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Gao S, Wang Y, Wang J, Dong Y. Leveraging explainable deep learning methodologies to elucidate the biological underpinnings of Huntington's disease using single-cell RNA sequencing data. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:930. [PMID: 39367331 PMCID: PMC11451194 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10855-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 09/30/2024] [Indexed: 10/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Huntington's disease (HD) is a hereditary neurological disorder caused by mutations in HTT, leading to neuronal degeneration. Traditionally, HD is associated with the misfolding and aggregation of mutant huntingtin due to an extended polyglutamine domain encoded by an expanded CAG tract. However, recent research has also highlighted the role of global transcriptional dysregulation in HD pathology. However, understanding the intricate relationship between mRNA expression and HD at the cellular level remains challenging. Our study aimed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of HD pathology using single-cell sequencing data. RESULTS We used single-cell RNA sequencing analysis to determine differential gene expression patterns between healthy and HD cells. HD cells were effectively modeled using a residual neural network (ResNet), which outperformed traditional and convolutional neural networks. Despite the efficacy of our approach, the F1 score for the test set was 96.53%. Using the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) algorithm, we identified genes influencing HD prediction and revealed their roles in HD pathobiology, such as in the regulation of cellular iron metabolism and mitochondrial function. SHAP analysis also revealed low-abundance genes that were overlooked by traditional differential expression analysis, emphasizing its effectiveness in identifying biologically relevant genes for distinguishing between healthy and HD cells. Overall, the integration of single-cell RNA sequencing data and deep learning models provides valuable insights into HD pathology. CONCLUSION We developed the model capable of analyzing HD at single-cell transcriptomic level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shichen Gao
- School of Life Sciences, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, China
- College of Biology and Food Engineering, Chuzhou University, Chuzhou, 239000, China
| | - Yadong Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Anhui University, Hefei, 230601, China
- College of Biology and Food Engineering, Chuzhou University, Chuzhou, 239000, China
| | - Jiajia Wang
- College of Biology and Food Engineering, Chuzhou University, Chuzhou, 239000, China
| | - Yan Dong
- College of Biology and Food Engineering, Chuzhou University, Chuzhou, 239000, China.
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2
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Maiuri T, Bazan CB, Harding RJ, Begeja N, Kam TI, Byrne LM, Rodrigues FB, Warner MM, Neuman K, Mansoor M, Badiee M, Dasovich M, Wang K, Thompson LM, Leung AKL, Andres SN, Wild EJ, Dawson TM, Dawson VL, Arrowsmith CH, Truant R. Poly ADP-ribose signaling is dysregulated in Huntington disease. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2318098121. [PMID: 39331414 PMCID: PMC11459172 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2318098121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2024] [Indexed: 09/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is a genetic neurodegenerative disease caused by cytosine, adenine, guanine (CAG) expansion in the Huntingtin (HTT) gene, translating to an expanded polyglutamine tract in the HTT protein. Age at disease onset correlates to CAG repeat length but varies by decades between individuals with identical repeat lengths. Genome-wide association studies link HD modification to DNA repair and mitochondrial health pathways. Clinical studies show elevated DNA damage in HD, even at the premanifest stage. A major DNA repair node influencing neurodegenerative disease is the PARP pathway. Accumulation of poly adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-ribose (PAR) has been implicated in Alzheimer and Parkinson diseases, as well as cerebellar ataxia. We report that HD mutation carriers have lower cerebrospinal fluid PAR levels than healthy controls, starting at the premanifest stage. Human HD induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons and patient-derived fibroblasts have diminished PAR response in the context of elevated DNA damage. We have defined a PAR-binding motif in HTT, detected HTT complexed with PARylated proteins in human cells during stress, and localized HTT to mitotic chromosomes upon inhibition of PAR degradation. Direct HTT PAR binding was measured by fluorescence polarization and visualized by atomic force microscopy at the single molecule level. While wild-type and mutant HTT did not differ in their PAR binding ability, purified wild-type HTT protein increased in vitro PARP1 activity while mutant HTT did not. These results provide insight into an early molecular mechanism of HD, suggesting possible targets for the design of early preventive therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Maiuri
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ONL8S 3Z5, Canada
| | - Carlos Barba Bazan
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ONL8S 3Z5, Canada
| | - Rachel J. Harding
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, TorontoONM5S 3M2, Canada
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONM5G 1L7, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONM5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Nola Begeja
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ONL8S 3Z5, Canada
| | - Tae-In Kam
- Neurodegeneration and Stem Cell Programs, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21205
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore,MD21205
| | - Lauren M. Byrne
- University College London Huntington Disease Centre, University College London Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, LondonWC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
| | - Filipe B. Rodrigues
- University College London Huntington Disease Centre, University College London Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, LondonWC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
| | - Monica M. Warner
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ONL8S 3Z5, Canada
- Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ONL8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Kaitlyn Neuman
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ONL8S 3Z5, Canada
| | - Muqtasid Mansoor
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ONL8S 3Z5, Canada
| | - Mohsen Badiee
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD21205
| | - Morgan Dasovich
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD21205
| | - Keona Wang
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA92697
| | - Leslie M. Thompson
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA92697
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA92868
| | - Anthony K. L. Leung
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD21205
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore,MD21205
- Department of Genetic Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD21205
- Department of Oncology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD21205
| | - Sara N. Andres
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ONL8S 3Z5, Canada
- Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ONL8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Edward J. Wild
- University College London Huntington Disease Centre, University College London Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, LondonWC1N 3BG, United Kingdom
| | - Ted M. Dawson
- Neurodegeneration and Stem Cell Programs, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21205
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore,MD21205
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21205
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21205
| | - Valina L. Dawson
- Neurodegeneration and Stem Cell Programs, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21205
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore,MD21205
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21205
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21205
| | - Cheryl H. Arrowsmith
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONM5G 1L7, Canada
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONM5G 1L7, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONM5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Ray Truant
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ONL8S 3Z5, Canada
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3
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Li R, Miao Z, Liu Y, Chen X, Wang H, Su J, Chen J. The Brain-Gut-Bone Axis in Neurodegenerative Diseases: Insights, Challenges, and Future Prospects. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2307971. [PMID: 39120490 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202307971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are global health challenges characterized by the progressive degeneration of nerve cells, leading to cognitive and motor impairments. The brain-gut-bone axis, a complex network that modulates multiple physiological systems, has gained increasing attention owing to its profound effects on the occurrence and development of neurodegenerative diseases. No comprehensive review has been conducted to clarify the triangular relationship involving the brain-gut-bone axis and its potential for innovative therapies for neurodegenerative disorders. In light of this, a new perspective is aimed to propose on the interplay between the brain, gut, and bone systems, highlighting the potential of their dynamic communication in neurodegenerative diseases, as they modulate multiple physiological systems, including the nervous, immune, endocrine, and metabolic systems. Therapeutic strategies for maintaining the balance of the axis, including brain health regulation, intestinal microbiota regulation, and improving skeletal health, are also explored. The intricate physiological interactions within the brain-gut-bone axis pose a challenge in the development of effective treatments that can comprehensively target this system. Furthermore, the safety of these treatments requires further evaluation. This review offers a novel insights and strategies for the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, which have important implications for clinical practice and patient well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Zong Miao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Yu'e Liu
- Tongji University Cancer Center, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital of Tongji University, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Xiao Chen
- Department of Orthopedics, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
- Organoid Research Center, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
| | - Hongxiang Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Jiacan Su
- Department of Orthopedics, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
- Organoid Research Center, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
| | - Juxiang Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
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4
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Pradhan S, Bush K, Zhang N, Pandita RK, Tsai CL, Smith C, Pandlebury DF, Gaikwad S, Leonard F, Nie L, Tao A, Russell W, Yuan S, Choudhary S, Ramos KS, Elferink C, Wairkar YP, Tainer JA, Thompson LM, Pandita TK, Sarkar PS. Chromatin remodeler BRG1 recruits huntingtin to repair DNA double-strand breaks in neurons. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.09.19.613927. [PMID: 39345557 PMCID: PMC11429940 DOI: 10.1101/2024.09.19.613927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/01/2024]
Abstract
Persistent DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are enigmatically implicated in neurodegenerative diseases including Huntington's disease (HD), the inherited late-onset disorder caused by CAG repeat elongations in Huntingtin (HTT). Here we combine biochemistry, computation and molecular cell biology to unveil a mechanism whereby HTT coordinates a Transcription-Coupled Non-Homologous End-Joining (TC-NHEJ) complex. HTT joins TC-NHEJ proteins PNKP, Ku70/80, and XRCC4 with chromatin remodeler Brahma-related Gene 1 (BRG1) to resolve transcription-associated DSBs in brain. HTT recruitment to DSBs in transcriptionally active gene- rich regions is BRG1-dependent while efficient TC-NHEJ protein recruitment is HTT-dependent. Notably, mHTT compromises TC-NHEJ interactions and repair activity, promoting DSB accumulation in HD tissues. Importantly, HTT or PNKP overexpression restores TC-NHEJ in a Drosophila HD model dramatically improving genome integrity, motor defects, and lifespan. Collective results uncover HTT stimulation of DSB repair by organizing a TC-NHEJ complex that is impaired by mHTT thereby implicating dysregulation of transcription-coupled DSB repair in mHTT pathophysiology. Highlights BRG1 recruits HTT and NHEJ components to transcriptionally active DSBs.HTT joins BRG1 and PNKP to efficiently repair transcription related DSBs in brain.Mutant HTT impairs the functional integrity of TC-NHEJ complex for DSB repair.HTT expression improves DSB repair, genome integrity and phenotypes in HD flies.
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5
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D'Egidio F, Castelli V, Lombardozzi G, Ammannito F, Cimini A, d'Angelo M. Therapeutic advances in neural regeneration for Huntington's disease. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:1991-1997. [PMID: 38227527 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.390969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease is a neurodegenerative disease caused by the expansion mutation of a cytosine-adenine-guanine triplet in the exon 1 of the HTT gene which is responsible for the production of the huntingtin (Htt) protein. In physiological conditions, Htt is involved in many cellular processes such as cell signaling, transcriptional regulation, energy metabolism regulation, DNA maintenance, axonal trafficking, and antiapoptotic activity. When the genetic alteration is present, the production of a mutant version of Htt (mHtt) occurs, which is characterized by a plethora of pathogenic activities that, finally, lead to cell death. Among all the cells in which mHtt exerts its dangerous activity, the GABAergic Medium Spiny Neurons seem to be the most affected by the mHtt-induced excitotoxicity both in the cortex and in the striatum. However, as the neurodegeneration proceeds ahead the neuronal loss grows also in other brain areas such as the cerebellum, hypothalamus, thalamus, subthalamic nucleus, globus pallidus, and substantia nigra, determining the variety of symptoms that characterize Huntington's disease. From a clinical point of view, Huntington's disease is characterized by a wide spectrum of symptoms spanning from motor impairment to cognitive disorders and dementia. Huntington's disease shows a prevalence of around 3.92 cases every 100,000 worldwide and an incidence of 0.48 new cases every 100,000/year. To date, there is no available cure for Huntington's disease. Several treatments have been developed so far, aiming to reduce the severity of one or more symptoms to slow down the inexorable decline caused by the disease. In this context, the search for reliable strategies to target the different aspects of Huntington's disease become of the utmost interest. In recent years, a variety of studies demonstrated the detrimental role of neuronal loss in Huntington's disease condition highlighting how the replacement of lost cells would be a reasonable strategy to overcome the neurodegeneration. In this view, numerous have been the attempts in several preclinical models of Huntington's disease to evaluate the feasibility of invasive and non-invasive approaches. Thus, the aim of this review is to offer an overview of the most appealing approaches spanning from stem cell-based cell therapy to extracellular vesicles such as exosomes in light of promoting neurogenesis, discussing the results obtained so far, their limits and the future perspectives regarding the neural regeneration in the context of Huntington's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco D'Egidio
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
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6
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Rosenkrantz JL, Brandorff JE, Raghib S, Kapadia A, Vaine CA, Bragg DC, Farmiloe G, Jacobs FMJ. ZNF91 is an endogenous repressor of the molecular phenotype associated with X-linked dystonia-parkinsonism (XDP). Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2401217121. [PMID: 39102544 PMCID: PMC11331120 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2401217121] [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: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024] Open
Abstract
X-linked dystonia-parkinsonism (XDP) is a severe neurodegenerative disorder resulting from an inherited intronic SINE-Alu-VNTR (SVA) retrotransposon in the TAF1 gene that causes dysregulation of TAF1 transcription. The specific mechanism underlying this dysregulation remains unclear, but it is hypothesized to involve the formation of G-quadruplexes (G4) structures within the XDP-SVA that impede transcription. In this study, we show that ZNF91, a critical repressor of SVA retrotransposons, specifically binds to G4-forming DNA sequences. Further, we found that genetic deletion of ZNF91 exacerbates the molecular phenotype associated with the XDP-SVA insertion in patient cells, while no difference was observed when ZNF91 was deleted from isogenic control cells. Additionally, we observed a significant age-related reduction in ZNF91 expression in whole blood and brain, indicating a progressive loss of repression of the XDP-SVA in XDP. These findings indicate that ZNF91 plays a crucial role in controlling the molecular phenotype associated with XDP. Since ZNF91 binds to G4-forming DNA sequences in SVAs, this suggests that interactions between ZNF91 and G4-forming sequences in the XDP-SVA minimize the severity of the molecular phenotype. Our results showing that ZNF91 expression levels significantly decrease with age provide a potential explanation for the age-related progressive neurodegenerative character of XDP. Collectively, our study provides important insights into the protective role of ZNF91 in XDP pathogenesis and suggests that restoring ZNF91 expression, destabilization of G4s, or targeted repression of the XDP-SVA could be future therapeutic strategies to prevent or treat XDP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jimi L. Rosenkrantz
- Faculty of Science, Evolutionary Neurogenomics, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam1098 XH, The Netherlands
| | - J. Elias Brandorff
- Faculty of Science, Evolutionary Neurogenomics, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam1098 XH, The Netherlands
| | - Sanaz Raghib
- Faculty of Science, Evolutionary Neurogenomics, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam1098 XH, The Netherlands
| | - Ashni Kapadia
- Faculty of Science, Evolutionary Neurogenomics, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam1098 XH, The Netherlands
| | - Christine A. Vaine
- The Collaborative Center for X-linked Dystonia-Parkinsonism, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA02129
| | - D. Cristopher Bragg
- The Collaborative Center for X-linked Dystonia-Parkinsonism, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA02129
| | - Grace Farmiloe
- Faculty of Science, Evolutionary Neurogenomics, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam1098 XH, The Netherlands
| | - Frank M. J. Jacobs
- Faculty of Science, Evolutionary Neurogenomics, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam1098 XH, The Netherlands
- Faculty of Science, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Complex Trait Genetics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam1098 XH, The Netherlands
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7
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Pazzin DB, Previato TTR, Budelon Gonçalves JI, Zanirati G, Xavier FAC, da Costa JC, Marinowic DR. Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and Organoids in Advancing Neuropathology Research and Therapies. Cells 2024; 13:745. [PMID: 38727281 PMCID: PMC11083827 DOI: 10.3390/cells13090745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
This review delves into the groundbreaking impact of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and three-dimensional organoid models in propelling forward neuropathology research. With a focus on neurodegenerative diseases, neuromotor disorders, and related conditions, iPSCs provide a platform for personalized disease modeling, holding significant potential for regenerative therapy and drug discovery. The adaptability of iPSCs, along with associated methodologies, enables the generation of various types of neural cell differentiations and their integration into three-dimensional organoid models, effectively replicating complex tissue structures in vitro. Key advancements in organoid and iPSC generation protocols, alongside the careful selection of donor cell types, are emphasized as critical steps in harnessing these technologies to mitigate tumorigenic risks and other hurdles. Encouragingly, iPSCs show promising outcomes in regenerative therapies, as evidenced by their successful application in animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas Bottega Pazzin
- Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (BraIns), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90610-000, Brazil; (D.B.P.); (T.T.R.P.); (J.I.B.G.); (G.Z.); (F.A.C.X.); (J.C.d.C.)
- Graduate Program in Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Medicine, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90619-900, Brazil
| | - Thales Thor Ramos Previato
- Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (BraIns), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90610-000, Brazil; (D.B.P.); (T.T.R.P.); (J.I.B.G.); (G.Z.); (F.A.C.X.); (J.C.d.C.)
- Graduate Program in Biomedical Gerontology, School of Medicine, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90619-900, Brazil
| | - João Ismael Budelon Gonçalves
- Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (BraIns), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90610-000, Brazil; (D.B.P.); (T.T.R.P.); (J.I.B.G.); (G.Z.); (F.A.C.X.); (J.C.d.C.)
| | - Gabriele Zanirati
- Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (BraIns), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90610-000, Brazil; (D.B.P.); (T.T.R.P.); (J.I.B.G.); (G.Z.); (F.A.C.X.); (J.C.d.C.)
| | - Fernando Antonio Costa Xavier
- Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (BraIns), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90610-000, Brazil; (D.B.P.); (T.T.R.P.); (J.I.B.G.); (G.Z.); (F.A.C.X.); (J.C.d.C.)
| | - Jaderson Costa da Costa
- Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (BraIns), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90610-000, Brazil; (D.B.P.); (T.T.R.P.); (J.I.B.G.); (G.Z.); (F.A.C.X.); (J.C.d.C.)
| | - Daniel Rodrigo Marinowic
- Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (BraIns), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90610-000, Brazil; (D.B.P.); (T.T.R.P.); (J.I.B.G.); (G.Z.); (F.A.C.X.); (J.C.d.C.)
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8
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Anderson R, Das MR, Chang Y, Farenhem K, Schmitz CO, Jain A. CAG repeat expansions create splicing acceptor sites and produce aberrant repeat-containing RNAs. Mol Cell 2024; 84:702-714.e10. [PMID: 38295802 PMCID: PMC10923110 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.01.006] [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: 08/20/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
Expansions of CAG trinucleotide repeats cause several rare neurodegenerative diseases. The disease-causing repeats are translated in multiple reading frames and without an identifiable initiation codon. The molecular mechanism of this repeat-associated non-AUG (RAN) translation is not known. We find that expanded CAG repeats create new splice acceptor sites. Splicing of proximal donors to the repeats produces unexpected repeat-containing transcripts. Upon splicing, depending on the sequences surrounding the donor, CAG repeats may become embedded in AUG-initiated open reading frames. Canonical AUG-initiated translation of these aberrant RNAs may account for proteins that have been attributed to RAN translation. Disruption of the relevant splice donors or the in-frame AUG initiation codons is sufficient to abrogate RAN translation. Our findings provide a molecular explanation for the abnormal translation products observed in CAG trinucleotide repeat expansion disorders and add to the repertoire of mechanisms by which repeat expansion mutations disrupt cellular functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Anderson
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, 455 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 31 Ames Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Michael R Das
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, 455 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 31 Ames Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Yeonji Chang
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, 455 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Kelsey Farenhem
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, 455 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 31 Ames Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Cameron O Schmitz
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, 455 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 31 Ames Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Ankur Jain
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, 455 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 31 Ames Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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9
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Holley SM, Reidling JC, Cepeda C, Wu J, Lim RG, Lau A, Moore C, Miramontes R, Fury B, Orellana I, Neel M, Coleal-Bergum D, Monuki ES, Bauer G, Meshul CK, Levine MS, Thompson LM. Transplanted human neural stem cells rescue phenotypes in zQ175 Huntington's disease mice and innervate the striatum. Mol Ther 2023; 31:3545-3563. [PMID: 37807512 PMCID: PMC10727970 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2023.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD), a genetic neurodegenerative disorder, primarily affects the striatum and cortex with progressive loss of medium-sized spiny neurons (MSNs) and pyramidal neurons, disrupting cortico-striatal circuitry. A promising regenerative therapeutic strategy of transplanting human neural stem cells (hNSCs) is challenged by the need for long-term functional integration. We previously described that, with short-term hNSC transplantation into the striatum of HD R6/2 mice, human cells differentiated into electrophysiologically active immature neurons, improving behavior and biochemical deficits. Here, we show that long-term (8 months) implantation of hNSCs into the striatum of HD zQ175 mice ameliorates behavioral deficits, increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels, and reduces mutant huntingtin (mHTT) accumulation. Patch clamp recordings, immunohistochemistry, single-nucleus RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), and electron microscopy demonstrate that hNSCs differentiate into diverse neuronal populations, including MSN- and interneuron-like cells, and form connections. Single-nucleus RNA-seq analysis also shows restoration of several mHTT-mediated transcriptional changes of endogenous striatal HD mouse cells. Remarkably, engrafted cells receive synaptic inputs, innervate host neurons, and improve membrane and synaptic properties. Overall, the findings support hNSC transplantation for further evaluation and clinical development for HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra M Holley
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Jack C Reidling
- Institute for Memory Impairment and Neurological Disorders, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Carlos Cepeda
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Jie Wu
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Ryan G Lim
- Institute for Memory Impairment and Neurological Disorders, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Alice Lau
- Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Cindy Moore
- Portland VA Medical Center, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Ricardo Miramontes
- Institute for Memory Impairment and Neurological Disorders, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Brian Fury
- Institute for Regenerative Cures, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
| | - Iliana Orellana
- Institute for Memory Impairment and Neurological Disorders, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Michael Neel
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Dane Coleal-Bergum
- Institute for Regenerative Cures, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
| | - Edwin S Monuki
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Center, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Gerhard Bauer
- Institute for Regenerative Cures, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
| | - Charles K Meshul
- Portland VA Medical Center, Portland, OR 97239, USA; Oregon Health & Science University, Department of Behavioral Neuroscience and Pathology, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Michael S Levine
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Brain Research Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Leslie M Thompson
- Institute for Memory Impairment and Neurological Disorders, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Center, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Department of Neurobiology & Behavior University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
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10
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Ganesh S, Chithambaram T, Krishnan NR, Vincent DR, Kaliappan J, Srinivasan K. Exploring Huntington's Disease Diagnosis via Artificial Intelligence Models: A Comprehensive Review. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:3592. [PMID: 38066833 PMCID: PMC10706174 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13233592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2023] [Revised: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Huntington's Disease (HD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive motor dysfunction, cognitive impairment, and psychiatric symptoms. The early and accurate diagnosis of HD is crucial for effective intervention and patient care. This comprehensive review provides a comprehensive overview of the utilization of Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered algorithms in the diagnosis of HD. This review systematically analyses the existing literature to identify key trends, methodologies, and challenges in this emerging field. It also highlights the potential of ML and DL approaches in automating HD diagnosis through the analysis of clinical, genetic, and neuroimaging data. This review also discusses the limitations and ethical considerations associated with these models and suggests future research directions aimed at improving the early detection and management of Huntington's disease. It also serves as a valuable resource for researchers, clinicians, and healthcare professionals interested in the intersection of machine learning and neurodegenerative disease diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sowmiyalakshmi Ganesh
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, Tamil Nadu, India; (S.G.); (T.C.); (J.K.)
| | - Thillai Chithambaram
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, Tamil Nadu, India; (S.G.); (T.C.); (J.K.)
| | - Nadesh Ramu Krishnan
- School of Computer Science Engineering and Information Systems, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, Tamil Nadu, India;
| | - Durai Raj Vincent
- School of Computer Science Engineering and Information Systems, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, Tamil Nadu, India;
| | - Jayakumar Kaliappan
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, Tamil Nadu, India; (S.G.); (T.C.); (J.K.)
| | - Kathiravan Srinivasan
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, Tamil Nadu, India; (S.G.); (T.C.); (J.K.)
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11
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Nguyen TB, Miramontes R, Chillon-Marinas C, Maimon R, Vazquez-Sanchez S, Lau AL, McClure NR, England WE, Singha M, Stocksdale JT, Jang KH, Jung S, McKnight JI, Ho LN, Faull RLM, Steffan JS, Reidling JC, Jang C, Lee G, Cleveland DW, Lagier-Tourenne C, Spitale RC, Thompson LM. Aberrant splicing in Huntington's disease via disrupted TDP-43 activity accompanied by altered m6A RNA modification. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.31.565004. [PMID: 37961595 PMCID: PMC10635028 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.31.565004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the first exon of the HTT gene encoding huntingtin. Prior reports have established a correlation between CAG expanded HTT and altered gene expression. However, the mechanisms leading to disruption of RNA processing in HD remain unclear. Here, our analysis of the reported HTT protein interactome identifies interactions with known RNA-binding proteins (RBPs). Total, long-read sequencing and targeted RASL-seq of RNAs from cortex and striatum of the HD mouse model R6/2 reveals increased exon skipping which is confirmed in Q150 and Q175 knock-in mice and in HD human brain. We identify the RBP TDP-43 and the N6-methyladenosine (m6A) writer protein methyltransferase 3 (METTL3) to be upstream regulators of exon skipping in HD. Along with this novel mechanistic insight, we observe decreased nuclear localization of TDP-43 and cytoplasmic accumulation of phosphorylated TDP-43 in HD mice and human brain. In addition, TDP-43 co-localizes with HTT in human HD brain forming novel nuclear aggregate-like bodies distinct from mutant HTT inclusions or previously observed TDP-43 pathologies. Binding of TDP-43 onto RNAs encoding HD-associated differentially expressed and aberrantly spliced genes is decreased. Finally, m6A RNA modification is reduced on RNAs abnormally expressed in striatum from HD R6/2 mouse brain, including at clustered sites adjacent to TDP-43 binding sites. Our evidence supports TDP-43 loss of function coupled with altered m6A modification as a novel mechanism underlying alternative splicing/unannotated exon usage in HD and highlights the critical nature of TDP-43 function across multiple neurodegenerative diseases.
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12
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Miguez A, Gomis C, Vila C, Monguió-Tortajada M, Fernández-García S, Bombau G, Galofré M, García-Bravo M, Sanders P, Fernández-Medina H, Poquet B, Salado-Manzano C, Roura S, Alberch J, Segovia JC, Allen ND, Borràs FE, Canals JM. Soluble mutant huntingtin drives early human pathogenesis in Huntington's disease. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:238. [PMID: 37535170 PMCID: PMC10400696 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-04882-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an incurable inherited brain disorder characterised by massive degeneration of striatal neurons, which correlates with abnormal accumulation of misfolded mutant huntingtin (mHTT) protein. Research on HD has been hampered by the inability to study early dysfunction and progressive degeneration of human striatal neurons in vivo. To investigate human pathogenesis in a physiologically relevant context, we transplanted human pluripotent stem cell-derived neural progenitor cells (hNPCs) from control and HD patients into the striatum of new-born mice. Most hNPCs differentiated into striatal neurons that projected to their target areas and established synaptic connexions within the host basal ganglia circuitry. Remarkably, HD human striatal neurons first developed soluble forms of mHTT, which primarily targeted endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria and nuclear membrane to cause structural alterations. Furthermore, HD human cells secreted extracellular vesicles containing mHTT monomers and oligomers, which were internalised by non-mutated mouse striatal neurons triggering cell death. We conclude that interaction of mHTT soluble forms with key cellular organelles initially drives disease progression in HD patients and their transmission through exosomes contributes to spread the disease in a non-cell autonomous manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés Miguez
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
- Creatio, Production and Validation Center of Advanced Therapies, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
- August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.
- Networked Biomedical Research Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain.
- Neurology-Neuroimmunology Department, Multiple Sclerosis Centre of Catalunya (Cemcat), Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Cinta Gomis
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Creatio, Production and Validation Center of Advanced Therapies, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Networked Biomedical Research Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristina Vila
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Creatio, Production and Validation Center of Advanced Therapies, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Networked Biomedical Research Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Monguió-Tortajada
- REMAR-IVECAT Group, Germans Trias i Pujol Health Science Research Institute, Can Ruti Campus, Badalona, Spain
| | - Sara Fernández-García
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Networked Biomedical Research Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
- Laboratory of Pathophysiology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Georgina Bombau
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Creatio, Production and Validation Center of Advanced Therapies, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Networked Biomedical Research Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Mireia Galofré
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Creatio, Production and Validation Center of Advanced Therapies, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Networked Biomedical Research Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - María García-Bravo
- Division of Hematopoietic Innovative Therapies, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas, Madrid, Spain
| | - Phil Sanders
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Creatio, Production and Validation Center of Advanced Therapies, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Networked Biomedical Research Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Helena Fernández-Medina
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Creatio, Production and Validation Center of Advanced Therapies, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Networked Biomedical Research Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Blanca Poquet
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Creatio, Production and Validation Center of Advanced Therapies, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Networked Biomedical Research Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristina Salado-Manzano
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Creatio, Production and Validation Center of Advanced Therapies, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Networked Biomedical Research Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Santiago Roura
- ICREC Research Program, Germans Trias i Pujol Health Science Research Institute, Can Ruti Campus, Badalona, Spain
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Vic-Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), Vic, Spain
| | - Jordi Alberch
- Creatio, Production and Validation Center of Advanced Therapies, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Networked Biomedical Research Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
- Laboratory of Pathophysiology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - José Carlos Segovia
- Division of Hematopoietic Innovative Therapies, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas, Madrid, Spain
| | - Nicholas D Allen
- Brain Repair Group, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Francesc E Borràs
- REMAR-IVECAT Group, Germans Trias i Pujol Health Science Research Institute, Can Ruti Campus, Badalona, Spain
- Nephrology Department, Germans Trias i Pujol Universitary Hospital, Badalona, Spain
| | - Josep M Canals
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
- Creatio, Production and Validation Center of Advanced Therapies, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
- Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
- August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.
- Networked Biomedical Research Centre for Neurodegenerative Disorders (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain.
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13
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Ramakrishna K, Nalla LV, Naresh D, Venkateswarlu K, Viswanadh MK, Nalluri BN, Chakravarthy G, Duguluri S, Singh P, Rai SN, Kumar A, Singh V, Singh SK. WNT-β Catenin Signaling as a Potential Therapeutic Target for Neurodegenerative Diseases: Current Status and Future Perspective. Diseases 2023; 11:89. [PMID: 37489441 PMCID: PMC10366863 DOI: 10.3390/diseases11030089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Wnt/β-catenin (WβC) signaling pathway is an important signaling pathway for the maintenance of cellular homeostasis from the embryonic developmental stages to adulthood. The canonical pathway of WβC signaling is essential for neurogenesis, cell proliferation, and neurogenesis, whereas the noncanonical pathway (WNT/Ca2+ and WNT/PCP) is responsible for cell polarity, calcium maintenance, and cell migration. Abnormal regulation of WβC signaling is involved in the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS), and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Hence, the alteration of WβC signaling is considered a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of neurodegenerative disease. In the present review, we have used the bibliographical information from PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus to address the current prospects of WβC signaling role in the abovementioned neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kakarla Ramakrishna
- KL College of Pharmacy, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation Deemed to be University (KLU), Green Fields, Vaddeswaram, Guntur 522502, India
| | - Lakshmi Vineela Nalla
- KL College of Pharmacy, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation Deemed to be University (KLU), Green Fields, Vaddeswaram, Guntur 522502, India
| | - Dumala Naresh
- KL College of Pharmacy, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation Deemed to be University (KLU), Green Fields, Vaddeswaram, Guntur 522502, India
| | - Kojja Venkateswarlu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, IIT BHU, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Matte Kasi Viswanadh
- KL College of Pharmacy, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation Deemed to be University (KLU), Green Fields, Vaddeswaram, Guntur 522502, India
| | - Buchi N Nalluri
- KL College of Pharmacy, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation Deemed to be University (KLU), Green Fields, Vaddeswaram, Guntur 522502, India
| | - Guntupalli Chakravarthy
- KL College of Pharmacy, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation Deemed to be University (KLU), Green Fields, Vaddeswaram, Guntur 522502, India
| | - Sajusha Duguluri
- Department of Biotechnology, Bharathi Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai 600073, India
| | - Payal Singh
- Department of Zoology, Mahila Maha Vidyalaya, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Sachchida Nand Rai
- Centre of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Ashish Kumar
- ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Agamkuan, Patna 800007, India
| | - Veer Singh
- ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Agamkuan, Patna 800007, India
| | - Santosh Kumar Singh
- Centre of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
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14
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Temple S. Advancing cell therapy for neurodegenerative diseases. Cell Stem Cell 2023; 30:512-529. [PMID: 37084729 PMCID: PMC10201979 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2023.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/23/2023]
Abstract
Cell-based therapies are being developed for various neurodegenerative diseases that affect the central nervous system (CNS). Concomitantly, the roles of individual cell types in neurodegenerative pathology are being uncovered by genetic and single-cell studies. With a greater understanding of cellular contributions to health and disease and with the arrival of promising approaches to modulate them, effective therapeutic cell products are now emerging. This review examines how the ability to generate diverse CNS cell types from stem cells, along with a deeper understanding of cell-type-specific functions and pathology, is advancing preclinical development of cell products for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally Temple
- Neural Stem Cell Institute, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA.
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15
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Tshilenge KT, Aguirre CG, Bons J, Gerencser AA, Basisty N, Song S, Rose J, Lopez-Ramirez A, Naphade S, Loureiro A, Battistoni E, Milani M, Wehrfritz C, Holtz A, Hetz C, Mooney SD, Schilling B, Ellerby LM. Proteomic Analysis of Huntington's Disease Medium Spiny Neurons Identifies Alterations in Lipid Droplets. Mol Cell Proteomics 2023; 22:100534. [PMID: 36958627 PMCID: PMC10165459 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcpro.2023.100534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the Huntingtin (HTT) gene. The resulting polyglutamine (polyQ) tract alters the function of the HTT protein. Although HTT is expressed in different tissues, the medium spiny projection neurons (MSNs) in the striatum are particularly vulnerable in HD. Thus, we sought to define the proteome of human HD patient-derived MSNs. We differentiated HD72 induced pluripotent stem cells and isogenic controls into MSNs and carried out quantitative proteomic analysis. Using data-dependent acquisitions with FAIMS for label-free quantification on the Orbitrap Lumos mass spectrometer, we identified 6,323 proteins with at least two unique peptides. Of these, 901 proteins were altered significantly more in the HD72-MSNs than in isogenic controls. Functional enrichment analysis of upregulated proteins demonstrated extracellular matrix and DNA signaling (DNA replication pathway, double-strand break repair, G1/S transition) with the highest significance. Conversely, processes associated with the downregulated proteins included neurogenesis-axogenesis, the brain-derived neurotrophic factor-signaling pathway, Ephrin-A: EphA pathway, regulation of synaptic plasticity, triglyceride homeostasis cholesterol, plasmid lipoprotein particle immune response, interferon-γ signaling, immune system major histocompatibility complex, lipid metabolism and cellular response to stimulus. Moreover, proteins involved in the formation and maintenance of axons, dendrites, and synapses (e.g., Septin protein members) were dysregulated in HD72-MSNs. Importantly, lipid metabolism pathways were altered, and using quantitative image, we found analysis that lipid droplets accumulated in the HD72-MSN, suggesting a deficit in the turnover of lipids possibly through lipophagy. Our proteomics analysis of HD72-MSNs identified relevant pathways that are altered in MSNs and confirm current and new therapeutic targets for HD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carlos Galicia Aguirre
- The Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, 94945, USA; University of Southern California, Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, 3715 McClintock Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90893, USA
| | - Joanna Bons
- The Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, 94945, USA
| | - Akos A Gerencser
- The Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, 94945, USA
| | - Nathan Basisty
- The Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, 94945, USA; Translational Gerontology Branch, National Institute on Aging (NIA), NIH, Baltimore, Maryland, 21244, USA
| | - Sicheng Song
- Department of Biomedical Informatics and Medical Education, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Jacob Rose
- The Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, 94945, USA
| | | | - Swati Naphade
- The Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, 94945, USA
| | - Ashley Loureiro
- The Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, 94945, USA
| | - Elena Battistoni
- The Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, 94945, USA
| | - Mateus Milani
- Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile; Center for Geroscience, Brain Health and Metabolism (GERO), Santiago, Chile; Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Chile
| | - Cameron Wehrfritz
- The Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, 94945, USA
| | - Anja Holtz
- The Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, 94945, USA
| | - Claudio Hetz
- The Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, 94945, USA; Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile; Center for Geroscience, Brain Health and Metabolism (GERO), Santiago, Chile; Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Chile
| | - Sean D Mooney
- Department of Biomedical Informatics and Medical Education, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Birgit Schilling
- The Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, 94945, USA; University of Southern California, Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, 3715 McClintock Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90893, USA.
| | - Lisa M Ellerby
- The Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, California, 94945, USA; University of Southern California, Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, 3715 McClintock Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90893, USA.
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16
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Wu GH, Smith-Geater C, Galaz-Montoya JG, Gu Y, Gupte SR, Aviner R, Mitchell PG, Hsu J, Miramontes R, Wang KQ, Geller NR, Hou C, Danita C, Joubert LM, Schmid MF, Yeung S, Frydman J, Mobley W, Wu C, Thompson LM, Chiu W. CryoET reveals organelle phenotypes in huntington disease patient iPSC-derived and mouse primary neurons. Nat Commun 2023; 14:692. [PMID: 36754966 PMCID: PMC9908936 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36096-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is caused by an expanded CAG repeat in the huntingtin gene, yielding a Huntingtin protein with an expanded polyglutamine tract. While experiments with patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can help understand disease, defining pathological biomarkers remains challenging. Here, we used cryogenic electron tomography to visualize neurites in HD patient iPSC-derived neurons with varying CAG repeats, and primary cortical neurons from BACHD, deltaN17-BACHD, and wild-type mice. In HD models, we discovered sheet aggregates in double membrane-bound organelles, and mitochondria with distorted cristae and enlarged granules, likely mitochondrial RNA granules. We used artificial intelligence to quantify mitochondrial granules, and proteomics experiments reveal differential protein content in isolated HD mitochondria. Knockdown of Protein Inhibitor of Activated STAT1 ameliorated aberrant phenotypes in iPSC- and BACHD neurons. We show that integrated ultrastructural and proteomic approaches may uncover early HD phenotypes to accelerate diagnostics and the development of targeted therapeutics for HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gong-Her Wu
- Department of Bioengineering, James H. Clark Center, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Charlene Smith-Geater
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Jesús G Galaz-Montoya
- Department of Bioengineering, James H. Clark Center, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Yingli Gu
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037-0662, USA
| | - Sanket R Gupte
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Ranen Aviner
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Patrick G Mitchell
- Division of CryoEM and Bioimaging, SSRL, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA
| | - Joy Hsu
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Ricardo Miramontes
- Department of Memory Impairment and Neurological Disorders, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Keona Q Wang
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 96267, USA
| | - Nicolette R Geller
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 96267, USA
| | - Cathy Hou
- Department of Bioengineering, James H. Clark Center, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Cristina Danita
- Department of Bioengineering, James H. Clark Center, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Lydia-Marie Joubert
- Division of CryoEM and Bioimaging, SSRL, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA
| | - Michael F Schmid
- Division of CryoEM and Bioimaging, SSRL, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA
| | - Serena Yeung
- Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.,Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Judith Frydman
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.,Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - William Mobley
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037-0662, USA
| | - Chengbiao Wu
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037-0662, USA
| | - Leslie M Thompson
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA. .,Department of Memory Impairment and Neurological Disorders, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA. .,Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 96267, USA. .,Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 96267, USA. .,Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92617, USA.
| | - Wah Chiu
- Department of Bioengineering, James H. Clark Center, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA. .,Division of CryoEM and Bioimaging, SSRL, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Menlo Park, CA, 94025, USA. .,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
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17
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Reyes-Ortiz AM, Abud EM, Burns MS, Wu J, Hernandez SJ, McClure N, Wang KQ, Schulz CJ, Miramontes R, Lau A, Michael N, Miyoshi E, Van Vactor D, Reidling JC, Blurton-Jones M, Swarup V, Poon WW, Lim RG, Thompson LM. Single-nuclei transcriptome analysis of Huntington disease iPSC and mouse astrocytes implicates maturation and functional deficits. iScience 2023; 26:105732. [PMID: 36590162 PMCID: PMC9800269 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by expanded CAG repeats in the huntingtin gene that alters cellular homeostasis, particularly in the striatum and cortex. Astrocyte signaling that establishes and maintains neuronal functions are often altered under pathological conditions. We performed single-nuclei RNA-sequencing on human HD patient-induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived astrocytes and on striatal and cortical tissue from R6/2 HD mice to investigate high-resolution HD astrocyte cell state transitions. We observed altered maturation and glutamate signaling in HD human and mouse astrocytes. Human HD astrocytes also showed upregulated actin-mediated signaling, suggesting that some states may be cell-autonomous and human specific. In both species, astrogliogenesis transcription factors may drive HD astrocyte maturation deficits, which are supported by rescued climbing deficits in HD drosophila with NFIA knockdown. Thus, dysregulated HD astrocyte states may induce dysfunctional astrocytic properties, in part due to maturation deficits influenced by astrogliogenesis transcription factor dysregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea M. Reyes-Ortiz
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
| | - Edsel M. Abud
- Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
| | - Mara S. Burns
- Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
| | - Jie Wu
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
| | - Sarah J. Hernandez
- Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
| | - Nicolette McClure
- Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
| | - Keona Q. Wang
- Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
| | - Corey J. Schulz
- Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
| | - Ricardo Miramontes
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
| | - Alice Lau
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
| | - Neethu Michael
- Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
| | - Emily Miyoshi
- Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
| | - David Van Vactor
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Cell Biology, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - John C. Reidling
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
| | - Mathew Blurton-Jones
- Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
- Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
| | - Vivek Swarup
- Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
| | - Wayne W. Poon
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
| | - Ryan G. Lim
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
| | - Leslie M. Thompson
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
- Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
- Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
- Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
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18
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Morelli KH, Wu Q, Gosztyla ML, Liu H, Yao M, Zhang C, Chen J, Marina RJ, Lee K, Jones KL, Huang MY, Li A, Smith-Geater C, Thompson LM, Duan W, Yeo GW. An RNA-targeting CRISPR-Cas13d system alleviates disease-related phenotypes in Huntington's disease models. Nat Neurosci 2023; 26:27-38. [PMID: 36510111 PMCID: PMC9829537 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-022-01207-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a fatal, dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disorder caused by CAG trinucleotide expansion in exon 1 of the huntingtin (HTT) gene. Since the reduction of pathogenic mutant HTT messenger RNA is therapeutic, we developed a mutant allele-sensitive CAGEX RNA-targeting CRISPR-Cas13d system (Cas13d-CAGEX) that eliminates toxic CAGEX RNA in fibroblasts derived from patients with HD and induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons. We show that intrastriatal delivery of Cas13d-CAGEX via an adeno-associated viral vector selectively reduces mutant HTT mRNA and protein levels in the striatum of heterozygous zQ175 mice, a model of HD. This also led to improved motor coordination, attenuated striatal atrophy and reduction of mutant HTT protein aggregates. These phenotypic improvements lasted for at least eight months without adverse effects and with minimal off-target transcriptomic effects. Taken together, we demonstrate proof of principle of an RNA-targeting CRISPR-Cas13d system as a therapeutic approach for HD, a strategy with implications for the treatment of other dominantly inherited disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn H Morelli
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Qian Wu
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Maya L Gosztyla
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Hongshuai Liu
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Minmin Yao
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Chuangchuang Zhang
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jiaxu Chen
- School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Ryan J Marina
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Kari Lee
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Krysten L Jones
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Megan Y Huang
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Allison Li
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Charlene Smith-Geater
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Leslie M Thompson
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Wenzhen Duan
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- The Solomon H Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Gene W Yeo
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Stem Cell Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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19
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Lim RG, Al-Dalahmah O, Wu J, Gold MP, Reidling JC, Tang G, Adam M, Dansu DK, Park HJ, Casaccia P, Miramontes R, Reyes-Ortiz AM, Lau A, Hickman RA, Khan F, Paryani F, Tang A, Ofori K, Miyoshi E, Michael N, McClure N, Flowers XE, Vonsattel JP, Davidson S, Menon V, Swarup V, Fraenkel E, Goldman JE, Thompson LM. Huntington disease oligodendrocyte maturation deficits revealed by single-nucleus RNAseq are rescued by thiamine-biotin supplementation. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7791. [PMID: 36543778 PMCID: PMC9772349 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35388-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The complexity of affected brain regions and cell types is a challenge for Huntington's disease (HD) treatment. Here we use single nucleus RNA sequencing to investigate molecular pathology in the cortex and striatum from R6/2 mice and human HD post-mortem tissue. We identify cell type-specific and -agnostic signatures suggesting oligodendrocytes (OLs) and oligodendrocyte precursors (OPCs) are arrested in intermediate maturation states. OL-lineage regulators OLIG1 and OLIG2 are negatively correlated with CAG length in human OPCs, and ATACseq analysis of HD mouse NeuN-negative cells shows decreased accessibility regulated by OL maturation genes. The data implicates glucose and lipid metabolism in abnormal cell maturation and identify PRKCE and Thiamine Pyrophosphokinase 1 (TPK1) as central genes. Thiamine/biotin treatment of R6/1 HD mice to compensate for TPK1 dysregulation restores OL maturation and rescues neuronal pathology. Our insights into HD OL pathology spans multiple brain regions and link OL maturation deficits to abnormal thiamine metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan G Lim
- UCI MIND, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Osama Al-Dalahmah
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jie Wu
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Maxwell P Gold
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Guomei Tang
- Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Miriam Adam
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - David K Dansu
- Advanced Science Research Center at the City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hye-Jin Park
- Advanced Science Research Center at the City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Patrizia Casaccia
- Advanced Science Research Center at the City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Andrea M Reyes-Ortiz
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Alice Lau
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Richard A Hickman
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Fatima Khan
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Fahad Paryani
- Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alice Tang
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kenneth Ofori
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Emily Miyoshi
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Neethu Michael
- Department of Pathology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Nicolette McClure
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Xena E Flowers
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York City, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jean Paul Vonsattel
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York City, New York, NY, USA
| | - Shawn Davidson
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Vilas Menon
- Department of Neurology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Vivek Swarup
- UCI MIND, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Ernest Fraenkel
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - James E Goldman
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York City, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Leslie M Thompson
- UCI MIND, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
- Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Center University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
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20
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Conforti P, Bocchi VD, Campus I, Scaramuzza L, Galimberti M, Lischetti T, Talpo F, Pedrazzoli M, Murgia A, Ferrari I, Cordiglieri C, Fasciani A, Arenas E, Felsenfeld D, Biella G, Besusso D, Cattaneo E. In vitro-derived medium spiny neurons recapitulate human striatal development and complexity at single-cell resolution. CELL REPORTS METHODS 2022; 2:100367. [PMID: 36590694 PMCID: PMC9795363 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2022.100367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Stem cell engineering of striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs) is a promising strategy to understand diseases affecting the striatum and for cell-replacement therapies in different neurological diseases. Protocols to generate cells from human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) are scarce and how well they recapitulate the endogenous fetal cells remains poorly understood. We have developed a protocol that modulates cell seeding density and exposure to specific morphogens that generates authentic and functional D1- and D2-MSNs with a high degree of reproducibility in 25 days of differentiation. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) shows that our cells can mimic the cell-fate acquisition steps observed in vivo in terms of cell type composition, gene expression, and signaling pathways. Finally, by modulating the midkine pathway we show that we can increase the yield of MSNs. We expect that this protocol will help decode pathogenesis factors in striatal diseases and eventually facilitate cell-replacement therapies for Huntington's disease (HD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Conforti
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare, Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Vittoria Dickinson Bocchi
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare, Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Ilaria Campus
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare, Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Linda Scaramuzza
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare, Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Maura Galimberti
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare, Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Tiziana Lischetti
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare, Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Talpo
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies, University of Pavia, Via Adolfo Ferrata, 9, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Matteo Pedrazzoli
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies, University of Pavia, Via Adolfo Ferrata, 9, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Alessio Murgia
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare, Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Ivan Ferrari
- Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare, Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Cordiglieri
- Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare, Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandra Fasciani
- Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare, Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Ernest Arenas
- Laboratory for Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Biomedicum, Solnavägen 9, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Gerardo Biella
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies, University of Pavia, Via Adolfo Ferrata, 9, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Dario Besusso
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare, Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Cattaneo
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
- Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare, Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi, 20122 Milan, Italy
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21
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Sileo P, Simonin C, Melnyk P, Chartier-Harlin MC, Cotelle P. Crosstalk between the Hippo Pathway and the Wnt Pathway in Huntington's Disease and Other Neurodegenerative Disorders. Cells 2022; 11:cells11223631. [PMID: 36429058 PMCID: PMC9688160 DOI: 10.3390/cells11223631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The Hippo pathway consists of a cascade of kinases that controls the phosphorylation of the co-activators YAP/TAZ. When unphosphorylated, YAP and TAZ translocate into the nucleus, where they mainly bind to the TEAD transcription factor family and activate genes related to cell proliferation and survival. In this way, the inhibition of the Hippo pathway promotes cell survival, proliferation, and stemness fate. Another pathway can modulate these processes, namely the Wnt/β-catenin pathway that is indeed involved in cellular functions such as proliferation and cell survival, as well as apoptosis, growth, and cell renewal. Wnt signaling can act in a canonical or noncanonical way, depending on whether β-catenin is involved in the process. In this review, we will focus only on the canonical Wnt pathway. It has emerged that YAP/TAZ are components of the β-catenin destruction complex and that there is a close relationship between the Hippo pathway and the canonical Wnt pathway. Furthermore, recent data have shown that both of these pathways may play a role in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's disease, or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Thus, this review analyzes the Hippo pathway and the Wnt pathway, their crosstalk, and their involvement in Huntington's disease, as well as in other neurodegenerative disorders. Altogether, these data suggest possible therapeutic approaches targeting key players of these pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pasquale Sileo
- Univ. Lille, INSERM, CHU Lille, UMR-S 1172, Lille Neuroscience and Cognition Research Center, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Clémence Simonin
- Univ. Lille, INSERM, CHU Lille, UMR-S 1172, Lille Neuroscience and Cognition Research Center, F-59000 Lille, France
- Centre de Référence Maladie de Huntington, CHU Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Patricia Melnyk
- Univ. Lille, INSERM, CHU Lille, UMR-S 1172, Lille Neuroscience and Cognition Research Center, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Marie-Christine Chartier-Harlin
- Univ. Lille, INSERM, CHU Lille, UMR-S 1172, Lille Neuroscience and Cognition Research Center, F-59000 Lille, France
- Correspondence: (M.-C.C.-H.); (P.C.)
| | - Philippe Cotelle
- Univ. Lille, INSERM, CHU Lille, UMR-S 1172, Lille Neuroscience and Cognition Research Center, F-59000 Lille, France
- ENSCL-Centrale Lille, CS 90108, F-59652 Villeneuve d’Ascq, France
- Correspondence: (M.-C.C.-H.); (P.C.)
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22
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Modelling the Human Blood-Brain Barrier in Huntington Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23147813. [PMID: 35887162 PMCID: PMC9321930 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23147813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
While blood–brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction has been described in neurological disorders, including Huntington’s disease (HD), it is not known if endothelial cells themselves are functionally compromised when promoting BBB dysfunction. Furthermore, the underlying mechanisms of BBB dysfunction remain elusive given the limitations with mouse models and post mortem tissue to identify primary deficits. We established models of BBB and undertook a transcriptome and functional analysis of human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived brain-like microvascular endothelial cells (iBMEC) from HD patients or unaffected controls. We demonstrated that HD-iBMECs have abnormalities in barrier properties, as well as in specific BBB functions such as receptor-mediated transcytosis.
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23
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Kaye J, Reisine T, Finkbeiner S. Huntington's disease iPSC models-using human patient cells to understand the pathology caused by expanded CAG repeats. Fac Rev 2022; 11:16. [PMID: 35865413 PMCID: PMC9264339 DOI: 10.12703/r/11-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
A major advance in the study of Huntington's disease (HD) has been the development of human disease models employing induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from patients with HD. Because iPSCs provide an unlimited source of cells and can be obtained from large numbers of HD patients, they are a uniquely valuable tool for investigating disease mechanisms and for discovering potential disease-modifying therapeutics. Here, we summarize some of the important findings in HD pathophysiology that have emerged from studies of patient-derived iPSC lines. Because they retain the genome and actual disease mutations of the patient, they provide a cell source to investigate genetic contributions to the disease. iPSCs provide advantages over other disease models. While iPSC-based technology erases some epigenetic marks, newly developed transdifferentiation methods now let us investigate epigenetic factors that control expression of mutant huntingtin (mHTT). Human HD iPSC lines allow us to investigate how endogenous levels of mHTT affect cell health, in contrast to other models that often rely on overexpressing the protein. iPSCs can be differentiated into neurons and other disease-related cells such as astrocytes from different brain regions to study brain regional differences in the disease process, as well as the cell-cell dependencies involved in HD-associated neurodegeneration. They also serve as a tissue source to investigate factors that impact CAG repeat instability, which is involved in regional differences in neurodegeneration in the HD brain. Human iPSC models can serve as a powerful model system to identify genetic modifiers that may impact disease onset, progression, and symptomatology, providing novel molecular targets for drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Kaye
- Center for Systems and Therapeutics, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Terry Reisine
- Independent Scientific Consultant, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Steven Finkbeiner
- Center for Systems and Therapeutics, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Taube/Koret Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Neurology and Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
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24
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Exome sequencing of individuals with Huntington's disease implicates FAN1 nuclease activity in slowing CAG expansion and disease onset. Nat Neurosci 2022; 25:446-457. [PMID: 35379994 PMCID: PMC8986535 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-022-01033-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The age at onset of motor symptoms in Huntington's disease (HD) is driven by HTT CAG repeat length but modified by other genes. In this study, we used exome sequencing of 683 patients with HD with extremes of onset or phenotype relative to CAG length to identify rare variants associated with clinical effect. We discovered damaging coding variants in candidate modifier genes identified in previous genome-wide association studies associated with altered HD onset or severity. Variants in FAN1 clustered in its DNA-binding and nuclease domains and were associated predominantly with earlier-onset HD. Nuclease activities of purified variants in vitro correlated with residual age at motor onset of HD. Mutating endogenous FAN1 to a nuclease-inactive form in an induced pluripotent stem cell model of HD led to rates of CAG expansion similar to those observed with complete FAN1 knockout. Together, these data implicate FAN1 nuclease activity in slowing somatic repeat expansion and hence onset of HD.
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25
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Microglia Do Not Restrict SARS-CoV-2 Replication following Infection of the Central Nervous System of K18-Human ACE2 Transgenic Mice. J Virol 2022; 96:e0196921. [PMID: 34935438 PMCID: PMC8865461 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01969-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Unlike SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV, infection with SARS-CoV-2, the viral pathogen responsible for COVID-19, is often associated with neurologic symptoms that range from mild to severe, yet increasing evidence argues the virus does not exhibit extensive neuroinvasive properties. We demonstrate SARS-CoV-2 can infect and replicate in human iPSC-derived neurons and that infection shows limited antiviral and inflammatory responses but increased activation of EIF2 signaling following infection as determined by RNA sequencing. Intranasal infection of K18 human ACE2 transgenic mice (K18-hACE2) with SARS-CoV-2 resulted in lung pathology associated with viral replication and immune cell infiltration. In addition, ∼50% of infected mice exhibited CNS infection characterized by wide-spread viral replication in neurons accompanied by increased expression of chemokine (Cxcl9, Cxcl10, Ccl2, Ccl5 and Ccl19) and cytokine (Ifn-λ and Tnf-α) transcripts associated with microgliosis and a neuroinflammatory response consisting primarily of monocytes/macrophages. Microglia depletion via administration of colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor inhibitor, PLX5622, in SARS-CoV-2 infected mice did not affect survival or viral replication but did result in dampened expression of proinflammatory cytokine/chemokine transcripts and a reduction in monocyte/macrophage infiltration. These results argue that microglia are dispensable in terms of controlling SARS-CoV-2 replication in in the K18-hACE2 model but do contribute to an inflammatory response through expression of pro-inflammatory genes. Collectively, these findings contribute to previous work demonstrating the ability of SARS-CoV-2 to infect neurons as well as emphasizing the potential use of the K18-hACE2 model to study immunological and neuropathological aspects related to SARS-CoV-2-induced neurologic disease. IMPORTANCE Understanding the immunological mechanisms contributing to both host defense and disease following viral infection of the CNS is of critical importance given the increasing number of viruses that are capable of infecting and replicating within the nervous system. With this in mind, the present study was undertaken to evaluate the role of microglia in aiding in host defense following experimental infection of the central nervous system (CNS) of K18-hACE2 with SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19. Neurologic symptoms that range in severity are common in COVID-19 patients and understanding immune responses that contribute to restricting neurologic disease can provide important insight into better understanding consequences associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection of the CNS.
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26
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Marcogliese PC, Dutta D, Ray SS, Dang NDP, Zuo Z, Wang Y, Lu D, Fazal F, Ravenscroft TA, Chung H, Kanca O, Wan J, Douine ED, Network UD, Pena LDM, Yamamoto S, Nelson SF, Might M, Meyer KC, Yeo NC, Bellen HJ. Loss of IRF2BPL impairs neuronal maintenance through excess Wnt signaling. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabl5613. [PMID: 35044823 PMCID: PMC8769555 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abl5613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
De novo truncations in Interferon Regulatory Factor 2 Binding Protein Like (IRF2BPL) lead to severe childhood-onset neurodegenerative disorders. To determine how loss of IRF2BPL causes neural dysfunction, we examined its function in Drosophila and zebrafish. Overexpression of either IRF2BPL or Pits, the Drosophila ortholog, represses Wnt transcription in flies. In contrast, neuronal depletion of Pits leads to increased wingless (wg) levels in the brain and is associated with axonal loss, whereas inhibition of Wg signaling is neuroprotective. Moreover, increased neuronal expression of wg in flies is sufficient to cause age-dependent axonal loss, similar to reduction of Pits. Loss of irf2bpl in zebrafish also causes neurological defects with an associated increase in wnt1 transcription and downstream signaling. WNT1 is also increased in patient-derived astrocytes, and pharmacological inhibition of Wnt suppresses the neurological phenotypes. Last, IRF2BPL and the Wnt antagonist, CKIα, physically and genetically interact, showing that IRF2BPL and CkIα antagonize Wnt transcription and signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul C. Marcogliese
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Debdeep Dutta
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Shrestha Sinha Ray
- The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
| | - Nghi D. P. Dang
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Zhongyuan Zuo
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yuchun Wang
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Di Lu
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Fatima Fazal
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Thomas A. Ravenscroft
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Hyunglok Chung
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Oguz Kanca
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - JiJun Wan
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Emilie D. Douine
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Undiagnosed Diseases Network
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Development, Disease Models & Therapeutics Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Precision Medicine Institute, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Loren D. M. Pena
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | - Shinya Yamamoto
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Development, Disease Models & Therapeutics Graduate Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Stanley F. Nelson
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Matthew Might
- Precision Medicine Institute, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Kathrin C. Meyer
- The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Nan Cher Yeo
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
- Precision Medicine Institute, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Hugo J. Bellen
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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Zhang Z, Yang B, Huang J, Li W, Yi P, Yi M, Peng W. Identification of the protective effect of Polygonatum sibiricum polysaccharide on d-galactose-induced brain ageing in mice by the systematic characterization of a circular RNA-associated ceRNA network. PHARMACEUTICAL BIOLOGY 2021; 59:347-366. [PMID: 33794121 PMCID: PMC8018556 DOI: 10.1080/13880209.2021.1893347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Polygonatum sibiricum polysaccharide (PSP), derived from Polygonatum sibiricum Delar. ex Redoute (Liliaceae), is known to be able to delay the ageing process. However, the specific mechanisms underlying these effects are not clear. OBJECTIVE To investigate the mechanisms underlying the effects of PSP treatment on brain ageing by the application of transcriptomic analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS Forty Kunming mice were randomly divided into four groups (control, d-galactose, low-dose PSP, high-dose PSP). Mice were administered d-galactose (50 mg/kg, hypodermic injection) and PSP (200 or 400 mg/kg, intragastric administration) daily for 60 days. Behavioural responses were evaluated with the Morris water maze and the profiles of circRNA, miRNA, and mRNA, in the brains of experimental mice were investigated during the ageing process with and without PSP treatment. RESULTS PSP improved cognitive function during brain ageing, as evidenced by a reduced escape latency time (p < 0.05) and an increase in the number of times mice crossed the platform (p < 0.05). A total of 37, 13, and 679, circRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs, respectively, were significantly altered by PSP treatment (as evidenced by a fold change ≥2 and p < 0.05). These dysregulated RNAs were closely associated with synaptic activity. PSP regulated regulate nine mRNAs (Slc6a5, Bean1, Ace, Samd4, Olfr679, Olfr372, Dhrs9, Tsc1, Slc12a6), three miRNAs (mmu-miR-5110, mmu-miR-449a-5p, mmu-miR-1981-5p), and two circRNAs (2:29227578|29248878 and 5:106632925|106666845) in the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Our analyses showed that multiple circRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs responded to PSP treatment in mice experiencing brain ageing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheyu Zhang
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Bo Yang
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jianhua Huang
- Hunan Academy of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, PR China
| | - Wenqun Li
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Pengji Yi
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Min Yi
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Weijun Peng
- Department of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
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28
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Olivarria GM, Cheng Y, Furman S, Pachow C, Hohsfield LA, Smith-geater C, Miramontes R, Wu J, Burns MS, Tsourmas KI, Stocksdale J, Manlapaz C, Yong WH, Teijaro J, Edwards R, Green KN, Thompson LM, Lane TE. Microglia do not restrict SARS-CoV-2 replication following infection of the central nervous system of K18-hACE2 transgenic mice.. [PMID: 34816260 PMCID: PMC8609895 DOI: 10.1101/2021.11.15.468761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
AbstractUnlike SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV, infection with SARS-CoV-2, the viral pathogen responsible for COVID-19, is often associated with neurologic symptoms that range from mild to severe, yet increasing evidence argues the virus does not exhibit extensive neuroinvasive properties. We demonstrate SARS-CoV-2 can infect and replicate in human iPSC-derived neurons and that infection shows limited anti-viral and inflammatory responses but increased activation of EIF2 signaling following infection as determined by RNA sequencing. Intranasal infection of K18 human ACE2 transgenic mice (K18-hACE2) with SARS-CoV-2 resulted in lung pathology associated with viral replication and immune cell infiltration. In addition, ∼50% of infected mice exhibited CNS infection characterized by wide-spread viral replication in neurons accompanied by increased expression of chemokine (Cxcl9, Cxcl10, Ccl2, Ccl5 and Ccl19) and cytokine (Ifn-λ and Tnf-α) transcripts associated with microgliosis and a neuroinflammatory response consisting primarily of monocytes/macrophages. Microglia depletion via administration of colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor inhibitor, PLX5622, in SARS-CoV-2 infected mice did not affect survival or viral replication but did result in dampened expression of proinflammatory cytokine/chemokine transcripts and a reduction in monocyte/macrophage infiltration. These results argue that microglia are dispensable in terms of controlling SARS-CoV-2 replication in in the K18-hACE2 model but do contribute to an inflammatory response through expression of pro-inflammatory genes. Collectively, these findings contribute to previous work demonstrating the ability of SARS-CoV-2 to infect neurons as well as emphasizing the potential use of the K18-hACE2 model to study immunological and neuropathological aspects related to SARS-CoV-2-induced neurologic disease.ImportanceUnderstanding the immunological mechanisms contributing to both host defense and disease following viral infection of the CNS is of critical importance given the increasing number of viruses that are capable of infecting and replicating within the nervous system. With this in mind, the present study was undertaken to evaluate the role of microglia in aiding in host defense following experimental infection of the central nervous system (CNS) of K18-hACE2 with SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19. Neurologic symptoms that range in severity are common in COVID-19 patients and understanding immune responses that contribute to restricting neurologic disease can provide important insight into better understanding consequences associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection of the CNS.
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29
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Gupta R, Jha A, Ambasta RK, Kumar P. Regulatory mechanism of cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases in post-mitotic neuronal cell division. Life Sci 2021; 285:120006. [PMID: 34606852 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.120006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) are the most common life-threatening disease of the central nervous system and it cause the progressive loss of neuronal cells. The exact mechanism of the disease's progression is not clear and thus line of treatment for NDDs is a baffling issue. During the progression of NDDs, oxidative stress and DNA damage play an important regulatory function, and ultimately induces neurodegeneration. Recently, aberrant cell cycle events have been demonstrated in the progression of different NDDs. However, the pertinent role of signaling mechanism, for instance, post-translational modifications, oxidative stress, DNA damage response pathway, JNK/p38 MAPK, MEK/ERK cascade, actively participated in the aberrant cell cycle reentry induced neuronal cell death. Mounting evidence has demonstrated that aberrant cell cycle re-entry is a major contributing factor in the pathogenesis of NDDs rather than a secondary phenomenon. In the brain of AD patients with mild cognitive impairment, post miotic cell division can be seen in the early stage of the disease. However, in the brain of PD patients, response to various neurotoxic signals, the cell cycle re-entry has been observed that causes neuronal apoptosis. On contrary, the contributing factors that leads to the induction of cell cycle events in mature neurons in HD and ALS brain pathology is remain unclear. Various pharmacological drugs have been developed to reduce the pathogenesis of NDDs, but they are still not helpful in eliminating the cause of these NDDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohan Gupta
- Molecular Neuroscience and Functional Genomics Laboratory, Delhi Technological University (Formerly Delhi College of Engineering), India
| | - Ankita Jha
- Molecular Neuroscience and Functional Genomics Laboratory, Delhi Technological University (Formerly Delhi College of Engineering), India
| | - Rashmi K Ambasta
- Molecular Neuroscience and Functional Genomics Laboratory, Delhi Technological University (Formerly Delhi College of Engineering), India
| | - Pravir Kumar
- Molecular Neuroscience and Functional Genomics Laboratory, Delhi Technological University (Formerly Delhi College of Engineering), India.
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Quinn JP, Kandigian SE, Trombetta BA, Arnold SE, Carlyle BC. VGF as a biomarker and therapeutic target in neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases. Brain Commun 2021; 3:fcab261. [PMID: 34778762 PMCID: PMC8578498 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcab261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurosecretory protein VGF (non-acronymic) belongs to the granin family of neuropeptides. VGF and VGF-derived peptides have been repeatedly identified in well-powered and well-designed multi-omic studies as dysregulated in neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases. New therapeutics is urgently needed for these devastating and costly diseases, as are new biomarkers to improve disease diagnosis and mechanistic understanding. From a list of 537 genes involved in Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis, VGF was highlighted by the Accelerating Medicines Partnership in Alzheimer's disease as the potential therapeutic target of greatest interest. VGF levels are consistently decreased in brain tissue and CSF samples from patients with Alzheimer's disease compared to controls, and its levels correlate with disease severity and Alzheimer's disease pathology. In the brain, VGF exists as multiple functional VGF-derived peptides. Full-length human VGF1-615 undergoes proteolytic processing by prohormone convertases and other proteases in the regulated secretory pathway to produce at least 12 active VGF-derived peptides. In cell and animal models, these VGF-derived peptides have been linked to energy balance regulation, neurogenesis, synaptogenesis, learning and memory, and depression-related behaviours throughout development and adulthood. The C-terminal VGF-derived peptides, TLQP-62 (VGF554-615) and TLQP-21 (VGF554-574) have differential effects on Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis, neuronal and microglial activity, and learning and memory. TLQP-62 activates neuronal cell-surface receptors and regulates long-term hippocampal memory formation. TLQP-62 also prevents immune-mediated memory impairment, depression-like and anxiety-like behaviours in mice. TLQP-21 binds to microglial cell-surface receptors, triggering microglial chemotaxis and phagocytosis. These actions were reported to reduce amyloid-β plaques and decrease neuritic dystrophy in a transgenic mouse model of familial Alzheimer's disease. Expression differences of VGF-derived peptides have also been associated with frontotemporal lobar dementias, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Lewy body diseases, Huntington's disease, pain, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression and antidepressant response. This review summarizes current knowledge and highlights questions for future investigation regarding the roles of VGF and its dysregulation in neurodegenerative and psychiatric disease. Finally, the potential of VGF and VGF-derived peptides as biomarkers and novel therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases is highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- James P Quinn
- Department of Neurology, Alzheimer's Clinical & Translational Research Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Savannah E Kandigian
- Department of Neurology, Alzheimer's Clinical & Translational Research Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Bianca A Trombetta
- Department of Neurology, Alzheimer's Clinical & Translational Research Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Steven E Arnold
- Department of Neurology, Alzheimer's Clinical & Translational Research Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Becky C Carlyle
- Department of Neurology, Alzheimer's Clinical & Translational Research Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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Malla B, Guo X, Senger G, Chasapopoulou Z, Yildirim F. A Systematic Review of Transcriptional Dysregulation in Huntington's Disease Studied by RNA Sequencing. Front Genet 2021; 12:751033. [PMID: 34721539 PMCID: PMC8554124 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.751033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder caused by an expansion of polyglutamine repeats in exon 1 of the Huntingtin gene. Transcriptional dysregulation accompanied by epigenetic alterations is an early and central disease mechanism in HD yet, the exact mechanisms and regulators, and their associated gene expression programs remain incompletely understood. This systematic review investigates genome-wide transcriptional studies that were conducted using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) technology in HD patients and models. The review protocol was registered at the Open Science Framework (OSF). The biomedical literature and gene expression databases, PubMed and NCBI BioProject, Array Express, European Nucleotide Archive (ENA), European Genome-Phenome Archive (EGA), respectively, were searched using the defined terms specified in the protocol following the PRISMA guidelines. We conducted a complete literature and database search to retrieve all RNA-seq-based gene expression studies in HD published until August 2020, retrieving 288 articles and 237 datasets from PubMed and the databases, respectively. A total of 27 studies meeting the eligibility criteria were included in this review. Collectively, comparative analysis of the datasets revealed frequent genes that are consistently dysregulated in HD. In postmortem brains from HD patients, DNAJB1, HSPA1B and HSPB1 genes were commonly upregulated across all brain regions and cell types except for medium spiny neurons (MSNs) at symptomatic disease stage, and HSPH1 and SAT1 genes were altered in expression in all symptomatic brain datasets, indicating early and sustained changes in the expression of genes related to heat shock response as well as response to misfolded proteins. Specifically in indirect pathway medium spiny neurons (iMSNs), mitochondria related genes were among the top uniquely dysregulated genes. Interestingly, blood from HD patients showed commonly differentially expressed genes with a number of brain regions and cells, with the highest number of overlapping genes with MSNs and BA9 region at symptomatic stage. We also found the differential expression and predicted altered activity of a set of transcription factors and epigenetic regulators, including BCL6, EGR1, FOSL2 and CREBBP, HDAC1, KDM4C, respectively, which may underlie the observed transcriptional changes in HD. Altogether, our work provides a complete overview of the transcriptional studies in HD, and by data synthesis, reveals a number of common and unique gene expression and regulatory changes across different cell and tissue types in HD. These changes could elucidate new insights into molecular mechanisms of differential vulnerability in HD. Systematic Review Registration: https://osf.io/pm3wq.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bimala Malla
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Xuanzong Guo
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Gökçe Senger
- Department of Experimental Oncology, IEO European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Zoi Chasapopoulou
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ferah Yildirim
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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32
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Świtońska-Kurkowska K, Krist B, Delimata J, Figiel M. Juvenile Huntington's Disease and Other PolyQ Diseases, Update on Neurodevelopmental Character and Comparative Bioinformatic Review of Transcriptomic and Proteomic Data. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:642773. [PMID: 34277598 PMCID: PMC8281051 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.642773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Polyglutamine (PolyQ) diseases are neurodegenerative disorders caused by the CAG repeat expansion mutation in affected genes resulting in toxic proteins containing a long chain of glutamines. There are nine PolyQ diseases: Huntington’s disease (HD), spinocerebellar ataxias (types 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, and 17), dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy (DRPLA), and spinal bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA). In general, longer CAG expansions and longer glutamine tracts lead to earlier disease presentations in PolyQ patients. Rarely, cases of extremely long expansions are identified for PolyQ diseases, and they consistently lead to juvenile or sometimes very severe infantile-onset polyQ syndromes. In apparent contrast to the very long CAG tracts, shorter CAGs and PolyQs in proteins seems to be the evolutionary factor enhancing human cognition. Therefore, polyQ tracts in proteins can be modifiers of brain development and disease drivers, which contribute neurodevelopmental phenotypes in juvenile- and adult-onset PolyQ diseases. Therefore we performed a bioinformatics review of published RNAseq polyQ expression data resulting from the presence of polyQ genes in search of neurodevelopmental expression patterns and comparison between diseases. The expression data were collected from cell types reflecting stages of development such as iPSC, neuronal stem cell, neurons, but also the adult patients and models for PolyQ disease. In addition, we extended our bioinformatic transcriptomic analysis by proteomics data. We identified a group of 13 commonly downregulated genes and proteins in HD mouse models. Our comparative bioinformatic review highlighted several (neuro)developmental pathways and genes identified within PolyQ diseases and mouse models responsible for neural growth, synaptogenesis, and synaptic plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bart Krist
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | - Joanna Delimata
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | - Maciej Figiel
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznań, Poland
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33
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Monk R, Connor B. Cell Reprogramming to Model Huntington's Disease: A Comprehensive Review. Cells 2021; 10:cells10071565. [PMID: 34206228 PMCID: PMC8306243 DOI: 10.3390/cells10071565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Revised: 06/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the progressive decline of motor, cognitive, and psychiatric functions. HD results from an autosomal dominant mutation that causes a trinucleotide CAG repeat expansion and the production of mutant Huntingtin protein (mHTT). This results in the initial selective and progressive loss of medium spiny neurons (MSNs) in the striatum before progressing to involve the whole brain. There are currently no effective treatments to prevent or delay the progression of HD as knowledge into the mechanisms driving the selective degeneration of MSNs has been hindered by a lack of access to live neurons from individuals with HD. The invention of cell reprogramming provides a revolutionary technique for the study, and potential treatment, of neurological conditions. Cell reprogramming technologies allow for the generation of live disease-affected neurons from patients with neurological conditions, becoming a primary technique for modelling these conditions in vitro. The ability to generate HD-affected neurons has widespread applications for investigating the pathogenesis of HD, the identification of new therapeutic targets, and for high-throughput drug screening. Cell reprogramming also offers a potential autologous source of cells for HD cell replacement therapy. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the use of cell reprogramming to model HD and a discussion on recent advancements in cell reprogramming technologies that will benefit the HD field.
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Monk R, Lee K, Jones KS, Connor B. Directly reprogrammed Huntington's disease neural precursor cells generate striatal neurons exhibiting aggregates and impaired neuronal maturation. STEM CELLS (DAYTON, OHIO) 2021; 39:1410-1422. [PMID: 34028139 DOI: 10.1002/stem.3420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the progressive loss of striatal medium spiny neurons. Using a highly efficient protocol for direct reprogramming of adult human fibroblasts with chemically modified mRNA, we report the first generation of HD induced neural precursor cells (iNPs) expressing striatal lineage markers that differentiated into DARPP32+ neurons from individuals with adult-onset HD (41-57 CAG). While no transcriptional differences between normal and HD reprogrammed neurons were detected by NanoString nCounter analysis, a subpopulation of HD reprogrammed neurons contained ubiquitinated polyglutamine aggregates. Importantly, reprogrammed HD neurons exhibited impaired neuronal maturation, displaying altered neurite morphology and more depolarized resting membrane potentials. Reduced BDNF protein expression in reprogrammed HD neurons correlated with increased CAG repeat lengths and earlier symptom onset. This model represents a platform for investigating impaired neuronal maturation and screening for neuronal maturation modifiers to treat HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Monk
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Centre for Brain Research, School of Medical Science, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Kevin Lee
- Department of Physiology, Centre for Brain Research, School of Medical Science, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Kathryn S Jones
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Bronwen Connor
- Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Centre for Brain Research, School of Medical Science, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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Szlachcic WJ, Ziojla N, Kizewska DK, Kempa M, Borowiak M. Endocrine Pancreas Development and Dysfunction Through the Lens of Single-Cell RNA-Sequencing. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:629212. [PMID: 33996792 PMCID: PMC8116659 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.629212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
A chronic inability to maintain blood glucose homeostasis leads to diabetes, which can damage multiple organs. The pancreatic islets regulate blood glucose levels through the coordinated action of islet cell-secreted hormones, with the insulin released by β-cells playing a crucial role in this process. Diabetes is caused by insufficient insulin secretion due to β-cell loss, or a pancreatic dysfunction. The restoration of a functional β-cell mass might, therefore, offer a cure. To this end, major efforts are underway to generate human β-cells de novo, in vitro, or in vivo. The efficient generation of functional β-cells requires a comprehensive knowledge of pancreas development, including the mechanisms driving cell fate decisions or endocrine cell maturation. Rapid progress in single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-Seq) technologies has brought a new dimension to pancreas development research. These methods can capture the transcriptomes of thousands of individual cells, including rare cell types, subtypes, and transient states. With such massive datasets, it is possible to infer the developmental trajectories of cell transitions and gene regulatory pathways. Here, we summarize recent advances in our understanding of endocrine pancreas development and function from scRNA-Seq studies on developing and adult pancreas and human endocrine differentiation models. We also discuss recent scRNA-Seq findings for the pathological pancreas in diabetes, and their implications for better treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wojciech J. Szlachcic
- Department of Gene Expression, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Natalia Ziojla
- Department of Gene Expression, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Dorota K. Kizewska
- Department of Gene Expression, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Marcelina Kempa
- Department of Gene Expression, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Malgorzata Borowiak
- Department of Gene Expression, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
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Morozko EL, Smith-Geater C, Monteys AM, Pradhan S, Lim RG, Langfelder P, Kachemov M, Kulkarni JA, Zaifman J, Hill A, Stocksdale JT, Cullis PR, Wu J, Ochaba J, Miramontes R, Chakraborty A, Hazra TK, Lau A, St-Cyr S, Orellana I, Kopan L, Wang KQ, Yeung S, Leavitt BR, Reidling JC, Yang XW, Steffan JS, Davidson BL, Sarkar PS, Thompson LM. PIAS1 modulates striatal transcription, DNA damage repair, and SUMOylation with relevance to Huntington's disease. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2021836118. [PMID: 33468657 PMCID: PMC7848703 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2021836118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA damage repair genes are modifiers of disease onset in Huntington's disease (HD), but how this process intersects with associated disease pathways remains unclear. Here we evaluated the mechanistic contributions of protein inhibitor of activated STAT-1 (PIAS1) in HD mice and HD patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and find a link between PIAS1 and DNA damage repair pathways. We show that PIAS1 is a component of the transcription-coupled repair complex, that includes the DNA damage end processing enzyme polynucleotide kinase-phosphatase (PNKP), and that PIAS1 is a SUMO E3 ligase for PNKP. Pias1 knockdown (KD) in HD mice had a normalizing effect on HD transcriptional dysregulation associated with synaptic function and disease-associated transcriptional coexpression modules enriched for DNA damage repair mechanisms as did reduction of PIAS1 in HD iPSC-derived neurons. KD also restored mutant HTT-perturbed enzymatic activity of PNKP and modulated genomic integrity of several transcriptionally normalized genes. The findings here now link SUMO modifying machinery to DNA damage repair responses and transcriptional modulation in neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva L Morozko
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Charlene Smith-Geater
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Alejandro Mas Monteys
- Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cell and Molecular Therapeutics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Subrata Pradhan
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555
| | - Ryan G Lim
- Institute of Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Peter Langfelder
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Marketta Kachemov
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Jayesh A Kulkarni
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z3
| | - Josh Zaifman
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z1
| | - Austin Hill
- Incisive Genetics Inc., Vancouver, BC, Canada V6A 0H9
| | | | - Pieter R Cullis
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z3
- NanoMedicines Innovation Network, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z3
| | - Jie Wu
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Joseph Ochaba
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Ricardo Miramontes
- Institute of Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Anirban Chakraborty
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555
| | - Tapas K Hazra
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555
| | - Alice Lau
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Sophie St-Cyr
- Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cell and Molecular Therapeutics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Iliana Orellana
- Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Institute, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Lexi Kopan
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Keona Q Wang
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Sylvia Yeung
- Institute of Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Blair R Leavitt
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V5Z 4H4
| | - Jack C Reidling
- Institute of Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697
| | - X William Yang
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095
| | - Joan S Steffan
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697
- Institute of Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697
| | - Beverly L Davidson
- Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cell and Molecular Therapeutics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Partha S Sarkar
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555
- Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555
| | - Leslie M Thompson
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697;
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697
- Institute of Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697
- Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Institute, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697
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Alcalà-Vida R, Awada A, Boutillier AL, Merienne K. Epigenetic mechanisms underlying enhancer modulation of neuronal identity, neuronal activity and neurodegeneration. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 147:105155. [PMID: 33127472 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.105155] [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: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases, including Huntington's disease (HD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD), are progressive conditions characterized by selective, disease-dependent loss of neuronal regions and/or subpopulations. Neuronal loss is preceded by a long period of neuronal dysfunction, during which glial cells also undergo major changes, including neuroinflammatory response. Those dramatic changes affecting both neuronal and glial cells associate with epigenetic and transcriptional dysregulations, characterized by defined cell-type-specific signatures. Notably, increasing studies support the view that altered regulation of transcriptional enhancers, which are distal regulatory regions of the genome capable of modulating the activity of promoters through chromatin looping, play a critical role in transcriptional dysregulation in HD and AD. We review current knowledge on enhancers in HD and AD, and highlight challenging issues to better decipher the epigenetic code of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Alcalà-Vida
- LNCA, University of Strasbourg, France; CNRS UMR 7364, Strasbourg, France
| | - Ali Awada
- LNCA, University of Strasbourg, France; CNRS UMR 7364, Strasbourg, France
| | | | - Karine Merienne
- LNCA, University of Strasbourg, France; CNRS UMR 7364, Strasbourg, France.
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Conforti P, Besusso D, Brocchetti S, Campus I, Cappadona C, Galimberti M, Laporta A, Iennaco R, Rossi RL, Dickinson VB, Cattaneo E. RUES2 hESCs exhibit MGE-biased neuronal differentiation and muHTT-dependent defective specification hinting at SP1. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 146:105140. [PMID: 33065279 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.105140] [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: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/11/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
Abstract
RUES2 cell lines represent the first collection of isogenic human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) carrying different pathological CAG lengths in the HTT gene. However, their neuronal differentiation potential has yet to be thoroughly evaluated. Here, we report that RUES2 during ventral telencephalic differentiation is biased towards medial ganglionic eminence (MGE). We also show that HD-RUES2 cells exhibit an altered MGE transcriptional signature in addition to recapitulating known HD phenotypes, with reduced expression of the neurodevelopmental regulators NEUROD1 and BDNF and increased cleavage of synaptically enriched N-cadherin. Finally, we identified the transcription factor SP1 as a common potential detrimental co-partner of muHTT by de novo motif discovery analysis on the LGE, MGE, and cortical genes differentially expressed in HD human pluripotent stem cells in our and additional datasets. Taken together, these observations suggest a broad deleterious effect of muHTT in the early phases of neuronal development that may unfold through its altered interaction with SP1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Conforti
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy; Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare, Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi, Milan 20122, Italy
| | - Dario Besusso
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy; Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare, Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi, Milan 20122, Italy
| | - Silvia Brocchetti
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy; Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare, Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi, Milan 20122, Italy
| | - Ilaria Campus
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy; Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare, Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi, Milan 20122, Italy
| | - Claudio Cappadona
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy; Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare, Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi, Milan 20122, Italy
| | - Maura Galimberti
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy; Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare, Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi, Milan 20122, Italy
| | - Angela Laporta
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Raffaele Iennaco
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy; Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare, Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi, Milan 20122, Italy
| | - Riccardo L Rossi
- Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare, Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi, Milan 20122, Italy
| | - Vittoria Bocchi Dickinson
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy; Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare, Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi, Milan 20122, Italy
| | - Elena Cattaneo
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy; Istituto Nazionale Genetica Molecolare, Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi, Milan 20122, Italy.
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Manickam N, Radhakrishnan RK, Vergil Andrews JF, Selvaraj DB, Kandasamy M. Cell cycle re-entry of neurons and reactive neuroblastosis in Huntington's disease: Possibilities for neural-glial transition in the brain. Life Sci 2020; 263:118569. [PMID: 33049278 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2020.118569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant pathogenic condition that causes progressive degeneration of GABAergic neurons in the brain. The abnormal expansion of the CAG repeats in the exon 1 of the Huntingtin gene (HTT gene) has been associated with the onset and progression of movement disorders, psychiatric disturbance and cognitive decline in HD. Microglial activation and reactive astrogliosis have been recognized as the key pathogenic cellular events in the brains of HD subjects. Besides, HD has been characterized by induced quiescence of neural stem cells (NSCs), reactive neuroblastosis and reduced survival of newborn neurons in the brain. Strikingly, the expression of the mutant HTT gene has been reported to induce the cell cycle re-entry of neurons in HD brains. However, the underlying basis for the induction of cell cycle in neurons and the fate of dedifferentiating neurons in the pathological brain remain largely unknown. Thus, this review article revisits the reports on the regulation of key signaling pathways responsible for altered cell cycle events in diseased brains, with special reference to HD and postulates the occurrence of reactive neuroblastosis as a consequential cellular event of dedifferentiation of neurons. Meanwhile, a substantial number of studies indicate that many neuropathogenic events are associated with the expression of potential glial cell markers by neuroblasts. Taken together, this article represents a hypothesis that transdifferentiation of neurons into glial cells might be highly possible through the transient generation of reactive neuroblasts in the brain upon certain pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nivethitha Manickam
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Neuroregeneration, Department of Animal Science, School of Life Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620024, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Risna Kanjirassery Radhakrishnan
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Neuroregeneration, Department of Animal Science, School of Life Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620024, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Jemi Feiona Vergil Andrews
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Neuroregeneration, Department of Animal Science, School of Life Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620024, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Divya Bharathi Selvaraj
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Neuroregeneration, Department of Animal Science, School of Life Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620024, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Mahesh Kandasamy
- Laboratory of Stem Cells and Neuroregeneration, Department of Animal Science, School of Life Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620024, Tamil Nadu, India; Faculty Recharge Programme, University Grants Commission (UGC-FRP), New Delhi 110002, India.
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