Czech Republic
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7
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Henden L, Fearnley LG, Grima N, McCann EP, Dobson-Stone C, Fitzpatrick L, Friend K, Hobson L, Chan Moi Fat S, Rowe DB, D'Silva S, Kwok JB, Halliday GM, Kiernan MC, Mazumder S, Timmins HC, Zoing M, Pamphlett R, Adams L, Bahlo M, Blair IP, Williams KL. Short tandem repeat expansions in sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eade2044. [PMID: 37146135 PMCID: PMC10162670 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade2044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Pathogenic short tandem repeat (STR) expansions cause over 20 neurodegenerative diseases. To determine the contribution of STRs in sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), we used ExpansionHunter, REviewer, and polymerase chain reaction validation to assess 21 neurodegenerative disease-associated STRs in whole-genome sequencing data from 608 patients with sporadic ALS, 68 patients with sporadic FTD, and 4703 matched controls. We also propose a data-derived outlier detection method for defining allele thresholds in rare STRs. Excluding C9orf72 repeat expansions, 17.6% of clinically diagnosed ALS and FTD cases had at least one expanded STR allele reported to be pathogenic or intermediate for another neurodegenerative disease. We identified and validated 162 disease-relevant STR expansions in C9orf72 (ALS/FTD), ATXN1 [spinal cerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1)], ATXN2 (SCA2), ATXN8 (SCA8), TBP (SCA17), HTT (Huntington's disease), DMPK [myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1)], CNBP (DM2), and FMR1 (fragile-X disorders). Our findings suggest clinical and pathological pleiotropy of neurodegenerative disease genes and highlight their importance in ALS and FTD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lyndal Henden
- Macquarie University Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Liam G Fearnley
- Population Health and Immunity Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Natalie Grima
- Macquarie University Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Emily P McCann
- Macquarie University Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Carol Dobson-Stone
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Lauren Fitzpatrick
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
| | - Kathryn Friend
- SA Pathology, Women's and Children's Hospital, North Adelaide, SA 5006, Australia
| | - Lynne Hobson
- SA Pathology, Women's and Children's Hospital, North Adelaide, SA 5006, Australia
| | - Sandrine Chan Moi Fat
- Macquarie University Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Dominic B Rowe
- Macquarie University Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Susan D'Silva
- Macquarie University Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - John B Kwok
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Glenda M Halliday
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Matthew C Kiernan
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
- Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
| | - Srestha Mazumder
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
| | - Hannah C Timmins
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
| | - Margaret Zoing
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
| | - Roger Pamphlett
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
- Discipline of Pathology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
- Department of Neuropathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia
| | - Lorel Adams
- Macquarie University Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Melanie Bahlo
- Population Health and Immunity Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Ian P Blair
- Macquarie University Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Kelly L Williams
- Macquarie University Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
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8
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Humphrey J, Venkatesh S, Hasan R, Herb JT, de Paiva Lopes K, Küçükali F, Byrska-Bishop M, Evani US, Narzisi G, Fagegaltier D, Sleegers K, Phatnani H, Knowles DA, Fratta P, Raj T. Integrative transcriptomic analysis of the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis spinal cord implicates glial activation and suggests new risk genes. Nat Neurosci 2023; 26:150-162. [PMID: 36482247 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-022-01205-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressively fatal neurodegenerative disease affecting motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. In this study, we investigated gene expression changes in ALS via RNA sequencing in 380 postmortem samples from cervical, thoracic and lumbar spinal cord segments from 154 individuals with ALS and 49 control individuals. We observed an increase in microglia and astrocyte gene expression, accompanied by a decrease in oligodendrocyte gene expression. By creating a gene co-expression network in the ALS samples, we identified several activated microglia modules that negatively correlate with retrospective disease duration. We mapped molecular quantitative trait loci and found several potential ALS risk loci that may act through gene expression or splicing in the spinal cord and assign putative cell types for FNBP1, ACSL5, SH3RF1 and NFASC. Finally, we outline how common genetic variants associated with splicing of C9orf72 act as proxies for the well-known repeat expansion, and we use the same mechanism to suggest ATXN3 as a putative risk gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack Humphrey
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience & Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences & Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Estelle and Daniel Maggin Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Sanan Venkatesh
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience & Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences & Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rahat Hasan
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience & Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences & Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Estelle and Daniel Maggin Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jake T Herb
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Katia de Paiva Lopes
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience & Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences & Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Estelle and Daniel Maggin Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Fahri Küçükali
- Complex Genetics of Alzheimer's Disease Group, Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | | | | | - Delphine Fagegaltier
- New York Genome Center, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Genomics of Neurodegenerative Disease, New York Genome Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kristel Sleegers
- Complex Genetics of Alzheimer's Disease Group, Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Hemali Phatnani
- New York Genome Center, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Genomics of Neurodegenerative Disease, New York Genome Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - David A Knowles
- New York Genome Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Pietro Fratta
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Towfique Raj
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience & Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences & Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
- Estelle and Daniel Maggin Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
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9
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Nazarenko MS, Sleptcov AA, Puzyrev VP. “Mendelian Code” in the Genetic Structure of Common Multifactorial Diseases. RUSS J GENET+ 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s1022795422100052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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10
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Marshall JNG, Fröhlich A, Li L, Pfaff AL, Middlehurst B, Spargo TP, Iacoangeli A, Lang B, Al-Chalabi A, Koks S, Bubb VJ, Quinn JP. A polymorphic transcriptional regulatory domain in the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis risk gene CFAP410 correlates with differential isoform expression. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:954928. [PMID: 36131690 PMCID: PMC9484465 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.954928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
We describe the characterisation of a variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) domain within intron 1 of the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) risk gene CFAP410 (Cilia and flagella associated protein 410) (previously known as C21orf2), providing insight into how this domain could support differential gene expression and thus be a modulator of ALS progression or risk. We demonstrated the VNTR was functional in a reporter gene assay in the HEK293 cell line, exhibiting both the properties of an activator domain and a transcriptional start site, and that the differential expression was directed by distinct repeat number in the VNTR. These properties embedded in the VNTR demonstrated the potential for this VNTR to modulate CFAP410 expression. We extrapolated these findings in silico by utilisation of tagging SNPs for the two most common VNTR alleles to establish a correlation with endogenous gene expression. Consistent with in vitro data, CFAP410 isoform expression was found to be variable in the brain. Furthermore, although the number of matched controls was low, there was evidence for one specific isoform being correlated with lower expression in those with ALS. To address if the genotype of the VNTR was associated with ALS risk, we characterised the variation of the CFAP410 VNTR in ALS cases and matched controls by PCR analysis of the VNTR length, defining eight alleles of the VNTR. No significant difference was observed between cases and controls, we noted, however, the cohort was unlikely to contain sufficient power to enable any firm conclusion to be drawn from this analysis. This data demonstrated that the VNTR domain has the potential to modulate CFAP410 expression as a regulatory element that could play a role in its tissue-specific and stimulus-inducible regulation that could impact the mechanism by which CFAP410 is involved in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack N. G. Marshall
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Alexander Fröhlich
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Li Li
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Centre for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Abigail L. Pfaff
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Ben Middlehurst
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas P. Spargo
- Department of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alfredo Iacoangeli
- Department of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Bing Lang
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Centre for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Ammar Al-Chalabi
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Neurology, King's College Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sulev Koks
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Vivien J. Bubb
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - John P. Quinn
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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11
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Pérez‐Oliveira S, Álvarez I, Rosas I, Menendez‐González M, Blázquez‐Estrada M, Aguilar M, Corte D, Buongiorno M, Molina‐Porcel L, Aldecoa I, Martí MJ, Sánchez‐Juan P, Infante J, González‐Aramburu I, García‐González P, Rosende‐Roca M, Boada M, Ruiz A, Periñán MT, Macías‐García D, Muñoz‐Delgado L, Gómez‐Garre P, Mir P, Clarimón J, Lleo A, Alcolea D, De la Casa‐Fages B, Duarte I, Álvarez V, Pastor P. Intermediate and Expanded
HTT
Alleles and the Risk for α‐Synucleinopathies. Mov Disord 2022; 37:1841-1849. [DOI: 10.1002/mds.29153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Ignacio Álvarez
- Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology University Hospital Mútua de Terrassa and Fundació Docència i Recerca Mútua de Terrassa Terrassa, Barcelona Spain
| | - Irene Rosas
- Laboratorio de Genética Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias Oviedo Spain
| | - Manuel Menendez‐González
- Department of Neurology Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias Oviedo Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA) Oviedo Spain
| | - Marta Blázquez‐Estrada
- Department of Neurology Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias Oviedo Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA) Oviedo Spain
| | - Miquel Aguilar
- Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology University Hospital Mútua de Terrassa and Fundació Docència i Recerca Mútua de Terrassa Terrassa, Barcelona Spain
| | - Daniela Corte
- Biobank of Principado de Asturias Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias (HUCA) Oviedo Spain
| | - Mariateresa Buongiorno
- Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology University Hospital Mútua de Terrassa and Fundació Docència i Recerca Mútua de Terrassa Terrassa, Barcelona Spain
| | - Laura Molina‐Porcel
- Alzheimer's Disease and Other Cognitive Disorders Unit, Neurology Department Hospital Clínic i Provincial de Barcelona and Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi I Sunyer Barcelona Spain
- Neurological Tissue Bank of the Biobank‐Hospital Clinic‐IDIBAPS Barcelona Spain
| | - Iban Aldecoa
- Neurological Tissue Bank of the Biobank‐Hospital Clinic‐IDIBAPS Barcelona Spain
- Pathology Department, Biomedical Diagnostic Center Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, University of Barcelona Barcelona Spain
| | - María J. Martí
- Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Spain; Institut de Neurociències, Maeztu Center, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) University of Barcelona Barcelona Spain
- CIBERNED Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III Madrid Spain
| | - Pascual Sánchez‐Juan
- CIBERNED Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III Madrid Spain
- Alzheimer’s Centre Reina Sofia‐CIEN Foundation‐ISCIII Madrid Spain
| | - Jon Infante
- CIBERNED Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III Madrid Spain
- Department of Neurology Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital (University of Cantabria and IDIVAL) Santander Spain
| | - Isabel González‐Aramburu
- CIBERNED Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III Madrid Spain
- Department of Neurology Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital (University of Cantabria and IDIVAL) Santander Spain
| | - Pablo García‐González
- CIBERNED Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III Madrid Spain
- Research Center and Memory clinic Fundació ACE, Institut Català de Neurociències Aplicades Universitat Internacional de Catalunya Barcelona Spain
| | - Maitée Rosende‐Roca
- CIBERNED Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III Madrid Spain
- Research Center and Memory clinic Fundació ACE, Institut Català de Neurociències Aplicades Universitat Internacional de Catalunya Barcelona Spain
| | - Mercè Boada
- CIBERNED Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III Madrid Spain
- Research Center and Memory clinic Fundació ACE, Institut Català de Neurociències Aplicades Universitat Internacional de Catalunya Barcelona Spain
| | - Agustín Ruiz
- CIBERNED Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III Madrid Spain
- Research Center and Memory clinic Fundació ACE, Institut Català de Neurociències Aplicades Universitat Internacional de Catalunya Barcelona Spain
| | - María Teresa Periñán
- CIBERNED Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III Madrid Spain
- Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology and Neurophysiology Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla Seville Spain
| | - Daniel Macías‐García
- CIBERNED Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III Madrid Spain
- Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology and Neurophysiology Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla Seville Spain
| | - Laura Muñoz‐Delgado
- CIBERNED Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III Madrid Spain
- Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology and Neurophysiology Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla Seville Spain
| | - Pilar Gómez‐Garre
- CIBERNED Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III Madrid Spain
- Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology and Neurophysiology Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla Seville Spain
| | - Pablo Mir
- CIBERNED Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III Madrid Spain
- Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology and Neurophysiology Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla Seville Spain
- Department of Medicine, Facultad de Medicina Universidad de Sevilla Seville Spain
| | - Jordi Clarimón
- CIBERNED Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III Madrid Spain
- Department of Neurology, IIB Sant Pau, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Barcelona Spain
| | - Alberto Lleo
- CIBERNED Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III Madrid Spain
- Department of Neurology, IIB Sant Pau, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Barcelona Spain
| | - Daniel Alcolea
- CIBERNED Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, National Institute of Health Carlos III Madrid Spain
- Department of Neurology, IIB Sant Pau, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Barcelona Spain
| | - Beatriz De la Casa‐Fages
- Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón Madrid Spain
- Instituto Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón Madrid Spain
| | - Israel Duarte
- Laboratorio de Genética Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias Oviedo Spain
| | - Victoria Álvarez
- Laboratorio de Genética Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias Oviedo Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA) Oviedo Spain
| | - Pau Pastor
- Unit of Neurodegenerative diseases, Department of Neurology University Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol and The Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP) Badalona Barcelona Spain
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12
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Nagy ZF, Pál M, Salamon A, Zodanu GKE, Füstös D, Klivényi P, Széll M. Re-analysis of the Hungarian amyotrophic lateral sclerosis population and evaluation of novel ALS genetic risk variants. Neurobiol Aging 2022; 116:1-11. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2022.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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13
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Nikitina M, Bragina E, Nazarenko M, Alifirova V. The role of alleles with an intermediate number of trinucleotide repeats in Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2022; 122:42-50. [DOI: 10.17116/jnevro202212207142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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14
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Malik I, Kelley CP, Wang ET, Todd PK. Molecular mechanisms underlying nucleotide repeat expansion disorders. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2021; 22:589-607. [PMID: 34140671 PMCID: PMC9612635 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-021-00382-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The human genome contains over one million short tandem repeats. Expansion of a subset of these repeat tracts underlies over fifty human disorders, including common genetic causes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (C9orf72), polyglutamine-associated ataxias and Huntington disease, myotonic dystrophy, and intellectual disability disorders such as Fragile X syndrome. In this Review, we discuss the four major mechanisms by which expansion of short tandem repeats causes disease: loss of function through transcription repression, RNA-mediated gain of function through gelation and sequestration of RNA-binding proteins, gain of function of canonically translated repeat-harbouring proteins, and repeat-associated non-AUG translation of toxic repeat peptides. Somatic repeat instability amplifies these mechanisms and influences both disease age of onset and tissue specificity of pathogenic features. We focus on the crosstalk between these disease mechanisms, and argue that they often synergize to drive pathogenesis. We also discuss the emerging native functions of repeat elements and how their dynamics might contribute to disease at a larger scale than currently appreciated. Lastly, we propose that lynchpins tying these disease mechanisms and native functions together offer promising therapeutic targets with potential shared applications across this class of human disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Indranil Malik
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Chase P Kelley
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for NeuroGenetics, Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Genetics and Genomics Graduate Program, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Eric T Wang
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for NeuroGenetics, Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
| | - Peter K Todd
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
- VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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15
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C9orf72-G 4C 2 Intermediate Repeats and Parkinson's Disease; A Data-Driven Hypothesis. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12081210. [PMID: 34440384 PMCID: PMC8391122 DOI: 10.3390/genes12081210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic C9orf72-G4C2 repeat expansions are associated with ALS/FTD, but not with Parkinson’s disease (PD); yet the possible link between intermediate repeat lengths and PD remains inconclusive. We aim to study the potential involvement of these repeats in PD. The number of C9orf72-repeats were determined by flanking and repeat-primed PCR assays, and the risk-haplotype was determined by SNP-array. Their association with PD was assessed in a stratified manner: in PD-patients-carriers of mutations in LRRK2, GBA, or SMPD1 genes (n = 388), and in PD-non-carriers (NC, n = 718). Allelic distribution was significantly different only in PD-NC compared to 600 controls when looking both at the allele with higher repeat’s size (p = 0.034) and at the combined number of repeats from both alleles (p = 0.023). Intermediate repeats (20–60 repeats) were associated with PD in PD-NC patients (p = 0.041; OR = 3.684 (CI 1.05–13.0)) but not in PD-carriers (p = 0.684). The C9orf72 risk-haplotype, determined in a subgroup of 588 PDs and 126 controls, was observed in higher frequency in PD-NC (dominant model, OR = 1.71, CI 1.04–2.81, p = 0.0356). All 19 alleles within the risk-haplotype were associated with higher C9orf72 RNA levels according to the GTEx database. Based on our data, we suggest a model in which intermediate repeats are a risk factor for PD in non-carriers, driven not only by the number of repeats but also by the variants’ genotypes within the risk-haplotype. Further studies are needed to elucidate this possible role of C9orf72 in PD pathogenesis.
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16
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Nel M, Mavundla T, Gultig K, Botha G, Mulder N, Benatar M, Wuu J, Cooley A, Myers J, Rampersaud E, Wu G, Heckmann JM. Repeats expansions in ATXN2, NOP56, NIPA1 and ATXN1 are not associated with ALS in Africans. IBRO Neurosci Rep 2021; 10:130-135. [PMID: 34179866 PMCID: PMC8211917 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibneur.2021.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized primarily by progressive loss of motor neurons. Although ALS occurs worldwide and the frequency and spectrum of identifiable genetic causes of disease varies across populations, very few studies have included African subjects. In addition to a hexanucleotide repeat expansion (RE) in C9orf72, the most common genetic cause of ALS in Europeans, REs in ATXN2, NIPA1 and ATXN1 have shown variable associations with ALS in Europeans. Intermediate range expansions in some of these genes (e.g. ATXN2) have been reported as potential risk factors, or phenotypic modifiers, of ALS. Pathogenic expansions in NOP56 cause spinocerebellar ataxia-36, which can present with prominent motor neuron degeneration. Here we compare REs in these genes in a cohort of Africans with ALS and population controls using whole genome sequencing data. Targeting genotyping of short tandem repeats at known loci within ATXN2, NIPA1, ATXN1 and NOP56 was performed using ExpansionHunter software in 105 Southern African (SA) patients with ALS. African population controls were from an in-house SA population control database (n = 25), the SA Human Genome Program (n = 24), the Simons Genome Diversity Project (n = 39) and the Illumina Polaris Diversity Cohort (IPDC) dataset (n = 50). We found intermediate RE alleles in ATXN2 (27-33 repeats) and ATXN1 (33-35 repeats), and NIPA1 long alleles (≥8 repeats) were rare in Africans, and not associated with ALS (p > 0.17). NOP56 showed no expanded alleles in either ALS or controls. We also compared the differences in allele distributions between the African and n = 50 European controls (from the IPDC). There was a statistical significant difference in the distribution of the REs in the ATXN1 between African and European controls (Chi-test p < 0.001), and NIPA1 showed proportionately more longer alleles (RE > 8) in Europeans vs. Africans (Fisher's p = 0.016). The distribution of RE alleles in ATXN2 and NOP56 were similar amongst African and European controls. In conclusion, repeat expansions in ATXN2, NIPA1 and ATXN1, which showed associations with ALS in Europeans, were not replicated in Southern Africans with ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Nel
- Neurology Research Group, Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Computational Biology Division, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, South Africa
| | - Thandeka Mavundla
- Neurology Research Group, Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Computational Biology Division, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, South Africa
| | - Kayleigh Gultig
- Neurology Research Group, Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Gerrit Botha
- Computational Biology Division, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, South Africa
| | - Nicola Mulder
- Computational Biology Division, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, South Africa
| | - Michael Benatar
- Department of Neurology, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Joanne Wuu
- Department of Neurology, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Anne Cooley
- Department of Neurology, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Jason Myers
- Center for Applied Bioinformatics, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, USA
| | - Evadnie Rampersaud
- Center for Applied Bioinformatics, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, USA
| | - Gang Wu
- Center for Applied Bioinformatics, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, USA
| | - Jeannine M. Heckmann
- Neurology Research Group, Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Neurology division, Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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17
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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Lobar Degenerations: Similarities in Genetic Background. Diagnostics (Basel) 2021; 11:diagnostics11030509. [PMID: 33805659 PMCID: PMC7998502 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics11030509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 03/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating, uniformly lethal progressive degenerative disorder of motor neurons that overlaps with frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) clinically, morphologically, and genetically. Although many distinct mutations in various genes are known to cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, it remains poorly understood how they selectively impact motor neuron biology and whether they converge on common pathways to cause neuronal degeneration. Many of the gene mutations are in proteins that share similar functions. They can be grouped into those associated with cell axon dynamics and those associated with cellular phagocytic machinery, namely protein aggregation and metabolism, apoptosis, and intracellular nucleic acid transport. Analysis of pathways implicated by mutant ALS genes has provided new insights into the pathogenesis of both familial forms of ALS (fALS) and sporadic forms (sALS), although, regrettably, this has not yet yielded definitive treatments. Many genes play an important role, with TARDBP, SQSTM1, VCP, FUS, TBK1, CHCHD10, and most importantly, C9orf72 being critical genetic players in these neurological disorders. In this mini-review, we will focus on the molecular mechanisms of these two diseases.
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18
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Lattante S, Doronzio PN, Conte A, Marangi G, Martello F, Bisogni G, Meleo E, Colavito D, Del Giudice E, Patanella AK, Bernardo D, Romano A, Zollino M, Sabatelli M. Novel variants and cellular studies on patients' primary fibroblasts support a role for NEK1 missense variants in ALS pathogenesis. Hum Mol Genet 2021; 30:65-71. [PMID: 33445179 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddab015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Revised: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In the last few years, NEK1 has been identified as a new gene related to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Loss-of-function variants have been mostly described, although several missense variants exist, which pathogenic relevance remains to be established. We attempted to determine the contribution of NEK1 gene in an Italian cohort of 531 sporadic and familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients applying massive parallel sequencing technologies. We filtered results of NEK1 gene and identified 20 NEK1 rare variants (MAF < 0.01) in 22 patients. In particular, we found two novel frameshift variants (p.Glu929Asnfs*12 and p.Val1030Ilefs*23), 18 missense variants, including the p.Arg261His in three patients, and a novel variant in the start codon, the p.Met1?, which most likely impairs translation initiation. To clarify the role of NEK1 missense variants we investigated NEK1 expression in primary fibroblast cultures. We obtained skin biopsies from four patients with NEK1 variants and we assessed NEK1 expression by western blot and immunofluorescence. We detected a decrease in NEK1 expression in fibroblasts from patients with NEK1 variants, suggesting that missense variants in NEK1 gene may have a pathogenic role. Moreover, we observed additional variants in ALS related genes in seven patients with NEK1 variants (32%), further supporting an oligogenic ALS model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Lattante
- Section of Genomic Medicine, Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy.,Unit of Medical Genetics, Department of Laboratory and Infectious Disease Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Niccolò Doronzio
- Section of Genomic Medicine, Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy.,Unit of Medical Genetics, Department of Laboratory and Infectious Disease Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Amelia Conte
- Adult NEMO Clinical Center, Unit of Neurology, Department of Aging, Neurological, Orthopedic and Head-Neck Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Marangi
- Section of Genomic Medicine, Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy.,Unit of Medical Genetics, Department of Laboratory and Infectious Disease Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Martello
- Section of Genomic Medicine, Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy.,Unit of Medical Genetics, Department of Laboratory and Infectious Disease Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Bisogni
- Adult NEMO Clinical Center, Unit of Neurology, Department of Aging, Neurological, Orthopedic and Head-Neck Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Emiliana Meleo
- Adult NEMO Clinical Center, Unit of Neurology, Department of Aging, Neurological, Orthopedic and Head-Neck Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Davide Colavito
- Research & Innovation (R&I Genetics) srl, 35127 Padua, Italy
| | | | - Agata Katia Patanella
- Adult NEMO Clinical Center, Unit of Neurology, Department of Aging, Neurological, Orthopedic and Head-Neck Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Daniela Bernardo
- Adult NEMO Clinical Center, Unit of Neurology, Department of Aging, Neurological, Orthopedic and Head-Neck Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Angela Romano
- Adult NEMO Clinical Center, Unit of Neurology, Department of Aging, Neurological, Orthopedic and Head-Neck Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Marcella Zollino
- Section of Genomic Medicine, Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy.,Unit of Medical Genetics, Department of Laboratory and Infectious Disease Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Mario Sabatelli
- Adult NEMO Clinical Center, Unit of Neurology, Department of Aging, Neurological, Orthopedic and Head-Neck Sciences, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy.,Section of Neurology, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
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Jih KY, Lin KP, Tsai PC, Soong BW, Liao YC, Lee YC. Investigating TBP CAG/CAA trinucleotide repeat expansions in a Taiwanese cohort with ALS. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2020; 22:442-447. [PMID: 33377399 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2020.1867182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Intermediate-length CAG repeats in ATXN2 have been well recognized as a genetic risk factor for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, the role of similar trinucleotide repeat expansions in the TATA-box binding protein gene (TBP), another disease-associated gene for inherited ataxia, in ALS remains elusive. To assess the association between TBP trinucleotide repeat expansions and ALS, we investigated the repeat lengths in 325 unrelated ALS patients and 1500 controls in the Taiwanese population. The most common size of repeats in the patients and controls were both 36. The repeat lengths ranged from 29 to 46 repeats in the ALS patients and 27 to 43 repeats in the controls. Two ALS patients carried a TBP allele with a repeat number equal or greater than 44 (44 and 46). The patient with the 46 trinucleotide repeats also had a C9ORF72 GGGGCC hexanucleotide repeat expansion. The odds ratio of an individual carrying the CAG/CAA repeats ≥ 44 to have ALS is 23.2 (95% confidence interval: 1.11-484.24; p = 0.04). Our findings suggest that intermediate-length CAG/CAA repeat expansions in TBP may associate with ALS risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kang-Yang Jih
- Department of Neurology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Neurology, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Kon-Ping Lin
- Department of Neurology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Neurology, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Chien Tsai
- Department of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Bing-Wen Soong
- Department of Neurology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Neurology, Taipei Neuroscience Institute, Taipei Medical University-Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Chu Liao
- Department of Neurology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Neurology, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.,Brain Research Center, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Chung Lee
- Department of Neurology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Neurology, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.,Brain Research Center, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
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20
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Pathogenic Genome Signatures That Damage Motor Neurons in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Cells 2020; 9:cells9122687. [PMID: 33333804 PMCID: PMC7765192 DOI: 10.3390/cells9122687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most frequent motor neuron disease and a neurodegenerative disorder, affecting the upper and/or lower motor neurons. Notably, it invariably leads to death within a few years of onset. Although most ALS cases are sporadic, familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (fALS) forms 10% of the cases. In 1993, the first causative gene (SOD1) of fALS was identified. With rapid advances in genetics, over fifty potentially causative or disease-modifying genes have been found in ALS so far. Accordingly, routine diagnostic tests should encompass the oldest and most frequently mutated ALS genes as well as several new important genetic variants in ALS. Herein, we discuss current literatures on the four newly identified ALS-associated genes (CYLD, S1R, GLT8D1, and KIF5A) and the previously well-known ALS genes including SOD1, TARDBP, FUS, and C9orf72. Moreover, we review the pathogenic implications and disease mechanisms of these genes. Elucidation of the cellular and molecular functions of the mutated genes will bring substantial insights for the development of therapeutic approaches to treat ALS.
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21
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Shatunov A, Al-Chalabi A. The genetic architecture of ALS. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 147:105156. [PMID: 33130222 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.105156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Aleksey Shatunov
- Department of Basic & Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 9RX, UK
| | - Ammar Al-Chalabi
- Department of Basic & Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 9RX, UK; Department of Neurology, King's College Hospital, London SE5 9RS, UK.
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22
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Tejwani L, Lim J. Pathogenic mechanisms underlying spinocerebellar ataxia type 1. Cell Mol Life Sci 2020; 77:4015-4029. [PMID: 32306062 PMCID: PMC7541529 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-020-03520-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Revised: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The family of hereditary cerebellar ataxias is a large group of disorders with heterogenous clinical manifestations and genetic etiologies. Among these, over 30 autosomal dominantly inherited subtypes have been identified, collectively referred to as the spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs). Generally, the SCAs are characterized by a progressive gait impairment with classical cerebellar features, and in a subset of SCAs, accompanied by extra-cerebellar features. Beyond the common gait impairment and cerebellar atrophy, the wide range of additional clinical features observed across the SCAs is likely explained by the diverse set of mutated genes that encode proteins with seemingly disparate functional roles in nervous system biology. By synthesizing knowledge obtained from studies of the various SCAs over the past several decades, convergence onto a few key cellular changes, namely ion channel dysfunction and transcriptional dysregulation, has become apparent and may represent central mechanisms of cerebellar disease pathogenesis. This review will detail our current understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of the SCAs, focusing primarily on the first described autosomal dominant spinocerebellar ataxia, SCA1, as well as the emerging common core mechanisms across the various SCAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leon Tejwani
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale School of Medicine, 295 Congress Avenue, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Janghoo Lim
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale School of Medicine, 295 Congress Avenue, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
- Program in Cellular Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration and Repair, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
- Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
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23
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Yuan Y, Liu Z, Hou X, Li W, Ni J, Huang L, Hu Y, Liu P, Hou X, Xue J, Sun Q, Tian Y, Jiao B, Duan R, Jiang H, Shen L, Tang B, Wang J. Identification of GGC repeat expansion in the NOTCH2NLC gene in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neurology 2020; 95:e3394-e3405. [PMID: 32989102 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000010945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine whether the GGC repeats in the NOTCH2NLC gene contribute to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). METHODS In this study, 545 patients with ALS and 1,305 healthy controls from mainland China were recruited. Several pathogenic mutations in known ALS-causative genes (including C9ORF72 and ATXN2) and polynucleotide repeat expansions in NOP56 and AR genes were excluded. Repeat-primed PCR and GC-rich PCR were performed to determine the GGC repeat size in NOTCH2NLC. Systematic and targeted clinical evaluations and investigations, including skin biopsy and dynamic electrophysiologic studies, were conducted in the genetically affected patients. RESULTS GGC repeat expansion was observed in 4 patients (numbers of repeats 44, 54, 96, and 143), accounting for ≈0.73% (4 of 545) of all patients with ALS. A comparison with 1,305 healthy controls revealed that GGC repeat expansion in NOTCH2NLC was associated with ALS (Fisher exact test, 4 of 545 vs 0 of 1,305, p = 0.007). Compared to patients with the neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease (NIID) muscle weakness-dominant subtype, patients with ALS phenotype carrying the abnormal repeat expansion tended to have a severe phenotype and rapid deterioration. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that ALS is a specific phenotype of NIID or that GGC expansion in NOTCH2NLC is a factor that modifies ALS. These findings may help clarify the pathogenic mechanism of ALS and may expand the known clinical spectrum of NIID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanchun Yuan
- From the Department of Neurology (Y.Y., Z.L., X.H., W.L., J.N., Y.H., P.L., X.H., Q.S., Y.T., B.J., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.) and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases (H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Xiangya Hospital, Department of Neurology (L.H.), the Third Xiangya Hospital, Laboratory of Medical Genetics (J.X., R.D., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), and Key Laboratory of Hunan Province in Neurodegenerative Disorders (J.H., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, PR China
| | - Zhen Liu
- From the Department of Neurology (Y.Y., Z.L., X.H., W.L., J.N., Y.H., P.L., X.H., Q.S., Y.T., B.J., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.) and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases (H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Xiangya Hospital, Department of Neurology (L.H.), the Third Xiangya Hospital, Laboratory of Medical Genetics (J.X., R.D., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), and Key Laboratory of Hunan Province in Neurodegenerative Disorders (J.H., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, PR China
| | - Xuan Hou
- From the Department of Neurology (Y.Y., Z.L., X.H., W.L., J.N., Y.H., P.L., X.H., Q.S., Y.T., B.J., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.) and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases (H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Xiangya Hospital, Department of Neurology (L.H.), the Third Xiangya Hospital, Laboratory of Medical Genetics (J.X., R.D., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), and Key Laboratory of Hunan Province in Neurodegenerative Disorders (J.H., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, PR China
| | - Wanzhen Li
- From the Department of Neurology (Y.Y., Z.L., X.H., W.L., J.N., Y.H., P.L., X.H., Q.S., Y.T., B.J., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.) and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases (H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Xiangya Hospital, Department of Neurology (L.H.), the Third Xiangya Hospital, Laboratory of Medical Genetics (J.X., R.D., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), and Key Laboratory of Hunan Province in Neurodegenerative Disorders (J.H., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, PR China.
| | - Jie Ni
- From the Department of Neurology (Y.Y., Z.L., X.H., W.L., J.N., Y.H., P.L., X.H., Q.S., Y.T., B.J., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.) and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases (H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Xiangya Hospital, Department of Neurology (L.H.), the Third Xiangya Hospital, Laboratory of Medical Genetics (J.X., R.D., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), and Key Laboratory of Hunan Province in Neurodegenerative Disorders (J.H., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, PR China
| | - Ling Huang
- From the Department of Neurology (Y.Y., Z.L., X.H., W.L., J.N., Y.H., P.L., X.H., Q.S., Y.T., B.J., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.) and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases (H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Xiangya Hospital, Department of Neurology (L.H.), the Third Xiangya Hospital, Laboratory of Medical Genetics (J.X., R.D., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), and Key Laboratory of Hunan Province in Neurodegenerative Disorders (J.H., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, PR China
| | - Yiting Hu
- From the Department of Neurology (Y.Y., Z.L., X.H., W.L., J.N., Y.H., P.L., X.H., Q.S., Y.T., B.J., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.) and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases (H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Xiangya Hospital, Department of Neurology (L.H.), the Third Xiangya Hospital, Laboratory of Medical Genetics (J.X., R.D., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), and Key Laboratory of Hunan Province in Neurodegenerative Disorders (J.H., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, PR China
| | - Pan Liu
- From the Department of Neurology (Y.Y., Z.L., X.H., W.L., J.N., Y.H., P.L., X.H., Q.S., Y.T., B.J., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.) and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases (H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Xiangya Hospital, Department of Neurology (L.H.), the Third Xiangya Hospital, Laboratory of Medical Genetics (J.X., R.D., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), and Key Laboratory of Hunan Province in Neurodegenerative Disorders (J.H., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, PR China
| | - Xiaorong Hou
- From the Department of Neurology (Y.Y., Z.L., X.H., W.L., J.N., Y.H., P.L., X.H., Q.S., Y.T., B.J., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.) and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases (H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Xiangya Hospital, Department of Neurology (L.H.), the Third Xiangya Hospital, Laboratory of Medical Genetics (J.X., R.D., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), and Key Laboratory of Hunan Province in Neurodegenerative Disorders (J.H., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, PR China
| | - Jin Xue
- From the Department of Neurology (Y.Y., Z.L., X.H., W.L., J.N., Y.H., P.L., X.H., Q.S., Y.T., B.J., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.) and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases (H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Xiangya Hospital, Department of Neurology (L.H.), the Third Xiangya Hospital, Laboratory of Medical Genetics (J.X., R.D., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), and Key Laboratory of Hunan Province in Neurodegenerative Disorders (J.H., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, PR China
| | - Qiying Sun
- From the Department of Neurology (Y.Y., Z.L., X.H., W.L., J.N., Y.H., P.L., X.H., Q.S., Y.T., B.J., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.) and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases (H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Xiangya Hospital, Department of Neurology (L.H.), the Third Xiangya Hospital, Laboratory of Medical Genetics (J.X., R.D., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), and Key Laboratory of Hunan Province in Neurodegenerative Disorders (J.H., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, PR China
| | - Yun Tian
- From the Department of Neurology (Y.Y., Z.L., X.H., W.L., J.N., Y.H., P.L., X.H., Q.S., Y.T., B.J., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.) and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases (H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Xiangya Hospital, Department of Neurology (L.H.), the Third Xiangya Hospital, Laboratory of Medical Genetics (J.X., R.D., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), and Key Laboratory of Hunan Province in Neurodegenerative Disorders (J.H., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, PR China
| | - Bin Jiao
- From the Department of Neurology (Y.Y., Z.L., X.H., W.L., J.N., Y.H., P.L., X.H., Q.S., Y.T., B.J., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.) and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases (H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Xiangya Hospital, Department of Neurology (L.H.), the Third Xiangya Hospital, Laboratory of Medical Genetics (J.X., R.D., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), and Key Laboratory of Hunan Province in Neurodegenerative Disorders (J.H., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, PR China
| | - Ranhui Duan
- From the Department of Neurology (Y.Y., Z.L., X.H., W.L., J.N., Y.H., P.L., X.H., Q.S., Y.T., B.J., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.) and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases (H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Xiangya Hospital, Department of Neurology (L.H.), the Third Xiangya Hospital, Laboratory of Medical Genetics (J.X., R.D., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), and Key Laboratory of Hunan Province in Neurodegenerative Disorders (J.H., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, PR China
| | - Hong Jiang
- From the Department of Neurology (Y.Y., Z.L., X.H., W.L., J.N., Y.H., P.L., X.H., Q.S., Y.T., B.J., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.) and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases (H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Xiangya Hospital, Department of Neurology (L.H.), the Third Xiangya Hospital, Laboratory of Medical Genetics (J.X., R.D., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), and Key Laboratory of Hunan Province in Neurodegenerative Disorders (J.H., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, PR China
| | - Lu Shen
- From the Department of Neurology (Y.Y., Z.L., X.H., W.L., J.N., Y.H., P.L., X.H., Q.S., Y.T., B.J., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.) and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases (H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Xiangya Hospital, Department of Neurology (L.H.), the Third Xiangya Hospital, Laboratory of Medical Genetics (J.X., R.D., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), and Key Laboratory of Hunan Province in Neurodegenerative Disorders (J.H., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, PR China
| | - Beisha Tang
- From the Department of Neurology (Y.Y., Z.L., X.H., W.L., J.N., Y.H., P.L., X.H., Q.S., Y.T., B.J., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.) and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases (H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Xiangya Hospital, Department of Neurology (L.H.), the Third Xiangya Hospital, Laboratory of Medical Genetics (J.X., R.D., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), and Key Laboratory of Hunan Province in Neurodegenerative Disorders (J.H., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, PR China
| | - Junling Wang
- From the Department of Neurology (Y.Y., Z.L., X.H., W.L., J.N., Y.H., P.L., X.H., Q.S., Y.T., B.J., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.) and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases (H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Xiangya Hospital, Department of Neurology (L.H.), the Third Xiangya Hospital, Laboratory of Medical Genetics (J.X., R.D., H.J., L.S, B.T., J.W.), and Key Laboratory of Hunan Province in Neurodegenerative Disorders (J.H., L.S, B.T., J.W.), Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, PR China.
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Lattante S, Marangi G, Doronzio PN, Conte A, Bisogni G, Zollino M, Sabatelli M. High-Throughput Genetic Testing in ALS: The Challenging Path of Variant Classification Considering the ACMG Guidelines. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11101123. [PMID: 32987860 PMCID: PMC7600768 DOI: 10.3390/genes11101123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of high-throughput sequencing technologies and screening of big patient cohorts with familial and sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) led to the identification of a significant number of genetic variants, which are sometimes difficult to interpret. The American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) provided guidelines to help molecular geneticists and pathologists to interpret variants found in laboratory testing. We assessed the application of the ACMG criteria to ALS-related variants, combining data from literature with our experience. We analyzed a cohort of 498 ALS patients using massive parallel sequencing of ALS-associated genes and identified 280 variants with a minor allele frequency < 1%. Examining all variants using the ACMG criteria, thus considering the type of variant, inheritance, familial segregation, and possible functional studies, we classified 20 variants as “pathogenic”. In conclusion, ALS’s genetic complexity, such as oligogenic inheritance, presence of genes acting as risk factors, and reduced penetrance, needs to be considered when interpreting variants. The goal of this work is to provide helpful suggestions to geneticists and clinicians dealing with ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Lattante
- Section of Genomic Medicine, Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168 Roma, Italy; (S.L.); (P.N.D.); (M.Z.)
- Complex Operational Unit of Medical Genetics, Department of Laboratory and Infectious Disease Sciences, A. Gemelli University Hospital Foundation IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Marangi
- Section of Genomic Medicine, Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168 Roma, Italy; (S.L.); (P.N.D.); (M.Z.)
- Complex Operational Unit of Medical Genetics, Department of Laboratory and Infectious Disease Sciences, A. Gemelli University Hospital Foundation IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0630154606
| | - Paolo Niccolò Doronzio
- Section of Genomic Medicine, Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168 Roma, Italy; (S.L.); (P.N.D.); (M.Z.)
- Complex Operational Unit of Medical Genetics, Department of Laboratory and Infectious Disease Sciences, A. Gemelli University Hospital Foundation IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Amelia Conte
- Adult NEMO Clinical Center, Complex Operational Unit of Neurology, Department of Aging, Neurological, Orthopedic and Head-Neck Sciences, A. Gemelli University Hospital Foundation IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy; (A.C.); (G.B.); (M.S.)
| | - Giulia Bisogni
- Adult NEMO Clinical Center, Complex Operational Unit of Neurology, Department of Aging, Neurological, Orthopedic and Head-Neck Sciences, A. Gemelli University Hospital Foundation IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy; (A.C.); (G.B.); (M.S.)
| | - Marcella Zollino
- Section of Genomic Medicine, Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168 Roma, Italy; (S.L.); (P.N.D.); (M.Z.)
- Complex Operational Unit of Medical Genetics, Department of Laboratory and Infectious Disease Sciences, A. Gemelli University Hospital Foundation IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Mario Sabatelli
- Adult NEMO Clinical Center, Complex Operational Unit of Neurology, Department of Aging, Neurological, Orthopedic and Head-Neck Sciences, A. Gemelli University Hospital Foundation IRCCS, 00168 Roma, Italy; (A.C.); (G.B.); (M.S.)
- Section of Neurology, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168 Roma, Italy
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25
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Ungaro C, Sprovieri T, Morello G, Perrone B, Spampinato AG, Simone IL, Trojsi F, Monsurrò MR, Spataro R, La Bella V, Andò S, Cavallaro S, Conforti FL. Genetic investigation of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients in south Italy: a two-decade analysis. Neurobiol Aging 2020; 99:99.e7-99.e14. [PMID: 32951934 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2020.08.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/22/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a multifactorial disease characterized by the interplay of genetic and environmental factors. In the majority of cases, ALS is sporadic, whereas familial forms occur in less than 10% of patients. Herein, we present the results of molecular analyses performed in a large cohort of Italian ALS patients, focusing on novel and already described variations in ALS-linked genes. Our analysis revealed that more than 10% of tested patients carried a mutation in one of the major ALS genes, with C9orf72 hexanucleotide expansion being the most common mutation. In addition, our study confirmed a significant association between ALS patients carrying the ATNX-1 intermediate repeat and the pathological C9orf72 expansion, supporting the involvement of this risk factor in neuronal degeneration. Overall, our study broadens the known mutational spectrum in ALS and provides new insights for a more accurate view of the genetic pattern of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmine Ungaro
- Department of Earth and Environment, Institute of Atmospheric Pollution (IIA), National Research Council (CNR), Rende (CS), Italy
| | - Teresa Sprovieri
- Department of Earth and Environment, Institute of Atmospheric Pollution (IIA), National Research Council (CNR), Rende (CS), Italy
| | - Giovanna Morello
- Department of Biomedical Science, Institute for Research and Biomedical Innovation (IRIB), National Research Council (CNR), Catania, Italy
| | - Benedetta Perrone
- Department of Pharmacy and Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende (CS), Italy
| | - Antonio Gianmaria Spampinato
- Department of Biomedical Science, Institute for Research and Biomedical Innovation (IRIB), National Research Council (CNR), Catania, Italy
| | - Isabella Laura Simone
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neurosciences and Sense Organs, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Francesca Trojsi
- Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, MRI Research Center SUN-FISM, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Rosaria Monsurrò
- Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, MRI Research Center SUN-FISM, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | | | - Vincenzo La Bella
- Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neurosciences, ALS Clinical Research Center and Laboratory of Neurochemistry, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Andò
- Department of Pharmacy and Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende (CS), Italy; Centro Sanitario, Università della Calabria, Rende (CS), Italy
| | - Sebastiano Cavallaro
- Department of Biomedical Science, Institute for Research and Biomedical Innovation (IRIB), National Research Council (CNR), Catania, Italy
| | - Francesca Luisa Conforti
- Department of Pharmacy and Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende (CS), Italy.
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26
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Guerreiro R, Gibbons E, Tábuas-Pereira M, Kun-Rodrigues C, Santo GC, Bras J. Genetic architecture of common non-Alzheimer's disease dementias. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 142:104946. [PMID: 32439597 PMCID: PMC8207829 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.104946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Revised: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and vascular dementia (VaD) are the most common forms of dementia after Alzheimer's disease (AD). The heterogeneity of these disorders and/or the clinical overlap with other diseases hinder the study of their genetic components. Even though Mendelian dementias are rare, the study of these forms of disease can have a significant impact in the lives of patients and families and have successfully brought to the fore many of the genes currently known to be involved in FTD and VaD, starting to give us a glimpse of the molecular mechanisms underlying these phenotypes. More recently, genome-wide association studies have also pointed to disease risk-associated loci. This has been particularly important for DLB where familial forms of disease are very rarely described. In this review we systematically describe the Mendelian and risk genes involved in these non-AD dementias in an effort to contribute to a better understanding of their genetic architecture, find differences and commonalities between different dementia phenotypes, and uncover areas that would benefit from more intense research endeavors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Guerreiro
- Center for Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA; Division of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, Grand Rapids, MI, USA.
| | - Elizabeth Gibbons
- Center for Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Miguel Tábuas-Pereira
- Department of Neurology, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Celia Kun-Rodrigues
- Center for Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Gustavo C Santo
- Department of Neurology, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Jose Bras
- Center for Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA; Division of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
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27
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Gonçalves JPN, de Andrade HMT, Cintra VP, Bonadia LC, Leoni TB, de Albuquerque M, Martins MP, de Borba FC, Couteiro RED, de Oliveira DS, Claudino R, Gonçalves MVM, Dourado ME, de Souza LC, Teixeira AL, de Godoy Rousseff Prado L, Tumas V, Oliveira ASB, Nucci A, Lopes-Cendes I, Marques W, França MC. CAG repeats ≥ 34 in Ataxin-1 gene are associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in a Brazilian cohort. J Neurol Sci 2020; 414:116842. [PMID: 32339968 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2020.116842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Little is known about the genetic basis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) outside Europe and US. In this study, we investigated whether intermediate CAG expansions at ATXN1 were associated to ALS in the Brazilian population. To accomplish that, representative samples from 411 unrelated patients and 436 neurologically normal controls from 6 centers spread over the territory were genotyped to quantify ATXN1 expansions. We found that ATXN1 intermediate-length expansion (≥34 CAG repeats) are associated with the disease (odds ratio = 2.19, 95% CI = 1.081-4.441, p = .026). Most ATXN1-positive patients had classical phenotype, but some of them presented predominant lower motor neuron involvement. None of them had associated ataxia. Frontotemporal dementia was concomitantly found in 12.5% of patients carrying the intermediate ATXN1 expansion. Further studies are needed to validate these findings and to understand the pathophysiological mechanisms that connect ataxin-1 and ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Pedro Nunes Gonçalves
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Rua Tessália Vieira de Camargo, 126, Cidade Universitária "Zeferino Vaz", 13083-887 Campinas, SP, Brazil.
| | - Helen Maia Tavares de Andrade
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Rua Tessália Vieira de Camargo, 126, Cidade Universitária "Zeferino Vaz", 13083-887 Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Vívian Pedigone Cintra
- Department of Neurosciences and Behavior Sciences, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo (HCFMRP-USP), Campus Universitário s/n Monte Alegre, 14048-900 Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Luciana Cardoso Bonadia
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Rua Tessália Vieira de Camargo, 126, Cidade Universitária "Zeferino Vaz", 13083-887 Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Tauana Bernardes Leoni
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Rua Tessália Vieira de Camargo, 126, Cidade Universitária "Zeferino Vaz", 13083-887 Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Milena de Albuquerque
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Rua Tessália Vieira de Camargo, 126, Cidade Universitária "Zeferino Vaz", 13083-887 Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Melina Pazian Martins
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Rua Tessália Vieira de Camargo, 126, Cidade Universitária "Zeferino Vaz", 13083-887 Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Fabrício Castro de Borba
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Rua Tessália Vieira de Camargo, 126, Cidade Universitária "Zeferino Vaz", 13083-887 Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Rafael Esteves Duarte Couteiro
- Department of Neurosciences and Behavior Sciences, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo (HCFMRP-USP), Campus Universitário s/n Monte Alegre, 14048-900 Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Daniel Sabino de Oliveira
- Department of Neurosciences and Behavior Sciences, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo (HCFMRP-USP), Campus Universitário s/n Monte Alegre, 14048-900 Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Rinaldo Claudino
- Department of Neurology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário Reitor João David Ferreira Lima, Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | | | - Mario Emilio Dourado
- Department of Integrative Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Av. Nilo Peçanha, 620, Campus Universitário Lagoa Nova, 59012-300 Natal, RN, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Cruz de Souza
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculdade de Medicina Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Alfredo Balena, 190, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Antônio Lúcio Teixeira
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculdade de Medicina Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Alfredo Balena, 190, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Laura de Godoy Rousseff Prado
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculdade de Medicina Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Alfredo Balena, 190, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Vitor Tumas
- Department of Neurosciences and Behavior Sciences, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo (HCFMRP-USP), Campus Universitário s/n Monte Alegre, 14048-900 Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Acary Souza Bulle Oliveira
- Department of Neurology, Neuromuscular Disorders Unit, Federal University of São Paulo, Rua Estado de Israel, 899, Vila Mariana, 04022-002 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Anamarli Nucci
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Rua Tessália Vieira de Camargo, 126, Cidade Universitária "Zeferino Vaz", 13083-887 Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Iscia Lopes-Cendes
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Rua Tessália Vieira de Camargo, 126, Cidade Universitária "Zeferino Vaz", 13083-887 Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Wilson Marques
- Department of Neurosciences and Behavior Sciences, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo (HCFMRP-USP), Campus Universitário s/n Monte Alegre, 14048-900 Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcondes C França
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Rua Tessália Vieira de Camargo, 126, Cidade Universitária "Zeferino Vaz", 13083-887 Campinas, SP, Brazil
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28
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Perrone B, Conforti FL. Common mutations of interest in the diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: how common are common mutations in ALS genes? Expert Rev Mol Diagn 2020; 20:703-714. [PMID: 32497448 DOI: 10.1080/14737159.2020.1779060] [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] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a complex neurodegenerative disease predominantly affecting upper and lower motor neurons. Diagnosis of this devastating pathology is very difficult because the high degree of clinical heterogeneity with which it occurs and until now, no truly effective treatment exists. AREAS COVERED Molecular diagnosis may be a valuable tool for dissecting out ALS complex heterogeneity and for identifying new molecular mechanisms underlying the characteristic selective degeneration and death of motor neurons. To date, pathogenic variants in ALS genes are known to be present in up to 70% of familial and 10% of apparently sporadic ALS cases and can be associated with risks for ALS only or risks for other neurodegenerative diseases. This paper shows the procedure currently used in diagnostic laboratories to investigate most frequent mutations in ALS and evaluating the utility of involved molecular techniques as potential tools to discriminate 'common mutations' in ALS patients. EXPERT OPINION Genetic testing may allow for establishing an accurate pathological diagnosis and a more precise stratification of patient groups in future drug trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedetta Perrone
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria , Arcavacata di Rende (Cosenza), Italy
| | - Francesca Luisa Conforti
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria , Arcavacata di Rende (Cosenza), Italy
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29
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Frequency and distribution of polyQ disease intermediate-length repeat alleles in healthy Italian population. Neurol Sci 2020; 41:1475-1482. [PMID: 31940111 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-019-04233-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Huntington disease (HD) and spinocerebellar ataxia type 1-2-17 (SCA1-2-17) are adult-onset autosomal dominant diseases, caused by triplet repeat expansions in the HTT, ATXN1, ATXN2, and TBP genes. Alleles with a repeat number just below the pathological threshold are associated with reduced penetrance and meiotic instability and are defined as intermediate alleles (IAs). OBJECTIVES We aimed to determine the frequencies of IAs in healthy Italian subjects and to compare the proportion of the IAs with the prevalence of the respective diseases. METHODS We analyzed the triplet repeat size in HTT, ATXN1, ATXN2, and TBP genes in the DNA samples from 729 consecutive adult healthy Italian subjects. RESULTS IAs associated with reduced penetrance were found in ATXN2 gene (1 subject, 0.1%) and TBP gene (0.82%). IAs at risk for meiotic instability were found in HTT (5.3%) and ATXN2 genes (2.7%). In ATXN1, we found a low percentage of IAs (0.4%). Alleles lacking the common CAT interruption within the CAG sequence were also rare (0.3%). CONCLUSIONS The high frequencies of IAs in HTT and ATXN2 genes suggest a correlation with the prevalence of the diseases in our population and support the hypothesis that IAs could represent a reservoir of new pathological expansions. On the opposite, ATXN1-IA were very rare in respect to the prevalence of SCA1 in our country, and TBP- IA were more frequent than expected, suggesting that other mechanisms could influence the occurrence of novel pathological expansions.
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30
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Tazelaar GHP, Boeynaems S, De Decker M, van Vugt JJFA, Kool L, Goedee HS, McLaughlin RL, Sproviero W, Iacoangeli A, Moisse M, Jacquemyn M, Daelemans D, Dekker AM, van der Spek RA, Westeneng HJ, Kenna KP, Assialioui A, Da Silva N, Povedano M, Pardina JSM, Hardiman O, Salachas F, Millecamps S, Vourc'h P, Corcia P, Couratier P, Morrison KE, Shaw PJ, Shaw CE, Pasterkamp RJ, Landers JE, Van Den Bosch L, Robberecht W, Al-Chalabi A, van den Berg LH, Van Damme P, Veldink JH, van Es MA. ATXN1 repeat expansions confer risk for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and contribute to TDP-43 mislocalization. Brain Commun 2020; 2:fcaa064. [PMID: 32954321 PMCID: PMC7425293 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcaa064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasingly, repeat expansions are being identified as part of the complex genetic architecture of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. To date, several repeat expansions have been genetically associated with the disease: intronic repeat expansions in C9orf72, polyglutamine expansions in ATXN2 and polyalanine expansions in NIPA1. Together with previously published data, the identification of an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patient with a family history of spinocerebellar ataxia type 1, caused by polyglutamine expansions in ATXN1, suggested a similar disease association for the repeat expansion in ATXN1. We, therefore, performed a large-scale international study in 11 700 individuals, in which we showed a significant association between intermediate ATXN1 repeat expansions and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (P = 3.33 × 10-7). Subsequent functional experiments have shown that ATXN1 reduces the nucleocytoplasmic ratio of TDP-43 and enhances amyotrophic lateral sclerosis phenotypes in Drosophila, further emphasizing the role of polyglutamine repeat expansions in the pathophysiology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gijs H P Tazelaar
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center,
Utrecht, University of Utrecht, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Steven Boeynaems
- Division of Experimental Neurology, Department of Neurosciences, KU
Leuven—University of Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium,Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Center for Brain & Disease
Research, Leuven 3000, Belgium,Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine,
Stanford, CA 94305-5120, USA
| | - Mathias De Decker
- Division of Experimental Neurology, Department of Neurosciences, KU
Leuven—University of Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium,Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Center for Brain & Disease
Research, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Joke J F A van Vugt
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center,
Utrecht, University of Utrecht, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Lindy Kool
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center,
Utrecht, University of Utrecht, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - H Stephan Goedee
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center,
Utrecht, University of Utrecht, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Russell L McLaughlin
- Population Genetics Laboratory, Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College
Dublin, Dublin D02 PN40, Republic of Ireland
| | - William Sproviero
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical
Neuroscience Institute and United Kingdom Dementia Research Institute, King’s College
London, London SE5 9NU, UK
| | - Alfredo Iacoangeli
- Department of Biostatistics & Health Informatics, Institute of Psychiatry,
Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE5 9NU, UK
| | - Matthieu Moisse
- Division of Experimental Neurology, Department of Neurosciences, KU
Leuven—University of Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium,Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Center for Brain & Disease
Research, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Maarten Jacquemyn
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Laboratory of Virology and
Chemotherapy, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dirk Daelemans
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Laboratory of Virology and
Chemotherapy, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Annelot M Dekker
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center,
Utrecht, University of Utrecht, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Rick A van der Spek
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center,
Utrecht, University of Utrecht, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Henk-Jan Westeneng
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center,
Utrecht, University of Utrecht, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Kevin P Kenna
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center,
Utrecht, University of Utrecht, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Abdelilah Assialioui
- Servei de Neurologia, IDIBELL-Hospital de Bellvitge, Hospitalet de
Llobregat, Barcelona 08908, Spain
| | - Nica Da Silva
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical
Neuroscience Institute and United Kingdom Dementia Research Institute, King’s College
London, London SE5 9NU, UK
| | | | - Mónica Povedano
- Servei de Neurologia, IDIBELL-Hospital de Bellvitge, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona 08908, Spain
| | | | - Orla Hardiman
- Academic Unit of Neurology, Trinity College Dublin, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Dublin D02 PN40, Republic of Ireland.,Department of Neurology, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin D02 PN40, Republic of Ireland
| | - François Salachas
- Centre de compétence SLA-Département de Neurologie, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris 75651, France.,Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Epinière, INSERM U1127, CNRS UMR7225, Sorbonne Universités, Paris 75651, France
| | - Stéphanie Millecamps
- Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Epinière, INSERM U1127, CNRS UMR7225, Sorbonne Universités, Paris 75651, France
| | - Patrick Vourc'h
- INSERM U930, Université François Rabelais, Tours 92120, France
| | - Philippe Corcia
- Centre de compétence SLA-fédération Tours-Limoges, Tours 92120, France
| | - Philippe Couratier
- Centre de compétence SLA-fédération Tours-Limoges, Limoges 87100, France
| | - Karen E Morrison
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Pamela J Shaw
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK
| | - Christopher E Shaw
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute and United Kingdom Dementia Research Institute, King's College London, London SE5 9NU, UK.,Department of Neurology, King's College Hospital, London SE5 9RS, UK
| | - R Jeroen Pasterkamp
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Utrecht University, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - John E Landers
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA
| | - Ludo Van Den Bosch
- Division of Experimental Neurology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium.,Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Wim Robberecht
- Division of Experimental Neurology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium.,Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven 3000, Belgium.,Department of Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Ammar Al-Chalabi
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute and United Kingdom Dementia Research Institute, King's College London, London SE5 9NU, UK.,Department of Neurology, King's College Hospital, London SE5 9RS, UK
| | - Leonard H van den Berg
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center, Utrecht, University of Utrecht, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Philip Van Damme
- Division of Experimental Neurology, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium.,Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven 3000, Belgium.,Department of Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Jan H Veldink
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center, Utrecht, University of Utrecht, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Michael A van Es
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center, Utrecht, University of Utrecht, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Role for ATXN1, ATXN2, and HTT intermediate repeats in frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Neurobiol Aging 2020; 87:139.e1-139.e7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2019.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2019] [Revised: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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32
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Mejzini R, Flynn LL, Pitout IL, Fletcher S, Wilton SD, Akkari PA. ALS Genetics, Mechanisms, and Therapeutics: Where Are We Now? Front Neurosci 2019; 13:1310. [PMID: 31866818 PMCID: PMC6909825 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.01310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 435] [Impact Index Per Article: 87.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The scientific landscape surrounding amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) continues to shift as the number of genes associated with the disease risk and pathogenesis, and the cellular processes involved, continues to grow. Despite decades of intense research and over 50 potentially causative or disease-modifying genes identified, etiology remains unexplained and treatment options remain limited for the majority of ALS patients. Various factors have contributed to the slow progress in understanding and developing therapeutics for this disease. Here, we review the genetic basis of ALS, highlighting factors that have contributed to the elusiveness of genetic heritability. The most commonly mutated ALS-linked genes are reviewed with an emphasis on disease-causing mechanisms. The cellular processes involved in ALS pathogenesis are discussed, with evidence implicating their involvement in ALS summarized. Past and present therapeutic strategies and the benefits and limitations of the model systems available to ALS researchers are discussed with future directions for research that may lead to effective treatment strategies outlined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Mejzini
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
- The Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Loren L. Flynn
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
- The Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Perth, WA, Australia
- Centre for Neuromuscular and Neurological Disorders, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Ianthe L. Pitout
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
- The Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Perth, WA, Australia
- Centre for Neuromuscular and Neurological Disorders, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Sue Fletcher
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
- The Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Perth, WA, Australia
- Centre for Neuromuscular and Neurological Disorders, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Steve D. Wilton
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
- The Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Perth, WA, Australia
- Centre for Neuromuscular and Neurological Disorders, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - P. Anthony Akkari
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
- The Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Perth, WA, Australia
- Centre for Neuromuscular and Neurological Disorders, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
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33
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Lattante S, Doronzio PN, Marangi G, Conte A, Bisogni G, Bernardo D, Russo T, Lamberti D, Patrizi S, Apollo FP, Lunetta C, Scarlino S, Pozzi L, Zollino M, Riva N, Sabatelli M. Coexistence of variants in TBK1 and in other ALS-related genes elucidates an oligogenic model of pathogenesis in sporadic ALS. Neurobiol Aging 2019; 84:239.e9-239.e14. [PMID: 31000212 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2019.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2018] [Revised: 03/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Variants in tank-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) are responsible for a significant proportion of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) cases. In the present study, we analyzed variants in TBK1 extracted by targeted sequencing of 32 genes in a group of 406 Italian patients with ALS. We identified 7 different TBK1 variants in 7 sporadic cases, resulting in a frequency of 1.7%. Three patients had missense variants (p.R357Q, p.R358H, and p.R724C), one patient had a small deletion (p.E618del), and 3 had truncating variants (p.Y482*, p.R229*, and p.N681*). Notably, we found that 4 patients had an additional variant in ALS-related genes: 2 in OPTN and 2 in the 3'UTR region of FUS. By studying an independent group of 7 TBK1-mutated patients previously reported, we found another variant in the 3'UTR region of FUS in one patient. The presence of a second variant in TBK1 variant carriers is an interesting finding that needs to be investigated in larger cohorts of patients. These findings suggest that TBK1 belongs to the category of genes conferring a significantly increased risk but not sufficient to cause disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Lattante
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Unità Operativa Complessa di Genetica Medica, Roma, Italy; Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Istituto di Medicina Genomica, Roma, Italy
| | - Paolo Niccolò Doronzio
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Unità Operativa Complessa di Genetica Medica, Roma, Italy; Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Istituto di Medicina Genomica, Roma, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Marangi
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Unità Operativa Complessa di Genetica Medica, Roma, Italy; Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Istituto di Medicina Genomica, Roma, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Tommaso Russo
- Dipartimento Scienze dell'invecchiamento, Neurologiche, Ortopediche e della testa-collo, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, UOC Neurologia, Roma, Italy; Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Istituto di Neurologia, Roma, Italy
| | - Dante Lamberti
- Unità di Oncogenomica ed Epigenetica, IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori Regina Elena, Roma, Italy
| | - Sara Patrizi
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Unità Operativa Complessa di Genetica Medica, Roma, Italy; Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Istituto di Medicina Genomica, Roma, Italy
| | - Francesco Paolo Apollo
- Divisione di Neurologia, Ospedale Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza IRCCS, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | | | - Stefania Scarlino
- Divisione di Neuroscienze, Dipartimento di Neurologia, Istituto di Neurologia Sperimentale (INSPE), Istituto Scientifico San Raffaele, Milano, Italy
| | - Laura Pozzi
- Divisione di Neuroscienze, Dipartimento di Neurologia, Istituto di Neurologia Sperimentale (INSPE), Istituto Scientifico San Raffaele, Milano, Italy
| | - Marcella Zollino
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Unità Operativa Complessa di Genetica Medica, Roma, Italy; Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Istituto di Medicina Genomica, Roma, Italy
| | - Nilo Riva
- Divisione di Neuroscienze, Dipartimento di Neurologia, Istituto di Neurologia Sperimentale (INSPE), Istituto Scientifico San Raffaele, Milano, Italy
| | - Mario Sabatelli
- Centro Clinico NEMO, Roma, Italy; Dipartimento Scienze dell'invecchiamento, Neurologiche, Ortopediche e della testa-collo, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, UOC Neurologia, Roma, Italy; Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Istituto di Neurologia, Roma, Italy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monia B. Hammer
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Andrew B. Singleton
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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HTT gene intermediate alleles in neurodegeneration: evidence for association with Alzheimer's disease. Neurobiol Aging 2019; 76:215.e9-215.e14. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2018.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2018] [Revised: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Analysis of CACNA1A CAG repeat lengths in patients with familial ALS. Neurobiol Aging 2019; 74:235.e5-235.e8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2018.09.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2018] [Revised: 08/27/2018] [Accepted: 09/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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