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Artimagnella O, Maftei ES, Esposito M, Sanges R, Mallamaci A. Foxg1 regulates translation of neocortical neuronal genes, including the main NMDA receptor subunit gene, Grin1. BMC Biol 2024; 22:180. [PMID: 39183266 PMCID: PMC11346056 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-01979-x] [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: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mainly known as a transcription factor patterning the rostral brain and governing its histogenesis, FOXG1 has been also detected outside the nucleus; however, biological meaning of that has been only partially clarified. RESULTS Prompted by FOXG1 expression in cytoplasm of pallial neurons, we investigated its implication in translational control. We documented the impact of FOXG1 on ribosomal recruitment of Grin1-mRNA, encoding for the main subunit of NMDA receptor. Next, we showed that FOXG1 increases GRIN1 protein level by enhancing the translation of its mRNA, while not increasing its stability. Molecular mechanisms underlying this activity included FOXG1 interaction with EIF4E and, possibly, Grin1-mRNA. Besides, we found that, within murine neocortical cultures, de novo synthesis of GRIN1 undergoes a prominent and reversible, homeostatic regulation and FOXG1 is instrumental to that. Finally, by integrated analysis of multiple omic data, we inferred that FOXG1 is implicated in translational control of hundreds of neuronal genes, modulating ribosome engagement and progression. In a few selected cases, we experimentally verified such inference. CONCLUSIONS These findings point to FOXG1 as a key effector, potentially crucial to multi-scale temporal tuning of neocortical pyramid activity, an issue with profound physiological and neuropathological implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osvaldo Artimagnella
- Laboratory of Cerebral Cortex Development, SISSA, Via Bonomea 265, 34136, Trieste, Italy
- Present Address: IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino-Pulejo", Messina, Italy
| | - Elena Sabina Maftei
- Laboratory of Cerebral Cortex Development, SISSA, Via Bonomea 265, 34136, Trieste, Italy
| | - Mauro Esposito
- Laboratory of Computational Genomics, SISSA, via Bonomea 265, 34136, Trieste, Italy
- Present Address: Neomatrix SRL, Rome, Italy
| | - Remo Sanges
- Laboratory of Computational Genomics, SISSA, via Bonomea 265, 34136, Trieste, Italy
| | - Antonello Mallamaci
- Laboratory of Cerebral Cortex Development, SISSA, Via Bonomea 265, 34136, Trieste, Italy.
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2
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Liuzzi G, Artimagnella O, Frisari S, Mallamaci A. Foxg1 bimodally tunes L1-mRNA and -DNA dynamics in the developing murine neocortex. Development 2024; 151:dev202292. [PMID: 38655654 PMCID: PMC11190451 DOI: 10.1242/dev.202292] [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: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Foxg1 masters telencephalic development via a pleiotropic control over its progression. Expressed within the central nervous system (CNS), L1 retrotransposons are implicated in progression of its histogenesis and tuning of its genomic plasticity. Foxg1 represses gene transcription, and L1 elements share putative Foxg1-binding motifs, suggesting the former might limit telencephalic expression (and activity) of the latter. We tested such a prediction, in vivo as well as in engineered primary neural cultures, using loss- and gain-of-function approaches. We found that Foxg1-dependent, transcriptional L1 repression specifically occurs in neopallial neuronogenic progenitors and post-mitotic neurons, where it is supported by specific changes in the L1 epigenetic landscape. Unexpectedly, we discovered that Foxg1 physically interacts with L1-mRNA and positively regulates neonatal neopallium L1-DNA content, antagonizing the retrotranscription-suppressing activity exerted by Mov10 and Ddx39a helicases. To the best of our knowledge, Foxg1 represents the first CNS patterning gene acting as a bimodal retrotransposon modulator, limiting transcription of L1 elements and promoting their amplification, within a specific domain of the developing mouse brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Liuzzi
- Laboratory of Cerebral Cortex Development, SISSA, Trieste 34136, Italy
| | | | - Simone Frisari
- Laboratory of Cerebral Cortex Development, SISSA, Trieste 34136, Italy
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3
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Roth C, Kilpinen H, Kurian MA, Barral S. Histone lysine methyltransferase-related neurodevelopmental disorders: current knowledge and saRNA future therapies. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1090046. [PMID: 36923252 PMCID: PMC10009263 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1090046] [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: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders encompass a group of debilitating diseases presenting with motor and cognitive dysfunction, with variable age of onset and disease severity. Advances in genetic diagnostic tools have facilitated the identification of several monogenic chromatin remodeling diseases that cause Neurodevelopmental disorders. Chromatin remodelers play a key role in the neuro-epigenetic landscape and regulation of brain development; it is therefore not surprising that mutations, leading to loss of protein function, result in aberrant neurodevelopment. Heterozygous, usually de novo mutations in histone lysine methyltransferases have been described in patients leading to haploinsufficiency, dysregulated protein levels and impaired protein function. Studies in animal models and patient-derived cell lines, have highlighted the role of histone lysine methyltransferases in the regulation of cell self-renewal, cell fate specification and apoptosis. To date, in depth studies of histone lysine methyltransferases in oncology have provided strong evidence of histone lysine methyltransferase dysregulation as a determinant of cancer progression and drug resistance. As a result, histone lysine methyltransferases have become an important therapeutic target for the treatment of different cancer forms. Despite recent advances, we still lack knowledge about the role of histone lysine methyltransferases in neuronal development. This has hampered both the study and development of precision therapies for histone lysine methyltransferases-related Neurodevelopmental disorders. In this review, we will discuss the current knowledge of the role of histone lysine methyltransferases in neuronal development and disease progression. We will also discuss how RNA-based technologies using small-activating RNAs could potentially provide a novel therapeutic approach for the future treatment of histone lysine methyltransferase haploinsufficiency in these Neurodevelopmental disorders, and how they could be first tested in state-of-the-art patient-derived neuronal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Roth
- Molecular Neurosciences, Developmental Neurosciences Programme, Zayed Centre for Research into Rare Disease in Children, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Helena Kilpinen
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Manju A. Kurian
- Molecular Neurosciences, Developmental Neurosciences Programme, Zayed Centre for Research into Rare Disease in Children, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Neurology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, United Kingdom
| | - Serena Barral
- Molecular Neurosciences, Developmental Neurosciences Programme, Zayed Centre for Research into Rare Disease in Children, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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4
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Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating motor neuron disease for which there is currently no robust therapy. Recent progress in understanding ALS disease mechanisms and genetics in combination with innovations in gene modulation strategies creates promising new options for the development of ALS therapies. In recent years, six gene modulation therapies have been tested in ALS patients. These target gain-of-function pathology of the most common ALS genes, SOD1, C9ORF72, FUS, and ATXN2, using adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated microRNAs and antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs). Here, we review the latest clinical and preclinical advances in gene modulation approaches for ALS, including gene silencing, gene correction, and gene augmentation. These techniques have the potential to positively impact the direction of future research trials and transform ALS treatments for this grave disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina E Meijboom
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA
| | - Robert H Brown
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA.
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5
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Frisari S, Santo M, Hosseini A, Manzati M, Giugliano M, Mallamaci A. Multidimensional Functional Profiling of Human Neuropathogenic FOXG1 Alleles in Primary Cultures of Murine Pallial Precursors. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031343. [PMID: 35163265 PMCID: PMC8835715 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031343] [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: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
FOXG1 is an ancient transcription factor gene mastering telencephalic development. A number of distinct structural FOXG1 mutations lead to the “FOXG1 syndrome”, a complex and heterogeneous neuropathological entity, for which no cure is presently available. Reconstruction of primary neurodevelopmental/physiological anomalies evoked by these mutations is an obvious pre-requisite for future, precision therapy of such syndrome. Here, as a proof-of-principle, we functionally scored three FOXG1 neuropathogenic alleles, FOXG1G224S, FOXG1W308X, and FOXG1N232S, against their healthy counterpart. Specifically, we delivered transgenes encoding for them to dedicated preparations of murine pallial precursors and quantified their impact on selected neurodevelopmental and physiological processes mastered by Foxg1: pallial stem cell fate choice, proliferation of neural committed progenitors, neuronal architecture, neuronal activity, and their molecular correlates. Briefly, we found that FOXG1G224S and FOXG1W308X generally performed as a gain- and a loss-of-function-allele, respectively, while FOXG1N232S acted as a mild loss-of-function-allele or phenocopied FOXG1WT. These results provide valuable hints about processes misregulated in patients heterozygous for these mutations, to be re-addressed more stringently in patient iPSC-derivative neuro-organoids. Moreover, they suggest that murine pallial cultures may be employed for fast multidimensional profiling of novel, human neuropathogenic FOXG1 alleles, namely a step propedeutic to timely delivery of therapeutic precision treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Frisari
- Cerebral Cortex Development Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, SISSA, Via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy; (S.F.); (M.S.)
| | - Manuela Santo
- Cerebral Cortex Development Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, SISSA, Via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy; (S.F.); (M.S.)
| | - Ali Hosseini
- Neuronal Dynamics Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, SISSA, Via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy; (A.H.); (M.M.); (M.G.)
| | - Matteo Manzati
- Neuronal Dynamics Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, SISSA, Via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy; (A.H.); (M.M.); (M.G.)
| | - Michele Giugliano
- Neuronal Dynamics Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, SISSA, Via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy; (A.H.); (M.M.); (M.G.)
| | - Antonello Mallamaci
- Cerebral Cortex Development Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, SISSA, Via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy; (S.F.); (M.S.)
- Correspondence:
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6
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Tan CP, Sinigaglia L, Gomez V, Nicholls J, Habib NA. RNA Activation-A Novel Approach to Therapeutically Upregulate Gene Transcription. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26216530. [PMID: 34770939 PMCID: PMC8586927 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26216530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 10/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA activation (RNAa) is a mechanism whereby RNA oligos complementary to genomic sequences around the promoter region of genes increase the transcription output of their target gene. Small activating RNA (saRNA) mediate RNAa through interaction with protein co-factors to facilitate RNA polymerase II activity and nucleosome remodeling. As saRNA are small, versatile and safe, they represent a new class of therapeutics that can rescue the downregulation of critical genes in disease settings. This review highlights our current understanding of saRNA biology and describes various examples of how saRNA are successfully used to treat various oncological, neurological and monogenic diseases. MTL-CEBPA, a first-in-class compound that reverses CEBPA downregulation in oncogenic processes using CEBPA-51 saRNA has entered clinical trial for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Preclinical models demonstrate that MTL-CEBPA reverses the immunosuppressive effects of myeloid cells and allows for the synergistic enhancement of other anticancer drugs. Encouraging results led to the initiation of a clinical trial combining MTL-CEBPA with a PD-1 inhibitor for treatment of solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Choon Ping Tan
- MiNA Therapeutics Ltd., Translation & Innovation Hub, 84 Wood Lane, London W12 0BZ, UK; (C.P.T.); (L.S.); (V.G.); (J.N.)
| | - Laura Sinigaglia
- MiNA Therapeutics Ltd., Translation & Innovation Hub, 84 Wood Lane, London W12 0BZ, UK; (C.P.T.); (L.S.); (V.G.); (J.N.)
| | - Valentí Gomez
- MiNA Therapeutics Ltd., Translation & Innovation Hub, 84 Wood Lane, London W12 0BZ, UK; (C.P.T.); (L.S.); (V.G.); (J.N.)
| | - Joanna Nicholls
- MiNA Therapeutics Ltd., Translation & Innovation Hub, 84 Wood Lane, London W12 0BZ, UK; (C.P.T.); (L.S.); (V.G.); (J.N.)
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Nagy A. Habib
- MiNA Therapeutics Ltd., Translation & Innovation Hub, 84 Wood Lane, London W12 0BZ, UK; (C.P.T.); (L.S.); (V.G.); (J.N.)
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London W12 0NN, UK
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +44-(0)20-3313-8574
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7
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A Role for Transmembrane Protein 16C/Slack Impairment in Excitatory Nociceptive Synaptic Plasticity in the Pathogenesis of Remifentanil-induced Hyperalgesia in Rats. Neurosci Bull 2021; 37:669-683. [PMID: 33779892 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-021-00652-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Remifentanil is widely used to control intraoperative pain. However, its analgesic effect is limited by the generation of postoperative hyperalgesia. In this study, we investigated whether the impairment of transmembrane protein 16C (TMEM16C)/Slack is required for α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic receptor (AMPAR) activation in remifentanil-induced postoperative hyperalgesia. Remifentanil anesthesia reduced the paw withdrawal threshold from 2 h to 48 h postoperatively, with a decrease in the expression of TMEM16C and Slack in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and spinal cord. Knockdown of TMEM16C in the DRG reduced the expression of Slack and elevated the basal peripheral sensitivity and AMPAR expression and function. Overexpression of TMEM16C in the DRG impaired remifentanil-induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation and behavioral hyperalgesia. AMPAR-mediated current and neuronal excitability were downregulated by TMEM16C overexpression in the spinal cord. Taken together, these findings suggest that TMEM16C/Slack regulation of excitatory synaptic plasticity via GluA1-containing AMPARs is critical in the pathogenesis of remifentanil-induced postoperative hyperalgesia in rats.
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8
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Ghanbarian H, Aghamiri S, Eftekhary M, Wagner N, Wagner KD. Small Activating RNAs: Towards the Development of New Therapeutic Agents and Clinical Treatments. Cells 2021; 10:cells10030591. [PMID: 33800164 PMCID: PMC8001863 DOI: 10.3390/cells10030591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Small double-strand RNA (dsRNA) molecules can activate endogenous genes via an RNA-based promoter targeting mechanism. RNA activation (RNAa) is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism present in diverse eukaryotic organisms ranging from nematodes to humans. Small activating RNAs (saRNAs) involved in RNAa have been successfully used to activate gene expression in cultured cells, and thereby this emergent technique might allow us to develop various biotechnological applications, without the need to synthesize hazardous construct systems harboring exogenous DNA sequences. Accordingly, this thematic issue aims to provide insights into how RNAa cellular machinery can be harnessed to activate gene expression leading to a more effective clinical treatment of various diseases.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Brain/cytology
- Brain/growth & development
- Brain/metabolism
- Genetic Therapy/methods
- Humans
- MicroRNAs/genetics
- MicroRNAs/metabolism
- Muscle Development/genetics
- Muscular Atrophy, Spinal/genetics
- Muscular Atrophy, Spinal/metabolism
- Muscular Atrophy, Spinal/pathology
- Muscular Atrophy, Spinal/therapy
- Myocardium/cytology
- Myocardium/metabolism
- Myocytes, Cardiac/cytology
- Myocytes, Cardiac/metabolism
- Neoplasm Proteins/genetics
- Neoplasm Proteins/metabolism
- Neoplasms/genetics
- Neoplasms/metabolism
- Neoplasms/pathology
- Neoplasms/therapy
- Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics
- Nerve Tissue Proteins/metabolism
- Neurogenesis/genetics
- Neurons/cytology
- Neurons/metabolism
- Promoter Regions, Genetic
- RNA, Double-Stranded/genetics
- RNA, Double-Stranded/metabolism
- RNA, Double-Stranded/therapeutic use
- RNA, Small Untranslated/genetics
- RNA, Small Untranslated/metabolism
- RNA, Small Untranslated/therapeutic use
- Survival of Motor Neuron 1 Protein/genetics
- Survival of Motor Neuron 1 Protein/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Hossein Ghanbarian
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 19857-17443, Iran;
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 19839-63113, Iran;
| | - Shahin Aghamiri
- Student Research Committee, Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 19839-63113, Iran;
| | - Mohamad Eftekhary
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 19839-63113, Iran;
| | - Nicole Wagner
- Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, INSERM, iBV, 06107 Nice, France
- Correspondence: (N.W.); (K.-D.W.); Tel.: +33-493-3776-65 (K.-D.W.)
| | - Kay-Dietrich Wagner
- Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, INSERM, iBV, 06107 Nice, France
- Correspondence: (N.W.); (K.-D.W.); Tel.: +33-493-3776-65 (K.-D.W.)
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9
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Tigani W, Rossi MP, Artimagnella O, Santo M, Rauti R, Sorbo T, Ulloa Severino FP, Provenzano G, Allegra M, Caleo M, Ballerini L, Bozzi Y, Mallamaci A. Foxg1 Upregulation Enhances Neocortical Activity. Cereb Cortex 2020; 30:5147-5165. [PMID: 32383447 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Revised: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Foxg1 is an ancient transcription factor gene orchestrating a number of neurodevelopmental processes taking place in the rostral brain. In this study, we investigated its impact on neocortical activity. We found that mice overexpressing Foxg1 in neocortical pyramidal cells displayed an electroencephalography (EEG) with increased spike frequency and were more prone to kainic acid (KA)-induced seizures. Consistently, primary cultures of neocortical neurons gain-of-function for Foxg1 were hyperactive and hypersynchronized. That reflected an unbalanced expression of key genes encoding for ion channels, gamma aminobutyric acid and glutamate receptors, and was likely exacerbated by a pronounced interneuron depletion. We also detected a transient Foxg1 upregulation ignited in turn by neuronal activity and mediated by immediate early genes. Based on this, we propose that even small changes of Foxg1 levels may result in a profound impact on pyramidal cell activity, an issue relevant to neuronal physiology and neurological aberrancies associated to FOXG1 copy number variations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendalina Tigani
- Laboratory of Cerebral Cortex Development, Neuroscience Area, SISSA, Trieste 34136, Italy
| | - Moira Pinzan Rossi
- Laboratory of Cerebral Cortex Development, Neuroscience Area, SISSA, Trieste 34136, Italy.,AgenTus Therapeutics, Inc., Cambridge CB4 OWG, United Kingdom
| | - Osvaldo Artimagnella
- Laboratory of Cerebral Cortex Development, Neuroscience Area, SISSA, Trieste 34136, Italy
| | - Manuela Santo
- Laboratory of Cerebral Cortex Development, Neuroscience Area, SISSA, Trieste 34136, Italy
| | - Rossana Rauti
- Laboratory of Neurons and Nanomaterials, Neuroscience Area, SISSA, Trieste 34136, Italy.,Dept. Biomedical Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Teresa Sorbo
- Laboratory of Neurons and Nanomaterials, Neuroscience Area, SISSA, Trieste 34136, Italy
| | - Francesco Paolo Ulloa Severino
- Laboratory of Bionanotechnologies, Neuroscience Area, SISSA, Trieste 34136, Italy.,Cell Biology Dept, Duke University Medical Center, Duke University, Durham NC-27710, USA
| | - Giovanni Provenzano
- Department of Cellular, Computational, and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento 38123, Italy
| | - Manuela Allegra
- Neuroscience Institute, Neurophysiology Section, National Research Council (CNR), Pisa 56124, Italy.,Laboratory G5 Circuits Neuronaux, Institut Pasteur, Paris 75015, France
| | - Matteo Caleo
- Neuroscience Institute, Neurophysiology Section, National Research Council (CNR), Pisa 56124, Italy.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua 35121, Italy
| | - Laura Ballerini
- Laboratory of Neurons and Nanomaterials, Neuroscience Area, SISSA, Trieste 34136, Italy
| | - Yuri Bozzi
- Neuroscience Institute, Neurophysiology Section, National Research Council (CNR), Pisa 56124, Italy.,Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Trento 38068, Italy
| | - Antonello Mallamaci
- Laboratory of Cerebral Cortex Development, Neuroscience Area, SISSA, Trieste 34136, Italy
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10
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Dar SA, Kumar M. saRNAdb: Resource of Small Activating RNAs for Up-regulating the Gene Expression. J Mol Biol 2018; 430:2212-2218. [PMID: 29625201 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2018.03.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2017] [Revised: 02/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
RNA activation (RNAa) is the process of enhancing selective gene expression at transcriptional level using double-stranded RNAs, targeting gene promoter. These RNA molecules are usually 21 nucleotides long and termed as small activating RNAs (saRNAs). They are involved in gene regulation, epigenetics, gain-of-function studies and have potential therapeutic applications for various diseases especially cancer. RNAa is opposite to RNA interference in functionality; however, both processes share some protein machinery. There are many RNA interference centered online resources but no one for saRNAs; therefore, we developed "saRNAdb" database (http://bioinfo.imtech.res.in/manojk/sarna/). It contains 2150 manually curated saRNA entries with detailed information about their nucleotide sequences, activities, corresponding target gene, promoter and other experimental data. Besides, saRNA-promoter binding location, predicted saRNA features, tools (off-target, map) and RNAa-related proteins with their interacting partners are provided. saRNAdb is expected to assist in RNA research especially for nucleic acid-based therapeutics development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Showkat Ahmad Dar
- Bioinformatics Centre, Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Sector 39A, Chandigarh 160036, India
| | - Manoj Kumar
- Bioinformatics Centre, Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Sector 39A, Chandigarh 160036, India.
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11
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Chiola S, Do MD, Centrone L, Mallamaci A. Foxg1 Overexpression in Neocortical Pyramids Stimulates Dendrite Elongation Via Hes1 and pCreb1 Upregulation. Cereb Cortex 2018; 29:1006-1019. [DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhy007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2017] [Accepted: 01/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Simone Chiola
- Lab of Cerebral Cortex Development, Neuroscience Area, SISSA, via Bonomea Trieste, Italy
| | - Mihn Duc Do
- Lab of Cerebral Cortex Development, Neuroscience Area, SISSA, via Bonomea Trieste, Italy
| | - Lucy Centrone
- Lab of Cerebral Cortex Development, Neuroscience Area, SISSA, via Bonomea Trieste, Italy
| | - Antonello Mallamaci
- Lab of Cerebral Cortex Development, Neuroscience Area, SISSA, via Bonomea Trieste, Italy
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12
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Ji H, Xu L, Wang Z, Fan X, Wu L. Differential microRNA expression in the prefrontal cortex of mouse offspring induced by glyphosate exposure during pregnancy and lactation. Exp Ther Med 2017; 15:2457-2467. [PMID: 29467848 PMCID: PMC5792815 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2017.5669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2017] [Accepted: 10/26/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Glyphosate is the active ingredient in numerous herbicide formulations. The role of glyphosate in neurotoxicity has been reported in human and animal models. However, the detailed mechanism of the role of glyphosate in neuronal development remains unknown. Recently, several studies have reported evidence linking neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) with gestational glyphosate exposure. The current group previously identified microRNAs (miRNAs) that are associated with the etiology of NDDs, but their expression levels in the developing brain following glyphosate exposure have not been characterized. In the present study, miRNA expression patterns were evaluated in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of 28 postnatal day mouse offspring following glyphosate exposure during pregnancy and lactation. An miRNA microarray detected 55 upregulated and 19 downregulated miRNAs in the PFC of mouse offspring, and 20 selected deregulated miRNAs were further evaluated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A total of 11 targets of these selected deregulated miRNAs were analyzed using bioinformatics. Gene Ontology (GO) terms associated with the relevant miRNAs included neurogenesis (GO:0050769), neuron differentiation (GO:0030182) and brain development (GO:0007420). The genes Cdkn1a, Numbl, Notch1, Fosl1 and Lef1 are involved in the Wnt and Notch signaling pathways, which are closely associated with neural development. PCR arrays for the mouse Wnt and Notch signaling pathways were used to validate the effects of glyphosate on the expression pattern of genes involved in the Wnt and Notch pathways. Nr4a2 and Wnt7b were downregulated, while Dkk1, Dixdc1, Runx1, Shh, Lef-1 and Axin2 were upregulated in the PFC of mice offspring following glyphosate exposure during pregnancy and lactation. These results indicated abnormalities of the Wnt/β-catenin and Notch pathways. These findings may be of particular interest for understanding the mechanism of glyphosate-induced neurotoxicity, as well as helping to clarify the association between glyphosate and NDDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Ji
- Department of Basic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310053, P.R. China
| | - Linhao Xu
- Department of Basic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310053, P.R. China
| | - Zheng Wang
- Department of Basic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310053, P.R. China
| | - Xinli Fan
- Department of Basic Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310053, P.R. China
| | - Lihui Wu
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310053, P.R. China
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Abstract
The ability to develop efficient and versatile technologies for manipulating gene expression is a fundamental issue both in biotechnology and therapeutics. The endogenous RNA interference (RNAi) pathway which mediates gene silencing was discovered at the end of the 20th century and it is nowadays considered as an essential strategy for knockdown of specific genes and for studying gene function. Remarkably, during the past decade, a RNA-induced mechanism of gene activation has also been reported. Likewise RNAi, the RNA activation (RNAa) process is also mediated by sequence-specific double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) molecules, and interesting resemblances between both RNA-based transcriptional mechanisms have been described. Small activating RNAs (saRNAs) and related molecules have been used for targeting of genes in species that are as different as nematodes and humans, and similar dsRNA-induced activation phenomena have also been observed in plants. The aim of this letter is to highlight recent molecular insights into yet unexplored RNAa mechanism and its potential for manipulating transcriptional activity. J. Cell. Biochem. 119: 247-249, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis María Vaschetto
- Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (IDEA, CONICET), Av. Vélez Sarsfield 299, X5000JJC, Córdoba, Argentina.,Cátedra de Diversidad Animal I, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, (FCEFyN, UNC), Av. Vélez Sarsfield 299, X5000JJC, Córdoba, Argentina
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