1
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Rajabi D, Khanmohammadi S, Rezaei N. The role of long noncoding RNAs in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Rev Neurosci 2024; 35:533-547. [PMID: 38452377 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2023-0155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease with a poor prognosis leading to death. The diagnosis and treatment of ALS are inherently challenging due to its complex pathomechanism. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are transcripts longer than 200 nucleotides involved in different cellular processes, incisively gene expression. In recent years, more studies have been conducted on lncRNA classes and interference in different disease pathologies, showing their promising contribution to diagnosing and treating neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we discussed the role of lncRNAs like NEAT1 and C9orf72-as in ALS pathogenesis mechanisms caused by mutations in different genes, including TAR DNA-binding protein-43 (TDP-43), fused in sarcoma (FUS), superoxide dismutase type 1 (SOD1). NEAT1 is a well-established lncRNA in ALS pathogenesis; hence, we elaborate on its involvement in forming paraspeckles, stress response, inflammatory response, and apoptosis. Furthermore, antisense lncRNAs (as-lncRNAs), a key group of transcripts from the opposite strand of genes, including ZEB1-AS1 and ATXN2-AS, are discussed as newly identified components in the pathology of ALS. Ultimately, we review the current standing of using lncRNAs as biomarkers and therapeutic agents and the future vision of further studies on lncRNA applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darya Rajabi
- School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Felestin St., Keshavarz Blvd., Tehran, 1416634793, Iran
| | - Shaghayegh Khanmohammadi
- School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Felestin St., Keshavarz Blvd., Tehran, 1416634793, Iran
- Research Center for Immunodeficiencies, Children's Medical Center, No 63, Gharib Ave, Keshavarz Blv, Tehran, 1419733151, Iran
- Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Children's Medical Center, No 63, Gharib Ave, Keshavarz Blv, Tehran, 1419733151, Iran
| | - Nima Rezaei
- Research Center for Immunodeficiencies, Children's Medical Center, No 63, Gharib Ave, Keshavarz Blv, Tehran, 1419733151, Iran
- Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Children's Medical Center, No 63, Gharib Ave, Keshavarz Blv, Tehran, 1419733151, Iran
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Felestin St., Keshavarz Blvd., Tehran, 1416634793, Iran
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Huang J, Yu Y, Pang D, Li C, Wei Q, Cheng Y, Cui Y, Ou R, Shang H. Lnc-HIBADH-4 Regulates Autophagy-Lysosome Pathway in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis by Targeting Cathepsin D. Mol Neurobiol 2024; 61:4768-4782. [PMID: 38135852 PMCID: PMC11236912 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03835-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most prevalent and lethal class of severe motor neuron diseases (MND) with no efficacious treatment. The pathogenic mechanisms underlying ALS remain unclear. Nearly 90% of patients exhibit sporadic onset (sALS). Therefore, elucidating the pathophysiology of ALS is imperative. Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is a large class of non-coding RNAs that regulate transcription, translation, and post-translational processes. LncRNAs contribute to the pathogenesis of diverse neurodegenerative disorders and hold promise as targets for interference in the realm of neurodegeneration. However, the mechanisms of which lncRNAs are involved in ALS have not been thoroughly investigated. We identified and validated a downregulated lncRNA, lnc-HIBADH-4, in ALS which correlated with disease severity and overall survival. Lnc-HIBADH-4 acted as a "molecular sponge" regulating lysosomal function through the lnc-HIBADH-4/miR-326/CTSD pathway, thereby impacting autophagy-lysosome dynamics and the levels of cell proliferation and apoptosis. Therefore, this study discovered and revealed the role of lnc-HIBADH-4 in the pathogenesis of ALS. With further research, lnc-HIBADH-4 is expected to provide a new biomarker in the diagnosis and treatment of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingxuan Huang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue Lane, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Yujiao Yu
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue Lane, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Dejiang Pang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue Lane, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Chunyu Li
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue Lane, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Qianqian Wei
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue Lane, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Yangfan Cheng
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue Lane, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Yiyuan Cui
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue Lane, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Ruwei Ou
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue Lane, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Huifang Shang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Rare Diseases Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue Lane, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
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3
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Al-kuraishy HM, Jabir MS, Sulaiman GM, Mohammed HA, Al-Gareeb AI, Albuhadily AK, Jawad SF, Swelum AA, Abomughaid MM. The role of statins in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: protective or not? Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1422912. [PMID: 38903602 PMCID: PMC11188367 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1422912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease of motor neurons characterized by muscle weakness, muscle twitching, and muscle wasting. ALS is regarded as the third-most frequent neurodegenerative disease, subsequent to Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). The World Health Organization (WHO) in 2007 declared that prolonged use of statins may induce development of ALS-like syndrome and may increase ALS risk. Subsequently, different studies have implicated statins in the pathogenesis of ALS. In contrast, results from preclinical and clinical studies highlighted the protective role of statins against ALS neuropathology. Recently, meta-analyses and systematic reviews illustrated no association between long-term use of statins and ALS risk. These findings highlighted controversial points regarding the effects of statins on ALS pathogenesis and risk. The neuroprotective effects of statins against the development and progression of ALS may be mediated by regulating dyslipidemia and inflammatory changes. However, the mechanism for induction of ALS neuropathology by statins may be related to the dysregulation of liver X receptor signaling (LXR) signaling in the motor neurons and reduction of cholesterol, which has a neuroprotective effect against ALS neuropathology. Nevertheless, the exact role of statins on the pathogenesis of ALS was not fully elucidated. Therefore, this narrative review aims to discuss the role of statins in ALS neuropathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayder M. Al-kuraishy
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Medicine, College of Medicine, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Majid S. Jabir
- Department of Applied Sciences, University of Technology, Baghdad, Iraq
| | | | - Hamdoon A. Mohammed
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Qassim University, Qassim, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Medicinal Plants, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ali I. Al-Gareeb
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Medicine, College of Medicine, Jabir Ibn Hayyan Medical University, Kufa, Iraq
| | - Ali K. Albuhadily
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Medicine, College of Medicine, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq
| | - Sabrean F. Jawad
- Department of Pharmacy, Al-Mustaqbal University College, Hillah, Iraq
| | - Ayman A. Swelum
- Department of Animal Production, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mosleh M. Abomughaid
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Bisha, Bisha, Saudi Arabia
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4
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Carelli S, Rey F, Maghraby E, Cereda C. Insights on ZEB1-AS1: emerging roles from cancer to neurodegeneration. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:1187-1188. [PMID: 37905857 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.385856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Stephana Carelli
- Pediatric Research Center "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy (Carelli S, Rey F, Maghraby E)
- Center of Functional Genomics and Rare Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Buzzi Children's Hospital, Milan, Italy (Carelli S, Rey F, Cereda C)
| | - Federica Rey
- Pediatric Research Center "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy (Carelli S, Rey F, Maghraby E)
- Center of Functional Genomics and Rare Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Buzzi Children's Hospital, Milan, Italy (Carelli S, Rey F, Cereda C)
| | - Erika Maghraby
- Pediatric Research Center "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy (Carelli S, Rey F, Maghraby E)
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "L. Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy (Maghraby E)
| | - Cristina Cereda
- Pediatric Research Center "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy (Carelli S, Rey F, Maghraby E)
- Center of Functional Genomics and Rare Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Buzzi Children's Hospital, Milan, Italy (Carelli S, Rey F, Cereda C)
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5
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Pang D, Yu Y, Zhao B, Huang J, Cui Y, Li T, Li C, Shang H. The Long Non-Coding RNA NR3C2-8:1 Promotes p53-Mediated Apoptosis through the miR-129-5p/USP10 Axis in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Mol Neurobiol 2024:10.1007/s12035-024-04059-x. [PMID: 38388775 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-024-04059-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Motor neuron degeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a form of apoptosis, but the mechanisms underlying this neuronal cell death remain unclear. Numerous studies demonstrate abnormally elevated and active p53 in the central nervous system of ALS patients. Activation of p53-regulated pro-apoptotic signaling pathways may trigger motor neuron death. We previously reported decreased expression of the long non-coding RNA NR3C2-8:1 (Lnc-NR3C) in leukocytes of ALS patients. Here, we show lnc-NR3C promotes p53-mediated cell death in ALS by upregulating USP10 and promoting lnc-NR3C-triggered p53 activation, resulting in cell death. Conversely, lnc-NR3C knockdown inhibited USP10-triggered p53 activation, thereby protecting cells against oxidative stress. As a competitive endogenous RNA, lnc-NR3C competitively binds miR-129-5p, regulating the usp10/p53 axis. Elucidating the link between Lnc-NR3C and the USP10/p53 axis in an ALS cell model reveals a role for long non-coding RNAs in activating apoptosis. This provides new therapeutic opportunities in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dejiang Pang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue Lane, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Yujiao Yu
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue Lane, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Bi Zhao
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue Lane, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Jingxuan Huang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue Lane, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Yiyuan Cui
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue Lane, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Tengfei Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue Lane, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Chunyu Li
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue Lane, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
| | - Huifang Shang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue Lane, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
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6
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Anilkumar AK, Vij P, Lopez S, Leslie SM, Doxtater K, Khan MM, Yallapu MM, Chauhan SC, Maestre GE, Tripathi MK. Long Non-Coding RNAs: New Insights in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2268. [PMID: 38396946 PMCID: PMC10889599 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25042268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs), including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), are gradually becoming a burden to society. The adverse effects and mortality/morbidity rates associated with these NDDs are a cause of many healthcare concerns. The pathologic alterations of NDDs are related to mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and inflammation, which further stimulate the progression of NDDs. Recently, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have attracted ample attention as critical mediators in the pathology of NDDs. However, there is a significant gap in understanding the biological function, molecular mechanisms, and potential importance of lncRNAs in NDDs. This review documents the current research on lncRNAs and their implications in NDDs. We further summarize the potential implication of lncRNAs to serve as novel therapeutic targets and biomarkers for patients with NDDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adithya K. Anilkumar
- Medicine and Oncology, ISU, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX 78504, USA
- South Texas Center of Excellence in Cancer Research, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX 78504, USA
| | - Puneet Vij
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, St. John’s University, Queens, NY 11439, USA
| | - Samantha Lopez
- Medicine and Oncology, ISU, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX 78504, USA
- South Texas Center of Excellence in Cancer Research, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX 78504, USA
| | - Sophia M. Leslie
- Medicine and Oncology, ISU, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX 78504, USA
- South Texas Center of Excellence in Cancer Research, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX 78504, USA
| | - Kyle Doxtater
- Medicine and Oncology, ISU, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX 78504, USA
- South Texas Center of Excellence in Cancer Research, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX 78504, USA
| | - Mohammad Moshahid Khan
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
| | - Murali M. Yallapu
- Medicine and Oncology, ISU, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX 78504, USA
- South Texas Center of Excellence in Cancer Research, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX 78504, USA
| | - Subhash C. Chauhan
- Medicine and Oncology, ISU, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX 78504, USA
- South Texas Center of Excellence in Cancer Research, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX 78504, USA
| | - Gladys E. Maestre
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine, Brownsville, TX 78550, USA
- South Texas Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Harlingen, TX 78550, USA
| | - Manish K. Tripathi
- Medicine and Oncology, ISU, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX 78504, USA
- South Texas Center of Excellence in Cancer Research, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, TX 78504, USA
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Theme 06 - Tissue Biomarkers. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2023; 24:161-172. [PMID: 37966321 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2023.2260196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
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8
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Garofalo M, Bonanno S, Marcuzzo S, Pandini C, Scarian E, Dragoni F, Di Gerlando R, Bordoni M, Parravicini S, Gellera C, Masson R, Dosi C, Zanin R, Pansarasa O, Cereda C, Berardinelli A, Gagliardi S. Preliminary insights into RNA in CSF of pediatric SMA patients after 6 months of nusinersen. Biol Direct 2023; 18:57. [PMID: 37705059 PMCID: PMC10498611 DOI: 10.1186/s13062-023-00413-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a rare autosomal-recessive neurodegenerative disorder caused by mutations in survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene, and consequent loss of function of SMN protein, which results in progressive loss of lower motor neurons, and muscular wasting. Antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) nusinersen (Spinraza®) modulates the pre-mRNA splicing of the SMN2 gene, allowing rebalance of biologically active SMN. It is administered intrathecally via lumbar puncture after removing an equal amount of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Its effect was proven beneficial and approved since 2017 for SMA treatment. Given the direct effect of nusinersen on RNA metabolism, the aim of this project was to evaluate cell-free RNA (cfRNA) in CSF of SMA patients under ASOs treatment for biomarker discovery. METHODS By RNA-sequencing approach, RNA obtained from CSF of pediatric SMA type 2 and 3 patients was processed after 6 months of nusinersen treatment, at fifth intrathecal injection (T6), and compared to baseline (T0). RESULTS We observed the deregulation of cfRNAs in patients at T6 and we were able to classify these RNAs into disease specific, treatment specific and treatment dependent. Moreover, we subdivided patients into "homogeneous" and "heterogeneous" according to their gene expression pattern. The "heterogeneous" group showed peculiar activation of genes coding for ribosomal components, meaning that in these patients a different molecular effect of nusinersen is observable, even if this specific molecular response was not referable to a clinical pattern. CONCLUSIONS This study provides preliminary insights into modulation of gene expression dependent on nusinersen treatment and lays the foundation for biomarkers discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - S Bonanno
- Neurology IV-Neuroimmunology and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - S Marcuzzo
- Neurology IV-Neuroimmunology and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - C Pandini
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - E Scarian
- IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - F Dragoni
- IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - R Di Gerlando
- IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - M Bordoni
- IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - S Parravicini
- IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - C Gellera
- Unit of Medical Genetics and Neurogenetics, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - R Masson
- Neurology IV-Neuroimmunology and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - C Dosi
- Neurology IV-Neuroimmunology and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - R Zanin
- Neurology IV-Neuroimmunology and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | | | - C Cereda
- Center of Functional Genomics and Rare Diseases, V. Buzzi Children's Hospital, 20154, Milan, Italy
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Guareschi S, Ravasi M, Baldessari D, Pozzi S, Zaffino T, Melazzini M, Ambrosini A. The positive impact on translational research of Fondazione italiana di ricerca per la Sclerosi Laterale Amiotrofica (AriSLA), a non-profit foundation focused on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Convergence of ex-ante evaluation and ex-post outcomes when goals are set upfront. Front Res Metr Anal 2023; 8:1067981. [PMID: 37601533 PMCID: PMC10436489 DOI: 10.3389/frma.2023.1067981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Charities investing on rare disease research greatly contribute to generate ground-breaking knowledge with the clear goal of finding a cure for their condition of interest. Although the amount of their investments may be relatively small compared to major funders, the advocacy groups' clear mission promotes innovative research and aggregates highly motivated and mission-oriented scientists. Here, we illustrate the case of Fondazione italiana di ricerca per la Sclerosi Laterale Amiotrofica (AriSLA), the main Italian funding agency entirely dedicated to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis research. An international benchmark analysis of publications derived from AriSLA-funded projects indicated that their mean relative citation ratio values (iCite dashboard, National Institutes of Health, U.S.) were very high, suggesting a strong influence on the referring international scientific community. An interesting trend of research toward translation based on the "triangle of biomedicine" and paper citations (iCite) was also observed. Qualitative analysis on researchers' accomplishments was convergent with the bibliometric data, indicating a high level of performance of several working groups, lines of research that speak of progression toward clinical translation, and one study that has progressed from the investigation of cellular mechanisms to a Phase 2 international clinical trial. The key elements of the success of the AriSLA investment lie in: (i) the clear definition of the objectives (research with potential impact on patients, no matter how far), (ii) a rigorous peer-review process entrusted to an international panel of experts, (iii) diversification of the portfolio with ad hoc selection criteria, which also contributed to bringing new experts and younger scientists to the field, and (iv) a close interaction of AriSLA stakeholders with scientists, who developed a strong sense of belonging. Periodic review of the portfolio of investments is a vital practice for funding agencies. Sharing information between funding agencies about their own policies and research assessment methods and outcomes help guide the international debate on funding strategies and research directions to be undertaken, particularly in the field of rare diseases, where synergy is a relevant enabling factor.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Anna Ambrosini
- Fondazione AriSLA ETS, Milan, Italy
- Fondazione Telethon ETS, Milan, Italy
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10
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Morello G, La Cognata V, Guarnaccia M, La Bella V, Conforti FL, Cavallaro S. A Diagnostic Gene-Expression Signature in Fibroblasts of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Cells 2023; 12:1884. [PMID: 37508548 PMCID: PMC10378077 DOI: 10.3390/cells12141884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal, progressive neurodegenerative disease with limited treatment options. Diagnosis can be difficult due to the heterogeneity and non-specific nature of the initial symptoms, resulting in delays that compromise prompt access to effective therapeutic strategies. Transcriptome profiling of patient-derived peripheral cells represents a valuable benchmark in overcoming such challenges, providing the opportunity to identify molecular diagnostic signatures. In this study, we characterized transcriptome changes in skin fibroblasts of sporadic ALS patients (sALS) and controls and evaluated their utility as a molecular classifier for ALS diagnosis. Our analysis identified 277 differentially expressed transcripts predominantly involved in transcriptional regulation, synaptic transmission, and the inflammatory response. A support vector machine classifier based on this 277-gene signature was developed to discriminate patients with sALS from controls, showing significant predictive power in both the discovery dataset and in six independent publicly available gene expression datasets obtained from different sALS tissue/cell samples. Taken together, our findings support the utility of transcriptional signatures in peripheral cells as valuable biomarkers for the diagnosis of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanna Morello
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council (CNR-IRIB), 95126 Catania, Italy
| | - Valentina La Cognata
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council (CNR-IRIB), 95126 Catania, Italy
| | - Maria Guarnaccia
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council (CNR-IRIB), 95126 Catania, Italy
| | - Vincenzo La Bella
- ALS Clinical Research Center and Neurochemistry Laboratory, BiND, University of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy
| | - Francesca Luisa Conforti
- Medical Genetics Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy and Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Cavallaro
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council (CNR-IRIB), 95126 Catania, Italy
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Srinivas T, Mathias C, Oliveira-Mateos C, Guil S. Roles of lncRNAs in brain development and pathogenesis: Emerging therapeutic opportunities. Mol Ther 2023; 31:1550-1561. [PMID: 36793211 PMCID: PMC10277896 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2023.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The human genome is pervasively transcribed, producing a majority of short and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) that can influence cellular programs through a variety of transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms. The brain houses the richest repertoire of long noncoding transcripts, which function at every stage during central nervous system development and homeostasis. An example of functionally relevant lncRNAs is species involved in spatiotemporal organization of gene expression in different brain regions, which play roles at the nuclear level and in transport, translation, and decay of other transcripts in specific neuronal sites. Research in the field has enabled identification of the contributions of specific lncRNAs to certain brain diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, cancer, and neurodevelopmental disorders, resulting in notions of potential therapeutic strategies that target these RNAs to recover the normal phenotype. Here, we summarize the latest mechanistic findings associated with lncRNAs in the brain, focusing on their dysregulation in neurodevelopmental or neurodegenerative disorders, their use as biomarkers for central nervous system (CNS) diseases in vitro and in vivo, and their potential utility for therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara Srinivas
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Badalona, 08916 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Carolina Mathias
- Department of Genetics, Federal University of Parana, Post-graduation Program in Genetics, Curitiba, PR, Brazil; Laboratory of Applied Science and Technology in Health, Carlos Chagas Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | | | - Sonia Guil
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Badalona, 08916 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Germans Trias i Pujol Health Science Research Institute, Badalona, 08916 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
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12
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Huang LA, Lin C, Yang L. Plumbing mysterious RNAs in "dark genome" for the conquest of human diseases. Mol Ther 2023; 31:1577-1595. [PMID: 37165619 PMCID: PMC10278048 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2023.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Next-generation sequencing has revealed that less than 2% of transcribed genes are translated into proteins, with a large portion transcribed into noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs). Among these, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) represent the largest group and are pervasively transcribed throughout the genome. Dysfunctions in lncRNAs have been found in various diseases, highlighting their potential as therapeutic, diagnostic, and prognostic targets. However, challenges, such as unknown molecular mechanisms and nonspecific immune responses, and issues of drug specificity and delivery present obstacles in translating lncRNAs into clinical applications. In this review, we summarize recent publications that have explored lncRNA functions in human diseases. We also discuss challenges and future directions for developing lncRNA treatments, aiming to bridge the gap between functional studies and clinical potential and inspire further exploration in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa A Huang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Chunru Lin
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
| | - Liuqing Yang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Center for RNA Interference and Non-Coding RNAs, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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13
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Jiang Y, Xu N. The Emerging Role of Autophagy-Associated lncRNAs in the Pathogenesis of Neurodegenerative Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24119686. [PMID: 37298636 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) have become a significant global public health problem and a major societal burden. The World Health Organization predicts that NDDs will overtake cancer as the second most common cause of human mortality within 20 years. Thus, it is urgently important to identify pathogenic and diagnostic molecular markers related to neurodegenerative processes. Autophagy is a powerful process for removing aggregate-prone proteins in neurons; defects in autophagy are often associated with the pathogenesis of NDDs. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been suggested as key regulators in neurodevelopment; aberrant regulation of lncRNAs contributes to neurological disorders. In this review, we summarize the recent progress in the study of lncRNAs and autophagy in the context of neurodegenerative disorders, especially Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). The information presented here should provide guidance for future in-depth investigations of neurodegenerative processes and related diagnostic molecular markers and treatment targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yapei Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Open FIESTA Center, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Naihan Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Institute of Biopharmaceutical and Health Engineering, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, China
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14
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Rey F, Maghraby E, Messa L, Esposito L, Barzaghini B, Pandini C, Bordoni M, Gagliardi S, Diamanti L, Raimondi MT, Mazza M, Zuccotti G, Carelli S, Cereda C. Identification of a novel pathway in sporadic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis mediated by the long non-coding RNA ZEB1-AS1. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 178:106030. [PMID: 36736597 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Deregulation of transcription in the pathogenesis of sporadic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (sALS) is taking central stage with RNA-sequencing analyses from sALS patients tissues highlighting numerous deregulated long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). The oncogenic lncRNA ZEB1-AS1 is strongly downregulated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of sALS patients. In addition, in cancer-derived cell lines, ZEB1-AS1 belongs to a negative feedback loop regulation with hsa-miR-200c, acting as a molecular sponge for this miRNA. The role of the lncRNA ZEB1-AS1 in sALS pathogenesis has not been characterized yet, and its study could help identifying a possible disease-modifying target. METHODS the implication of the ZEB1-AS1/ZEB1/hsa-miR-200c/BMI1 pathway was investigated in multiple patients-derived cellular models (patients-derived peripheral blood mononuclear cells and induced pluripotent stem cells-derived neural stem cells) and in the neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y, where its function was inhibited via RNA interference. Molecular techniques such as Real Time PCR, Western Blot and Immunofluorescence were used to assess the pathway dysregulation. RESULTS Our results show a dysregulation of a signaling pathway involving ZEB1-AS1/hsa-miR-200c/β-Catenin in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and in induced pluripotent stem cells-derived neural stem cells from sALS patients. These results were validated in vitro on the cell line SH-SY5Y with silenced expression of ZEB1-AS1. Moreover, we found an increase for ZEB1-AS1 during neural differentiation with an aberrant expression of β-Catenin, highlighting also its aggregation and possible impact on neurite length. CONCLUSIONS Our results support and describe the role of ZEB1-AS1 pathway in sALS and specifically in neuronal differentiation, suggesting that an impairment of β-Catenin signaling and an alteration of the neuronal phenotype are taking place.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Rey
- Pediatric Research Center "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Erika Maghraby
- Pediatric Research Center "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Department of Biology and Biotechnology "L. Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Letizia Messa
- Center of Functional Genomics and Rare Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Buzzi Children's Hospital, Milan, Italy; Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering (DEIB), Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Letizia Esposito
- Pediatric Research Center "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Bianca Barzaghini
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "Giulio Natta", Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Cecilia Pandini
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Matteo Bordoni
- Cellular Models and Neuroepigenetics Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Stella Gagliardi
- Molecular Biology and Transcriptomics Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Luca Diamanti
- Neuroncology Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Manuela Teresa Raimondi
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "Giulio Natta", Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Mazza
- Immunotherapy, Cell Therapy and Biobank (ITCB), IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) "Dino Amadori", Meldola, Italy
| | - Gianvincenzo Zuccotti
- Pediatric Research Center "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Department of Pediatrics, Buzzi Children's Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Stephana Carelli
- Pediatric Research Center "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
| | - Cristina Cereda
- Center of Functional Genomics and Rare Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Buzzi Children's Hospital, Milan, Italy
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15
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TDP-43 Proteinopathy Specific Biomarker Development. Cells 2023; 12:cells12040597. [PMID: 36831264 PMCID: PMC9954136 DOI: 10.3390/cells12040597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
TDP-43 is the primary or secondary pathological hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, half of frontotemporal dementia cases, and limbic age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy, which clinically resembles Alzheimer's dementia. In such diseases, a biomarker that can detect TDP-43 proteinopathy in life would help to stratify patients according to their definite diagnosis of pathology, rather than in clinical subgroups of uncertain pathology. For therapies developed to target pathological proteins that cause the disease a biomarker to detect and track the underlying pathology would greatly enhance such undertakings. This article reviews the latest developments and outlooks of deriving TDP-43-specific biomarkers from the pathophysiological processes involved in the development of TDP-43 proteinopathy and studies using biosamples from clinical entities associated with TDP-43 pathology to investigate biomarker candidates.
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16
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Non-coding RNAs in human health and disease: potential function as biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Funct Integr Genomics 2023; 23:33. [PMID: 36625940 PMCID: PMC9838419 DOI: 10.1007/s10142-022-00947-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Human diseases have been a critical threat from the beginning of human history. Knowing the origin, course of action and treatment of any disease state is essential. A microscopic approach to the molecular field is a more coherent and accurate way to explore the mechanism, progression, and therapy with the introduction and evolution of technology than a macroscopic approach. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) play increasingly important roles in detecting, developing, and treating all abnormalities related to physiology, pathology, genetics, epigenetics, cancer, and developmental diseases. Noncoding RNAs are becoming increasingly crucial as powerful, multipurpose regulators of all biological processes. Parallel to this, a rising amount of scientific information has revealed links between abnormal noncoding RNA expression and human disorders. Numerous non-coding transcripts with unknown functions have been found in addition to advancements in RNA-sequencing methods. Non-coding linear RNAs come in a variety of forms, including circular RNAs with a continuous closed loop (circRNA), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA), and microRNAs (miRNA). This comprises specific information on their biogenesis, mode of action, physiological function, and significance concerning disease (such as cancer or cardiovascular diseases and others). This study review focuses on non-coding RNA as specific biomarkers and novel therapeutic targets.
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17
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Pellegrini F, Padovano V, Biscarini S, Santini T, Setti A, Galfrè SG, Silenzi V, Vitiello E, Mariani D, Nicoletti C, Torromino G, De Leonibus E, Martone J, Bozzoni I. A KO mouse model for the lncRNA Lhx1os produces motor neuron alterations and locomotor impairment. iScience 2022; 26:105891. [PMID: 36647387 PMCID: PMC9840152 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Here, we describe a conserved motor neuron-specific long non-coding RNA, Lhx1os, whose knockout in mice produces motor impairment and postnatal reduction of mature motor neurons (MNs). The ER stress-response pathway result specifically altered with the downregulation of factors involved in the unfolded protein response (UPR). Lhx1os was found to bind the ER-associated PDIA3 disulfide isomerase and to affect the expression of the same set of genes controlled by this protein, indicating that the two factors act in conjunction to modulate the UPR. Altogether, the observed phenotype and function of Lhx1os indicate its important role in the control of MN homeostasis and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flaminia Pellegrini
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy,Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science@Sapienza of Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Vittorio Padovano
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy,Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science@Sapienza of Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Biscarini
- Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science@Sapienza of Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Tiziana Santini
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy,Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science@Sapienza of Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Adriano Setti
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Giulia Galfrè
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Valentina Silenzi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy,Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science@Sapienza of Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Erika Vitiello
- Center for Human Technologies (CHT) Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 16152 Genova, Italy
| | - Davide Mariani
- Center for Human Technologies (CHT) Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 16152 Genova, Italy
| | - Carmine Nicoletti
- DAHFMO - Section of Histology and Medical Embryology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Torromino
- Institute of Cellular Biology and Neurobiology "ABT", CNR, Monterotondo, 00015 Rome, Italy
| | - Elvira De Leonibus
- Institute of Cellular Biology and Neurobiology "ABT", CNR, Monterotondo, 00015 Rome, Italy,Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, 80078 Naples, Italy
| | - Julie Martone
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, CNR, 00185 Rome, Italy,Corresponding author
| | - Irene Bozzoni
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy,Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science@Sapienza of Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 00161 Rome, Italy,Center for Human Technologies (CHT) Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 16152 Genova, Italy,Corresponding author
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18
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Glavač D, Mladinić M, Ban J, Mazzone GL, Sámano C, Tomljanović I, Jezernik G, Ravnik-Glavač M. The Potential Connection between Molecular Changes and Biomarkers Related to ALS and the Development and Regeneration of CNS. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231911360. [PMID: 36232667 PMCID: PMC9570269 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 09/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are one of the greatest medical burdens of the modern age, being mostly incurable and with limited prognostic and diagnostic tools. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal, progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by the loss of motoneurons, with a complex etiology, combining genetic, epigenetic, and environmental causes. The neuroprotective therapeutic approaches are very limited, while the diagnostics rely on clinical examination and the exclusion of other diseases. The recent advancement in the discovery of molecular pathways and gene mutations involved in ALS has deepened the understanding of the disease pathology and opened the possibility for new treatments and diagnostic procedures. Recently, 15 risk loci with distinct genetic architectures and neuron-specific biology were identified as linked to ALS through common and rare variant association analyses. Interestingly, the quantity of related proteins to these genes has been found to change during early postnatal development in mammalian spinal cord tissue (opossum Monodelphis domestica) at the particular time when neuroregeneration stops being possible. Here, we discuss the possibility that the ALS-related genes/proteins could be connected to neuroregeneration and development. Moreover, since the regulation of gene expression in developmental checkpoints is frequently regulated by non-coding RNAs, we propose that studying the changes in the composition and quantity of non-coding RNA molecules, both in ALS patients and in the developing central nervous (CNS) system of the opossum at the time when neuroregeneration ceases, could reveal potential biomarkers useful in ALS prognosis and diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damjan Glavač
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljublana, Slovenia
- Center for Human Genetics & Pharmacogenomics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Miranda Mladinić
- Laboratory for Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Biotechnology, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Jelena Ban
- Laboratory for Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Biotechnology, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Graciela L. Mazzone
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Medicina Traslacional (IIMT), CONICET-Universidad Austral, Buenos Aires B1629AHJ, Argentina
| | - Cynthia Sámano
- Departamento de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana Unidad Cuajimalpa, Mexico City 05348, Mexico
| | - Ivana Tomljanović
- Laboratory for Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Biotechnology, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Gregor Jezernik
- Center for Human Genetics & Pharmacogenomics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Metka Ravnik-Glavač
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Correspondence:
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19
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Palmieri I, Poloni TE, Medici V, Zucca S, Davin A, Pansarasa O, Ceroni M, Tronconi L, Guaita A, Gagliardi S, Cereda C. Differential Neuropathology, Genetics, and Transcriptomics in Two Kindred Cases with Alzheimer’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10071687. [PMID: 35884993 PMCID: PMC9313121 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10071687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Revised: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Lewy body dementia (LBD) are two different forms of dementia, but their pathology may involve the same cortical areas with overlapping cognitive manifestations. Nonetheless, the clinical phenotype is different due to the topography of the lesions driven by the different underlying molecular processes that arise apart from genetics, causing diverse neurodegeneration. Here, we define the commonalities and differences in the pathological processes of dementia in two kindred cases, a mother and a son, who developed classical AD and an aggressive form of AD/LBD, respectively, through a neuropathological, genetic (next-generation sequencing), and transcriptomic (RNA-seq) comparison of four different brain areas. A genetic analysis did not reveal any pathogenic variants in the principal AD/LBD-causative genes. RNA sequencing highlighted high transcriptional dysregulation within the substantia nigra in the AD/LBD case, while the AD case showed lower transcriptional dysregulation, with the parietal lobe being the most involved brain area. The hippocampus (the most degenerated area) and basal ganglia (lacking specific lesions) expressed the lowest level of dysregulation. Our data suggest that there is a link between transcriptional dysregulation and the amount of tissue damage accumulated across time, assessed through neuropathology. Moreover, we highlight that the molecular bases of AD and LBD follow very different pathways, which underlie their neuropathological signatures. Indeed, the transcriptome profiling through RNA sequencing may be an important tool in flanking the neuropathological analysis for a deeper understanding of AD and LBD pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Palmieri
- IRCCS Mondino Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (I.P.); (M.C.); (S.G.); (C.C.)
| | - Tino Emanuele Poloni
- Department of Neurology-Neuropathology and Abbiategrasso Brain Bank, Golgi-Cenci Foundation, Abbiategrasso, 20081 Milan, Italy; (T.E.P.); (V.M.); (A.G.)
- Department of Rehabilitation, ASP Golgi-Redaelli, Abbiategrasso, 20081 Milan, Italy
| | - Valentina Medici
- Department of Neurology-Neuropathology and Abbiategrasso Brain Bank, Golgi-Cenci Foundation, Abbiategrasso, 20081 Milan, Italy; (T.E.P.); (V.M.); (A.G.)
| | | | - Annalisa Davin
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Golgi Cenci Foundation, Abbiategrasso, 20081 Milan, Italy;
| | - Orietta Pansarasa
- IRCCS Mondino Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (I.P.); (M.C.); (S.G.); (C.C.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Mauro Ceroni
- IRCCS Mondino Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (I.P.); (M.C.); (S.G.); (C.C.)
- Department of Neurology-Neuropathology and Abbiategrasso Brain Bank, Golgi-Cenci Foundation, Abbiategrasso, 20081 Milan, Italy; (T.E.P.); (V.M.); (A.G.)
| | - Livio Tronconi
- U.O. Medicina Legale, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
- Unit of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences “A. Fornari”, Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Antonio Guaita
- Department of Neurology-Neuropathology and Abbiategrasso Brain Bank, Golgi-Cenci Foundation, Abbiategrasso, 20081 Milan, Italy; (T.E.P.); (V.M.); (A.G.)
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Golgi Cenci Foundation, Abbiategrasso, 20081 Milan, Italy;
| | - Stella Gagliardi
- IRCCS Mondino Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (I.P.); (M.C.); (S.G.); (C.C.)
| | - Cristina Cereda
- IRCCS Mondino Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (I.P.); (M.C.); (S.G.); (C.C.)
- Department of Women, Mothers and Neonatal Care, Children’s Hospital “V. Buzzi”, 20100 Milan, Italy
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20
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Ruffini N, Klingenberg S, Heese R, Schweiger S, Gerber S. The Big Picture of Neurodegeneration: A Meta Study to Extract the Essential Evidence on Neurodegenerative Diseases in a Network-Based Approach. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:866886. [PMID: 35832065 PMCID: PMC9271745 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.866886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The common features of all neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), and Huntington's disease, are the accumulation of aggregated and misfolded proteins and the progressive loss of neurons, leading to cognitive decline and locomotive dysfunction. Still, they differ in their ultimate manifestation, the affected brain region, and the kind of proteinopathy. In the last decades, a vast number of processes have been described as associated with neurodegenerative diseases, making it increasingly harder to keep an overview of the big picture forming from all those data. In this meta-study, we analyzed genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and epigenomic data of the aforementioned diseases using the data of 234 studies in a network-based approach to study significant general coherences but also specific processes in individual diseases or omics levels. In the analysis part, we focus on only some of the emerging findings, but trust that the meta-study provided here will be a valuable resource for various other researchers focusing on specific processes or genes contributing to the development of neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Ruffini
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, Leibniz Association, Mainz, Germany
| | - Susanne Klingenberg
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Raoul Heese
- Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics (ITWM), Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Susann Schweiger
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Susanne Gerber
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
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21
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Bordoni M, Pansarasa O, Scarian E, Cristofani R, Leone R, Fantini V, Garofalo M, Diamanti L, Bernuzzi S, Gagliardi S, Carelli S, Poletti A, Cereda C. Lysosomes Dysfunction Causes Mitophagy Impairment in PBMCs of Sporadic ALS Patients. Cells 2022; 11:cells11081272. [PMID: 35455952 PMCID: PMC9030813 DOI: 10.3390/cells11081272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mitochondria alterations are present in tissues derived from patients and animal models, but no data are available for peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of ALS patients. This work aims to investigate mitophagy in PBMCs of sporadic (sALS) patients and how this pathway can be tuned by using small molecules. We found the presence of morphologically atypical mitochondria by TEM and morphological abnormalities by MitoTracker™. We found a decreased number of healthy mitochondria in sALS PBMCs and an impairment of mitophagy with western blot and immunofluorescence. After rapamycin treatment, we found a higher increase in the LC3 marker in sALS PBMCs, while after NH4Cl treatment, we found a lower increase in the LC3 marker. Finally, mTOR-independent autophagy induction with trehalose resulted in a significant decrease in the lysosomes level sALS PBMCs. Our data suggest that the presence of morphologically altered mitochondria and an inefficient turnover of damaged mitochondria in PBMCs of sALS patients rely on the impairment of the mitophagy pathway. We also found that the induction of the mTOR-independent autophagy pathway leads to a decrease in lysosomes level, suggesting a more sensitivity of sALS PBMCs to trehalose. Such evidence suggests that trehalose could represent an effective treatment for ALS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Bordoni
- Genomic and Post-Genomic Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.B.); (E.S.); (M.G.); (S.G.); (C.C.)
| | - Orietta Pansarasa
- Genomic and Post-Genomic Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.B.); (E.S.); (M.G.); (S.G.); (C.C.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +0382-380-248
| | - Eveljn Scarian
- Genomic and Post-Genomic Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.B.); (E.S.); (M.G.); (S.G.); (C.C.)
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Riccardo Cristofani
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Dipartimento di Eccellenza 2018-2022, Università Degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy; (R.C.); (A.P.)
| | | | - Valentina Fantini
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and Neurogenetic, Golgi-Cenci Foundation, 20081 Abbiategrasso, Italy;
| | - Maria Garofalo
- Genomic and Post-Genomic Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.B.); (E.S.); (M.G.); (S.G.); (C.C.)
| | - Luca Diamanti
- Neuroncology Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
| | - Stefano Bernuzzi
- Immunohematological and Transfusional Service and Centre of Transplantation Immunology, IRCCS “San Matteo Foundation”, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
| | - Stella Gagliardi
- Genomic and Post-Genomic Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.B.); (E.S.); (M.G.); (S.G.); (C.C.)
| | - Stephana Carelli
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences “L. Sacco”, University of Milan, 20157 Milan, Italy;
- Pediatric Clinical Research Centre Fondazione “Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi”, University of Milano, 20157 Milan, Italy
| | - Angelo Poletti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Dipartimento di Eccellenza 2018-2022, Università Degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy; (R.C.); (A.P.)
| | - Cristina Cereda
- Genomic and Post-Genomic Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.B.); (E.S.); (M.G.); (S.G.); (C.C.)
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22
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Yu Y, Pang D, Li C, Gu X, Chen Y, Ou R, Wei Q, Shang H. The expression discrepancy and characteristics of long non-coding RNAs in peripheral blood leukocytes from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients. Mol Neurobiol 2022; 59:3678-3689. [PMID: 35364800 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-022-02789-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is known to be a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects upper and lower motor neurons. Less than 10% of ALS patients are defined as familial ALS, and more than 90% are sporadic ALS (SALS). According to the genomic information described in existing databases, up to 98% of the human genome consists of non-coding sequences. Nearly 40% of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are specifically expressed in the brain. We believe that the discrepancy of lncRNAs expression plays a key role in neurodegenerative diseases. We screened 30 lncRNAs with altered expression from peripheral blood leukocytes of SALS patients by microarray and validated 13 of them in leukocytes of SALS, Parkinson's disease (PD) patients, and healthy controls (HC). We followed the bioinformatics to perform a functional enrichment analysis of co-expressed mRNAs, transcription factors, and lncRNAs for functional prediction. We identified that lnc-DYRYK2-7:1, lnc-ABCA12-3:1, and lnc-POTEM-4:7 show decreased expression in SALS patients, whereas in PD patients, they show increased expression or no change. In addition, expression of lnc-CNTN4-2:1 and lnc-NR3C2-8:1 was decreased in both SALS and PD patients. We found that XIST was only reduced in male patients with SALS and PD, and not in female patients with SALS but was elevated in PD by gender grouping. We also performed GO term enrichment and KEGG pathway analysis for lncRNAs showing differential expression in microarray. We discovered that a significant proportion of differential expressed lncRNAs were associated with various signaling pathways and transcription factors which are consistent with other clinical findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujiao Yu
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue Lane, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Dejiang Pang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue Lane, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Chunyu Li
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue Lane, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Xiaojing Gu
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue Lane, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Yongping Chen
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue Lane, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Ruwei Ou
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue Lane, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Qianqian Wei
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue Lane, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Huifang Shang
- Department of Neurology, Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disorders, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No.37, Guoxue Lane, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
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Biomarkers in Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells: The State of the Art in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23052580. [PMID: 35269723 PMCID: PMC8910056 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23052580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease, characterized by the progressive loss of lower motor neurons, weakness and muscle atrophy. ALS lacks an effective cure and diagnosis is often made by exclusion. Thus, it is imperative to search for biomarkers. Biomarkers can help in understanding ALS pathomechanisms, identification of targets for treatment and development of effective therapies. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) represent a valid source for biomarkers compared to cerebrospinal fluid, as they are simple to collect, and to plasma, because of the possibility of detecting lower expressed proteins. They are a reliable model for patients’ stratification. This review provides an overview on PBMCs as a potential source of biomarkers in ALS. We focused on altered RNA metabolism (coding/non-coding RNA), including RNA processing, mRNA stabilization, transport and translation regulation. We addressed protein abnormalities (aggregation, misfolding and modifications); specifically, we highlighted that SOD1 appears to be the most characterizing protein in ALS. Finally, we emphasized the correlation between biological parameters and disease phenotypes, as regards prognosis, severity and clinical features. In conclusion, even though further studies are needed to standardize the use of PBMCs as a tool for biomarker investigation, they represent a promising approach in ALS research.
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24
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Sproviero D, Gagliardi S, Zucca S, Arigoni M, Giannini M, Garofalo M, Fantini V, Pansarasa O, Avenali M, Ramusino MC, Diamanti L, Minafra B, Perini G, Zangaglia R, Costa A, Ceroni M, Calogero RA, Cereda C. Extracellular Vesicles Derived From Plasma of Patients With Neurodegenerative Disease Have Common Transcriptomic Profiling. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:785741. [PMID: 35250537 PMCID: PMC8889100 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.785741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives There is a lack of effective biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and frontotemporal dementia. Extracellular vesicle (EV) RNA cargo can have an interesting potential as a non-invasive biomarker for NDs. However, the knowledge about the abundance of EV-mRNAs and their contribution to neurodegeneration is not clear. Methods Large and small EVs (LEVs and SEVs) were isolated from plasma of patients and healthy volunteers (control, CTR) by differential centrifugation and filtration, and RNA was extracted. Whole transcriptome was carried out using next generation sequencing (NGS). Results Coding RNA (i.e., mRNA) but not long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in SEVs and LEVs of patients with ALS could be distinguished from healthy CTRs and from other NDs using the principal component analysis (PCA). Some mRNAs were found in commonly deregulated between SEVs of patients with ALS and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and they were classified in mRNA processing and splicing pathways. In LEVs, instead, one mRNA and one antisense RNA (i.e., MAP3K7CL and AP003068.3) were found to be in common among ALS, FTD, and PD. No deregulated mRNAs were found in EVs of patients with AD. Conclusion Different RNA regulation occurs in LEVs and SEVs of NDs. mRNAs and lncRNAs are present in plasma-derived EVs of NDs, and there are common and specific transcripts that characterize LEVs and SEVs from the NDs considered in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisy Sproviero
- Genomic and Post-genomic Unit, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Stella Gagliardi
- Genomic and Post-genomic Unit, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
- *Correspondence: Stella Gagliardi
| | - Susanna Zucca
- Genomic and Post-genomic Unit, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
- EnGenome SRL, Pavia, Italy
| | - Maddalena Arigoni
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Bioinformatics and Genomics Unit, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Marta Giannini
- Genomic and Post-genomic Unit, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Maria Garofalo
- Genomic and Post-genomic Unit, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology (“L. Spallanzani”), University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Valentina Fantini
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and Neurogenetic, Golgi-Cenci Foundation, Milan, Italy
| | - Orietta Pansarasa
- Genomic and Post-genomic Unit, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Micol Avenali
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Neurorehabilitation Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Matteo Cotta Ramusino
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Unit of Behavioral Neurology, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Luca Diamanti
- Neuro-Oncology Unit, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (SRCCS) Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Brigida Minafra
- Parkinson Disease and Movement Disorders Unit, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Giulia Perini
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Unit of Behavioral Neurology, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Roberta Zangaglia
- Parkinson Disease and Movement Disorders Unit, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Alfredo Costa
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Unit of Behavioral Neurology, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Mauro Ceroni
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Unit of Behavioral Neurology, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Raffaele A. Calogero
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Bioinformatics and Genomics Unit, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Cristina Cereda
- Genomic and Post-genomic Unit, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
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25
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RNA Molecular Signature Profiling in PBMCs of Sporadic ALS Patients: HSP70 Overexpression Is Associated with Nuclear SOD1. Cells 2022; 11:cells11020293. [PMID: 35053410 PMCID: PMC8774074 DOI: 10.3390/cells11020293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) is one of the causative genes associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a neurodegenerative disorder. SOD1 aggregation contributes to ALS pathogenesis. A fraction of the protein is localized in the nucleus (nSOD1), where it seems to be involved in the regulation of genes participating in the oxidative stress response and DNA repair. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were collected from sporadic ALS (sALS) patients (n = 18) and healthy controls (n = 12) to perform RNA-sequencing experiments and differential expression analysis. Patients were stratified into groups with “high” and “low” levels of nSOD1. We obtained different gene expression patterns for high- and low-nSOD1 patients. Differentially expressed genes in high nSOD1 form a cluster similar to controls compared to the low-nSOD1 group. The pathways activated in high-nSOD1 patients are related to the upregulation of HSP70 molecular chaperones. We demonstrated that, in this condition, the DNA damage is reduced, even under oxidative stress conditions. Our findings highlight the importance of the nuclear localization of SOD1 as a protective mechanism in sALS patients.
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26
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Ruffo P, Strafella C, Cascella R, Caputo V, Conforti FL, Andò S, Giardina E. Deregulation of ncRNA in Neurodegenerative Disease: Focus on circRNA, lncRNA and miRNA in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Front Genet 2021; 12:784996. [PMID: 34925464 PMCID: PMC8674781 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.784996] [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: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Parallel and massive sequencing of total RNA samples derived from different samples are possible thanks to the use of NGS (Next Generation Sequencing) technologies. This allowed characterizing the transcriptomic profile of both cell and tissue populations, increasing the knowledge of the molecular pathological processes of complex diseases, such as neurodegenerative diseases (NDs). Among the NDs, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is caused by the progressive loss of motor neurons (MNs), and, to date, the diagnosis is often made by exclusion because there is no specific symptomatologic picture. For this reason, it is important to search for biomarkers that are clinically useful for carrying out a fast and accurate diagnosis of ALS. Thanks to various studies, it has been possible to propose several molecular mechanisms associated with the disease, some of which include the action of non-coding RNA, including circRNAs, miRNAs, and lncRNAs which will be discussed in the present review. The evidence analyzed in this review highlights the importance of conducting studies to better characterize the different ncRNAs in the disease to use them as possible diagnostic, prognostic, and/or predictive biomarkers of ALS and other NDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Ruffo
- Medical Genetics Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, Italy
| | - Claudia Strafella
- Genomic Medicine Laboratory UILDM, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
- Medical Genetics Laboratory, Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy
| | - Raffaella Cascella
- Genomic Medicine Laboratory UILDM, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
- Medical Genetics Laboratory, Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy
| | - Valerio Caputo
- Genomic Medicine Laboratory UILDM, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
- Medical Genetics Laboratory, Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Luisa Conforti
- Medical Genetics Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Andò
- Medical Genetics Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, Italy
- Centro Sanitario, University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende, Italy
| | - Emiliano Giardina
- Genomic Medicine Laboratory UILDM, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
- Medical Genetics Laboratory, Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy
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27
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Pandini C, Garofalo M, Rey F, Garau J, Zucca S, Sproviero D, Bordoni M, Berzero G, Davin A, Poloni TE, Pansarasa O, Carelli S, Gagliardi S, Cereda C. MINCR: A long non-coding RNA shared between cancer and neurodegeneration. Genomics 2021; 113:4039-4051. [PMID: 34662711 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2021.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The multitasking nature of lncRNAs allows them to play a central role in both physiological and pathological conditions. Often the same lncRNA can participate in different diseases. Specifically, the MYC-induced Long non-Coding RNA MINCR is upregulated in various cancer types, while downregulated in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis patients. Therefore, this work aims to investigate MINCR potential mechanisms of action and its implications in cancer and neurodegeneration in relation to its expression levels in SH-SY5Y cells through RNA-sequencing approach. Our results show that MINCR overexpression causes massive alterations in cancer-related genes, leading to disruption in many fundamental processes, such as cell cycle and growth factor signaling. On the contrary, MINCR downregulation influences a small number of genes involved in different neurodegenerative disorders, mostly concerning RNA metabolism and inflammation. Thus, understanding the cause and functional consequences of MINCR deregulation gives important insights on potential pathogenetic mechanisms both in cancer and in neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Pandini
- Genomic and post-Genomic Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia 27100, Italy
| | - Maria Garofalo
- Genomic and post-Genomic Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia 27100, Italy; Department of Biology and Biotechnology "L. Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Pavia 27100, Italy
| | - Federica Rey
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "L. Sacco", University of Milan, Milan 20157, Italy; Pediatric Clinical Research Center Fondazione "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", University of Milano, Milano 20157, Italy
| | - Jessica Garau
- Genomic and post-Genomic Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia 27100, Italy
| | | | - Daisy Sproviero
- Genomic and post-Genomic Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia 27100, Italy
| | - Matteo Bordoni
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Centro di Eccellenza sulle Malattie Neurodegenerative, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano 20157, Italy
| | - Giulia Berzero
- Neuroncology Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia 27100, Italy
| | - Annalisa Davin
- Laboratory of Neurobiology and Neurogenetic, Golgi Cenci Foundation, Abbiategrasso, Milan 20081, Italy
| | - Tino Emanuele Poloni
- Neurology and Neuropathololgy Department Golgi-Cenci Foundation & ASP Golgi-Redaelli, Abbiategrasso, Milan 20081, Italy
| | - Orietta Pansarasa
- Genomic and post-Genomic Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia 27100, Italy
| | - Stephana Carelli
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "L. Sacco", University of Milan, Milan 20157, Italy; Pediatric Clinical Research Center Fondazione "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", University of Milano, Milano 20157, Italy
| | - Stella Gagliardi
- Genomic and post-Genomic Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia 27100, Italy.
| | - Cristina Cereda
- Genomic and post-Genomic Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia 27100, Italy.
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28
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Gagliardi S, Poloni ET, Pandini C, Garofalo M, Dragoni F, Medici V, Davin A, Visonà SD, Moretti M, Sproviero D, Pansarasa O, Guaita A, Ceroni M, Tronconi L, Cereda C. Detection of SARS-CoV-2 genome and whole transcriptome sequencing in frontal cortex of COVID-19 patients. Brain Behav Immun 2021; 97:13-21. [PMID: 34022369 PMCID: PMC8132498 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2021.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
SARS-Cov-2 infection is frequently associated with Nervous System manifestations. However, it is not clear how SARS-CoV-2 can cause neurological dysfunctions and which molecular processes are affected in the brain. In this work, we examined the frontal cortex tissue of patients who died of COVID-19 for the presence of SARS-CoV-2, comparing qRT-PCR with ddPCR. We also investigated the transcriptomic profile of frontal cortex from COVID-19 patients and matched controls by RNA-seq analysis to characterize the transcriptional signature. Our data showed that SARS-CoV-2 could be detected by ddPCR in 8 (88%) of 9 examined samples while by qRT-PCR in one case only (11%). Transcriptomic analysis revealed that 11 genes (10 mRNAs and 1 lncRNA) were differential expressed when frontal cortex of COVID-19 patients were compared to controls. These genes fall into categories including hypoxia, hemoglobin-stabilizing protein, hydrogen peroxide processes. This work demonstrated that the quantity of viral RNA in frontal cortex is minimal and it can be detected only with a very sensitive method (ddPCR). Thus, it is likely that SARS-CoV-2 does not actively infect and replicate in the brain; its topography within encephalic structures remains uncertain. Moreover, COVID-19 may have a role on brain gene expression, since we observed an important downregulation of genes associated to hypoxia inducting factor system (HIF) that may inhibit the capacity of defense system during infection and oxigen deprivation, showing that hypoxia, well known multi organ condition associated to COVID-19, also marked the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stella Gagliardi
- Genomic and Post Genomic Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Emanuele Tino Poloni
- Department of Neurology and Neuropathology, Golgi-Cenci Foundation & ASP Golgi-Redaelli, Abbiategrasso, Milano, Italy
| | - Cecilia Pandini
- Genomic and Post Genomic Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Maria Garofalo
- Genomic and Post Genomic Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy; Department of Biology and Biotechnology "L. Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Francesca Dragoni
- Genomic and Post Genomic Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy; Department of Biology and Biotechnology "L. Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Valentina Medici
- Department of Neurology and Neuropathology, Golgi-Cenci Foundation & ASP Golgi-Redaelli, Abbiategrasso, Milano, Italy
| | - Annalisa Davin
- Department of Neurology and Neuropathology, Golgi-Cenci Foundation & ASP Golgi-Redaelli, Abbiategrasso, Milano, Italy
| | - Silvia Damiana Visonà
- Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, Unit of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences "A. Fornari", University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Matteo Moretti
- Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, Unit of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences "A. Fornari", University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Daisy Sproviero
- Genomic and Post Genomic Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Orietta Pansarasa
- Genomic and Post Genomic Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Antonio Guaita
- Department of Neurology and Neuropathology, Golgi-Cenci Foundation & ASP Golgi-Redaelli, Abbiategrasso, Milano, Italy
| | - Mauro Ceroni
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy; Department of General Neurology, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Livio Tronconi
- Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, Unit of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences "A. Fornari", University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy; U.O. Medicina Legale, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Cristina Cereda
- Director of Newborn Screening and Metabolic Diseases, University Children's Hospital V. Buzzi, Milan, Italy.
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Laneve P, Tollis P, Caffarelli E. RNA Deregulation in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: The Noncoding Perspective. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:10285. [PMID: 34638636 PMCID: PMC8508793 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA metabolism is central to cellular physiopathology. Almost all the molecular pathways underpinning biological processes are affected by the events governing the RNA life cycle, ranging from transcription to degradation. The deregulation of these processes contributes to the onset and progression of human diseases. In recent decades, considerable efforts have been devoted to the characterization of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) and to the study of their role in the homeostasis of the nervous system (NS), where they are highly enriched. Acting as major regulators of gene expression, ncRNAs orchestrate all the steps of the differentiation programs, participate in the mechanisms underlying neural functions, and are crucially implicated in the development of neuronal pathologies, among which are neurodegenerative diseases. This review aims to explore the link between ncRNA dysregulation and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the most frequent motoneuron (MN) disorder in adults. Notably, defective RNA metabolism is known to be largely associated with this pathology, which is often regarded as an RNA disease. We also discuss the potential role that these transcripts may play as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pietro Laneve
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, National Research Council, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Tollis
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy;
| | - Elisa Caffarelli
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, National Research Council, 00185 Rome, Italy
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30
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Zhou S, Yu X, Wang M, Meng Y, Song D, Yang H, Wang D, Bi J, Xu S. Long Non-coding RNAs in Pathogenesis of Neurodegenerative Diseases. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:719247. [PMID: 34527672 PMCID: PMC8435612 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.719247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging evidence addresses the link between the aberrant epigenetic regulation of gene expression and numerous diseases including neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and Huntington’s disease (HD). LncRNAs, a class of ncRNAs, have length of 200 nt or more, some of which crucially regulate a variety of biological processes such as epigenetic-mediated chromatin remodeling, mRNA stability, X-chromosome inactivation and imprinting. Aberrant regulation of the lncRNAs contributes to pathogenesis of many diseases, such as the neurological disorders at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. In this review, we highlight the latest research progress on the contributions of some lncRNAs to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases via varied mechanisms, such as autophagy regulation, Aβ deposition, neuroinflammation, Tau phosphorylation and α-synuclein aggregation. Meanwhile, we also address the potential challenges on the lncRNAs-mediated epigenetic study to further understand the molecular mechanism of the neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyue Zhou
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Xiao Yu
- Department of Nutrition, The Second Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Min Wang
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Yujie Meng
- Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Dandan Song
- Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Hui Yang
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Dewei Wang
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Jianzhong Bi
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Shunliang Xu
- Department of Neurology, The Second Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
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31
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Frydas A, Wauters E, van der Zee J, Van Broeckhoven C. Uncovering the impact of noncoding variants in neurodegenerative brain diseases. Trends Genet 2021; 38:258-272. [PMID: 34535299 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2021.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative brain diseases (NBDs) are characterized by cognitive decline and movement impairments caused by neuronal loss in different brain regions. A large fraction of the genetic heritability of NBDs is not explained by the current known mutations. Genome-wide association studies identified novel disease-risk loci, adding to the genetic basis of NBDs. Many of the associated variants reside in noncoding regions with distinct molecular functions. Genetic variation in these regions can alter functions and contribute to disease pathogenesis. Here, we discuss noncoding variants associated with NBDs. Methods for better functional interpretation of noncoding variation will expand our knowledge of the genetic architecture of NBDs and broaden the routes for therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandros Frydas
- Neurodegenerative Brain Diseases, Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, Antwerp, Belgium; Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Eline Wauters
- Neurodegenerative Brain Diseases, Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, Antwerp, Belgium; Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Julie van der Zee
- Neurodegenerative Brain Diseases, Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, Antwerp, Belgium; Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Christine Van Broeckhoven
- Neurodegenerative Brain Diseases, Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, Antwerp, Belgium; Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
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32
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Current Concepts on Genetic Aspects of Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22189832. [PMID: 34575995 PMCID: PMC8469731 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22189832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), neurodegenerative motor neuron disorder is characterized as multisystem disease with important contribution of genetic factors. The etiopahogenesis of ALS is not fully elucidate, but the dominant theory at present relates to RNA processing, as well as protein aggregation and miss-folding, oxidative stress, glutamate excitotoxicity, inflammation and epigenetic dysregulation. Additionally, as mitochondria plays a leading role in cellular homeostasis maintenance, a rising amount of evidence indicates mitochondrial dysfunction as a substantial contributor to disease onset and progression. The aim of this review is to summarize most relevant findings that link genetic factors in ALS pathogenesis with different mechanisms with mitochondrial involvement (respiratory chain, OXPHOS control, calcium buffering, axonal transport, inflammation, mitophagy, etc.). We highlight the importance of a widening perspective for better understanding overlapping pathophysiological pathways in ALS and neurodegeneration in general. Finally, current and potentially novel therapies, especially gene specific therapies, targeting mitochondrial dysfunction are discussed briefly.
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Nishimoto Y, Nakagawa S, Okano H. NEAT1 lncRNA and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neurochem Int 2021; 150:105175. [PMID: 34481908 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2021.105175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 08/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a representative neurological disease that is known to devastate entire motor neurons within a period of just a few years. Discoveries of the specific pathologies of relevant RNA-binding proteins, including TAR DNA-binding protein-43 (TDP-43) and fused in sarcoma/translocated in liposarcoma (FUS/TLS), and the causative genes of both familial and sporadic ALS have provided crucial information that could lead to a cure. In recent ALS research the GGGGCC-repeat expansion in the C9orf72 gene was identified as one of the most important pathological findings, suggesting the significance of both nuclear dysfunction due to dipeptide repeat proteins (DPRs) and RNA toxicity (such as pathological alterations of non-coding RNAs). In research on model animals carrying ALS-related molecules, the determination of whether a factor is protective or toxic has been controversial. Herein, we review the findings regarding NEAT1 RNA and C9orf72 GGGGCC repeats associated with ALS, from the viewpoint of conversion from the protective stage in the nucleus in early-phase ALS to late-phase induction of cell death. This review will provide insights for the development of RNA effectors as novel ALS treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshinori Nishimoto
- Department of Neurology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Shinichi Nakagawa
- RNA Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Okano
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.
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García-Fonseca Á, Martin-Jimenez C, Barreto GE, Pachón AFA, González J. The Emerging Role of Long Non-Coding RNAs and MicroRNAs in Neurodegenerative Diseases: A Perspective of Machine Learning. Biomolecules 2021; 11:1132. [PMID: 34439798 PMCID: PMC8391852 DOI: 10.3390/biom11081132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are characterized by progressive neuronal dysfunction and death of brain cells population. As the early manifestations of NDs are similar, their symptoms are difficult to distinguish, making the timely detection and discrimination of each neurodegenerative disorder a priority. Several investigations have revealed the importance of microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs in neurodevelopment, brain function, maturation, and neuronal activity, as well as its dysregulation involved in many types of neurological diseases. Therefore, the expression pattern of these molecules in the different NDs have gained significant attention to improve the diagnostic and treatment at earlier stages. In this sense, we gather the different microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs that have been reported as dysregulated in each disorder. Since there are a vast number of non-coding RNAs altered in NDs, some sort of synthesis, filtering and organization method should be applied to extract the most relevant information. Hence, machine learning is considered as an important tool for this purpose since it can classify expression profiles of non-coding RNAs between healthy and sick people. Therefore, we deepen in this branch of computer science, its different methods, and its meaningful application in the diagnosis of NDs from the dysregulated non-coding RNAs. In addition, we demonstrate the relevance of machine learning in NDs from the description of different investigations that showed an accuracy between 85% to 95% in the detection of the disease with this tool. All of these denote that artificial intelligence could be an excellent alternative to help the clinical diagnosis and facilitate the identification diseases in early stages based on non-coding RNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ángela García-Fonseca
- Departamento de Nutrición y Bioquímica, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá 110231, Colombia; (Á.G.-F.); (C.M.-J.); (A.F.A.P.)
| | - Cynthia Martin-Jimenez
- Departamento de Nutrición y Bioquímica, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá 110231, Colombia; (Á.G.-F.); (C.M.-J.); (A.F.A.P.)
| | - George E. Barreto
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Limerick, V94 T9PX Limerick, Ireland;
| | - Andres Felipe Aristizábal Pachón
- Departamento de Nutrición y Bioquímica, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá 110231, Colombia; (Á.G.-F.); (C.M.-J.); (A.F.A.P.)
| | - Janneth González
- Departamento de Nutrición y Bioquímica, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá 110231, Colombia; (Á.G.-F.); (C.M.-J.); (A.F.A.P.)
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35
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Rey F, Marcuzzo S, Bonanno S, Bordoni M, Giallongo T, Malacarne C, Cereda C, Zuccotti GV, Carelli S. LncRNAs Associated with Neuronal Development and Oncogenesis Are Deregulated in SOD1-G93A Murine Model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9070809. [PMID: 34356873 PMCID: PMC8301400 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9070809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 07/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease caused in 10% of cases by inherited mutations considered “familial”. An ever-increasing amount of evidence is showing a fundamental role for RNA metabolism in ALS pathogenesis, and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) appear to play a role in ALS development. Here, we aim to investigate the expression of a panel of lncRNAs (linc-Enc1, linc–Brn1a, linc–Brn1b, linc-p21, Hottip, Tug1, Eldrr, and Fendrr) which could be implicated in early phases of ALS. Via Real-Time PCR, we assessed their expression in a murine familial model of ALS (SOD1-G93A mouse) in brain and spinal cord areas of SOD1-G93A mice in comparison with that of B6.SJL control mice, in asymptomatic (week 8) and late-stage disease (week 18). We highlighted a specific area and pathogenetic-stage deregulation in each lncRNA, with linc-p21 being deregulated in all analyzed tissues. Moreover, we analyzed the expression of their human homologues in SH-SY5Y-SOD1-WT and SH-SY5Y-SOD1-G93A, observing a profound alteration in their expression. Interestingly, the lncRNAs expression in our ALS models often resulted opposite to that observed for the lncRNAs in cancer. These evidences suggest that lncRNAs could be novel disease-modifying agents, biomarkers, or pathways affected by ALS neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Rey
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences “L. Sacco”, University of Milan, Via Grassi 74, 20157 Milano, Italy; (F.R.); (T.G.); (G.V.Z.)
- Paediatric Clinical Research Center Fondazione “Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi”, University of Milano, 20157 Milano, Italy
| | - Stefania Marcuzzo
- Neurology IV-Neuroimmunology and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, 20133 Milan, Italy; (S.M.); (S.B.); (C.M.)
| | - Silvia Bonanno
- Neurology IV-Neuroimmunology and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, 20133 Milan, Italy; (S.M.); (S.B.); (C.M.)
| | - Matteo Bordoni
- Centro di Eccellenza Sulle Malattie Neurodegenerative, Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milano, Italy;
| | - Toniella Giallongo
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences “L. Sacco”, University of Milan, Via Grassi 74, 20157 Milano, Italy; (F.R.); (T.G.); (G.V.Z.)
- Paediatric Clinical Research Center Fondazione “Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi”, University of Milano, 20157 Milano, Italy
| | - Claudia Malacarne
- Neurology IV-Neuroimmunology and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, 20133 Milan, Italy; (S.M.); (S.B.); (C.M.)
- PhD Program in Neuroscience, University of Milano-Bicocca, Via Cadore 48, 20900 Monza, Italy
| | - Cristina Cereda
- Genomic and Post-Genomic Center, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
| | - Gian Vincenzo Zuccotti
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences “L. Sacco”, University of Milan, Via Grassi 74, 20157 Milano, Italy; (F.R.); (T.G.); (G.V.Z.)
- Paediatric Clinical Research Center Fondazione “Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi”, University of Milano, 20157 Milano, Italy
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital “V. Buzzi”, Via Lodovico Castelvetro 32, 20154 Milano, Italy
| | - Stephana Carelli
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences “L. Sacco”, University of Milan, Via Grassi 74, 20157 Milano, Italy; (F.R.); (T.G.); (G.V.Z.)
- Paediatric Clinical Research Center Fondazione “Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi”, University of Milano, 20157 Milano, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-02-50319825
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36
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Keihani S, Kluever V, Fornasiero EF. Brain Long Noncoding RNAs: Multitask Regulators of Neuronal Differentiation and Function. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26133951. [PMID: 34203457 PMCID: PMC8272081 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26133951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The extraordinary cellular diversity and the complex connections established within different cells types render the nervous system of vertebrates one of the most sophisticated tissues found in living organisms. Such complexity is ensured by numerous regulatory mechanisms that provide tight spatiotemporal control, robustness and reliability. While the unusual abundance of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in nervous tissues was traditionally puzzling, it is becoming clear that these molecules have genuine regulatory functions in the brain and they are essential for neuronal physiology. The canonical view of RNA as predominantly a 'coding molecule' has been largely surpassed, together with the conception that lncRNAs only represent 'waste material' produced by cells as a side effect of pervasive transcription. Here we review a growing body of evidence showing that lncRNAs play key roles in several regulatory mechanisms of neurons and other brain cells. In particular, neuronal lncRNAs are crucial for orchestrating neurogenesis, for tuning neuronal differentiation and for the exact calibration of neuronal excitability. Moreover, their diversity and the association to neurodegenerative diseases render them particularly interesting as putative biomarkers for brain disease. Overall, we foresee that in the future a more systematic scrutiny of lncRNA functions will be instrumental for an exhaustive understanding of neuronal pathophysiology.
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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Molecular Mechanisms, Biomarkers, and Therapeutic Strategies. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 10:antiox10071012. [PMID: 34202494 PMCID: PMC8300638 DOI: 10.3390/antiox10071012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease with the progressive loss of motor neurons, leading to a fatal paralysis. According to whether there is a family history of ALS, ALS can be roughly divided into two types: familial and sporadic. Despite decades of research, the pathogenesis of ALS is still unelucidated. To this end, we review the recent progress of ALS pathogenesis, biomarkers, and treatment strategies, mainly discuss the roles of immune disorders, redox imbalance, autophagy dysfunction, and disordered iron homeostasis in the pathogenesis of ALS, and introduce the effects of RNA binding proteins, ALS-related genes, and non-coding RNA as biomarkers on ALS. In addition, we also mention other ALS biomarkers such as serum uric acid (UA), cardiolipin (CL), chitotriosidase (CHIT1), and neurofilament light chain (NFL). Finally, we discuss the drug therapy, gene therapy, immunotherapy, and stem cell-exosomal therapy for ALS, attempting to find new therapeutic targets and strategies. A challenge is to study the various mechanisms of ALS as a syndrome. Biomarkers that have been widely explored are indispensable for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of ALS. Moreover, the development of new genes and targets is an urgent task in this field.
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Abstract
Numerous studies have identified microbial sequences or epitopes in pathological and non-pathological human brain samples. It has not been resolved if these observations are artifactual, or truly represent population of the brain by microbes. Given the tempting speculation that resident microbes could play a role in the many neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases that currently lack clear etiologies, there is a strong motivation to determine the “ground truth” of microbial existence in living brains. Here I argue that the evidence for the presence of microbes in diseased brains is quite strong, but a compelling demonstration of resident microbes in the healthy human brain remains to be done. Dedicated animal models studies may be required to determine if there is indeed a “brain microbiome.”
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher D Link
- Department of Integrative Physiology/Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
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39
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Long non-coding RNAs in neurodegenerative diseases. Neurochem Int 2021; 148:105096. [PMID: 34118305 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2021.105096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 05/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are gradually becoming the main burden of society. The morbidity and mortality caused by neurodegenerative diseases remain significant health-care concerns. For most neurodegenerative diseases, there are no effective treatments. Over the past few decades, in a quest to exploit efficacious disease-modifying therapies for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, disease mechanisms, reliable biomarkers and therapeutic targets have become a research priority. At present, lncRNA is an area with potential research value. In this article, we first summarize some of the existing results of research into lncRNAs, including origin, molecular characteristics, location types, and functional types. We then introduce the possible functions of lncRNAs in different neurodegenerative diseases. Furthermore, some lncRNAs which show promise as biomarkers or potential therapeutic targets are systematically summarized.
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40
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Melnick M, Gonzales P, LaRocca TJ, Song Y, Wuu J, Benatar M, Oskarsson B, Petrucelli L, Dowell RD, Link CD, Prudencio M. Application of a bioinformatic pipeline to RNA-seq data identifies novel viruslike sequence in human blood. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2021; 11:6259144. [PMID: 33914880 PMCID: PMC8661426 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkab141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Numerous reports have suggested that infectious agents could play a role in neurodegenerative diseases, but specific etiological agents have not been convincingly demonstrated. To search for candidate agents in an unbiased fashion, we have developed a bioinformatic pipeline that identifies microbial sequences in mammalian RNA-seq data, including sequences with no significant nucleotide similarity hits in GenBank. Effectiveness of the pipeline was tested using publicly available RNA-seq data and in a reconstruction experiment using synthetic data. We then applied this pipeline to a novel RNA-seq dataset generated from a cohort of 120 samples from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients and controls, and identified sequences corresponding to known bacteria and viruses, as well as novel virus-like sequences. The presence of these novel virus-like sequences, which were identified in subsets of both patients and controls, were confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR. We believe this pipeline will be a useful tool for the identification of potential etiological agents in the many RNA-seq datasets currently being generated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marko Melnick
- Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, 80303, USA
| | - Patrick Gonzales
- Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, 80303, USA
| | - Thomas J LaRocca
- Department of Health and Exercise Science, Center for Healthy Aging, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, 80523, USA
| | - Yuping Song
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, Florida, 32224, USA
| | - Joanne Wuu
- Department of Neurology, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, 33136, USA
| | - Michael Benatar
- Department of Neurology, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, 33136, USA
| | - Björn Oskarsson
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville FL, 32224, USA
| | - Leonard Petrucelli
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, Florida, 32224, USA.,Neuroscience Graduate Program, Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Jacksonville, Florida, 32224, USA
| | - Robin D Dowell
- BioFrontiers Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, 80303, USA
| | - Christopher D Link
- Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, 80303, USA.,Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, 80303, USA
| | - Mercedes Prudencio
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, Florida, 32224, USA.,Neuroscience Graduate Program, Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Jacksonville, Florida, 32224, USA
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The Novel Regulatory Role of lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA Axis in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: An Integrated Bioinformatics Analysis. COMPUTATIONAL AND MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN MEDICINE 2021; 2021:5526179. [PMID: 33953791 PMCID: PMC8067776 DOI: 10.1155/2021/5526179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an incurable neurodegenerative disease that primarily affects motor neurons, causing muscle atrophy, bulbar palsy, and pyramidal tract signs. However, the aetiology and pathogenesis of ALS have not been elucidated to date. In this study, a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network was constructed by analyzing the expression profiles of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) that were matched by 7 ALS samples and 4 control samples, and then a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed to identify the genes related to ALS. Gene Ontology (GO) was used to study the potential functions of differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs) in the ceRNA network. For the ALS and control groups, 247177 potential lncRNA-mRNA ceRNA relationship pairs were screened. Analysis of significant relationship pairs demonstrated that the PPI modules formed by the MALAT1-regulated SYNRG, ITSN2, PICALM, AP3B1, and AAK1 genes may play important roles in the pathogenesis of ALS, and these results may help to characterize the pathogenesis of ALS.
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42
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Vangoor VR, Gomes‐Duarte A, Pasterkamp RJ. Long non-coding RNAs in motor neuron development and disease. J Neurochem 2021; 156:777-801. [PMID: 32970857 PMCID: PMC8048821 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are RNAs that exceed 200 nucleotides in length and that are not translated into proteins. Thousands of lncRNAs have been identified with functions in processes such as transcription and translation regulation, RNA processing, and RNA and protein sponging. LncRNAs show prominent expression in the nervous system and have been implicated in neural development, function and disease. Recent work has begun to report on the expression and roles of lncRNAs in motor neurons (MNs). The cell bodies of MNs are located in cortex, brainstem or spinal cord and their axons project into the brainstem, spinal cord or towards peripheral muscles, thereby controlling important functions such as movement, breathing and swallowing. Degeneration of MNs is a pathological hallmark of diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and spinal muscular atrophy. LncRNAs influence several aspects of MN development and disruptions in these lncRNA-mediated effects are proposed to contribute to the pathogenic mechanisms underlying MN diseases (MNDs). Accumulating evidence suggests that lncRNAs may comprise valuable therapeutic targets for different MNDs. In this review, we discuss the role of lncRNAs (including circular RNAs [circRNAs]) in the development of MNs, discuss how lncRNAs may contribute to MNDs and provide directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vamshidhar R. Vangoor
- Department of Translational NeuroscienceUniversity Medical Center Utrecht Brain CenterUtrecht UniversityUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | - Andreia Gomes‐Duarte
- Department of Translational NeuroscienceUniversity Medical Center Utrecht Brain CenterUtrecht UniversityUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | - R. Jeroen Pasterkamp
- Department of Translational NeuroscienceUniversity Medical Center Utrecht Brain CenterUtrecht UniversityUtrechtThe Netherlands
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43
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The Expanding Regulatory Mechanisms and Cellular Functions of Long Non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in Neuroinflammation. Mol Neurobiol 2021; 58:2916-2939. [PMID: 33555549 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-020-02268-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
LncRNAs have emerged as important regulatory molecules in biological processes. They serve as regulators of gene expression pathways through interactions with proteins, RNA, and DNA. LncRNA expression is altered in several diseases of the central nervous system (CNS), such as neurodegenerative disorders, stroke, trauma, and infection. More recently, it has become clear that lncRNAs contribute to regulating both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory pathways in the CNS. In this review, we discuss the molecular pathways involved in the expression of lncRNAs, their role and mechanism of action during gene regulation, cellular functions, and use of lncRNAs as therapeutic targets during neuroinflammation in CNS disorders.
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44
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Lv J, Liu Y, Cui J, Fang H, Wu Y, Zhu X, Guo M, Li C, Dou J, Chen Z, Du X. Profile Screening of Differentially Expressed lncRNAs of Circulating Leukocytes in Type 2 Diabetes Patients and Differences From Type 1 Diabetes. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:690555. [PMID: 35082751 PMCID: PMC8786112 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.690555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to have multiple functions and can be used as markers of various diseases, including diabetes. This study was conducted to determine the lncRNA profile in leukocytes from patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Differential expression of lncRNAs in T2D and type 1 diabetes (T1D) was also examined. RNA sequencing was performed in a critically grouped sample of leukocytes from T2D patients and healthy persons. A total of 845 significantly differentially expressed lncRNAs were identified, with 260 downregulated and 585 upregulated lncRNAs in T2D. The analysis of functions of DE-lncRNA and constructed co-expression networks (CNC) showed that 21 lncRNAs and 117 mRNAs harbored more than 10 related genes in CNC. Fourteen of 21 lncRNAs were confirmed to be significantly differentially expressed was detected by qPCR between the T2D and control validation cohorts. We also identified a panel of 4 lncRNAs showing significant differences in expression between T1D and T2D. Collectively, hundreds of novel DE-lncRNAs we identified in leukocytes from T2D patients will aid in epigenetic mechanism studies. Fourteen confirmed DE-lncRNAs can be regarded as diagnostic markers or regulators of T2D, including 4 lncRNAs that chould distinguish T1D and T2D in clinical practice to avoid misdiagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianyi Lv
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yihan Liu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jia Cui
- Department of Endocrinology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Hongjuan Fang
- Department of Endocrinology, Beijing TianTan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Wu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao Zhu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Meng Guo
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Changlong Li
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jingtao Dou
- Department of Endocrinology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenwen Chen
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoyan Du
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Xiaoyan Du,
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45
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Competing Endogenous RNA Networks as Biomarkers in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21249582. [PMID: 33339180 PMCID: PMC7765627 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21249582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein aggregation is classically considered the main cause of neuronal death in neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs). However, increasing evidence suggests that alteration of RNA metabolism is a key factor in the etiopathogenesis of these complex disorders. Non-coding RNAs are the major contributor to the human transcriptome and are particularly abundant in the central nervous system, where they have been proposed to be involved in the onset and development of NDDs. Interestingly, some ncRNAs (such as lncRNAs, circRNAs and pseudogenes) share a common functionality in their ability to regulate gene expression by modulating miRNAs in a phenomenon known as the competing endogenous RNA mechanism. Moreover, ncRNAs are found in body fluids where their presence and concentration could serve as potential non-invasive biomarkers of NDDs. In this review, we summarize the ceRNA networks described in Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and spinocerebellar ataxia type 7, and discuss their potential as biomarkers of these NDDs. Although numerous studies have been carried out, further research is needed to validate these complex interactions between RNAs and the alterations in RNA editing that could provide specific ceRNET profiles for neurodegenerative disorders, paving the way to a better understanding of these diseases.
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46
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Garofalo M, Pandini C, Bordoni M, Pansarasa O, Rey F, Costa A, Minafra B, Diamanti L, Zucca S, Carelli S, Cereda C, Gagliardi S. Alzheimer's, Parkinson's Disease and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Gene Expression Patterns Divergence Reveals Different Grade of RNA Metabolism Involvement. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21249500. [PMID: 33327559 PMCID: PMC7765024 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21249500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Revised: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are neurodegenerative disorders characterized by a progressive degeneration of the central or peripheral nervous systems. A central role of the RNA metabolism has emerged in these diseases, concerning mRNAs processing and non-coding RNAs biogenesis. We aimed to identify possible common grounds or differences in the dysregulated pathways of AD, PD, and ALS. To do so, we performed RNA-seq analysis to investigate the deregulation of both coding and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in ALS, AD, and PD patients and controls (CTRL) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). A total of 293 differentially expressed (DE) lncRNAs and 87 mRNAs were found in ALS patients. In AD patients a total of 23 DE genes emerged, 19 protein coding genes and four lncRNAs. Through Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) analyses, we found common affected pathways and biological processes in ALS and AD. In PD patients only five genes were found to be DE. Our data brought to light the importance of lncRNAs and mRNAs regulation in three principal neurodegenerative disorders, offering starting points for new investigations on deregulated pathogenic mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Garofalo
- Genomic and Post-Genomic Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.G.); (C.P.); (O.P.); (S.Z.); (S.G.)
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “L. Spallanzani”, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Cecilia Pandini
- Genomic and Post-Genomic Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.G.); (C.P.); (O.P.); (S.Z.); (S.G.)
| | - Matteo Bordoni
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Centro di Eccellenza sulle Malattie Neurodegenerative, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milano, Italy;
| | - Orietta Pansarasa
- Genomic and Post-Genomic Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.G.); (C.P.); (O.P.); (S.Z.); (S.G.)
| | - Federica Rey
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences “Luigi Sacco”, University of Milan, Via G.B Grassi 74, 20157 Milan, Italy; (F.R.); (S.C.)
- Pediatric Clinical Research Center Fondazione “Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi”, University of Milano, Via G.B. Grassi 74, 20157 Milano, Italy
| | - Alfredo Costa
- Unit of Behavioral Neurology, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Brigida Minafra
- Parkinson Unit and Movement disorders Mondino Foundation IRCCS, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
| | - Luca Diamanti
- Neuro-Oncology Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
| | - Susanna Zucca
- Genomic and Post-Genomic Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.G.); (C.P.); (O.P.); (S.Z.); (S.G.)
- enGenomesrl, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Stephana Carelli
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences “Luigi Sacco”, University of Milan, Via G.B Grassi 74, 20157 Milan, Italy; (F.R.); (S.C.)
- Pediatric Clinical Research Center Fondazione “Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi”, University of Milano, Via G.B. Grassi 74, 20157 Milano, Italy
| | - Cristina Cereda
- Genomic and Post-Genomic Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.G.); (C.P.); (O.P.); (S.Z.); (S.G.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Stella Gagliardi
- Genomic and Post-Genomic Unit, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.G.); (C.P.); (O.P.); (S.Z.); (S.G.)
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Ruffini N, Klingenberg S, Schweiger S, Gerber S. Common Factors in Neurodegeneration: A Meta-Study Revealing Shared Patterns on a Multi-Omics Scale. Cells 2020; 9:E2642. [PMID: 33302607 PMCID: PMC7764447 DOI: 10.3390/cells9122642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are heterogeneous, progressive diseases with frequently overlapping symptoms characterized by a loss of neurons. Studies have suggested relations between neurodegenerative diseases for many years (e.g., regarding the aggregation of toxic proteins or triggering endogenous cell death pathways). We gathered publicly available genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic data from 177 studies and more than one million patients to detect shared genetic patterns between the neurodegenerative diseases on three analyzed omics-layers. The results show a remarkably high number of shared differentially expressed genes between the transcriptomic and proteomic levels for all conditions, while showing a significant relation between genomic and proteomic data between AD and PD and AD and ALS. We identified a set of 139 genes being differentially expressed in several transcriptomic experiments of all four diseases. These 139 genes showed overrepresented gene ontology (GO) Terms involved in the development of neurodegeneration, such as response to heat and hypoxia, positive regulation of cytokines and angiogenesis, and RNA catabolic process. Furthermore, the four analyzed neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) were clustered by their mean direction of regulation throughout all transcriptomic studies for this set of 139 genes, with the closest relation regarding this common gene set seen between AD and HD. GO-Term and pathway analysis of the proteomic overlap led to biological processes (BPs), related to protein folding and humoral immune response. Taken together, we could confirm the existence of many relations between Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis on transcriptomic and proteomic levels by analyzing the pathways and GO-Terms arising in these intersections. The significance of the connection and the striking relation of the results to processes leading to neurodegeneration between the transcriptomic and proteomic data for all four analyzed neurodegenerative diseases showed that exploring many studies simultaneously, including multiple omics-layers of different neurodegenerative diseases simultaneously, holds new relevant insights that do not emerge from analyzing these data separately. Furthermore, the results shed light on processes like the humoral immune response that have previously been described only for certain diseases. Our data therefore suggest human patients with neurodegenerative diseases should be addressed as complex biological systems by integrating multiple underlying data sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Ruffini
- Institute for Human Genetics, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55131 Mainz, Germany; (N.R.); (S.K.); (S.S.)
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, Leibniz Association, Wallstraße 7, 55122 Mainz, Germany
| | - Susanne Klingenberg
- Institute for Human Genetics, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55131 Mainz, Germany; (N.R.); (S.K.); (S.S.)
| | - Susann Schweiger
- Institute for Human Genetics, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55131 Mainz, Germany; (N.R.); (S.K.); (S.S.)
| | - Susanne Gerber
- Institute for Human Genetics, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55131 Mainz, Germany; (N.R.); (S.K.); (S.S.)
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48
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Dissecting the Effect of a 3D Microscaffold on the Transcriptome of Neural Stem Cells with Computational Approaches: A Focus on Mechanotransduction. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21186775. [PMID: 32942778 PMCID: PMC7555048 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 09/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
3D cell cultures are becoming more and more important in the field of regenerative medicine due to their ability to mimic the cellular physiological microenvironment. Among the different types of 3D scaffolds, we focus on the Nichoid, a miniaturized scaffold with a structure inspired by the natural staminal niche. The Nichoid can activate cellular responses simply by subjecting the cells to mechanical stimuli. This kind of influence results in different cellular morphology and organization, but the molecular bases of these changes remain largely unknown. Through RNA-Seq approach on murine neural precursors stem cells expanded inside the Nichoid, we investigated the deregulated genes and pathways showing that the Nichoid causes alteration in genes strongly connected to mechanobiological functions. Moreover, we fully dissected this mechanism highlighting how the changes start at a membrane level, with subsequent alterations in the cytoskeleton, signaling pathways, and metabolism, all leading to a final alteration in gene expression. The results shown here demonstrate that the Nichoid influences the biological and genetic response of stem cells thorough specific alterations of cellular signaling. The characterization of these pathways elucidates the role of mechanical manipulation on stem cells, with possible implications in regenerative medicine applications.
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Salvatori B, Biscarini S, Morlando M. Non-coding RNAs in Nervous System Development and Disease. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:273. [PMID: 32435641 PMCID: PMC7218086 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The rapid advance of RNA sequencing technologies contributed to a deep understanding of transcriptome composition and has allowed the discovery of a large number of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). The ability of these RNA molecules to be engaged in intricate and dynamic interactions with proteins and nucleic acids led to a great expansion of gene expression regulation mechanisms. By this matter, ncRNAs contribute to the increase in regulatory complexity that becomes highly specific between tissues and cell types. Among the ncRNAs, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs) are especially abundant in nervous system and have been shown to be implicated in its development, plasticity and aging as well as in neurological disorders. This review provides an overview of how these two diverse classes of ncRNAs control cellular processes during nervous system development, physiology, and disease conditions with particular emphasis on neurodegenerative disorders. The use of ncRNAs as biomarkers, tools, or targets for therapeutic intervention in neurodegeneration are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Salvatori
- Center for Life Nano Science@Sapienza, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Biscarini
- Center for Life Nano Science@Sapienza, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome, Italy
| | - Mariangela Morlando
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, "Department of Excellence 2018-2022", University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
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50
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Wu YY, Kuo HC. Functional roles and networks of non-coding RNAs in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. J Biomed Sci 2020; 27:49. [PMID: 32264890 PMCID: PMC7140545 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-020-00636-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent transcriptome analyses have revealed that noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) are broadly expressed in mammalian cells and abundant in the CNS, with tissue and cell type-specific expression patterns. Moreover, ncRNAs have been found to intricately and dynamically regulate various signaling pathways in neurodegeneration. As such, some antisense transcripts and microRNAs are known to directly affect neurodegeneration in disease contexts. The functions of ncRNAs in pathogenesis are unique for each disorder, as are the pertinent networks of ncRNA/miRNA/mRNA that mediate these functions. Thus, further understanding of ncRNA biogenesis and effects might aid the discovery of diagnostic biomarkers or development of effective therapeutics for neurodegenerative disorders. Here, we review the ncRNAs that have so far been identified in major neurodegenerative disease etiology and the mechanisms that link ncRNAs with disease-specific phenotypes, such as HTT aggregation in HD, α-synuclein in PD, and Aβ plaques and hyperphosphorylated Tau in AD. We also summarize the known lncRNA/miRNA/mRNA networks that participate in neurodegenerative diseases, and we discuss ncRNA-related treatments shown to delay disease onset and prolong lifespan in rodent models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Ying Wu
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, No. 128, Sec. 2, Academia Road, Nankang, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan
| | - Hung-Chih Kuo
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, No. 128, Sec. 2, Academia Road, Nankang, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan. .,Graduate Institute of Medical Genomics and Proteomics, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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