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Keeley O, Coyne AN. Nuclear and degradative functions of the ESCRT-III pathway: implications for neurodegenerative disease. Nucleus 2024; 15:2349085. [PMID: 38700207 PMCID: PMC11073439 DOI: 10.1080/19491034.2024.2349085] [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: 02/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The ESCRT machinery plays a pivotal role in membrane-remodeling events across multiple cellular processes including nuclear envelope repair and reformation, nuclear pore complex surveillance, endolysosomal trafficking, and neuronal pruning. Alterations in ESCRT-III functionality have been associated with neurodegenerative diseases including Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), and Alzheimer's Disease (AD). In addition, mutations in specific ESCRT-III proteins have been identified in FTD/ALS. Thus, understanding how disruptions in the fundamental functions of this pathway and its individual protein components in the human central nervous system (CNS) may offer valuable insights into mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative disease pathogenesis and identification of potential therapeutic targets. In this review, we discuss ESCRT components, dynamics, and functions, with a focus on the ESCRT-III pathway. In addition, we explore the implications of altered ESCRT-III function for neurodegeneration with a primary emphasis on nuclear surveillance and endolysosomal trafficking within the CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Keeley
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Alyssa N. Coyne
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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2
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Shephard VK, Brown ML, Thompson BA, Harpur A, McAlary L. Rapid classification of a novel ALS-causing I149S variant in superoxide dismutase-1. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2024; 25:608-614. [PMID: 38742757 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2024.2351177] [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: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Variants of the oxygen free radical scavenging enzyme superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1) are associated with the neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). These variants occur in roughly 20% of familial ALS cases, and 1% of sporadic ALS cases. Here, we identified a novel SOD1 variant in a patient in their 50s who presented with movement deficiencies and neuropsychiatric features. The variant was heterozygous and resulted in the isoleucine at position 149 being substituted with a serine (I149S). In silico analysis predicted the variant to be destabilizing to the SOD1 protein structure. Expression of the SOD1I149S variant with a C-terminal EGFP tag in neuronal-like NSC-34 cells resulted in extensive inclusion formation and reduced cell viability. Immunoblotting revealed that the intramolecular disulphide between Cys57 and Cys146 was fully reduced for SOD1I149S. Furthermore, SOD1I149S was highly susceptible to proteolytic digestion, suggesting a large degree of instability to the protein fold. Finally, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and native-PAGE of cell lysates showed that SOD1I149S was monomeric in solution in comparison to the dimeric SOD1WT. This experimental data was obtained within 3 months and resulted in the rapid re-classification of the variant from a variant of unknown significance (VUS) to a clinically actionable likely pathogenic variant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria K Shephard
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Mikayla L Brown
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Bryony A Thompson
- Department of Pathology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia, and
| | - Alisha Harpur
- Department of Genomic Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Luke McAlary
- Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia
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3
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He L, Zhou Q, Xiu C, Shao Y, Shen D, Meng H, Le W, Chen S. Circulating proteomic biomarkers for diagnosing sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a cross-sectional study. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:1842-1848. [PMID: 38103252 PMCID: PMC10960292 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.389357] [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: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
JOURNAL/nrgr/04.03/01300535-202408000-00039/figure1/v/2023-12-16T180322Z/r/image-tiff Biomarkers are required for the early detection, prognosis prediction, and monitoring of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a progressive disease. Proteomics is an unbiased and quantitative method that can be used to detect neurochemical signatures to aid in the identification of candidate biomarkers. In this study, we used a label-free quantitative proteomics approach to screen for substantially differentially regulated proteins in ten patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis compared with five healthy controls. Substantial upregulation of serum proteins related to multiple functional clusters was observed in patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Potential biomarkers were selected based on functionality and expression specificity. To validate the proteomics profiles, blood samples from an additional cohort comprising 100 patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and 100 healthy controls were subjected to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Eight substantially upregulated serum proteins in patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis were selected, of which the cathelicidin-related antimicrobial peptide demonstrated the best discriminative ability between patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and healthy controls (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.713, P < 0.0001). To further enhance diagnostic accuracy, a multi-protein combined discriminant algorithm was developed incorporating five proteins (hemoglobin beta, cathelicidin-related antimicrobial peptide, talin-1, zyxin, and translationally-controlled tumor protein). The algorithm achieved an AUC of 0.811 and a P-value of < 0.0001, resulting in 79% sensitivity and 71% specificity for the diagnosis of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Subsequently, the ability of candidate biomarkers to discriminate between early-stage amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients and controls, as well as patients with different disease severities, was examined. A two-protein panel comprising talin-1 and translationally-controlled tumor protein effectively distinguished early-stage amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients from controls (AUC = 0.766, P < 0.0001). Moreover, the expression of three proteins (FK506 binding protein 1A, cathelicidin-related antimicrobial peptide, and hemoglobin beta-1) was found to increase with disease progression. The proteomic signatures developed in this study may help facilitate early diagnosis and monitor the progression of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis when used in combination with current clinical-based parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu He
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Qinming Zhou
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Chaoyang Xiu
- Department of Neurology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Yaping Shao
- Center for Translational Research on Neurological Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Dingding Shen
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Huanyu Meng
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Weidong Le
- Institute of Neurology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences-Sichuan Provincial Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China
| | - Sheng Chen
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
- Department of Neurology, Xinrui Hospital, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China
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4
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Chen HH, Yeo HT, Huang YH, Tsai LK, Lai HJ, Tsao YP, Chen SL. AAV-NRIP gene therapy ameliorates motor neuron degeneration and muscle atrophy in ALS model mice. Skelet Muscle 2024; 14:17. [PMID: 39044305 DOI: 10.1186/s13395-024-00349-z] [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: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by progressive motor neuron (MN) degeneration, leading to neuromuscular junction (NMJ) dismantling and severe muscle atrophy. The nuclear receptor interaction protein (NRIP) functions as a multifunctional protein. It directly interacts with calmodulin or α-actinin 2, serving as a calcium sensor for muscle contraction and maintaining sarcomere integrity. Additionally, NRIP binds with the acetylcholine receptor (AChR) for NMJ stabilization. Loss of NRIP in muscles results in progressive motor neuron degeneration with abnormal NMJ architecture, resembling ALS phenotypes. Therefore, we hypothesize that NRIP could be a therapeutic factor for ALS. METHODS We used SOD1 G93A mice, expressing human SOD1 with the ALS-linked G93A mutation, as an ALS model. An adeno-associated virus vector encoding the human NRIP gene (AAV-NRIP) was generated and injected into the muscles of SOD1 G93A mice at 60 days of age, before disease onset. Pathological and behavioral changes were measured to evaluate the therapeutic effects of AAV-NRIP on the disease progression of SOD1 G93A mice. RESULTS SOD1 G93A mice exhibited lower NRIP expression than wild-type mice in both the spinal cord and skeletal muscle tissues. Forced NRIP expression through AAV-NRIP intramuscular injection was observed in skeletal muscles and retrogradely transduced into the spinal cord. AAV-NRIP gene therapy enhanced movement distance and rearing frequencies in SOD1 G93A mice. Moreover, AAV-NRIP increased myofiber size and slow myosin expression, ameliorated NMJ degeneration and axon terminal denervation at NMJ, and increased the number of α-motor neurons (α-MNs) and compound muscle action potential (CMAP) in SOD1 G93A mice. CONCLUSIONS AAV-NRIP gene therapy ameliorates muscle atrophy, motor neuron degeneration, and axon terminal denervation at NMJ, leading to increased NMJ transmission and improved motor functions in SOD1 G93A mice. Collectively, AAV-NRIP could be a potential therapeutic drug for ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsin-Hsiung Chen
- Graduate Institute of Microbiology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 100, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Tung Yeo
- Graduate Institute of Microbiology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 100, Taiwan
| | - Yun-Hsin Huang
- Graduate Institute of Microbiology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 100, Taiwan
| | - Li-Kai Tsai
- Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, 100, Taiwan
| | - Hsing-Jung Lai
- Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, 100, Taiwan
| | - Yeou-Ping Tsao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, 104, Taiwan
| | - Show-Li Chen
- Graduate Institute of Microbiology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 100, Taiwan.
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5
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Dash BP, Freischmidt A, Weishaupt JH, Hermann A. An integrative miRNA-mRNA expression analysis identifies miRNA signatures associated with SOD1 and TARDBP patient-derived motor neurons. Hum Mol Genet 2024; 33:1300-1314. [PMID: 38676626 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddae072] [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: 01/28/2024] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a subset of small non-coding single-stranded RNA molecules involved in the regulation of post-transcriptional gene expression of a variety of transcript targets. Therefore altered miRNA expression may result in the dysregulation of key genes and biological pathways that has been reported with the onset and progression of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). ALS is marked by a progressive degeneration of motor neurons (MNs) present in the spinal cord, brain stem and motor cortex. Although the pathomechanism underlying molecular interactions of ALS remains poorly understood, alterations in RNA metabolism, including dysregulation of miRNA expression in familial as well as sporadic forms are still scarcely studied. In this study, we performed combined transcriptomic data and miRNA profiling in MN samples of the same samples of iPSC-derived MNs from SOD1- and TARDBP (TDP-43 protein)-mutant-ALS patients and healthy controls. We report a global upregulation of mature miRNAs, and suggest that differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs have a significant impact on mRNA-level in SOD1-, but not in TARDBP-linked ALS. Furthermore, in SOD1-ALS we identified dysregulated miRNAs such as miR-124-3p, miR-19b-3p and miR-218 and their potential targets previously implicated in important functional process and pathogenic pathways underlying ALS. These miRNAs may play key roles in the neuronal development and cell survival related functions in SOD1-ALS. Altogether, we provide evidence of miRNA regulated genes expression mainly in SOD1 rather than TDP43-ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Banaja P Dash
- Translational Neurodegeneration Section "Albrecht Kossel", Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Rostock, Gehlsheimer Str. 20, Rostock 18147, Germany
| | - Axel Freischmidt
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, Ulm 89081, Germany
| | - Jochen H Weishaupt
- Division of Neurodegeneration, Department of Neurology, Mannheim Center for Translational Neurosciences, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, Mannheim 68167, Germany
| | - Andreas Hermann
- Translational Neurodegeneration Section "Albrecht Kossel", Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Rostock, Gehlsheimer Str. 20, Rostock 18147, Germany
- Center for Transdisciplinary Neurosciences Rostock, University Medical Center Rostock, Gehlsheimer Str. 20, Rostock 18147, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE) Rostock/Greifswald, Gehlsheimer Str. 20, Rostock 18147, Germany
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6
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Shi W, Ding R, Chen Y, Ji F, Ji J, Ma W, Jin J. The HRD1-SEL1L ubiquitin ligase regulates stress granule homeostasis in couple with distinctive signaling branches of ER stress. iScience 2024; 27:110196. [PMID: 38979013 PMCID: PMC11228786 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Stress granules (SGs) are membrane-less cellular compartments which are dynamically assembled via biomolecular condensation mechanism when eukaryotic cells encounter environmental stresses. SGs are important for gene expression and cell fate regulation. Dysregulation of SG homeostasis has been linked to human neurodegenerative disorders, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Here we report that the HRD1-SEL1L ubiquitin ligase complex specifically regulates the homeostasis of heat shock-induced SGs through the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and the UPS-associated ATPase p97. Mechanistically, the HRD1-SEL1L complex mediates SG homeostasis through the BiP-coupled PERK-eIF2α signaling axis of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, thereby coordinating the unfolded protein response (UPR) with SG dynamics. Furthermore, we show that the distinctive branches of ER stress play differential roles in SG homeostasis. Our study indicates that the UPS and the UPR together via the HRD1-SEL1L ubiquitin ligase to maintain SG homeostasis in a stressor-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenbo Shi
- Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Ran Ding
- Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yilin Chen
- Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Fubo Ji
- Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Junfang Ji
- Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Center for Life Sciences, Shaoxing Institute, Zhejiang University, Shaoxing 321000, China
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Weirui Ma
- Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Jianping Jin
- Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Center for Life Sciences, Shaoxing Institute, Zhejiang University, Shaoxing 321000, China
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
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7
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Ruan K, Bai G, Fang Y, Li D, Li T, Liu X, Lu B, Lu Q, Songyang Z, Sun S, Wang Z, Zhang X, Zhou W, Zhang H. Biomolecular condensates and disease pathogenesis. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2024:10.1007/s11427-024-2661-3. [PMID: 39037698 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-024-2661-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
Biomolecular condensates or membraneless organelles (MLOs) formed by liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) divide intracellular spaces into discrete compartments for specific functions. Dysregulation of LLPS or aberrant phase transition that disturbs the formation or material states of MLOs is closely correlated with neurodegeneration, tumorigenesis, and many other pathological processes. Herein, we summarize the recent progress in development of methods to monitor phase separation and we discuss the biogenesis and function of MLOs formed through phase separation. We then present emerging proof-of-concept examples regarding the disruption of phase separation homeostasis in a diverse array of clinical conditions including neurodegenerative disorders, hearing loss, cancers, and immunological diseases. Finally, we describe the emerging discovery of chemical modulators of phase separation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Ruan
- The First Affiliated Hospital & School of Life Sciences, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Membrane-less Organelles & Cellular Dynamics, Hefei National Research Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences at the Microscale, Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China.
| | - Ge Bai
- Nanhu Brain-computer Interface Institute, Hangzhou, 311100, China.
- Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
| | - Yanshan Fang
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201210, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Dan Li
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200030, China.
| | - Tingting Li
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, 100191, China.
| | - Xingguo Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Joint School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510530, China.
- Joint School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510000, China.
| | - Boxun Lu
- Neurology Department at Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
| | - Qing Lu
- Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Ministry of Education, Bio-X Institutes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200030, China.
| | - Zhou Songyang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation and Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging Research, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China.
| | - Shuguo Sun
- Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
| | - Zheng Wang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institute of Biomedical Innovation, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China.
| | - Xin Zhang
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, 310024, China.
| | - Wen Zhou
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
| | - Hong Zhang
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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8
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Cao M, Yi L, Xu Y, Tian Y, Li Z, Bi Y, Guo M, Li Y, Liu Y, Xu X, Sun J, Li C, Duan W. Inhibiting NF-κB inducing kinase improved the motor performance of ALS animal model. Brain Res 2024; 1843:149124. [PMID: 39019135 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2024.149124] [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: 04/03/2024] [Revised: 07/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a typical neurodegenerative disorder typically characterized by inflammation activation. However, the relationship between non-canonical NF-κB (ncNF-κB) pathway activation and ALS progression is not clear. METHODS We tested the ncNF-κB pathway in the ALS animal model including hSOD1-G93A transgenic mice and TBK1 deletion mice.We treated age-matched SOD1-G93A mice with B022 (a NIK inhibitor) to investigate the role of NIK in the ALS animal model. We also established a new mice model by crossing SOD1-G93A mice with NIK+/- mice to further evaluate the interrelationship between the NIK and the disease progression in ALS animal model. RESULTS In this study, we found the ncNF-κB pathway was activated in SOD1-G93A animal model and TBK1 deletion model. Inhibition of NIK activity by small molecule B022 significantly improved the motor performance of the ALS animal model. However, NIK deletion enhanced the mutant SOD1 toxicity by inflammatory infiltration. CONCLUSION TBK1 deletion and mutant SOD1 shared the common pathological feature possibly via effects on NIK activation and inhibitor of NIK could be a novel strategy for treating ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengjie Cao
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, China
| | - Le Yi
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, China
| | - Yuyan Xu
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, China
| | - Yunyun Tian
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, China
| | - Zhongyao Li
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, China
| | - Yue Bi
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, China
| | - Moran Guo
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, China
| | - Yuanyuan Li
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, China
| | - Yakun Liu
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, China
| | - Xiangyang Xu
- Jiangsu Nhwa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China; Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Central Nervous System Drugs, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jiaquan Sun
- Jiangsu Nhwa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China; Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Central Nervous System Drugs, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chunyan Li
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, China; Neurological Laboratory of Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, China.
| | - Weisong Duan
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, China; Neurological Laboratory of Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050000, China.
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9
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Kato C, Ueda K, Morimoto S, Takahashi S, Nakamura S, Ozawa F, Ito D, Daté Y, Okada K, Kobayashi N, Nakahara J, Okano H. Proteomic insights into extracellular vesicles in ALS for therapeutic potential of Ropinirole and biomarker discovery. Inflamm Regen 2024; 44:32. [PMID: 38997748 PMCID: PMC11241965 DOI: 10.1186/s41232-024-00346-1] [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: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Extracellular vesicles (EVs) hold the potential for elucidating the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and serve as biomarkers. Notably, the comparative and longitudinal alterations in the protein profiles of EVs in serum (sEVs) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF; cEVs) of sporadic ALS (SALS) patients remain uncharted. Ropinirole hydrochloride (ROPI; dopamine D2 receptor [D2R] agonist), a new anti-ALS drug candidate identified through induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-based drug discovery, has been suggested to inhibit ALS disease progression in the Ropinirole Hydrochloride Remedy for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ROPALS) trial, but its mechanism of action is not well understood. Therefore, we tried to reveal longitudinal changes with disease progression and the effects of ROPI on protein profiles of EVs. METHODS We collected serum and CSF at fixed intervals from ten controls and from 20 SALS patients participating in the ROPALS trial. Comprehensive proteomic analysis of EVs, extracted from these samples, was conducted using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometer (LC/MS). Furthermore, we generated iPSC-derived astrocytes (iPasts) and performed RNA sequencing on astrocytes with or without ROPI treatment. RESULTS The findings revealed notable disparities yet high congruity in sEVs and cEVs protein profiles concerning disease status, time and ROPI administration. In SALS, both sEVs and cEVs presented elevated levels of inflammation-related proteins but reduced levels associated with unfolded protein response (UPR). These results mirrored the longitudinal changes after disease onset and correlated with the revised ALS Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS-R) at sampling time, suggesting a link to the onset and progression of SALS. ROPI appeared to counteract these changes, attenuating inflammation-related protein levels and boosting those tied to UPR in SALS, proposing an anti-ALS impact on EV protein profiles. Reverse translational research using iPasts indicated that these changes may partly reflect the DRD2-dependent neuroinflammatory inhibitory effects of ROPI. We have also identified biomarkers that predict diagnosis and disease progression by machine learning-driven biomarker search. CONCLUSIONS Despite the limited sample size, this study pioneers in reporting time-series proteomic alterations in serum and CSF EVs from SALS patients, offering comprehensive insights into SALS pathogenesis, ROPI-induced changes, and potential prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Kato
- Keio University Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Kanagawa, 210-0821, Japan
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
- Division of Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Koji Ueda
- Cancer Proteomics Group, Cancer Precision Medicine Center, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Tokyo, 135-8550, Japan
| | - Satoru Morimoto
- Keio University Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Kanagawa, 210-0821, Japan.
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan.
- Division of Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Shinichi Takahashi
- Keio University Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Kanagawa, 210-0821, Japan
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
- Department of Neurology and Cerebrovascular Medicine, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, Saitama, 350-1298, Japan
| | - Shiho Nakamura
- Keio University Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Kanagawa, 210-0821, Japan
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
- Division of Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Fumiko Ozawa
- Keio University Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Kanagawa, 210-0821, Japan
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
- Division of Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Daisuke Ito
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
- Department of Neurology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
| | - Yugaku Daté
- Department of Neurology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
| | - Kensuke Okada
- Department of Neurology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
| | - Naoki Kobayashi
- Keio University Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Kanagawa, 210-0821, Japan
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
| | - Jin Nakahara
- Department of Neurology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Okano
- Keio University Regenerative Medicine Research Center, Kanagawa, 210-0821, Japan.
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan.
- Division of Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Tokyo, Japan.
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10
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Jacob SM, Lee S, Kim SH, Sharkey KA, Pfeffer G, Nguyen MD. Brain-body mechanisms contribute to sexual dimorphism in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Nat Rev Neurol 2024:10.1038/s41582-024-00991-7. [PMID: 38965379 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-024-00991-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common form of human motor neuron disease. It is characterized by the progressive degeneration of upper and lower motor neurons, leading to generalized motor weakness and, ultimately, respiratory paralysis and death within 3-5 years. The disease is shaped by genetics, age, sex and environmental stressors, but no cure or routine biomarkers exist for the disease. Male individuals have a higher propensity to develop ALS, and a different manifestation of the disease phenotype, than female individuals. However, the mechanisms underlying these sex differences remain a mystery. In this Review, we summarize the epidemiology of ALS, examine the sexually dimorphic presentation of the disease and highlight the genetic variants and molecular pathways that might contribute to sex differences in humans and animal models of ALS. We advance the idea that sexual dimorphism in ALS arises from the interactions between the CNS and peripheral organs, involving vascular, metabolic, endocrine, musculoskeletal and immune systems, which are strikingly different between male and female individuals. Finally, we review the response to treatments in ALS and discuss the potential to implement future personalized therapeutic strategies for the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Jacob
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Sukyoung Lee
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Seung Hyun Kim
- Department of Neurology, Hanyang University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Keith A Sharkey
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Gerald Pfeffer
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
- Department of Medical Genetics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
| | - Minh Dang Nguyen
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
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11
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Limone F, Mordes DA, Couto A, Joseph BJ, Mitchell JM, Therrien M, Ghosh SD, Meyer D, Zhang Y, Goldman M, Bortolin L, Cobos I, Stevens B, McCarroll SA, Kadiu I, Burberry A, Pietiläinen O, Eggan K. Single-nucleus sequencing reveals enriched expression of genetic risk factors in extratelencephalic neurons sensitive to degeneration in ALS. NATURE AGING 2024; 4:984-997. [PMID: 38907103 PMCID: PMC11257952 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-024-00640-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a progressive loss of motor function linked to degenerating extratelencephalic neurons/Betz cells (ETNs). The reasons why these neurons are selectively affected remain unclear. Here, to understand the unique molecular properties that may sensitize ETNs to ALS, we performed RNA sequencing of 79,169 single nuclei from cortices of patients and controls. In both patients and unaffected individuals, we found significantly higher expression of ALS risk genes in THY1+ ETNs, regardless of diagnosis. In patients, this was accompanied by the induction of genes involved in protein homeostasis and stress responses that were significantly induced in a wide collection of ETNs. Examination of oligodendroglial and microglial nuclei revealed patient-specific downregulation of myelinating genes in oligodendrocytes and upregulation of an endolysosomal reactive state in microglia. Our findings suggest that selective vulnerability of extratelencephalic neurons is partly connected to their intrinsic molecular properties sensitizing them to genetics and mechanisms of degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Limone
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Neuroscience Institute, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Daniel A Mordes
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alexander Couto
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Brian J Joseph
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jana M Mitchell
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Martine Therrien
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- FM Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sulagna Dia Ghosh
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Daniel Meyer
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yingying Zhang
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Melissa Goldman
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Laura Bortolin
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Inma Cobos
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Beth Stevens
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- FM Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Steven A McCarroll
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Irena Kadiu
- Neuroinflammation Focus Area, UCB Pharma, Braine-l'Alleud, Belgium
| | - Aaron Burberry
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Olli Pietiläinen
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Neuroscience Center, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kevin Eggan
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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12
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Li Z, Wen J, Wu W, Dai Z, Liang X, Zhang N, Cheng Q, Zhang H. Causal relationship and shared genes between air pollutants and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A large-scale genetic analysis. CNS Neurosci Ther 2024; 30:e14812. [PMID: 38970158 PMCID: PMC11226412 DOI: 10.1111/cns.14812] [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: 07/23/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Air pollutants have been reported to have a potential relationship with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The causality and underlying mechanism remained unknown despite several existing observational studies. We aimed to investigate the potential causality between air pollutants (PM2.5, NOX, and NO2) and the risk of ALS and elucidate the underlying mechanisms associated with this relationship. METHODS The data utilized in our study were obtained from publicly available genome-wide association study data sets, in which single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were employed as the instrumental variantswith three principles. Two-sample Mendelian randomization and transcriptome-wide association (TWAS) analyses were conducted to evaluate the effects of air pollutants on ALS and identify genes associated with both pollutants and ALS, followed by regulatory network prediction. RESULTS We observed that exposure to a high level of PM2.5 (OR: 2.40 [95% CI: 1.26-4.57], p = 7.46E-3) and NOx (OR: 2.35 [95% CI: 1.32-4.17], p = 3.65E-3) genetically increased the incidence of ALS in MR analysis, while the effects of NO2 showed a similar trend but without sufficient significance. In the TWAS analysis, TMEM175 and USP35 turned out to be the genes shared between PM2.5 and ALS in the same direction. CONCLUSION Higher exposure to PM2.5 and NOX might causally increase the risk of ALS. Avoiding exposure to air pollutants and air cleaning might be necessary for ALS prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihao Li
- Department of NeurosurgeryThe Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Jie Wen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
| | - Wantao Wu
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
| | - Ziyu Dai
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
| | - Xisong Liang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
| | - Nan Zhang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanChina
| | - Quan Cheng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya HospitalCentral South UniversityChangshaChina
| | - Hao Zhang
- Department of NeurosurgeryThe Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical UniversityChongqingChina
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13
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Sprunger ML, Jackrel ME. The role of Matrin-3 in physiology and its dysregulation in disease. Biochem Soc Trans 2024; 52:961-972. [PMID: 38813817 PMCID: PMC11209761 DOI: 10.1042/bst20220585] [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: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
The dysfunction of many RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) that are heavily disordered, including TDP-43 and FUS, are implicated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia (ALS/FTD). These proteins serve many important roles in the cell, and their capacity to form biomolecular condensates (BMCs) is key to their function, but also a vulnerability that can lead to misregulation and disease. Matrin-3 (MATR3) is an intrinsically disordered RBP implicated both genetically and pathologically in ALS/FTD, though it is relatively understudied as compared with TDP-43 and FUS. In addition to binding RNA, MATR3 also binds DNA and is implicated in many cellular processes including the DNA damage response, transcription, splicing, and cell differentiation. It is unclear if MATR3 localizes to BMCs under physiological conditions, which is brought further into question due to its lack of a prion-like domain. Here, we review recent studies regarding MATR3 and its roles in numerous physiological processes, as well as its implication in a range of diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Macy L Sprunger
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, U.S.A
| | - Meredith E Jackrel
- Department of Chemistry, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, U.S.A
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14
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Zhang N, Westerhaus A, Wilson M, Wang E, Goff L, Sockanathan S. Physiological regulation of neuronal Wnt activity is essential for TDP-43 localization and function. EMBO J 2024:10.1038/s44318-024-00156-8. [PMID: 38918634 DOI: 10.1038/s44318-024-00156-8] [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: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Nuclear exclusion of the RNA- and DNA-binding protein TDP-43 can induce neurodegeneration in different diseases. Diverse processes have been implicated to influence TDP-43 mislocalization, including disrupted nucleocytoplasmic transport (NCT); however, the physiological pathways that normally ensure TDP-43 nuclear localization are unclear. The six-transmembrane enzyme glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase 2 (GDE2 or GDPD5) cleaves the glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor that tethers some proteins to the membrane. Here we show that GDE2 maintains TDP-43 nuclear localization by regulating the dynamics of canonical Wnt signaling. Ablation of GDE2 causes aberrantly sustained Wnt activation in adult neurons, which is sufficient to cause NCT deficits, nuclear pore abnormalities, and TDP-43 nuclear exclusion. Disruption of GDE2 coincides with TDP-43 abnormalities in postmortem tissue from patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Further, GDE2 deficits are evident in human neural cell models of ALS, which display erroneous Wnt activation that, when inhibited, increases mRNA levels of genes regulated by TDP-43. Our study identifies GDE2 as a critical physiological regulator of Wnt signaling in adult neurons and highlights Wnt pathway activation as an unappreciated mechanism contributing to nucleocytoplasmic transport and TDP-43 abnormalities in disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Zhang
- The Solomon Snyder Department of Neuroscience, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 725 N Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Anna Westerhaus
- The Solomon Snyder Department of Neuroscience, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 725 N Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Macey Wilson
- The Solomon Snyder Department of Neuroscience, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 725 N Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Biological Sciences 302, 120 Cedar St., Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Ethan Wang
- The Solomon Snyder Department of Neuroscience, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 725 N Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Loyal Goff
- The Solomon Snyder Department of Neuroscience, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 725 N Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- McKusick-Nathans Department of Genetic Medicine, Kavli Neurodiscovery Institute, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 725 N Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Shanthini Sockanathan
- The Solomon Snyder Department of Neuroscience, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 725 N Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
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15
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Smith C, Telesford KM, Piccirillo SGM, Licon-Munoz Y, Zhang W, Tse KM, Rivas JR, Joshi C, Shah DS, Wu AX, Trivedi R, Christley S, Qian Y, Cowell LG, Scheuermann RH, Stowe AM, Nguyen L, Greenberg BM, Monson NL. Astrocytic stress response is induced by exposure to astrocyte-binding antibodies expressed by plasmablasts from pediatric patients with acute transverse myelitis. J Neuroinflammation 2024; 21:161. [PMID: 38915059 PMCID: PMC11197286 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-024-03127-2] [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: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pediatric acute transverse myelitis (ATM) accounts for 20-30% of children presenting with a first acquired demyelinating syndrome (ADS) and may be the first clinical presentation of a relapsing ADS such as multiple sclerosis (MS). B cells have been strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of adult MS. However, little is known about B cells in pediatric MS, and even less so in pediatric ATM. Our lab previously showed that plasmablasts (PB), the earliest B cell subtype producing antibody, are expanded in adult ATM, and that these PBs produce self-reactive antibodies that target neurons. The goal of this study was to examine PB frequency and phenotype, immunoglobulin selection, and B cell receptor reactivity in pediatric patients presenting with ATM to gain insight to B cell involvement in disease. METHODS We compared the PB frequency and phenotype of 5 pediatric ATM patients and 10 pediatric healthy controls (HC) and compared them to previously reported adult ATM patients using cytometric data. We purified bulk IgG from the plasma samples and cloned 20 recombinant human antibodies (rhAbs) from individual PBs isolated from the blood. Plasma-derived IgG and rhAb autoreactivity was measured by mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) in neurons and astrocytes of murine brain or spinal cord and primary human astrocytes. We determined the potential impact of these rhAbs on astrocyte health by measuring stress and apoptotic response. RESULTS We found that pediatric ATM patients had a reduced frequency of peripheral blood PB. Serum IgG autoreactivity to neurons in EAE spinal cord was similar in the pediatric ATM patients and HC. However, serum IgG autoreactivity to astrocytes in EAE spinal cord was reduced in pediatric ATM patients compared to pediatric HC. Astrocyte-binding strength of rhAbs cloned from PBs was dependent on somatic hypermutation accumulation in the pediatric ATM cohort, but not HC. A similar observation in predilection for astrocyte binding over neuron binding of individual antibodies cloned from PBs was made in EAE brain tissue. Finally, exposure of human primary astrocytes to these astrocyte-binding antibodies increased astrocytic stress but did not lead to apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS Discordance in humoral immune responses to astrocytes may distinguish pediatric ATM from HC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chad Smith
- UT Southwestern Department of Neurology, Dallas, TX, USA
| | | | - Sara G M Piccirillo
- The Brain Tumor Translational Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
- University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Yamhilette Licon-Munoz
- The Brain Tumor Translational Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
- University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Wei Zhang
- UT Southwestern Department of Neurology, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Key M Tse
- UT Southwestern Department of Neurology, Dallas, TX, USA
| | | | | | - Dilan S Shah
- UT Southwestern Department of Neurology, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Angela X Wu
- UT Southwestern Department of Neurology, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Ritu Trivedi
- UT Southwestern Department of Neurology, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Scott Christley
- UT Southwestern O'Donnell School of Public Health, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Yu Qian
- J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Lindsay G Cowell
- UT Southwestern O'Donnell School of Public Health, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Richard H Scheuermann
- J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
- National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ann M Stowe
- Department of Neurology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Linda Nguyen
- UT Southwestern Department of Neurology, Dallas, TX, USA
| | | | - Nancy L Monson
- UT Southwestern Department of Neurology, Dallas, TX, USA.
- UT Southwestern Department of Immunology, Dallas, TX, USA.
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16
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Okekenwa S, Tsai M, Dooley P, Wang B, Comassio P, Moreira J, Kriefall N, Martin S, Morfini G, Brady S, Song Y. Divergent Molecular Pathways for Toxicity of Selected Mutant C9ORF72-derived Dipeptide Repeats. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.09.28.558663. [PMID: 37808871 PMCID: PMC10557653 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.28.558663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Expansion of a hexanucleotide repeat in a noncoding region of the C9ORF72 gene is responsible for a significant fraction of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) cases, but mechanisms linking mutant gene products to neuronal toxicity remain debatable. Pathogenesis was proposed to involve the production of toxic RNA species and/or accumulation of toxic dipeptide repeats (DPRs) but distinguishing between these mechanisms has been challenging. In this study, we first use complementary model systems for analyzing pathogenesis in adult-onset neurodegenerative diseases to characterize the pathogenicity of DPRs produced by Repeat Associated Non-ATG translation of C9ORF72 in specific cellular compartments: isolated axoplasm and giant synapse from the squid. Results showed selective axonal and presynaptic toxicity of GP-DPRs, independent of associated RNA. These effects involved a MAPK signaling pathway that affects fast axonal transport and synaptic function, a pathogenic mechanism shared with other mutant proteins associated with familial ALS, like SOD1 and FUS. In primary cultured neurons, GP but not other DPRs promote the "dying-back" axonopathy seen in ALS. Interestingly, GR- and PR-DPRs, which had no effect on axonal transport or synaptic transmission, were found to disrupt the nuclear membrane, promoting "dying-forward" neuropathy. All C9-DPR-mediated toxic effects observed in these studies are independent of whether the corresponding mRNAs contained hexanucleotide repeats or alternative codons. Finally, C9ORF72 human tissues confirmed a close association between GP and active P38 in degenerating motor neurons as well as GR-associated nuclear damage in the cortex. Collectively, our studies establish compartment-specific toxic effects of C9-DPRs associated with degeneration, suggesting that two independent pathogenic mechanisms may contribute to disease heterogeneity and/or synergize on disease progression in C9ORF72 patients with ALS and/or FTD symptoms.
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17
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Mielke JK, Klingeborn M, Schultz EP, Markham EL, Reese ED, Alam P, Mackenzie IR, Ly CV, Caughey B, Cashman NR, Leavens MJ. Seeding activity of human superoxide dismutase 1 aggregates in familial and sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis postmortem neural tissues by real-time quaking-induced conversion. Acta Neuropathol 2024; 147:100. [PMID: 38884646 PMCID: PMC11182821 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-024-02752-8] [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: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disease with average lifespan of 2-5 years after diagnosis. The identification of novel prognostic and pharmacodynamic biomarkers are needed to facilitate therapeutic development. Metalloprotein human superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) is known to accumulate and form aggregates in patient neural tissue with familial ALS linked to mutations in their SOD1 gene. Aggregates of SOD1 have also been detected in other forms of ALS, including the sporadic form and the most common familial form linked to abnormal hexanucleotide repeat expansions in the Chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9ORF72) gene. Here, we report the development of a real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) seed amplification assay using a recombinant human SOD1 substrate to measure SOD1 seeding activity in postmortem spinal cord and motor cortex tissue from persons with different ALS etiologies. Our SOD1 RT-QuIC assay detected SOD1 seeds in motor cortex and spinal cord dilutions down to 10-5. Importantly, we detected SOD1 seeding activity in specimens from both sporadic and familial ALS cases, with the latter having mutations in either their SOD1 or C9ORF72 genes. Analyses of RT-QuIC parameters indicated similar lag phases in spinal cords of sporadic and familial ALS patients, but higher ThT fluorescence maxima by SOD1 familial ALS specimens and sporadic ALS thoracic cord specimens. For a subset of sporadic ALS patients, motor cortex and spinal cords were examined, with seeding activity in both anatomical regions. Our results suggest SOD1 seeds are in ALS patient neural tissues not linked to SOD1 mutation, suggesting that SOD1 seeding activity may be a promising biomarker, particularly in sporadic ALS cases for whom genetic testing is uninformative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin K Mielke
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, McLaughlin Research Institute, 1520 23rd St. South, Great Falls, MT, 59405, USA
| | - Mikael Klingeborn
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, McLaughlin Research Institute, 1520 23rd St. South, Great Falls, MT, 59405, USA
| | - Eric P Schultz
- Center for Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics, University of Montana, 32 Campus Drive ISB #106, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - Erin L Markham
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, McLaughlin Research Institute, 1520 23rd St. South, Great Falls, MT, 59405, USA
| | - Emily D Reese
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, McLaughlin Research Institute, 1520 23rd St. South, Great Falls, MT, 59405, USA
| | - Parvez Alam
- Laboratory of Neurological Infections and Immunity, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 903 S. 4th St., Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
| | - Ian R Mackenzie
- Departments of Pathology and Medicine, University of British Columbia, 2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 2B5, Canada
| | - Cindy V Ly
- Department of Neurology, Washington University, 660 S. Euclid Ave, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Byron Caughey
- Laboratory of Neurological Infections and Immunity, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 903 S. 4th St., Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
| | - Neil R Cashman
- Departments of Pathology and Medicine, University of British Columbia, 2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 2B5, Canada
| | - Moses J Leavens
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, McLaughlin Research Institute, 1520 23rd St. South, Great Falls, MT, 59405, USA.
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18
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Wang H, Zeng R. Aberrant protein aggregation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. J Neurol 2024:10.1007/s00415-024-12485-z. [PMID: 38869826 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-024-12485-z] [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: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal disease. As its pathological mechanisms are not well understood, there are no efficient therapeutics for it at present. While it is highly heterogenous both etiologically and clinically, it has a common salient hallmark, i.e., aberrant protein aggregation (APA). The upstream pathogenesis and the downstream effects of APA in ALS are sophisticated and the investigation of this pathology would be of consequence for understanding ALS. In this paper, the pathomechanism of APA in ALS and the candidate treatment strategies for it are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huaixiu Wang
- Department Neurology, Shanxi Provincial Peoples Hospital: Fifth Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030012, China.
- Beijing Ai-Si-Kang Medical Technology Co. Ltd., No. 18 11th St Economical & Technological Development Zone, Beijing, 100176, China.
| | - Rong Zeng
- Department Neurology, Shanxi Provincial Peoples Hospital: Fifth Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030012, China
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19
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Chen X, Cao Z, Wang Y. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis-Associated Mutants of SOD1 Perturb mRNA Splicing through Aberrant Interactions with SRSF2. Anal Chem 2024; 96:9713-9720. [PMID: 38795036 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.4c01770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder that results in the degeneration of neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Although a substantial number of studies have been conducted, much remains to be learned about the cellular mechanisms underlying ALS. In this study, we employed an engineered ascorbate peroxidase (APEX)-based proximity biotinylation, together with affinity pull-down of the ensuing biotinylated peptides, to investigate the proximity proteomes of human SOD1 and its two ALS-linked mutants, G85R and G93A. We were able to identify 25 common biotinylated peptides with preferential enrichment in the proximity proteomes of SOD1G85R and SOD1G93A over wild-type SOD1. Our coimmunoprecipitation followed by Western blot analyses revealed that one of these proteins, SRSF2, binds more strongly with the two SOD1 mutants than its wild-type counterpart. We also observed aberrant splicing of mRNAs in cells with ectopic expression of the two SOD1 mutants relative to cells expressing the wild-type protein. In addition, the aberrations in splicing elicited by the SOD1 variants were markedly attenuated upon knockdown of SRSF2. Collectively, we uncovered that ALS-liked SOD1G85R and SOD1G93A mutants interact more strongly with SRSF2, where the aberrant interactions perturbed mRNA splicing. Thus, our work offered novel mechanistic insights into the contributions of the ALS-linked SOD1 mutants to disease etiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingyuan Chen
- Environmental Toxicology Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, California 92502, United States
| | - Zhongwen Cao
- Environmental Toxicology Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, California 92502, United States
| | - Yinsheng Wang
- Environmental Toxicology Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, California 92502, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92502, United States
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20
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Jia J, Fan H, Wan X, Fang Y, Li Z, Tang Y, Zhang Y, Huang J, Fang D. FUS reads histone H3K36me3 to regulate alternative polyadenylation. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:5549-5571. [PMID: 38499486 PMCID: PMC11162772 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae184] [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: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Complex organisms generate differential gene expression through the same set of DNA sequences in distinct cells. The communication between chromatin and RNA regulates cellular behavior in tissues. However, little is known about how chromatin, especially histone modifications, regulates RNA polyadenylation. In this study, we found that FUS was recruited to chromatin by H3K36me3 at gene bodies. The H3K36me3 recognition of FUS was mediated by the proline residues in the ZNF domain. After these proline residues were mutated or H3K36me3 was abolished, FUS dissociated from chromatin and bound more to RNA, resulting in an increase in polyadenylation sites far from stop codons genome-wide. A proline mutation corresponding to a mutation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis contributed to the hyperactivation of mitochondria and hyperdifferentiation in mouse embryonic stem cells. These findings reveal that FUS is an H3K36me3 reader protein that links chromatin-mediated alternative polyadenylation to human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junqi Jia
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Haonan Fan
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Xinyi Wan
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Yuan Fang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Zhuoning Li
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Yin Tang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Yanjun Zhang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Jun Huang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Dong Fang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
- Department of Medical Oncology, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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21
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Sun H, Yang B, Li Q, Zhu X, Song E, Liu C, Song Y, Jiang G. Polystyrene nanoparticles trigger aberrant condensation of TDP-43 and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-like symptoms. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY 2024:10.1038/s41565-024-01683-5. [PMID: 38849544 DOI: 10.1038/s41565-024-01683-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the dysfunction and progressive death of cerebral and spinal motor neurons. Preliminary epidemiological research has hinted at a relationship between environmental risks and the escalation of ALS, but the underlying reasons remain mostly mysterious. Here we show that nanosize polystyrene plastics (PS) induce ALS-like symptoms and illustrate the related molecular mechanism. When exposed to PS, cells endure internal oxidative stress, which leads to the aggregation of TAR DNA-binding protein 43 kDa (TDP-43), triggering ALS-like characteristics. In addition, the oxidized heat shock protein 70 fails to escort TDP-43 back to the nucleus. The cytoplasmic accumulation of TDP-43 facilitates the formation of a complex between PS and TDP-43, enhancing the condensation and solidification of TDP-43. These findings are corroborated through in silico and in vivo assays. Altogether, our work illustrates a unique toxicological mechanism induced by nanoparticles and provides insights into the connection between environmental pollution and neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hang Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Luminescence Analysis and Molecular Sensing, Ministry of Education, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Bingwei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Luminescence Analysis and Molecular Sensing, Ministry of Education, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Qiong Li
- Key Laboratory of Luminescence Analysis and Molecular Sensing, Ministry of Education, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaokang Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Luminescence Analysis and Molecular Sensing, Ministry of Education, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Erqun Song
- Key Laboratory of Luminescence Analysis and Molecular Sensing, Ministry of Education, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Cong Liu
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yang Song
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- Key Laboratory of Luminescence Analysis and Molecular Sensing, Ministry of Education, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
| | - Guibin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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22
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Gotte G. Effects of Pathogenic Mutants of the Neuroprotective RNase 5-Angiogenin in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:738. [PMID: 38927674 PMCID: PMC11202570 DOI: 10.3390/genes15060738] [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: 05/01/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that affects the motoneurons. More than 40 genes are related with ALS, and amyloidogenic proteins like SOD1 and/or TDP-43 mutants are directly involved in the onset of ALS through the formation of polymorphic fibrillogenic aggregates. However, efficacious therapeutic approaches are still lacking. Notably, heterozygous missense mutations affecting the gene coding for RNase 5, an enzyme also called angiogenin (ANG), were found to favor ALS onset. This is also true for the less-studied but angiogenic RNase 4. This review reports the substrate targets and illustrates the neuroprotective role of native ANG in the neo-vascularization of motoneurons. Then, it discusses the molecular determinants of many pathogenic ANG mutants, which almost always cause loss of function related to ALS, resulting in failures in angiogenesis and motoneuron protection. In addition, ANG mutations are sometimes combined with variants of other factors, thereby potentiating ALS effects. However, the activity of the native ANG enzyme should be finely balanced, and not excessive, to avoid possible harmful effects. Considering the interplay of these angiogenic RNases in many cellular processes, this review aims to stimulate further investigations to better elucidate the consequences of mutations in ANG and/or RNase 4 genes, in order to achieve early diagnosis and, possibly, successful therapies against ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Gotte
- Biological Chemistry Section, Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Strada Le Grazie 8, I-37134 Verona, Italy
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23
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Jiang S, Xu R. The Current Potential Pathogenesis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Mol Neurobiol 2024:10.1007/s12035-024-04269-3. [PMID: 38829511 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-024-04269-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease mainly characterized by the accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins in the affected motor neurons. At present, the accurate pathogenesis of ALS remains unclear and there are still no effective treatment measures for ALS. The potential pathogenesis of ALS mainly includes the misfolding of some pathogenic proteins, the genetic variation, mitochondrial dysfunction, autophagy disorders, neuroinflammation, the misregulation of RNA, the altered axonal transport, and gut microbial dysbiosis. Exploring the pathogenesis of ALS is a critical step in searching for the effective therapeutic approaches. The current studies suggested that the genetic variation, gut microbial dysbiosis, the activation of glial cells, and the transportation disorder of extracellular vesicles may play some important roles in the pathogenesis of ALS. This review conducts a systematic review of these current potential promising topics closely related to the pathogenesis of ALS; it aims to provide some new evidences and clues for searching the novel treatment measures of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shishi Jiang
- Department of Neurology, Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital, Clinical College of Nanchang Medical College, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, National Regional Center for Neurological Diseases, Xiangya Hospital of Center South University, Jiangxi Hospital. No. 152 of Aiguo Road, Donghu District, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China
- Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330006, China
| | - Renshi Xu
- Department of Neurology, Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital, Clinical College of Nanchang Medical College, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, National Regional Center for Neurological Diseases, Xiangya Hospital of Center South University, Jiangxi Hospital. No. 152 of Aiguo Road, Donghu District, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi, China.
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24
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Ripin N, Macedo de Vasconcelos L, Ugay DA, Parker R. DDX6 modulates P-body and stress granule assembly, composition, and docking. J Cell Biol 2024; 223:e202306022. [PMID: 38536035 PMCID: PMC10978804 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202306022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Stress granules and P-bodies are ribonucleoprotein (RNP) granules that accumulate during the stress response due to the condensation of untranslating mRNPs. Stress granules form in part by intermolecular RNA-RNA interactions and can be limited by components of the RNA chaperone network, which inhibits RNA-driven aggregation. Herein, we demonstrate that the DEAD-box helicase DDX6, a P-body component, can also limit the formation of stress granules, independent of the formation of P-bodies. In an ATPase, RNA-binding dependent manner, DDX6 limits the partitioning of itself and other RNPs into stress granules. When P-bodies are limited, proteins that normally partition between stress granules and P-bodies show increased accumulation within stress granules. Moreover, we show that loss of DDX6, 4E-T, and DCP1A increases P-body docking with stress granules, which depends on CNOT1 and PAT1B. Taken together, these observations identify a new role for DDX6 in limiting stress granules and demonstrate that P-body components can influence stress granule composition and docking with P-bodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Ripin
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| | | | - Daniella A. Ugay
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Roy Parker
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
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25
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Li X, Bedlack R. Evaluating emerging drugs in phase II & III for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Expert Opin Emerg Drugs 2024; 29:93-102. [PMID: 38516735 DOI: 10.1080/14728214.2024.2333420] [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: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is a rapidly progressive motor neuron disorder causing severe disability and premature death. Owing to the advances in uncovering ALS pathophysiology, efficient clinical trial design and research advocacy program, several disease-modifying drugs have been approved for treating ALS. Despite this progress, ALS remains a rapidly disabling and life shortening condition. There is a critical need for more effective therapies. AREAS COVERED Here, we reviewed the emerging ALS therapeutics undergoing phase II & III clinical trials. To identify the investigational drugs, we searched ALS and phase II/III trials that are active and recruiting or not yet recruiting on clinicaltrials.gov and Pharmaprojects database. EXPERT OPINION The current pipeline is larger and more diverse than ever, with drugs targeting potential genetic and retroviral causes of ALS and drugs targeting a wide array of downstream pathways, including RNA metabolism, protein aggregation, integrated stress response and neuroinflammation.We remain most excited about those that target direct causes of ALS, e.g. antisense oligonucleotides targeting causative genes. Drugs that eliminate abnormal protein aggregates are also up-and-coming. Eventually, because of the heterogeneity of ALS pathophysiology, biomarkers that determine which biological events are most important for an individual ALS patient are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Li
- Department of Neurology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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26
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Chidambaram SB, Anand N, Varma SR, Ramamurthy S, Vichitra C, Sharma A, Mahalakshmi AM, Essa MM. Superoxide dismutase and neurological disorders. IBRO Neurosci Rep 2024; 16:373-394. [PMID: 39007083 PMCID: PMC11240301 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibneur.2023.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is a common antioxidant enzyme found majorly in living cells. The main physiological role of SOD is detoxification and maintain the redox balance, acts as a first line of defence against Reactive nitrogen species (RNS), Reactive oxygen species (ROS), and other such potentially hazardous molecules. SOD catalyses the conversion of superoxide anion free radicals (O 2 -.) into molecular oxygen (O 2) and hydrogen peroxide (H 2O 2) in the cells. Superoxide dismutases (SODs) are expressed in neurons and glial cells throughout the CNS both intracellularly and extracellularly. Endogenous oxidative stress (OS) linked with enlarged production of reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs), inflammation, deregulation of redox balance, mitochondrial dysfunction and bioenergetic crisis are found to be prerequisite for neuronal loss in neurological diseases. Clinical and genetic studies indicate a direct correlation between mutations in SOD gene and neurodegenerative diseases, like Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Huntington's disease (HD), Parkinson's Disease (PD) and Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Therefore, inhibitors of OS are considered as an optimistic approach to prevent neuronal loss. SOD mimetics like Metalloporphyrin Mn (II)-cyclic polyamines, Nitroxides and Mn (III)- Salen complexes are designed and used as therapeutic extensively in the treatment of neurological disorders. SODs and SOD mimetics are promising future therapeutics in the field of various diseases with OS-mediated pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saravana Babu Chidambaram
- Department of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru 570015, Karnataka, India
- Centre for Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, Central Animal Facility, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru 570015, Karnataka, India
| | - Nikhilesh Anand
- Department of Pharmacology, American University of Antigua College of Medicine, University Park, Jabberwock Beach Road, Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda
| | - Sudhir Rama Varma
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Dentistry, Ajman University, 346 Ajman, the United Arab Emirates
- Center of Medical and Bio-allied Health Sciences Research, Ajman University, 346 Ajman, the United Arab Emirates
| | - Srinivasan Ramamurthy
- College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, University of Science and Technology of Fujairah, 2202 Fujairah, the United Arab Emirates
| | - Chandrasekaran Vichitra
- Department of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru 570015, Karnataka, India
- Centre for Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, Central Animal Facility, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru 570015, Karnataka, India
| | - Ambika Sharma
- Department of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru 570015, Karnataka, India
- Centre for Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, Central Animal Facility, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru 570015, Karnataka, India
| | - Arehally M Mahalakshmi
- Department of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru 570015, Karnataka, India
- Centre for Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, Central Animal Facility, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru 570015, Karnataka, India
| | - Musthafa Mohamed Essa
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, CAMS, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
- Ageing and Dementia Research Group, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
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27
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McAlary L, Nan JR, Shyu C, Sher M, Plotkin SS, Cashman NR. Amyloidogenic regions in beta-strands II and III modulate the aggregation and toxicity of SOD1 in living cells. Open Biol 2024; 14:230418. [PMID: 38835240 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.230418] [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: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the protein superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1) promote its misfolding and aggregation, ultimately causing familial forms of the debilitating neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Currently, over 220 (mostly missense) ALS-causing mutations in the SOD1 protein have been identified, indicating that common structural features are responsible for aggregation and toxicity. Using in silico tools, we predicted amyloidogenic regions in the ALS-associated SOD1-G85R mutant, finding seven regions throughout the structure. Introduction of proline residues into β-strands II (I18P) or III (I35P) reduced the aggregation propensity and toxicity of SOD1-G85R in cells, significantly more so than proline mutations in other amyloidogenic regions. The I18P and I35P mutations also reduced the capability of SOD1-G85R to template onto previously formed non-proline mutant SOD1 aggregates as measured by fluorescence recovery after photobleaching. Finally, we found that, while the I18P and I35P mutants are less structurally stable than SOD1-G85R, the proline mutants are less aggregation-prone during proteasome inhibition, and less toxic to cells overall. Our research highlights the importance of a previously underappreciated SOD1 amyloidogenic region in β-strand II (15QGIINF20) to the aggregation and toxicity of SOD1 in ALS mutants, and suggests that β-strands II and III may be good targets for the development of SOD1-associated ALS therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke McAlary
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jeremy R Nan
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Clay Shyu
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Mine Sher
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Steven S Plotkin
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Genome Sciences and Technology Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Neil R Cashman
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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28
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Mandlik DS, Mandlik SK, S A. Therapeutic implications of glycogen synthase kinase-3β in Alzheimer's disease: a novel therapeutic target. Int J Neurosci 2024; 134:603-619. [PMID: 36178363 DOI: 10.1080/00207454.2022.2130297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an extremely popular neurodegenerative condition associated with dementia, responsible for around 70% of the cases. There are presently 50 million people living with dementia in the world, but this number is anticipated to increase to 152 million by 2050, posing a substantial socioeconomic encumbrance. Despite extensive research, the precise mechanisms that cause AD remain unidentified, and currently, no therapy is available. Numerous signalling paths related to AD neuropathology, including glycogen synthase kinase 3-β (GSK-3β), have been investigated as potential targets for the treatment of AD in current years.GSK-3β is a proline-directed serine/threonine kinase that is linked to a variety of biological activities, comprising glycogen metabolism to gene transcription. GSK-3β is also involved in the pathophysiology of sporadic as well as familial types of AD, which has led to the development of the GSK3 theory of AD. GSK-3β is a critical performer in the pathology of AD because dysregulation of this kinase affects all the main symbols of the disease such as amyloid formation, tau phosphorylation, neurogenesis and synaptic and memory function. The current review highlights present-day knowledge of GSK-3β-related neurobiology, focusing on its role in AD pathogenesis signalling pathways. It also explores the possibility of targeting GSK-3β for the management of AD and offers an overview of the present research work in preclinical and clinical studies to produce GSK-3β inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepa S Mandlik
- Department of Pharmacology, Poona College of Pharmacy, Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University), Erandawane, Pune, India
| | - Satish K Mandlik
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Poona College of Pharmacy, Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University), Erandawane, Pune, India
| | - Arulmozhi S
- Department of Pharmacology, Poona College of Pharmacy, Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University), Erandawane, Pune, India
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29
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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 2024:10.1038/s41418-024-01312-7. [PMID: 38816580 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-024-01312-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [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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Sun S, Chen Y, Zhao B, Zhu J, Wen T, Peng B, Ren Q, Sun X, Lin P, Zhang D, Liu S. Abnormal brain functional network dynamics in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients with depression. Brain Imaging Behav 2024:10.1007/s11682-024-00896-5. [PMID: 38814545 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-024-00896-5] [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] [Accepted: 05/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Since depression is common in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients, we aimed to explore the specific brain functional network dynamics in ALS patients with depression (ALS-D) compared with healthy controls (HCs) and ALS patients without depressive symptoms (ALS-ND). According to the DSM-V, 32 ALS-D patients were selected from a large and newly diagnosed ALS cohort. Then, 32 demographic- and cognitive-matched ALS-ND patients were also selected, and 64 HCs were recruited. These participants underwent resting-state fMRI scans, and functional connectivity state analysis and dynamic graph theory were applied to evaluate brain functional network dynamics. Moreover, the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) was used to quantify depressive symptoms in the ALS-D patients. Four distinct states were identified in the ALS-D patients and controls. Compared with that in HCs, the fraction rate (FR) in state 2 was significantly decreased in ALS-D patients, and the FR in state 4 was significantly increased in ALS-D patients. Compared with that of HCs, the dwell time in state 4 was significantly increased in the ALS-D patients. Moreover, compared with that in the ALS-D patients, the FR in state 3 was significantly decreased in the ALS-ND patients. Among the ALS-D patients, there was the suggestion of a positive association between HDRS scores and dwell time of state 4, but this association did not reach statistical significance (r = 0.354; p = 0.055). Depression is an important feature of ALS patients, and we found a special pattern of brain functional network dynamics in ALS-D patients. Our findings may play an important role in understanding the mechanism underlying depression in ALS patients and help develop therapeutic interventions for depressed ALS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujuan Sun
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, West Wenhua Street No. 107, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Yujing Chen
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, West Wenhua Street No. 107, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Bing Zhao
- Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital (Qingdao), Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Jun Zhu
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, West Wenhua Street No. 107, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Tianrui Wen
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, West Wenhua Street No. 107, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Bingnan Peng
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, West Wenhua Street No. 107, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Qingguo Ren
- Department of Radiology, Qilu Hospital (Qingdao), Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiaohan Sun
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, West Wenhua Street No. 107, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Pengfei Lin
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, West Wenhua Street No. 107, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Dong Zhang
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, West Wenhua Street No. 107, Jinan, 250012, China.
| | - Shuangwu Liu
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, West Wenhua Street No. 107, Jinan, 250012, China.
- School of Nursing and Rehabilitation, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
- Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital (Qingdao), Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Qingdao, China.
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31
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Martínez P, Silva M, Abarzúa S, Tevy MF, Jaimovich E, Constantine-Paton M, Bustos FJ, van Zundert B. Skeletal myotubes expressing ALS mutant SOD1 induce pathogenic changes, impair mitochondrial axonal transport, and trigger motoneuron death. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.24.595817. [PMID: 38826246 PMCID: PMC11142234 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.24.595817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by the loss of motoneurons (MNs), and despite progress, there is no effective treatment. A large body of evidence shows that astrocytes expressing ALS-linked mutant proteins cause non-cell autonomous toxicity of MNs. Although MNs innervate muscle fibers and ALS is characterized by the early disruption of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) and axon degeneration, there are controversies about whether muscle contributes to non-cell-autonomous toxicity to MNs. In this study, we generated primary skeletal myotubes from myoblasts derived from ALS mice expressing human mutant SOD1 G93A (termed hereafter mutSOD1). Characterization revealed that mutSOD1 skeletal myotubes display intrinsic phenotypic and functional differences compared to control myotubes generated from non-transgenic (NTg) littermates. Next, we analyzed whether ALS myotubes exert non-cell-autonomous toxicity to MNs. We report that conditioned media from mutSOD1 myotubes (mutSOD1-MCM), but not from control myotubes (NTg-MCM), induced robust death of primary MNs in mixed spinal cord cultures and compartmentalized microfluidic chambers. Our study further revealed that applying mutSOD1-MCM to the MN axonal side in microfluidic devices rapidly reduces mitochondrial axonal transport while increasing Ca2+ transients and reactive oxygen species (i.e., H 2 O 2 ). These results indicate that soluble factor(s) released by mutSOD1 myotubes cause MN axonopathy that leads to lethal pathogenic changes.
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Wang H, Guan L, Ma X, Wang Y, Wang J, Zhang P, Deng M. Whole-Genome Sequencing Identified a Novel Mutation in the N-Terminal Domain of KIF5A in Chinese Patients with Familial Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:680. [PMID: 38927616 PMCID: PMC11203265 DOI: 10.3390/genes15060680] [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: 04/13/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive damage to both upper and lower motor neurons. Genetic factors are known to play a crucial role in ALS, as genetic studies not only advance our comprehension of disease mechanisms but also help unravel the complex phenotypes exhibited by patients. To gain further insights into the genetic landscape of ALS in the Chinese population and explore genotype-phenotype correlations among individuals, we conducted whole-genome sequencing to screen genes in 34 Chinese familial ALS (FALS) probands lacking the most common ALS-associated genes. Within this cohort, we identified a rare heterozygous missense mutation in the N-terminal domain of KIF5A (c.86A>G) in one of the probands. This finding is significant as mutations in the KIF5A gene have been implicated in ALS in European cohorts since 2018, predominantly characterized by C-terminal mutations. Analysis of the clinical phenotype within this familial lineage revealed a delayed onset of symptoms, an extended survival duration, and initial manifestations in both upper limbs. These observations underscore the clinical heterogeneity observed in ALS patients harboring KIF5A mutations. In conclusion, our study contributes to the growing body of evidence linking KIF5A to ALS and enhances our understanding of the intricate genetic landscape of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wang
- Institute of Medical Innovation and Research, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China (J.W.)
| | - Liping Guan
- Laboratory of Genomics and Molecular Biomedicine, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 1550 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Xiaojuan Ma
- Institute of Medical Innovation and Research, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China (J.W.)
| | - Yiying Wang
- Institute of Medical Innovation and Research, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China (J.W.)
| | - Jinhao Wang
- Institute of Medical Innovation and Research, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China (J.W.)
| | - Peipei Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Min Deng
- Institute of Medical Innovation and Research, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China (J.W.)
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Yan X, Kuster D, Mohanty P, Nijssen J, Pombo-García K, Rizuan A, Franzmann TM, Sergeeva A, Passos PM, George L, Wang SH, Shenoy J, Danielson HL, Honigmann A, Ayala YM, Fawzi NL, Mittal J, Alberti S, Hyman AA. Intra-condensate demixing of TDP-43 inside stress granules generates pathological aggregates. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.23.576837. [PMID: 38328053 PMCID: PMC10849624 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.23.576837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Cytosolic aggregation of the nuclear protein TDP-43 is associated with many neurodegenerative diseases, but the triggers for TDP-43 aggregation are still debated. Here, we demonstrate that TDP-43 aggregation requires a double event. One is up-concentration in stress granules beyond a threshold, and the other is oxidative stress. These two events collectively induce intra-condensate demixing, giving rise to a dynamic TDP-43 enriched phase within stress granules, which subsequently transitions into pathological aggregates. Mechanistically, intra-condensate demixing is triggered by local unfolding of the RRM1 domain for intermolecular disulfide bond formation and by increased hydrophobic patch interactions in the C-terminal domain. By engineering TDP-43 variants resistant to intra-condensate demixing, we successfully eliminate pathological TDP-43 aggregates in cells. We conclude that up-concentration inside condensates and simultaneous exposure to environmental stress could be a general pathway for protein aggregation, with intra-condensate demixing constituting a key intermediate step.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Yan
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG); Dresden, Saxony, 01307; Germany
| | - David Kuster
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG); Dresden, Saxony, 01307; Germany
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Priyesh Mohanty
- Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University; College Station, TX 77843; USA
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Jik Nijssen
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG); Dresden, Saxony, 01307; Germany
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Karina Pombo-García
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG); Dresden, Saxony, 01307; Germany
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Azamat Rizuan
- Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University; College Station, TX 77843; USA
| | - Titus M. Franzmann
- Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC), Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, Technische Universität Dresden; Dresden, Saxony, 01307; Germany
| | - Aleksandra Sergeeva
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG); Dresden, Saxony, 01307; Germany
- Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC), Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, Technische Universität Dresden; Dresden, Saxony, 01307; Germany
| | - Patricia M. Passos
- Edward Doisy Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Saint Louis University; St. Louis, MO 63104; USA
| | - Leah George
- Edward Doisy Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Saint Louis University; St. Louis, MO 63104; USA
| | - Szu-Huan Wang
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology & Biochemistry, Brown University; Providence, RI 02912; USA
| | - Jayakrishna Shenoy
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology & Biochemistry, Brown University; Providence, RI 02912; USA
| | - Helen L. Danielson
- Center for Biomedical Engineering, Brown University; Providence, RI 02912; USA
| | - Alf Honigmann
- Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC), Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, Technische Universität Dresden; Dresden, Saxony, 01307; Germany
| | - Yuna M. Ayala
- Edward Doisy Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Saint Louis University; St. Louis, MO 63104; USA
| | - Nicolas L. Fawzi
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology & Biochemistry, Brown University; Providence, RI 02912; USA
| | - Jeetain Mittal
- Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University; College Station, TX 77843; USA
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University; College Station, TX 77843; USA
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Genetics and Genomics, Texas A&M University; College Station, TX 77843; USA
| | - Simon Alberti
- Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC), Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, Technische Universität Dresden; Dresden, Saxony, 01307; Germany
| | - Anthony A. Hyman
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG); Dresden, Saxony, 01307; Germany
- Lead contact
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Giudice J, Jiang H. Splicing regulation through biomolecular condensates and membraneless organelles. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2024:10.1038/s41580-024-00739-7. [PMID: 38773325 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-024-00739-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
Biomolecular condensates, sometimes also known as membraneless organelles (MLOs), can form through weak multivalent intermolecular interactions of proteins and nucleic acids, a process often associated with liquid-liquid phase separation. Biomolecular condensates are emerging as sites and regulatory platforms of vital cellular functions, including transcription and RNA processing. In the first part of this Review, we comprehensively discuss how alternative splicing regulates the formation and properties of condensates, and conversely the roles of biomolecular condensates in splicing regulation. In the second part, we focus on the spatial connection between splicing regulation and nuclear MLOs such as transcriptional condensates, splicing condensates and nuclear speckles. We then discuss key studies showing how splicing regulation through biomolecular condensates is implicated in human pathologies such as neurodegenerative diseases, different types of cancer, developmental disorders and cardiomyopathies, and conclude with a discussion of outstanding questions pertaining to the roles of condensates and MLOs in splicing regulation and how to experimentally study them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jimena Giudice
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- McAllister Heart Institute, School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| | - Hao Jiang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, 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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36
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Koike Y. Molecular mechanisms linking loss of TDP-43 function to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/frontotemporal dementia-related genes. Neurosci Res 2024:S0168-0102(24)00063-4. [PMID: 38723906 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2024.05.001] [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: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are characterized by nuclear depletion and cytoplasmic aggregation of TAR DNA-binding protein-43 (TDP-43). TDP-43 plays a key role in regulating the splicing of numerous genes, including TARDBP. This review aims to delineate two aspects of ALS/FTD pathogenesis associated with TDP-43 function. First, we provide novel mechanistic insights into the splicing of UNC13A, a TDP-43 target gene. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in UNC13A are the most common risk factors for ALS/FTD. We found that TDP-43 represses "cryptic exon" inclusion during UNC13A RNA splicing. A risk-associated SNP in this exon results in increased RNA levels of UNC13A retaining the cryptic exon. Second, we described the perturbation of the TDP-43 autoregulatory mechanism caused by age-related DNA demethylation. Aging is a major risk factor for sporadic ALS/FTD. Typically, TDP-43 levels are regulated via alternative splicing of TARDBP mRNA. We hypothesized that TARDBP methylation is altered by aging, thereby disrupting TDP-43 autoregulation. We found that demethylation reduces the efficiency of alternative splicing and increases TARDBP mRNA levels. Moreover, we demonstrated that, with aging, this region is demethylated in the human motor cortex and is associated with the early onset of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuka Koike
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Japan.
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37
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Lu X, Lu J, Li S, Feng S, Wang Y, Cui L. The Role of Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation in the Accumulation of Pathological Proteins: New Perspectives on the Mechanism of Neurodegenerative Diseases. Aging Dis 2024:AD.2024.0209. [PMID: 38739933 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2024.0209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
It is widely accepted that living organisms form highly dynamic membrane-less organelles (MLOS) with various functions through phase separation, and the indispensable role that phase separation plays in the mechanisms of normal physiological functions and pathogenesis is gradually becoming clearer. Pathological aggregates, regarded as hallmarks of neurodegenerative diseases, have been revealed to be closely related to aberrant phase separation. Specific proteins are assembled into condensates and transform into insoluble inclusions through aberrant phase separation, contributing to the development of diseases. In this review, we present an overview of the progress of phase separation research, involving its biological mechanisms and the status of research in neurodegenerative diseases, focusing on five main disease-specific proteins, tau, TDP-43, FUS, α-Syn and HTT, and how exactly these proteins reside within dynamic liquid-like compartments and thus turn into solid deposits. Further studies will yield new perspectives for understanding the aggregation mechanisms and potential therapeutic strategies, and future research directions are anticipated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingyu Lu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Jiongtong Lu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Shengnan Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Sifan Feng
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Lili Cui
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
- The Marine Biomedical Research Institute of Guangdong, School of Ocean and Tropical Medicine, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China
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38
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Herbst R, Huijbers MG, Oury J, Burden SJ. Building, Breaking, and Repairing Neuromuscular Synapses. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2024; 16:a041490. [PMID: 38697654 PMCID: PMC11065174 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041490] [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] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
A coordinated and complex interplay of signals between motor neurons, skeletal muscle cells, and Schwann cells controls the formation and maintenance of neuromuscular synapses. Deficits in the signaling pathway for building synapses, caused by mutations in critical genes or autoantibodies against key proteins, are responsible for several neuromuscular diseases, which cause muscle weakness and fatigue. Here, we describe the role that four key genes, Agrin, Lrp4, MuSK, and Dok7, play in this signaling pathway, how an understanding of their mechanisms of action has led to an understanding of several neuromuscular diseases, and how this knowledge has contributed to emerging therapies for treating neuromuscular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Herbst
- Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Maartje G Huijbers
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Centre LUMC, 2300 RC Leiden, the Netherlands
- Department of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Centre LUMC, 2333 ZA Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Julien Oury
- Helen L. and Martin S. Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, NYU School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA
| | - Steven J Burden
- Neurology Department, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129, USA
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39
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Miquel E, Villarino R, Martínez-Palma L, Cassina A, Cassina P. Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 2 knockdown restores the ability of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-linked SOD1G93A rat astrocytes to support motor neuron survival by increasing mitochondrial respiration. Glia 2024; 72:999-1011. [PMID: 38372421 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24516] [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: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by progressive motor neuron (MN) degeneration. Various studies using cellular and animal models of ALS indicate that there is a complex interplay between MN and neighboring non-neuronal cells, such as astrocytes, resulting in noncell autonomous neurodegeneration. Astrocytes in ALS exhibit a lower ability to support MN survival than nondisease-associated ones, which is strongly correlated with low-mitochondrial respiratory activity. Indeed, pharmacological inhibition of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK) led to an increase in the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation pathway as the primary source of cell energy in SOD1G93A astrocytes and restored the survival of MN. Among the four PDK isoforms, PDK2 is ubiquitously expressed in astrocytes and presents low expression levels in neurons. Herein, we hypothesize whether selective knockdown of PDK2 in astrocytes may increase mitochondrial activity and, in turn, reduce SOD1G93A-associated toxicity. To assess this, cultured neonatal SOD1G93A rat astrocytes were incubated with specific PDK2 siRNA. This treatment resulted in a reduction of the enzyme expression with a concomitant decrease in the phosphorylation rate of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex. In addition, PDK2-silenced SOD1G93A astrocytes exhibited restored mitochondrial bioenergetics parameters, adopting a more complex mitochondrial network. This treatment also decreased lipid droplet content in SOD1G93A astrocytes, suggesting a switch in energetic metabolism. Significantly, PDK2 knockdown increased the ability of SOD1G93A astrocytes to support MN survival, further supporting the major role of astrocyte mitochondrial respiratory activity in astrocyte-MN interactions. These results suggest that PDK2 silencing could be a cell-specific therapeutic tool to slow the progression of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ernesto Miquel
- Departamento de Histología y Embriología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Rosalía Villarino
- Departamento de Histología y Embriología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Laura Martínez-Palma
- Departamento de Histología y Embriología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Adriana Cassina
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CEINBIO), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Patricia Cassina
- Departamento de Histología y Embriología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
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40
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Xu S, Ma Q, Shen J, Li N, Sun S, Wang N, Chen Y, Dong C, Tam KY, Prehn JH, Wang H, Ying Z. ALS-linked C9orf72 dipeptide repeats inhibit starvation-induced autophagy through modulating BCL2-BECN1 interaction. Acta Pharm Sin B 2024; 14:2026-2038. [PMID: 38799643 PMCID: PMC11119520 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2024.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Growing evidences indicate that dysfunction of autophagy contributes to the disease pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), two neurodegenerative disorders. The GGGGCC·GGCCCC repeat RNA expansion in chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9orf72) is the most genetic cause of both ALS and FTD. According to the previous studies, GGGGCC·GGCCCC repeat undergoes the unconventional repeat-associated non-ATG translation, which produces dipeptide repeat (DPR) proteins. Although there is a growing understanding that C9orf72 DPRs have a strong ability to harm neurons and induce C9orf72-linked ALS/FTD, whether these DPRs can affect autophagy remains unclear. In the present study, we find that poly-GR and poly-PR, two arginine-containing DPRs which display the most cytotoxic properties according to the previous studies, strongly inhibit starvation-induced autophagy. Moreover, our data indicate that arginine-rich DPRs enhance the interaction between BCL2 and BECN1/Beclin 1 by inhibiting BCL2 phosphorylation, therefore they can impair autophagic clearance of neurodegenerative disease-associated protein aggregates under starvation condition in cells. Importantly, our study not only highlights the role of C9orf72 DPR in autophagy dysfunction, but also provides novel insight that pharmacological intervention of autophagy using SW063058, a small molecule compound that can disrupt the interaction between BECN1 and BCL2, may reduce C9orf72 DPR-induced neurotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiqiang Xu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Qilian Ma
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
- Dept. of Physiology & Medical Physics and FUTURE-NEURO Research Centre, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin D02 YN77, Ireland
| | - Junwen Shen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Ningning Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Shan Sun
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau 999078, China
| | - Nana Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Yang Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Chunsheng Dong
- Insititutes of Biology and Medical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Kin Yip Tam
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau 999078, China
| | - Jochen H.M. Prehn
- Dept. of Physiology & Medical Physics and FUTURE-NEURO Research Centre, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin D02 YN77, Ireland
| | - Hongfeng Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
- MOE Key Laboratory of Geriatric Diseases and Immunology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Zheng Ying
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
- MOE Key Laboratory of Geriatric Diseases and Immunology, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
- Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Precision Diagnostics and Therapeutics Development, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
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Petrauskas A, Fortunati DL, Kandi AR, Pothapragada SS, Agrawal K, Singh A, Huelsmeier J, Hillebrand J, Brown G, Chaturvedi D, Lee J, Lim C, Auburger G, VijayRaghavan K, Ramaswami M, Bakthavachalu B. Structured and disordered regions of Ataxin-2 contribute differently to the specificity and efficiency of mRNP granule formation. PLoS Genet 2024; 20:e1011251. [PMID: 38768217 PMCID: PMC11166328 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011251] [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: 01/27/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Ataxin-2 (ATXN2) is a gene implicated in spinocerebellar ataxia type II (SCA2), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinsonism. The encoded protein is a therapeutic target for ALS and related conditions. ATXN2 (or Atx2 in insects) can function in translational activation, translational repression, mRNA stability and in the assembly of mRNP-granules, a process mediated by intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs). Previous work has shown that the LSm (Like-Sm) domain of Atx2, which can help stimulate mRNA translation, antagonizes mRNP-granule assembly. Here we advance these findings through a series of experiments on Drosophila and human Ataxin-2 proteins. Results of Targets of RNA Binding Proteins Identified by Editing (TRIBE), co-localization and immunoprecipitation experiments indicate that a polyA-binding protein (PABP) interacting, PAM2 motif of Ataxin-2 may be a major determinant of the mRNA and protein content of Ataxin-2 mRNP granules. Experiments with transgenic Drosophila indicate that while the Atx2-LSm domain may protect against neurodegeneration, structured PAM2- and unstructured IDR- interactions both support Atx2-induced cytotoxicity. Taken together, the data lead to a proposal for how Ataxin-2 interactions are remodelled during translational control and how structured and non-structured interactions contribute differently to the specificity and efficiency of RNP granule condensation as well as to neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnas Petrauskas
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, School of Genetics and Microbiology, Smurfit Institute of Genetics and School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Daniel L. Fortunati
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, School of Genetics and Microbiology, Smurfit Institute of Genetics and School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Arvind Reddy Kandi
- School of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Mandi, India
| | | | - Khushboo Agrawal
- Tata Institute for Genetics and Society Centre at inStem, Bellary Road, Bangalore, India
- School of Biotechnology, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham University, Kollam, Kerala, India
| | - Amanjot Singh
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, TIFR, Bangalore, India
- Manipal Institute of Regenerative Medicine, MAHE-Bengaluru, Govindapura, Bengaluru, India
| | - Joern Huelsmeier
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, School of Genetics and Microbiology, Smurfit Institute of Genetics and School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jens Hillebrand
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, School of Genetics and Microbiology, Smurfit Institute of Genetics and School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Georgia Brown
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, School of Genetics and Microbiology, Smurfit Institute of Genetics and School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Jongbo Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), 50 UNIST-gil, Ulsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Chunghun Lim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), 50 UNIST-gil, Ulsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Georg Auburger
- Experimental Neurology, Medical School, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | | | - Mani Ramaswami
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, School of Genetics and Microbiology, Smurfit Institute of Genetics and School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, TIFR, Bangalore, India
| | - Baskar Bakthavachalu
- School of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Mandi, India
- Tata Institute for Genetics and Society Centre at inStem, Bellary Road, Bangalore, India
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42
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Kinger S, Jagtap YA, Kumar P, Choudhary A, Prasad A, Prajapati VK, Kumar A, Mehta G, Mishra A. Proteostasis in neurodegenerative diseases. Adv Clin Chem 2024; 121:270-333. [PMID: 38797543 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acc.2024.04.002] [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] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Proteostasis is essential for normal function of proteins and vital for cellular health and survival. Proteostasis encompasses all stages in the "life" of a protein, that is, from translation to functional performance and, ultimately, to degradation. Proteins need native conformations for function and in the presence of multiple types of stress, their misfolding and aggregation can occur. A coordinated network of proteins is at the core of proteostasis in cells. Among these, chaperones are required for maintaining the integrity of protein conformations by preventing misfolding and aggregation and guide those with abnormal conformation to degradation. The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and autophagy are major cellular pathways for degrading proteins. Although failure or decreased functioning of components of this network can lead to proteotoxicity and disease, like neuron degenerative diseases, underlying factors are not completely understood. Accumulating misfolded and aggregated proteins are considered major pathomechanisms of neurodegeneration. In this chapter, we have described the components of three major branches required for proteostasis-chaperones, UPS and autophagy, the mechanistic basis of their function, and their potential for protection against various neurodegenerative conditions, like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's disease. The modulation of various proteostasis network proteins, like chaperones, E3 ubiquitin ligases, proteasome, and autophagy-associated proteins as therapeutic targets by small molecules as well as new and unconventional approaches, shows promise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumit Kinger
- Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology Unit, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
| | - Yuvraj Anandrao Jagtap
- Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology Unit, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
| | - Prashant Kumar
- Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology Unit, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
| | - Akash Choudhary
- Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology Unit, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
| | - Amit Prasad
- School of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Vijay Kumar Prajapati
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Delhi South Campus, Dhaula Kuan, New Delhi, India
| | - Amit Kumar
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Simrol, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Gunjan Mehta
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Amit Mishra
- Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology Unit, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India.
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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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Kaneda Y, Miyata H, Xu Z, Shimada K, Kamoshita M, Nakagawa T, Emori C, Ikawa M. FBXO24 deletion causes abnormal accumulation of membraneless electron-dense granules in sperm flagella and male infertility. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.11.10.566635. [PMID: 37986737 PMCID: PMC10659433 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.10.566635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Ribonucleoprotein (RNP) granules are membraneless electron-dense structures rich in RNAs and proteins, and involved in various cellular processes. Two RNP granules in male germ cells, intermitochondrial cement and the chromatoid body (CB), are associated with PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) and are required for transposon silencing and spermatogenesis. Other RNP granules in male germ cells, the reticulated body and CB remnants, are also essential for spermiogenesis. In this study, we disrupted FBXO24, a testis-enriched F-box protein, in mice and found numerous membraneless electron-dense granules accumulated in sperm flagella. Fbxo24 knockout (KO) mice exhibited malformed flagellar structures, impaired sperm motility, and male infertility, likely due to the accumulation of abnormal granules. The amount and localization of known RNP granule-related proteins were not disrupted in Fbxo24 KO mice, suggesting that the accumulated granules were distinct from known RNP granules. Further studies revealed that RNAs and two importins, IPO5 and KPNB1, abnormally accumulated in Fbxo24 KO spermatozoa and that FBXO24 could ubiquitinate IPO5. In addition, IPO5 and KPNB1 were recruited to stress granules, RNP complexes, when cells were treated with oxidative stress or a proteasome inhibitor. These results suggest that FBXO24 is involved in the degradation of IPO5, disruption of which may lead to the accumulation of abnormal RNP granules in sperm flagella.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Kaneda
- Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 5650871 JAPAN
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 5650871 JAPAN
| | - Haruhiko Miyata
- Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 5650871 JAPAN
| | - Zoulan Xu
- Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 5650871 JAPAN
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 5650871 JAPAN
| | - Keisuke Shimada
- Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 5650871 JAPAN
| | - Maki Kamoshita
- Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 5650871 JAPAN
| | - Tatsuya Nakagawa
- Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 5650871 JAPAN
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 5650871 JAPAN
| | - Chihiro Emori
- Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 5650871 JAPAN
| | - Masahito Ikawa
- Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 5650871 JAPAN
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 5650871 JAPAN
- The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 1088639 JAPAN
- Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research (CiDER), Osaka University, 2-8 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 5650871 JAPAN
- Center for Advanced Modalities and DDS (CAMaD), Osaka University, 2-8 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 5650871 JAPAN
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Pazzin DB, Previato TTR, Budelon Gonçalves JI, Zanirati G, Xavier FAC, da Costa JC, Marinowic DR. Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and Organoids in Advancing Neuropathology Research and Therapies. Cells 2024; 13:745. [PMID: 38727281 PMCID: PMC11083827 DOI: 10.3390/cells13090745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
This review delves into the groundbreaking impact of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and three-dimensional organoid models in propelling forward neuropathology research. With a focus on neurodegenerative diseases, neuromotor disorders, and related conditions, iPSCs provide a platform for personalized disease modeling, holding significant potential for regenerative therapy and drug discovery. The adaptability of iPSCs, along with associated methodologies, enables the generation of various types of neural cell differentiations and their integration into three-dimensional organoid models, effectively replicating complex tissue structures in vitro. Key advancements in organoid and iPSC generation protocols, alongside the careful selection of donor cell types, are emphasized as critical steps in harnessing these technologies to mitigate tumorigenic risks and other hurdles. Encouragingly, iPSCs show promising outcomes in regenerative therapies, as evidenced by their successful application in animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas Bottega Pazzin
- Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (BraIns), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90610-000, Brazil; (D.B.P.); (T.T.R.P.); (J.I.B.G.); (G.Z.); (F.A.C.X.); (J.C.d.C.)
- Graduate Program in Pediatrics and Child Health, School of Medicine, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90619-900, Brazil
| | - Thales Thor Ramos Previato
- Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (BraIns), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90610-000, Brazil; (D.B.P.); (T.T.R.P.); (J.I.B.G.); (G.Z.); (F.A.C.X.); (J.C.d.C.)
- Graduate Program in Biomedical Gerontology, School of Medicine, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90619-900, Brazil
| | - João Ismael Budelon Gonçalves
- Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (BraIns), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90610-000, Brazil; (D.B.P.); (T.T.R.P.); (J.I.B.G.); (G.Z.); (F.A.C.X.); (J.C.d.C.)
| | - Gabriele Zanirati
- Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (BraIns), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90610-000, Brazil; (D.B.P.); (T.T.R.P.); (J.I.B.G.); (G.Z.); (F.A.C.X.); (J.C.d.C.)
| | - Fernando Antonio Costa Xavier
- Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (BraIns), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90610-000, Brazil; (D.B.P.); (T.T.R.P.); (J.I.B.G.); (G.Z.); (F.A.C.X.); (J.C.d.C.)
| | - Jaderson Costa da Costa
- Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (BraIns), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90610-000, Brazil; (D.B.P.); (T.T.R.P.); (J.I.B.G.); (G.Z.); (F.A.C.X.); (J.C.d.C.)
| | - Daniel Rodrigo Marinowic
- Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul (BraIns), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90610-000, Brazil; (D.B.P.); (T.T.R.P.); (J.I.B.G.); (G.Z.); (F.A.C.X.); (J.C.d.C.)
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Gupta MN, Uversky VN. Reexamining the diverse functions of arginine in biochemistry. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2024; 705:149731. [PMID: 38432110 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2024.149731] [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: 12/24/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Arginine in a free-state and as part of peptides and proteins shows distinct tendency to form clusters. In free-form, it has been found useful in cryoprotection, as a drug excipient for both solid and liquid formulations, as an aggregation suppressor, and an eluent in protein chromatography. In many cases, the mechanisms by which arginine acts in all these applications is either debatable or at least continues to attract interest. It is quite possible that arginine clusters may be involved in many such applications. Furthermore, it is possible that such clusters are likely to behave as intrinsically disordered polypeptides. These considerations may help in understanding the roles of arginine in diverse applications and may even lead to better strategies for using arginine in different situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Munishwar Nath Gupta
- Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, 110016, India.
| | - Vladimir N Uversky
- Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute for Biological Instrumentation, Institutskaya Str., 7, Pushchino, Moscow Region, 142290, Russia; Department of Molecular Medicine and USF Health Byrd Alzheimer's Research Institute, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA.
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47
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De Cock L, Bercier V, Van Den Bosch L. New developments in pre-clinical models of ALS to guide translation. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2024; 176:477-524. [PMID: 38802181 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2024.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder in which selective death of motor neurons leads to muscle weakness and paralysis. Most research has focused on understanding and treating monogenic familial forms, most frequently caused by mutations in SOD1, FUS, TARDBP and C9orf72, although ALS is mostly sporadic and without a clear genetic cause. Rodent models have been developed to study monogenic ALS, but despite numerous pre-clinical studies and clinical trials, few disease-modifying therapies are available. ALS is a heterogeneous disease with complex underlying mechanisms where several genes and molecular pathways appear to play a role. One reason for the high failure rate of clinical translation from the current models could be oversimplification in pre-clinical studies. Here, we review advances in pre-clinical models to better capture the heterogeneous nature of ALS and discuss the value of novel model systems to guide translation and aid in the development of precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lenja De Cock
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Louvain-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Center for Brain and Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Valérie Bercier
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Louvain-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Center for Brain and Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ludo Van Den Bosch
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Louvain-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Center for Brain and Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Leuven, Belgium.
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48
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Saikia B, Baruah A. In silico design of misfolding resistant proteins: the role of structural similarity of a competing conformational ensemble in the optimization of frustration. SOFT MATTER 2024; 20:3283-3298. [PMID: 38529658 DOI: 10.1039/d4sm00171k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
Most state-of-the-art in silico design methods fail due to misfolding of designed sequences to a conformation other than the target. Thus, a method to design misfolding resistant proteins will provide a better understanding of the misfolding phenomenon and will also increase the success rate of in silico design methods. In this work, we optimize the conformational ensemble to be selected for negative design purposes based on the similarity of the conformational ensemble to the target. Five ensembles with different degrees of similarity to the target are created and destabilized and the target is stabilized while designing sequences using mean field theory and Monte Carlo simulation methods. The results suggest that the degree of similarity of the non-native conformations to the target plays a prominent role in designing misfolding resistant protein sequences. The design procedures that destabilize the conformational ensemble with moderate similarity to the target have proven to be more promising. Incorporation of either highly similar or highly dissimilar conformations to the target conformation into the non-native ensemble to be destabilized may lead to sequences with a higher misfolding propensity. This will significantly reduce the conformational space to be considered in any protein design procedure. Interestingly, the results suggest that a sequence with higher frustration in the target structure does not necessarily lead to a misfold prone sequence. A successful design method may purposefully choose a frustrated sequence in the target conformation if that sequence is even more frustrated in the competing non-native conformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bondeepa Saikia
- Department of Chemistry, Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh 786004, India.
| | - Anupaul Baruah
- Department of Chemistry, Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh 786004, India.
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Dai T, Lou J, Kong D, Li J, Ren Q, Chen Y, Sun S, Yun Y, Sun X, Yang Y, Shao K, Li W, Zhao Y, Meng X, Yan C, Lin P, Liu S. Choroid plexus enlargement in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients and its correlation with clinical disability and blood-CSF barrier permeability. Fluids Barriers CNS 2024; 21:36. [PMID: 38632611 PMCID: PMC11025206 DOI: 10.1186/s12987-024-00536-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Using in vivo neuroimaging techniques, growing evidence has demonstrated that the choroid plexus (CP) volume is enlarged in patients with several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. However, although animal and postmortem findings suggest that CP abnormalities are likely important pathological mechanisms underlying amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the third most common neurodegenerative disease, no available study has been conducted to thoroughly assess CP abnormalities and their clinical relevance in vivo in ALS patients to date. Thus, we aimed to determine whether in vivo CP enlargement may occur in ALS patients. We also aimed to identify the relationships of CP volume with clinical disabilities and blood-CSF barrier (BCSFB) permeability in ALS patients. METHODS In this retrospective study, based on structural MRI data, CP volume was assessed using a Gaussian mixture model and underwent further manual correction in 155 ALS patients and 105 age- and sex-matched HCs from October 2021 to April 2023. The ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS-R) was used to assess clinical disability. The CSF/serum albumin quotient (Qalb) was used to assess BCSFB permeability. Moreover, all the ALS patients completed genetic testing, and according to genetic testing, the ALS patients were further divided into genetic ALS subgroup and sporadic ALS subgroup. RESULTS We found that compared with HCs, ALS patients had a significantly higher CP volume (p < 0.001). Moreover, compared with HCs, CP volume was significantly increased in both ALS patients with and without known genetic mutations after family-wise error correction (p = 0.006 and p < 0.001, respectively), while there were no significant differences between the two ALS groups. Furthermore, the CP volume was significantly correlated with the ALSFRS-r score (r = -0.226; p = 0.005) and the Qalb (r = 0.479; p < 0.001) in ALS patients. CONCLUSION Our study first demonstrates CP enlargement in vivo in ALS patients, and continues to suggest an important pathogenetic role for CP abnormalities in ALS. Moreover, assessing CP volume is likely a noninvasive and easy-to-implement approach for screening BCSFB dysfunction in ALS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingjun Dai
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, West Wenhua Street No.107, 250012, Jinan, China
| | - Jianwei Lou
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, West Wenhua Street No.107, 250012, Jinan, China
| | - Deyuan Kong
- School of Clinical Medicine, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Jinyu Li
- Department of Neurology, Xiamen Branch, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 361015, Xiamen, China
| | - Qingguo Ren
- Department of Radiology, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Qilu Hospital (Qingdao), Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yujing Chen
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, West Wenhua Street No.107, 250012, Jinan, China
| | - Sujuan Sun
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, West Wenhua Street No.107, 250012, Jinan, China
| | - Yan Yun
- Department of Radiology, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Xiaohan Sun
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, West Wenhua Street No.107, 250012, Jinan, China
| | - Yiru Yang
- School of Nursing and Rehabilitation, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Kai Shao
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, West Wenhua Street No.107, 250012, Jinan, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Qilu Hospital (Qingdao), Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Wei Li
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, West Wenhua Street No.107, 250012, Jinan, China
| | - Yuying Zhao
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, West Wenhua Street No.107, 250012, Jinan, China
| | - Xiangshui Meng
- Department of Radiology, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Qilu Hospital (Qingdao), Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Chuanzhu Yan
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, West Wenhua Street No.107, 250012, Jinan, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Qilu Hospital (Qingdao), Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - Pengfei Lin
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, West Wenhua Street No.107, 250012, Jinan, China.
| | - Shuangwu Liu
- Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, West Wenhua Street No.107, 250012, Jinan, China.
- School of Nursing and Rehabilitation, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
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Gu H, Gu C, Locker N, Ewing AG. Amperometry and Electron Microscopy show Stress Granules Induce Homotypic Fusion of Catecholamine Vesicles. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202400422. [PMID: 38380500 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202400422] [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: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
An overreactive stress granule (SG) pathway and long-lived, stable SGs formation are thought to participate in the progress of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs). To understand if and how SGs contribute to disorders of neurotransmitter release in NDs, we examined the interaction between extracellular isolated SGs and vesicles. Amperometry shows that the vesicular content increases and dynamics of vesicle opening slow down after vesicles are treated with SGs, suggesting larger vesicles are formed. Data from transmission electron microscopy (TEM) clearly shows that a portion of large dense-core vesicles (LDCVs) with double/multiple cores appear, thus confirming that SGs induce homotypic fusion between LDCVs. This might be a protective step to help cells to survive following high oxidative stress. A hypothetical mechanism is proposed whereby enriched mRNA or protein in the shell of SGs is likely to bind intrinsically disordered protein (IDP) regions of vesicle associated membrane protein (VAMP) driving a disrupted membrane between two closely buddled vesicles to fuse with each other to form double-core vesicles. Our results show that SGs induce homotypic fusion of LDCVs, providing better understanding of how SGs intervene in pathological processes and opening a new direction to investigations of SGs involved neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Gu
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, 411201, Xiangtan, China
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, 41390, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Chaoyi Gu
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, 41390, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Nicolas Locker
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences School of Biosciences and Medicine, University of Surrey, GU27XH, Guildford Surrey, UK
| | - Andrew G Ewing
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, 41390, Gothenburg, Sweden
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