1
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Genin EC, Abou-Ali M, Paquis-Flucklinger V. Mitochondria, a Key Target in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Pathogenesis. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1981. [PMID: 38002924 PMCID: PMC10671245 DOI: 10.3390/genes14111981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial dysfunction occurs in numerous neurodegenerative diseases, particularly amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), where it contributes to motor neuron (MN) death. Of all the factors involved in ALS, mitochondria have been considered as a major player, as secondary mitochondrial dysfunction has been found in various models and patients. Abnormal mitochondrial morphology, defects in mitochondrial dynamics, altered activities of respiratory chain enzymes and increased production of reactive oxygen species have been described. Moreover, the identification of CHCHD10 variants in ALS patients was the first genetic evidence that a mitochondrial defect may be a primary cause of MN damage and directly links mitochondrial dysfunction to the pathogenesis of ALS. In this review, we focus on the role of mitochondria in ALS and highlight the pathogenic variants of ALS genes associated with impaired mitochondrial functions. The multiple pathways demonstrated in ALS pathogenesis suggest that all converge to a common endpoint leading to MN loss. This may explain the disappointing results obtained with treatments targeting a single pathological process. Fighting against mitochondrial dysfunction appears to be a promising avenue for developing combined therapies in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuelle C. Genin
- Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging, Nice (IRCAN), Université Côte d’Azur, Inserm U1081, CNRS UMR7284, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) de Nice, 06200 Nice, France; (M.A.-A.); (V.P.-F.)
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2
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Genetic landscape of ALS in Malta based on a quinquennial analysis. Neurobiol Aging 2023; 123:200-207. [PMID: 36549973 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2022.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Genetic risk for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is highly elevated in genetic isolates, like the island population of Malta in the south of Europe, providing a unique opportunity to investigate the genetics of this disease. Here we characterize the clinical phenotype and genetic profile of the largest series of Maltese ALS patients to date identified throughout a 5-year window. Cases and controls underwent neuromuscular assessment and analysis of rare variants in ALS causative or risk genes following whole-genome sequencing. Potentially damaging variants or repeat expansions were identified in more than 45% of all patients. The most commonly affected genes were ALS2, DAO, SETX and SPG11, an infrequent cause of ALS in Europeans. We also confirmed a significant association between ATXN1 intermediate repeats and increased disease risk. Damaging variants in major ALS genes C9orf72, SOD1, TARDBP and FUS were however either absent or rare in Maltese ALS patients. Overall, our study underscores a population that is an outlier within Europe and one that represents a high percentage of genetically explained cases.
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3
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Multiple roles for the cytoskeleton in ALS. Exp Neurol 2022; 355:114143. [PMID: 35714755 PMCID: PMC10163623 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2022.114143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 06/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease caused by more than sixty genes identified through classic linkage analysis and new sequencing methods. Yet no clear mechanism of onset, cure, or effective treatment is known. Popular discourse classifies the proteins encoded from ALS-related genes into four disrupted processes: proteostasis, mitochondrial function and ROS, nucleic acid regulation, and cytoskeletal dynamics. Surprisingly, the mechanisms detailing the contribution of the neuronal cytoskeletal in ALS are the least explored, despite involvement in these cell processes. Eight genes directly regulate properties of cytoskeleton function and are essential for the health and survival of motor neurons, including: TUBA4A, SPAST, KIF5A, DCTN1, NF, PRPH, ALS2, and PFN1. Here we review the properties and studies exploring the contribution of each of these genes to ALS.
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4
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Todd TW, Petrucelli L. Modelling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in rodents. Nat Rev Neurosci 2022; 23:231-251. [PMID: 35260846 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-022-00564-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The efficient study of human disease requires the proper tools, one of the most crucial of which is an accurate animal model that faithfully recapitulates the human condition. The study of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is no exception. Although the majority of ALS cases are considered sporadic, most animal models of this disease rely on genetic mutations identified in familial cases. Over the past decade, the number of genes associated with ALS has risen dramatically and, with each new genetic variant, there is a drive to develop associated animal models. Rodent models are of particular importance as they allow for the study of ALS in the context of a living mammal with a comparable CNS. Such models not only help to verify the pathogenicity of novel mutations but also provide critical insight into disease mechanisms and are crucial for the testing of new therapeutics. In this Review, we aim to summarize the full spectrum of ALS rodent models developed to date.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany W Todd
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Leonard Petrucelli
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, Jacksonville, FL, USA.
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5
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Juvenile Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Review. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12121935. [PMID: 34946884 PMCID: PMC8701111 DOI: 10.3390/genes12121935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Juvenile amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (JALS) is a rare group of motor neuron disorders with gene association in 40% of cases. JALS is defined as onset before age 25. We conducted a literature review of JALS and gene mutations associated with JALS. Results of the literature review show that the most common gene mutations associated with JALS are FUS, SETX, and ALS2. In familial cases, the gene mutations are mostly inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern and mutations in SETX are inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion. Disease prognosis varies from rapidly progressive to an indolent course. Distinct clinical features may emerge with specific gene mutations in addition to the clinical finding of combined upper and lower motor neuron degeneration. In conclusion, patients presenting with combined upper and lower motor neuron disorders before age 25 should be carefully examined for genetic mutations. Hereditary patterns and coexisting features may be useful in determining prognosis.
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6
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Alves De Siqueira Carvalho A, Antônio Troccoli Chieia M, Braga Farias I, Bulle Oliveira AS, Pinto WBVDR, Souza PVSD. The expanding clinical and genetic spectrum of alsin-related disorders: the first cohort of Brazilian patients. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2021; 23:16-24. [PMID: 34738851 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2021.1910306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
There are three types of autosomal recessive disorders involving pathogenic variants in the ALS2 gene (OMIM*606352), infantile ascending hereditary spastic paraplegia (IAHSP), juvenile primary lateral sclerosis (JPLS) and juvenile amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (JALS), which are rare and related to retrograde degeneration of motor neurons. ALS2 pathogenic variants are distributed widely across the entire coding sequence and mostly result in a loss of protein function. Rarely, patients with JALS have been reported with lower motor neuron involvement. Here, we report the first Brazilian cohort (six patients) of JPLS with novel ALS2 pathogenic variants, and we propose an expanding clinical and genetic spectrum of alsin-related disorders. A review of the literature in PubMed from 2001 to September 2020 allowed us to identify 26 publications about the three different phenotypes caused by ALS2 variants (only case reports or families), encompassing 35 nonrelated families. We compiled data (sex, age, age at onset, first symptoms, atypical clinical features, molecular data, and clinical evolution (improvement or death)) from these studies and analyzed them in a general context on the basis of demographic features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alzira Alves De Siqueira Carvalho
- Departamento de Neurociências-Laboratório de doenças neuromusculares, Centro Universitário Saúde ABC, Santo Andre, São Paulo, Brazil and
| | | | - Igor Braga Farias
- Division of Neuromuscular Diseases, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil
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7
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Tecle E, Chhan CB, Franklin L, Underwood RS, Hanna-Rose W, Troemel ER. The purine nucleoside phosphorylase pnp-1 regulates epithelial cell resistance to infection in C. elegans. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009350. [PMID: 33878133 PMCID: PMC8087013 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Intestinal epithelial cells are subject to attack by a diverse array of microbes, including intracellular as well as extracellular pathogens. While defense in epithelial cells can be triggered by pattern recognition receptor-mediated detection of microbe-associated molecular patterns, there is much to be learned about how they sense infection via perturbations of host physiology, which often occur during infection. A recently described host defense response in the nematode C. elegans called the Intracellular Pathogen Response (IPR) can be triggered by infection with diverse natural intracellular pathogens, as well as by perturbations to protein homeostasis. From a forward genetic screen, we identified the C. elegans ortholog of purine nucleoside phosphorylase pnp-1 as a negative regulator of IPR gene expression, as well as a negative regulator of genes induced by extracellular pathogens. Accordingly, pnp-1 mutants have resistance to both intracellular and extracellular pathogens. Metabolomics analysis indicates that C. elegans pnp-1 likely has enzymatic activity similar to its human ortholog, serving to convert purine nucleosides into free bases. Classic genetic studies have shown how mutations in human purine nucleoside phosphorylase cause immunodeficiency due to T-cell dysfunction. Here we show that C. elegans pnp-1 acts in intestinal epithelial cells to regulate defense. Altogether, these results indicate that perturbations in purine metabolism are likely monitored as a cue to promote defense against epithelial infection in the nematode C. elegans. All life requires purine nucleotides. However, obligate intracellular pathogens are incapable of generating their own purine nucleotides and thus have evolved strategies to steal these nucleotides from host cells in order to support their growth and replication. Using the small roundworm C. elegans, we show that infection with natural obligate intracellular pathogens is impaired by loss of pnp-1, the C. elegans ortholog of the vertebrate purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP), which is an enzyme involved in salvaging purines. Loss of pnp-1 leads to altered levels of purine nucleotide precursors and increased expression of Intracellular Pathogen Response genes, which are induced by viral and fungal intracellular pathogens of C. elegans. In addition, we find that loss of pnp-1 increases resistance to extracellular pathogen infection and increases expression of genes involved in extracellular pathogen defense. Interestingly, studies from 1975 found that mutations in human PNP impair T-cell immunity, whereas our findings here indicate C. elegans pnp-1 regulates intestinal epithelial immunity. Overall, our work indicates that host purine homeostasis regulates resistance to both intracellular and extracellular pathogen infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eillen Tecle
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Crystal B. Chhan
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Latisha Franklin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Ryan S. Underwood
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Wendy Hanna-Rose
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Emily R. Troemel
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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8
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Silani V, Corcia P, Harms MB, Rouleau G, Siddique T, Ticozzi N. Genetics of primary lateral sclerosis. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2021; 21:28-34. [DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2020.1837177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Vincenzo Silani
- Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Milano, Italy
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, “Dino Ferrari” Center, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Philippe Corcia
- Centre de Reference SLA, CHU Tours, and UMR 1253, iBRAIN, Université de Tours, INSERM, Tours, France
| | | | - Guy Rouleau
- Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Teepu Siddique
- Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Nicola Ticozzi
- Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS, Milano, Italy
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, “Dino Ferrari” Center, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
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9
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Borg R, Farrugia Wismayer M, Bonavia K, Farrugia Wismayer A, Vella M, van Vugt JJFA, Kenna BJ, Kenna KP, Vassallo N, Veldink JH, Cauchi RJ. Genetic analysis of ALS cases in the isolated island population of Malta. Eur J Hum Genet 2021; 29:604-614. [PMID: 33414559 PMCID: PMC8115635 DOI: 10.1038/s41431-020-00767-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic isolates are compelling tools for mapping genes of inherited disorders. The archipelago of Malta, a sovereign microstate in the south of Europe is home to a geographically and culturally isolated population. Here, we investigate the epidemiology and genetic profile of Maltese patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), identified throughout a 2-year window. Cases were largely male (66.7%) with a predominant spinal onset of symptoms (70.8%). Disease onset occurred around mid-age (median age: 64 years, men; 59.5 years, female); 12.5% had familial ALS (fALS). Annual incidence rate was 2.48 (95% CI 1.59–3.68) per 100,000 person-years. Male-to-female incidence ratio was 1.93:1. Prevalence was 3.44 (95% CI 2.01–5.52) cases per 100,000 inhabitants on 31st December 2018. Whole-genome sequencing allowed us to determine rare DNA variants that change the protein-coding sequence of ALS-associated genes. Interestingly, the Maltese ALS patient cohort was found to be negative for deleterious variants in C9orf72, SOD1, TARDBP or FUS genes, which are the most commonly mutated ALS genes globally. Nonetheless, ALS-associated repeat expansions were identified in ATXN2 and NIPA1. Variants predicted to be damaging were also detected in ALS2, DAO, DCTN1, ERBB4, SETX, SCFD1 and SPG11. A total of 40% of patients with sporadic ALS had a rare and deleterious variant or repeat expansion in an ALS-associated gene, whilst the genetic cause of two thirds of fALS cases could not be pinpointed to known ALS genes or risk loci. This warrants further studies to elucidate novel genes that cause ALS in this unique population isolate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Borg
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.,Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Maia Farrugia Wismayer
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.,Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Karl Bonavia
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Andrew Farrugia Wismayer
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Malcolm Vella
- Department of Neuroscience, Mater Dei Hospital, Msida, Malta
| | - Joke J F A van Vugt
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Brendan J Kenna
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Kevin P Kenna
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Neville Vassallo
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.,Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Jan H Veldink
- Department of Neurology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ruben J Cauchi
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, Biomedical Sciences Building, University of Malta, Msida, Malta. .,Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.
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10
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Sprute R, Jergas H, Ölmez A, Alawbathani S, Karasoy H, Dafsari HS, Becker K, Daimagüler HS, Nürnberg P, Muntoni F, Topaloglu H, Uyanik G, Cirak S. Genotype-phenotype correlation in seven motor neuron disease families with novel ALS2 mutations. Am J Med Genet A 2020; 185:344-354. [PMID: 33155358 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.61951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Autosomal-recessive mutations in the Alsin Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor (ALS2) gene may cause specific subtypes of childhood-onset progressive neurodegenerative motor neuron diseases (MND). These diseases can manifest with a clinical continuum from infantile ascending hereditary spastic paraplegia (IAHSP) to juvenile-onset forms with or without lower motor neuron involvement, the juvenile primary lateral sclerosis (JPLS) and the juvenile amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (JALS). We report 11 patients from seven unrelated Turkish and Yemeni families with clinical signs of IAHSP or JPLS. We performed haplotype analysis or next-generation panel sequencing followed by Sanger Sequencing to unravel the genetic disease cause. We described their clinical phenotype and analyzed the pathogenicity of the detected variants with bioinformatics tools. We further reviewed all previously reported cases with ALS2-related MND. We identified five novel homozygous pathogenic variants in ALS2 at various positions: c.275_276delAT (p.Tyr92CysfsTer11), c.1044C>G (p.Tyr348Ter), c.1718C>A (p.Ala573Glu), c.3161T>C (p.Leu1054Pro), and c.1471+1G>A (NM_020919.3, NP_065970.2). In our cohort, disease onset was in infancy or early childhood with rapid onset of motor neuron signs. Muscle weakness, spasticity, severe dysarthria, dysphagia, and facial weakness were common features in the first decade of life. Frameshift and nonsense mutations clustered in the N-terminal Alsin domains are most prevalent. We enriched the mutational spectrum of ALS2-related disorders with five novel pathogenic variants. Our study indicates a high detection rate of ALS2 mutations in patients with a clinically well-characterized early onset MND. Intrafamilial and even interfamilial diversity in patients with identical pathogenic variants suggest yet unknown modifiers for phenotypic expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosanne Sprute
- Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Hannah Jergas
- Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Neurology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Akgün Ölmez
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Salem Alawbathani
- Cologne Center for Genomics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Hatice Karasoy
- Department of Neurology, Ege University School of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Hormos Salimi Dafsari
- Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Kerstin Becker
- Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Hülya-Sevcan Daimagüler
- Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Peter Nürnberg
- Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Cologne Center for Genomics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Francesco Muntoni
- The Dubowitz Neuromuscular Centre, National Institute for Health Research Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - Haluk Topaloglu
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Gökhan Uyanik
- Medical School, Sigmund Freud Private University, Vienna, Austria.,Center for Medical Genetics, Hanusch Hospital, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sebahattin Cirak
- Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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11
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Shatunov A, Al-Chalabi A. The genetic architecture of ALS. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 147:105156. [PMID: 33130222 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.105156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Aleksey Shatunov
- Department of Basic & Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 9RX, UK
| | - Ammar Al-Chalabi
- Department of Basic & Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London SE5 9RX, UK; Department of Neurology, King's College Hospital, London SE5 9RS, UK.
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12
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Khani M, Shamshiri H, Fatehi F, Rohani M, Haghi Ashtiani B, Akhoundi FH, Alavi A, Moazzeni H, Taheri H, Ghani MT, Javanparast L, Hashemi SS, Haji-Seyed-Javadi R, Heidari M, Nafissi S, Elahi E. Description of combined ARHSP/JALS phenotype in some patients with SPG11 mutations. Mol Genet Genomic Med 2020; 8:e1240. [PMID: 32383541 PMCID: PMC7336765 DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.1240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background SPG11 mutations can cause autosomal recessive hereditary spastic paraplegia (ARHSP) and juvenile amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (JALS). Because these diseases share some clinical presentations and both can be caused by SPG11 mutations, it was considered that definitive diagnosis may not be straight forward. Methods The DNAs of referred ARHSP and JALS patients were exome sequenced. Clinical data of patients with SPG11 mutations were gathered by interviews and neurological examinations including electrodiagnosis (EDX) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Results Eight probands with SPG11 mutations were identified. Two mutations are novel. Among seven Iranian probands, six carried the p.Glu1026Argfs*4‐causing mutation. All eight patients had features known to be present in both ARHSP and JALS. Additionally and surprisingly, presence of both thin corpus callosum (TCC) on MRI and motor neuronopathy were also observed in seven patients. These presentations are, respectively, key suggestive features of ARHSP and JALS. Conclusion We suggest that rather than ARHSP or JALS, combined ARHSP/JALS is the appropriate description of seven patients studied. Criteria for ARHSP, JALS, and combined ARHSP/JALS designations among patients with SPG11 mutations are suggested. The importance of performing both EDX and MRI is emphasized. Initial screening for p.Glu1026Argfs*4 may facilitate SPG11 screenings in Iranian patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marzieh Khani
- School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hosein Shamshiri
- Department of Neurology, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Farzad Fatehi
- Department of Neurology, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Rohani
- Department of Neurology, Hazrat Rasool Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Bahram Haghi Ashtiani
- Department of Neurology, Firoozgar Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fahimeh Haji Akhoundi
- Department of Neurology, Firoozgar Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Afagh Alavi
- Genetics Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamidreza Moazzeni
- School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hanieh Taheri
- School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mina Tolou Ghani
- School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Leila Javanparast
- Genetics Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyyed Saleh Hashemi
- Genetics Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Matineh Heidari
- Department of Neurology, Firoozgar Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shahriar Nafissi
- Department of Neurology, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Elahe Elahi
- School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
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13
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Complexity of Generating Mouse Models to Study the Upper Motor Neurons: Let Us Shift Focus from Mice to Neurons. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20163848. [PMID: 31394733 PMCID: PMC6720674 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20163848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Revised: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Motor neuron circuitry is one of the most elaborate circuitries in our body, which ensures voluntary and skilled movement that requires cognitive input. Therefore, both the cortex and the spinal cord are involved. The cortex has special importance for motor neuron diseases, in which initiation and modulation of voluntary movement is affected. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is defined by the progressive degeneration of both the upper and lower motor neurons, whereas hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) and primary lateral sclerosis (PLS) are characterized mainly by the loss of upper motor neurons. In an effort to reveal the cellular and molecular basis of neuronal degeneration, numerous model systems are generated, and mouse models are no exception. However, there are many different levels of complexities that need to be considered when developing mouse models. Here, we focus our attention to the upper motor neurons, which are one of the most challenging neuron populations to study. Since mice and human differ greatly at a species level, but the cells/neurons in mice and human share many common aspects of cell biology, we offer a solution by focusing our attention to the affected neurons to reveal the complexities of diseases at a cellular level and to improve translational efforts.
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Reddy KC, Dror T, Underwood RS, Osman GA, Elder CR, Desjardins CA, Cuomo CA, Barkoulas M, Troemel ER. Antagonistic paralogs control a switch between growth and pathogen resistance in C. elegans. PLoS Pathog 2019; 15:e1007528. [PMID: 30640956 PMCID: PMC6347328 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2018] [Revised: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune genes are under intense, pathogen-induced pressure, which causes these genes to diversify over evolutionary time and become species-specific. Through a forward genetic screen we recently described a C. elegans-specific gene called pals-22 to be a repressor of "Intracellular Pathogen Response" or IPR genes. Here we describe pals-25, which, like pals-22, is a species-specific gene of unknown biochemical function. We identified pals-25 in a screen for suppression of pals-22 mutant phenotypes and found that mutations in pals-25 suppress all known phenotypes caused by mutations in pals-22. These phenotypes include increased IPR gene expression, thermotolerance, and immunity against natural pathogens, including Nematocida parisii microsporidia and the Orsay virus. Mutations in pals-25 also reverse the reduced lifespan and slowed growth of pals-22 mutants. Transcriptome analysis indicates that pals-22 and pals-25 control expression of genes induced not only by natural pathogens of the intestine, but also by natural pathogens of the epidermis. Indeed, in an independent forward genetic screen we identified pals-22 as a repressor and pals-25 as an activator of epidermal defense gene expression. In summary, the species-specific pals-22 and pals-25 genes act as a switch to regulate a program of gene expression, growth, and defense against diverse natural pathogens in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirthi C. Reddy
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA United States of America
| | - Tal Dror
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA United States of America
| | - Ryan S. Underwood
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA United States of America
| | - Guled A. Osman
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Corrina R. Elder
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA United States of America
| | | | - Christina A. Cuomo
- Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute, Cambridge MA United States of America
| | | | - Emily R. Troemel
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA United States of America
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Goel D, Vyas A. “Wine Glass” sign in a case of juvenile amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. INDIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SPECIALITIES 2019. [DOI: 10.4103/injms.injms_53_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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Elloumi-Zghal H, Chaabouni Bouhamed H. Genetics and genomic medicine in Tunisia. Mol Genet Genomic Med 2018; 6:134-159. [PMID: 29663716 PMCID: PMC5902400 DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 03/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetics and genomic medicine in Tunisia.
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Russell VA. Notes on the Recent History of Neuroscience in Africa. Front Neuroanat 2017; 11:96. [PMID: 29163069 PMCID: PMC5681988 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2017.00096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 10/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroscience began with neuroanatomy and neurosurgery in Egypt more than 5000 years ago. Knowledge grew over time and specialized neurosurgery centers were established in north Africa in the eleventh century. However, it was not until the twentieth century that neuroscience research became established in sub-Saharan Africa. In most African countries, clinical research focused on understanding the rationale and improving treatment of epilepsy, infections, nutritional neuropathies, stroke and tumors. Significant advances were made. In the twenty-first century, African knowledge expanded to include all branches of neuroscience, contributing to genetic, biochemical and inflammatory determinants of brain disorders. A major focus of basic neuroscience research has been, and is, investigation of plant extracts, drugs and stress in animal models, providing insight and identifying potential novel therapies. A significant event in the history of African neuroscience was the founding of the Society of Neuroscientists of Africa (SONA) in 1993. The International Brain Research Organization (IBRO) supported SONA conferences, as well as workshops and neuroscience training schools in Africa. Thanks to their investment, as well as that of funding agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), International Society for Neurochemistry (ISN), World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS), World Federation of Neurology (WFN) and the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), neuroscience research is well-established in Africa today. However, in order to continue to develop, African neuroscience needs continued international support and African neuroscientists need to engage in policy and decision-making to persuade governments to fund studies that address the unique regional needs in Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivienne A Russell
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town, South Africa.,School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
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An Intracellular Pathogen Response Pathway Promotes Proteostasis in C. elegans. Curr Biol 2017; 27:3544-3553.e5. [PMID: 29103937 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2017] [Revised: 09/01/2017] [Accepted: 10/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Maintenance of protein homeostasis, or proteostasis, is crucial for organismal health. Disruption of proteostasis can lead to the accumulation of protein aggregates, which are associated with aging and many human diseases such as Alzheimer's disease [1-3]. Through analysis of the C. elegans host response to intracellular infection, we describe here a novel response pathway that enhances proteostasis capacity and appears to act in parallel to well-studied proteostasis pathways. These findings are based on analysis of the transcriptional response to infection by the intracellular pathogen Nematocida parisii [4]. The response to N. parisii is strikingly similar to the response to infection by the Orsay virus, another natural intracellular pathogen of C. elegans, and is distinct from responses to extracellular pathogen infection [4-6]. We have therefore named this common transcriptional response the intracellular pathogen response (IPR), and it includes upregulation of several predicted ubiquitin ligase complex components such as the cullin cul-6. Through a forward genetic screen we found pals-22, a gene of previously unknown function, to be a repressor of the cul-6/cullin gene and other IPR gene expression. Interestingly, pals-22 mutants have increased thermotolerance and reduced levels of stress-induced polyglutamine aggregates, likely due to upregulated IPR gene expression. We found the enhanced stress resistance of pals-22 mutants to be dependent on cul-6, suggesting that pals-22 mutants have increased activity of a CUL-6/cullin-containing ubiquitin ligase complex. pals-22 mutant phenotypes appear independent of the well-studied heat shock and insulin signaling pathways, indicating that the IPR is a distinct pathway that protects animals from proteotoxic stress.
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Hardiman O, Al-Chalabi A, Chio A, Corr EM, Logroscino G, Robberecht W, Shaw PJ, Simmons Z, van den Berg LH. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Nat Rev Dis Primers 2017; 3:17071. [PMID: 28980624 DOI: 10.1038/nrdp.2017.71] [Citation(s) in RCA: 796] [Impact Index Per Article: 113.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neuron disease, is characterized by the degeneration of both upper and lower motor neurons, which leads to muscle weakness and eventual paralysis. Until recently, ALS was classified primarily within the neuromuscular domain, although new imaging and neuropathological data have indicated the involvement of the non-motor neuraxis in disease pathology. In most patients, the mechanisms underlying the development of ALS are poorly understood, although a subset of patients have familial disease and harbour mutations in genes that have various roles in neuronal function. Two possible disease-modifying therapies that can slow disease progression are available for ALS, but patient management is largely mediated by symptomatic therapies, such as the use of muscle relaxants for spasticity and speech therapy for dysarthria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orla Hardiman
- Academic Unit of Neurology, Room 5.41 Trinity Biomedical Science Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Pearse Street, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Ammar Al-Chalabi
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Adriano Chio
- Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neurosciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Emma M Corr
- Academic Unit of Neurology, Room 5.41 Trinity Biomedical Science Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Pearse Street, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | | | - Wim Robberecht
- KU Leuven-University of Leuven, University Hospitals Leuven, Department of Neurology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Pamela J Shaw
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Zachary Simmons
- Department of Neurology, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Penn State Health, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Leonard H van den Berg
- Department of Neurology, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Kim YR, Song MH, Lee JW, Bae JH, Kim JE, Kang DM, Lee SY. Identification of tumor antigens in malignant mesothelioma. Oncol Lett 2017; 14:4557-4562. [PMID: 29085453 PMCID: PMC5649555 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2017.6805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2016] [Accepted: 06/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Serological analysis of recombinant tumor cDNA expression library (SEREX) is a powerful and widely used method to explore the cancer immune environment. In the present study, immunoscreening of normal testicular tissues and malignant mesothelioma (MM) cancer MSTO-211H cell line cDNA libraries with sera from 5 MM patients led to the isolation of 16 independent antigens, which were designated ‘Korea Pusan-Malignant Mesothelioma’ (KP-MM)-1 to −16. In total, 3/16 antigens were identified using the results of previous SEREX analyses, and 13 were newly identified. Of these, KP-MM-8, which was subsequently identified as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis 2 chromosome region candidate 11, was shown to be tissue-restricted. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction demonstrated KP-MM-8 to be expressed strongly only in the normal testis, and weakly in the spleen, prostate, ovary, heart and skeletal muscle. In addition, KP-MM-8 mRNA was identified in MM cell lines, and in various other cancer cell lines, including MM (3/4), lung cancer (5/7), melanoma (5/7) and liver cancer (5/5) cell lines. Additionally, 2/16 antigens (KP-MM-2 and KP-MM-6) exclusively reacted with sera from cancer patients. However, KP-MM-8 reacted with 1 of 8 MM sera. Notably, 8/8 patients with MM and 8/8 normal individuals exhibited antibodies reactive to KP-MM-5, which was identified as cell division cycle 25B, a known oncogene. Overall, this data suggests that KP-MM-8 may be considered as a cancer/testis-like antigen and KP-MM-5 as an immunogenic tumor antigen in MM patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye-Rin Kim
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam 50612, Republic of Korea
| | - Myung-Ha Song
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam 50612, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun-Won Lee
- Department of Life Science and Genetic Engineering, Paichai University, Daejeon 35345, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Ho Bae
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam 50612, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Eun Kim
- Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam 50612, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Muk Kang
- Environmental Health Center for Asbestos, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam 50612, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang-Yull Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam 50612, Republic of Korea
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Liu ZJ, Lin HX, Liu GL, Tao QQ, Ni W, Xiao BG, Wu ZY. The investigation of genetic and clinical features in Chinese patients with juvenile amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Clin Genet 2017; 92:267-273. [PMID: 28429524 DOI: 10.1111/cge.13015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2017] [Revised: 03/08/2017] [Accepted: 03/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Juvenile amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (JALS) occurs at an age of onset below 25 years with a heterogeneous disease onset location, variable progression and survival time. To investigate whether an ALS gene profile could resolve any aspects of clinical symptom heterogeneity, we have used targeted sequencing technology in a cohort of 12 JALS patients of Chinese descent. We detected 5 likely pathogenic mutations, 2 in familial probands and 3 in sporadic patients. One was a known TARDBP mutation (p.G348V) and 4 were FUS frameshift mutations including a known p.Gln519Ilefs*9 mutation and 3 novel mutations, p.Gly515Valfs*14, p.Gly486Profs*30, and p.Arg498Alafs*32. Of the 4 FUS mutations, 2 were able to be confirmed as de novo mutations. The TARDBP mutation carrier showed a classic ALS phenotype. All patients with FUS mutations experienced limb weakness at an early age and developed bulbar symptoms during the disease course. FUS mutations have previously been associated with increased JALS disease progression, however, we found a large range 12 to 84 months in disease survival (mean 58.2 months). Our results justify future screening for variants in FUS as it remains the most frequent genetic determinant of early onset, JALS (found in 30% of our patients).
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Affiliation(s)
- Z-J Liu
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - H-X Lin
- Department of Neurology and Research Center of Neurology in Second Affiliated Hospital, and The Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - G-L Liu
- Department of Neurology and Research Center of Neurology in Second Affiliated Hospital, and The Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Q-Q Tao
- Department of Neurology and Research Center of Neurology in Second Affiliated Hospital, and The Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - W Ni
- Department of Neurology and Research Center of Neurology in Second Affiliated Hospital, and The Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - B-G Xiao
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Z-Y Wu
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Wright RM, Weigel LK, Repine JE. Aldehyde oxidase generates deoxyribonucleic acid single strand nicks in vitro. Redox Rep 2016; 1:349-55. [DOI: 10.1080/13510002.1995.11747010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
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Wright RM, Weigel LK, Varella-Garcia M, Vaitaitis G, Repine JE. Molecular cloning, refined chromosomal mapping and structural analysis of the human gene encoding aldehyde oxidase (AOX1), a candidate for the ALS2 gene. Redox Rep 2016; 3:135-44. [DOI: 10.1080/13510002.1997.11747101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
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Wright RM, Vaitaitis GM, Weigel LK, Repine TB, McManaman JL, Repine JE. Identification of the candidate ALS2 gene at chromosome 2q33 as a human aldehyde oxidase gene. Redox Rep 2016; 1:313-21. [DOI: 10.1080/13510002.1995.11747005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
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25
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Kumar S, Aga P, Gupta A, Kohli N. Juvenile amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Classical wine glass sign on magnetic resonance imaging. J Pediatr Neurosci 2016; 11:56-7. [PMID: 27195035 PMCID: PMC4862290 DOI: 10.4103/1817-1745.181251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig disease, is a chronic degenerative neurologic disease and is characterized by the selective involvement of the motor system. Usually, patients present with upper motor neuron (UMN) and lower motor neuron compromise. Degeneration of the UMN in the cerebral cortex is one of the main pathologic changes in ALS. These changes usually affect corticospinal tracts leading to degeneration of the fibers which show characteristic hyperintensities along the tracts leading to the “wine glass sign.” Patients with ALS usually present in the sixth decade of life; presentation in pediatric age in the form of juvenile ALS being rare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saurabh Kumar
- Department of Radiodiagnosis, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Pallavi Aga
- Department of Radiodiagnosis, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Aakansha Gupta
- Department of Radiodiagnosis, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Neera Kohli
- Department of Radiodiagnosis, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
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Iskender C, Kartal E, Akcimen F, Kocoglu C, Ozoguz A, Kotan D, Eraksoy M, Parman YG, Basak AN. Turkish families with juvenile motor neuron disease broaden the phenotypic spectrum of SPG11. NEUROLOGY-GENETICS 2015; 1:e25. [PMID: 27066562 PMCID: PMC4809458 DOI: 10.1212/nxg.0000000000000025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2015] [Accepted: 08/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Identification of causative mutations in 3 consanguineous families (with 4 affected members) referred to our center with young-onset motor neuron disease and overlapping phenotypes resembling autosomal recessive juvenile amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ARJALS) and autosomal recessive hereditary spastic paraplegia (ARHSP). METHODS Patients have a slowly progressive motor neuron disease with upper and lower motor neuron dysfunction. There is distal muscle weakness and atrophy associated with pyramidal signs. Whole-exome sequencing was performed on the patients and the unaffected parent samples to identify disease-causing mutations. Variants were prioritized according to their predicted pathogenicity and their relevance to the clinical phenotypes. RESULTS Five distinct homozygous mutations within the SPG11 gene were identified, 3 of which were novel and truncating: c.7155T>G/p.Tyr2385Ter, c.2250delT/p.Phe750Leufs*3, and c.1966_1967delAA/p.Lys656Valfs*11. The copresence of 2 distinct homozygous missense variations was observed in 2 families: c.6224A>G/p.Asn2075Ser and c.7132T>C/p.Phe2378Leu. The segregation of these variations in the family members was validated by Sanger sequencing. CONCLUSIONS Four patients with juvenile-onset motor neuron disease with consanguineous parents were found to carry homozygous mutations in the SPG11 gene. Our findings confirm the overlapping phenotypes of SPG11-based ARJALS and ARHSP, indicating that these 2 entities may be the extreme phenotypes of the same disease continuum with many common features. This, in turn, confirms the difficult differential diagnosis of these 2 diseases in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ceren Iskender
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics (C.I., E.K., F.A., C.K., A.O., A.N.B.), Neurodegeneration Research Laboratory (NDAL), Suna and Inan Kirac Foundation, Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Neurology (D.K.), Faculty of Medicine, Sakarya University, Turkey; and Department of Neurology (M.E., Y.P.), Istanbul Medical School, Istanbul University, Turkey
| | - Ece Kartal
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics (C.I., E.K., F.A., C.K., A.O., A.N.B.), Neurodegeneration Research Laboratory (NDAL), Suna and Inan Kirac Foundation, Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Neurology (D.K.), Faculty of Medicine, Sakarya University, Turkey; and Department of Neurology (M.E., Y.P.), Istanbul Medical School, Istanbul University, Turkey
| | - Fulya Akcimen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics (C.I., E.K., F.A., C.K., A.O., A.N.B.), Neurodegeneration Research Laboratory (NDAL), Suna and Inan Kirac Foundation, Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Neurology (D.K.), Faculty of Medicine, Sakarya University, Turkey; and Department of Neurology (M.E., Y.P.), Istanbul Medical School, Istanbul University, Turkey
| | - Cemile Kocoglu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics (C.I., E.K., F.A., C.K., A.O., A.N.B.), Neurodegeneration Research Laboratory (NDAL), Suna and Inan Kirac Foundation, Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Neurology (D.K.), Faculty of Medicine, Sakarya University, Turkey; and Department of Neurology (M.E., Y.P.), Istanbul Medical School, Istanbul University, Turkey
| | - Aslihan Ozoguz
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics (C.I., E.K., F.A., C.K., A.O., A.N.B.), Neurodegeneration Research Laboratory (NDAL), Suna and Inan Kirac Foundation, Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Neurology (D.K.), Faculty of Medicine, Sakarya University, Turkey; and Department of Neurology (M.E., Y.P.), Istanbul Medical School, Istanbul University, Turkey
| | - Dilcan Kotan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics (C.I., E.K., F.A., C.K., A.O., A.N.B.), Neurodegeneration Research Laboratory (NDAL), Suna and Inan Kirac Foundation, Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Neurology (D.K.), Faculty of Medicine, Sakarya University, Turkey; and Department of Neurology (M.E., Y.P.), Istanbul Medical School, Istanbul University, Turkey
| | - Mefkure Eraksoy
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics (C.I., E.K., F.A., C.K., A.O., A.N.B.), Neurodegeneration Research Laboratory (NDAL), Suna and Inan Kirac Foundation, Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Neurology (D.K.), Faculty of Medicine, Sakarya University, Turkey; and Department of Neurology (M.E., Y.P.), Istanbul Medical School, Istanbul University, Turkey
| | - Yesim G Parman
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics (C.I., E.K., F.A., C.K., A.O., A.N.B.), Neurodegeneration Research Laboratory (NDAL), Suna and Inan Kirac Foundation, Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Neurology (D.K.), Faculty of Medicine, Sakarya University, Turkey; and Department of Neurology (M.E., Y.P.), Istanbul Medical School, Istanbul University, Turkey
| | - Ayse Nazli Basak
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics (C.I., E.K., F.A., C.K., A.O., A.N.B.), Neurodegeneration Research Laboratory (NDAL), Suna and Inan Kirac Foundation, Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey; Department of Neurology (D.K.), Faculty of Medicine, Sakarya University, Turkey; and Department of Neurology (M.E., Y.P.), Istanbul Medical School, Istanbul University, Turkey
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Siddiqi S, Foo JN, Vu A, Azim S, Silver DL, Mansoor A, Tay SKH, Abbasi S, Hashmi AH, Janjua J, Khalid S, Tai ES, Yeo GW, Khor CC. A novel splice-site mutation in ALS2 establishes the diagnosis of juvenile amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in a family with early onset anarthria and generalized dystonias. PLoS One 2014; 9:e113258. [PMID: 25474699 PMCID: PMC4256290 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0113258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2014] [Accepted: 10/21/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The diagnosis of childhood neurological disorders remains challenging given the overlapping clinical presentation across subgroups and heterogeneous presentation within subgroups. To determine the underlying genetic cause of a severe neurological disorder in a large consanguineous Pakistani family presenting with severe scoliosis, anarthria and progressive neuromuscular degeneration, we performed genome-wide homozygosity mapping accompanied by whole-exome sequencing in two affected first cousins and their unaffected parents to find the causative mutation. We identified a novel homozygous splice-site mutation (c.3512+1G>A) in the ALS2 gene (NM_020919.3) encoding alsin that segregated with the disease in this family. Homozygous loss-of-function mutations in ALS2 are known to cause juvenile-onset amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), one of the many neurological conditions having overlapping symptoms with many neurological phenotypes. RT-PCR validation revealed that the mutation resulted in exon-skipping as well as the use of an alternative donor splice, both of which are predicted to cause loss-of-function of the resulting proteins. By examining 216 known neurological disease genes in our exome sequencing data, we also identified 9 other rare nonsynonymous mutations in these genes, some of which lie in highly conserved regions. Sequencing of a single proband might have led to mis-identification of some of these as the causative variant. Our findings established a firm diagnosis of juvenile ALS in this family, thus demonstrating the use of whole exome sequencing combined with linkage analysis in families as a powerful tool for establishing a quick and precise genetic diagnosis of complex neurological phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saima Siddiqi
- Institute of Biomedical and Genetic Engineering (IBGE), Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Jia Nee Foo
- Human Genetics, Genome Institute of Singapore, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
- * E-mail:
| | - Anthony Vu
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine and Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Saad Azim
- Ali Medical Center, F8/1, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - David L. Silver
- Signature Research Program in Cardiovascular & Metabolic Disorders, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Atika Mansoor
- Institute of Biomedical and Genetic Engineering (IBGE), Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Stacey Kiat Hong Tay
- Department of Pediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Sumiya Abbasi
- International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | | | - Jamal Janjua
- College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPSP), Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Sumbal Khalid
- International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - E. Shyong Tai
- Signature Research Program in Cardiovascular & Metabolic Disorders, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, National University Hospital System, Singapore, Singapore
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, National University Hospital System, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Gene W. Yeo
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine and Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Chiea Chuen Khor
- Human Genetics, Genome Institute of Singapore, A*STAR, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Pediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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Dissection of genetic factors associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Exp Neurol 2014; 262 Pt B:91-101. [DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2014.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2013] [Revised: 03/31/2014] [Accepted: 04/14/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Cozzolino M, Pesaresi MG, Gerbino V, Grosskreutz J, Carrì MT. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: new insights into underlying molecular mechanisms and opportunities for therapeutic intervention. Antioxid Redox Signal 2012; 17:1277-330. [PMID: 22413952 DOI: 10.1089/ars.2011.4328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Recent years have witnessed a renewed interest in the pathogenic mechanisms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a late-onset progressive degeneration of motor neurons. The discovery of new genes associated with the familial form of the disease, along with a deeper insight into pathways already described for this disease, has led scientists to reconsider previous postulates. While protein misfolding, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative damage, defective axonal transport, and excitotoxicity have not been dismissed, they need to be re-examined as contributors to the onset or progression of ALS in the light of the current knowledge that the mutations of proteins involved in RNA processing, apparently unrelated to the previous "old partners," are causative of the same phenotype. Thus, newly envisaged models and tools may offer unforeseen clues on the etiology of this disease and hopefully provide the key to treatment.
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Daoud H, Zhou S, Noreau A, Sabbagh M, Belzil V, Dionne-Laporte A, Tranchant C, Dion P, Rouleau GA. Exome sequencing reveals SPG11 mutations causing juvenile ALS. Neurobiol Aging 2011; 33:839.e5-9. [PMID: 22154821 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2011.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2011] [Revised: 10/24/2011] [Accepted: 11/07/2011] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
We report here the description of a nonconsanguineous family with 2 affected individuals with a recessively inherited juvenile motor neuron disease. Exome sequencing of these 2 affected individuals led us to identify 2 compound heterozygous deletions leading to a frameshift and a premature stop codon in the SPG11 gene. One of these deletions, c.5199delA in exon 30, has not been previously reported. Interestingly, these deletions are associated with an intrafamilial phenotypic heterogeneity as one affected has atypical juvenile amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and the other has classical hereditary spastic paraplegia with thin corpus callosum. Our findings confirm SPG11 as a genetic cause of juvenile amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and indicate that SPG11 mutations could be associated with 2 different clinical phenotypes within the same family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hussein Daoud
- Centre of Excellence in Neuroscience of Université de Montréal, CHUM Research Center and the Department of Medicine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Ince PG, Highley JR, Kirby J, Wharton SB, Takahashi H, Strong MJ, Shaw PJ. Molecular pathology and genetic advances in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: an emerging molecular pathway and the significance of glial pathology. Acta Neuropathol 2011; 122:657-71. [PMID: 22105541 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-011-0913-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2011] [Revised: 11/10/2011] [Accepted: 11/11/2011] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Research into amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has been stimulated by a series of genetic and molecular pathology discoveries. The hallmark neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions of sporadic ALS (sALS) predominantly comprise a nuclear RNA processing protein, TDP-43 encoded by the gene TARDBP, a discovery that emerged from high throughput analysis of human brain tissue from patients with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) who share a common molecular pathology with ALS. The link between RNA processing and ALS was further strengthened by the discovery that another genetic locus linking familial ALS (fALS) and FTD was due to mutation of the fused in sarcoma (FUS) gene. Of potentially even greater importance it emerges that TDP-43 accumulation and inclusion formation characterises not only most sALS cases but also those that arise from mutations in several genes including TARDBP (predominantly ALS cases) itself, C9ORF72 (ALS and FTD cases), progranulin (predominantly FTD phenotypes), VAPB (predominantly ALS cases) and in some ALS cases with rare genetic variants of uncertain pathogenicity (CHMP2B). "TDP-proteinopathy" therefore now represents a final common pathology associated with changes in multiple genes and opens the possibility of research by triangulation towards key common upstream molecular events. It also delivers final proof of the hypothesis that ALS and most FTD cases are disorders within a common pathology expressed as a clinico-anatomical spectrum. The emergence of TDP-proteinopathy also confirms the view that glial pathology is a crucial facet in this class of neurodegeneration, adding to the established view of non-nerve cell autonomous degeneration of the motor system from previous research on SOD1 fALS. Future research into the mechanisms of TDP-43 and FUS-related neurodegeneration, taking into account the major component of glial pathology now revealed in those disorders will significantly accelerate new discoveries in this field, including target identification for new therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul G Ince
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2HQ, UK.
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Fecto F, Siddique T. SIGMAR1 mutations, genetic heterogeneity at the chromosome 9p locus, and the expanding etiological diversity of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Ann Neurol 2011; 70:867-70. [PMID: 22190360 DOI: 10.1002/ana.22648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Wilmut I, Sullivan G, Chambers I. The evolving biology of cell reprogramming. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2011; 366:2183-97. [PMID: 21727124 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2011.0051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Modern stem cell biology has achieved a transformation that was thought by many to be every bit as unattainable as the ancient alchemists' dream of transforming base metals into gold. Exciting opportunities arise from the process known as 'cellular reprogramming' in which cells can be reliably changed from one tissue type to another. This is enabling novel approaches to more deeply investigate the fundamental basis of cell identity. In addition, new opportunities have also been created to study (perhaps even to treat) human genetic and degenerative diseases. Specific cell types that are affected in inherited disease can now be generated from easily accessible cells from the patient and compared with equivalent cells from healthy donors. The differences in cellular phenotype between the two may then be identified, and assays developed to establish therapies that prevent the development or progression of disease symptoms. Cellular reprogramming also has the potential to create new cells to replace those whose death or dysfunction causes disease symptoms. For patients suffering from inherited cases of degenerative diseases like Parkinson's disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as motor neuron disease), the future realization of such cell-based therapies would truly be worth its weight in gold. However, before this enormous potential can become a reality, several significant biological and technical challenges must be overcome. Furthermore, to maintain the credibility of the scientific community with the general public, it is important that hope-inspiring advances are not over-hyped. The papers in this issue of the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences cover many areas relevant to this topic. In this Introduction, we provide an overall context in which to consider these individual papers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Wilmut
- MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Chancellor's Building, 49 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 4SB, Scotland, UK.
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Making connections: pathology and genetics link amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with frontotemporal lobe dementia. J Mol Neurosci 2011; 45:663-75. [PMID: 21901496 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-011-9637-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2011] [Accepted: 08/18/2011] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Over the last couple of decades, there has been a growing body of clinical, genetic, and histopathological evidence that similar pathological processes underlie amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and some types of frontotemporal lobe dementia (FTD). Even though there is great diversity in the genetic causes of these disorders, there is a high degree of overlap in their histopathology. Genes linked to rare cases of familial ALS and/or FTD, like FUS, TARDBP, OPTN, and UBQLN2 may converge onto a unifying pathogenic pathway and thereby provide novel therapeutic targets common to a spectrum of etiologically diverse forms of ALS and ALS-FTD. Additionally, there are major loci for ALS-FTD on chromosomes 9p and 15q. Identification of causative genetic alterations at those loci will be an important step in understanding the pathogenesis of juvenile- and adult-onset ALS and ALS-FTD. Interactions between TDP-43, FUS, optineurin, and ubiquilin 2 need to be studied to understand their common molecular pathways. Future efforts should also be directed towards generation and characterization of in vivo models to dissect the pathogenic mechanisms of these diseases. Such efforts will rapidly accelerate the discovery of new drugs that regulate accumulation of pathogenic proteins and their downstream consequences.
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Perry JJP, Shin DS, Tainer JA. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2010; 685:9-20. [PMID: 20687491 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4419-6448-9_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a common neurological disorder that results in loss of motor neurons, leading to a rapidly progressive form of muscle paralysis that is fatal. There is no available cure and current therapies only provide minimal benefit at best. The disease is predominantly sporadic and until very recently only the Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase (Cu,ZnSOD), which is involved in a small number of sporadic cases and a larger component of familial ones, have been analyzed in any detail. Here we describe the clinical aspects of ALS and highlight the genetics and molecular mechanisms behind the disease. We discuss the current understanding and controversies of how mutations in Cu,ZnSOD may cause the disease. We also focus on the recent discovery that mutations in either TDP-43 or FUS/TLS, which are both involved in DNA/RNA synthesis, are likely the cause behind many cases of ALS that are not linked to Cu,ZnSOD.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Jefferson P Perry
- Department of Molecular Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA.
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Wain LV, Pedroso I, Landers JE, Breen G, Shaw CE, Leigh PN, Brown RH, Tobin MD, Al-Chalabi A. The role of copy number variation in susceptibility to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: genome-wide association study and comparison with published loci. PLoS One 2009; 4:e8175. [PMID: 19997636 PMCID: PMC2780722 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0008175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2009] [Accepted: 11/12/2009] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The genetic contribution to sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has not been fully elucidated. There are increasing efforts to characterise the role of copy number variants (CNVs) in human diseases; two previous studies concluded that CNVs may influence risk of sporadic ALS, with multiple rare CNVs more important than common CNVs. A little-explored issue surrounding genome-wide CNV association studies is that of post-calling filtering and merging of raw CNV calls. We undertook simulations to define filter thresholds and considered optimal ways of merging overlapping CNV calls for association testing, taking into consideration possibly overlapping or nested, but distinct, CNVs and boundary estimation uncertainty. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS In this study we screened Illumina 300K SNP genotyping data from 730 ALS cases and 789 controls for copy number variation. Following quality control filters using thresholds defined by simulation, a total of 11321 CNV calls were made across 575 cases and 621 controls. Using region-based and gene-based association analyses, we identified several loci showing nominally significant association. However, the choice of criteria for combining calls for association testing has an impact on the ranking of the results by their significance. Several loci which were previously reported as being associated with ALS were identified here. However, of another 15 genes previously reported as exhibiting ALS-specific copy number variation, only four exhibited copy number variation in this study. Potentially interesting novel loci, including EEF1D, a translation elongation factor involved in the delivery of aminoacyl tRNAs to the ribosome (a process which has previously been implicated in genetic studies of spinal muscular atrophy) were identified but must be treated with caution due to concerns surrounding genomic location and platform suitability. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE Interpretation of CNV association findings must take into account the effects of filtering and combining CNV calls when based on early genome-wide genotyping platforms and modest study sizes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise V. Wain
- Departments of Health Sciences and Genetics, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Inti Pedroso
- MRC Centre for Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - John E. Landers
- Day Neuromuscular Research Laboratory, Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Gerome Breen
- MRC Centre for Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher E. Shaw
- MRC Centre for Neurodegeneration Research, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - P. Nigel Leigh
- MRC Centre for Neurodegeneration Research, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Robert H. Brown
- Day Neuromuscular Research Laboratory, Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Martin D. Tobin
- Departments of Health Sciences and Genetics, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Ammar Al-Chalabi
- MRC Centre for Neurodegeneration Research, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
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Strong MJ. The evidence for altered RNA metabolism in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). J Neurol Sci 2009; 288:1-12. [PMID: 19840884 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2009.09.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2009] [Revised: 08/27/2009] [Accepted: 09/25/2009] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
In this review, the role of aberrant RNA metabolism in ALS is examined, including the evidence that a majority of the genetic mutations observed in familial ALS (including mutations in TDP-43, FUS/TLS, SOD1, angiogenin (ANG) and senataxin (SETX)) can impact directly on either gene transcription, pre-mRNA splicing, ribonucleoprotein complex formation, transport, RNA translation or degradation. The evidence that perturbed expression or function of RNA binding proteins is causally related to the selective suppression of the low molecular weight subunit protein (NFL) steady state mRNA levels in degenerating motor neurons in ALS is examined. The discovery that mtSOD1, TDP-43 and 14-3-3 proteins, all of which form cytosolic aggregates in ALS, can each modulate the stability of NFL mRNA, suggests that a fundamental alteration in the interaction of mRNA species with key trans-acting binding factors has occurred in ALS. These observations lead directly to the hypothesis that ALS can be viewed as a disorder of RNA metabolism, thus providing a novel pathway for the development of molecular pharmacotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Strong
- Molecular Brain Research Group, Robarts Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada.
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Dion PA, Daoud H, Rouleau GA. Genetics of motor neuron disorders: new insights into pathogenic mechanisms. Nat Rev Genet 2009; 10:769-82. [DOI: 10.1038/nrg2680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 228] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Tovar-y-Romo LB, Santa-Cruz LD, Tapia R. Experimental models for the study of neurodegeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Mol Neurodegener 2009; 4:31. [PMID: 19619317 PMCID: PMC2720968 DOI: 10.1186/1750-1326-4-31] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2009] [Accepted: 07/20/2009] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease of unknown cause, characterized by the selective and progressive death of both upper and lower motoneurons, leading to a progressive paralysis. Experimental animal models of the disease may provide knowledge of the pathophysiological mechanisms and allow the design and testing of therapeutic strategies, provided that they mimic as close as possible the symptoms and temporal progression of the human disease. The principal hypotheses proposed to explain the mechanisms of motoneuron degeneration have been studied mostly in models in vitro, such as primary cultures of fetal motoneurons, organotypic cultures of spinal cord sections from postnatal rodents and the motoneuron-like hybridoma cell line NSC-34. However, these models are flawed in the sense that they do not allow a direct correlation between motoneuron death and its physical consequences like paralysis. In vivo, the most widely used model is the transgenic mouse that bears a human mutant superoxide dismutase 1, the only known cause of ALS. The major disadvantage of this model is that it represents about 2%-3% of human ALS. In addition, there is a growing concern on the accuracy of these transgenic models and the extrapolations of the findings made in these animals to the clinics. Models of spontaneous motoneuron disease, like the wobbler and pmn mice, have been used aiming to understand the basic cellular mechanisms of motoneuron diseases, but these abnormalities are probably different from those occurring in ALS. Therefore, the design and testing of in vivo models of sporadic ALS, which accounts for >90% of the disease, is necessary. The main models of this type are based on the excitotoxic death of spinal motoneurons and might be useful even when there is no definitive demonstration that excitotoxicity is a cause of human ALS. Despite their difficulties, these models offer the best possibility to establish valid correlations between cellular alterations and motor behavior, although improvements are still necessary in order to produce a reliable and integrative model that accurately reproduces the cellular mechanisms of motoneuron degeneration in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis B Tovar-y-Romo
- División de Neurociencias, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, AP 70-253, 04510-México, D.F., México
| | - Luz Diana Santa-Cruz
- División de Neurociencias, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, AP 70-253, 04510-México, D.F., México
| | - Ricardo Tapia
- División de Neurociencias, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, AP 70-253, 04510-México, D.F., México
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Rowland LP. Primary lateral sclerosis, hereditary spastic paraplegia, and mutations in thealsingene: Historical background for the first International Conference. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009; 6:67-76. [PMID: 16036429 DOI: 10.1080/14660820510039032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lewis P Rowland
- Eleanor and Lou Gehrig MDA/ALS Center, Neurological Institute, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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Strong MJ. The syndromes of frontotemporal dysfunction in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009; 9:323-38. [PMID: 18752088 DOI: 10.1080/17482960802372371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Beleza-Meireles A, Al-Chalabi A. Genetic studies of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: controversies and perspectives. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009; 10:1-14. [PMID: 19110986 DOI: 10.1080/17482960802585469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The genetic causes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are slowly being dissected out with the help of recent advances in genetic technology. Linkage studies and association studies examining candidate genes, candidate pathways, and genome-wide association have been used, based on direct sequencing and correlations between genetic variations. Copy number and microsatellite variants have also been examined, although the ideal methods for analysis are still being developed. In this review we examine the evidence for a genetic basis to ALS, discuss the challenges and difficulties faced and summarize the support for the reported genetic causes of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Beleza-Meireles
- MRC Centre for Neurodegeneration Research, King's College London Institute of Psychiatry, UK
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Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease characterised by progressive muscular paralysis reflecting degeneration of motor neurones in the primary motor cortex, corticospinal tracts, brainstem and spinal cord. Incidence (average 1.89 per 100,000/year) and prevalence (average 5.2 per 100,000) are relatively uniform in Western countries, although foci of higher frequency occur in the Western Pacific. The mean age of onset for sporadic ALS is about 60 years. Overall, there is a slight male prevalence (M:F ratio approximately 1.5:1). Approximately two thirds of patients with typical ALS have a spinal form of the disease (limb onset) and present with symptoms related to focal muscle weakness and wasting, where the symptoms may start either distally or proximally in the upper and lower limbs. Gradually, spasticity may develop in the weakened atrophic limbs, affecting manual dexterity and gait. Patients with bulbar onset ALS usually present with dysarthria and dysphagia for solid or liquids, and limbs symptoms can develop almost simultaneously with bulbar symptoms, and in the vast majority of cases will occur within 1-2 years. Paralysis is progressive and leads to death due to respiratory failure within 2-3 years for bulbar onset cases and 3-5 years for limb onset ALS cases. Most ALS cases are sporadic but 5-10% of cases are familial, and of these 20% have a mutation of the SOD1 gene and about 2-5% have mutations of the TARDBP (TDP-43) gene. Two percent of apparently sporadic patients have SOD1 mutations, and TARDBP mutations also occur in sporadic cases. The diagnosis is based on clinical history, examination, electromyography, and exclusion of 'ALS-mimics' (e.g. cervical spondylotic myelopathies, multifocal motor neuropathy, Kennedy's disease) by appropriate investigations. The pathological hallmarks comprise loss of motor neurones with intraneuronal ubiquitin-immunoreactive inclusions in upper motor neurones and TDP-43 immunoreactive inclusions in degenerating lower motor neurones. Signs of upper motor neurone and lower motor neurone damage not explained by any other disease process are suggestive of ALS. The management of ALS is supportive, palliative, and multidisciplinary. Non-invasive ventilation prolongs survival and improves quality of life. Riluzole is the only drug that has been shown to extend survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lokesh C Wijesekera
- MRC centre for Neurodegeneration Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Box 41, Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London, London, SE5 8AF, UK
| | - P Nigel Leigh
- MRC centre for Neurodegeneration Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Box 41, Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London, London, SE5 8AF, UK
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Cai H, Shim H, Lai C, Xie C, Lin X, Yang WJ, Chandran J. ALS2/alsin knockout mice and motor neuron diseases. NEURODEGENER DIS 2008; 5:359-66. [PMID: 18714162 DOI: 10.1159/000151295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2007] [Accepted: 12/21/2007] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Autosomal recessive mutations in the ALS2 gene have been linked to juvenile-onset amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS2), primary lateral sclerosis and juvenile-onset ascending hereditary spastic paraplegia. Except for two recently identified missense mutations, all other mutations in the ALS2 gene lead to a premature stop codon and likely abrogate all the potential functions of alsin, the protein encoded by the ALS2 gene. To study the pathologic mechanisms of ALS2 deficiency, four different lines of ALS2 knockout (ALS2(-/-)) mice have been generated by independent groups. The loss of ALS2/alsin does not have a drastic effect on the survival or function of motor neurons in mice. However, subtle deficits observed in the behavior and pathology of these mice have aided in our understanding of the relationship between alsin and motor neuron dysfunction. In this review, we summarize and reconcile major findings of ALS2(-/-) mice and attempt to place these results within the larger context of modeling recessive movement disorders in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huaibin Cai
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-3707, USA.
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Bigini P, Repici M, Cantarella G, Fumagalli E, Barbera S, Cagnotto A, De Luigi A, Tonelli R, Bernardini R, Borsello T, Mennini T. Recombinant human TNF-binding protein-1 (rhTBP-1) treatment delays both symptoms progression and motor neuron loss in the wobbler mouse. Neurobiol Dis 2007; 29:465-76. [PMID: 18201889 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2007.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2007] [Revised: 10/16/2007] [Accepted: 11/05/2007] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
TNF-alpha overexpression may contribute to motor neuron death in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We investigated the intracellular pathway associated with TNF-alpha in the wobbler mouse, a murine model of ALS, at the onset of symptoms. TNF-alpha and TNFR1 overexpression and JNK/p38MAPK phosphorylation occurred in neurons and microglia in early symptomatic mice, suggesting that this activation may contribute to motor neuron damage. The involvement of TNF-alpha was further confirmed by the protective effect of treatment with rhTNF-alpha binding protein (rhTBP-1) from 4 to 9 weeks of age. rhTBP-1 reduced the progression of symptoms, motor neuron loss, gliosis and JNK/p38MAPK phosphorylation in wobbler mice, but did not reduce TNF-alpha and TNFR1 levels. rhTBP-1 might possibly bind TNF-alpha and reduce the downstream phosphorylation of two main effectors of the neuroinflammatory response, p38MAPK and JNK.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Bigini
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Via La Masa, 19, 20156 Milano, Italy
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Gouveia LO, de Carvalho M. Young-onset sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a distinct nosological entity? ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007; 8:323-7. [PMID: 17852021 DOI: 10.1080/17482960701553956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
There are few reports describing young-onset amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Age at onset is a prognostic factor in ALS, and thus it is relevant to investigate the clinical features of very young ALS patients. We describe three young-onset ALS cases and review the literature. SOD1 mutations were not identified. Our cases and 24 others from the literature indicate that young-onset ALS is characterized by slowly progressive symmetrical weakness; nevertheless, progression is variable. Young-onset ALS seems to be a distinct clinical syndrome but its aetiological background is largely unknown.
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Hadano S, Kunita R, Otomo A, Suzuki-Utsunomiya K, Ikeda JE. Molecular and cellular function of ALS2/alsin: Implication of membrane dynamics in neuronal development and degeneration. Neurochem Int 2007; 51:74-84. [PMID: 17566607 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2007.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2007] [Revised: 04/18/2007] [Accepted: 04/19/2007] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
ALS2 is a causative gene for a juvenile autosomal recessive form of motor neuron diseases (MNDs), including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis 2 (ALS2), juvenile primary lateral sclerosis, and infantile-onset ascending hereditary spastic paralysis. These disorders are characterized by ascending degeneration of the upper motor neurons with or without lower motor neuron involvement. Thus far, a total of 12 independent ALS2 mutations, which include a small deletion, non-sense mutation, or missense mutation spreading widely across the entire coding sequence, are reported. They are predicted to result in either premature termination of translation or substitution of an evolutionarily conserved amino acid. Thus, a loss of functions in the ALS2-coded protein accounts for motor dysfunction and/or degeneration in the ALS2-linked MNDs. The ALS2 gene encodes a novel 184kDa protein of 1657 amino acids, ALS2 or alsin, comprising three predicted guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) domains: the N-terminal RCC1-like domain, the central Dbl homology and pleckstrin homology (DH/PH) domains, and the C-terminal vacuolar protein sorting 9 (VPS9) domain. In addition, eight consecutive membrane occupation and recognition nexus (MORN) motifs are noted in the region between DH/PH and VPS9 domains. ALS2 activates Rab5 small GTPase and involves in endosome/membrane trafficking and fusions in the cells, and also promotes neurite outgrowth in neuronal cultures. Further, a neuroprotective role for ALS2 against cytotoxicity; i.e., the mutant Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1)-mediated toxicity, oxidative stress, and excitotoxicity, has recently been implied. This review outlines current understandings of the molecular and cellular functions of ALS2 and its related proteins on safeguarding the integrity of motor neurons, and sheds light on the molecular pathogenesis of MNDs as well as other conditions of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinji Hadano
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Kanagawa 259-1193, Japan
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