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Fare CM, Rothstein JD. Nuclear pore dysfunction and disease: a complex opportunity. Nucleus 2024; 15:2314297. [PMID: 38383349 PMCID: PMC10883112 DOI: 10.1080/19491034.2024.2314297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The separation of genetic material from bulk cytoplasm has enabled the evolution of increasingly complex organisms, allowing for the development of sophisticated forms of life. However, this complexity has created new categories of dysfunction, including those related to the movement of material between cellular compartments. In eukaryotic cells, nucleocytoplasmic trafficking is a fundamental biological process, and cumulative disruptions to nuclear integrity and nucleocytoplasmic transport are detrimental to cell survival. This is particularly true in post-mitotic neurons, where nuclear pore injury and errors to nucleocytoplasmic trafficking are strongly associated with neurodegenerative disease. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of nuclear pore biology in physiological and pathological contexts and discuss potential therapeutic approaches for addressing nuclear pore injury and dysfunctional nucleocytoplasmic transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte M Fare
- Department of Neurology and Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jeffrey D Rothstein
- Department of Neurology and Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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2
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Santos Silva C, Gormicho M, Simão S, Pronto-Laborinho AC, Alves I, Pinto S, Oliveira Santos M, de Carvalho M. C9orf72 gene repeat expansion phenotype profile of motor neurone disease in Portugal. J Neurol Sci 2024; 465:123208. [PMID: 39226712 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2024.123208] [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: 05/20/2024] [Revised: 07/18/2024] [Accepted: 08/29/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND C9orf72 gene repeat expansion (C9RE) is the most frequent gene variant associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We aimed to study the phenotype of motor neurone disease (MND) patients with C9RE in a Portuguese cohort. METHODS Demographical and clinical data of MND patients with (C9RE+) and without C9RE were compared. ALS al Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS-R) and Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS Screen (ECAS) were used to evaluate functional and cognitive performance, respectively. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan Meier log-rank test and Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS We included 761 patients of whom 61 (8.0 %) were C9RE+. C9RE+ patients had a higher frequency of ALS (95.1 vs 78.4 %, p = 0.002), and lower frequency of progressive muscular atrophy (3.3 vs 16.7 %, p = 0.006). C9RE+ was associated with earlier age of onset (58.1 vs 62.6 years, p = 0.003) and more frequent MND family history (65.5 vs 11.4 %, p < 0.001). Gender, ethnicity, onset site, diagnostic delay, disease progression rate until diagnosis (ΔF), ALSFRS-R and time until non-invasive ventilation did not differ between groups. Cognitive/behavioural symptoms and ECAS did not differ between groups, except a worse visuospatial score in C9RE+ group (p = 0.035). Death rate was 1.8 and 1.6 times higher in C9RE+ patients with MND and ALS, respectively. Significant survival prognostic factors in C9RE+ group were diagnosis delay (HR = 0.96, 95 %CI 0.92-0.99, p = 0.008) and ΔF (HR = 1.93, 95 %CI 1.26-2.96, p = 0.002). CONCLUSION Our study corroborates most previous cohorts' findings, but harbours some singularities regarding onset site, phenotype, and cognitive profile, that contribute to a better understanding of C9RE epidemiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cláudia Santos Silva
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Unidade Local de Saúde de Santa Maria, Lisbon, Portugal; Faculdade de Medicina-Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Centro de Estudos Egas Moniz, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Marta Gormicho
- Faculdade de Medicina-Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Centro de Estudos Egas Moniz, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Sara Simão
- Faculdade de Medicina-Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Centro de Estudos Egas Moniz, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Ana Catarina Pronto-Laborinho
- Faculdade de Medicina-Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Centro de Estudos Egas Moniz, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Inês Alves
- Faculdade de Medicina-Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Centro de Estudos Egas Moniz, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Susana Pinto
- Faculdade de Medicina-Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Centro de Estudos Egas Moniz, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Miguel Oliveira Santos
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Unidade Local de Saúde de Santa Maria, Lisbon, Portugal; Faculdade de Medicina-Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Centro de Estudos Egas Moniz, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Mamede de Carvalho
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Unidade Local de Saúde de Santa Maria, Lisbon, Portugal; Faculdade de Medicina-Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Centro de Estudos Egas Moniz, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
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Olsen CG, Malmberg VN, Fahlström M, Alstadhaug KB, Bjørnå IK, Braathen GJ, Bråthen G, Demic N, Hallerstig E, Hogenesch I, Horn MA, Kampman MT, Kleveland G, Ljøstad U, Maniaol A, Morsund ÅH, Nakken O, Schlüter K, Schuler S, Seim E, Flemmen HØ, Tysnes OB, Holmøy T, Høyer H. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis caused by the C9orf72 expansion in Norway - prevalence, ancestry, clinical characteristics and sociodemographic status. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2024:1-9. [PMID: 39316038 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2024.2405118] [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: 07/02/2024] [Revised: 09/03/2024] [Accepted: 09/12/2024] [Indexed: 09/25/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The most common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the C9orf72 expansion. A high incidence of this expansion has been detected in Sweden and Finland. This Norwegian population-based study aimed to identify the prevalence, geographic distribution, ancestry, and relatedness of ALS patients with a C9orf72 expansion (C9pos). Further, we compared C9pos and C9neg patients' clinical presentation, family history of ALS and other neurodegenerative disorders, and sociodemographic status. METHODS We recruited ALS patients from all 17 Departments of neurology in Norway. Blood samples and questionnaires regarding clinical characteristics, sociodemographic status and family history of ALS, and other neurodegenerative disorders were collected. The C9orf72 expansion was examined for all patients. RESULTS The study enrolled 500 ALS patients, 8.8% of whom were C9pos, with half being sporadic ALS cases. The proportion of C9pos cases differed between regions, ranging from 17.9% in the Northern region to 1.9% in the Western region. The majority of C9pos patients had non-Finnish European descent and were not closely related. C9pos patients exhibited a significantly shorter mean survival time, had a higher frequency of relatives with ALS or dementia, and were more often unmarried/single and childless than C9neg patients. CONCLUSION C9pos patients constitute a large portion of the Norwegian ALS population. Ancestry and relatedness do not adequately explain regional differences. Relying on clinical information to identify C9pos patients has proven to be challenging. Half of C9pos patients were reported as having sporadic ALS, underlining the importance of carefully assessing family history and the need for genetic testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cathrine Goberg Olsen
- Department of Medical Genetics, Telemark Hospital Trust, Skien, Norway
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Nordbyhagen, Norway
| | - Vetle Nilsen Malmberg
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Nordbyhagen, Norway
- Department of Neurology, Telemark Hospital Trust, Skien, Norway
| | - Maria Fahlström
- Department of Medical Genetics, Telemark Hospital Trust, Skien, Norway
| | | | | | | | - Geir Bråthen
- Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Natasha Demic
- Department of Neurology, Vestfold Hospital Trust, Tønsberg, Norway
| | | | - Ineke Hogenesch
- Department of Neurology, Fonna Hospital Trust, Haugesund, Norway
| | | | - Margitta T Kampman
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Grethe Kleveland
- Department of Neurology, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Lillehammer, Norway
| | - Unn Ljøstad
- Department of Neurology, Sørlandet Hospital Trust, Kristiansand, Norway
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Åse Hagen Morsund
- Department of Neurology, Møre og Romsdal Hospital Trust, Molde, Norway
| | - Ola Nakken
- Department of Neurology, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway
| | - Katrin Schlüter
- Department of Neurology, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway
| | - Stephan Schuler
- Department of Neurology, Nord-Trøndelag Hospital Trust, Namsos, Norway
| | - Elin Seim
- Department of Neurology, Førde Hospital Trust, Førde, Norway, and
| | | | - Ole-Bjørn Tysnes
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Norway
- Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Trygve Holmøy
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Nordbyhagen, Norway
- Department of Neurology, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway
| | - Helle Høyer
- Department of Medical Genetics, Telemark Hospital Trust, Skien, Norway
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Nordbyhagen, Norway
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Jadhav B, Garg P, van Vugt JJFA, Ibanez K, Gagliardi D, Lee W, Shadrina M, Mokveld T, Dolzhenko E, Martin-Trujillo A, Gies SJ, Altman G, Rocca C, Barbosa M, Jain M, Lahiri N, Lachlan K, Houlden H, Paten B, Veldink J, Tucci A, Sharp AJ. A phenome-wide association study of methylated GC-rich repeats identifies a GCC repeat expansion in AFF3 associated with intellectual disability. Nat Genet 2024:10.1038/s41588-024-01917-1. [PMID: 39313615 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-024-01917-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/25/2024]
Abstract
GC-rich tandem repeat expansions (TREs) are often associated with DNA methylation, gene silencing and folate-sensitive fragile sites, and underlie several congenital and late-onset disorders. Through a combination of DNA-methylation profiling and tandem repeat genotyping, we identified 24 methylated TREs and investigated their effects on human traits using phenome-wide association studies in 168,641 individuals from the UK Biobank, identifying 156 significant TRE-trait associations involving 17 different TREs. Of these, a GCC expansion in the promoter of AFF3 was associated with a 2.4-fold reduced probability of completing secondary education, an effect size comparable to several recurrent pathogenic microdeletions. In a cohort of 6,371 probands with neurodevelopmental problems of suspected genetic etiology, we observed a significant enrichment of AFF3 expansions compared with controls. With a population prevalence that is at least fivefold higher than the TRE that causes fragile X syndrome, AFF3 expansions represent a major cause of neurodevelopmental delay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bharati Jadhav
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences and Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Paras Garg
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences and Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Joke J F A van Vugt
- Department of Neurology, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Kristina Ibanez
- William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Delia Gagliardi
- William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - William Lee
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences and Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mariya Shadrina
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences and Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Alejandro Martin-Trujillo
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences and Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Scott J Gies
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences and Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gabrielle Altman
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences and Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Clarissa Rocca
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Mafalda Barbosa
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences and Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Miten Jain
- UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
- Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nayana Lahiri
- SW Thames Centre for Genomics, St George's University of London & St George's University Hospitals NHS, London, UK
| | - Katherine Lachlan
- Wessex Clinical Genetics Service, University Hospital Southampton NHS Trust and Department of Human Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Southampton University, Southampton, UK
| | - Henry Houlden
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Benedict Paten
- UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Jan Veldink
- Department of Neurology, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Arianna Tucci
- William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Andrew J Sharp
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences and Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
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Spencer BE, Xie SX, Elman L, Quinn CC, Amado D, Baer M, Lee EB, Van Deerlin VM, Dratch L, Massimo L, Irwin DJ, McMillan CT. C9orf72 repeat expansions modify risk for secondary motor and cognitive-behavioral symptoms in behavioral-variant frontotemporal degeneration and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.04.30.24306638. [PMID: 38746326 PMCID: PMC11092697 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.30.24306638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
In behavioral-variant frontotemporal degeneration (bvFTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), secondary motor or cognitive-behavioral symptoms, respectively, are associated with shorter survival. However, factors influencing secondary symptom development remain largely unexplored. We performed a retrospective evaluation of the entire disease course of individuals with ALS (n=172) and bvFTD (n=69). Only individuals who had neuropathological confirmation of TDP-43 proteinopathy at autopsy or a C9orf72 hexanucleotide repeat expansion were included for analysis. We examined the odds and hazard of secondary symptom development and assessed whether each was modified by the presence of a C9orf72 expansion or initial clinical syndrome. Binary logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard analyses revealed increased odds (OR=4.25 [95% CI 1.97-9.14], p<0.001) and an increased hazard (HR= 4.77 [95% CI 2.33-9.79], p<0.001) for developing secondary symptoms in those with a C9orf72 expansion compared to those without. Initial clinical syndrome (bvFTD or ALS), age at symptom onset, and sex were not associated with development of secondary symptoms. These data highlight the need for clinician vigilance to detect the onset of secondary motor and cognitive-behavioral symptoms in patients carrying a C9orf72 expansion, regardless of initial clinical syndrome. C9orf72 clinical care can be enhanced through coordination between cognitive and neuromuscular clinics.
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Douglas AGL, Thompson AG, Turner MR, Talbot K. Personalised penetrance estimation for C9orf72-related amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia. BMJ Neurol Open 2024; 6:e000792. [PMID: 39315390 PMCID: PMC11418571 DOI: 10.1136/bmjno-2024-000792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/21/2024] [Indexed: 09/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Background C9orf72 hexanucleotide repeat expansions are the most common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) in European populations. Variable disease penetrance between families presents a challenge for genetic counselling of at-risk relatives and reduces the predictive utility of testing asymptomatic relatives. We have developed a novel model for estimating penetrance in individual families affected by C9orf72 using available family history information, allowing the calculation of personalised risk estimates. Methods Published aggregated age-of-onset data for C9orf72-related ALS/FTD were used to generate age-related cumulative relative risks for at-risk relatives within pedigrees. Age-related relative risks are combined with a priori chance of individuals carrying an expansion based on known pedigree information. Penetrance is calculated as a number of affected individuals divided by the sum of cumulative age-related risks of relatives being affected by 80 years. Results This method allows family-specific penetrance to be estimated from family history and at-risk relatives' personalised age-related ALS/FTD risks to be calculated and illustrated graphically. Penetrance reduces as the number and age of at-risk unaffected relatives increases. Conclusions Family history remains the best indicator of penetrance in C9orf72 expansion carriers. Calculating family-specific penetrance can aid genetic counselling by allowing at-risk relatives a more accurate understanding of their individual risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew G L Douglas
- Oxford Centre for Genomic Medicine, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Martin R Turner
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Kevin Talbot
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Roos AK, Stenvall E, Kockum ES, Grönlund KÅ, Alstermark H, Wuolikainen A, Andersen PM, Nordin A, Forsberg KME. Small striatal huntingtin inclusions in patients with motor neuron disease with reduced penetrance and intermediate HTT gene expansions. Hum Mol Genet 2024:ddae137. [PMID: 39270726 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddae137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2024] [Revised: 08/22/2024] [Accepted: 08/30/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Short tandem repeat expansions in the human genome are overrepresented in a variety of neurological disorders. It was recently shown that huntingtin (HTT) repeat expansions with full penetrance, i.e. 40 or more CAG repeats, which normally cause Huntington's disease (HD), are overrepresented in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Whether patients carrying HTT repeat expansions with reduced penetrance, (36-39 CAG repeats), or alleles with intermediate penetrance, (27-35 CAG repeats), have an increased risk of ALS has not yet been investigated. Here, we examined the role of HTT repeat expansions in a motor neuron disease (MND) cohort, searched for expanded HTT alleles, and investigated correlations with phenotype and neuropathology. MND patients harboring C9ORF72 hexanucleotide repeat expansions (HREs) were included, to investigate whether HTT repeat expansions were more common in this group. We found a high prevalence of intermediate (range 5.63%-6.61%) and reduced penetrance (range 0.57%-0.66%) HTT gene expansions in this cohort compared to other populations of European ancestry, but no differences between the MND cohort and the control cohort were observed, regardless of C9ORF72HRE status. Upon autopsy of three patients with intermediate or reduced penetrance HTT alleles, huntingtin inclusions were observed in the caudate nucleus and frontal lobe, but no significant somatic mosaicism was detected in different parts of the nervous system. Thus, we demonstrate, for the first time, huntingtin inclusions in individuals with MND and intermediate and reduced penetrance HTT repeat expansions but more clinicopathological investigations are needed to further understand the impact of HTT gene expansion-related pleiotropy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Karin Roos
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Neurosciences, Umeå University, Norrlands University Hospital, Building 6 M, Floor 4, Umeå SE-90184, Sweden
| | - Erica Stenvall
- Department of Medical Biosciences, Umeå University, Norrlands University Hospital, Building 6 M, Floor 2, Umeå SE-90184, Sweden
| | - Emmy Skelton Kockum
- Department of Medical Biosciences, Umeå University, Norrlands University Hospital, Building 6 M, Floor 2, Umeå SE-90184, Sweden
| | - Kornelia Åman Grönlund
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Neurosciences, Umeå University, Norrlands University Hospital, Building 6 M, Floor 4, Umeå SE-90184, Sweden
| | - Helena Alstermark
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Neurosciences, Umeå University, Norrlands University Hospital, Building 6 M, Floor 4, Umeå SE-90184, Sweden
| | - Anna Wuolikainen
- Department of Medical Sciences, Neurology, Uppsala University, Uppsala University Hospital, Entrance 85, Floor 2, Uppsala SE-75185, Sweden
| | - Peter M Andersen
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Neurosciences, Umeå University, Norrlands University Hospital, Building 6 M, Floor 4, Umeå SE-90184, Sweden
| | - Angelica Nordin
- Department of Medical Biosciences, Umeå University, Norrlands University Hospital, Building 6 M, Floor 2, Umeå SE-90184, Sweden
| | - Karin M E Forsberg
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Neurosciences, Umeå University, Norrlands University Hospital, Building 6 M, Floor 4, Umeå SE-90184, Sweden
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Winroth I, Börjesson A, Andersen PM, Karlsson T. Cognitive deficits in ALS patients with SOD1 mutations. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 2024:1-14. [PMID: 39258714 DOI: 10.1080/13803395.2024.2393366] [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: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 09/12/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Cognitive decline is common in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), especially in carriers of the mutation C9ORF72HRE. However, cognitive impairment is poorly understood in carriers of mutations in other genes causing ALS. We performed a comprehensive neuropsychological testing in patients with mutations in the SOD1 (mSOD1) gene. METHODS We examined 5 cognitive domains in 48 symptomatic patients with either hereditary or sporadic ALS. These were compared with 37 matched controls. RESULTS Carriers of SOD1-mutations and sporadic ALS had circumscribed deficits, but in a pattern different from C9ORF72HRE. All groups had deficits in working memory, although mSOD1-carriers significantly outperform sporadic ALS and C9ORF72HRE in an attention-driven visuospatial task involving copying a complex figure. Carriers of the D90A-SOD1 mutation overall performed as well as or better than carriers of other SOD1-mutations, except complex working memory. Bayesian analyses suggest (with evidence of moderate strength) that tasks involving the language domain did not differ between controls, mSOD1 and sporadic ALS. CONCLUSION Distinct cognitive impairments are prevalent in different ALS-syndromes and vary in patients with different pathogenic SOD1 mutations. The type and degree of impairment differed depending on genotype and was significantly least pronounced in patients homozygous for the D90A SOD1 mutation. The presence of cognitive deficits may influence optimal clinical management and intervention. We propose that cognitive assessment should be included in the routine examination of new patients suspected of ALS. Neuropsychological assessment is an under-recognized outcome parameter in clinical drug trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivar Winroth
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Neuroscience, Umeå University, Umea, Sweden
| | | | - Peter M Andersen
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Neuroscience, Umeå University, Umea, Sweden
| | - Thomas Karlsson
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Neuroscience, Umeå University and Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Umeå and Linköping, Sweden
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9
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Tsai YC, Brown KA, Bernardi MT, Harting J, Clelland CD. Single-Molecule Sequencing of the C9orf72 Repeat Expansion in Patient iPSCs. Bio Protoc 2024; 14:e5060. [PMID: 39282230 PMCID: PMC11393041 DOI: 10.21769/bioprotoc.5060] [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: 05/14/2024] [Revised: 07/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 09/18/2024] Open
Abstract
A hexanucleotide GGGGCC repeat expansion in the C9orf72 gene is the most frequent genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontal temporal dementia (FTD). C9orf72 repeat expansions are currently identified with long-range PCR or Southern blot for clinical and research purposes, but these methods lack accuracy and sensitivity. The GC-rich and repetitive content of the region cannot be amplified by PCR, which leads traditional sequencing approaches to fail. We turned instead to PacBio single-molecule sequencing to detect and size the C9orf72 repeat expansion without amplification. We isolated high molecular weight genomic DNA from patient-derived iPSCs of varying repeat lengths and then excised the region containing the C9orf72 repeat expansion from naked DNA with a CRISPR/Cas9 system. We added adapters to the cut ends, capturing the target region for sequencing on PacBio's Sequel, Sequel II, or Sequel IIe. This approach enriches the C9orf72 repeat region without amplification and allows the repeat expansion to be consistently and accurately sized, even for repeats in the thousands. Key features • This protocol is adapted from PacBio's previous "no-amp targeted sequencing utilizing the CRISPR-Cas9 system." • Optimized for sizing C9orf72 repeat expansions in patient-derived iPSCs and applicable to DNA from any cell type, blood, or tissue. • Requires high molecular weight naked DNA. • Compatible with Sequel I and II but not Revio.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Katherine A Brown
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Memory & Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Claire D Clelland
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Memory & Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Innovative Genomics Institute, Berkeley, CA, USA
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10
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Emori S, Kume K, Nakayama Y, Ito H, Kawakami H. C9orf72 repeat expansions in Wakayama: One potential cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in the Kii Peninsula, Japan. J Neurol Sci 2024; 466:123209. [PMID: 39260140 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2024.123209] [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: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 08/30/2024] [Accepted: 08/31/2024] [Indexed: 09/13/2024]
Abstract
A cluster of cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) exists in the southern part of the Kii Peninsula in Japan. Although both genetic and environmental factors are thought to be causative, the critical cause of this cluster has not been identified. C9orf72 is the most common genetic factor in both familial and sporadic C9orf72-related ALS in people of European ancestry, but it is rare among Japanese populations. However, a previous report revealed that the frequency of C9orf72-related ALS was significantly higher in the cluster area. We evaluated the proportion of C9orf72 hexanucleotide repeat expansions in 99 cases of ALS diagnosed in Wakayama Prefecture, including the cluster area, by using repeat-primed polymerase chain reaction and fluorescence fragment length analysis. We found that 2 of the 99 patients (0 % of those with familial ALS and 2.4 % of those with sporadic ALS) had hexanucleotide repeat expansions in C9orf72, and long-read sequencing revealed that these expansions were causative. No expansions were observed among 90 patients with Parkinson's disease or among 90 healthy controls. Haplotype analysis with long-read sequencing data revealed that the two patients with repeat expansions shared the common haplotype with that previously reported in Finnish patients with C9orf72-related ALS, which suggests a founder effect. C9orf72 was thought to be a rare causative gene in Japan, but this study revealed that it may be relatively common in Wakayama Prefecture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seiji Emori
- Department of Neurology, Wakayama Medical University, 811-1 Kimiidera, Wakayama City, Wakayama, Japan; Department of Molecular Epidemiology, Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Kodai Kume
- Department of Molecular Epidemiology, Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
| | - Yoshiaki Nakayama
- Department of Neurology, Wakayama Medical University, 811-1 Kimiidera, Wakayama City, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Hidefumi Ito
- Department of Neurology, Wakayama Medical University, 811-1 Kimiidera, Wakayama City, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Hideshi Kawakami
- Department of Molecular Epidemiology, Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
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11
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van den Berg LH, Rothstein JD, Shaw PJ, Babu S, Benatar M, Bucelli RC, Genge A, Glass JD, Hardiman O, Libri V, Mobach T, Oskarsson B, Pattee GL, Ravits J, Shaw CE, Weber M, Zinman L, Jafar-Nejad P, Rigo F, Lin L, Ferguson TA, Gotter AL, Graham D, Monine M, Inra J, Sinks S, Eraly S, Garafalo S, Fradette S. Safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of antisense oligonucleotide BIIB078 in adults with C9orf72-associated amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a phase 1, randomised, double blinded, placebo-controlled, multiple ascending dose study. Lancet Neurol 2024; 23:901-912. [PMID: 39059407 DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(24)00216-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hexanucleotide repeat expansion of C9orf72 is a common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). No C9orf72-targeted treatments are available. BIIB078 is an investigational antisense oligonucleotide targeting C9orf72 sense RNA. We aimed to assess the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of BIIB078 in participants with C9orf72-associated ALS. METHODS This phase 1, randomised controlled trial was done at 22 sites in six countries (Canada, Ireland, Netherlands, Switzerland, UK, and USA). Adults with ALS and a pathogenic repeat expansion in C9orf72 were randomly assigned within six cohorts, via Interactive Response Technology in a 3:1 ratio per cohort, to receive BIIB078 (5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg, 35 mg, 60 mg, or 90 mg in cohorts 1-6, respectively) or placebo, via an intrathecal bolus injection. The treatment period consisted of three loading doses of study treatment, administered approximately once every 2 weeks, followed by monthly maintenance doses during a treatment period of about 3 months for cohorts 1-3 and about 6 months for cohorts 4-6. Patients and investigators were masked to treatment assignment. The primary endpoint was the incidence of adverse events and serious adverse events. This trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03626012) and is completed. FINDINGS Between Sept 10, 2018, and Nov 17, 2021, 124 patients were screened for inclusion in the study. 18 patients were excluded and 106 participants were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive 5 mg (n=6), 10 mg (n=9), 20 mg (n=9), 35 mg (n=19), 60 mg (n=18), or 90 mg (n=18) of BIIB078, or placebo (n=27). 58 (55%) of 106 patients were female. All patients received at least one dose of study treatment and were included in all analyses. All participants had at least one adverse event; most adverse events were mild or moderate in severity and did not lead to treatment discontinuation. The most common adverse events in BIIB078-treated participants were falls, procedural pain, headache, and post lumbar puncture syndrome. 14 (18%) of 79 patients who received any dose of BIIB078 reported serious adverse events, compared with nine (33%) of 27 patients who received placebo. Five participants who received BIIB078 and three participants who received placebo had fatal adverse events: respiratory failure in a participant who received 10 mg BIIB078, ALS worsening in two participants who received 35 mg BIIB078, traumatic intracerebral haemorrhage in one participant who received 35 mg BIIB078, pulmonary embolism in one participant who received 60 mg BIIB078, and respiratory failure in three participants who received placebo. All deaths were assessed as not related to the study treatment by the reporting investigator. INTERPRETATION On the basis of these phase 1 study results, including secondary and exploratory findings showing no reduction in neurofilament levels and no benefit on clinical outcomes relative to the placebo cohort, BIIB078 clinical development has been discontinued. However, these results will be informative in furthering our understanding of the complex pathobiology of C9orf72-associated ALS. FUNDING Biogen.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Pamela J Shaw
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK; National Institute for Health and Care Research Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre and Clinical Research Facility, University of Sheffield and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK
| | - Suma Babu
- Sean M Healey and AMG Center for ALS, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michael Benatar
- Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Robert C Bucelli
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Angela Genge
- Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, Montreal, Canada
| | | | - Orla Hardiman
- School of Medicine, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Vincenzo Libri
- University College London Institute of Neurology and National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) University College London Hospitals (UCLH) Clinical Research Facility and Biomedical Research Centre, London, UK
| | - Theodore Mobach
- Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | | | - Gary L Pattee
- Bryan Physicians Network, Lincoln, NE, USA; Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - John Ravits
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego Health, San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | - Markus Weber
- Neuromuscular Diseases Unit/ALS Clinic, Kantonsspital St Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Lorne Zinman
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | | | - Frank Rigo
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, CA, USA
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12
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Burrows DJ, McGown A, Abduljabbar O, Castelli LM, Shaw PJ, Hautbergue GM, Ramesh TM. RAN Translation of C9orf72-Related Dipeptide Repeat Proteins in Zebrafish Recapitulates Hallmarks of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Identifies Hypothermia as a Therapeutic Strategy. Ann Neurol 2024. [PMID: 39215697 DOI: 10.1002/ana.27068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 08/06/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Hexanucleotide repeat expansions in the C9orf72 gene are the most common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). A large body of evidence implicates dipeptide repeats (DPRs) proteins as one of the main drivers of neuronal injury in cell and animal models. METHODS A pure repeat-associated non-AUG (RAN) translation zebrafish model of C9orf72-ALS/FTD was generated. Embryonic and adult transgenic zebrafish lysates were investigated for the presence of RAN-translated DPR species and adult-onset motor deficits. Using C9orf72 cell models as well as embryonic C9orf72-ALS/FTD zebrafish, hypothermic-therapeutic temperature management (TTM) was explored as a potential therapeutic option for C9orf72-ALS/FTD. RESULTS Here, we describe a pure RAN translation zebrafish model of C9orf72-ALS/FTD that exhibits significant RAN-translated DPR pathology and progressive motor decline. We further demonstrate that hypothermic-TTM results in a profound reduction in DPR species in C9orf72-ALS/FTD cell models as well as embryonic C9orf72-ALS/FTD zebrafish. INTERPRETATION The transgenic model detailed in this paper provides a medium throughput in vivo research tool to further investigate the role of RAN-translation in C9orf72-ALS/FTD and further understand the mechanisms that underpin neuroprotective strategies. Hypothermic-TTM presents a viable therapeutic avenue to explore in the context of C9orf72-ALS/FTD. ANN NEUROL 2024.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Burrows
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Division of Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Alexander McGown
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Division of Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Olfat Abduljabbar
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Division of Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Lydia M Castelli
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Division of Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Pamela J Shaw
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Division of Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Guillaume M Hautbergue
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Division of Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Healthy Lifespan Institute (HELSI), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Tennore M Ramesh
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, Division of Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Healthy Lifespan Institute (HELSI), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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13
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Jiang Q, Lin J, Wei Q, Yang T, Hou Y, Zhang L, Ou R, Xiao Y, Wang S, Zheng X, Li C, Shang H. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients with various gene mutations show diverse motor phenotypes and survival in China. J Med Genet 2024; 61:839-846. [PMID: 38886047 DOI: 10.1136/jmg-2024-109909] [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: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder characterised by progressive degeneration of motor neurons. Genetic factors have a substantial impact on ALS. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the correlation between genotype (SOD1, TARDBP, FUS, C9orf72) and phenotype in ALS. METHODS Genetic analysis was performed on 2038 patients with ALS, among which 1696 patients with sporadic ALS (SALS) as controls for genotype-phenotype analysis, and 1602 SALS as controls for survival analysis. Logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS A total of 172 patients with ALS with the gene mutations were included in the statistical analysis (SOD1, n=65; FUS, n=43; TARDBP, n=27; C9orf72, n=37). SOD1 mutations were more frequent in flail leg phenotype (OR 7.317, p=0.001) and less in bulbar phenotype (OR 0.222, p=0.038). C9orf72 expansions exhibited higher frequency in bulbar phenotype (OR 2.770, p=0.008). SOD1 and FUS mutations were significantly associated with earlier age of onset (HR 2.039, p<0.001; HR 1.762, p=0.001). The patients with SOD1 mutations, C9orf72 expansions and those carrying pathogenic FUS mutations had significantly increased death risk (HR 2.217, p<0.001; HR 1.694, p=0.008; HR 1.652, p=0.036). The increased risk of death in ALS with C9orf72 expansions was significant in females (HR 2.419, p=0.014) but not in males (HR 1.442, p=0.128). CONCLUSION Our study revealed distinct motor phenotypic tendencies in patients with ALS with different genotypes, indicating variations in the vulnerability of motor neurons during the disease's progression. Furthermore, we made novel discoveries regarding survival of different gene mutations, warranting further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qirui Jiang
- Department of Neurology, Sichuan University West China Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Junyu Lin
- Department of Neurology, Sichuan University West China Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Qianqian Wei
- Department of Neurology, Sichuan University West China Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Tianmi Yang
- Department of Neurology, Sichuan University West China Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yanbing Hou
- Department of Neurology, Sichuan University West China Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Lingyu Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Sichuan University West China Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ruwei Ou
- Sichuan University West China Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yi Xiao
- Department of Neurology, Sichuan University West China Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Shichan Wang
- Department of Neurology, Sichuan University West China Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaoting Zheng
- Department of Neurology, Sichuan University West China Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Chunyu Li
- Department of Neurology, Sichuan University West China Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Huifang Shang
- Department of Neurology, Sichuan University West China Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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14
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Thompson EG, Spead O, Akerman SC, Curcio C, Zaepfel BL, Kent ER, Philips T, Vijayakumar BG, Zacco A, Zhou W, Nagappan G, Rothstein JD. A robust evaluation of TDP-43, poly GP, cellular pathology and behavior in a AAV-C9ORF72 (G 4C 2) 66 mouse model. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.27.607409. [PMID: 39253499 PMCID: PMC11383318 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.27.607409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/11/2024]
Abstract
The G4C2 hexanucleotide repeat expansion in C9ORF72 is the major genetic cause of both amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) (C9-ALS/FTD). Despite considerable efforts, the development of mouse models of C9-ALS/FTD useful for therapeutic development has proven challenging due to the intricate interplay of genetic and molecular factors underlying this neurodegenerative disorder, in addition to species differences. This study presents a robust investigation of the cellular pathophysiology and behavioral outcomes in a previously described AAV mouse model of C9-ALS expressing 66 G4C2 hexanucleotide repeats. Despite displaying key molecular ALS pathological markers including RNA foci, dipeptide repeat (DPR) protein aggregation, p62 positive stress granule formation as well as mild gliosis, the AAV-(G4C2)66 mouse model in this study exhibits negligible neuronal loss, no motor deficits, and functionally unimpaired TAR DNA-binding protein-43 (TDP-43). While our findings indicate and support that this is a robust and pharmacologically tractable model for investigating the molecular mechanisms and cellular consequences of (G4C2) repeat driven DPR pathology, it is not suitable for investigating the development of disease associated neurodegeneration, TDP-43 dysfunction, gliosis, and motor performance. Our findings underscore the complexity of ALS pathogenesis involving genetic mutations and protein dysregulation and highlight the need for more comprehensive model systems that reliably replicate the multifaceted cellular and behavioral aspects of C9-ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily G Thompson
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Olivia Spead
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - S Can Akerman
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Carrie Curcio
- Glaxo Smith Kline Research and Development, 1250 S. Collegeville Road, Collegeville, PA, 19426, USA
| | - Benjamin L Zaepfel
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Erica R Kent
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Thomas Philips
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Balaji G Vijayakumar
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Anna Zacco
- Glaxo Smith Kline Research and Development, 1250 S. Collegeville Road, Collegeville, PA, 19426, USA
| | - Weibo Zhou
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Guhan Nagappan
- Glaxo Smith Kline Research and Development, 1250 S. Collegeville Road, Collegeville, PA, 19426, USA
| | - Jeffrey D Rothstein
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
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15
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Ruotolo G, D'Anzi A, Giovenale AMG, Giacometti C, Ferrari D, Vulcano E, D'Asdia C, Lattante S, Sabatelli M, Codazzi F, Consalez G, Marano M, Di Lazzaro V, Pennuto M, Vescovi A, Rosati J. Induced pluripotent stem cell production (CSSi019-A)(14432) from an asymptomatic subject carrying a expansion of C9orf72 gene. Stem Cell Res 2024; 81:103540. [PMID: 39191178 DOI: 10.1016/j.scr.2024.103540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2024] [Revised: 08/12/2024] [Accepted: 08/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024] Open
Abstract
One of the genetic mutations most associated with the onset of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, both in sporadic and familial cases, is the expansion of the C9orf72 gene. The presence of more than 30 repeats (GGGGCC) correlates with uncertain ALS symptomatology. Here we collected a dermal biopsy from a subject carrying 36 hexanucleotide repeats and reprogrammed it into an induced pluripotent stem cell line. Despite the number of repeat elements, the subject had no symptoms at the age of the biopsy (76 years), thus resulting in a healthy carrier of the mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Ruotolo
- Cellular Reprogramming Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy; Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - A D'Anzi
- Cellular Reprogramming Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - A M G Giovenale
- Cellular Reprogramming Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy; Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - C Giacometti
- Cellular Reprogramming Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - D Ferrari
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - E Vulcano
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - C D'Asdia
- Medical Genetics Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - S Lattante
- Medical Genetics Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli" IRCCS, Section of Genomic Medicine, Department of Health Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Agostino Gemelli 8, Rome, Italy; Experimental Medicine Department, Università del Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - M Sabatelli
- Neurology Unit, NeMO Clinical Center, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli" IRCCS, Section of Neurology, Department of Neurosciences, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Agostino Gemelli 8, Rome, Italy
| | - F Codazzi
- Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy; Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - G Consalez
- Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy; Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - M Marano
- Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology and Psychiatry, Department of Medicine, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - V Di Lazzaro
- Unit of Neurology, Neurophysiology, Neurobiology and Psychiatry, Department of Medicine, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - M Pennuto
- Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), via Orus 2, 35129 Padova, Italy; Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, via Ugo Bassi 58/B, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - A Vescovi
- Cellular Reprogramming Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
| | - J Rosati
- Cellular Reprogramming Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy.
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16
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Wu R, Ye Y, Dong D, Zhang Z, Wang S, Li Y, Wright N, Redding-Ochoa J, Chang K, Xu S, Tu X, Zhu C, Ostrow LW, Roca X, Troncoso JC, Wu B, Sun S. Disruption of nuclear speckle integrity dysregulates RNA splicing in C9ORF72-FTD/ALS. Neuron 2024:S0896-6273(24)00570-1. [PMID: 39181135 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.07.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024]
Abstract
Expansion of an intronic (GGGGCC)n repeat within the C9ORF72 gene is the most common genetic cause of both frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) (C9-FTD/ALS), characterized with aberrant repeat RNA foci and noncanonical translation-produced dipeptide repeat (DPR) protein inclusions. Here, we elucidate that the (GGGGCC)n repeat RNA co-localizes with nuclear speckles and alters their phase separation properties and granule dynamics. Moreover, the essential nuclear speckle scaffold protein SRRM2 is sequestered into the poly-GR cytoplasmic inclusions in the C9-FTD/ALS mouse model and patient postmortem tissues, exacerbating the nuclear speckle dysfunction. Impaired nuclear speckle integrity induces global exon skipping and intron retention in human iPSC-derived neurons and causes neuronal toxicity. Similar alternative splicing changes can be found in C9-FTD/ALS patient postmortem tissues. This work identified novel molecular mechanisms of global RNA splicing defects caused by impaired nuclear speckle function in C9-FTD/ALS and revealed novel potential biomarkers or therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Wu
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Yingzhi Ye
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Cellular and Molecular Physiology Graduate Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Daoyuan Dong
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Zhe Zhang
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Shaopeng Wang
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Yini Li
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Noelle Wright
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Javier Redding-Ochoa
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Koping Chang
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Shaohai Xu
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 637551 Singapore, Singapore
| | - Xueting Tu
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Chengzhang Zhu
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Cellular and Molecular Medicine Graduate Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Lyle W Ostrow
- Department of Neurology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
| | - Xavier Roca
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 637551 Singapore, Singapore
| | - Juan C Troncoso
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Bin Wu
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Center for Cell Dynamics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Shuying Sun
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Center for Cell Dynamics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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17
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Bedja-Iacona L, Richard E, Marouillat S, Brulard C, Alouane T, Beltran S, Andres CR, Blasco H, Corcia P, Veyrat-Durebex C, Vourc’h P. Post-Translational Variants of Major Proteins in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Provide New Insights into the Pathophysiology of the Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:8664. [PMID: 39201350 PMCID: PMC11354932 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25168664] [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: 06/30/2024] [Revised: 08/04/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 09/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Post-translational modifications (PTMs) affecting proteins during or after their synthesis play a crucial role in their localization and function. The modification of these PTMs under pathophysiological conditions, i.e., their appearance, disappearance, or variation in quantity caused by a pathological environment or a mutation, corresponds to post-translational variants (PTVs). These PTVs can be directly or indirectly involved in the pathophysiology of diseases. Here, we present the PTMs and PTVs of four major amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) proteins, SOD1, TDP-43, FUS, and TBK1. These modifications involve acetylation, phosphorylation, methylation, ubiquitination, SUMOylation, and enzymatic cleavage. We list the PTM positions known to be mutated in ALS patients and discuss the roles of PTVs in the pathophysiological processes of ALS. In-depth knowledge of the PTMs and PTVs of ALS proteins is needed to better understand their role in the disease. We believe it is also crucial for developing new therapies that may be more effective in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léa Bedja-Iacona
- UMR 1253, iBraiN, Université de Tours, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France; lea.bedja-- (L.B.-I.); (E.R.)
| | - Elodie Richard
- UMR 1253, iBraiN, Université de Tours, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France; lea.bedja-- (L.B.-I.); (E.R.)
| | - Sylviane Marouillat
- UMR 1253, iBraiN, Université de Tours, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France; lea.bedja-- (L.B.-I.); (E.R.)
| | | | | | - Stéphane Beltran
- UMR 1253, iBraiN, Université de Tours, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France; lea.bedja-- (L.B.-I.); (E.R.)
- Service de Neurologie, CHRU de Tours, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Christian R. Andres
- UMR 1253, iBraiN, Université de Tours, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France; lea.bedja-- (L.B.-I.); (E.R.)
- Service de Biochimie et de Biologie Moléculaire, CHRU de Tours, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Hélène Blasco
- UMR 1253, iBraiN, Université de Tours, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France; lea.bedja-- (L.B.-I.); (E.R.)
- Service de Biochimie et de Biologie Moléculaire, CHRU de Tours, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Philippe Corcia
- UMR 1253, iBraiN, Université de Tours, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France; lea.bedja-- (L.B.-I.); (E.R.)
- Service de Neurologie, CHRU de Tours, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Charlotte Veyrat-Durebex
- UMR 1253, iBraiN, Université de Tours, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France; lea.bedja-- (L.B.-I.); (E.R.)
- UTTIL, CHRU de Tours, 37000 Tours, France
- Service de Biochimie et de Biologie Moléculaire, CHRU de Tours, 37000 Tours, France
| | - Patrick Vourc’h
- UMR 1253, iBraiN, Université de Tours, Inserm, 37000 Tours, France; lea.bedja-- (L.B.-I.); (E.R.)
- UTTIL, CHRU de Tours, 37000 Tours, France
- Service de Biochimie et de Biologie Moléculaire, CHRU de Tours, 37000 Tours, France
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18
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Steffke C, Agarwal S, Kabashi E, Catanese A. Overexpression of Toxic Poly(Glycine-Alanine) Aggregates in Primary Neuronal Cultures Induces Time-Dependent Autophagic and Synaptic Alterations but Subtle Activity Impairments. Cells 2024; 13:1300. [PMID: 39120329 PMCID: PMC11311834 DOI: 10.3390/cells13151300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2024] [Revised: 07/25/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The pathogenic expansion of the intronic GGGGCC hexanucleotide located in the non-coding region of the C9orf72 gene represents the most frequent genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). This mutation leads to the accumulation of toxic RNA foci and dipeptide repeats (DPRs), as well as reduced levels of the C9orf72 protein. Thus, both gain and loss of function are coexisting pathogenic aspects linked to C9orf72-ALS/FTD. Synaptic alterations have been largely described in C9orf72 models, but it is still not clear which aspect of the pathology mostly contributes to these impairments. To address this question, we investigated the dynamic changes occurring over time at the synapse upon accumulation of poly(GA), the most abundant DPR. Overexpression of this toxic form induced a drastic loss of synaptic proteins in primary neuron cultures, anticipating autophagic defects. Surprisingly, the dramatic impairment characterizing the synaptic proteome was not fully matched by changes in network properties. In fact, high-density multi-electrode array analysis highlighted only minor reductions in the spike number and firing rate of poly(GA) neurons. Our data show that the toxic gain of function linked to C9orf72 affects the synaptic proteome but exerts only minor effects on the network activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Steffke
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Ulm, 89069 Ulm, Germany; (C.S.); (S.A.)
- Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, 89069 Ulm, Germany
- International Graduate School in Molecular Medicine of Ulm (IGraDU), University of Ulm, 89069 Ulm, Germany
| | - Shreya Agarwal
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Ulm, 89069 Ulm, Germany; (C.S.); (S.A.)
| | - Edor Kabashi
- Institute Imagine, Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital, University Paris Descartes, 75015 Paris, France;
| | - Alberto Catanese
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Ulm, 89069 Ulm, Germany; (C.S.); (S.A.)
- Institute Imagine, Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital, University Paris Descartes, 75015 Paris, France;
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19
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Goutman SA, Goyal NA, Payne K, Paisán‐Ruiz C, Kupelian V, Kang ML, Mitchell AA, Fecteau TE. ALS Identified: two-year findings from a sponsored ALS genetic testing program. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2024; 11:2201-2211. [PMID: 39044379 PMCID: PMC11330217 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.52140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To report initial results from the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Identified genetic testing (GT) program on characteristics of individuals tested and frequency of reported disease-causing variants. METHODS ALS Identified used the Invitae Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis panel (Invitae, San Francisco, CA, USA) to assay 22 ALS-associated genes. Sponsored by Biogen (Cambridge, MA, USA), the program was launched in June 2021 and was available at no charge to individuals ≥18 years in the United States and Puerto Rico with an ALS diagnosis or a known family history of ALS. Deidentified data were available to Biogen. RESULTS As of 26 October 2023, 998 healthcare professionals ordered the panel at 681 unique care sites. Of 8054 individuals examined, 7483 (92.9%) were reported to have a clinical diagnosis of ALS, while 571 (7.1%) were asymptomatic relatives. Of the individuals with a clinical ALS diagnosis, 57.7% were male (n = 4319) and 42.3% female (n = 3164). Mean (SD) age at diagnosis is 62 (13) years. Out of the 7483 clinically diagnosed individuals, 1810 (24.2%) showed genetic variations in ALS-associated genes. Among these, 865 individuals (47.8%) carried pathogenic variants, and 44 (2.4%) had likely pathogenic variants, totaling 12.1% of the clinically diagnosed population. INTERPRETATION Since 2021 there has been robust uptake and sustained use of the ALS Identified program, one of the largest samples of people with ALS to date across the United States, demonstrating the interest and need for genetic ALS testing.
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20
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Huq A, Thompson B, Winship I. Clinical application of whole genome sequencing in young onset dementia: challenges and opportunities. Expert Rev Mol Diagn 2024; 24:659-675. [PMID: 39135326 DOI: 10.1080/14737159.2024.2388765] [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: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/30/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Young onset dementia (YOD) by its nature is difficult to diagnose. Despite involvement of multidisciplinary neurogenetics services, patients with YOD and their families face significant diagnostic delays. Genetic testing for people with YOD currently involves a staggered, iterative approach. There is currently no optimal single genetic investigation that simultaneously identifies the different genetic variants resulting in YOD. AREAS COVERED This review discusses the advances in clinical genomic testing for people with YOD. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) can be employed as a 'one stop shop' genomic test for YOD. In addition to single nucleotide variants, WGS can reliably detect structural variants, short tandem repeat expansions, mitochondrial genetic variants as well as capture single nucleotide polymorphisms for the calculation of polygenic risk scores. EXPERT OPINION WGS, when used as the initial genetic test, can enhance the likelihood of a precision diagnosis and curtail the time taken to reach this. Finding a clinical diagnosis using WGS can reduce invasive and expensive investigations and could be cost effective. These advances need to be balanced against the limitations of the technology and the genetic counseling needs for these vulnerable patients and their families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aamira Huq
- Department of Genomic Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bryony Thompson
- Department of Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Pathology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ingrid Winship
- Department of Genomic Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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21
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Wu Y, Zheng W, Xu G, Zhu L, Li Z, Chen J, Wang L, Chen S. C9orf72 controls hepatic lipid metabolism by regulating SREBP1 transport. Cell Death Differ 2024; 31:1070-1084. [PMID: 38816580 PMCID: PMC11303392 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-024-01312-7] [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: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Sterol regulatory element binding transcription factors (SREBPs) play a crucial role in lipid homeostasis. They are processed and transported to the nucleus via COPII, where they induce the expression of lipogenic genes. COPII maintains the homeostasis of organelles and plays an essential role in the protein secretion pathways in eukaryotes. The formation of COPII begins at endoplasmic reticulum exit sites (ERES), and is regulated by SEC16A, which provides a platform for the assembly of COPII. However, there have been few studies on the changes in SEC16A protein levels. The repetitive expansion of the hexanucleotide sequence GGGGCC within the chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9orf72) gene is a prevalent factor in the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Here, we found that the absence of C9orf72 leads to a decrease in SEC16A protein levels, resulting in reduced localization of the guanine nucleotide exchange factor SEC12 at the ERES. Consequently, the small GTP binding protein SAR1 is unable to bind the endoplasmic reticulum normally, impairing the assembly of COPII. Ultimately, the disruption of SREBPs transport decreases de novo lipogenesis. These results suggest that C9orf72 acts as a novel role in regulating lipid homeostasis and may serve as a potential therapeutic target for obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yachen Wu
- Brain Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Institute of Pediatrics, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, 518038, Guangdong, China
| | - Wenzhong Zheng
- Brain Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Guofeng Xu
- Brain Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Lijun Zhu
- Brain Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Zhiqiang Li
- Brain Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Jincao Chen
- Brain Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Lianrong Wang
- Brain Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China.
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Institute of Pediatrics, Shenzhen Children's Hospital, Shenzhen, 518038, Guangdong, China.
| | - Shi Chen
- Brain Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China.
- Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Microbiology in Genomic Modification & Editing and Application, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Systems Biology and Synthetic Biology for Urogenital Tumors, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518035, China.
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22
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Sopranzi FM, Faragalli A, Pompili M, Carle F, Gesuita R, Ceravolo MG. Incidence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: evidence from an 8-year population-based study in Central Italy based on healthcare utilization databases. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2024; 25:554-562. [PMID: 38557366 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2024.2336127] [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: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder with a high multidimensional burden, with an obscure etiopathogenesis. METHODS We designed a longitudinal, population-based study of people residing in Central Italy (Marche Region) who were beneficiaries of the National Health System. People with an unprecedented ALS hospitalization (335.20 ICD-9 CM) or tagged with an ALS exemption between 2014 and 2021 were considered incident cases. ALS cases residing in the region for <3 years or with an active ALS exemption or hospitalized for ALS before 2014 were excluded. We used secondary sources to identify new ALS diagnoses. The regional referral center for ALS's database was used to test the accuracy of secondary sources in detecting cases. ALS mean incidence was compared to that reported in similar studies conducted in Italy. The incidence rate trend adjusted by sex and age was evaluated using the Poisson regression model. RESULTS We detected 425 new ALS cases (median age: 70y) in the 2014-2021 period, with a mean incidence of 3.5:100,000 py (95%CI: 3.2-3.8; M:F = 1.2), similar to that reported in similar studies conducted in Italy. No trend was observed during 2014-2019. After including 2020-2021 in the model, we observed a mean decrease in incidence of 5.8% (95% CI 2.0%; 9.5%, p = 0.003). CONCLUSION We show a decrease in the incidence rate of ALS in Marche, during the 2014-2021 period, as a possible outcome of a delayed neurological assessment and diagnosis during the pandemic. An ad hoc developed identification algorithm, based on healthcare utilization databases, is a valuable tool to assess the health impact of global contingencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Maria Sopranzi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - Andrea Faragalli
- Center of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Medical Information Technology, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy, and
| | | | - Flavia Carle
- Center of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Medical Information Technology, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy, and
| | - Rosaria Gesuita
- Center of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Medical Information Technology, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy, and
| | - Maria Gabriella Ceravolo
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy
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23
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Henden L, Fearnley LG, Southwood D, Smith A, Rowe DB, Kiernan MC, Pamphlett R, Bahlo M, Blair IP, Williams KL. Short tandem repeat expansions in LRP12 are absent in cohorts of familial and sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients of European ancestry. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2024; 25:644-647. [PMID: 38726482 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2024.2348636] [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: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
In patients of Asian ancestry, a heterozygous CGG repeat expansion of >100 units in LRP12 is the cause of oculopharyngodistal myopathy type 1 (OPDM1). Repeat lengths of between 61 and 100 units have been associated with rare amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) cases of Asian ancestry, although with unusually long disease duration and without significant upper motor neuron involvement. This study sought to determine whether LRP12 CGG repeat expansions were also present in ALS patients of European ancestry. Whole-genome sequencing data from 608 sporadic ALS patients, 35 familial ALS probands, and 4703 neurologically normal controls were screened for LRP12 CGG expansions using ExpansionHunter v4. All individuals had LRP12 CGG repeat lengths within the normal range of 3-25 units. To date, LRP12 CGG repeat expansions have not been reported in ALS patients of European ancestry and may be limited to rare ALS patients of Asian ancestry and atypical clinical presentations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lyndal Henden
- Macquarie University Motor Neuron Disease Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Liam G Fearnley
- Population Health and Immunity Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Dean Southwood
- Macquarie University Motor Neuron Disease Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Andrew Smith
- Macquarie University Motor Neuron Disease Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Dominic B Rowe
- Macquarie University Motor Neuron Disease Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Matthew C Kiernan
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Department of Neurology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Roger Pamphlett
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Discipline of Pathology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia, and
- Department of Neuropathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Melanie Bahlo
- Population Health and Immunity Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Ian P Blair
- Macquarie University Motor Neuron Disease Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Kelly L Williams
- Macquarie University Motor Neuron Disease Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
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24
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R K Roy A, Noohi F, Morris NA, Ljubenkov P, Heuer H, Fong J, Hall M, Lario Lago A, Rankin KP, Miller BL, Boxer AL, Rosen HJ, Seeley WW, Perry DC, Yokoyama JS, Lee SE, Sturm VE. Basal parasympathetic deficits in C9orf72 hexanucleotide repeat expansion carriers relate to smaller frontoinsula and thalamus volume and lower empathy. Neuroimage Clin 2024; 43:103649. [PMID: 39098187 PMCID: PMC11342757 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2024.103649] [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: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 07/16/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024]
Abstract
Diminished basal parasympathetic nervous system activity is a feature of frontotemporal dementia that relates to left frontoinsula dysfunction and empathy impairment. Individuals with a pathogenic expansion of the hexanucleotide repeat in chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9orf72), the most common genetic cause of frontotemporal dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, provide a unique opportunity to examine whether parasympathetic activity is disrupted in genetic forms of frontotemporal dementia and to investigate when parasympathetic deficits manifest in the pathophysiological cascade. We measured baseline respiratory sinus arrhythmia, a parasympathetic measure of heart rate variability, over two minutes in a sample of 102 participants that included 19 asymptomatic expansion carriers (C9+ asymp), 14 expansion carriers with mild cognitive impairment (C9+ MCI), 16 symptomatic expansion carriers with frontotemporal dementia (C9+ FTD), and 53 expansion-negative healthy controls (C9- HC) who also underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging. In follow-up analyses, we compared baseline respiratory sinus arrhythmia in the C9+ FTD group with an independent age-, sex-, and clinical severity-matched group of 26 people with sporadic behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia. The Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration-modified Clinical Dementia Rating-Sum of Boxes score was used to quantify behavioral symptom severity, and informant ratings on the Interpersonal Reactivity Index provided measures of participants' current emotional (empathic concern) and cognitive (perspective-taking) empathy. Results indicated that the C9+ FTD group had lower baseline respiratory sinus arrhythmia than the C9+ MCI, C9+ asymp, and C9- HC groups, a deficit that was comparable to that of sporadic behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia. Linear regression analyses indicated that lower baseline respiratory sinus arrhythmia was associated with worse behavioral symptom severity and lower empathic concern and perspective-taking across the C9orf72 expansion carrier clinical spectrum. Whole-brain voxel-based morphometry analyses in participants with C9orf72 pathogenic expansions found that lower baseline respiratory sinus arrhythmia correlated with smaller gray matter volume in the left frontoinsula and bilateral thalamus, key structures that support parasympathetic function, and in the bilateral parietal lobes, occipital lobes, and cerebellum, regions that are also vulnerable in individuals with C9orf72 expansions. This study provides novel evidence that basal parasympathetic functioning is diminished in FTD due to C9orf72 expansions and suggests that baseline respiratory sinus arrhythmia may be a potential non-invasive biomarker that is sensitive to behavioral symptoms in the early stages of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashlin R K Roy
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Fate Noohi
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Nathaniel A Morris
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Peter Ljubenkov
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Hilary Heuer
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Jamie Fong
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Matthew Hall
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | | | - Katherine P Rankin
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Bruce L Miller
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Adam L Boxer
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Howard J Rosen
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - William W Seeley
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - David C Perry
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Jennifer S Yokoyama
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Suzee E Lee
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Virginia E Sturm
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
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25
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Rajabi D, Khanmohammadi S, Rezaei N. The role of long noncoding RNAs in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Rev Neurosci 2024; 35:533-547. [PMID: 38452377 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2023-0155] [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: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease with a poor prognosis leading to death. The diagnosis and treatment of ALS are inherently challenging due to its complex pathomechanism. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are transcripts longer than 200 nucleotides involved in different cellular processes, incisively gene expression. In recent years, more studies have been conducted on lncRNA classes and interference in different disease pathologies, showing their promising contribution to diagnosing and treating neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we discussed the role of lncRNAs like NEAT1 and C9orf72-as in ALS pathogenesis mechanisms caused by mutations in different genes, including TAR DNA-binding protein-43 (TDP-43), fused in sarcoma (FUS), superoxide dismutase type 1 (SOD1). NEAT1 is a well-established lncRNA in ALS pathogenesis; hence, we elaborate on its involvement in forming paraspeckles, stress response, inflammatory response, and apoptosis. Furthermore, antisense lncRNAs (as-lncRNAs), a key group of transcripts from the opposite strand of genes, including ZEB1-AS1 and ATXN2-AS, are discussed as newly identified components in the pathology of ALS. Ultimately, we review the current standing of using lncRNAs as biomarkers and therapeutic agents and the future vision of further studies on lncRNA applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darya Rajabi
- School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Felestin St., Keshavarz Blvd., Tehran, 1416634793, Iran
| | - Shaghayegh Khanmohammadi
- School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Felestin St., Keshavarz Blvd., Tehran, 1416634793, Iran
- Research Center for Immunodeficiencies, Children's Medical Center, No 63, Gharib Ave, Keshavarz Blv, Tehran, 1419733151, Iran
- Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Children's Medical Center, No 63, Gharib Ave, Keshavarz Blv, Tehran, 1419733151, Iran
| | - Nima Rezaei
- Research Center for Immunodeficiencies, Children's Medical Center, No 63, Gharib Ave, Keshavarz Blv, Tehran, 1419733151, Iran
- Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Children's Medical Center, No 63, Gharib Ave, Keshavarz Blv, Tehran, 1419733151, Iran
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Felestin St., Keshavarz Blvd., Tehran, 1416634793, Iran
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26
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Geng Y, Liu C, Xu N, Suen MC, Miao H, Xie Y, Zhang B, Chen X, Song Y, Wang Z, Cai Q, Zhu G. Crystal structure of a tetrameric RNA G-quadruplex formed by hexanucleotide repeat expansions of C9orf72 in ALS/FTD. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:7961-7970. [PMID: 38860430 PMCID: PMC11260476 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The abnormal GGGGCC hexanucleotide repeat expansions (HREs) in C9orf72 cause the fatal neurodegenerative diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia. The transcribed RNA HREs, short for r(G4C2)n, can form toxic RNA foci which sequestrate RNA binding proteins and impair RNA processing, ultimately leading to neurodegeneration. Here, we determined the crystal structure of r(G4C2)2, which folds into a parallel tetrameric G-quadruplex composed of two four-layer dimeric G-quadruplex via 5'-to-5' stacking in coordination with a K+ ion. Notably, the two C bases locate at 3'- end stack on the outer G-tetrad with the assistance of two additional K+ ions. The high-resolution structure reported here lays a foundation in understanding the mechanism of neurological toxicity of RNA HREs. Furthermore, the atomic details provide a structural basis for the development of potential therapeutic agents against the fatal neurodegenerative diseases ALS/FTD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyan Geng
- Clinical Research Institute of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Fujian Key Laboratory of Brain Tumors Diagnosis and Precision Treatment, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Brain Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
- Institute for Advanced Study and State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Division of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Department of Neurosurgery and Department of Neuroscience, Fujian Key Laboratory of Brain Tumors Diagnosis and Precision Treatment, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Brain Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Changdong Liu
- Institute for Advanced Study and State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Division of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
- HKUST Shenzhen Research Institute, Hi-Tech Park, Nanshan, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Naining Xu
- Institute for Advanced Study and State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Division of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
- HKUST Shenzhen Research Institute, Hi-Tech Park, Nanshan, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Monica Ching Suen
- Institute for Advanced Study and State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Division of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
- HKUST Shenzhen Research Institute, Hi-Tech Park, Nanshan, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Haitao Miao
- Institute for Advanced Study and State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Division of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yuanyuan Xie
- Department of Neurosurgery and Department of Neuroscience, Fujian Key Laboratory of Brain Tumors Diagnosis and Precision Treatment, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Brain Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Bingchang Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery and Department of Neuroscience, Fujian Key Laboratory of Brain Tumors Diagnosis and Precision Treatment, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Brain Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Xueqin Chen
- Clinical Research Institute of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Fujian Key Laboratory of Brain Tumors Diagnosis and Precision Treatment, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Brain Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Yuanjian Song
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Brain Disease Bioinformation, Department of Genetics, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhanxiang Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery and Department of Neuroscience, Fujian Key Laboratory of Brain Tumors Diagnosis and Precision Treatment, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Brain Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Qixu Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Guang Zhu
- Institute for Advanced Study and State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Division of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
- HKUST Shenzhen Research Institute, Hi-Tech Park, Nanshan, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
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27
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Riva N, Domi T, Pozzi L, Lunetta C, Schito P, Spinelli EG, Cabras S, Matteoni E, Consonni M, Bella ED, Agosta F, Filippi M, Calvo A, Quattrini A. Update on recent advances in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. J Neurol 2024; 271:4693-4723. [PMID: 38802624 PMCID: PMC11233360 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-024-12435-9] [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: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
In the last few years, our understanding of disease molecular mechanisms underpinning ALS has advanced greatly, allowing the first steps in translating into clinical practice novel research findings, including gene therapy approaches. Similarly, the recent advent of assistive technologies has greatly improved the possibility of a more personalized approach to supportive and symptomatic care, in the context of an increasingly complex multidisciplinary line of actions, which remains the cornerstone of ALS management. Against this rapidly growing background, here we provide an comprehensive update on the most recent studies that have contributed towards our understanding of ALS pathogenesis, the latest results from clinical trials as well as the future directions for improving the clinical management of ALS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nilo Riva
- 3Rd Neurology Unit and Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Fondazione IRCCS "Carlo Besta" Neurological Insitute, Milan, Italy.
| | - Teuta Domi
- Experimental Neuropathology Unit, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Pozzi
- Experimental Neuropathology Unit, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Christian Lunetta
- Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, Neurorehabilitation Unit of Milan Institute, 20138, Milan, Italy
| | - Paride Schito
- Experimental Neuropathology Unit, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Department of Neurology, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Edoardo Gioele Spinelli
- Department of Neurology, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Department of Neurology, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Sara Cabras
- ALS Centre, 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin; SC Neurologia 1U, AOU città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Enrico Matteoni
- ALS Centre, 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin; SC Neurologia 1U, AOU città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Monica Consonni
- 3Rd Neurology Unit and Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Fondazione IRCCS "Carlo Besta" Neurological Insitute, Milan, Italy
| | - Eleonora Dalla Bella
- 3Rd Neurology Unit and Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Fondazione IRCCS "Carlo Besta" Neurological Insitute, Milan, Italy
| | - Federica Agosta
- Department of Neurology, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Department of Neurology, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute Huniversity, Milan, Italy
| | - Massimo Filippi
- Department of Neurology, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Department of Neurology, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute Huniversity, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Calvo
- ALS Centre, 'Rita Levi Montalcini' Department of Neuroscience, University of Turin; SC Neurologia 1U, AOU città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Angelo Quattrini
- Experimental Neuropathology Unit, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
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28
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Barel D, Marom D, Ponger P, Kurolap A, Bar-Shira A, Kaplan-Ber I, Mory A, Abramovich B, Yaron Y, Drory V, Baris Feldman H. Genetic diagnosis and detection rates using C9orf72 repeat expansion and a multi-gene panel in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. J Neurol 2024; 271:4258-4266. [PMID: 38625400 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-024-12368-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder. It is mostly sporadic, with the C9orf72 repeat expansion being the most common genetic cause. While the prevalence of C9orf72-ALS in patients from different populations has been studied, data regarding the yield of C9orf72 compared to an ALS gene panel testing is limited.We aimed to explore the application of C9orf72 versus a gene panel in the general Israeli population. A total of 140 ALS patients attended our Neurogenetics Clinic throughout 2018-2023. Disease onset was between ages 60 and 69 years for most patients (34%); however, a quarter had an early-onset disease (< 50 years). Overall, 119 patients (85%) were genetically evaluated: 116 (97%) were tested for the C9orf72 repeat expansion and 64 (54%) underwent gene panel testing. The C9orf72 repeat expansion had a prevalence of 21% among Ashkenazi Jewish patients compared to 5.7% in non-Ashkenazi patients, while the gene panel had a higher yield in non-Ashkenazi patients with 14% disease-causing variants compared to 5.7% in Ashkenazi Jews. Among early-onset ALS patients, panel testing was positive in 12% compared to 2.9% for C9orf72.We suggest a testing strategy for the Israeli ALS patients: C9orf72 should be the first-tier test in Ashkenazi Jewish patients, while a gene panel should be considered as the first step in non-Ashkenazi and early-onset patients. Tiered testing has important implications for patient management, including prognosis, ongoing clinical trials, and prevention in future generations. Similar studies should be implemented worldwide to uncover the diverse ALS genetic architecture and facilitate tailored care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalit Barel
- The Genetics Institute and Genomics Center, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.
| | - Daphna Marom
- The Genetics Institute and Genomics Center, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Penina Ponger
- The Genetics Institute and Genomics Center, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Department of Neurology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Alina Kurolap
- The Genetics Institute and Genomics Center, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Anat Bar-Shira
- The Genetics Institute and Genomics Center, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Idit Kaplan-Ber
- The Genetics Institute and Genomics Center, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Adi Mory
- The Genetics Institute and Genomics Center, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | | | - Yuval Yaron
- The Genetics Institute and Genomics Center, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Vivian Drory
- Department of Neurology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Hagit Baris Feldman
- The Genetics Institute and Genomics Center, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.
- Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
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Stefanova E, Marjanović A, Dobričić V, Mandić-Stojmenović G, Stojković T, Branković M, Šarčević M, Novaković I, Kostić VS. Frequency of C9orf72, GRN, and MAPT pathogenic variants in patients recruited at the Belgrade Memory Center. Neurogenetics 2024; 25:193-200. [PMID: 38847891 DOI: 10.1007/s10048-024-00766-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
Most of the heritability in frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is accounted for by autosomal dominant hexanucleotide expansion in the chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9orf72), pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants in progranulin (GRN), and microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) genes. Until now, there has been no systematic analysis of these genes in the Serbian population. Herein, we assessed the frequency of the C9orf72 expansion, pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants in GRN and MAPT in a well-characterized group of 472 subjects (FTD, Alzheimer's disease - AD, mild cognitive impairment - MCI, and unspecified dementia - UnD), recruited in the Memory Center, Neurology Clinic, University Clinical Center of Serbia. The C9orf72 repeat expansion was detected in 6.98% of FTD cases (13.46% familial; 2.6% sporadic). In the UnD subgroup, C9orf72 repeat expansions were detected in 4.08% (8% familial) individuals. Pathogenic variants in the GRN were found in 2.85% of familial FTD cases. Interestingly, no MAPT pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants were detected, suggesting possible geographical specificity. Our findings highlight the importance of wider implementation of genetic testing in neurological and psychiatric practice managing patients with cognitive-behavioral and motor symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elka Stefanova
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Dr Subotića 8, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia.
- Neurology Clinic, University Clinical Center of Serbia (UCCS), Dr Subotića 6, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia.
| | - Ana Marjanović
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Dr Subotića 8, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia
| | - Valerija Dobričić
- Neurology Clinic, University Clinical Center of Serbia (UCCS), Dr Subotića 6, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia
- University of Lübeck-Lübeck Interdisciplinary Platform for Genome Analytics, 11000, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Gorana Mandić-Stojmenović
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Dr Subotića 8, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia
- Neurology Clinic, University Clinical Center of Serbia (UCCS), Dr Subotića 6, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia
| | - Tanja Stojković
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Dr Subotića 8, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia
- Neurology Clinic, University Clinical Center of Serbia (UCCS), Dr Subotića 6, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia
| | - Marija Branković
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Dr Subotića 8, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia
| | - Maksim Šarčević
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Dr Subotića 8, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia
| | - Ivana Novaković
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Dr Subotića 8, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia
- Neurology Clinic, University Clinical Center of Serbia (UCCS), Dr Subotića 6, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia
| | - Vladimir S Kostić
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Dr Subotića 8, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia
- Neurology Clinic, University Clinical Center of Serbia (UCCS), Dr Subotića 6, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia
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30
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Dratch L, Kinnamon DD, Harrington EA, Goldman J, Fong JC, Jones T, Uhlmann WR, Roggenbuck J. Response to "assessment of risk of ALS conferred by the GGGGCC hexanucleotide expansion in C9orf72 among first-degree relatives of patients with ALS carrying the repeat expansion". Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2024:1-3. [PMID: 38902980 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2024.2362854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Laynie Dratch
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Daniel D Kinnamon
- Division of Human Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | | | - Jill Goldman
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jamie C Fong
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Tara Jones
- Neurosciences Department, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Wendy R Uhlmann
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine; Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA, and
| | - Jennifer Roggenbuck
- Division of Human Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
- Department of Neurology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
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31
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Jaroszynska N, Salzinger A, Tsarouchas TM, Becker CG, Becker T, Lyons DA, MacDonald RB, Keatinge M. C9ORF72 Deficiency Results in Neurodegeneration in the Zebrafish Retina. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e2128232024. [PMID: 38658168 PMCID: PMC11209673 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2128-23.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Hexanucleotide repeat expansions within the gene C9ORF72 are the most common cause of the neurodegenerative diseases amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). This disease-causing expansion leads to a reduction in C9ORF72 expression levels in patients, suggesting loss of C9ORF72 function could contribute to disease. To further understand the consequences of C9ORF72 deficiency in vivo, we generated a c9orf72 mutant zebrafish line. Analysis of the adult female spinal cords revealed no appreciable neurodegenerative pathology such as loss of motor neurons or increased levels of neuroinflammation. However, detailed examination of adult female c9orf72-/- retinas showed prominent neurodegenerative features, including a decrease in retinal thickness, gliosis, and an overall reduction in neurons of all subtypes. Analysis of rod and cone cells within the photoreceptor layer showed a disturbance in their outer segment structure and rhodopsin mislocalization from rod outer segments to their cell bodies and synaptic terminals. Thus, C9ORF72 may play a previously unappreciated role in retinal homeostasis and suggests C9ORF72 deficiency can induce tissue specific neuronal loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Jaroszynska
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London EC1Y 0AD, United Kingdom
| | - Andrea Salzinger
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, United Kingdom
- UK Dementia Research Institute at University of Edinburgh, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, United Kingdom
| | - Themistoklis M Tsarouchas
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California 94305
| | - Catherina G Becker
- Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD), Dresden 01307, Germany
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh BioQuarter, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas Becker
- Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD), Dresden 01307, Germany
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh BioQuarter, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, United Kingdom
| | - David A Lyons
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh BioQuarter, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, United Kingdom
| | - Ryan B MacDonald
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London EC1Y 0AD, United Kingdom
| | - Marcus Keatinge
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, United Kingdom
- UK Dementia Research Institute at University of Edinburgh, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, United Kingdom
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32
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Wang HLV, Xiang JF, Yuan C, Veire AM, Gendron TF, Murray ME, Tansey MG, Hu J, Gearing M, Glass JD, Jin P, Corces VG, McEachin ZT. pTDP-43 levels correlate with cell type specific molecular alterations in the prefrontal cortex of C9orf72 ALS/FTD patients. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.01.12.523820. [PMID: 36711601 PMCID: PMC9882184 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.12.523820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Repeat expansions in the C9orf72 gene are the most common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and familial frontotemporal dementia (ALS/FTD). To identify molecular defects that take place in the dorsolateral frontal cortex of patients with C9orf72 ALS/FTD, we compared healthy controls with C9orf72 ALS/FTD donor samples staged based on the levels of cortical phosphorylated TAR DNA binding protein (pTDP-43), a neuropathological hallmark of disease progression. We identified distinct molecular changes in different cell types that take place during FTD development. Loss of neurosurveillance microglia and activation of the complement cascade take place early, when pTDP-43 aggregates are absent or very low, and become more pronounced in late stages, suggesting an initial involvement of microglia in disease progression. Reduction of layer 2-3 cortical projection neurons with high expression of CUX2/LAMP5 also occurs early, and the reduction becomes more pronounced as pTDP-43 accumulates. Several unique features were observed only in samples with high levels of pTDP-43, including global alteration of chromatin accessibility in oligodendrocytes, microglia, and astrocytes; higher ratios of premature oligodendrocytes; increased levels of the noncoding RNA NEAT1 in astrocytes and neurons, and higher amount of phosphorylated ribosomal protein S6. Our findings reveal previously unknown progressive functional changes in major cell types found in the frontal cortex of C9orf72 ALS/FTD patients that shed light on the mechanisms underlying the pathology of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsiao-Lin V. Wang
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
- Emory Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Jian-Feng Xiang
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Chenyang Yuan
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Austin M. Veire
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32224
| | | | | | - Malú G. Tansey
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32607
- Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32607
| | - Jian Hu
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Marla Gearing
- Emory Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Jonathan D. Glass
- Emory Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Peng Jin
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
- Emory Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Victor G. Corces
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
- Emory Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
| | - Zachary T. McEachin
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
- Emory Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322
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33
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Tseng YJ, Krans A, Malik I, Deng X, Yildirim E, Ovunc S, Tank EH, Jansen-West K, Kaufhold R, Gomez N, Sher R, Petrucelli L, Barmada S, Todd P. Ribosomal quality control factors inhibit repeat-associated non-AUG translation from GC-rich repeats. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:5928-5949. [PMID: 38412259 PMCID: PMC11162809 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
A GGGGCC (G4C2) hexanucleotide repeat expansion in C9ORF72 causes amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia (C9ALS/FTD), while a CGG trinucleotide repeat expansion in FMR1 leads to the neurodegenerative disorder Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS). These GC-rich repeats form RNA secondary structures that support repeat-associated non-AUG (RAN) translation of toxic proteins that contribute to disease pathogenesis. Here we assessed whether these same repeats might trigger stalling and interfere with translational elongation. We find that depletion of ribosome-associated quality control (RQC) factors NEMF, LTN1 and ANKZF1 markedly boost RAN translation product accumulation from both G4C2 and CGG repeats while overexpression of these factors reduces RAN production in both reporter assays and C9ALS/FTD patient iPSC-derived neurons. We also detected partially made products from both G4C2 and CGG repeats whose abundance increased with RQC factor depletion. Repeat RNA sequence, rather than amino acid content, is central to the impact of RQC factor depletion on RAN translation-suggesting a role for RNA secondary structure in these processes. Together, these findings suggest that ribosomal stalling and RQC pathway activation during RAN translation inhibits the generation of toxic RAN products. We propose augmenting RQC activity as a therapeutic strategy in GC-rich repeat expansion disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Ju Tseng
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Amy Krans
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Ann Arbor Veterans Administration Healthcare, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Indranil Malik
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Kandi, Sangareddy, 502284 Telangana, India
| | - Xiexiong Deng
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Evrim Yildirim
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Sinem Ovunc
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Elizabeth M H Tank
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Karen Jansen-West
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
| | - Ross Kaufhold
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Nicolas B Gomez
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Roger Sher
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior & Center for Nervous System Disorders, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | | | - Sami J Barmada
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Peter K Todd
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Ann Arbor Veterans Administration Healthcare, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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34
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Nigri A, Stanziano M, Fedeli D, Manera U, Ferraro S, Medina Carrion JP, Palermo S, Lequio L, Denegri F, Agosta F, Spinelli EG, Filippi M, Grisoli M, Valentini MC, De Mattei F, Canosa A, Calvo A, Chiò A, Bruzzone MG, Moglia C. Distinct neural signatures of pulvinar in C9orf72 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis mutation carriers and noncarriers. Eur J Neurol 2024; 31:e16266. [PMID: 38469975 PMCID: PMC11235848 DOI: 10.1111/ene.16266] [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: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Thalamic alterations have been reported as a major feature in presymptomatic and symptomatic patients carrying the C9orf72 mutation across the frontotemporal dementia-amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) spectrum. Specifically, the pulvinar, a high-order thalamic nucleus and timekeeper for large-scale cortical networks, has been hypothesized to be involved in C9orf72-related neurodegenerative diseases. We investigated whether pulvinar volume can be useful for differential diagnosis in ALS C9orf72 mutation carriers and noncarriers and how underlying functional connectivity changes affect this region. METHODS We studied 19 ALS C9orf72 mutation carriers (ALSC9+) accurately matched with wild-type ALS (ALSC9-) and ALS mimic (ALSmimic) patients using structural and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data. Pulvinar volume was computed using automatic segmentation. Seed-to-voxel functional connectivity analyses were performed using seeds from a pulvinar functional parcellation. RESULTS Pulvinar structural integrity had high discriminative values for ALSC9+ patients compared to ALSmimic (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.86) and ALSC9- (AUC = 0.77) patients, yielding a volume cutpoint of approximately 0.23%. Compared to ALSmimic, ALSC9- showed increased anterior, inferior, and lateral pulvinar connections with bilateral occipital-temporal-parietal regions, whereas ALSC9+ showed no differences. ALSC9+ patients when compared to ALSC9- patients showed reduced pulvinar-occipital connectivity for anterior and inferior pulvinar seeds. CONCLUSIONS Pulvinar volume could be a differential biomarker closely related to the C9orf72 mutation. A pulvinar-cortical circuit dysfunction might play a critical role in disease progression and development, in both the genetic phenotype and ALS wild-type patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Nigri
- Neuroradiology UnitFondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo BestaMilanItaly
| | - Mario Stanziano
- Neuroradiology UnitFondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo BestaMilanItaly
- ALS Centre, “Rita Levi Montalcini” Department of NeuroscienceUniversity of TurinTurinItaly
| | - Davide Fedeli
- Neuroradiology UnitFondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo BestaMilanItaly
| | - Umberto Manera
- ALS Centre, “Rita Levi Montalcini” Department of NeuroscienceUniversity of TurinTurinItaly
- Azienda Ospedaliero‐Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1UTurinItaly
| | - Stefania Ferraro
- Neuroradiology UnitFondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo BestaMilanItaly
- School of Life Science and Technology, MOE Key Laboratory for NeuroinformationUniversity of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaChengduChina
| | | | - Sara Palermo
- Neuroradiology UnitFondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo BestaMilanItaly
| | - Laura Lequio
- Neuroradiology UnitCTO Hospital, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza di TorinoTurinItaly
| | - Federica Denegri
- Neuroradiology UnitCTO Hospital, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza di TorinoTurinItaly
| | - Federica Agosta
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of NeuroscienceIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
- Neurology UnitIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
- Vita‐Salute San Raffaele UniversityMilanItaly
| | - Edoardo Gioele Spinelli
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of NeuroscienceIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
- Neurology UnitIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
- Neurorehabilitation UnitIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
| | - Massimo Filippi
- Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of NeuroscienceIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
- Neurology UnitIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
- Vita‐Salute San Raffaele UniversityMilanItaly
- Neurorehabilitation UnitIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
- Neurophysiology ServiceIRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilanItaly
| | - Marina Grisoli
- Neuroradiology UnitFondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo BestaMilanItaly
| | | | - Filippo De Mattei
- ALS Centre, “Rita Levi Montalcini” Department of NeuroscienceUniversity of TurinTurinItaly
- Azienda Ospedaliero‐Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1UTurinItaly
| | - Antonio Canosa
- ALS Centre, “Rita Levi Montalcini” Department of NeuroscienceUniversity of TurinTurinItaly
- Azienda Ospedaliero‐Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1UTurinItaly
| | - Andrea Calvo
- ALS Centre, “Rita Levi Montalcini” Department of NeuroscienceUniversity of TurinTurinItaly
- Azienda Ospedaliero‐Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1UTurinItaly
| | - Adriano Chiò
- ALS Centre, “Rita Levi Montalcini” Department of NeuroscienceUniversity of TurinTurinItaly
- Azienda Ospedaliero‐Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1UTurinItaly
- Institute of Cognitive Sciences and TechnologiesNational Council of ResearchRomeItaly
| | | | - Cristina Moglia
- ALS Centre, “Rita Levi Montalcini” Department of NeuroscienceUniversity of TurinTurinItaly
- Azienda Ospedaliero‐Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, SC Neurologia 1UTurinItaly
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Dilliott AA, Costanzo MC, Burtt NP, Bandres-Ciga S, Blauwendraat C, Casey B, Hoang Q, Iwaki H, Jang D, Kim JJ, Leonard HL, Levine KS, Makarious M, Nguyen TT, Rouleau GA, Singleton AB, Smadbeck P, Solle J, Vitale D, Nalls MA, Flannick J, Farhan SM. The Neurodegenerative Disease Knowledge Portal: Propelling Discovery Through the Sharing of Neurodegenerative Disease Genomic Resources. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2024.05.27.24307990. [PMID: 38853922 PMCID: PMC11160810 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.27.24307990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Although large-scale genetic association studies have proven opportunistic for the delineation of neurodegenerative disease processes, we still lack a full understanding of the pathological mechanisms of these diseases, resulting in few appropriate treatment options and diagnostic challenges. To mitigate these gaps, the Neurodegenerative Disease Knowledge Portal (NDKP) was created as an open-science initiative with the aim to aggregate, enable analysis, and display all available genomic datasets of neurodegenerative disease, while protecting the integrity and confidentiality of the underlying datasets. The portal contains 218 genomic datasets, including genotyping and sequencing studies, of individuals across ten different phenotypic groups, including neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Lewy body dementia, and Parkinson's disease. In addition to securely hosting large genomic datasets, the NDKP provides accessible workflows and tools to effectively utilize the datasets and assist in the facilitation of customized genomic analyses. Here, we summarize the genomic datasets currently included within the portal, the bioinformatics processing of the datasets, and the variety of phenotypes captured. We also present example use-cases of the various user interfaces and integrated analytic tools to demonstrate their extensive utility in enabling the extraction of high-quality results at the source, for both genomics experts and those in other disciplines. Overall, the NDKP promotes open-science and collaboration, maximizing the potential for discovery from the large-scale datasets researchers and consortia are expending immense resources to produce and resulting in reproducible conclusions to improve diagnostic and therapeutic care for neurodegenerative disease patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison A. Dilliott
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Maria C. Costanzo
- Programs in Metabolism and Medical & Population Genetics, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Noël P. Burtt
- Programs in Metabolism and Medical & Population Genetics, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sara Bandres-Ciga
- Center for Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias, NIH, Bethesda, MD USA
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Cornelis Blauwendraat
- Center for Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias, NIH, Bethesda, MD USA
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Bradford Casey
- Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, NY, NY USA
| | - Quy Hoang
- Programs in Metabolism and Medical & Population Genetics, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Hirotaka Iwaki
- Center for Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias, NIH, Bethesda, MD USA
- DataTecnica LLC, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Dongkeun Jang
- Programs in Metabolism and Medical & Population Genetics, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jonggeol Jeffrey Kim
- Center for Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias, NIH, Bethesda, MD USA
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Hampton L. Leonard
- Center for Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias, NIH, Bethesda, MD USA
- DataTecnica LLC, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Kristin S. Levine
- Center for Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias, NIH, Bethesda, MD USA
- DataTecnica LLC, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Mary Makarious
- Center for Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias, NIH, Bethesda, MD USA
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Trang T. Nguyen
- Programs in Metabolism and Medical & Population Genetics, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Guy A. Rouleau
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Andrew B. Singleton
- Center for Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias, NIH, Bethesda, MD USA
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Patrick Smadbeck
- Programs in Metabolism and Medical & Population Genetics, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - J Solle
- Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, NY, NY USA
| | - Dan Vitale
- Center for Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias, NIH, Bethesda, MD USA
- DataTecnica LLC, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Mike A. Nalls
- Center for Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias, NIH, Bethesda, MD USA
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
- DataTecnica LLC, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Jason Flannick
- Programs in Metabolism and Medical & Population Genetics, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sali M.K. Farhan
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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Nguyen L. Updates on Disease Mechanisms and Therapeutics for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Cells 2024; 13:888. [PMID: 38891021 PMCID: PMC11172142 DOI: 10.3390/cells13110888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2024] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's disease, is a motor neuron disease. In ALS, upper and lower motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord progressively degenerate during the course of the disease, leading to the loss of the voluntary movement of the arms and legs. Since its first description in 1869 by a French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot, the scientific discoveries on ALS have increased our understanding of ALS genetics, pathology and mechanisms and provided novel therapeutic strategies. The goal of this review article is to provide a comprehensive summary of the recent findings on ALS mechanisms and related therapeutic strategies to the scientific audience. Several highlighted ALS research topics discussed in this article include the 2023 FDA approved drug for SOD1 ALS, the updated C9orf72 GGGGCC repeat-expansion-related mechanisms and therapeutic targets, TDP-43-mediated cryptic splicing and disease markers and diagnostic and therapeutic options offered by these recent discoveries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lien Nguyen
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA;
- Center for NeuroGenetics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
- Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
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Prasad K, Hassan MI, Raghuvanshi S, Kumar V. Understanding the relationship between cerebellum and the frontal-cortex region of C9orf72-related amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A comparative analysis of genetic features. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0301267. [PMID: 38753768 PMCID: PMC11098475 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a relentlessly progressive and fatal neurodegenerative diseases for which at present no cure is available. Despite the extensive research the progress from diagnosis to prognosis in ALS and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) has been slow which represents suboptimal understanding of disease pathophysiological processes. In recent studies, several genes have been associated with the ALS and FTD diseases such as SOD1, TDP43, and TBK1, whereas the hexanucleotide GGGGCC repeat expansion (HRE) in C9orf72 gene is a most frequent cause of ALS and FTD, that has changed the understanding of these diseases. METHODS The goal of this study was to identify and spatially determine differential gene expression signature differences between cerebellum and frontal cortex in C9orf72-associated ALS (C9-ALS), to study the network properties of these differentially expressed genes, and to identify miRNAs targeting the common differentially expressed genes in both the tissues. This study thus highlights underlying differential cell susceptibilities to the disease mechanisms in C9-ALS and suggesting therapeutic target selection in C9-ALS. RESULTS In this manuscript, we have identified that the genes involved in neuron development, protein localization and transcription are mostly enriched in cerebellum of C9-ALS patients, while the UPR-related genes are enriched in the frontal cortex. Of note, UPR pathway genes were mostly dysregulated both in the C9-ALS cerebellum and frontal cortex. Overall, the data presented here show that defects in normal RNA processing and the UPR pathway are the pathological hallmarks of C9-ALS. Interestingly, the cerebellum showed more strong transcriptome changes than the frontal cortex. CONCLUSION Interestingly, the cerebellum region showed more significant transcriptomic changes as compared to the frontal cortex region suggesting its active participation in the disease process. This nuanced understanding may offer valuable insights for the development of targeted therapeutic strategies aimed at mitigating disease progression in C9-ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kartikay Prasad
- Amity Institute of Neuropsychology & Neurosciences, Amity University, Noida, UP, India
| | - Md Imtaiyaz Hassan
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Saurabh Raghuvanshi
- Department of Plant Molecular Biology, University of Delhi, South Campus, New Delhi, India
| | - Vijay Kumar
- Amity Institute of Neuropsychology & Neurosciences, Amity University, Noida, UP, India
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38
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Imrell S, Fang F, Ingre C, Sennfält S. Increased incidence of motor neuron disease in Sweden: a population-based study during 2002-2021. J Neurol 2024; 271:2730-2735. [PMID: 38386047 PMCID: PMC11055737 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-024-12219-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Motor neuron diseases (MND), with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis constituting most cases, are rare conditions of unknown etiology. There have been reports of an increase in incidence during the latter half of the twentieth century in various Western countries, including Sweden. This study provides updated data on the incidence of MND in Sweden during the last 20 years. METHODS Data was obtained from the Swedish National Patient Register on individuals diagnosed with MND from 2002 to 2021 and analysed in relation to group level data for the entire Swedish population. Incidence rates were calculated and presented in relation to year, age, sex, and region. RESULTS In the early 2000s, there was a crude incidence rate of 3.5-3.7 per 100,000 person-years, which then increased to 4.0-4.6 from 2008 onward. Age standardization to the starting year (2002) partially mitigated this increase. The incidence rate was greater among men compared to women and was highest within the age range of 70 to 84 years. There were indications of a higher incidence rate in the northernmost parts of the country, although the difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS The incidence rate of MND in Sweden now seems to have surpassed 4 cases per 100,000 person-years. This is higher when compared to both other European countries and previous Swedish studies. It remains to be determined if this increase reflects an actual increasing incidence of MND in Sweden or is due to other factors such as better registry coverage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Imrell
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.
| | - Fang Fang
- Unit of Integrative Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Caroline Ingre
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Neurology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Stefan Sennfält
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Neurology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
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Sellier C, Corcia P, Vourc'h P, Dupuis L. C9ORF72 hexanucleotide repeat expansion: From ALS and FTD to a broader pathogenic role? Rev Neurol (Paris) 2024; 180:417-428. [PMID: 38609750 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurol.2024.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
The major gene underlying monogenic forms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and fronto-temporal dementia (FTD) is C9ORF72. The causative mutation in C9ORF72 is an abnormal hexanucleotide (G4C2) repeat expansion (HRE) located in the first intron of the gene. The aim of this review is to propose a comprehensive update on recent developments on clinical, biological and therapeutics aspects related to C9ORF72 in order to highlight the current understanding of genotype-phenotype correlations, and also on biological machinery leading to neuronal death. We will particularly focus on the broad phenotypic presentation of C9ORF72-related diseases, that goes well beyond the classical phenotypes observed in ALS and FTD patients. Last, we will comment the possible therapeutical hopes for patients carrying a C9ORF72 HRE.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Sellier
- Centre de recherches en biomédecine de Strasbourg, UMR-S1329, Inserm, université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - P Corcia
- UMR 1253 iBrain, Inserm, université de Tours, Tours, France; Centre constitutif de coordination SLA, CHU de Bretonneau, 2, boulevard Tonnelle, 37044 Tours cedex 1, France
| | - P Vourc'h
- UMR 1253 iBrain, Inserm, université de Tours, Tours, France; Service de biochimie et biologie moléculaire, CHU de Tours, Tours, France
| | - L Dupuis
- Centre de recherches en biomédecine de Strasbourg, UMR-S1329, Inserm, université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.
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Shojaie A, Al Khleifat A, Sarraf P, Al-Chalabi A. Analysis of non-motor symptoms in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2024; 25:237-241. [PMID: 37981575 PMCID: PMC11238730 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2023.2280618] [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: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We investigated non-motor symptoms in ALS using sequential questionnaires; here we report the findings of the second questionnaire. METHODS A social media platform (Twitter, now known as X) was used to publicize the questionnaires. Data were downloaded from SurveyMonkey and analyzed by descriptive statistics, comparison of means, and regression models. RESULTS There were 182 people with ALS and 57 controls. The most important non-motor symptoms were cold limbs (60.4% cases, 14% controls, p = 9.67 x 10-10) and appetite loss (29.7% cases, 5.3% controls, p = 1.6 x 10-4). The weaker limb was most likely to feel cold (p = 9.67 x 10-10), and symptoms were more apparent in the evening and night. Appetite loss was reported as due to feeling full and the time taken to eat. People with ALS experienced medium-intensity pain, more usually shock-like pain than burning or cold-like pain, although the most prevalent type of pain was non-differentiated. CONCLUSIONS Non-motor symptoms are an important feature of ALS. Further investigation is needed to understand their physiological basis and whether they represent phenotypic differences useful for subtyping ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Shojaie
- Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Ahmad Al Khleifat
- Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Payam Sarraf
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Iranian Centre of Neurological Research, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, and
| | - Ammar Al-Chalabi
- Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Neurology, King's College Hospital, London, UK
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Zambon AA, Falzone YM, Bolino A, Previtali SC. Molecular mechanisms and therapeutic strategies for neuromuscular diseases. Cell Mol Life Sci 2024; 81:198. [PMID: 38678519 PMCID: PMC11056344 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-024-05229-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Neuromuscular diseases encompass a heterogeneous array of disorders characterized by varying onset ages, clinical presentations, severity, and progression. While these conditions can stem from acquired or inherited causes, this review specifically focuses on disorders arising from genetic abnormalities, excluding metabolic conditions. The pathogenic defect may primarily affect the anterior horn cells, the axonal or myelin component of peripheral nerves, the neuromuscular junction, or skeletal and/or cardiac muscles. While inherited neuromuscular disorders have been historically deemed not treatable, the advent of gene-based and molecular therapies is reshaping the treatment landscape for this group of condition. With the caveat that many products still fail to translate the positive results obtained in pre-clinical models to humans, both the technological development (e.g., implementation of tissue-specific vectors) as well as advances on the knowledge of pathogenetic mechanisms form a collective foundation for potentially curative approaches to these debilitating conditions. This review delineates the current panorama of therapies targeting the most prevalent forms of inherited neuromuscular diseases, emphasizing approved treatments and those already undergoing human testing, offering insights into the state-of-the-art interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Andrea Zambon
- Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Institute for Experimental Neurology, Inspe, Milan, Italy
- Neurology Department, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Yuri Matteo Falzone
- Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Institute for Experimental Neurology, Inspe, Milan, Italy
- Neurology Department, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandra Bolino
- Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Institute for Experimental Neurology, Inspe, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefano Carlo Previtali
- Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Institute for Experimental Neurology, Inspe, Milan, Italy.
- Neurology Department, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
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Cantara S, Simoncelli G, Ricci C. Antisense Oligonucleotides (ASOs) in Motor Neuron Diseases: A Road to Cure in Light and Shade. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4809. [PMID: 38732027 PMCID: PMC11083842 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25094809] [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: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) are short oligodeoxynucleotides designed to bind to specific regions of target mRNA. ASOs can modulate pre-mRNA splicing, increase levels of functional proteins, and decrease levels of toxic proteins. ASOs are being developed for the treatment of motor neuron diseases (MNDs), including spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA). The biggest success has been the ASO known as nusinersen, the first effective therapy for SMA, able to improve symptoms and slow disease progression. Another success is tofersen, an ASO designed to treat ALS patients with SOD1 gene mutations. Both ASOs have been approved by the FDA and EMA. On the other hand, ASO treatment in ALS patients with the C9orf72 gene mutation did not show any improvement in disease progression. The aim of this review is to provide an up-to-date overview of ASO research in MNDs, from preclinical studies to clinical trials and, where available, regulatory approval. We highlight the successes and failures, underline the strengths and limitations of the current ASO research, and suggest possible approaches that could lead to more effective treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Cantara
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Neurological Sciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy;
| | - Giorgia Simoncelli
- Unit of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, Department of Neurological and Motor Sciences, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Senese, 53100 Siena, Italy;
| | - Claudia Ricci
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Neurological Sciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy;
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Sachdev A, Gill K, Sckaff M, Birk AM, Aladesuyi Arogundade O, Brown KA, Chouhan RS, Issagholian-Lewin PO, Patel E, Watry HL, Bernardi MT, Keough KC, Tsai YC, Smith AST, Conklin BR, Clelland CD. Reversal of C9orf72 mutation-induced transcriptional dysregulation and pathology in cultured human neurons by allele-specific excision. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2307814121. [PMID: 38621131 PMCID: PMC11047104 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2307814121] [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: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Efforts to genetically reverse C9orf72 pathology have been hampered by our incomplete understanding of the regulation of this complex locus. We generated five different genomic excisions at the C9orf72 locus in a patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line and a non-diseased wild-type (WT) line (11 total isogenic lines), and examined gene expression and pathological hallmarks of C9 frontotemporal dementia/amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in motor neurons differentiated from these lines. Comparing the excisions in these isogenic series removed the confounding effects of different genomic backgrounds and allowed us to probe the effects of specific genomic changes. A coding single nucleotide polymorphism in the patient cell line allowed us to distinguish transcripts from the normal vs. mutant allele. Using digital droplet PCR (ddPCR), we determined that transcription from the mutant allele is upregulated at least 10-fold, and that sense transcription is independently regulated from each allele. Surprisingly, excision of the WT allele increased pathologic dipeptide repeat poly-GP expression from the mutant allele. Importantly, a single allele was sufficient to supply a normal amount of protein, suggesting that the C9orf72 gene is haplo-sufficient in induced motor neurons. Excision of the mutant repeat expansion reverted all pathology (RNA abnormalities, dipeptide repeat production, and TDP-43 pathology) and improved electrophysiological function, whereas silencing sense expression did not eliminate all dipeptide repeat proteins, presumably because of the antisense expression. These data increase our understanding of C9orf72 gene regulation and inform gene therapy approaches, including antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) and CRISPR gene editing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kamaljot Gill
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA94158
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA94158
| | - Maria Sckaff
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA94158
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA94158
| | | | - Olubankole Aladesuyi Arogundade
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA94158
- Memory & Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA94158
| | - Katherine A. Brown
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA94158
- Memory & Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA94158
| | - Runvir S. Chouhan
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA94158
- Memory & Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA94158
| | - Patrick Oliver Issagholian-Lewin
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA94158
- Memory & Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA94158
| | - Esha Patel
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA94158
- Memory & Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA94158
| | | | | | | | | | - Alec Simon Tulloch Smith
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA98195
- The Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA98195
| | - Bruce R. Conklin
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA94158
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA94143
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA94143
- Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA94158
| | - Claire Dudley Clelland
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA94158
- Memory & Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA94158
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Novy C, Busk ØL, Tysnes OB, Landa SS, Aanjesen TN, Alstadhaug KB, Bjerknes TL, Bjørnå IK, Bråthen G, Dahl E, Demic N, Fahlström M, Flemmen HØ, Hallerstig E, HogenEsch I, Kampman MT, Kleveland G, Kvernmo HB, Ljøstad U, Maniaol A, Morsund AH, Nakken O, Olsen CG, Schlüter K, Utvik MS, Yaseen R, Holla ØL, Holmøy T, Høyer H. Repeat expansions in AR, ATXN1, ATXN2 and HTT in Norwegian patients diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Brain Commun 2024; 6:fcae087. [PMID: 38585669 PMCID: PMC10998343 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcae087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Genetic repeat expansions cause neuronal degeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis as well as other neurodegenerative disorders such as spinocerebellar ataxia, Huntington's disease and Kennedy's disease. Repeat expansions in the same gene can cause multiple clinical phenotypes. We aimed to characterize repeat expansions in a Norwegian amyotrophic lateral sclerosis cohort. Norwegian amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients (n = 414) and neurologically healthy controls adjusted for age and gender (n = 713) were investigated for repeat expansions in AR, ATXN1, ATXN2 and HTT using short read exome sequencing and the ExpansionHunter software. Five amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients (1.2%) and two controls (0.3%) carried ≥36 repeats in HTT (P = 0.032), and seven amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients (1.7%) and three controls (0.4%) carried ≥29 repeats in ATXN2 (P = 0.038). One male diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis carried a pathogenic repeat expansion in AR, and his diagnosis was revised to Kennedy's disease. In ATXN1, 50 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients (12.1%) and 96 controls (13.5%) carried ≥33 repeats (P = 0.753). None of the patients with repeat expansions in ATXN2 or HTT had signs of Huntington's disease or spinocerebellar ataxia type 2, based on a re-evaluation of medical records. The diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis was confirmed in all patients, with the exception of one patient who had primary lateral sclerosis. Our findings indicate that repeat expansions in HTT and ATXN2 are associated with increased likelihood of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Further studies are required to investigate the potential relationship between HTT repeat expansions and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Novy
- Department of Medical Genetics, Telemark Hospital Trust, 3710 Skien, Norway
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Øyvind L Busk
- Department of Medical Genetics, Telemark Hospital Trust, 3710 Skien, Norway
| | - Ole-Bjørn Tysnes
- Neuro-SysMed, Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, 5009 Bergen, Norway
| | - Sigve S Landa
- Department of Medical Genetics, Telemark Hospital Trust, 3710 Skien, Norway
| | - Tori N Aanjesen
- Department of Neurology, Akershus University Hospital, 1478 Lørenskog, Norway
| | | | - Tale L Bjerknes
- Neuro-SysMed, Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, 5009 Bergen, Norway
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, 5007 Bergen, Norway
| | - Ingrid K Bjørnå
- Department of Neurology, Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, 3004 Drammen, Norway
| | - Geir Bråthen
- Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, 7030 Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7034 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Elin Dahl
- Department of Neurology, Telemark Hospital Trust, 3710 Skien, Norway
| | - Natasha Demic
- Department of Neurology, Vestfold Hospital Trust, 3103 Tønsberg, Norway
| | - Maria Fahlström
- Department of Medical Genetics, Telemark Hospital Trust, 3710 Skien, Norway
| | - Heidi Ø Flemmen
- Department of Neurology, Telemark Hospital Trust, 3710 Skien, Norway
| | - Erika Hallerstig
- Department of Neurology, Østfold Hospital Trust, 1714 Grålum, Norway
| | - Ineke HogenEsch
- Department of Neurology, Fonna Hospital Trust, 5528 Haugesund, Norway
| | - Margitta T Kampman
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital of North Norway, 9019 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Grethe Kleveland
- Department of Neurology, Innlandet Hospital Trust, 2609 Lillehammer, Norway
| | - Helene B Kvernmo
- Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, 7030 Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7034 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Unn Ljøstad
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, 5007 Bergen, Norway
- Department of Neurology, Sørlandet Hospital Trust, 4615 Kristiansand, Norway
| | - Angelina Maniaol
- Department of Neurology, Oslo University Hospital, 0450 Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Ola Nakken
- Department of Neurology, Akershus University Hospital, 1478 Lørenskog, Norway
| | - Cathrine G Olsen
- Department of Medical Genetics, Telemark Hospital Trust, 3710 Skien, Norway
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Katrin Schlüter
- Department of Neurology, Stavanger University Hospital, 4019 Stavanger, Norway
| | - May-Sissel Utvik
- Department of Neurology, Namsos Hospital Trust, 7803 Namsos, Norway
| | - Ryaz Yaseen
- Department of Neurology, Oslo University Hospital, 0450 Oslo, Norway
| | - Øystein L Holla
- Department of Medical Genetics, Telemark Hospital Trust, 3710 Skien, Norway
| | - Trygve Holmøy
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway
- Department of Neurology, Akershus University Hospital, 1478 Lørenskog, Norway
| | - Helle Høyer
- Department of Medical Genetics, Telemark Hospital Trust, 3710 Skien, Norway
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McHutchison CA, Wuu J, McMillan CT, Rademakers R, Statland J, Wu G, Rampersaud E, Myers J, Hernandez JP, Abrahams S, Benatar M. Temporal course of cognitive and behavioural changes in motor neuron diseases. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2024; 95:316-324. [PMID: 37827570 PMCID: PMC10958376 DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2023-331697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cognitive and behavioural dysfunction may occur in people with motor neuron disease (MND), with some studies suggesting an association with the C9ORF72 repeat expansion. Their onset and progression, however, is poorly understood. We explored how cognition and behaviour change over time, and whether demographic, clinical and genetic factors impact these changes. METHODS Participants with MND were recruited through the Phenotype-Genotype-Biomarker study. Every 3-6 months, the Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioural ALS Screen (ECAS) was used to assess amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) specific (executive functioning, verbal fluency, language) and ALS non-specific (memory, visuospatial) functions. Informants reported on behaviour symptoms via semi-structured interview. RESULTS Participants with neuropsychological data at ≥3 visits were included (n=237, mean age=59, 60% male), of which 18 (8%) were C9ORF72 positive. Baseline cognitive impairment was apparent in 18 (8%), typically in ALS specific domains, and associated with lower education, but not C9ORF72 status. Cognition, on average, remained stable over time, with two exceptions: (1) C9ORF72 carriers declined in all ECAS domains, (2) 8%-9% of participants with baseline cognitive impairment further declined, primarily in the ALS non-specific domain, which was associated with less education. Behavioural symptoms were uncommon. CONCLUSIONS In this study, cognitive dysfunction was less common than previously reported and remained stable over time for most. However, cognition declines longitudinally in a small subset, which is not entirely related to C9ORF72 status. Our findings raise questions about the timing of cognitive impairment in MND, and whether it arises during early clinically manifest disease or even prior to motor manifestations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline A McHutchison
- School of Philosophy, Psychology, and Language Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Joanne Wuu
- Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Corey T McMillan
- Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Rosa Rademakers
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Jeffrey Statland
- Department of Neurology, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Gang Wu
- Department of Computational Biology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Evadnie Rampersaud
- Department of Computational Biology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Jason Myers
- Department of Computational Biology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Jessica P Hernandez
- Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Sharon Abrahams
- School of Philosophy, Psychology, and Language Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Michael Benatar
- Department of Neurology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
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Zhong J, Wang C, Zhang D, Yao X, Zhao Q, Huang X, Lin F, Xue C, Wang Y, He R, Li XY, Li Q, Wang M, Zhao S, Afridi SK, Zhou W, Wang Z, Xu Y, Xu Z. PCDHA9 as a candidate gene for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2189. [PMID: 38467605 PMCID: PMC10928119 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46333-5] [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: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease. To identify additional genetic factors, we analyzed exome sequences in a large cohort of Chinese ALS patients and found a homozygous variant (p.L700P) in PCDHA9 in three unrelated patients. We generated Pcdhα9 mutant mice harboring either orthologous point mutation or deletion mutation. These mice develop progressive spinal motor loss, muscle atrophy, and structural/functional abnormalities of the neuromuscular junction, leading to paralysis and early lethality. TDP-43 pathology is detected in the spinal motor neurons of aged mutant mice. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that Pcdha9 mutation causes aberrant activation of FAK and PYK2 in aging spinal cord, and dramatically reduced NKA-α1 expression in motor neurons. Our single nucleus multi-omics analysis reveals disturbed signaling involved in cell adhesion, ion transport, synapse organization, and neuronal survival in aged mutant mice. Together, our results present PCDHA9 as a potential ALS gene and provide insights into its pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Chaodong Wang
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disease, Beijing, 100053, China.
| | - Dan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Xiaoli Yao
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Quanzhen Zhao
- Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Xusheng Huang
- Department of Neurology, The First Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Feng Lin
- Department of Neurology, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, 350001, China
| | - Chun Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Yaqing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Ruojie He
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Xu-Ying Li
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disease, Beijing, 100053, China
| | - Qibin Li
- Shenzhen Clabee Biotechnology Incorporation, Shenzhen, 518057, China
| | - Mingbang Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defects, Division of Neonatology, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, National Center for Children's Health, Shanghai, 201102, China
| | - Shaoli Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Shabbir Khan Afridi
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Wenhao Zhou
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defects, Division of Neonatology, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, National Center for Children's Health, Shanghai, 201102, China
| | - Zhanjun Wang
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disease, Beijing, 100053, China
| | - Yanming Xu
- Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Zhiheng Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
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47
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Chen M, Guo X, Guo J, Shi C, Wu Y, Chen L, Mao R, Fan Y. Cytoplasmic Accumulation of Histones Induced by BET Inhibition Protects Cells from C9orf72 Poly(PR)-Induced Cell Death. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2024; 8:e2300334. [PMID: 38213020 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202300334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Repeat dipeptides such as poly(proline-arginine) (polyPR) are generated from the hexanucleotide GGGGCC repeat expansions in the C9orf72 gene. These dipeptides are often considered as the genetic cause of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). In the study, fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) labeled PR20 is used to investigate PR20-induced cell death. The findings reveal that the cell death induced by PR20 is dependent on its nuclear distribution and can be blocked by a nuclear import inhibitor called importazole. Further investigation reveals that BRD4 inhibitors, such as JQ-1 and I-BET762, restrict cytoplasmic localization of PR20, thereby reducing its cytotoxic effect. Mechanistically, the inhibition of BRD4 leads to an increase in the expression of numerous histones, resulting in the accumulation of histones in the cytoplasm. These cytoplasmic histones associate with PR20 and limit its distribution within the nucleus. Notably, the ectopic expression of histones alone is enough to confer protection to cells treated with PR20. In addition, phenylephrine (PE) induces cellular hypertrophy and cytoplasmic distribution of histone, which also helps protect cells from PR20-induced cell death. The research suggests that temporarily inducing the presence of cytoplasmic histones may alleviate the neurotoxic effects of dipeptide repeat proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miaomiao Chen
- Laboratory of Medical Science, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China
| | - Xiaohong Guo
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China
| | - Jinjing Guo
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China
| | - Conglin Shi
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China
| | - Yuanyuan Wu
- Laboratory of Medical Science, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China
| | - Liuting Chen
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China
| | - Renfang Mao
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China
| | - Yihui Fan
- Laboratory of Medical Science, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China
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48
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Settembre C, Perera RM. Lysosomes as coordinators of cellular catabolism, metabolic signalling and organ physiology. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2024; 25:223-245. [PMID: 38001393 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-023-00676-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
Every cell must satisfy basic requirements for nutrient sensing, utilization and recycling through macromolecular breakdown to coordinate programmes for growth, repair and stress adaptation. The lysosome orchestrates these key functions through the synchronised interplay between hydrolytic enzymes, nutrient transporters and signalling factors, which together enable metabolic coordination with other organelles and regulation of specific gene expression programmes. In this Review, we discuss recent findings on lysosome-dependent signalling pathways, focusing on how the lysosome senses nutrient availability through its physical and functional association with mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) and how, in response, the microphthalmia/transcription factor E (MiT/TFE) transcription factors exert feedback regulation on lysosome biogenesis. We also highlight the emerging interactions of lysosomes with other organelles, which contribute to cellular homeostasis. Lastly, we discuss how lysosome dysfunction contributes to diverse disease pathologies and how inherited mutations that compromise lysosomal hydrolysis, transport or signalling components lead to multi-organ disorders with severe metabolic and neurological impact. A deeper comprehension of lysosomal composition and function, at both the cellular and organismal level, may uncover fundamental insights into human physiology and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmine Settembre
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy.
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.
| | - Rushika M Perera
- Department of Anatomy, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Pathology, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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49
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Uy G, Farrell LN, Faheem SF, Kinne LE, Adore MG, Im SH, Fairman R. The Effects of poly-GA and poly-PR C9orf72 Dipeptide Repeats on Sleep Patterns in Drosophila melanogaster. MICROPUBLICATION BIOLOGY 2024; 2024:10.17912/micropub.biology.000973. [PMID: 38495583 PMCID: PMC10943360 DOI: 10.17912/micropub.biology.000973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
C9orf72 is the most common familial gene associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Dipeptide repeats (DPRs) encoded by an expanded nucleotide repeat sequence in the C9orf72 gene were found in the sleep-related neurons of patients, indicating a role of DPRs in ALS-associated sleep disruptions. Poly-GA or poly-PR DPRs were expressed in male Drosophila melanogaster to study their effect on sleep . Poly-PR expression caused sleep disruptions while poly-GA expression did not. This study validates the use of Drosophila as an in vivo model system for exploring the roles of DPRs in perturbing the underlying molecular mechanisms in sleep regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genevieve Uy
- Chemistry, Haverford College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Laura N. Farrell
- Neuroscience, Haverford College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Syeda F. Faheem
- Biology, Haverford College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Lauren E. Kinne
- Biology, Haverford College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Madison G. Adore
- Biology, Haverford College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Seol Hee Im
- Biology, Haverford College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Robert Fairman
- Biology, Haverford College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
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50
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Cabrera GT, Meijboom KE, Abdallah A, Tran H, Foster Z, Weiss A, Wightman N, Stock R, Gendron T, Gruntman A, Giampetruzzi A, Petrucelli L, Brown RH, Mueller C. Artificial microRNA suppresses C9ORF72 variants and decreases toxic dipeptide repeat proteins in vivo. Gene Ther 2024; 31:105-118. [PMID: 37752346 DOI: 10.1038/s41434-023-00418-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 05/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that affects motor neurons, causing progressive muscle weakness and respiratory failure. The presence of an expanded hexanucleotide repeat in chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9ORF72) is the most frequent mutation causing familial ALS and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). To determine if suppressing expression of C9ORF72 gene products can reduce toxicity, we designed a set of artificial microRNAs (amiRNA) targeting the human C9ORF72 gene. Here we report that an AAV9-mediated amiRNA significantly suppresses expression of the C9ORF72 mRNA, protein, and toxic dipeptide repeat proteins generated by the expanded repeat in the brain and spinal cord of C9ORF72 transgenic mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Toro Cabrera
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA
- Department of Pediatrics and Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA
| | - Katharina E Meijboom
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA
- Department of Pediatrics and Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA
| | - Abbas Abdallah
- Department of Pediatrics and Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA
| | - Helene Tran
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA
| | - Zachariah Foster
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA
| | - Alexandra Weiss
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA
| | - Nicholas Wightman
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA
| | - Rachel Stock
- Department of Pediatrics and Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA
| | - Tania Gendron
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Rd., Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Alisha Gruntman
- Department of Pediatrics and Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA
| | - Anthony Giampetruzzi
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA
| | - Leonard Petrucelli
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Rd., Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Robert H Brown
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA.
| | - Christian Mueller
- Department of Pediatrics and Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655, USA.
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