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Chang KH, Chen CM. The Role of NRF2 in Trinucleotide Repeat Expansion Disorders. Antioxidants (Basel) 2024; 13:649. [PMID: 38929088 PMCID: PMC11200942 DOI: 10.3390/antiox13060649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Trinucleotide repeat expansion disorders, a diverse group of neurodegenerative diseases, are caused by abnormal expansions within specific genes. These expansions trigger a cascade of cellular damage, including protein aggregation and abnormal RNA binding. A key contributor to this damage is oxidative stress, an imbalance of reactive oxygen species that harms cellular components. This review explores the interplay between oxidative stress and the NRF2 pathway in these disorders. NRF2 acts as the master regulator of the cellular antioxidant response, orchestrating the expression of enzymes that combat oxidative stress. Trinucleotide repeat expansion disorders often exhibit impaired NRF2 signaling, resulting in inadequate responses to excessive ROS production. NRF2 activation has been shown to upregulate antioxidative gene expression, effectively alleviating oxidative stress damage. NRF2 activators, such as omaveloxolone, vatiquinone, curcumin, sulforaphane, dimethyl fumarate, and resveratrol, demonstrate neuroprotective effects by reducing oxidative stress in experimental cell and animal models of these diseases. However, translating these findings into successful clinical applications requires further research. In this article, we review the literature supporting the role of NRF2 in the pathogenesis of these diseases and the potential therapeutics of NRF2 activators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuo-Hsuan Chang
- Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou Medical Center, Kueishan, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan;
- College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan
| | - Chiung-Mei Chen
- Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou Medical Center, Kueishan, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan;
- College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan
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2
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Pennuto M, Pradat PF, Sorarù G, Greensmith L. 271st ENMC international workshop: Towards a unifying effort to fight Kennedy's disease. 20-22 October 2023, Hoofddorp, Netherlands. Neuromuscul Disord 2024; 38:8-19. [PMID: 38552412 DOI: 10.1016/j.nmd.2024.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2024] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
The workshop held in the Netherlands from October 20-22, 2023, united 27 scientists from academia, healthcare, and industry representing 11 countries, alongside four patient and charity representatives. Focused on Kennedy's Disease (KD), also known as spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA), the workshop aimed to consolidate knowledge, align on clinical trial designs, and promote participative medicine for effective treatments. Discussions emphasized KD's molecular mechanisms, highlighting its status as a neuromuscular disorder with motor neuron degeneration. Strategies for therapeutic intervention, including AR activity modulation and targeting post-translational modifications, were proposed. The need for diagnostic, prognostic, and target engagement biomarkers was stressed. Challenges in patient stratification and clinical trial recruitment were acknowledged, with the International KD/SBMA Registry praised for its role. The workshop concluded with a patient-focused session, underscoring challenges in KD diagnosis and the vital support provided by patient associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Pennuto
- Department of Biomedical Sciences (DBS), University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy; Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Padova 35100, Italy.
| | - P F Pradat
- Département de Neurologie, AP-HP, Groupe hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, F-75013 Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, UPMC University Paris 06, CNRS, INSERM, Laboratoire d'Imagerie Biomédicale (LIB), 75013 Paris, France
| | - G Sorarù
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - L Greensmith
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK.
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3
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Garcia Castro DR, Mazuk JR, Heine EM, Simpson D, Pinches RS, Lozzi C, Hoffman K, Morrin P, Mathis D, Lebedev MV, Nissley E, Han KH, Farmer T, Merry DE, Tong Q, Pennuto M, Montie HL. Increased SIRT3 combined with PARP inhibition rescues motor function of SBMA mice. iScience 2023; 26:107375. [PMID: 37599829 PMCID: PMC10433013 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107375] [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: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) is a neuromuscular disease with substantial mitochondrial and metabolic dysfunctions. SBMA is caused by polyglutamine (polyQ) expansion in the androgen receptor (AR). Activating or increasing the NAD+-dependent deacetylase, SIRT3, reduced oxidative stress and death of cells modeling SBMA. However, increasing diminished SIRT3 in AR100Q mice failed to reduce acetylation of the SIRT3 target/antioxidant, SOD2, and had no effect on increased total acetylated peptides in quadriceps. Yet, overexpressing SIRT3 resulted in a trend of motor recovery, and corrected TCA cycle activity by decreasing acetylation of SIRT3 target proteins. We sought to boost blunted SIRT3 activity by replenishing diminished NAD+ with PARP inhibition. Although NAD+ was not affected, overexpressing SIRT3 with PARP inhibition fully restored hexokinase activity, correcting the glycolytic pathway in AR100Q quadriceps, and rescued motor endurance of SBMA mice. These data demonstrate that targeting metabolic anomalies can restore motor function downstream of polyQ-expanded AR.
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Affiliation(s)
- David R. Garcia Castro
- Department of Bio-Medical Sciences, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19131, USA
| | - Joseph R. Mazuk
- Department of Bio-Medical Sciences, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19131, USA
| | - Erin M. Heine
- Department of Bio-Medical Sciences, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19131, USA
| | - Daniel Simpson
- Department of Bio-Medical Sciences, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19131, USA
| | - R. Seth Pinches
- Department of Bio-Medical Sciences, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19131, USA
| | - Caroline Lozzi
- Department of Bio-Medical Sciences, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19131, USA
| | - Kathryn Hoffman
- Department of Bio-Medical Sciences, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19131, USA
| | - Phillip Morrin
- Department of Bio-Medical Sciences, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19131, USA
| | - Dylan Mathis
- Department of Bio-Medical Sciences, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19131, USA
| | - Maria V. Lebedev
- Department of Bio-Medical Sciences, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19131, USA
| | - Elyse Nissley
- Department of Bio-Medical Sciences, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19131, USA
| | - Kang Hoo Han
- Department of Bio-Medical Sciences, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19131, USA
| | - Tyler Farmer
- Department of Bio-Medical Sciences, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19131, USA
| | - Diane E. Merry
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA
| | - Qiang Tong
- USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Departments of Pediatrics, Medicine, Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Maria Pennuto
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
- Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Heather L. Montie
- Department of Bio-Medical Sciences, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19131, USA
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4
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Barone C, Qi X. Altered Metabolism in Motor Neuron Diseases: Mechanism and Potential Therapeutic Target. Cells 2023; 12:1536. [PMID: 37296656 PMCID: PMC10252517 DOI: 10.3390/cells12111536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2023] [Revised: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Motor Neuron Diseases (MND) are neurological disorders characterized by a loss of varying motor neurons resulting in decreased physical capabilities. Current research is focused on hindering disease progression by determining causes of motor neuron death. Metabolic malfunction has been proposed as a promising topic when targeting motor neuron loss. Alterations in metabolism have also been noted at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) and skeletal muscle tissue, emphasizing the importance of a cohesive system. Finding metabolism changes consistent throughout both neurons and skeletal muscle tissue could pose as a target for therapeutic intervention. This review will focus on metabolic deficits reported in MNDs and propose potential therapeutic targets for future intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xin Qi
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106-4970, USA;
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SESN2 Could Be a Potential Marker for Diagnosis and Prognosis in Glioma. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14030701. [PMID: 36980973 PMCID: PMC10048065 DOI: 10.3390/genes14030701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Glioma is among the most common brain tumors, and is difficult to eradicate with current therapeutic strategies due to its highly invasive and aggressive characteristics. Sestrin2 (SESN2) is an autophagy inducer. The effect of SESN2 on glioma is controversial and unclear. (2) Methods: We downloaded related RNA-seq data from the TCGA and GTEx databases. Bioinformatic analyses including differential gene expression analysis, KM survival curve analysis, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses, nomogram analysis, ROC curve analysis, gene function enrichment analysis, and immune cell infiltration analysis were conducted. In addition, data from the Human Protein Atlas (HPA) database were collected to validate SESN2 expression in glioma. (3) Results: In comparison with normal tissue, expression of SESN2 in glioma tissue was higher, and those with higher expressions had significantly lower overall survival rates. The results of univariate Cox regression analyses showed that SESN2 can be a disadvantageous factor in poor glioma prognosis. Both nomograms and ROC curves confirmed these findings. Meanwhile, according to gene function analysis, SESN2 may be involved in immune responses and the tumor microenvironment (TME). Based on the HPA database results, SESN2 is localized in the cytosol and shows high expression in glioma. (4) Conclusions: The expression of SESN2 in gliomas was positively relevant to a poorer prognosis, suggesting that SESN2 could be used as a prognostic gene.
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Feng X, Cheng XT, Zheng P, Li Y, Hakim J, Zhang SQ, Anderson SM, Linask K, Prestil R, Zou J, Sheng ZH, Blackstone C. Ligand-free mitochondria-localized mutant AR-induced cytotoxicity in spinal bulbar muscular atrophy. Brain 2023; 146:278-294. [PMID: 35867854 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awac269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2022] [Revised: 06/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinal bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA), the first identified CAG-repeat expansion disorder, is an X-linked neuromuscular disorder involving CAG-repeat-expansion mutations in the androgen receptor (AR) gene. We utilized CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to engineer novel isogenic human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) models, consisting of isogenic AR knockout, control and disease lines expressing mutant AR with distinct repeat lengths, as well as control and disease lines expressing FLAG-tagged wild-type and mutant AR, respectively. Adapting a small-molecule cocktail-directed approach, we differentiate the isogenic hiPSC models into motor neuron-like cells with a highly enriched population to uncover cell-type-specific mechanisms underlying SBMA and to distinguish gain- from loss-of-function properties of mutant AR in disease motor neurons. We demonstrate that ligand-free mutant AR causes drastic mitochondrial dysfunction in neurites of differentiated disease motor neurons due to gain-of-function mechanisms and such cytotoxicity can be amplified upon ligand (androgens) treatment. We further show that aberrant interaction between ligand-free, mitochondria-localized mutant AR and F-ATP synthase is associated with compromised mitochondrial respiration and multiple other mitochondrial impairments. These findings counter the established notion that androgens are requisite for mutant AR-induced cytotoxicity in SBMA, reveal a compelling mechanistic link between ligand-free mutant AR, F-ATP synthase and mitochondrial dysfunction, and provide innovative insights into motor neuron-specific therapeutic interventions for SBMA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Feng
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Cell Biology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.,Neurogenetics Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Xiu-Tang Cheng
- Synaptic Function Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Pengli Zheng
- Cell Biology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Yan Li
- Protein/Peptide Sequencing Facility, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jill Hakim
- Neurogenetics Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | - Stacie M Anderson
- Flow Cytometry Core, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kaari Linask
- iPSC Core, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ryan Prestil
- Neurogenetics Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jizhong Zou
- iPSC Core, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Zu-Hang Sheng
- Synaptic Function Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Craig Blackstone
- Cell Biology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.,MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA.,Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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7
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Chen B, Luo Y, Kang X, Sun Y, Jiang C, Yi B, Yan X, Chen Y, Shi R. Development of a prognostic prediction model based on a combined multi-omics analysis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cell pyroptosis-related genes. Front Genet 2022; 13:981222. [PMID: 36246601 PMCID: PMC9557126 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.981222] [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: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to understand the prognosis of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and to develop and validate a prognostic model for HNSCC based on pyroptosis-associated genes (PAGs) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The Cancer Genome Atlas database was used to identify differentially expressed PAGs. These genes were analyzed using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes functional annotation analyses and Gene Ontology analyses. The NLR family pyrin domain containing 1 (NLRP1) gene, charged multivesicular body protein 7 (CHMP7) gene, and cytochrome C (CYCS) gene were used to create a prognostic model for HNSCC. The results of the Kaplan-Meier (K-M) and Cox regression analyses indicated that the developed model served as an independent risk factor for HNSCC. According to the K-M analysis, the overall survival of high-risk patients was lower than that of low-risk patients. The hazard ratios corresponding to the risk scores determined using the multivariate and univariate Cox regression analyses were 1.646 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.189–2.278) and 1.724 (95% CI: 1.294–2.298), respectively, and the area under the receiver operator characteristic curve was 0.621. The potential mechanisms associated with the functions of the identified genes were then identified, and the tumor microenvironment and levels of immune cell infiltration achieved were analyzed. The immune infiltration analysis revealed differences in the distribution of Th cells, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, regulatory T cells, follicular helper T cells, adipose-derived cells, interdigitating dendritic cells, CD8+ T cells, and B cells. However, validating bioinformatics analyses through biological experiments is still recommended. This study developed a prognostic model for HNSCC that included NLRP1, CHMP7, and CYCS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Chen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Ear Institute, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuanbo Luo
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Ear Institute, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Xueran Kang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Ear Institute, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuxing Sun
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Ear Institute, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Chenyan Jiang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Ear Institute, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Bin Yi
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Ear Institute, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaojun Yan
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Ear Institute, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Yisheng Chen
- Department of Sports Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Runjie Shi
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Ear Institute, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine on Ear and Nose Diseases, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Runjie Shi,
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8
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Pourshafie N, Masati E, Lopez A, Bunker E, Snyder A, Edwards NA, Winkelsas AM, Fischbeck KH, Grunseich C. Altered SYNJ2BP-mediated mitochondrial-ER contacts in motor neuron disease. Neurobiol Dis 2022; 172:105832. [PMID: 35907632 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Synaptojanin 2 binding protein (SYNJ2BP) is an outer mitochondrial membrane protein with a cytosolic PDZ domain that functions as a cellular signaling hub. Few studies have evaluated its role in disease. Here we use induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived motor neurons and post-mortem tissue from patients with two hereditary motor neuron diseases, spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis type 4 (ALS4), and show that SYNJ2BP expression is increased in diseased motor neurons. Similarly, we show that SYNJ2BP expression increases in iPSC-derived motor neurons undergoing stress. Using proteomic analysis, we found that elevated SYNJ2BP alters the cellular distribution of mitochondria and increases mitochondrial-ER membrane contact sites. Furthermore, decreasing SYNJ2BP levels improves mitochondrial oxidative function in the diseased motor neurons. Together, our observations offer new insight into the molecular pathology of motor neuron disease and the role of SYNJ2BP in mitochondrial dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naemeh Pourshafie
- Neurogenetics Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Ester Masati
- Neurogenetics Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Amber Lopez
- Neurogenetics Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Eric Bunker
- Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Allison Snyder
- Neurogenetics Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Nancy A Edwards
- Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Audrey M Winkelsas
- Neurogenetics Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Kenneth H Fischbeck
- Neurogenetics Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Christopher Grunseich
- Neurogenetics Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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9
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Ogura Y, Sahashi K, Hirunagi T, Iida M, Miyata T, Katsuno M. Mid1 is associated with androgen-dependent axonal vulnerability of motor neurons in spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:601. [PMID: 35821212 PMCID: PMC9276699 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-05001-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) is an adult-onset hereditary neurodegenerative disease caused by the expansions of CAG repeats in the androgen receptor (AR) gene. Androgen-dependent nuclear accumulation of pathogenic AR protein causes degeneration of lower motor neurons, leading to progressive muscle weakness and atrophy. While the successful induction of SBMA-like pathology has been achieved in mouse models, mechanisms underlying motor neuron vulnerability remain unclear. In the present study, we performed a transcriptome-based screening for genes expressed exclusively in motor neurons and dysregulated in the spinal cord of SBMA mice. We found upregulation of Mid1 encoding a microtubule-associated RNA binding protein which facilitates the translation of CAG-expanded mRNAs. Based on the finding that lower motor neurons begin expressing Mid1 during embryonic stages, we developed an organotypic slice culture system of the spinal cord obtained from SBMA mouse fetuses to study the pathogenic role of Mid1 in SBMA motor neurons. Impairment of axonal regeneration arose in the spinal cord culture in SBMA mice in an androgen-dependent manner, but not in mice with non-CAG-expanded AR, and was either exacerbated or ameliorated by Mid1 overexpression or knockdown, respectively. Hence, an early Mid1 expression confers vulnerability to motor neurons, at least by inducing axonogenesis defects, in SBMA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yosuke Ogura
- grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XDepartment of Neurology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Kentaro Sahashi
- grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XDepartment of Neurology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Tomoki Hirunagi
- grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XDepartment of Neurology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Madoka Iida
- grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XDepartment of Neurology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Takaki Miyata
- grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XDepartment of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Masahisa Katsuno
- grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XDepartment of Neurology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan ,grid.27476.300000 0001 0943 978XDepartment of Clinical Research Education, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
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10
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Li X, Cao G, Liu X, Tang TS, Guo C, Liu H. Polymerases and DNA Repair in Neurons: Implications in Neuronal Survival and Neurodegenerative Diseases. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:852002. [PMID: 35846567 PMCID: PMC9279898 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.852002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Most of the neurodegenerative diseases and aging are associated with reactive oxygen species (ROS) or other intracellular damaging agents that challenge the genome integrity of the neurons. As most of the mature neurons stay in G0/G1 phase, replication-uncoupled DNA repair pathways including BER, NER, SSBR, and NHEJ, are pivotal, efficient, and economic mechanisms to maintain genomic stability without reactivating cell cycle. In these progresses, polymerases are prominent, not only because they are responsible for both sensing and repairing damages, but also for their more diversified roles depending on the cell cycle phase and damage types. In this review, we summarized recent knowledge on the structural and biochemical properties of distinct polymerases, including DNA and RNA polymerases, which are known to be expressed and active in nervous system; the biological relevance of these polymerases and their interactors with neuronal degeneration would be most graphically illustrated by the neurological abnormalities observed in patients with hereditary diseases associated with defects in DNA repair; furthermore, the vicious cycle of the trinucleotide repeat (TNR) and impaired DNA repair pathway is also discussed. Unraveling the mechanisms and contextual basis of the role of the polymerases in DNA damage response and repair will promote our understanding about how long-lived postmitotic cells cope with DNA lesions, and why disrupted DNA repair contributes to disease origin, despite the diversity of mutations in genes. This knowledge may lead to new insight into the development of targeted intervention for neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoling Li
- Nano-Biotechnology Key Lab of Hebei Province, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, China
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Xiaoling Li
| | - Guanghui Cao
- Nano-Biotechnology Key Lab of Hebei Province, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, China
| | - Xiaokang Liu
- Nano-Biotechnology Key Lab of Hebei Province, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, China
| | - Tie-Shan Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Caixia Guo
- Beijing Institute of Genomics, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences/China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Caixia Guo
| | - Hongmei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing, China
- Hongmei Liu
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11
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Bunting EL, Hamilton J, Tabrizi SJ. Polyglutamine diseases. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2022; 72:39-47. [PMID: 34488036 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2021.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Polyglutamine diseases are a collection of nine CAG trinucleotide expansion disorders, presenting with a spectrum of neurological and clinical phenotypes. Recent human, mouse and cell studies of Huntington's disease have highlighted the role of DNA repair genes in somatic expansion of the CAG repeat region, modifying disease pathogenesis. Incomplete splicing of the HTT gene has also been shown to occur in humans, with the resulting exon 1 fragment most probably contributing to the Huntington's disease phenotype. In the spinocerebellar ataxias, studies have converged on transcriptional dysregulation of ion channels as a key disease modifier. In addition, advances have been made in understanding how increased levels of toxic, polyglutamine-expanded proteins can arise in the spinocerebellar ataxias through post-transcriptional and -translational modifications and autophagic mechanisms. Recent studies in spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy implicate similar pathogenic pathways to the more common polyglutamine diseases, highlighting autophagy stimulation as a potential therapeutic target. Finally, the therapeutic use of antisense oligonucleotides in several polyglutamine diseases has shown preclinical benefits and serves as potential future therapies in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma L Bunting
- UCL Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Joseph Hamilton
- UCL Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Sarah J Tabrizi
- UCL Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
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12
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Chandra S, Lusk CP. Emerging Connections between Nuclear Pore Complex Homeostasis and ALS. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:1329. [PMID: 35163252 PMCID: PMC8835831 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Developing effective treatments for neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) requires understanding of the underlying pathomechanisms that contribute to the motor neuron loss that defines the disease. As it causes the largest fraction of familial ALS cases, considerable effort has focused on hexanucleotide repeat expansions in the C9ORF72 gene, which encode toxic repeat RNA and dipeptide repeat (DPR) proteins. Both the repeat RNA and DPRs interact with and perturb multiple elements of the nuclear transport machinery, including shuttling nuclear transport receptors, the Ran GTPase and the nucleoporin proteins (nups) that build the nuclear pore complex (NPC). Here, we consider recent work that describes changes to the molecular composition of the NPC in C9ORF72 model and patient neurons in the context of quality control mechanisms that function at the nuclear envelope (NE). For example, changes to NPC structure may be caused by the dysregulation of a conserved NE surveillance pathway mediated by the endosomal sorting complexes required for the transport protein, CHMP7. Thus, these studies are introducing NE and NPC quality control pathways as key elements in a pathological cascade that leads to C9ORF72 ALS, opening entirely new experimental avenues and possibilities for targeted therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - C. Patrick Lusk
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine, 295 Congress Ave, New Haven, CT 06520, USA;
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13
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Guo Y, Shi J, Zhao Z, Wang M. Multidimensional Analysis of the Role of Charged Multivesicular Body Protein 7 in Pan-Cancer. Int J Gen Med 2021; 14:7907-7923. [PMID: 34785938 PMCID: PMC8590578 DOI: 10.2147/ijgm.s337876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Charged multivesicular body protein 7 is briefly referred to as CHMP7, and it plays a significant role in the endosomal sorting pathway. CHMP7 can form a complex with ESCRTIII to jointly complete the process of contraction, shear bud neck and final membrane shedding. Methods TCGA, GEO and CPTAC were chosen for the analysis of the role of CHMP7 in pan-cancer. Role of CHMP7 in pan-cancer was analyzed using R software and tools such as TIMER, GEPIA, UALCAN, String and DiseaseMeth. It includes differential expression analysis of CHMP7, survival analysis, genetic variation analysis, DNA methylation analysis, post-translationally modified protein phosphorylation analysis and functional enrichment analysis. Results CHMP7 presents low expression in the majority of tumor tissues and the prognosis is poor in the low expression group. The common gene mutation in CHMP7 is deep deletion, which may lead to frameshift mutations, resulting in a poor prognosis. Functional alterations due to DNA methylation and post-transcriptional protein modifications may be closely associated with tumors. GO analysis revealed that CHMP7-related genes are involved in the composition of the various ESCRT complexes. In terms of molecular function, they mainly bind to GTP, exert GTPase activity and promote multivesicular bodies assembly. In the KEGG enrichment analysis, the main pathways expressed by CHMP7 and related genes were endocytosis, gap junction and phagosome. Conclusion Pan-cancer analysis showed that CHMP7 expression was statistically correlated with clinical prognosis, DNA methylation, protein phosphorylation and immune cell infiltration, which may provide new ideas or targets for the diagnosis or treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Guo
- Department of the General Surgery, Jilin University Second Hospital, Changchun, Jilin, People's Republic of China
| | - Jian Shi
- Department of the General Surgery, Jilin University Second Hospital, Changchun, Jilin, People's Republic of China
| | - Zeyun Zhao
- Department of the General Surgery, Jilin University Second Hospital, Changchun, Jilin, People's Republic of China
| | - Min Wang
- Department of the General Surgery, Jilin University Second Hospital, Changchun, Jilin, People's Republic of China
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14
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Lim WF, Forouhan M, Roberts TC, Dabney J, Ellerington R, Speciale AA, Manzano R, Lieto M, Sangha G, Banerjee S, Conceição M, Cravo L, Biscans A, Roux L, Pourshafie N, Grunseich C, Duguez S, Khvorova A, Pennuto M, Cortes CJ, La Spada AR, Fischbeck KH, Wood MJA, Rinaldi C. Gene therapy with AR isoform 2 rescues spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy phenotype by modulating AR transcriptional activity. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/34/eabi6896. [PMID: 34417184 PMCID: PMC8378820 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abi6896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) is an X-linked, adult-onset neuromuscular condition caused by an abnormal polyglutamine (polyQ) tract expansion in androgen receptor (AR) protein. SBMA is a disease with high unmet clinical need. Recent studies have shown that mutant AR-altered transcriptional activity is key to disease pathogenesis. Restoring the transcriptional dysregulation without affecting other AR critical functions holds great promise for the treatment of SBMA and other AR-related conditions; however, how this targeted approach can be achieved and translated into a clinical application remains to be understood. Here, we characterized the role of AR isoform 2, a naturally occurring variant encoding a truncated AR lacking the polyQ-harboring domain, as a regulatory switch of AR genomic functions in androgen-responsive tissues. Delivery of this isoform using a recombinant adeno-associated virus vector type 9 resulted in amelioration of the disease phenotype in SBMA mice by restoring polyQ AR-dysregulated transcriptional activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wooi F Lim
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Mitra Forouhan
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Jesse Dabney
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | | | - Raquel Manzano
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Maria Lieto
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Gavinda Sangha
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Subhashis Banerjee
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Lara Cravo
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Annabelle Biscans
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Loïc Roux
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Naemeh Pourshafie
- Neurogenetics Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Christopher Grunseich
- Neurogenetics Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Stephanie Duguez
- Northern Ireland Centre for Stratified Medicine, Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Londonderry, UK
| | - Anastasia Khvorova
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Maria Pennuto
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Venetian Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM), Padova, Italy
| | - Constanza J Cortes
- Department of Neurology, Duke Center for Neurodegeneration and Neurotherapeutics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Albert R La Spada
- Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Neurology, and Biological Chemistry and the UCI Institute for Neurotherapeutics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Kenneth H Fischbeck
- Neurogenetics Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Matthew J A Wood
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- MDUK Oxford Neuromuscular Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Carlo Rinaldi
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- MDUK Oxford Neuromuscular Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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15
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Świtońska-Kurkowska K, Krist B, Delimata J, Figiel M. Juvenile Huntington's Disease and Other PolyQ Diseases, Update on Neurodevelopmental Character and Comparative Bioinformatic Review of Transcriptomic and Proteomic Data. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:642773. [PMID: 34277598 PMCID: PMC8281051 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.642773] [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: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Polyglutamine (PolyQ) diseases are neurodegenerative disorders caused by the CAG repeat expansion mutation in affected genes resulting in toxic proteins containing a long chain of glutamines. There are nine PolyQ diseases: Huntington’s disease (HD), spinocerebellar ataxias (types 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, and 17), dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy (DRPLA), and spinal bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA). In general, longer CAG expansions and longer glutamine tracts lead to earlier disease presentations in PolyQ patients. Rarely, cases of extremely long expansions are identified for PolyQ diseases, and they consistently lead to juvenile or sometimes very severe infantile-onset polyQ syndromes. In apparent contrast to the very long CAG tracts, shorter CAGs and PolyQs in proteins seems to be the evolutionary factor enhancing human cognition. Therefore, polyQ tracts in proteins can be modifiers of brain development and disease drivers, which contribute neurodevelopmental phenotypes in juvenile- and adult-onset PolyQ diseases. Therefore we performed a bioinformatics review of published RNAseq polyQ expression data resulting from the presence of polyQ genes in search of neurodevelopmental expression patterns and comparison between diseases. The expression data were collected from cell types reflecting stages of development such as iPSC, neuronal stem cell, neurons, but also the adult patients and models for PolyQ disease. In addition, we extended our bioinformatic transcriptomic analysis by proteomics data. We identified a group of 13 commonly downregulated genes and proteins in HD mouse models. Our comparative bioinformatic review highlighted several (neuro)developmental pathways and genes identified within PolyQ diseases and mouse models responsible for neural growth, synaptogenesis, and synaptic plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bart Krist
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | - Joanna Delimata
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | - Maciej Figiel
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznań, Poland
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16
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Molecular pathogenesis of spinal bulbar muscular atrophy (Kennedy's disease) and avenues for treatment. Curr Opin Neurol 2021; 33:629-634. [PMID: 32773451 DOI: 10.1097/wco.0000000000000856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The aim of this study was to illustrate the current understanding and avenues for developing treatment in spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA), an inherited neuromuscular disorder caused by a CAG trinucleotide repeat expansion in the androgen receptor (AR) gene. RECENT FINDINGS Important advances have been made in characterizing the molecular mechanism of the disease, including the disruption of protein homeostasis, intracellular trafficking and signalling pathways. Biomarkers such as MRI quantification of muscle volume and fat fraction have been used to track disease progression, and will be useful in future clinical studies. Therapies tested and under development have been based on diverse strategies, including targeting mutant AR gene expression, stability and activity, and pathways that mitigate disease toxicity. SUMMARY We provide an overview of the recent advances in understanding the SBMA disease mechanism and highlight efforts to translate these insights into well tolerated and effective therapy.
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17
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Dark C, Williams C, Bellgrove MA, Hawi Z, Bryson-Richardson RJ. Functional validation of CHMP7 as an ADHD risk gene. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:385. [PMID: 33159045 PMCID: PMC7648633 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-01077-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder of childhood with a strong genetic component. Despite the success of mapping ADHD risk loci, little work has been done to experimentally verify the contribution of these loci to ADHD phenotypes. Meta-analysis of four genome-wide association studies in ADHD suggested CHMP7 as a predisposing gene for ADHD. A DNA variant (rs2294123) mapped to CHMP7 has been shown (via bioinformatic analysis) to have a high likelihood for functionality and correlate with reduced transcript levels. We used CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing to generate a chmp7 zebrafish model for ADHD. chmp7+/- fish showed comparable reductions in mRNA levels to individuals homozygous for the CHMP7 ADHD risk allele. These fish displayed significant hyperactivity over a 24-h period at 6 days post-fertilisation compared to chmp7+/+, but this effect did not persist into juvenile and adulthood stages. In addition, chmp7+/- fish had significantly smaller total brain volumes than chmp7+/+ fish. Finally, the hyperactivity at 6 days post-fertilisation was significantly reduced through the application of methylphenidate, a mainstay pharmacological treatment for ADHD. Overall, this study highlights an important role for CHMP7 in the neurodevelopment of ADHD, and demonstrates the utility of zebrafish for modelling the functional effects of genes conferring risk to ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Callum Dark
- grid.1002.30000 0004 1936 7857School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Caitlin Williams
- grid.1002.30000 0004 1936 7857School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Mark A. Bellgrove
- grid.1002.30000 0004 1936 7857Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Ziarih Hawi
- grid.1002.30000 0004 1936 7857Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Robert J. Bryson-Richardson
- grid.1002.30000 0004 1936 7857School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
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18
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Li Y, Ma A, Mathé EA, Li L, Liu B, Ma Q. Elucidation of Biological Networks across Complex Diseases Using Single-Cell Omics. Trends Genet 2020; 36:951-966. [PMID: 32868128 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2020.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Single-cell multimodal omics (scMulti-omics) technologies have made it possible to trace cellular lineages during differentiation and to identify new cell types in heterogeneous cell populations. The derived information is especially promising for computing cell-type-specific biological networks encoded in complex diseases and improving our understanding of the underlying gene regulatory mechanisms. The integration of these networks could, therefore, give rise to a heterogeneous regulatory landscape (HRL) in support of disease diagnosis and drug therapeutics. In this review, we provide an overview of this field and pay particular attention to how diverse biological networks can be inferred in a specific cell type based on integrative methods. Then, we discuss how HRL can advance our understanding of regulatory mechanisms underlying complex diseases and aid in the prediction of prognosis and therapeutic responses. Finally, we outline challenges and future trends that will be central to bringing the field of HRL in complex diseases forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Li
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Anjun Ma
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Ewy A Mathé
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Rockville, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Lang Li
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Bingqiang Liu
- School of Mathematics, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250100, China.
| | - Qin Ma
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
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19
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Limanaqi F, Busceti CL, Biagioni F, Cantini F, Lenzi P, Fornai F. Cell-Clearing Systems Bridging Repeat Expansion Proteotoxicity and Neuromuscular Junction Alterations in ALS and SBMA. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21114021. [PMID: 32512809 PMCID: PMC7312203 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21114021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The coordinated activities of autophagy and the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) are key to preventing the aggregation and toxicity of misfold-prone proteins which manifest in a number of neurodegenerative disorders. These include proteins which are encoded by genes containing nucleotide repeat expansions. In the present review we focus on the overlapping role of autophagy and the UPS in repeat expansion proteotoxicity associated with chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9ORF72) and androgen receptor (AR) genes, which are implicated in two motor neuron disorders, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and spinal-bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA), respectively. At baseline, both C9ORF72 and AR regulate autophagy, while their aberrantly-expanded isoforms may lead to a failure in both autophagy and the UPS, further promoting protein aggregation and toxicity within motor neurons and skeletal muscles. Besides proteotoxicity, autophagy and UPS alterations are also implicated in neuromuscular junction (NMJ) alterations, which occur early in both ALS and SBMA. In fact, autophagy and the UPS intermingle with endocytic/secretory pathways to regulate axonal homeostasis and neurotransmission by interacting with key proteins which operate at the NMJ, such as agrin, acetylcholine receptors (AChRs), and adrenergic beta2 receptors (B2-ARs). Thus, alterations of autophagy and the UPS configure as a common hallmark in both ALS and SBMA disease progression. The findings here discussed may contribute to disclosing overlapping molecular mechanisms which are associated with a failure in cell-clearing systems in ALS and SBMA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiona Limanaqi
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Via Roma 55, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (F.L.); (F.C.); (P.L.)
| | | | - Francesca Biagioni
- I.R.C.C.S. Neuromed, Via Atinense, 18, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy; (C.L.B.); (F.B.)
| | - Federica Cantini
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Via Roma 55, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (F.L.); (F.C.); (P.L.)
| | - Paola Lenzi
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Via Roma 55, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (F.L.); (F.C.); (P.L.)
| | - Francesco Fornai
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Via Roma 55, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (F.L.); (F.C.); (P.L.)
- I.R.C.C.S. Neuromed, Via Atinense, 18, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy; (C.L.B.); (F.B.)
- Correspondence:
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20
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Gray AL, Annan L, Dick JRT, La Spada AR, Hanna MG, Greensmith L, Malik B. Deterioration of muscle force and contractile characteristics are early pathological events in spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy mice. Dis Model Mech 2020; 13:dmm042424. [PMID: 32152060 PMCID: PMC7272358 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.042424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA), also known as Kennedy's Disease, is a late-onset X-linked progressive neuromuscular disease, which predominantly affects males. The pathological hallmarks of the disease are selective loss of spinal and bulbar motor neurons, accompanied by weakness, atrophy and fasciculations of bulbar and limb muscles. SBMA is caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the gene that encodes the androgen receptor (AR) protein. Disease manifestation is androgen dependent and results principally from a toxic gain of AR function. There are currently no effective treatments for this debilitating disease. It is important to understand the course of the disease in order to target therapeutics to key pathological stages. This is especially relevant in disorders such as SBMA, for which disease can be identified before symptom onset, through family history and genetic testing. To fully characterise the role of muscle in SBMA, we undertook a longitudinal physiological and histological characterisation of disease progression in the AR100 mouse model of SBMA. Our results show that the disease first manifests in skeletal muscle, before any motor neuron degeneration, which only occurs in late-stage disease. These findings reveal that alterations in muscle function, including reduced muscle force and changes in contractile characteristics, are early pathological events in SBMA mice and suggest that muscle-targeted therapeutics may be effective in SBMA.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna L Gray
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Leonette Annan
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - James R T Dick
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Albert R La Spada
- Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Duke Center for Neurodegeneration and Neurotherapeutics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Michael G Hanna
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
- UCL MRC International Centre for Genomic Medicine in Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Linda Greensmith
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Bilal Malik
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
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La Rosa P, Petrillo S, Bertini ES, Piemonte F. Oxidative Stress in DNA Repeat Expansion Disorders: A Focus on NRF2 Signaling Involvement. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10050702. [PMID: 32369911 PMCID: PMC7277112 DOI: 10.3390/biom10050702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Revised: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA repeat expansion disorders are a group of neuromuscular and neurodegenerative diseases that arise from the inheritance of long tracts of nucleotide repetitions, located in the regulatory region, introns, or inside the coding sequence of a gene. Although loss of protein expression and/or the gain of function of its transcribed mRNA or translated product represent the major pathogenic effect of these pathologies, mitochondrial dysfunction and imbalance in redox homeostasis are reported as common features in these disorders, deeply affecting their severity and progression. In this review, we examine the role that the redox imbalance plays in the pathological mechanisms of DNA expansion disorders and the recent advances on antioxidant treatments, particularly focusing on the expression and the activity of the transcription factor NRF2, the main cellular regulator of the antioxidant response.
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Rex C, Nadeau MJ, Douville R, Schellenberg K. Expression of Human Endogenous Retrovirus-K in Spinal and Bulbar Muscular Atrophy. Front Neurol 2019; 10:968. [PMID: 31551920 PMCID: PMC6738134 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2019.00968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2019] [Accepted: 08/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Spinal and Bulbar Muscular Atrophy (SBMA) is caused by the extension of the polyglutamine tract within the androgen receptor (AR) gene, and results in a multisystem presentation, including the degeneration of lower motor neurons. The androgen receptor (AR) is known to modulate the expression of endogenous retrovirus-K (ERVK), a pathogenic viral genomic symbiont. Since ERVK is associated with motor neuron disease, such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), we sought to determine if patients with SBMA exhibit evidence of ERVK reactivation. Results: Data from a pilot study demonstrate that peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples from controls and patients with SBMA were examined ex vivo for the expression of ERVK viral transcripts and proteins. No differences in ERVK RNA expression was observed between the clinical groups. In contrast, enhancement of processed ERVK Gag and integrase proteins were observed in SBMA-derived PBMC as compared to healthy control specimens. Increased ERVK protein maturation co-occurred with elevation in the expression of the pro-inflammatory transcription factor IRF1 in SBMA. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that ERVK viral protein maturation in SBMA is an unrecognized biomarker and facet of the disease. We discuss how our current understanding of ERVK-driven pathology may tie into key aspects of multi-system dysfunction in SBMA, with a focus on inflammation, proteinopathy, as well as DNA damage and repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cody Rex
- Department of Biology, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | | | - Renée Douville
- Department of Biology, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.,Department of Immunology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Kerri Schellenberg
- Division of Neurology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
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Cristofani R, Rusmini P, Galbiati M, Cicardi ME, Ferrari V, Tedesco B, Casarotto E, Chierichetti M, Messi E, Piccolella M, Carra S, Crippa V, Poletti A. The Regulation of the Small Heat Shock Protein B8 in Misfolding Protein Diseases Causing Motoneuronal and Muscle Cell Death. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:796. [PMID: 31427919 PMCID: PMC6688727 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2019] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Misfolding protein diseases are a wide class of disorders in which the aberrantly folded protein aggregates accumulate in affected cells. In the brain and in the skeletal muscle, misfolded protein accumulation induces a variety of cell dysfunctions that frequently lead to cell death. In motoneuron diseases (MNDs), misfolded proteins accumulate primarily in motoneurons, glial cells and/or skeletal muscle cells, altering motor function. The deleterious effects of misfolded proteins can be counteracted by the activity of the protein quality control (PQC) system, composed of chaperone proteins and degradative systems. Here, we focus on a PQC system component: heat shock protein family B (small) member 8 (HSPB8), a chaperone induced by harmful stressful events, including proteotoxicity. In motoneuron and muscle cells, misfolded proteins activate HSPB8 transcription and enhance HSPB8 levels, which contributes to prevent aggregate formation and their harmful effects. HSPB8 acts not only as a chaperone, but also facilitates the autophagy process, to enable the efficient clearance of the misfolded proteins. HSPB8 acts as a dimer bound to the HSP70 co-chaperone BAG3, a scaffold protein that is also capable of binding to HSP70 (associated with the E3-ligase CHIP) and dynein. When this complex is formed, it is transported by dynein to the microtubule organization center (MTOC), where aggresomes are formed. Here, misfolded proteins are engulfed into nascent autophagosomes to be degraded via the chaperone-assisted selective autophagy (CASA). When CASA is insufficient or impaired, HSP70 and CHIP associate with an alternative co-chaperone, BAG1, which routes misfolded proteins to the proteasome for degradation. The finely tuned equilibrium between proteasome and CASA activity is thought to be crucial for maintaining the functional cell homeostasis during proteotoxic stresses, which in turn is essential for cell survival. This fine equilibrium seems to be altered in MNDs, like Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA), contributing to the onset and the progression of disease. Here, we will review how misfolded proteins may affect the PQC system and how the proper activity of this system can be restored by boosting or regulating HSPB8 activity, with the aim to ameliorate disease progression in these two fatal MNDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Cristofani
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Centro di Eccellenza Sulle Malattie Neurodegenerative, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Rusmini
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Centro di Eccellenza Sulle Malattie Neurodegenerative, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Mariarita Galbiati
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Centro di Eccellenza Sulle Malattie Neurodegenerative, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Elena Cicardi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Centro di Eccellenza Sulle Malattie Neurodegenerative, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Veronica Ferrari
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Centro di Eccellenza Sulle Malattie Neurodegenerative, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Barbara Tedesco
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Centro di Eccellenza Sulle Malattie Neurodegenerative, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Casarotto
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Centro di Eccellenza Sulle Malattie Neurodegenerative, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Marta Chierichetti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Centro di Eccellenza Sulle Malattie Neurodegenerative, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Elio Messi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Centro di Eccellenza Sulle Malattie Neurodegenerative, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Margherita Piccolella
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Centro di Eccellenza Sulle Malattie Neurodegenerative, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Serena Carra
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Metaboliche e Neuroscienze, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Valeria Crippa
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Centro di Eccellenza Sulle Malattie Neurodegenerative, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Angelo Poletti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari (DiSFeB), Centro di Eccellenza Sulle Malattie Neurodegenerative, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.,Centro Interuniversitario Sulle Malattie Neurodegenerative, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Roma Tor Vergata, Milan, Italy
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