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Evans LJ, O'Brien D, Shaw PJ. Current neuroprotective therapies and future prospects for motor neuron disease. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2024; 176:327-384. [PMID: 38802178 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2024.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Four medications with neuroprotective disease-modifying effects are now in use for motor neuron disease (MND). With FDA approvals for tofersen, relyvrio and edaravone in just the past year, 2022 ended a quarter of a century when riluzole was the sole such drug to offer to patients. The acceleration of approvals may mean we are witnessing the beginning of a step-change in how MND can be treated. Improvements in understanding underlying disease biology has led to more therapies being developed to target specific and multiple disease mechanisms. Consideration for how the pipeline of new therapeutic agents coming through in clinical and preclinical development can be more effectively evaluated with biomarkers, advances in patient stratification and clinical trial design pave the way for more successful translation for this archetypal complex neurodegenerative disease. While it must be cautioned that only slowed rates of progression have so far been demonstrated, pre-empting rapid neurodegeneration by using neurofilament biomarkers to signal when to treat, as is currently being trialled with tofersen, may be more effective for patients with known genetic predisposition to MND. Early intervention with personalized medicines could mean that for some patients at least, in future we may be able to substantially treat what is considered by many to be one of the most distressing diseases in medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura J Evans
- The Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, and the NIHR Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - David O'Brien
- The Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, and the NIHR Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Pamela J Shaw
- The Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, and the NIHR Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom.
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2
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Stump AL, Rioux DJ, Albright R, Melki GL, Prosser DC. Yeast Models of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Type 8 Mimic Phenotypes Seen in Mammalian Cells Expressing Mutant VAPB P56S. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1147. [PMID: 37509182 PMCID: PMC10377116 DOI: 10.3390/biom13071147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a complex neurodegenerative disease that results in the loss of motor neurons and can occur sporadically or due to genetic mutations. Among the 30 genes linked to familial ALS, a P56S mutation in VAPB, an ER-resident protein that functions at membrane contact sites, causes ALS type 8. Mammalian cells expressing VAPBP56S have distinctive phenotypes, including ER collapse, protein and/or membrane-containing inclusions, and sensitivity to ER stress. VAPB is conserved through evolution and has two homologs in budding yeast, SCS2 and SCS22. Previously, a humanized version of SCS2 bearing disease-linked mutations was described, and it caused Scs2-containing inclusions when overexpressed in yeast. Here, we describe a yeast model for ALS8 in which the two SCS genes are deleted and replaced with a single chromosomal copy of either wild-type or mutant yeast SCS2 or human VAPB expressed from the SCS2 promoter. These cells display ER collapse, the formation of inclusion-like structures, and sensitivity to tunicamycin, an ER stress-inducing drug. Based on the phenotypic similarity to mammalian cells expressing VAPBP56S, we propose that these models can be used to study the molecular basis of cell death or dysfunction in ALS8. Moreover, other conserved ALS-linked genes may create opportunities for the generation of yeast models of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- AnnaMari L. Stump
- Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
- VCU Life Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
| | - Daniel J. Rioux
- Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
- VCU Life Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
| | - Richard Albright
- Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
| | - Guiliano L. Melki
- Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
| | - Derek C. Prosser
- Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
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Boas SM, Joyce KL, Cowell RM. The NRF2-Dependent Transcriptional Regulation of Antioxidant Defense Pathways: Relevance for Cell Type-Specific Vulnerability to Neurodegeneration and Therapeutic Intervention. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 11:antiox11010008. [PMID: 35052512 PMCID: PMC8772787 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11010008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxidative stress has been implicated in the etiology and pathobiology of various neurodegenerative diseases. At baseline, the cells of the nervous system have the capability to regulate the genes for antioxidant defenses by engaging nuclear factor erythroid 2 (NFE2/NRF)-dependent transcriptional mechanisms, and a number of strategies have been proposed to activate these pathways to promote neuroprotection. Here, we briefly review the biology of the transcription factors of the NFE2/NRF family in the brain and provide evidence for the differential cellular localization of NFE2/NRF family members in the cells of the nervous system. We then discuss these findings in the context of the oxidative stress observed in two neurodegenerative diseases, Parkinson's disease (PD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and present current strategies for activating NFE2/NRF-dependent transcription. Based on the expression of the NFE2/NRF family members in restricted populations of neurons and glia, we propose that, when designing strategies to engage these pathways for neuroprotection, the relative contributions of neuronal and non-neuronal cell types to the overall oxidative state of tissue should be considered, as well as the cell types which have the greatest intrinsic capacity for producing antioxidant enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie M. Boas
- Department of Neuroscience, Southern Research, 2000 9th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35205, USA; (S.M.B.); (K.L.J.)
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 2nd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Kathlene L. Joyce
- Department of Neuroscience, Southern Research, 2000 9th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35205, USA; (S.M.B.); (K.L.J.)
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 2nd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Rita M. Cowell
- Department of Neuroscience, Southern Research, 2000 9th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35205, USA; (S.M.B.); (K.L.J.)
- Department of Cell, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 2nd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
- Correspondence:
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Burden of Rare Variants in ALS and Axonal Hereditary Neuropathy Genes Influence Survival in ALS: Insights from a Next Generation Sequencing Study of an Italian ALS Cohort. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21093346. [PMID: 32397312 PMCID: PMC7246633 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21093346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the genetic architecture of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is incompletely understood, recent findings suggest a complex model of inheritance in ALS, which is consistent with a multistep pathogenetic process. Therefore, the aim of our work is to further explore the architecture of ALS using targeted next generation sequencing (NGS) analysis, enriched in motor neuron diseases (MND)-associated genes which are also implicated in axonal hereditary motor neuropathy (HMN), in order to investigate if disease expression, including the progression rate, could be influenced by the combination of multiple rare gene variants. We analyzed 29 genes in an Italian cohort of 83 patients with both familial and sporadic ALS. Overall, we detected 43 rare variants in 17 different genes and found that 43.4% of the ALS patients harbored a variant in at least one of the investigated genes. Of note, 27.9% of the variants were identified in other MND- and HMN-associated genes. Moreover, multiple gene variants were identified in 17% of the patients. The burden of rare variants is associated with reduced survival and with the time to reach King stage 4, i.e., the time to reach the need for percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) positioning or non-invasive mechanical ventilation (NIMV) initiation, independently of known negative prognostic factors. Our data contribute to a better understanding of the molecular basis of ALS supporting the hypothesis that rare variant burden could play a role in the multistep model of disease and could exert a negative prognostic effect. Moreover, we further extend the genetic landscape of ALS to other MND-associated genes traditionally implicated in degenerative diseases of peripheral axons, such as HMN and CMT2.
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Martinelli I, Zucchi E, Gessani A, Fini N, Chiò A, Pecoraro V, Trenti T, Mandrioli J. A novel p.N66T mutation in exon 3 of the SOD1 gene: report of two families of ALS patients with early cognitive impairment. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2020; 21:296-300. [PMID: 32248719 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2020.1746344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: To date more than 180 different mutations in the SOD1 gene have been described in ALS; some of these mutations are associated to peculiar clinical features and have contributed to the understanding of disease heterogeneity. Only 5% of SOD1 mutations involve exon 3. Here we report a novel mutation c.197A > C in the exon 3 of the SOD1 gene in two apparently unrelated ALS families with early respiratory and cognitive impairment.Case report: In the first family two brothers developed ALS in their seventies, with arm weakness followed by bulbar involvement and behavioral breakdown. An unrelated 57-year-old man presented with progressive leg weakness and mild compromised executive functions without known family history for ALS/FTD and underwent invasive ventilation in a few months. A novel missense mutation A to C at codon 197 in exon 3 causing aminoacid substitution of arginine by threonine (N66T) was found for all of them. Harmful consequences of c.197A > C mutation on SOD1 function were suggested by in silico prediction and homology with other known mutations at the same position.Discussion and conclusion: Here, we report two apparently unrelated ALS families carrying a novel SOD1 mutation (N66T), supporting its pathogenic role by primary analysis, and characterized by early bulbar, respiratory, and cognitive involvement. Early cognitive impairment has been rarely described in ALS caused by SOD1 mutations, and mainly in the later phases of the disease. This report provides additional data on the SOD1 mutation spectrum and clinical presentation of ALS, widening phenotypical characterization of SOD1 ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Martinelli
- Department of Neuroscience, Ospedale Civile S. Agostino Estense, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria di Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Zucchi
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Annalisa Gessani
- Department of Neuroscience, Ospedale Civile S. Agostino Estense, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria di Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Nicola Fini
- Department of Neuroscience, Ospedale Civile S. Agostino Estense, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria di Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Adriano Chiò
- ALS Center "Rita Levi Montalcini" Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Torino, Italy; Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza, Torino, Italy; The Neuroscience Institute of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Valentina Pecoraro
- Laboratory of Toxycology and Advanced Diagnostics, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Ospedale Civile S. Agostino Estense, Modena, Italy
| | - Tommaso Trenti
- Laboratory of Toxycology and Advanced Diagnostics, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Ospedale Civile S. Agostino Estense, Modena, Italy
| | - Jessica Mandrioli
- Department of Neuroscience, Ospedale Civile S. Agostino Estense, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria di Modena, Modena, Italy
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Müller K, Brenner D, Weydt P, Meyer T, Grehl T, Petri S, Grosskreutz J, Schuster J, Volk AE, Borck G, Kubisch C, Klopstock T, Zeller D, Jablonka S, Sendtner M, Klebe S, Knehr A, Günther K, Weis J, Claeys KG, Schrank B, Sperfeld AD, Hübers A, Otto M, Dorst J, Meitinger T, Strom TM, Andersen PM, Ludolph AC, Weishaupt JH. Comprehensive analysis of the mutation spectrum in 301 German ALS families. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2018; 89:817-827. [PMID: 29650794 DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2017-317611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2017] [Revised: 01/25/2018] [Accepted: 03/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Recent advances in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) genetics have revealed that mutations in any of more than 25 genes can cause ALS, mostly as an autosomal-dominant Mendelian trait. Detailed knowledge about the genetic architecture of ALS in a specific population will be important for genetic counselling but also for genotype-specific therapeutic interventions. METHODS Here we combined fragment length analysis, repeat-primed PCR, Southern blotting, Sanger sequencing and whole exome sequencing to obtain a comprehensive profile of genetic variants in ALS disease genes in 301 German pedigrees with familial ALS. We report C9orf72 mutations as well as variants in consensus splice sites and non-synonymous variants in protein-coding regions of ALS genes. We furthermore estimate their pathogenicity by taking into account type and frequency of the respective variant as well as segregation within the families. RESULTS 49% of our German ALS families carried a likely pathogenic variant in at least one of the earlier identified ALS genes. In 45% of the ALS families, likely pathogenic variants were detected in C9orf72, SOD1, FUS, TARDBP or TBK1, whereas the relative contribution of the other ALS genes in this familial ALS cohort was 4%. We identified several previously unreported rare variants and demonstrated the absence of likely pathogenic variants in some of the recently described ALS disease genes. CONCLUSIONS We here present a comprehensive genetic characterisation of German familial ALS. The present findings are of importance for genetic counselling in clinical practice, for molecular research and for the design of diagnostic gene panels or genotype-specific therapeutic interventions in Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David Brenner
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Patrick Weydt
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.,Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Gerontopsychiatry, Bonn University, Bonn, Germany
| | - Thomas Meyer
- Department of Neurology, Charité Hospital, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany
| | - Torsten Grehl
- Department of Neurology, Alfried Krupp Hospital, Essen, Germany
| | - Susanne Petri
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | | | | | - Alexander E Volk
- Institute of Human Genetics, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.,Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Guntram Borck
- Institute of Human Genetics, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Christian Kubisch
- Institute of Human Genetics, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.,Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Klopstock
- Department of Neurology, Friedrich-Baur-Institut, University of Munich, Munich, Germany.,German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany
| | - Daniel Zeller
- Department of Neurology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sibylle Jablonka
- Institute of Clinical Neurobiology, University Hospital of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Michael Sendtner
- Institute of Clinical Neurobiology, University Hospital of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Stephan Klebe
- Department of Neurology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.,Department of Neurology, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Antje Knehr
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Joachim Weis
- Institute of Neuropathology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany
| | - Kristl G Claeys
- Institute of Neuropathology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany.,Department of Neurology, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany.,Department of Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Laboratory for Muscle Diseases and Neuropathies, Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Berthold Schrank
- Department of Neurology, DKD HELIOS Klinik Wiesbaden, Wiesbaden, Germany
| | - Anne-Dorte Sperfeld
- Department of Neurology, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle/Saale, Germany
| | | | - Markus Otto
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Thomas Meitinger
- Institute of Human Genetics, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.,Institute of Human Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany.,Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SNergy), Munich, Germany
| | - Tim M Strom
- Institute of Human Genetics, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.,Institute of Human Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany.,Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SNergy), Munich, Germany
| | - Peter M Andersen
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.,Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
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7
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Coppedè F, Stoccoro A, Mosca L, Gallo R, Tarlarini C, Lunetta C, Marocchi A, Migliore L, Penco S. Increase in DNA methylation in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis carriers of not fully penetrant SOD1 mutations. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2017; 19:93-101. [PMID: 28859526 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2017.1367401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE More than 180 different superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) mutations have been described to date in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients, including not completely penetrant ones leading to phenotypic heterogeneity among carriers. We collected DNA samples from five ALS families with not fully penetrant SOD1 mutations (p.Asn65Ser, p.Gly72Ser, p.Gly93Asp, and p.Gly130_Glu133del) searching for epigenetic differences among ALS patients, asymptomatic/paucisymptomatic carriers and non-carrier family members. METHODS Global DNA methylation levels (5-methylcytosine levels) were determined in blood DNA samples with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the methylation analysis of SOD1, FUS, TARDBP and C9orf72 genes was performed using Methylation-Sensitive High-Resolution Melting (MS-HRM) technique. RESULTS Global DNA methylation levels were significantly higher in blood DNA of ALS patients than in asymptomatic/paucisymptomatic carriers or family members non-carriers of SOD1 mutations, and a positive correlation between global DNA methylation levels and disease duration (months) was observed. SOD1, FUS, TARDBP and C9orf72 gene promoters were demethylated in all subjects. CONCLUSIONS The present study suggests that global changes in DNA methylation might contribute to the ALS phenotype in carriers of not fully penetrant SOD1 mutations, thus reinforcing the role of epigenetic factors in modulating the phenotypic expression of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Coppedè
- a Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery , Section of Medical Genetics, University of Pisa , Pisa , Italy
| | - Andrea Stoccoro
- a Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery , Section of Medical Genetics, University of Pisa , Pisa , Italy.,b Doctoral School in Genetics Oncology and Clinical Medicine, Department of Medical Biotechnologies , University of Siena , Siena , Italy
| | - Lorena Mosca
- c Medical Genetics Unit, Department of Laboratory Medicine , ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda , Milan , Italy , and
| | - Roberta Gallo
- a Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery , Section of Medical Genetics, University of Pisa , Pisa , Italy
| | - Claudia Tarlarini
- c Medical Genetics Unit, Department of Laboratory Medicine , ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda , Milan , Italy , and
| | - Christian Lunetta
- d NEuroMuscular Omnicentre (NEMO) , ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda , Milan , Italy
| | - Alessandro Marocchi
- c Medical Genetics Unit, Department of Laboratory Medicine , ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda , Milan , Italy , and
| | - Lucia Migliore
- a Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery , Section of Medical Genetics, University of Pisa , Pisa , Italy
| | - Silvana Penco
- c Medical Genetics Unit, Department of Laboratory Medicine , ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda , Milan , Italy , and
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8
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Keckarević D, Stević Z, Keckarević-Marković M, Kecmanović M, Romac S. A novel P66S mutation in exon 3 of the SOD1 gene with early onset and rapid progression. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012; 13:237-40. [DOI: 10.3109/17482968.2011.627588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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9
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del Grande A, Luigetti M, Conte A, Mancuso I, Lattante S, Marangi G, Stipa G, Zollino M, Sabatelli M. A novel L67P SOD1 mutation in an Italian ALS patient. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011; 12:150-2. [DOI: 10.3109/17482968.2011.551939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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10
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Kobayashi Z, Tsuchiya K, Kubodera T, Shibata N, Arai T, Miura H, Ishikawa C, Kondo H, Ishizu H, Akiyama H, Mizusawa H. FALS with Gly72Ser mutation in SOD1 gene: Report of a family including the first autopsy case. J Neurol Sci 2011; 300:9-13. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2010.10.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2010] [Revised: 10/23/2010] [Accepted: 10/28/2010] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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11
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Abou Mossallam AA. Identification of Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase in cattle and river buffaloes. J Genet Eng Biotechnol 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jgeb.2011.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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12
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Andersen PM, Sims KB, Xin WW, Kiely R, O'Neill G, Ravits J, Pioro E, Harati Y, Brower RD, Levine JS, Heinicke HU, Seltzer W, Boss M, Brown RH. Sixteen novel mutations in the Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase gene in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a decade of discoveries, defects and disputes. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009; 4:62-73. [PMID: 14506936 DOI: 10.1080/14660820310011700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 200] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Since the discovery of mutations in the gene encoding Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) ten years ago, testing for SOD1 gene mutations has become a part of the investigation of patients with suspected motor neuron disease. We searched for novel SOD1 mutations and for clinical characteristics of patients with these mutations. METHODS Analysis was made of patient files at the Neurogenetic DNA Diagnostic Laboratory at Massachusetts General Hospital. We also scrutinized available medical records and examined patients with the different SOD1 mutations. RESULTS One hundred and forty eight (148) of 2045 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients carried a disease-associated mutation in the SOD1 gene. The most prevalent was the A4V missense mutation, found in 41% of those patients. Sixteen novel exonic mutations (L8V, F20C, Q22L, H48R, T54R, S591, V87A, T88deltaTAD, A89T, V97M, S105deltaSL, V118L, D124G, G141X, G147R, 11515) were found, bringing the total number of SOD1 gene mutations in ALS to 105. CONCLUSIONS Mutations in the SOD1 gene are found both in sporadic and familial ALS cases without any definite predilection for any part of the gene. A common structural denominator for the 16 novel mutations or previously reported mutations is not obvious. Similarly, the nature of the putative acquired toxic function of mutant SOD1 remains unresolved. We conclude that patients with SOD1 mutations may infrequently show symptoms and signs unrelated to the motor systems, sometimes obscuring the diagnosis of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter M Andersen
- Cecil B Day Laboratory for Neuromuscular Research, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital East and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA.
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13
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Wang Q, Johnson JL, Agar NY, Agar JN. Protein aggregation and protein instability govern familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patient survival. PLoS Biol 2008; 6:e170. [PMID: 18666828 PMCID: PMC2486295 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.0060170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2008] [Accepted: 06/05/2008] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The nature of the "toxic gain of function" that results from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)-, Parkinson-, and Alzheimer-related mutations is a matter of debate. As a result no adequate model of any neurodegenerative disease etiology exists. We demonstrate that two synergistic properties, namely, increased protein aggregation propensity (increased likelihood that an unfolded protein will aggregate) and decreased protein stability (increased likelihood that a protein will unfold), are central to ALS etiology. Taken together these properties account for 69% of the variability in mutant Cu/Zn-superoxide-dismutase-linked familial ALS patient survival times. Aggregation is a concentration-dependent process, and spinal cord motor neurons have higher concentrations of Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase than the surrounding cells. Protein aggregation therefore is expected to contribute to the selective vulnerability of motor neurons in familial ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Volen Center, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Joshua L Johnson
- Volen Center, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Biochemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Nathalie Y.R Agar
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey N Agar
- Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Volen Center, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
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14
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Raiteri L, Stigliani S, Zappettini S, Mercuri NB, Raiteri M, Bonanno G. Excessive and precocious glutamate release in a mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neuropharmacology 2004; 46:782-92. [PMID: 15033338 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2003.11.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2003] [Revised: 11/12/2003] [Accepted: 11/20/2003] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
The release of [3H]D-aspartate ([3H]D-ASP) or [3H]GABA evoked by glycine and that of [3H]D-ASP or [3H]glycine evoked by GABA from spinal cord synaptosomes were studied in SOD1-G93A(+) mice, a transgenic model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, SOD1(+) mice and SOD1(-)/G93A(-) animals. Mutant mice were killed at advanced phase of pathology or during the presymptomatic period. In SOD1(-)/G93A(-) or SOD1(+) mice glycine evoked [(3)H]d-ASP and [(3)H]GABA release, while GABA caused [3H]D-ASP, but not [3H]glycine, release. The glycine-evoked release of [3H]D-ASP, but not that of [3H]GABA, and the GABA-evoked [3H]D-ASP release, but not that of [3H]glycine, were more pronounced in SOD1-G93A(+) than in SOD1(+) mice. Furthermore, these potentiations were already present in asymptomatic 30- to 40-day-old mice. Basal [3H]D-ASP release was also higher in SOD1-G93A(+) than SOD1(+) or SOD1(-)/G93A(-) mice. The release of endogenous glutamate and GABA was also enhanced in asymptomatic animals; the glycine-evoked release of endogenous glutamate, but not of endogenous GABA, was higher in SOD1-G93A(+) than in SOD1(+) animals. The effects of glycine and GABA were insensitive to receptor blockers, but sensitive to transporter inhibitors, indicating coexistence of glutamate and glycine transporters and of glutamate and GABA transporters on glutamate-releasing terminals. The glutamate release machinery seems excessively functional in SOD1-G93A(+) animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Raiteri
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Pharmacology and Toxicology Section, University of Genoa, Viale Cembrano 4, Genoa 16148, Italy
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Chapter 8 Genetic Aspects of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis/Motor Neuron Disease. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2003. [DOI: 10.1016/s1877-3419(09)70109-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
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16
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Abstract
The increasing complexity of the pathways implicated in the pathogenesis of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has stimulated intensive research in many directions. Genetic analysis of familial ALS has yielded six loci and one disease gene (SOD1), initially suggesting a role for free radicals in the disease process, although the mechanisms through which the mutant exerts toxicity and results in selective motor neuron death remain uncertain. Numerous studies have focused on structural elements of the affected cell, emphasizing the role of neurofilaments and peripherin and their functional disruption in disease. Other topics examined include cellular homeostasis of copper and calcium, particularly in the context of oxidative stress and the processes of protein aggregation, glutamate excitotoxicity, and apoptosis. It has become evident that there is considerable interplay between these mechanisms and, as the role of each is established, a common picture may emerge, enabling the development of more targeted therapies. This study discusses the main areas of investigation and reviews the findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Collette K Hand
- Centre for Research in Neuroscience, McGill University, and Montréal General Hospital Research Institute (L7-224), 1650 Cedar Avenue, Montréal, Quebec H3G 1A4, Canada
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Masè G, Ros S, Gemma A, Bonfigli L, Carraro N, Cazzato G, Rolfo M, Zanconati F, Sepcic J, Jurjevic A, Pirulli D, Boniotto M, Zezlina S, Crovella S, Amoroso A. ALS with variable phenotypes in a six-generation family caused by leu144phe mutation in the SOD1 gene. J Neurol Sci 2001; 191:11-8. [PMID: 11676987 DOI: 10.1016/s0022-510x(01)00625-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurological disorder. The mutations of Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase gene (SOD1) are responsible for familial ALS. We investigated a large family of Istro-Rumanian origin characterized by an autosomal dominant ALS occurring in 18 cases (three of which are still alive) throughout six generations. METHODS Clinical data were available for nine patients from the 2nd generation onward, among which one contained the neuropathological details. The mean age at onset of the disease (+/-SD) was 57.3+/-8.9 years (range 49-72), while the duration of the disease spanned over a length of time equal to 4.9+/-1.96 years (range 1.5-7). The analysis of the coding region of SOD1 was done by PCR and direct sequencing. The SOD1 activity was measured by using the red and mononuclear cells belonging to three of the patients. RESULTS The leu144phe mutation of SOD1 was identified in four patients while a normal sequence was found in five healthy related subjects. The molecular defect was responsible for a decrease in SOD1 activity. Most of patients in this family presented clinical manifestations of ALS (in particular, the lower limb onset variant) not as severe as typical ALS caused by other SOD1 mutations. However, one patient suffering from hyperthyroidism for 17 years, showed an early onset and a rapidly progressing ALS coupled with dementia. CONCLUSIONS We described a large family with a relatively not severe phenotype of ALS (due to a leu144phe SOD1 mutation) that was compromised in one patient by a concomitant hyperthyroidism.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Masè
- Department of Neurology, University of Trieste and "Cattinara" Hospital, Trieste, Italy
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Andersen PM. Genetics of sporadic ALS. AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS AND OTHER MOTOR NEURON DISORDERS : OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE WORLD FEDERATION OF NEUROLOGY, RESEARCH GROUP ON MOTOR NEURON DISEASES 2001; 2 Suppl 1:S37-41. [PMID: 11465923 DOI: 10.1080/14660820152415726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
The only known gene to be involved in ALS is the CuZn-superoxide dismutase (CuZn-SOD) gene. Since 1993, 89 disease-associated mutations have been found in this gene, 14 of them in cases with apparently sporadic ALS. Most frequent are the D90A (most often with recessive inheritance, but a few with dominant inheritance) and the I113T (dominant inheritance with variable penetrance). Statistical and genealogical evidence suggest that quite a number of diagnosed sporadic cases may in fact be familial cases in pedigrees with very low disease penetrance.
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Affiliation(s)
- P M Andersen
- Department of Neurology, Umeå University Hospital, Sweden.
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Andersen PM. Genetic factors in the early diagnosis of ALS. AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS AND OTHER MOTOR NEURON DISORDERS : OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE WORLD FEDERATION OF NEUROLOGY, RESEARCH GROUP ON MOTOR NEURON DISEASES 2000; 1 Suppl 1:S31-42. [PMID: 11464924 DOI: 10.1080/14660820052415899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
The frequency of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is usually reported as 5-10% of all ALS cases. This figure is probably an underestimate, primarily due to inadequate recording of family history in the patients' charts, and to the not infrequent occurrence of reduced disease penetrance in pedigrees with familial ALS. The true familial ALS frequency may be at least double this. Familial ALS is heterogenetic. The only known ALS-causing gene is the CuZn-superoxide dismutase gene (CuZn-SOD). Mutations in this gene account for a fifth of all familial ALS cases and a few percent of apparent sporadic ALS cases. Genetic testing for CuZn-SOD mutations can help confirm a diagnosis of ALS, especially in cases with atypical features that have been reported in some cases with CuZn-SOD mutations. Genetic testing should only be performed after thorough clinical examination and in cases with a proven or uncertain family history of ALS. It is not warranted in cases with no proven family history for three generations, unless the patient shows the characteristic phenotype associated with recessive inheritance of the D90A CuZn-SOD mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- P M Andersen
- Department of Neurology, Umeå University Hospital, Sweden.
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Abstract
Mutations of the SOD1 gene, encoding the enzyme copper/zinc superoxide dismutase, have been identified in around 20% of patients with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and also in patients with apparently sporadic ALS. The table documents the mutations identified and published to date, and references clinical and pathological descriptions of the patients and families with individual mutations. The table includes 63 different mutations of SOD1 at 43 codons, three intronic sites, and two in the 3' untranslated region. Most of the mutations are heterozygotes, with autosomal dominant inheritance, but a small number of individuals appear to be sporadic, or are homozygotes with autosomal dominant recessive inheritance.
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Affiliation(s)
- R W Orrell
- University Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Royal Free and University College Medical School, London, UK.
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Orrell RW, Habgood JJ, Malaspina A, Mitchell J, Greenwood J, Lane RJ, deBelleroche JS. Clinical characteristics of SOD1 gene mutations in UK families with ALS. J Neurol Sci 1999; 169:56-60. [PMID: 10540008 DOI: 10.1016/s0022-510x(99)00216-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Five to ten percent of patients with ALS have a family history of the disease, inheritance is usually autosomal dominant. Mutations of the SOD1 gene were first identified in a proportion of families with ALS by Rosen et al. The SOD1 gene encodes the enzyme copper zinc superoxide dismutase. Patients were studied from throughout the UK, where more than one individual in the family had ALS. Clinical history and examination of the individual and family were obtained, and DNA extracted from leukocytes of whole blood samples. Mutations were identified by standard sequencing methods. To date, 12 different mutations of SOD1 have been identified in 17 different families, representing around 20% of all ALS families studied. The mutations were mainly single base substitutions - H48Q, G72S, G93R, G93V, E100G, D101N, D101G, G108V, I113T, D125H, I149T - and also an insertion mutation - 132insTT - leading to a premature stop codon. The mutations were present in exons 2-5. We did not identify mutations in exon 1, although these have been identified by others in different patient samples. We have identified SOD1 mutations in around 20% of UK families with ALS studied. This is similar to that reported in other populations. Mutations have now been identified in all exons of SOD1. The individual mutations do not precisely predict disease severity, and generally it is difficult to give a specific prognosis based on the individuals' SOD1 mutations. We continue to investigate the possible pathogenic mechanisms of the SOD1 mutations. We have studied the neuropathology in patients with SOD1 mutations. We are also performing linkage studies to identify the genes involved in the 80% of families where an SOD1 mutation has not been identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- R W Orrell
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Division of Neuroscience and Psychological Medicine, Imperial College School of Medicine, Charing Cross Hospital, London, UK.
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