1
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Kojak N, Kuno J, Fittipaldi KE, Khan A, Wenger D, Glasser M, Donnianni RA, Tang Y, Zhang J, Huling K, Ally R, Mujica AO, Turner T, Magardino G, Huang PY, Kerk SY, Droguett G, Prissette M, Rojas J, Gomez T, Gagliardi A, Hunt C, Rabinowitz JS, Gong G, Poueymirou W, Chiao E, Zambrowicz B, Siao CJ, Kajimura D. Somatic and intergenerational G4C2 hexanucleotide repeat instability in a human C9orf72 knock-in mouse model. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:5732-5755. [PMID: 38597682 PMCID: PMC11162798 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae250] [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: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Expansion of a G4C2 repeat in the C9orf72 gene is associated with familial Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD). To investigate the underlying mechanisms of repeat instability, which occurs both somatically and intergenerationally, we created a novel mouse model of familial ALS/FTD that harbors 96 copies of G4C2 repeats at a humanized C9orf72 locus. In mouse embryonic stem cells, we observed two modes of repeat expansion. First, we noted minor increases in repeat length per expansion event, which was dependent on a mismatch repair pathway protein Msh2. Second, we found major increases in repeat length per event when a DNA double- or single-strand break (DSB/SSB) was artificially introduced proximal to the repeats, and which was dependent on the homology-directed repair (HDR) pathway. In mice, the first mode primarily drove somatic repeat expansion. Major changes in repeat length, including expansion, were observed when SSB was introduced in one-cell embryos, or intergenerationally without DSB/SSB introduction if G4C2 repeats exceeded 400 copies, although spontaneous HDR-mediated expansion has yet to be identified. These findings provide a novel strategy to model repeat expansion in a non-human genome and offer insights into the mechanism behind C9orf72 G4C2 repeat instability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nada Kojak
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY 10591, USA
| | - Junko Kuno
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY 10591, USA
| | | | | | - David Wenger
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY 10591, USA
| | | | | | - Yajun Tang
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY 10591, USA
| | - Jade Zhang
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY 10591, USA
| | - Katie Huling
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY 10591, USA
| | - Roxanne Ally
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY 10591, USA
| | | | | | | | - Pei Yi Huang
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY 10591, USA
| | - Sze Yen Kerk
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY 10591, USA
| | | | | | - Jose Rojas
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY 10591, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Guochun Gong
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY 10591, USA
| | | | - Eric Chiao
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY 10591, USA
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2
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Morales F, Corrales E, Vásquez M, Zhang B, Fernández H, Alvarado F, Cortés S, Santamaría-Ulloa C, Initiative-Mmdbdi MMDBD, Krahe R, Monckton DG. Individual-specific levels of CTG•CAG somatic instability are shared across multiple tissues in myotonic dystrophy type 1. Hum Mol Genet 2023; 32:621-631. [PMID: 36099027 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddac231] [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: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 is a complex disease caused by a genetically unstable CTG repeat expansion in the 3'-untranslated region of the DMPK gene. Age-dependent, tissue-specific somatic instability has confounded genotype-phenotype associations, but growing evidence suggests that it also contributes directly toward disease progression. Using a well-characterized clinical cohort of DM1 patients from Costa Rica, we quantified somatic instability in blood, buccal cells, skin and skeletal muscle. Whilst skeletal muscle showed the largest expansions, modal allele lengths in skin were also very large and frequently exceeded 2000 CTG repeats. Similarly, the degree of somatic expansion in blood, muscle and skin were associated with each other. Notably, we found that the degree of somatic expansion in skin was highly predictive of that in skeletal muscle. More importantly, we established that individuals whose repeat expanded more rapidly than expected in one tissue (after correction for progenitor allele length and age) also expanded more rapidly than expected in other tissues. We also provide evidence suggesting that individuals in whom the repeat expanded more rapidly than expected in skeletal muscle have an earlier age at onset than expected (after correction for the progenitor allele length). Pyrosequencing analyses of the genomic DNA flanking the CTG repeat revealed that the degree of methylation in muscle was well predicted by the muscle modal allele length and age, but that neither methylation of the flanking DNA nor levels of DMPK sense and anti-sense transcripts could obviously explain individual- or tissue-specific patterns of somatic instability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Morales
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud (INISA), Universidad de Costa Rica, San José 2060, Costa Rica
| | - Eyleen Corrales
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud (INISA), Universidad de Costa Rica, San José 2060, Costa Rica
| | - Melissa Vásquez
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud (INISA), Universidad de Costa Rica, San José 2060, Costa Rica
| | - Baili Zhang
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030-4009, USA
| | - Huberth Fernández
- Hospital Calderón Guardia/Escuela de Medicina, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José 2060, Costa Rica
| | - Fernando Alvarado
- Hospital Calderón Guardia/Escuela de Medicina, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José 2060, Costa Rica
| | - Sergio Cortés
- Hospital Calderón Guardia/Escuela de Medicina, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José 2060, Costa Rica
| | | | | | - Ralf Krahe
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030-4009, USA
| | - Darren G Monckton
- Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
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3
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Rasmussen A, Hildonen M, Vissing J, Duno M, Tümer Z, Birkedal U. High Resolution Analysis of DMPK Hypermethylation and Repeat Interruptions in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13060970. [PMID: 35741732 PMCID: PMC9222588 DOI: 10.3390/genes13060970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a multisystemic neuromuscular disorder caused by the expansion of a CTG repeat in the 3′-UTR of DMPK, which is transcribed to a toxic gain-of-function RNA that affects splicing of a range of genes. The expanded repeat is unstable in both germline and somatic cells. The variable age at disease onset and severity of symptoms have been linked to the inherited CTG repeat length, non-CTG interruptions, and methylation levels flanking the repeat. In general, the genetic biomarkers are investigated separately with specific methods, making it tedious to obtain an overall characterisation of the repeat for a given individual. In the present study, we employed Oxford nanopore sequencing in a pilot study to simultaneously determine the repeat lengths, investigate the presence and nature of repeat interruptions, and quantify methylation levels in the regions flanking the CTG-repeats in four patients with DM1. We determined the repeat lengths, and in three patients, we observed interruptions which were not detected using repeat-primed PCR. Interruptions may thus be more common than previously anticipated and should be investigated in larger cohorts. Allele-specific analyses enabled characterisation of aberrant methylation levels specific to the expanded allele, which greatly increased the sensitivity and resolved cases where the methylation levels were ambiguous.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid Rasmussen
- Kennedy Center, Department of Clinical Genetics, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, 2600 Glostrup, Denmark; (A.R.); (M.H.); (U.B.)
| | - Mathis Hildonen
- Kennedy Center, Department of Clinical Genetics, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, 2600 Glostrup, Denmark; (A.R.); (M.H.); (U.B.)
| | - John Vissing
- Copenhagen Neuromuscular Center, Department of Neurology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark;
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Morten Duno
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark;
| | - Zeynep Tümer
- Kennedy Center, Department of Clinical Genetics, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, 2600 Glostrup, Denmark; (A.R.); (M.H.); (U.B.)
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
- Correspondence:
| | - Ulf Birkedal
- Kennedy Center, Department of Clinical Genetics, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, 2600 Glostrup, Denmark; (A.R.); (M.H.); (U.B.)
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4
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Braun M, Shoshani S, Teixeira J, Mellul Shtern A, Miller M, Granot Z, Fischer SE, Garcia SMA, Tabach Y. Asymmetric inheritance of RNA toxicity in C. elegans expressing CTG repeats. iScience 2022; 25:104246. [PMID: 35494247 PMCID: PMC9051633 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Nucleotide repeat expansions are a hallmark of over 40 neurodegenerative diseases and cause RNA toxicity and multisystemic symptoms that worsen with age. Through an unclear mechanism, RNA toxicity can trigger severe disease manifestation in infants if the repeats are inherited from their mother. Here we use Caenorhabditis elegans bearing expanded CUG repeats to show that this asymmetric intergenerational inheritance of toxicity contributes to disease pathogenesis. In addition, we show that this mechanism is dependent on small RNA pathways with maternal repeat-derived small RNAs causing transcriptomic changes in the offspring, reduced motility, and shortened lifespan. We rescued the toxicity phenotypes in the offspring by perturbing the RNAi machinery in the affected hermaphrodites. This points to a novel mechanism linking maternal bias and the RNAi machinery and suggests that toxic RNA is transmitted to offspring, causing disease phenotypes through intergenerational epigenetic inheritance. Maternal origin of expanded CUG repeats induces RNA toxicity in Caenorhabditis elegans offspring Offspring of affected hermaphrodites show molecular and phenotypic disease phenotypes The RNAi machinery is directly related to the maternal inheritance of RNA toxicity Altering the RNAi machinery in affected hermaphrodites rescues toxicity in offspring
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Braun
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel
| | - Shachar Shoshani
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel
| | - Joana Teixeira
- Institute of Biotechnology, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00790 Finland
| | - Anna Mellul Shtern
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel
| | - Maya Miller
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel
| | - Zvi Granot
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel
| | - Sylvia E.J. Fischer
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Susana M.D. A. Garcia
- Institute of Biotechnology, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00790 Finland
- Corresponding author
| | - Yuval Tabach
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel
- Corresponding author
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5
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Visconti VV, Centofanti F, Fittipaldi S, Macrì E, Novelli G, Botta A. Epigenetics of Myotonic Dystrophies: A Minireview. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222212594. [PMID: 34830473 PMCID: PMC8623789 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 and 2 (DM1 and DM2) are two multisystemic autosomal dominant disorders with clinical and genetic similarities. The prevailing paradigm for DMs is that they are mediated by an in trans toxic RNA mechanism, triggered by untranslated CTG and CCTG repeat expansions in the DMPK and CNBP genes for DM1 and DM2, respectively. Nevertheless, increasing evidences suggest that epigenetics can also play a role in the pathogenesis of both diseases. In this review, we discuss the available information on epigenetic mechanisms that could contribute to the DMs outcome and progression. Changes in DNA cytosine methylation, chromatin remodeling and expression of regulatory noncoding RNAs are described, with the intent of depicting an epigenetic signature of DMs. Epigenetic biomarkers have a strong potential for clinical application since they could be used as targets for therapeutic interventions avoiding changes in DNA sequences. Moreover, understanding their clinical significance may serve as a diagnostic indicator in genetic counselling in order to improve genotype–phenotype correlations in DM patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Veronica Visconti
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Medical Genetics Section, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; (V.V.V.); (F.C.); (S.F.); (E.M.); (G.N.)
| | - Federica Centofanti
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Medical Genetics Section, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; (V.V.V.); (F.C.); (S.F.); (E.M.); (G.N.)
| | - Simona Fittipaldi
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Medical Genetics Section, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; (V.V.V.); (F.C.); (S.F.); (E.M.); (G.N.)
| | - Elisa Macrì
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Medical Genetics Section, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; (V.V.V.); (F.C.); (S.F.); (E.M.); (G.N.)
| | - Giuseppe Novelli
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Medical Genetics Section, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; (V.V.V.); (F.C.); (S.F.); (E.M.); (G.N.)
- IRCCS (Institute for Treatment and Research) Neuromed, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Annalisa Botta
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Medical Genetics Section, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; (V.V.V.); (F.C.); (S.F.); (E.M.); (G.N.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-6-7259-6078
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6
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De Serres-Bérard T, Pierre M, Chahine M, Puymirat J. Deciphering the mechanisms underlying brain alterations and cognitive impairment in congenital myotonic dystrophy. Neurobiol Dis 2021; 160:105532. [PMID: 34655747 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2021.105532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a multisystemic and heterogeneous disorder caused by the expansion of CTG repeats in the 3' UTR of the myotonic dystrophy protein kinase (DMPK) gene. There is a congenital form (CDM1) of the disease characterized by severe hypotonia, respiratory insufficiency as well as developmental delays and intellectual disabilities. CDM1 infants manifest important brain structure abnormalities present from birth while, in contrast, older patients with adult-onset DM1 often present neurodegenerative features and milder progressive cognitive deficits. Promising therapies targeting central molecular mechanisms contributing to the symptoms of adult-onset DM1 are currently in development, but their relevance for treating cognitive impairment in CDM1, which seems to be a partially distinct neurodevelopmental disorder, remain to be elucidated. Here, we provide an update on the clinical presentation of CDM1 and review recent in vitro and in vivo models that have provided meaningful insights on its consequences in development, with a particular focus on the brain. We discuss how enhanced toxic gain-of-function of the mutated DMPK transcripts with larger CUG repeats and the resulting dysregulation of RNA-binding proteins may affect the developing cortex in utero. Because the methylation of CpG islets flanking the trinucleotide repeats has emerged as a strong biomarker of CDM1, we highlight the need to investigate the tissue-specific impacts of these chromatin modifications in the brain. Finally, we outline promising potential therapeutic treatments for CDM1 and propose future in vitro and in vivo models with great potential to shed light on this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thiéry De Serres-Bérard
- LOEX, CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center, Quebec City, Canada; CERVO Brain Research Center, Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Québec, Quebec City, Canada
| | - Marion Pierre
- CERVO Brain Research Center, Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Québec, Quebec City, Canada
| | - Mohamed Chahine
- CERVO Brain Research Center, Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Québec, Quebec City, Canada; Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, Canada.
| | - Jack Puymirat
- LOEX, CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center, Quebec City, Canada; Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, Canada
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7
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Morales F, Vásquez M, Corrales E, Vindas-Smith R, Santamaría-Ulloa C, Zhang B, Sirito M, Estecio MR, Krahe R, Monckton DG. Longitudinal increases in somatic mosaicism of the expanded CTG repeat in myotonic dystrophy type 1 are associated with variation in age-at-onset. Hum Mol Genet 2021; 29:2496-2507. [PMID: 32601694 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddaa123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Revised: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
In myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), somatic mosaicism of the (CTG)n repeat expansion is age-dependent, tissue-specific and expansion-biased. These features contribute toward variation in disease severity and confound genotype-to-phenotype analyses. To investigate how the (CTG)n repeat expansion changes over time, we collected three longitudinal blood DNA samples separated by 8-15 years and used small pool and single-molecule PCR in 43 DM1 patients. We used the lower boundary of the allele length distribution as the best estimate for the inherited progenitor allele length (ePAL), which is itself the best predictor of disease severity. Although in most patients the lower boundary of the allele length distribution was conserved over time, in many this estimate also increased with age, suggesting samples for research studies and clinical trials should be obtained as early as possible. As expected, the modal allele length increased over time, driven primarily by ePAL, age-at-sampling and the time interval. As expected, small expansions <100 repeats did not expand as rapidly as larger alleles. However, the rate of expansion of very large alleles was not obviously proportionally higher. This may, at least in part, be a result of the allele length-dependent increase in large contractions that we also observed. We also determined that individual-specific variation in the increase of modal allele length over time not accounted for by ePAL, age-at-sampling and time was inversely associated with individual-specific variation in age-at-onset not accounted for by ePAL, further highlighting somatic expansion as a therapeutic target in DM1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Morales
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud (INISA), Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Melissa Vásquez
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud (INISA), Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Eyleen Corrales
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud (INISA), Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Rebeca Vindas-Smith
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud (INISA), Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | | | - Baili Zhang
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Mario Sirito
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Marcos R Estecio
- Department of Epigenetics & Molecular Carcinogenesis, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ralf Krahe
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Darren G Monckton
- Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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8
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Morales F, Corrales E, Zhang B, Vásquez M, Santamaría-Ulloa C, Quesada H, Sirito M, Estecio MR, Monckton DG, Krahe R. Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) clinical sub-types and CTCF site methylation status flanking the CTG expansion are mutant allele length-dependent. Hum Mol Genet 2021; 31:262-274. [PMID: 34432028 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddab243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a complex disease with a wide spectrum of symptoms. The exact relationship between mutant CTG repeat expansion size and clinical outcome remains unclear. DM1 congenital patients (CDM) inherit the largest expanded alleles, which are associated with abnormal and increased DNA methylation flanking the CTG repeat. However, DNA methylation at the DMPK locus remains understudied. Its relationship to DM1 clinical subtypes, expansion size and age-at-onset is not yet completely understood. Using pyrosequencing-based methylation analysis on 225 blood DNA samples from Costa Rican DM1 patients, we determined that the size of the estimated progenitor allele length (ePAL) is not only a good discriminator between CDM and non-CDM cases (with an estimated threshold at 653 CTG repeats), but also for all DM1 clinical subtypes. Secondly, increased methylation at both CTCF sites upstream and downstream of the expansion was almost exclusively present in CDM cases. Thirdly, levels of abnormal methylation were associated with clinical subtype, age and ePAL, with strong correlations between these variables. Fourthly, both ePAL and the intergenerational expansion size were significantly associated with methylation status. Finally, methylation status was associated with ePAL and maternal inheritance, with almost exclusively maternal transmission of CDM. In conclusion, increased DNA methylation at the CTCF sites flanking the DM1 expansion could be linked to ePAL, and both increased methylation and the ePAL could be considered biomarkers for the CDM phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Morales
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud (INISA), Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, 2060, Costa Rica
| | - Eyleen Corrales
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud (INISA), Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, 2060, Costa Rica
| | - Baili Zhang
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030-4009, USA
| | - Melissa Vásquez
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud (INISA), Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, 2060, Costa Rica
| | - Carolina Santamaría-Ulloa
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud (INISA), Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, 2060, Costa Rica
| | - Hazel Quesada
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Salud (INISA), Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, 2060, Costa Rica
| | - Mario Sirito
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030-4009, USA
| | - Marcos R Estecio
- Department of Epigenetics & Molecular Carcinogenesis, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030-4009, USA.,Center for Cancer Epigenetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030-4009, USA
| | - Darren G Monckton
- Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, United Kingdom
| | - Ralf Krahe
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030-4009, USA.,Center for Cancer Epigenetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030-4009, USA
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9
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Mangin A, de Pontual L, Tsai YC, Monteil L, Nizon M, Boisseau P, Mercier S, Ziegle J, Harting J, Heiner C, Gourdon G, Tomé S. Robust Detection of Somatic Mosaicism and Repeat Interruptions by Long-Read Targeted Sequencing in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:2616. [PMID: 33807660 PMCID: PMC7962047 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22052616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is the most complex and variable trinucleotide repeat disorder caused by an unstable CTG repeat expansion, reaching up to 4000 CTG in the most severe cases. The genetic and clinical variability of DM1 depend on the sex and age of the transmitting parent, but also on the CTG repeat number, presence of repeat interruptions and/or on the degree of somatic instability. Currently, it is difficult to simultaneously and accurately determine these contributing factors in DM1 patients due to the limitations of gold standard methods used in molecular diagnostics and research laboratories. Our study showed the efficiency of the latest PacBio long-read sequencing technology to sequence large CTG trinucleotides, detect multiple and single repeat interruptions and estimate the levels of somatic mosaicism in DM1 patients carrying complex CTG repeat expansions inaccessible to most methods. Using this innovative approach, we revealed the existence of de novo CCG interruptions associated with CTG stabilization/contraction across generations in a new DM1 family. We also demonstrated that our method is suitable to sequence the DM1 locus and measure somatic mosaicism in DM1 families carrying more than 1000 pure CTG repeats. Better characterization of expanded alleles in DM1 patients can significantly improve prognosis and genetic counseling, not only in DM1 but also for other tandem DNA repeat disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Mangin
- Centre de Recherche en Myologie, Inserm, Institut de Myologie, Sorbonne Université, F-75013 Paris, France; (A.M.); (L.d.P.); (G.G.)
- Dementia Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK
| | - Laure de Pontual
- Centre de Recherche en Myologie, Inserm, Institut de Myologie, Sorbonne Université, F-75013 Paris, France; (A.M.); (L.d.P.); (G.G.)
| | - Yu-Chih Tsai
- Pacific Biosciences, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; (Y.-C.T.); (J.Z.); (J.H.); (C.H.)
| | - Laetitia Monteil
- Genetics Department of the Hospital of Toulouse, F-31059 Toulouse, France;
| | - Mathilde Nizon
- CHU de Nantes, Service de Génétique Médicale, Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire, F-44000 Nantes, France; (M.N.); (P.B.)
| | - Pierre Boisseau
- CHU de Nantes, Service de Génétique Médicale, Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire, F-44000 Nantes, France; (M.N.); (P.B.)
| | - Sandra Mercier
- CHU Nantes, Service de Génétique Médicale, Centre de Référence des Maladies Neuromusculaires AOC, F-44000 Nantes, France;
| | - Janet Ziegle
- Pacific Biosciences, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; (Y.-C.T.); (J.Z.); (J.H.); (C.H.)
| | - John Harting
- Pacific Biosciences, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; (Y.-C.T.); (J.Z.); (J.H.); (C.H.)
| | - Cheryl Heiner
- Pacific Biosciences, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA; (Y.-C.T.); (J.Z.); (J.H.); (C.H.)
| | - Geneviève Gourdon
- Centre de Recherche en Myologie, Inserm, Institut de Myologie, Sorbonne Université, F-75013 Paris, France; (A.M.); (L.d.P.); (G.G.)
| | - Stéphanie Tomé
- Centre de Recherche en Myologie, Inserm, Institut de Myologie, Sorbonne Université, F-75013 Paris, France; (A.M.); (L.d.P.); (G.G.)
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10
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Xu TT, Li YJ, Afshari NA, Aleff RA, Rinkoski TA, Patel SV, Maguire LJ, Edwards AO, Brown WL, Fautsch MP, Wieben ED, Baratz KH. Disease Expression and Familial Transmission of Fuchs Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy With and Without CTG18.1 Expansion. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2021; 62:17. [PMID: 33444430 PMCID: PMC7814354 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.62.1.17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose To characterize inheritance, penetrance, and trinucleotide repeat expansion stability in Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD). Methods One thousand unrelated and related subjects with and without FECD were prospectively recruited. CTG18.1 repeat length (CTG18.1L) was determined via short tandem repeat assay and Southern blotting of leukocyte DNA. Multivariable logistic regression and generalized estimating equation models were employed. Results There were 546 unrelated FECD cases (67.6% female; 70 ± 10 years) and 235 controls (63.8% female; 73 ± 8 years; all ≥ 50 years). CTG18.1 expansion (CTG18.1exp+) was observed in 424 (77.7%) cases and 18 (7.7%) controls (P = 2.48 × 10-44). CTG18.1 expansion was associated with FECD severity (P = 5.62 × 10-7). The family arm of the study included 331 members from 112 FECD-affected families; 87 families were CTG18.1exp+. Autosomal dominant inheritance with variable expression of FECD was observed, regardless of expansion status. FECD penetrance of CTG18.1 expansion increased with age, ranging from 44.4% in the youngest (19-46 years) to 86.2% in the oldest (64-91 years) age quartiles. Among 62 parent-offspring transmissions of CTG18.1exp+, 48 (77.4%) had a change in CTG18.1L ≤ 10 repeats, and eight (12.9%) were ≥50 repeats, including five large expansions (∼1000-2000 repeats) that contracted. Among 44 offspring who did not inherit the CTG18.1exp+ allele, eight (18.2%) exhibited FECD. Conclusions CTG18.1 expansion was highly associated with FECD but demonstrated incomplete penetrance. CTG18.1L instability occurred in a minority of parent-offspring transmissions, with large expansions exhibiting contraction. The observation of FECD without CTG18.1 expansion among family members in CTG18.1exp+ families highlights the complexity of the relationship between the FECD phenotype and CTG18.1 expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy T. Xu
- Alix School of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States
| | - Yi-Ju Li
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States
| | - Natalie A. Afshari
- Shiley Eye Institute, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States
| | - Ross A. Aleff
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States
| | - Tommy A. Rinkoski
- Department of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States
| | - Sanjay V. Patel
- Department of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States
| | - Leo J. Maguire
- Department of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States
| | - Albert O. Edwards
- Oregon Retina Division, Sterling Vision, Eugene, Oregon, United States
- Casey Eye Institute, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, Oregon, United States
| | - William L. Brown
- Department of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States
| | - Michael P. Fautsch
- Department of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States
| | - Eric D. Wieben
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States
| | - Keith H. Baratz
- Department of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States
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11
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Overend G, Légaré C, Mathieu J, Bouchard L, Gagnon C, Monckton DG. Allele length of the DMPK CTG repeat is a predictor of progressive myotonic dystrophy type 1 phenotypes. Hum Mol Genet 2020; 28:2245-2254. [PMID: 31220271 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddz055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Revised: 03/13/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is an autosomal dominant inherited disorder caused by expansion of a germline and somatically unstable CTG repeat in the DMPK gene. Previously, CTG repeat length at birth has been correlated to patient age at symptom onset. Attempts to correlate CTG repeat length with progressive DM1 phenotypes, such as muscle power, have proven difficult. To better correlate genotype with progressive phenotypes, we have measured CTG repeat tract length and screened for interrupting variant repeats in 192 study participants from a well-characterized Canadian cohort. We have assessed genotype-phenotype correlations with nine progressive measures of skeletal muscle power and respiratory function. We have built statistical models that include confounding factors such as sex, age, height and weight to further explain variation in muscle power. Our analysis reveals a strong correlation between DM1 genotype and respiratory function and skeletal muscle power, as part of a complex model that includes additional modulators such as sex, age, height, weight and the presence or absence of interrupting variant repeats. Distal skeletal muscle measurements, such as hand pinch and grip strength, show the strongest correlation with disease genotype. Detailed analysis of CTG repeat length, and incorporation of confounding factors, greatly improves the predictive ability of these models. They reveal a greater genetic influence on individual progressive phenotypes than on age at symptom onset and for clinical trials will help optimize stratification and explain patient variability. They will also help practitioners prioritize assessment of the muscular power measurements that correlate best with disease severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gayle Overend
- Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Cécilia Légaré
- Department of Biochemistry, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada.,ECOGENE Biocluster, Chicoutimi, Québec, Canada.,Groupe de recherche interdisciplinaire sur les maladies neuromusculaires, Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux du Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean, rue de l'Hôpital, Saguenay, Québec, Canada
| | - Jean Mathieu
- École de réadaptation, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada.,Groupe de recherche interdisciplinaire sur les maladies neuromusculaires, Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux du Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean, rue de l'Hôpital, Saguenay, Québec, Canada
| | - Luigi Bouchard
- Department of Biochemistry, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada.,ECOGENE Biocluster, Chicoutimi, Québec, Canada.,Groupe de recherche interdisciplinaire sur les maladies neuromusculaires, Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux du Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean, rue de l'Hôpital, Saguenay, Québec, Canada
| | - Cynthia Gagnon
- École de réadaptation, Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada.,Groupe de recherche interdisciplinaire sur les maladies neuromusculaires, Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux du Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean, rue de l'Hôpital, Saguenay, Québec, Canada
| | - Darren G Monckton
- Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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12
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Khristich AN, Mirkin SM. On the wrong DNA track: Molecular mechanisms of repeat-mediated genome instability. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:4134-4170. [PMID: 32060097 PMCID: PMC7105313 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.rev119.007678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 161] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Expansions of simple tandem repeats are responsible for almost 50 human diseases, the majority of which are severe, degenerative, and not currently treatable or preventable. In this review, we first describe the molecular mechanisms of repeat-induced toxicity, which is the connecting link between repeat expansions and pathology. We then survey alternative DNA structures that are formed by expandable repeats and review the evidence that formation of these structures is at the core of repeat instability. Next, we describe the consequences of the presence of long structure-forming repeats at the molecular level: somatic and intergenerational instability, fragility, and repeat-induced mutagenesis. We discuss the reasons for gender bias in intergenerational repeat instability and the tissue specificity of somatic repeat instability. We also review the known pathways in which DNA replication, transcription, DNA repair, and chromatin state interact and thereby promote repeat instability. We then discuss possible reasons for the persistence of disease-causing DNA repeats in the genome. We describe evidence suggesting that these repeats are a payoff for the advantages of having abundant simple-sequence repeats for eukaryotic genome function and evolvability. Finally, we discuss two unresolved fundamental questions: (i) why does repeat behavior differ between model systems and human pedigrees, and (ii) can we use current knowledge on repeat instability mechanisms to cure repeat expansion diseases?
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sergei M Mirkin
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155.
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13
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Tomé S, Gourdon G. DM1 Phenotype Variability and Triplet Repeat Instability: Challenges in the Development of New Therapies. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21020457. [PMID: 31936870 PMCID: PMC7014087 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21020457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Revised: 01/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a complex neuromuscular disease caused by an unstable cytosine thymine guanine (CTG) repeat expansion in the DMPK gene. This disease is characterized by high clinical and genetic variability, leading to some difficulties in the diagnosis and prognosis of DM1. Better understanding the origin of this variability is important for developing new challenging therapies and, in particular, for progressing on the path of personalized treatments. Here, we reviewed CTG triplet repeat instability and its modifiers as an important source of phenotypic variability in patients with DM1.
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14
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Ausems CRM, Raaijmakers RHL, van den Broek WJAA, Willemse M, van Engelen BGM, Wansink DG, van Bokhoven H. Intrinsic Myogenic Potential of Skeletal Muscle-Derived Pericytes from Patients with Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1. MOLECULAR THERAPY-METHODS & CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT 2019; 15:120-132. [PMID: 31649961 PMCID: PMC6804802 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2019.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2019] [Accepted: 09/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Pericytes are multipotent, vessel-associated progenitors that exhibit high proliferative capacity, can cross the blood-muscle barrier, and have the ability to home to muscle tissue and contribute to myogenesis. Consequently, pericyte-based therapies hold great promise for muscular dystrophies. A complex multi-system disorder exhibiting muscular dystrophy for which pericytes might be a valuable cell source is myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). DM1 is caused by an unstable (CTG)n repeat in the DMPK gene and characterized by skeletal muscle weakness, muscle wasting, and myotonia. We have successfully isolated alkaline phosphatase-positive pericytes from skeletal muscle of DM1 patients and a transgenic mouse model. Intranuclear (CUG)n RNA foci, a pathogenic DM1 hallmark, were identified in human and mouse pericytes. Notably, pericytes from DM1 patients maintained similar growth parameters and innate myogenic characteristics in vitro compared to cells from unaffected controls. Our in vitro results thus demonstrate the potential of pericytes to ameliorate muscle features in DM1 in a therapeutic setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelia Rosanne Maria Ausems
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders lnstitute for Brain Cognition and Behavior, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands.,Department of Neurology, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders lnstitute for Brain Cognition and Behavior, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands.,Department of Cell Biology, Radboud University Medical Center, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Renée Henrica Lamberta Raaijmakers
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders lnstitute for Brain Cognition and Behavior, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands.,Department of Neurology, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders lnstitute for Brain Cognition and Behavior, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands.,Department of Cell Biology, Radboud University Medical Center, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Marieke Willemse
- Department of Cell Biology, Radboud University Medical Center, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Baziel Gerardus Maria van Engelen
- Department of Neurology, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders lnstitute for Brain Cognition and Behavior, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Derick Gert Wansink
- Department of Cell Biology, Radboud University Medical Center, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Hans van Bokhoven
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders lnstitute for Brain Cognition and Behavior, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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15
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Cumming SA, Jimenez-Moreno C, Okkersen K, Wenninger S, Daidj F, Hogarth F, Littleford R, Gorman G, Bassez G, Schoser B, Lochmüller H, van Engelen BGM, Monckton DG. Genetic determinants of disease severity in the myotonic dystrophy type 1 OPTIMISTIC cohort. Neurology 2019; 93:e995-e1009. [PMID: 31395669 PMCID: PMC6745735 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000008056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2018] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective To evaluate the role of genetic variation at the DMPK locus on symptomatic diversity in 250 adult, ambulant patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) recruited to the Observational Prolonged Trial in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 to Improve Quality of Life—Standards, a Target Identification Collaboration (OPTIMISTIC) clinical trial. Methods We used small pool PCR to correct age at sampling biases and estimate the progenitor allele CTG repeat length and somatic mutational dynamics, and AciI digests and repeat primed PCR to test for the presence of variant repeats. Results We confirmed disease severity is driven by progenitor allele length, is further modified by age, and, in some cases, sex, and that patients in whom the CTG repeat expands more rapidly in the soma develop symptoms earlier than predicted. We revealed a key role for variant repeats in reducing disease severity and quantified their role in delaying age at onset by approximately 13.2 years (95% confidence interval 5.7–20.7, 2-tailed t test t = −3.7, p = 0.0019). Conclusions Careful characterization of the DMPK CTG repeat to define progenitor allele length and presence of variant repeats has increased utility in understanding clinical variability in a trial cohort and provides a genetic route for defining disease-specific outcome measures, and the basis of treatment response and stratification in DM1 trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Cumming
- From the Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology (S.A.C., D.G.M.), University of Glasgow; Institute of Genetic Medicine (C.J.-M., H.L.) and Institute of Neurosciences (G.G.), Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK; Department of Neurology (K.O., B.G.M.v.E.), Donders Institute for Brain Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department of Neurology (S.W., B.S.), Friedrich-Baur-Institute, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany; Neuromuscular Reference Centre (F.D., G.B.), Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, France; and Tayside Clinical Trials Unit (F.H., R.L.), The University of Dundee, UK
| | - Cecilia Jimenez-Moreno
- From the Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology (S.A.C., D.G.M.), University of Glasgow; Institute of Genetic Medicine (C.J.-M., H.L.) and Institute of Neurosciences (G.G.), Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK; Department of Neurology (K.O., B.G.M.v.E.), Donders Institute for Brain Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department of Neurology (S.W., B.S.), Friedrich-Baur-Institute, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany; Neuromuscular Reference Centre (F.D., G.B.), Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, France; and Tayside Clinical Trials Unit (F.H., R.L.), The University of Dundee, UK
| | - Kees Okkersen
- From the Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology (S.A.C., D.G.M.), University of Glasgow; Institute of Genetic Medicine (C.J.-M., H.L.) and Institute of Neurosciences (G.G.), Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK; Department of Neurology (K.O., B.G.M.v.E.), Donders Institute for Brain Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department of Neurology (S.W., B.S.), Friedrich-Baur-Institute, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany; Neuromuscular Reference Centre (F.D., G.B.), Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, France; and Tayside Clinical Trials Unit (F.H., R.L.), The University of Dundee, UK
| | - Stephan Wenninger
- From the Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology (S.A.C., D.G.M.), University of Glasgow; Institute of Genetic Medicine (C.J.-M., H.L.) and Institute of Neurosciences (G.G.), Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK; Department of Neurology (K.O., B.G.M.v.E.), Donders Institute for Brain Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department of Neurology (S.W., B.S.), Friedrich-Baur-Institute, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany; Neuromuscular Reference Centre (F.D., G.B.), Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, France; and Tayside Clinical Trials Unit (F.H., R.L.), The University of Dundee, UK
| | - Ferroudja Daidj
- From the Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology (S.A.C., D.G.M.), University of Glasgow; Institute of Genetic Medicine (C.J.-M., H.L.) and Institute of Neurosciences (G.G.), Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK; Department of Neurology (K.O., B.G.M.v.E.), Donders Institute for Brain Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department of Neurology (S.W., B.S.), Friedrich-Baur-Institute, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany; Neuromuscular Reference Centre (F.D., G.B.), Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, France; and Tayside Clinical Trials Unit (F.H., R.L.), The University of Dundee, UK
| | - Fiona Hogarth
- From the Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology (S.A.C., D.G.M.), University of Glasgow; Institute of Genetic Medicine (C.J.-M., H.L.) and Institute of Neurosciences (G.G.), Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK; Department of Neurology (K.O., B.G.M.v.E.), Donders Institute for Brain Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department of Neurology (S.W., B.S.), Friedrich-Baur-Institute, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany; Neuromuscular Reference Centre (F.D., G.B.), Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, France; and Tayside Clinical Trials Unit (F.H., R.L.), The University of Dundee, UK
| | - Roberta Littleford
- From the Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology (S.A.C., D.G.M.), University of Glasgow; Institute of Genetic Medicine (C.J.-M., H.L.) and Institute of Neurosciences (G.G.), Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK; Department of Neurology (K.O., B.G.M.v.E.), Donders Institute for Brain Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department of Neurology (S.W., B.S.), Friedrich-Baur-Institute, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany; Neuromuscular Reference Centre (F.D., G.B.), Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, France; and Tayside Clinical Trials Unit (F.H., R.L.), The University of Dundee, UK
| | - Gráinne Gorman
- From the Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology (S.A.C., D.G.M.), University of Glasgow; Institute of Genetic Medicine (C.J.-M., H.L.) and Institute of Neurosciences (G.G.), Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK; Department of Neurology (K.O., B.G.M.v.E.), Donders Institute for Brain Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department of Neurology (S.W., B.S.), Friedrich-Baur-Institute, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany; Neuromuscular Reference Centre (F.D., G.B.), Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, France; and Tayside Clinical Trials Unit (F.H., R.L.), The University of Dundee, UK
| | - Guillaume Bassez
- From the Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology (S.A.C., D.G.M.), University of Glasgow; Institute of Genetic Medicine (C.J.-M., H.L.) and Institute of Neurosciences (G.G.), Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK; Department of Neurology (K.O., B.G.M.v.E.), Donders Institute for Brain Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department of Neurology (S.W., B.S.), Friedrich-Baur-Institute, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany; Neuromuscular Reference Centre (F.D., G.B.), Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, France; and Tayside Clinical Trials Unit (F.H., R.L.), The University of Dundee, UK
| | - Benedikt Schoser
- From the Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology (S.A.C., D.G.M.), University of Glasgow; Institute of Genetic Medicine (C.J.-M., H.L.) and Institute of Neurosciences (G.G.), Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK; Department of Neurology (K.O., B.G.M.v.E.), Donders Institute for Brain Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department of Neurology (S.W., B.S.), Friedrich-Baur-Institute, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany; Neuromuscular Reference Centre (F.D., G.B.), Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, France; and Tayside Clinical Trials Unit (F.H., R.L.), The University of Dundee, UK
| | - Hanns Lochmüller
- From the Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology (S.A.C., D.G.M.), University of Glasgow; Institute of Genetic Medicine (C.J.-M., H.L.) and Institute of Neurosciences (G.G.), Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK; Department of Neurology (K.O., B.G.M.v.E.), Donders Institute for Brain Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department of Neurology (S.W., B.S.), Friedrich-Baur-Institute, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany; Neuromuscular Reference Centre (F.D., G.B.), Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, France; and Tayside Clinical Trials Unit (F.H., R.L.), The University of Dundee, UK
| | - Baziel G M van Engelen
- From the Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology (S.A.C., D.G.M.), University of Glasgow; Institute of Genetic Medicine (C.J.-M., H.L.) and Institute of Neurosciences (G.G.), Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK; Department of Neurology (K.O., B.G.M.v.E.), Donders Institute for Brain Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department of Neurology (S.W., B.S.), Friedrich-Baur-Institute, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany; Neuromuscular Reference Centre (F.D., G.B.), Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, France; and Tayside Clinical Trials Unit (F.H., R.L.), The University of Dundee, UK
| | - Darren G Monckton
- From the Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology (S.A.C., D.G.M.), University of Glasgow; Institute of Genetic Medicine (C.J.-M., H.L.) and Institute of Neurosciences (G.G.), Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK; Department of Neurology (K.O., B.G.M.v.E.), Donders Institute for Brain Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department of Neurology (S.W., B.S.), Friedrich-Baur-Institute, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany; Neuromuscular Reference Centre (F.D., G.B.), Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, France; and Tayside Clinical Trials Unit (F.H., R.L.), The University of Dundee, UK.
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16
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Lanni S, Pearson CE. Molecular genetics of congenital myotonic dystrophy. Neurobiol Dis 2019; 132:104533. [PMID: 31326502 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2019.104533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2019] [Revised: 06/29/2019] [Accepted: 07/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Myotonic Dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a neuromuscular disease showing strong genetic anticipation, and is caused by the expansion of a CTG repeat tract in the 3'-UTR of the DMPK gene. Congenital Myotonic Dystrophy (CDM1) represents the most severe form of the disease, with prenatal onset, symptoms distinct from adult onset DM1, and a high rate of perinatal mortality. CDM1 is usually associated with very large CTG expansions, but this correlation is not absolute and cannot explain the distinct clinical features and the strong bias for maternal transmission. This review focuses upon the molecular and epigenetic factors that modulate disease severity and might be responsible for CDM1. Changes in the epigenetic status of the DM1 locus and in gene expression have recently been observed. Increasing evidence supports a role of a CTCF binding motif as a cis-element, upstream of the DMPK CTG tract, whereby CpG methylation of this site regulates the interaction of the insulator protein CTCF as a modulating trans-factor responsible for the inheritance and expression of CDM1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stella Lanni
- Program of Genetics & Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, The Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, 686 Bay Street, Toronto M5G 0A4, Ontario, Canada
| | - Christopher E Pearson
- Program of Genetics & Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, The Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, 686 Bay Street, Toronto M5G 0A4, Ontario, Canada; University of Toronto, Program of Molecular Genetics, Canada.
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17
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Elevated plasma levels of cardiac troponin-I predict left ventricular systolic dysfunction in patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1: A multicentre cohort follow-up study. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0174166. [PMID: 28323905 PMCID: PMC5360313 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0174166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2016] [Accepted: 03/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective High sensitivity plasma cardiac troponin-I (cTnI) is emerging as a strong predictor of cardiac events in a variety of settings. We have explored its utility in patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). Methods 117 patients with DM1 were recruited from routine outpatient clinics across three health boards. A single measurement of cTnI was made using the ARCHITECT STAT Troponin I assay. Demographic, ECG, echocardiographic and other clinical data were obtained from electronic medical records. Follow up was for a mean of 23 months. Results Fifty five females and 62 males (mean age 47.7 years) were included. Complete data were available for ECG in 107, echocardiography in 53. Muscle Impairment Rating Scale score was recorded for all patients. A highly significant excess (p = 0.0007) of DM1 patients presented with cTnI levels greater than the 99th centile of the range usually observed in the general population (9 patients; 7.6%). Three patients with elevated troponin were found to have left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD), compared with four of those with normal range cTnI (33.3% versus 3.7%; p = 0.001). Sixty two patients had a cTnI level < 5ng/L, of whom only one had documented evidence of LVSD. Elevated cTnI was not predictive of severe conduction abnormalities on ECG, or presence of a cardiac device, nor did cTnI level correlate with muscle strength expressed by Muscle Impairment Rating Scale score. Conclusions Plasma cTnI is highly elevated in some ambulatory patients with DM1 and shows promise as a tool to aid cardiac risk stratification, possibly by detecting myocardial involvement. Further studies with larger patient numbers are warranted to assess its utility in this setting.
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Barbé L, Lanni S, López-Castel A, Franck S, Spits C, Keymolen K, Seneca S, Tomé S, Miron I, Letourneau J, Liang M, Choufani S, Weksberg R, Wilson MD, Sedlacek Z, Gagnon C, Musova Z, Chitayat D, Shannon P, Mathieu J, Sermon K, Pearson CE. CpG Methylation, a Parent-of-Origin Effect for Maternal-Biased Transmission of Congenital Myotonic Dystrophy. Am J Hum Genet 2017; 100:488-505. [PMID: 28257691 PMCID: PMC5339342 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2017.01.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2016] [Accepted: 01/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
CTG repeat expansions in DMPK cause myotonic dystrophy (DM1) with a continuum of severity and ages of onset. Congenital DM1 (CDM1), the most severe form, presents distinct clinical features, large expansions, and almost exclusive maternal transmission. The correlation between CDM1 and expansion size is not absolute, suggesting contributions of other factors. We determined CpG methylation flanking the CTG repeat in 79 blood samples from 20 CDM1-affected individuals; 21, 27, and 11 individuals with DM1 but not CDM1 (henceforth non-CDM1) with maternal, paternal, and unknown inheritance; and collections of maternally and paternally derived chorionic villus samples (7 CVSs) and human embryonic stem cells (4 hESCs). All but two CDM1-affected individuals showed high levels of methylation upstream and downstream of the repeat, greater than non-CDM1 individuals (p = 7.04958 × 10−12). Most non-CDM1 individuals were devoid of methylation, where one in six showed downstream methylation. Only two non-CDM1 individuals showed upstream methylation, and these were maternally derived childhood onset, suggesting a continuum of methylation with age of onset. Only maternally derived hESCs and CVSs showed upstream methylation. In contrast, paternally derived samples (27 blood samples, 3 CVSs, and 2 hESCs) never showed upstream methylation. CTG tract length did not strictly correlate with CDM1 or methylation. Thus, methylation patterns flanking the CTG repeat are stronger indicators of CDM1 than repeat size. Spermatogonia with upstream methylation may not survive due to methylation-induced reduced expression of the adjacent SIX5, thereby protecting DM1-affected fathers from having CDM1-affected children. Thus, DMPK methylation may account for the maternal bias for CDM1 transmission, larger maternal CTG expansions, age of onset, and clinical continuum, and may serve as a diagnostic indicator.
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Morales F, Vásquez M, Santamaría C, Cuenca P, Corrales E, Monckton DG. A polymorphism in the MSH3 mismatch repair gene is associated with the levels of somatic instability of the expanded CTG repeat in the blood DNA of myotonic dystrophy type 1 patients. DNA Repair (Amst) 2016; 40:57-66. [DOI: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2016.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2015] [Revised: 01/28/2016] [Accepted: 01/29/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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Abstract
DNA repair normally protects the genome against mutations that threaten genome integrity and thus cell viability. However, growing evidence suggests that in the case of the Repeat Expansion Diseases, disorders that result from an increase in the size of a disease-specific microsatellite, the disease-causing mutation is actually the result of aberrant DNA repair. A variety of proteins from different DNA repair pathways have thus far been implicated in this process. This review will summarize recent findings from patients and from mouse models of these diseases that shed light on how these pathways may interact to cause repeat expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Nan Zhao
- Section on Genomic Structure and Function Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-0830, USA
| | - Karen Usdin
- Section on Genomic Structure and Function Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-0830, USA.
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Usdin K, House NCM, Freudenreich CH. Repeat instability during DNA repair: Insights from model systems. Crit Rev Biochem Mol Biol 2015; 50:142-67. [PMID: 25608779 DOI: 10.3109/10409238.2014.999192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The expansion of repeated sequences is the cause of over 30 inherited genetic diseases, including Huntington disease, myotonic dystrophy (types 1 and 2), fragile X syndrome, many spinocerebellar ataxias, and some cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Repeat expansions are dynamic, and disease inheritance and progression are influenced by the size and the rate of expansion. Thus, an understanding of the various cellular mechanisms that cooperate to control or promote repeat expansions is of interest to human health. In addition, the study of repeat expansion and contraction mechanisms has provided insight into how repair pathways operate in the context of structure-forming DNA, as well as insights into non-canonical roles for repair proteins. Here we review the mechanisms of repeat instability, with a special emphasis on the knowledge gained from the various model systems that have been developed to study this topic. We cover the repair pathways and proteins that operate to maintain genome stability, or in some cases cause instability, and the cross-talk and interactions between them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Usdin
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, NIDDK, NIH , Bethesda, MD , USA
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