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Barbeau S, Semprez F, Dobbertin A, Merriadec L, Roussange F, Eymard B, Sternberg D, Fournier E, Karasoy H, Martinat C, Legay C. Molecular Analysis of a Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome Due to a Pathogenic Variant Affecting the C-Terminus of ColQ. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16217. [PMID: 38003406 PMCID: PMC10671321 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242216217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Congenital Myasthenic Syndromes (CMSs) are rare inherited diseases of the neuromuscular junction characterized by muscle weakness. CMSs with acetylcholinesterase deficiency are due to pathogenic variants in COLQ, a collagen that anchors the enzyme at the synapse. The two COLQ N-terminal domains have been characterized as being biochemical and functional. They are responsible for the structure of the protein in the triple helix and the association of COLQ with acetylcholinesterase. To deepen the analysis of the distal C-terminal peptide properties and understand the CMSs associated to pathogenic variants in this domain, we have analyzed the case of a 32 year old male patient bearing a homozygote splice site variant c.1281 C > T that changes the sequence of the last 28 aa in COLQ. Using COS cell and mouse muscle cell expression, we show that the COLQ variant does not impair the formation of the collagen triple helix in these cells, nor its association with acetylcholinesterase, and that the hetero-oligomers are secreted. However, the interaction of COLQ variant with LRP4, a signaling hub at the neuromuscular junction, is decreased by 44% as demonstrated by in vitro biochemical methods. In addition, an increase in all acetylcholine receptor subunit mRNA levels is observed in muscle cells derived from the patient iPSC. All these approaches point to pathophysiological mechanisms essentially characterized by a decrease in signaling and the presence of immature acetylcholine receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susie Barbeau
- CNRS, Saint Pères Paris Institute for the Neurosciences (SPPIN), Université Paris Cité, 75270 Paris, France
| | - Fannie Semprez
- CNRS, Saint Pères Paris Institute for the Neurosciences (SPPIN), Université Paris Cité, 75270 Paris, France
| | - Alexandre Dobbertin
- CNRS, Saint Pères Paris Institute for the Neurosciences (SPPIN), Université Paris Cité, 75270 Paris, France
| | - Laurine Merriadec
- INSERM/UEPS UMR 861, Université Paris Saclay, I-STEM, 91100 Corbeil-Essonnes, France
| | - Florine Roussange
- INSERM/UEPS UMR 861, Université Paris Saclay, I-STEM, 91100 Corbeil-Essonnes, France
| | - Bruno Eymard
- Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Université Paris 06 UMR S 1127, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Épinière, ICM, Sorbonne Université, 75013 Paris, France
- AP-HP, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Damien Sternberg
- Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Université Paris 06 UMR S 1127, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Épinière, ICM, Sorbonne Université, 75013 Paris, France
- AP-HP, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Emmanuel Fournier
- Department of Physiology, Faculté de Médecine Pitié-Salpêtrière, Sorbonne Université, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Hanice Karasoy
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir 35100, Turkey
| | - Cécile Martinat
- INSERM/UEPS UMR 861, Université Paris Saclay, I-STEM, 91100 Corbeil-Essonnes, France
| | - Claire Legay
- CNRS, Saint Pères Paris Institute for the Neurosciences (SPPIN), Université Paris Cité, 75270 Paris, France
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Brownmiller T, Caplen NJ. The HNRNPF/H RNA binding proteins and disease. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2023; 14:e1788. [PMID: 37042074 PMCID: PMC10523889 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
The members of the HNRNPF/H family of heterogeneous nuclear RNA proteins-HNRNPF, HNRNPH1, HNRNPH2, HNRNPH3, and GRSF1, are critical regulators of RNA maturation. Documented functions of these proteins include regulating splicing, particularly alternative splicing, 5' capping and 3' polyadenylation of RNAs, and RNA export. The assignment of these proteins to the HNRNPF/H protein family members relates to differences in the amino acid composition of their RNA recognition motifs, which differ from those of other RNA binding proteins (RBPs). HNRNPF/H proteins typically bind RNA sequences enriched with guanine (G) residues, including sequences that, in the presence of a cation, have the potential to form higher-order G-quadruplex structures. The need to further investigate members of the HNRNPF/H family of RBPs has intensified with the recent descriptions of their involvement in several disease states, including the pediatric tumor Ewing sarcoma and the hematological malignancy mantle cell lymphoma; newly described groups of developmental syndromes; and neuronal-related disorders, including addictive behavior. Here, to foster the study of the HNRNPF/H family of RBPs, we discuss features of the genes encoding these proteins, their structures and functions, and emerging contributions to disease. This article is categorized under: RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease RNA Processing > Splicing Regulation/Alternative Splicing RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > Protein-RNA Interactions: Functional Implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tayvia Brownmiller
- Functional Genetics Section, Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Natasha J Caplen
- Functional Genetics Section, Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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Uyen Dao TM, Barbeau S, Messéant J, Della-Gaspera B, Bouceba T, Semprez F, Legay C, Dobbertin A. The collagen ColQ binds to LRP4 and regulates the activation of the Muscle-Specific Kinase-LRP4 receptor complex by agrin at the neuromuscular junction. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:104962. [PMID: 37356721 PMCID: PMC10382678 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.104962] [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: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Collagen Q (ColQ) is a nonfibrillar collagen that plays a crucial role at the vertebrate neuromuscular junction (NMJ) by anchoring acetylcholinesterase to the synapse. ColQ also functions in signaling, as it regulates acetylcholine receptor clustering and synaptic gene expression, in a manner dependent on muscle-specific kinase (MuSK), a key protein in NMJ formation and maintenance. MuSK forms a complex with low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 4 (LRP4), its coreceptor for the proteoglycan agrin at the NMJ. Previous studies suggested that ColQ also interacts with MuSK. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying ColQ functions and ColQ-MuSK interaction have not been fully elucidated. Here, we investigated whether ColQ binds directly to MuSK and/or LRP4 and whether it modulates agrin-mediated MuSK-LRP4 activation. Using coimmunoprecipitation, pull-down, plate-binding assays, and surface plasmon resonance, we show that ColQ binds directly to LRP4 but not to MuSK and that ColQ interacts indirectly with MuSK through LRP4. In addition, we show that the LRP4 N-terminal region, which contains the agrin-binding sites, is also crucial for ColQ binding to LRP4. Moreover, ColQ-LRP4 interaction was reduced in the presence of agrin, suggesting that agrin and ColQ compete for binding to LRP4. Strikingly, we reveal ColQ has two opposing effects on agrin-induced MuSK-LRP4 signaling: it constitutively reduces MuSK phosphorylation levels in agrin-stimulated myotubes but concomitantly increases MuSK accumulation at the muscle cell surface. Our results identify LRP4 as a major receptor of ColQ and provide new insights into mechanisms of ColQ signaling and acetylcholinesterase anchoring at the NMJ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thi Minh Uyen Dao
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Saints-Pères Paris Institute for the Neurosciences, Paris, France
| | - Susie Barbeau
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Saints-Pères Paris Institute for the Neurosciences, Paris, France
| | - Julien Messéant
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Saints-Pères Paris Institute for the Neurosciences, Paris, France
| | | | - Tahar Bouceba
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, IBPS, Protein Engineering Platform, Paris, France
| | - Fannie Semprez
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Saints-Pères Paris Institute for the Neurosciences, Paris, France
| | - Claire Legay
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Saints-Pères Paris Institute for the Neurosciences, Paris, France
| | - Alexandre Dobbertin
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Saints-Pères Paris Institute for the Neurosciences, Paris, France.
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Eshaghian T, Rabbani B, Badv RS, Mikaeeli S, Gharib B, Iyadurai S, Mahdieh N. COLQ-related congenital myasthenic syndrome: An integrative view. Neurogenetics 2023; 24:189-200. [PMID: 37231228 DOI: 10.1007/s10048-023-00719-7] [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: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Congenital myasthenic syndromes are inherited disorders caused by mutation in components of the neuromuscular junction and manifest early in life. Mutations in COLQ gene result in congenital myasthenic syndrome. Here, we present the analysis of data from 209 patients from 195 unrelated families highlighting genotype-phenotype correlation. In addition, we describe a COLQ homozygous variant a new patient and discuss it utilizing the Phyre2 and I-TASSER programs. Clinical, molecular genetics, imaging (MRI), and electrodiagnostic (EEG, EMG/NCS) evaluations were performed. Our data showed 89 pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants including 35 missenses, 21 indels, 14 nonsense, 14 splicing, and 5 large deletions variants. Eight common variants were responsible for 48.46% of those. Weakness in proximal muscles, hypotonia, and generalized weakness were detected in all individuals tested. Apart from the weakness, extensive clinical heterogeneity was noted among patients with COLQ-related patients based on their genotypes-those with variants affecting the splice site exhibited more severe clinical features while those with missense variants displayed milder phenotypes, suggesting the role of differential splice variants in multiple functions within the muscle. Analyses and descriptions of these COLQ variants may be helpful in clinical trial readiness and potential development of novel therapies in the setting of established structure-function relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina Eshaghian
- Growth and Development Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Bahareh Rabbani
- Growth and Development Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Reza Shervin Badv
- Growth and Development Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Children's Hospital Center, Pediatric Center of Excellence, Tehran University of Medical Center, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sahar Mikaeeli
- Growth and Development Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Behdad Gharib
- Children's Hospital Center, Pediatric Center of Excellence, Tehran University of Medical Center, Tehran, Iran
| | - Stanley Iyadurai
- Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, Division of Neurology, 601 5th Street S, St. Petersburg, FL, 33701, USA
| | - Nejat Mahdieh
- Growth and Development Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- Cardiogenetic Research Center, Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Niayesh-Vali asr Intersection, Tehran, Iran.
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Ohno K, Ohkawara B, Shen XM, Selcen D, Engel AG. Clinical and Pathologic Features of Congenital Myasthenic Syndromes Caused by 35 Genes-A Comprehensive Review. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043730. [PMID: 36835142 PMCID: PMC9961056 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMS) are a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by impaired neuromuscular signal transmission due to germline pathogenic variants in genes expressed at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). A total of 35 genes have been reported in CMS (AGRN, ALG14, ALG2, CHAT, CHD8, CHRNA1, CHRNB1, CHRND, CHRNE, CHRNG, COL13A1, COLQ, DOK7, DPAGT1, GFPT1, GMPPB, LAMA5, LAMB2, LRP4, MUSK, MYO9A, PLEC, PREPL, PURA, RAPSN, RPH3A, SCN4A, SLC18A3, SLC25A1, SLC5A7, SNAP25, SYT2, TOR1AIP1, UNC13A, VAMP1). The 35 genes can be classified into 14 groups according to the pathomechanical, clinical, and therapeutic features of CMS patients. Measurement of compound muscle action potentials elicited by repetitive nerve stimulation is required to diagnose CMS. Clinical and electrophysiological features are not sufficient to identify a defective molecule, and genetic studies are always required for accurate diagnosis. From a pharmacological point of view, cholinesterase inhibitors are effective in most groups of CMS, but are contraindicated in some groups of CMS. Similarly, ephedrine, salbutamol (albuterol), amifampridine are effective in most but not all groups of CMS. This review extensively covers pathomechanical and clinical features of CMS by citing 442 relevant articles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kinji Ohno
- Division of Neurogenetics, Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan
- Correspondence: (K.O.); (A.G.E.)
| | - Bisei Ohkawara
- Division of Neurogenetics, Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan
| | - Xin-Ming Shen
- Department of Neurology and Neuromuscular Research Laboratory, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Duygu Selcen
- Department of Neurology and Neuromuscular Research Laboratory, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Andrew G. Engel
- Department of Neurology and Neuromuscular Research Laboratory, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Correspondence: (K.O.); (A.G.E.)
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Hayes AJ, Farrugia BL, Biose IJ, Bix GJ, Melrose J. Perlecan, A Multi-Functional, Cell-Instructive, Matrix-Stabilizing Proteoglycan With Roles in Tissue Development Has Relevance to Connective Tissue Repair and Regeneration. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:856261. [PMID: 35433700 PMCID: PMC9010944 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.856261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
This review highlights the multifunctional properties of perlecan (HSPG2) and its potential roles in repair biology. Perlecan is ubiquitous, occurring in vascular, cartilaginous, adipose, lymphoreticular, bone and bone marrow stroma and in neural tissues. Perlecan has roles in angiogenesis, tissue development and extracellular matrix stabilization in mature weight bearing and tensional tissues. Perlecan contributes to mechanosensory properties in cartilage through pericellular interactions with fibrillin-1, type IV, V, VI and XI collagen and elastin. Perlecan domain I - FGF, PDGF, VEGF and BMP interactions promote embryonic cellular proliferation, differentiation, and tissue development. Perlecan domain II, an LDLR-like domain interacts with lipids, Wnt and Hedgehog morphogens. Perlecan domain III binds FGF-7 and 18 and has roles in the secretion of perlecan. Perlecan domain IV, an immunoglobulin repeat domain, has cell attachment and matrix stabilizing properties. Perlecan domain V promotes tissue repair through interactions with VEGF, VEGF-R2 and α2β1 integrin. Perlecan domain-V LG1-LG2 and LG3 fragments antagonize these interactions. Perlecan domain V promotes reconstitution of the blood brain barrier damaged by ischemic stroke and is neurogenic and neuroprotective. Perlecan-VEGF-VEGFR2, perlecan-FGF-2 and perlecan-PDGF interactions promote angiogenesis and wound healing. Perlecan domain I, III and V interactions with platelet factor-4 and megakaryocyte and platelet inhibitory receptor promote adhesion of cells to implants and scaffolds in vascular repair. Perlecan localizes acetylcholinesterase in the neuromuscular junction and is of functional significance in neuromuscular control. Perlecan mutation leads to Schwartz-Jampel Syndrome, functional impairment of the biomechanical properties of the intervertebral disc, variable levels of chondroplasia and myotonia. A greater understanding of the functional working of the neuromuscular junction may be insightful in therapeutic approaches in the treatment of neuromuscular disorders. Tissue engineering of salivary glands has been undertaken using bioactive peptides (TWSKV) derived from perlecan domain IV. Perlecan TWSKV peptide induces differentiation of salivary gland cells into self-assembling acini-like structures that express salivary gland biomarkers and secrete α-amylase. Perlecan also promotes chondroprogenitor stem cell maturation and development of pluripotent migratory stem cell lineages, which participate in diarthrodial joint formation, and early cartilage development. Recent studies have also shown that perlecan is prominently expressed during repair of adult human articular cartilage. Perlecan also has roles in endochondral ossification and bone development. Perlecan domain I hydrogels been used in tissue engineering to establish heparin binding growth factor gradients that promote cell migration and cartilage repair. Perlecan domain I collagen I fibril scaffolds have also been used as an FGF-2 delivery system for tissue repair. With the availability of recombinant perlecan domains, the development of other tissue repair strategies should emerge in the near future. Perlecan co-localization with vascular elastin in the intima, acts as a blood shear-flow endothelial sensor that regulates blood volume and pressure and has a similar role to perlecan in canalicular fluid, regulating bone development and remodeling. This complements perlecan’s roles in growth plate cartilage and in endochondral ossification to form the appendicular and axial skeleton. Perlecan is thus a ubiquitous, multifunctional, and pleomorphic molecule of considerable biological importance. A greater understanding of its diverse biological roles and functional repertoires during tissue development, growth and disease will yield valuable insights into how this impressive proteoglycan could be utilized successfully in repair biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony J. Hayes
- Bioimaging Research Hub, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Wales, United Kingdom
| | - Brooke L. Farrugia
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Melbourne School of Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Ifechukwude J. Biose
- Departments of Neurosurgery and Neurology, Clinical Neuroscience Research Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Gregory J. Bix
- Departments of Neurosurgery and Neurology, Clinical Neuroscience Research Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - James Melrose
- Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Raymond Purves Bone and Joint Research Laboratories, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Royal North Shore Hospital, The Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, St. Leonard’s, NSW, Australia
- *Correspondence: James Melrose,
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7
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Low YH, Asi Y, Foti SC, Lashley T. Heterogeneous Nuclear Ribonucleoproteins: Implications in Neurological Diseases. Mol Neurobiol 2020; 58:631-646. [PMID: 33000450 PMCID: PMC7843550 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-020-02137-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Heterogenous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs) are a complex and functionally diverse family of RNA binding proteins with multifarious roles. They are involved, directly or indirectly, in alternative splicing, transcriptional and translational regulation, stress granule formation, cell cycle regulation, and axonal transport. It is unsurprising, given their heavy involvement in maintaining functional integrity of the cell, that their dysfunction has neurological implications. However, compared to their more established roles in cancer, the evidence of hnRNP implication in neurological diseases is still in its infancy. This review aims to consolidate the evidences for hnRNP involvement in neurological diseases, with a focus on spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), multiple sclerosis (MS), congenital myasthenic syndrome (CMS), and fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS). Understanding more about hnRNP involvement in neurological diseases can further elucidate the pathomechanisms involved in these diseases and perhaps guide future therapeutic advances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Hua Low
- The Queen Square Brain Bank for Neurological Disorders, Department of Clinical and Movement Disorders, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.,Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yasmine Asi
- The Queen Square Brain Bank for Neurological Disorders, Department of Clinical and Movement Disorders, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Sandrine C Foti
- The Queen Square Brain Bank for Neurological Disorders, Department of Clinical and Movement Disorders, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.,Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Tammaryn Lashley
- The Queen Square Brain Bank for Neurological Disorders, Department of Clinical and Movement Disorders, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK. .,Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.
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8
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Hayes AJ, Melrose J. Electro‐Stimulation, a Promising Therapeutic Treatment Modality for Tissue Repair: Emerging Roles of Sulfated Glycosaminoglycans as Electro‐Regulatory Mediators of Intrinsic Repair Processes. ADVANCED THERAPEUTICS 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/adtp.202000151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anthony J. Hayes
- Bioimaging Research Hub Cardiff School of Biosciences Cardiff University Cardiff Wales CF10 3AX UK
| | - James Melrose
- Raymond Purves Bone and Joint Research Laboratory Kolling Institute Northern Sydney Local Health District Faculty of Medicine and Health University of Sydney Royal North Shore Hospital St. Leonards NSW 2065 Australia
- Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering University of New South Wales Sydney NSW 2052 Australia
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9
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Collagens at the vertebrate neuromuscular junction, from structure to pathologies. Neurosci Lett 2020; 735:135155. [PMID: 32534096 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2020.135155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The extracellular matrix at the neuromuscular junction is built upon components secreted by the motoneuron, the muscle cell and terminal Schwann cells, the cells constituting this specific synapse. This compartment contains glycoproteins, proteoglycans and collagens that form a dense and specialized layer, the synaptic basal lamina. A number of these molecules are known to play a crucial role in anterograde and retrograde signalings that are active in neuromuscular junction formation, maintenance and function. Here, we focus on the isoforms of collagens which are enriched at the synapse. We summarize what we know of their structure, their function and their interactions with transmembrane receptors and other components of the synaptic basal lamina. A number of neuromuscular diseases, congenital myastenic syndromes and myasthenia gravis are caused by human mutations and autoantibodies against these proteins. Analysis of these diseases and of the specific collagen knock-out mice highlights the roles of some of these collagens in promoting a functional synapse.
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Mukund K, Subramaniam S. Skeletal muscle: A review of molecular structure and function, in health and disease. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. SYSTEMS BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2020; 12:e1462. [PMID: 31407867 PMCID: PMC6916202 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.1462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 208] [Impact Index Per Article: 52.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Revised: 07/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Decades of research in skeletal muscle physiology have provided multiscale insights into the structural and functional complexity of this important anatomical tissue, designed to accomplish the task of generating contraction, force and movement. Skeletal muscle can be viewed as a biomechanical device with various interacting components including the autonomic nerves for impulse transmission, vasculature for efficient oxygenation, and embedded regulatory and metabolic machinery for maintaining cellular homeostasis. The "omics" revolution has propelled a new era in muscle research, allowing us to discern minute details of molecular cross-talk required for effective coordination between the myriad interacting components for efficient muscle function. The objective of this review is to provide a systems-level, comprehensive mapping the molecular mechanisms underlying skeletal muscle structure and function, in health and disease. We begin this review with a focus on molecular mechanisms underlying muscle tissue development (myogenesis), with an emphasis on satellite cells and muscle regeneration. We next review the molecular structure and mechanisms underlying the many structural components of the muscle: neuromuscular junction, sarcomere, cytoskeleton, extracellular matrix, and vasculature surrounding muscle. We highlight aberrant molecular mechanisms and their possible clinical or pathophysiological relevance. We particularly emphasize the impact of environmental stressors (inflammation and oxidative stress) in contributing to muscle pathophysiology including atrophy, hypertrophy, and fibrosis. This article is categorized under: Physiology > Mammalian Physiology in Health and Disease Developmental Biology > Developmental Processes in Health and Disease Models of Systems Properties and Processes > Cellular Models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kavitha Mukund
- Department of BioengineeringUniversity of CaliforniaSan DiegoCalifornia
| | - Shankar Subramaniam
- Department of Bioengineering, Bioinformatics & Systems BiologyUniversity of CaliforniaSan DiegoCalifornia
- Department of Computer Science and EngineeringUniversity of CaliforniaSan DiegoCalifornia
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine and NanoengineeringUniversity of CaliforniaSan DiegoCalifornia
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11
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Legay C. Congenital myasthenic syndromes with acetylcholinesterase deficiency, the pathophysiological mechanisms. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2019; 1413:104-110. [PMID: 29405353 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.13595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2017] [Revised: 12/12/2017] [Accepted: 12/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is a cholinergic synapse in vertebrates. This synapse connects motoneurons to muscles and is responsible for muscle contraction, a physiological process that is essential for survival. A key factor for the normal functioning of this synapse is the regulation of acetylcholine (ACh) levels in the synaptic cleft. This is ensured by acetylcholinesterase (AChE), which degrades ACh. A number of mutations in synaptic genes expressed in motoneurons or muscle cells have been identified and are causative for a class of neuromuscular diseases called congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMSs). One of these CMSs is due to deficiency in AChE, which is absent or diffuse in the synaptic cleft. Here, I focus on the origins of the syndrome. The role of ColQ, a collagen that anchors AChE in the synaptic cleft, is discussed in this context. Studies performed on patient biopsies, transgenic mice, and muscle cultures have provided a more comprehensive view of the connectome at the NMJ that should be useful for understanding the differences in the symptoms observed in specific CMSs due to mutated proteins in the synaptic cleft.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Legay
- CNRS 8119, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
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12
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Heikkinen A, Härönen H, Norman O, Pihlajaniemi T. Collagen XIII and Other ECM Components in the Assembly and Disease of the Neuromuscular Junction. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2019; 303:1653-1663. [PMID: 30768864 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Revised: 08/17/2018] [Accepted: 09/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Alongside playing structural roles, the extracellular matrix (ECM) acts as an interaction platform for cellular homeostasis, organ development, and maintenance. The necessity of the ECM is highlighted by the diverse, sometimes very serious diseases that stem from defects in its components. The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is a large peripheral motor synapse differing from its central counterparts through the ECM included at the synaptic cleft. Such synaptic basal lamina (BL) is specialized to support NMJ establishment, differentiation, maturation, stabilization, and function and diverges in molecular composition from the extrasynaptic ECM. Mutations, toxins, and autoantibodies may compromise NMJ integrity and function, thereby leading to congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMSs), poisoning, and autoimmune diseases, respectively, and all these conditions may involve synaptic ECM molecules. With neurotransmission degraded or blocked, muscle function is impaired or even prevented. At worst, this can be fatal. The article reviews the synaptic BL composition required for assembly and function of the NMJ molecular machinery through the lens of studies primarily with mouse models but also with human patients. In-depth focus is given to collagen XIII, a postsynaptic-membrane-spanning but also shed ECM protein that in recent years has been revealed to be a significant component for the NMJ. Its deficiency in humans causes CMS, and autoantibodies against it have been recognized in autoimmune myasthenia gravis. Mouse models have exposed numerous details that appear to recapitulate human NMJ phenotypes relatively faithfully and thereby can be readily used to generate information necessary for understanding and ultimately treating human diseases. Anat Rec, 2019. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Heikkinen
- Oulu Center for Cell-Matrix Research, Biocenter Oulu, Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Heli Härönen
- Oulu Center for Cell-Matrix Research, Biocenter Oulu, Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Oula Norman
- Oulu Center for Cell-Matrix Research, Biocenter Oulu, Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Taina Pihlajaniemi
- Oulu Center for Cell-Matrix Research, Biocenter Oulu, Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES To investigate the mutational spectrum and genotype-phenotype correlation in Indian patients with congenital myasthenic syndrome (CMS), using next-generation sequencing of 5 genes. METHODS CHRNE, COLQ, DOK7, RAPSN, and GFPT1 were sequenced in 25 affected patients. RESULTS We found clinically significant variants in 18 patients, of which variants in CHRNE were the most common, and 9 were novel. A common pathogenic COLQ variant was also detected in 4 patients with isolated limb-girdle congenital myasthenia. CONCLUSIONS Targeted screening of 5 genes is an effective alternate test for CMS, and an affordable one even in a developing country such as India. In addition, we recommend that patients with isolated limb-girdle congenital myasthenia be screened initially for the common COLQ pathogenic variant. This study throws the first light on the genetic landscape of CMSs in India.
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Martinez JR, Dhawan A, Farach-Carson MC. Modular Proteoglycan Perlecan/ HSPG2: Mutations, Phenotypes, and Functions. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:E556. [PMID: 30453502 PMCID: PMC6266596 DOI: 10.3390/genes9110556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2018] [Revised: 11/06/2018] [Accepted: 11/07/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Heparan sulfate proteoglycan 2 (HSPG2) is an essential, highly conserved gene whose expression influences many developmental processes including the formation of the heart and brain. The gene is widely expressed throughout the musculoskeletal system including cartilage, bone marrow and skeletal muscle. The HSPG2 gene product, perlecan is a multifunctional proteoglycan that preserves the integrity of extracellular matrices, patrols tissue borders, and controls various signaling pathways affecting cellular phenotype. Given HSPG2's expression pattern and its role in so many fundamental processes, it is not surprising that relatively few gene mutations have been identified in viable organisms. Mutations to the perlecan gene are rare, with effects ranging from a relatively mild condition to a more severe and perinatally lethal form. This review will summarize the important studies characterizing mutations and variants of HSPG2 and discuss how these genomic modifications affect expression, function and phenotype. Additionally, this review will describe the clinical findings of reported HSPG2 mutations and their observed phenotypes. Finally, the evolutionary aspects that link gene integrity to function are discussed, including key findings from both in vivo animal studies and in vitro systems. We also hope to facilitate discussion about perlecan/HSPG2 and its role in normal physiology, to explain how mutation can lead to pathology, and to point out how this information can suggest pathways for future mechanistic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerahme R Martinez
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA.
| | - Akash Dhawan
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
- Department of Diagnostic and Biomedical Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Dentistry, Houston, TX 77054, USA.
| | - Mary C Farach-Carson
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
- Department of Diagnostic and Biomedical Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Dentistry, Houston, TX 77054, USA.
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15
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Summarize features of the currently recognized congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMS) with emphasis on novel findings identified in the past 6 years. RECENT FINDINGS Since the last review of the CMS in this journal in 2012, several novel CMS were identified. The identified disease proteins are SNAP25B, synaptotagmin 2, Munc13-1, synaptobrevin-1, GFPT1, DPAGT1, ALG2, ALG14, Agrin, GMPPB, LRP4, myosin 9A, collagen 13A1, the mitochondrial citrate carrier, PREPL, LAMA5, the vesicular ACh transporter, and the high-affinity presynaptic choline transporter. Exome sequencing has provided a powerful tool for identifying novel CMS. Identifying the disease genes is essential for determining optimal therapy. The landscape of the CMS is still unfolding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew G Engel
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.
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16
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Ito M, Ohno K. Protein-anchoring therapy to target extracellular matrix proteins to their physiological destinations. Matrix Biol 2018; 68-69:628-636. [PMID: 29475025 DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2018.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2017] [Revised: 02/15/2018] [Accepted: 02/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Endplate acetylcholinesterase (AChE) deficiency is a form of congenital myasthenic syndrome (CMS) caused by mutations in COLQ, which encodes collagen Q (ColQ). ColQ is an extracellular matrix (ECM) protein that anchors AChE to the synaptic basal lamina. Biglycan, encoded by BGN, is another ECM protein that binds to the dystrophin-associated protein complex (DAPC) on skeletal muscle, which links the actin cytoskeleton and ECM proteins to stabilize the sarcolemma during repeated muscle contractions. Upregulation of biglycan stabilizes the DPAC. Gene therapy can potentially ameliorate any disease that can be recapitulated in cultured cells. However, the difficulty of tissue-specific and developmental stage-specific regulated expression of transgenes, as well as the difficulty of introducing a transgene into all cells in a specific tissue, prevents us from successfully applying gene therapy to many human diseases. In contrast to intracellular proteins, an ECM protein is anchored to the target tissue via its specific binding affinity for protein(s) expressed on the cell surface within the target tissue. Exploiting this unique feature of ECM proteins, we developed protein-anchoring therapy in which a transgene product expressed even in remote tissues can be delivered and anchored to a target tissue using specific binding signals. We demonstrate the application of protein-anchoring therapy to two disease models. First, intravenous administration of adeno-associated virus (AAV) serotype 8-COLQ to Colq-deficient mice, resulting in specific anchoring of ectopically expressed ColQ-AChE at the NMJ, markedly improved motor functions, synaptic transmission, and the ultrastructure of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). In the second example, Mdx mice, a model for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, were intravenously injected with AAV8-BGN. The treatment ameliorated motor deficits, mitigated muscle histopathologies, decreased plasma creatine kinase activities, and upregulated expression of utrophin and DAPC component proteins. We propose that protein-anchoring therapy could be applied to hereditary/acquired defects in ECM and secreted proteins, as well as therapeutic overexpression of such factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikako Ito
- Division of Neurogenetics, Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan.
| | - Kinji Ohno
- Division of Neurogenetics, Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan
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17
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Engel AG. Genetic basis and phenotypic features of congenital myasthenic syndromes. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2018; 148:565-589. [PMID: 29478601 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-64076-5.00037-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/06/2022]
Abstract
The congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMS) are heterogeneous disorders in which the safety margin of neuromuscular transmission is compromised by one or more specific mechanisms. The disease proteins reside in the nerve terminal, the synaptic basal lamina, or in the postsynaptic region, or at multiple sites at the neuromuscular junction as well as in other tissues. Targeted mutation analysis by Sanger or exome sequencing has been facilitated by characteristic phenotypic features of some CMS. No fewer than 20 disease genes have been recognized to date. In one-half of the currently identified probands, the disease stems from mutations in genes encoding subunits of the muscle form of the acetylcholine receptor (CHRNA1, CHRNB, CHRNAD1, and CHRNE). In 10-14% of the probands the disease is caused by mutations in RAPSN, DOK 7, or COLQ, and in 5% by mutations in CHAT. Other less frequently identified disease genes include LAMB2, AGRN, LRP4, MUSK, GFPT1, DPAGT1, ALG2, and ALG 14 as well as SCN4A, PREPL, PLEC1, DNM2, and MTM1. Identification of the genetic basis of each CMS is important not only for genetic counseling and disease prevention but also for therapy, because therapeutic agents that benefit one type of CMS can be harmful in another.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew G Engel
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, United States.
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18
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Ohno K, Takeda JI, Masuda A. Rules and tools to predict the splicing effects of exonic and intronic mutations. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-RNA 2017; 9. [DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2017] [Revised: 08/23/2017] [Accepted: 08/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kinji Ohno
- Division of Neurogenetics, Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer; Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine; Nagoya Japan
| | - Jun-ichi Takeda
- Division of Neurogenetics, Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer; Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine; Nagoya Japan
| | - Akio Masuda
- Division of Neurogenetics, Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer; Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine; Nagoya Japan
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19
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Ohno K, Ohkawara B, Ito M. Agrin-LRP4-MuSK signaling as a therapeutic target for myasthenia gravis and other neuromuscular disorders. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2017; 21:949-958. [PMID: 28825343 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2017.1369960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Signal transduction at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is compromised in a diverse array of diseases including myasthenia gravis, Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome, Isaacs' syndrome, congenital myasthenic syndromes, Fukuyama-type congenital muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and sarcopenia. Except for sarcopenia, all are orphan diseases. In addition, the NMJ signal transduction is impaired by tetanus, botulinum, curare, α-bungarotoxin, conotoxins, organophosphate, sarin, VX, and soman to name a few. Areas covered: This review covers the agrin-LRP4-MuSK signaling pathway, which drives clustering of acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) and ensures efficient signal transduction at the NMJ. We also address diseases caused by autoantibodies against the NMJ molecules and by germline mutations in genes encoding the NMJ molecules. Expert opinion: Representative small compounds to treat the defective NMJ signal transduction are cholinesterase inhibitors, which exert their effects by increasing the amount of acetylcholine at the synaptic space. Another possible therapeutic strategy to enhance the NMJ signal transduction is to increase the number of AChRs, but no currently available drug has this functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kinji Ohno
- a Division of Neurogenetics , Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine , Nagoya , Japan
| | - Bisei Ohkawara
- a Division of Neurogenetics , Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine , Nagoya , Japan
| | - Mikako Ito
- a Division of Neurogenetics , Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine , Nagoya , Japan
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20
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Ohno K, Rahman MA, Nazim M, Nasrin F, Lin Y, Takeda JI, Masuda A. Splicing regulation and dysregulation of cholinergic genes expressed at the neuromuscular junction. J Neurochem 2017; 142 Suppl 2:64-72. [PMID: 28072465 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.13954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2016] [Revised: 12/23/2016] [Accepted: 01/02/2017] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
We humans have evolved by acquiring diversity of alternative RNA metabolisms including alternative means of splicing and transcribing non-coding genes, and not by acquiring new coding genes. Tissue-specific and developmental stage-specific alternative RNA splicing is achieved by tightly regulated spatiotemporal regulation of expressions and activations of RNA-binding proteins that recognize their cognate splicing cis-elements on nascent RNA transcripts. Genes expressed at the neuromuscular junction are also alternatively spliced. In addition, germline mutations provoke aberrant splicing by compromising binding of RNA-binding proteins, and cause congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMS). We present physiological splicing mechanisms of genes for agrin (AGRN), acetylcholinesterase (ACHE), MuSK (MUSK), acetylcholine receptor (AChR) α1 subunit (CHRNA1), and collagen Q (COLQ) in human, and their aberration in diseases. Splicing isoforms of AChET , AChEH , and AChER are generated by hnRNP H/F. Skipping of MUSK exon 10 makes a Wnt-insensitive MuSK isoform, which is unique to human. Skipping of exon 10 is achieved by coordinated binding of hnRNP C, YB-1, and hnRNP L to exon 10. Exon P3A of CHRNA1 is alternatively included to generate a non-functional AChR α1 subunit in human. Molecular dissection of splicing mutations in patients with CMS reveals that exon P3A is alternatively skipped by hnRNP H, polypyrimidine tract-binding protein 1, and hnRNP L. Similarly, analysis of an exonic mutation in COLQ exon 16 in a CMS patient discloses that constitutive splicing of exon 16 requires binding of serine arginine-rich splicing factor 1. Intronic and exonic splicing mutations in CMS enable us to dissect molecular mechanisms underlying alternative and constitutive splicing of genes expressed at the neuromuscular junction. This is an article for the special issue XVth International Symposium on Cholinergic Mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kinji Ohno
- Division of Neurogenetics, Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Mohammad Alinoor Rahman
- Division of Neurogenetics, Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Mohammad Nazim
- Division of Neurogenetics, Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Farhana Nasrin
- Division of Neurogenetics, Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Yingni Lin
- Division of Neurogenetics, Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Jun-Ichi Takeda
- Division of Neurogenetics, Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Akio Masuda
- Division of Neurogenetics, Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
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21
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Ohno K, Ohkawara B, Ito M. Recent advances in congenital myasthenic syndromes. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/cen3.12316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Kinji Ohno
- Division of Neurogenetics; Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer; Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine; Nagoya Japan
| | - Bisei Ohkawara
- Division of Neurogenetics; Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer; Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine; Nagoya Japan
| | - Mikako Ito
- Division of Neurogenetics; Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer; Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine; Nagoya Japan
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22
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Shelton GD. Myasthenia gravis and congenital myasthenic syndromes in dogs and cats: A history and mini-review. Neuromuscul Disord 2016; 26:331-4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nmd.2016.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2015] [Revised: 02/23/2016] [Accepted: 03/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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23
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Ohno K, Otsuka K, Ito M. Roles of collagen Q in MuSK antibody-positive myasthenia gravis. Chem Biol Interact 2016; 259:266-270. [PMID: 27119269 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2016.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2015] [Revised: 02/25/2016] [Accepted: 04/11/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 4 (LRP4) and the muscle-specific receptor tyrosine kinase (MuSK) form a tetrameric protein complex on the postsynaptic membrane at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Binding of agrin to LRP4 triggers phosphorylation of MuSK. Activated MuSK drives clustering of acetylcholine receptor (AChR). Wnt ligands also directly bind to MuSK to induce AChR clustering. MuSK anchors the acetylcholinesterase (AChE)/collagen Q (ColQ) complex to the synaptic basal lamina. In addition, an extracellular proteoglycan, biglycan, binds to MuSK. Anti-MuSK autoantibodies (MuSK-IgG) are observed in 5-15% of autoimmune myasthenia gravis (MG) patients. MuSK-IgG blocks both ColQ-MuSK and LRP4-MuSK interactions. MuSK-IgG, LRP4, ColQ, and biglycan bind to the immunoglobulin-like domains 1 and 4 of MuSK. Lack of the effects of cholinesterase inhibitors in MuSK-MG patients is likely due to hindrance of ColQ-MuSK interaction by MuSK-IgG and subsequent deficiency of AChE observed in model mice, which, however, has not been proven in MuSK-MG patients. As ColQ enhances expression of membrane-bound MuSK, inhibition of ColQ-MuSK interaction by MuSK-IgG may account for lack of AChR clusters in MuSK-MG. We thus made passive transfer models using Colq+/+ and Colq-/- mice to dissect the effect of ColQ on AChR clustering in MuSK-MG. We found that MuSK-IgG-mediated suppression of LRP4-MuSK interaction, not of ColQ-MuSK interaction, caused defective AChR clustering. We also unexpectedly observed that both MuSK-IgG and ColQ suppressed agrin/LRP4/MuSK signaling in dose-dependent manners. Quantitative comparison revealed that MuSK-IgG blocked agrin-LRP4-MuSK signaling more than ColQ. We propose that attenuation of AChR clustering in MuSK-MG is due to hindrance of LRP4-MuSK interaction in the presence of agrin by MuSK-IgG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kinji Ohno
- Division of Neurogenetics, Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai, Showa-Ku, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan.
| | - Kenji Otsuka
- Division of Neurogenetics, Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai, Showa-Ku, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan
| | - Mikako Ito
- Division of Neurogenetics, Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai, Showa-Ku, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan
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24
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Sigoillot SM, Bourgeois F, Karmouch J, Molgó J, Dobbertin A, Chevalier C, Houlgatte R, Léger J, Legay C. Neuromuscular junction immaturity and muscle atrophy are hallmarks of the ColQ-deficient mouse, a model of congenital myasthenic syndrome with acetylcholinesterase deficiency. FASEB J 2016; 30:2382-99. [PMID: 26993635 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201500162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2015] [Accepted: 02/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The collagen ColQ anchors acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in the synaptic cleft of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). It also binds MuSK and perlecan/dystroglycan, 2 signaling platforms of the postsynaptic domain. Mutations in ColQ cause a congenital myasthenic syndrome (CMS) with AChE deficiency. Because the absence of AChE does not fully explain the complexity of the syndrome and there is no curative treatment for the disease, we explored additional potential targets of ColQ by conducting a large genetic screening of ColQ-deficient mice, a model for CMS with AChE deficiency, and analyzed their NMJ and muscle phenotypes. We demonstrated that ColQ controls the development and the maturation of the postsynaptic domain by regulating synaptic gene expression. Notably, ColQ deficiency leads to an up-regulation of the 5 subunits of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR), leading to mixed mature and immature AChRs at the NMJ of adult mice. ColQ also regulates the expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) components. However, whereas the ECM mRNAs were down-regulated in vitro, compensation seemed to occur in vivo to maintain normal levels of these mRNAs. Finally, ColQ deficiency leads to a general atrophic phenotype and hypoplasia that affect fast muscles. This study points to new specific hallmarks for this CMS.-Sigoillot, S. M., Bourgeois, F., Karmouch, J., Molgó, J., Dobbertin, A., Chevalier, C., Houlgatte, R., Léger, J., Legay, C. Neuromuscular junction immaturity and muscle atrophy are hallmarks of the ColQ-deficient mouse, a model of congenital myasthenic syndrome with acetylcholinesterase deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Séverine M Sigoillot
- Centre de Neurophysique, Physiologie et Pathologie, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR) 8119, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris France
| | - Francine Bourgeois
- Centre de Neurophysique, Physiologie et Pathologie, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR) 8119, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris France
| | - Jennifer Karmouch
- Centre de Neurophysique, Physiologie et Pathologie, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR) 8119, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris France
| | - Jordi Molgó
- Commissariat à l'énergie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Institut de Biologie et Technologies de Saclay, Service d'Ingénierie Moléculaire des Protéines, Gif sur Yvette, France; Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, UMR 9197, CNRS/Université Paris-Sud, Paris, France; and
| | - Alexandre Dobbertin
- Centre de Neurophysique, Physiologie et Pathologie, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR) 8119, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris France
| | - Catherine Chevalier
- Institut de Recherche Thérapeutique de l'Université de Nantes, Plateforme Génomique Intégrative, Nantes, France
| | - Rémi Houlgatte
- Institut de Recherche Thérapeutique de l'Université de Nantes, Plateforme Génomique Intégrative, Nantes, France
| | - Jean Léger
- Institut de Recherche Thérapeutique de l'Université de Nantes, Plateforme Génomique Intégrative, Nantes, France
| | - Claire Legay
- Centre de Neurophysique, Physiologie et Pathologie, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR) 8119, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris France;
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25
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Gandolfi B, Grahn RA, Creighton EK, Williams DC, Dickinson PJ, Sturges BK, Guo LT, Shelton GD, Leegwater PAJ, Longeri M, Malik R, Lyons LA. COLQ variant associated with Devon Rex and Sphynx feline hereditary myopathy. Anim Genet 2015; 46:711-5. [PMID: 26374066 PMCID: PMC4637250 DOI: 10.1111/age.12350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Some Devon Rex and Sphynx cats have a variably progressive myopathy characterized by appendicular and axial muscle weakness, megaesophagus, pharyngeal weakness and fatigability with exercise. Muscle biopsies from affected cats demonstrated variable pathological changes ranging from dystrophic features to minimal abnormalities. Affected cats have exacerbation of weakness following anticholinesterase dosing, a clue that there is an underlying congenital myasthenic syndrome (CMS). A genome-wide association study and whole-genome sequencing suggested a causal variant for this entity was a c.1190G>A variant causing a cysteine to tyrosine substitution (p.Cys397Tyr) within the C-terminal domain of collagen-like tail subunit (single strand of homotrimer) of asymmetric acetylcholinesterase (COLQ). Alpha-dystroglycan expression, which is associated with COLQ anchorage at the motor end-plate, has been shown to be deficient in affected cats. Eighteen affected cats were identified by genotyping, including cats from the original clinical descriptions in 1993 and subsequent publications. Eight Devon Rex and one Sphynx not associated with the study were identified as carriers, suggesting an allele frequency of ~2.0% in Devon Rex. Over 350 tested cats from other breeds did not have the variant. Characteristic clinical features and variant presence in all affected cats suggest a model for COLQ CMS. The association between the COLQ variant and this CMS affords clinicians the opportunity to confirm diagnosis via genetic testing and permits owners and breeders to identify carriers in the population. Moreover, accurate diagnosis increases available therapeutic options for affected cats based on an understanding of the pathophysiology and experience from human CMS associated with COLQ variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Gandolfi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri - Columbia, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA
| | - Robert A Grahn
- Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California - Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Erica K Creighton
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri - Columbia, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA
| | - D Colette Williams
- The William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California - Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Peter J Dickinson
- Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California - Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Beverly K Sturges
- Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California - Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Ling T Guo
- Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California - Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - G Diane Shelton
- Department of Pathology, University of California - San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Peter A J Leegwater
- Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3508 TD, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Maria Longeri
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie e Sanità Pubblica, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Richard Malik
- Centre for Veterinary Education, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Leslie A Lyons
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri - Columbia, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA
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Collagen Q and anti-MuSK autoantibody competitively suppress agrin/LRP4/MuSK signaling. Sci Rep 2015; 5:13928. [PMID: 26355076 PMCID: PMC4564764 DOI: 10.1038/srep13928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2015] [Accepted: 08/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
MuSK antibody-positive myasthenia gravis (MuSK-MG) accounts for 5 to 15% of autoimmune MG. MuSK and LRP4 are coreceptors for agrin in the signaling pathway that causes clustering of acetylcholine receptor (AChR). MuSK also anchors the acetylcholinesterase (AChE)/collagen Q (ColQ) complex to the synaptic basal lamina. We previously reported that anti-MuSK antibodies (MuSK-IgG) block binding of ColQ to MuSK and cause partial endplate AChE deficiency in mice. We here analyzed the physiological significance of binding of ColQ to MuSK and block of this binding by MuSK-IgG. In vitro plate-binding assay showed that MuSK-IgG blocked MuSK-LRP4 interaction in the presence of agrin. Passive transfer of MuSK-IgG to Colq-knockout mice attenuated AChR clustering, indicating that lack of ColQ is not the key event causing defective clustering of AChR in MuSK-MG. In three MuSK-MG patients, the MuSK antibodies recognized the first and fourth immunoglobulin-like domains (Ig1 and Ig4) of MuSK. In two other MuSK-MG patients, they recognized only the Ig4 domain. LRP4 and ColQ also bound to the Ig1 and Ig4 domains of MuSK. Unexpectedly, the AChE/ColQ complex blocked MuSK-LRP4 interaction and suppressed agrin/LRP4/MuSK signaling. Quantitative analysis showed that MuSK-IgG suppressed agrin/LRP4/MuSK signaling to a greater extent than ColQ.
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Abitbol M, Hitte C, Bossé P, Blanchard-Gutton N, Thomas A, Martignat L, Blot S, Tiret L. A COLQ Missense Mutation in Sphynx and Devon Rex Cats with Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0137019. [PMID: 26327126 PMCID: PMC4556666 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0137019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2015] [Accepted: 08/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
An autosomal recessive neuromuscular disorder characterized by skeletal muscle weakness, fatigability and variable electromyographic or muscular histopathological features has been described in the two related Sphynx and Devon Rex cat breeds (Felis catus). Collection of data from two affected Sphynx cats and their relatives pointed out a single disease candidate region on feline chromosome C2, identified following a genome-wide SNP-based homozygosity mapping strategy. In that region, we further identified COLQ (collagen-like tail subunit of asymmetric acetylcholinesterase) as a good candidate gene, since COLQ mutations were identified in affected humans and dogs with endplate acetylcholinesterase deficiency leading to a synaptic form of congenital myasthenic syndrome (CMS). A homozygous c.1190G>A missense variant located in exon 15 of COLQ, leading to a C397Y substitution, was identified in the two affected cats. C397 is a highly-conserved residue from the C-terminal domain of the protein; its mutation was previously shown to produce CMS in humans, and here we confirmed in an affected Sphynx cat that it induces a loss of acetylcholinesterase clustering at the neuromuscular junction. Segregation of the c.1190G>A variant was 100% consistent with the autosomal recessive mode of inheritance of the disorder in our cat pedigree; in addition, an affected, unrelated Devon Rex cat recruited thereafter was also homozygous for the variant. Genotyping of a panel of 333 cats from 14 breeds failed to identify a single carrier in non-Sphynx and non-Devon Rex cats. Finally, the percentage of healthy carriers in a European subpanel of 81 genotyped Sphynx cats was estimated to be low (3.7%) and 14 control Devon Rex cats were genotyped as wild-type individuals. Altogether, these results strongly support that the neuromuscular disorder reported in Sphynx and Devon Rex breeds is a CMS caused by a unique c.1190G>A missense mutation, presumably transmitted through a founder effect, which strictly and slightly disseminated in these two breeds. The presently available DNA test will help owners avoid matings at risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Abitbol
- Inserm, IMRB U955-E10, 94000, Créteil, France
- Université Paris Est, Ecole nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort, 94700, Maisons-Alfort, & Faculté de médecine, 94000, Créteil, France
- Etablissement Français du Sang, 94017, Créteil, France
- APHP, Hôpitaux Universitaires Henri Mondor, DHU Pepsy & Centre de référence des maladies neuromusculaires GNMH, 94000 Créteil, France
- * E-mail:
| | - Christophe Hitte
- Institut de Génétique et Développement de Rennes IGDR, UMR6290 CNRS—Université de Rennes 1, Rennes, France
| | - Philippe Bossé
- Inserm, IMRB U955-E10, 94000, Créteil, France
- Université Paris Est, Ecole nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort, 94700, Maisons-Alfort, & Faculté de médecine, 94000, Créteil, France
- Etablissement Français du Sang, 94017, Créteil, France
- APHP, Hôpitaux Universitaires Henri Mondor, DHU Pepsy & Centre de référence des maladies neuromusculaires GNMH, 94000 Créteil, France
| | - Nicolas Blanchard-Gutton
- Inserm, IMRB U955-E10, 94000, Créteil, France
- Université Paris Est, Ecole nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort, 94700, Maisons-Alfort, & Faculté de médecine, 94000, Créteil, France
- Etablissement Français du Sang, 94017, Créteil, France
- APHP, Hôpitaux Universitaires Henri Mondor, DHU Pepsy & Centre de référence des maladies neuromusculaires GNMH, 94000 Créteil, France
| | - Anne Thomas
- Antagene, Animal Genetics Laboratory, La Tour de Salvagny, France
| | - Lionel Martignat
- ONIRIS, UP Sécurité Sanitaire en Biotechnologies de la Reproduction, Nantes, France
| | - Stéphane Blot
- Inserm, IMRB U955-E10, 94000, Créteil, France
- Université Paris Est, Ecole nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort, 94700, Maisons-Alfort, & Faculté de médecine, 94000, Créteil, France
- Etablissement Français du Sang, 94017, Créteil, France
- APHP, Hôpitaux Universitaires Henri Mondor, DHU Pepsy & Centre de référence des maladies neuromusculaires GNMH, 94000 Créteil, France
| | - Laurent Tiret
- Inserm, IMRB U955-E10, 94000, Créteil, France
- Université Paris Est, Ecole nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort, 94700, Maisons-Alfort, & Faculté de médecine, 94000, Créteil, France
- Etablissement Français du Sang, 94017, Créteil, France
- APHP, Hôpitaux Universitaires Henri Mondor, DHU Pepsy & Centre de référence des maladies neuromusculaires GNMH, 94000 Créteil, France
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SRSF1 and hnRNP H antagonistically regulate splicing of COLQ exon 16 in a congenital myasthenic syndrome. Sci Rep 2015; 5:13208. [PMID: 26282582 PMCID: PMC4539547 DOI: 10.1038/srep13208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2015] [Accepted: 07/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The catalytic subunits of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) are anchored in the basal lamina of the neuromuscular junction using a collagen-like tail subunit (ColQ) encoded by COLQ. Mutations in COLQ cause endplate AChE deficiency. An A-to-G mutation predicting p.E415G in COLQ exon 16 identified in a patient with endplate AChE deficiency causes exclusive skipping of exon 16. RNA affinity purification, mass spectrometry, and siRNA-mediated gene knocking down disclosed that the mutation disrupts binding of a splicing-enhancing RNA-binding protein, SRSF1, and de novo gains binding of a splicing-suppressing RNA-binding protein, hnRNP H. MS2-mediated artificial tethering of each factor demonstrated that SRSF1 and hnRNP H antagonistically modulate splicing by binding exclusively to the target in exon 16. Further analyses with artificial mutants revealed that SRSF1 is able to bind to degenerative binding motifs, whereas hnRNP H strictly requires an uninterrupted stretch of poly(G). The mutation compromised splicing of the downstream intron. Isolation of early spliceosome complex revealed that the mutation impairs binding of U1-70K (snRNP70) to the downstream 5′ splice site. Global splicing analysis with RNA-seq revealed that exons carrying the hnRNP H-binding GGGGG motif are predisposed to be skipped compared to those carrying the SRSF1-binding GGAGG motif in both human and mouse brains.
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Gallagher J. Fell-Muir Lecture: Heparan sulphate and the art of cell regulation: a polymer chain conducts the protein orchestra. Int J Exp Pathol 2015; 96:203-31. [PMID: 26173450 PMCID: PMC4561558 DOI: 10.1111/iep.12135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2014] [Accepted: 05/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Heparan sulphate (HS) sits at the interface of the cell and the extracellular matrix. It is a member of the glycosaminoglycan family of anionic polysaccharides with unique structural features designed for protein interaction and regulation. Its client proteins include soluble effectors (e.g. growth factors, morphogens, chemokines), membrane receptors and cell adhesion proteins such as fibronectin, fibrillin and various types of collagen. The protein-binding properties of HS, together with its strategic positioning in the pericellular domain, are indicative of key roles in mediating the flow of regulatory signals between cells and their microenvironment. The control of transmembrane signalling is a fundamental element in the complex biology of HS. It seems likely that, in some way, HS orchestrates diverse signalling pathways to facilitate information processing inside the cell. A dictionary definition of an orchestra is 'a large group of musicians who play together on various instruments …' to paraphrase, the HS orchestra is 'a large group of proteins that play together on various receptors'. HS conducts this orchestra to ensure that proteins hit the right notes on their receptors but, in the manner of a true conductor, does it also set 'the musical pulse' and create rhythm and harmony attractive to the cell? This is too big a question to answer but fun to think about as you read this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Gallagher
- Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, Institute of Cancer Sciences, Paterson Building, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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Ohno K, Ito M, Kawakami Y, Ohtsuka K. Collagen Q is a key player for developing rational therapy for congenital myasthenia and for dissecting the mechanisms of anti-MuSK myasthenia gravis. J Mol Neurosci 2015; 53:359-61. [PMID: 24234034 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-013-0170-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2013] [Accepted: 10/31/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is anchored to the synaptic basal lamina via a triple helical collagen Q (ColQ) in the form of asymmetric AChE (AChE/ColQ). We exploited the proprietary NMJ-targeting signals of ColQ to treat congenital myasthenia and to explore the mechanisms of autoimmune myasthenia gravis (MG). Mutations in COLQ cause congenital endplate AChE deficiency (CEAD). First, a single intravenous administration of adeno-associated virus serotype 8 (AAV8)-COLQ to Colq−/− mice normalized motor functions, synaptic transmission, and partly the NMJ ultrastructure. Additionally, injection of purified recombinant AChE/ColQ protein complex into gluteus maximus accumulated AChE in non-injected forelimbs. Second, MuSK antibody-positive MG accounts for 5-15 % of MG. In vitro overlay of AChE/ColQ to muscle sections of Colq−/− mice, as well as in vitro plate-binding of MuSK to ColQ, revealed thatMuSK-IgG blocks binding of ColQ to MuSK in a dose-dependent manner. Passive transfer of MuSK-IgG to wild-type mice markedly reduced the size and intensity of ColQ signals at NMJs. MuSK-IgG thus interferes with binding of ColQ to MuSK. Elucidation of molecular mechanisms of specific binding of ColQ to NMJ enabled us to ameliorate devastating myasthenic symptoms of Colq−/− mice and also to reveal underlying mechanisms of anti-MuSK-MG.
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Zoltowska Katarzyna M, Belaya K, Leite M, Patrick W, Vincent A, Beeson D. Collagen Q--a potential target for autoantibodies in myasthenia gravis. J Neurol Sci 2014; 348:241-4. [PMID: 25577314 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2014.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2014] [Revised: 12/08/2014] [Accepted: 12/11/2014] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disorder caused by autoantibodies targeting proteins expressed at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). In most cases the targets are acetylcholine receptor (AChR), muscle-specific tyrosine kinase (MuSK), or occasionally low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 4 (LRP4), but there is still a group of patients, often called seronegative MG (SNMG), with unknown antibody targets. One potential target is collagen Q (COLQ), which is restricted to the NMJ and is crucial for anchoring the NMJ-specific form of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). 415 serum samples with a clinical diagnosis of MG and 43 control samples were screened for the presence of COLQ autoantibodies using a cell-based assay (CBA) with HEK293 cells overexpressing COLQ at the cell surface. COLQ antibodies were detected in 12/415 MG sera and in one/43 control samples. Five of the COLQ-Ab+individuals were also positive for AChR-Abs and 2 for MuSK-Abs. Although the COLQ antibodies were only present at low frequency, and did not differ significantly from the small control cohort, further studies could address whether they modify the clinical presentation or the benefits of anti-cholinesterase therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Zoltowska Katarzyna
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Neurosciences Group, OX3 9DS, Oxford, UK
| | - Katsiaryna Belaya
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Neurosciences Group, OX3 9DS, Oxford, UK
| | - Maria Leite
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Neurosciences Group, OX3 9DS, Oxford, UK
| | - Waters Patrick
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Neurosciences Group, OX3 9DS, Oxford, UK
| | - Angela Vincent
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Neurosciences Group, OX3 9DS, Oxford, UK
| | - David Beeson
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Neurosciences Group, OX3 9DS, Oxford, UK.
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Rinz CJ, Levine J, Minor KM, Humphries HD, Lara R, Starr-Moss AN, Guo LT, Williams DC, Shelton GD, Clark LA. A COLQ missense mutation in Labrador Retrievers having congenital myasthenic syndrome. PLoS One 2014; 9:e106425. [PMID: 25166616 PMCID: PMC4148433 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0106425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2014] [Accepted: 07/29/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMSs) are heterogeneous neuromuscular disorders characterized by skeletal muscle weakness caused by disruption of signal transmission across the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). CMSs are rarely encountered in veterinary medicine, and causative mutations have only been identified in Old Danish Pointing Dogs and Brahman cattle to date. Herein, we characterize a novel CMS in 2 Labrador Retriever littermates with an early onset of marked generalized muscle weakness. Because the sire and dam share 2 recent common ancestors, CMS is likely the result of recessive alleles inherited identical by descent (IBD). Genome-wide SNP profiles generated from the Illumina HD array for 9 nuclear family members were used to determine genomic inheritance patterns in chromosomal regions encompassing 18 functional candidate genes. SNP haplotypes spanning 3 genes were consistent with autosomal recessive transmission, and microsatellite data showed that only the segment encompassing COLQ was inherited IBD. COLQ encodes the collagenous tail of acetylcholinesterase, the enzyme responsible for termination of signal transduction in the NMJ. Sequences from COLQ revealed a variant in exon 14 (c.1010T>C) that results in the substitution of a conserved amino acid (I337T) within the C-terminal domain. Both affected puppies were homozygous for this variant, and 16 relatives were heterozygous, while 288 unrelated Labrador Retrievers and 112 dogs of other breeds were wild-type. A recent study in which 2 human CMS patients were found to be homozygous for an identical COLQ mutation (c.1010T>C; I337T) provides further evidence that this mutation is pathogenic. This report describes the first COLQ mutation in canine CMS and demonstrates the utility of SNP profiles from nuclear family members for the identification of private mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin J. Rinz
- Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Life Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Jonathan Levine
- Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | - Katie M. Minor
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Hammon D. Humphries
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Renee Lara
- Kingdom Animal Hospital, Bryan, Texas, United States of America
| | - Alison N. Starr-Moss
- Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Life Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Ling T. Guo
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - D. Colette Williams
- R. Prichard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, University of California Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - G. Diane Shelton
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- * E-mail: (GDS); (LAC)
| | - Leigh Anne Clark
- Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Life Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
- * E-mail: (GDS); (LAC)
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Arredondo J, Lara M, Ng F, Gochez DA, Lee DC, Logia SP, Nguyen J, Maselli RA. COOH-terminal collagen Q (COLQ) mutants causing human deficiency of endplate acetylcholinesterase impair the interaction of ColQ with proteins of the basal lamina. Hum Genet 2013; 133:599-616. [PMID: 24281389 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-013-1391-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2013] [Accepted: 11/03/2013] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Collagen Q (ColQ) is a key multidomain functional protein of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), crucial for anchoring acetylcholinesterase (AChE) to the basal lamina (BL) and accumulating AChE at the NMJ. The attachment of AChE to the BL is primarily accomplished by the binding of the ColQ collagen domain to the heparan sulfate proteoglycan perlecan and the COOH-terminus to the muscle-specific receptor tyrosine kinase (MuSK), which in turn plays a fundamental role in the development and maintenance of the NMJ. Yet, the precise mechanism by which ColQ anchors AChE at the NMJ remains unknown. We identified five novel mutations at the COOH-terminus of ColQ in seven patients from five families affected with endplate (EP) AChE deficiency. We found that the mutations do not affect the assembly of ColQ with AChE to form asymmetric forms of AChE or impair the interaction of ColQ with perlecan. By contrast, all mutations impair in varied degree the interaction of ColQ with MuSK as well as basement membrane extract (BME) that have no detectable MuSK. Our data confirm that the interaction of ColQ to perlecan and MuSK is crucial for anchoring AChE to the NMJ. In addition, the identified COOH-terminal mutants not only reduce the interaction of ColQ with MuSK, but also diminish the interaction of ColQ with BME. These findings suggest that the impaired attachment of COOH-terminal mutants causing EP AChE deficiency is in part independent of MuSK, and that the COOH-terminus of ColQ may interact with other proteins at the BL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Arredondo
- Department of Neurology, University of California Davis, 1515 Newton Court, Room 510, Davis, CA, 95618, USA,
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Montenegro MF, Nieto-Cerón S, Cabezas-Herrera J, Muñoz-Delgado E, Campoy FJ, Vidal CJ. Most acetylcholinesterase activity of non-nervous tissues and cells arises from the AChE-H transcript. J Mol Neurosci 2013; 53:429-35. [PMID: 24242952 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-013-0172-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2013] [Accepted: 11/04/2013] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
While the functional implications of AChE-T, PRiMA and ColQ have been firmly established, those of glypiated AChE remain uncertain. Insights into the physiological meaning of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-linked AChE-H were gained by comparing nervous and non-nervous tissues for the amount of AChE mRNA variants they contained. PCR showed that AChE-T mRNA prevailed in the mouse brain, spinal cord, sciatic nerve and muscle, and AChE-H mRNA in the bone marrow and thymus, as well as in the human gut. The similar levels of AChE-T and AChE-H mRNAs in mouse liver and human kidney contrasted with the almost exclusive presence of catalytically active AChE-H in both organs. The absence of PRiMA mRNA in liver suggested that the tetramers made of AChE-T fail to bind to the cell membrane and are secreted due to the lack of PRiMA in non-nervous organs. In contrast, glypiated AChE-H is largely and lastingly bound to the cell membrane. Thus, non-synaptic glypiated AChE-H seems to be the counterpart of synaptic PRiMA-linked AChE-T, the former designed for clearing ACh waves, the latter for confronting ACh bursts, and both for helping to protect cells against the harmful effects of durable nicotinic and muscarinic activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Fernanda Montenegro
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular-A, Universidad de Murcia, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", Murcia, Spain
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Nakata T, Ito M, Azuma Y, Otsuka K, Noguchi Y, Komaki H, Okumura A, Shiraishi K, Masuda A, Natsume J, Kojima S, Ohno K. Mutations in the C-terminal domain of ColQ in endplate acetylcholinesterase deficiency compromise ColQ-MuSK interaction. Hum Mutat 2013; 34:997-1004. [PMID: 23553736 DOI: 10.1002/humu.22325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2013] [Accepted: 03/19/2013] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is mostly composed of an asymmetric form in which three tetramers of catalytic AChE subunits are linked to a triple helical collagen Q (ColQ). Mutations in COLQ cause endplate AChE deficiency. We report three patients with endplate AChE deficiency with five recessive COLQ mutations. Sedimentation profiles showed that p.Val322Asp and p.Arg227X, but not p.Cys444Tyr, p.Asp447His, or p.Arg452Cys, inhibit formation of triple helical ColQ. In vitro overlay of mutant ColQ-tailed AChE on muscle sections of Colq(-/-) mice revealed that p.Cys444Tyr, p.Asp447His, and p.Arg452Cys in the C-terminal domain (CTD) abrogate anchoring ColQ-tailed AChE to the NMJ. In vitro plate-binding assay similarly demonstrated that the three mutants inhibit binding of ColQ-tailed AChE to MuSK. We also confirmed the pathogenicity of p.Asp447His by treating Colq(-/-) mice with adeno-associated virus serotype 8 carrying mutant COLQ-p.Asp447His. The treated mice showed no improvement in motor functions and no anchoring of ColQ-tailed AChE at the NMJ. Electroporation of mutant COLQ harboring p.Cys444Tyr, p.Asp447His, and p.Arg452Cys into anterior tibial muscles of Colq(-/-) mice similarly failed to anchor ColQ-tailed AChE at the NMJ. We proved that the missense mutations in ColQ-CTD cause endplate AChE deficiency by compromising ColQ-MuSK interaction at the NMJ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomohiko Nakata
- Division of Neurogenetics, Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
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Maselli RA, Arredondo J, Ferns MJ, Wollmann RL. Synaptic basal lamina-associated congenital myasthenic syndromes. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2013; 1275:36-48. [PMID: 23278576 DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2012.06807.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Proteins associated with the basal lamina (BL) participate in complex signal transduction processes that are essential for the development and maintenance of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Most important junctional BL proteins are collagens, such as collagen IV (α3-6), collagen XIII, and ColQ; laminins; nidogens; and heparan sulfate proteoglycans, such as perlecan and agrin. Mice lacking Colq (Colq(-/-)), laminin β2 (Lamb2(-/-)), or collagen XIII (Col13a1(-/-)) show immature nerve terminals enwrapped by Schwann cell projections that invaginate into the synaptic cleft and decrease contact surface for neurotransmission. Human mutations in COLQ, LAMB2, and AGRN cause congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMSs) owing to deficiency of ColQ, laminin-β2, and agrin, respectively. In these syndromes the NMJ ultrastructure shows striking resemblance to that of mice lacking the corresponding protein; furthermore, the extracellular localization of mutant proteins may provide favorable conditions for replacement strategies based on gene therapy and stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo A Maselli
- Department of Neurology, University of California, Davis, California, USA.
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Karmouch J, Dobbertin A, Sigoillot S, Legay C. Developmental consequences of the ColQ/MuSK interactions. Chem Biol Interact 2012; 203:287-91. [PMID: 23089045 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2012.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2012] [Revised: 10/09/2012] [Accepted: 10/11/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
CollagenQ (ColQ) is a specific collagen that anchors acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in the synaptic basal lamina of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Over 30 mutations in the COLQ gene have been identified that are responsible for a congenital myasthenic syndrome with AChE deficiency, highlighting the importance of this collagen in the physiology of the NMJ. The anchoring of AChE at the synapse requires the interaction of ColQ with MuSK (Muscle-Specific Kinase), a tyrosine kinase expressed on the muscle membrane that is necessary for the formation and the maintenance of the NMJ. MuSK forms with its co-receptor LRP4, a member of the Low-density Related Protein family, a receptor complex for agrin and Wnts, representing the core system from which the postsynaptic domain is built, the growth cone attracted and the presynaptic element instructed for some aspects of its differentiation. Therefore, the discovery that ColQ binds to MuSK prompted us to study a possible regulatory function of ColQ during NMJ development. In this review, after a brief survey on ColQ, we summarize our recent data demonstrating that ColQ, in addition to its anchoring role, exerts signaling functions and controls some aspects of postsynaptic differentiation such as the clustering of acetylcholine receptors. Our results also strengthen the hypothesis that the defects observed in synaptic congenital myasthenic syndromes might be linked, at least in part, to alterations of ColQ signaling functions and not only to AChE deficiency. Finally, we discuss future research directions to understand how ColQ may modulate the action of the other ligands of the MuSK/LRP4 complex and cooperate with them to coordinate the different steps of NMJ formation and maintenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Karmouch
- CESEM, CNRS UMR 8194, University of Paris Descartes, 45 rue des Saints-Pères, 75006 Paris Cedex, France
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Specific binding of collagen Q to the neuromuscular junction is exploited to cure congenital myasthenia and to explore bases of myasthenia gravis. Chem Biol Interact 2012; 203:335-40. [PMID: 22981737 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2012.08.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2012] [Revised: 08/29/2012] [Accepted: 08/30/2012] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is anchored to the synaptic basal lamina via a triple helical collagen Q (ColQ) in the form of asymmetric AChE (AChE/ColQ). The C-terminal domain of ColQ binds to MuSK, the muscle-specific receptor tyrosine kinase, that mediates a signal for acetylcholine receptor (AChR) clustering at the NMJ. ColQ also binds to heparan sulfate proteoglycans including perlecan. Congenital defects of ColQ cause endplate AChE deficiency. A single intravenous administration of adeno-associated virus serotype 8 (AAV8)-COLQ to Colq-/- mice rescued motor functions, synaptic transmission, and the ultrastructure of NMJ. We also injected AAV1-COLQ-IRES-EGFP to the left tibialis anterior and observed colocalization of AChE/ColQ at all the examined NMJs of the non-injected limbs. Additionally, injection of purified recombinant AChE/ColQ protein complex into gluteus maximus accumulated AChE in non-injected forelimbs. These observations suggest that the tissue-targeting signal of ColQ can be exploited to specifically deliver the transgene product to the target tissue. MuSK antibody-positive myasthenia gravis (MG) accounts for 5-15% of autoimmune MG. As AChR deficiency is typically mild and as cholinesterase inhibitors are generally ineffective or worsen myasthenic symptoms, we asked if the patient's MuSK-IgG interferes with binding of ColQ to MuSK. In vitro overlay of AChE/ColQ to muscle sections of Colq-/- mice revealed that MuSK-IgG blocks binding of ColQ to the NMJ. In vitro plate-binding of MuSK to ColQ disclosed that MuSK-IgG exerts a dose-dependent block of MuSK-ColQ interaction. In addition, passive transfer of MuSK-IgG to mice reduced the size and density of ColQ to ∼10% of controls and had a lesser effect on the sizes and densities of AChR and MuSK. Elucidation of molecular mechanisms of specific binding of ColQ to the NMJ enabled us to ameliorate devastating myasthenic symptoms of Colq-/- mice and to reveal bases of anti-MuSK MG.
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Protein-anchoring strategy for delivering acetylcholinesterase to the neuromuscular junction. Mol Ther 2012; 20:1384-92. [PMID: 22371845 DOI: 10.1038/mt.2012.34] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is anchored to the synaptic basal lamina via a triple helical collagen Q (ColQ). Congenital defects of ColQ cause endplate AChE deficiency and myasthenic syndrome. A single intravenous administration of adeno-associated virus serotype 8 (AAV8)-COLQ to Colq(-/-) mice recovered motor functions, synaptic transmission, as well as the morphology of the NMJ. ColQ-tailed AChE was specifically anchored to NMJ and its amount was restored to 89% of the wild type. We next characterized the molecular basis of this efficient recovery. We first confirmed that ColQ-tailed AChE can be specifically targeted to NMJ by an in vitro overlay assay in Colq(-/-) mice muscle sections. We then injected AAV1-COLQ-IRES-EGFP into the left tibialis anterior and detected AChE in noninjected limbs. Furthermore, the in vivo injection of recombinant ColQ-tailed AChE protein complex into the gluteus maximus muscle of Colq(-/-) mice led to accumulation of AChE in noninjected forelimbs. We demonstrated for the first time in vivo that the ColQ protein contains a tissue-targeting signal that is sufficient for anchoring itself to the NMJ. We propose that the protein-anchoring strategy is potentially applicable to a broad spectrum of diseases affecting extracellular matrix molecules.
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Abstract
Congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMS) represent a heterogeneous group of disorders in which the safety margin of neuromuscular transmission is compromised by one or more specific mechanisms. Clinical, electrophysiologic, and morphologic studies have paved the way for detecting CMS-related mutations in proteins residing in the nerve terminal, the synaptic basal lamina, or in the postsynaptic region of the motor endplate. The disease proteins identified to date include the acetylcholine receptor, acetylcholinesterase, choline acetyltransferase, rapsyn, and Na(v)1.4, muscle-specific kinase, agrin, β2-laminin, downstream of tyrosine kinase 7, and glutamine-fructose-6-phosphate transaminase 1. Analysis of electrophysiologic and biochemical properties of mutant proteins expressed in heterologous systems have contributed crucially to defining the molecular consequences of the observed mutations and have resulted in improved therapy of most CMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew G Engel
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
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Engel AG. Current status of the congenital myasthenic syndromes. Neuromuscul Disord 2012; 22:99-111. [PMID: 22104196 PMCID: PMC3269564 DOI: 10.1016/j.nmd.2011.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2011] [Revised: 10/11/2011] [Accepted: 10/13/2011] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMS) are heterogeneous disorders in which the safety margin of neuromuscular transmission is compromised by one or more specific mechanisms. Clinical, electrophysiologic, and morphologic studies have paved the way for detecting CMS-related mutations in proteins residing in the nerve terminal, the synaptic basal lamina, and in the postsynaptic region of the motor endplate. The disease proteins identified to date include choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), the endplate species of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), β2-laminin, the acetylcholine receptor (AChR), rapsyn, plectin, Na(v)1.4, the muscle specific protein kinase (MuSK), agrin, downstream of tyrosine kinase 7 (Dok-7), and glutamine-fructose-6-phosphate transaminase 1 (GFPT1). Myasthenic syndromes associated with centronuclear myopathies were recently recognized. Analysis of properties of expressed mutant proteins contributed to finding improved therapy for most CMS. Despite these advances, the molecular basis of some phenotypically characterized CMS remains elusive. Moreover, other types of CMS and disease genes likely exist and await discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew G Engel
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, United States.
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Kawakami Y, Ito M, Hirayama M, Sahashi K, Ohkawara B, Masuda A, Nishida H, Mabuchi N, Engel AG, Ohno K. Anti-MuSK autoantibodies block binding of collagen Q to MuSK. Neurology 2011; 77:1819-26. [PMID: 22013178 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0b013e318237f660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Muscle-specific receptor tyrosine kinase (MuSK) antibody-positive myasthenia gravis (MG) accounts for 5%-15% of autoimmune MG. MuSK mediates the agrin-signaling pathway and also anchors the collagenic tail subunit (ColQ) of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). The exact molecular target of MuSK-immunoglobulin G (IgG), however, remains elusive. As acetylcholine receptor (AChR) deficiency is typically mild and as cholinesterase inhibitors are generally ineffective, we asked if MuSK-IgG interferes with binding of ColQ to MuSK. METHODS We used 3 assays: in vitro overlay of the human ColQ-tailed AChE to muscle sections of Colq-/- mice; in vitro plate-binding assay to quantitate binding of MuSK to ColQ and to LRP4; and passive transfer of MuSK-IgG to mice. RESULTS The in vitro overlay assay revealed that MuSK-IgG blocks binding of ColQ to the neuromuscular junction. The in vitro plate-binding assay showed that MuSK-IgG exerts a dose-dependent block of MuSK binding to ColQ by but not to LRP4. Passive transfer of MuSK-IgG to mice reduced the size and density of ColQ to ∼10% of controls and had a lesser effect on the size and density of AChR and MuSK. CONCLUSIONS As lack of ColQ compromises agrin-mediated AChR clustering in Colq-/- mice, a similar mechanism may lead to AChR deficiency in MuSK-MG patients. Our experiments also predict partial AChE deficiency in MuSK-MG patients, but AChE is not reduced in biopsied NMJs. In humans, binding of ColQ to MuSK may be dispensable for clustering ColQ, but is required for facilitating AChR clustering. Further studies will be required to elucidate the basis of this paradox.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Kawakami
- Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
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Barišić N, Chaouch A, Müller JS, Lochmüller H. Genetic heterogeneity and pathophysiological mechanisms in congenital myasthenic syndromes. Eur J Paediatr Neurol 2011; 15:189-96. [PMID: 21498094 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpn.2011.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2011] [Accepted: 03/20/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMS) are a rare heterogeneous group of inherited neuromuscular disorders associated with distinctive clinical, electrophysiological, ultrastructural and genetic abnormalities. These genetic defects either impair neuromuscular transmission directly or result in secondary impairments, which eventually compromise the safety margin of neuromuscular transmission. In this report we will explore the significant progress made in understanding the molecular pathogenesis of CMS, which is important for both patients and clinicians in terms of reaching a definite diagnosis and selecting the most appropriate treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Barišić
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Rebro, Kišpatićeva 12, Zagreb, Croatia.
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Engel AG, Shen XM, Selcen D, Sine SM. What have we learned from the congenital myasthenic syndromes. J Mol Neurosci 2010; 40:143-53. [PMID: 19688192 PMCID: PMC3050586 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-009-9229-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2009] [Accepted: 07/20/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The congenital myasthenic syndromes have now been traced to an array of molecular targets at the neuromuscular junction encoded by no fewer than 11 disease genes. The disease genes were identified by the candidate gene approach, using clues derived from clinical, electrophysiological, cytochemical, and ultrastructural features. For example, electrophysiologic studies in patients suffering from sudden episodes of apnea pointed to a defect in acetylcholine resynthesis and CHAT as the candidate gene (Ohno et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 98:2017-2022, 2001); refractoriness to anticholinesterase medications and partial or complete absence of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) from the endplates (EPs) has pointed to one of the two genes (COLQ and ACHE ( T )) encoding AChE, though mutations were observed only in COLQ. After a series of patients carrying mutations in a disease gene have been identified, the emerging genotype-phenotype correlations provided clues for targeted mutation analysis in other patients. Mutations in EP-specific proteins also prompted expression studies that proved pathogenicity, highlighted important functional domains of the abnormal proteins, and pointed to rational therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew G Engel
- Department of Neurology and Muscle Research Laboratory, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
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Chen JM, Férec C, Cooper DN. Closely spaced multiple mutations as potential signatures of transient hypermutability in human genes. Hum Mutat 2009; 30:1435-48. [PMID: 19685533 DOI: 10.1002/humu.21088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Data from diverse organisms suggests that transient hypermutability is a general mutational mechanism with the potential to generate multiple synchronous mutations, a phenomenon probably best exemplified by closely spaced multiple mutations (CSMMs). Here we have attempted to extend the concept of transient hypermutability from somatic cells to the germline, using human inherited disease-causing multiple mutations as a model system. Employing stringent criteria for data inclusion, we have retrospectively identified numerous potential examples of pathogenic CSMMs that exhibit marked similarities to the CSMMs reported in other systems. These examples include (1) eight multiple mutations, each comprising three or more components within a sequence tract of <100 bp; (2) three possible instances of "mutation showers"; and (3) numerous highly informative "homocoordinate" mutations. Using the proportion of CpG substitution as a crude indicator of the relative likelihood of transient hypermutability, we present evidence to suggest that CSMMs comprising at least one pair of mutations separated by < or =100 bp may constitute signatures of transient hypermutability in human genes. Although this analysis extends the generality of the concept of transient hypermutability and provides new insights into what may be considered a novel mechanism of mutagenesis underlying human inherited disease, it has raised serious concerns regarding current practices in mutation screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Min Chen
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U613, Brest, France.
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46
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Masuda A, Shen XM, Ito M, Matsuura T, Engel AG, Ohno K. hnRNP H enhances skipping of a nonfunctional exon P3A in CHRNA1 and a mutation disrupting its binding causes congenital myasthenic syndrome. Hum Mol Genet 2008; 17:4022-35. [PMID: 18806275 PMCID: PMC2638575 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddn305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2008] [Revised: 09/01/2008] [Accepted: 09/17/2008] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
In humans and great apes, CHRNA1 encoding the muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha subunit carries an inframe exon P3A, the inclusion of which yields a nonfunctional alpha subunit. In muscle, the P3A(-) and P3A(+) transcripts are generated in a 1:1 ratio but the functional significance and regulation of the alternative splicing remain elusive. An intronic mutation (IVS3-8G>A), identified in a patient with congenital myasthenic syndrome, disrupts an intronic splicing silencer (ISS) and results in exclusive inclusion of the downstream P3A exon. We found that the ISS-binding splicing trans-factor was heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) H and the mutation attenuated the affinity of hnRNP for the ISS approximately 100-fold. We next showed that direct placement of hnRNP H to the 3' end of intron 3 silences, and siRNA-mediated downregulation of hnRNP H enhances recognition of exon P3A. Analysis of the human genome suggested that the hnRNPH-binding UGGG motif is overrepresented close to the 3' ends of introns. Pursuing this clue, we showed that alternative exons of GRIP1, FAS, VPS13C and NRCAM are downregulated by hnRNP H. Our findings imply that the presence of the hnRNP H-binding motif close to the 3' end of an intron is an essential but underestimated splicing regulator of the downstream exon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akio Masuda
- Division of Neurogenetics, Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Xin-Ming Shen
- Department of Neurology, Neuromuscular Research Laboratory, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Mikako Ito
- Division of Neurogenetics, Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Tohru Matsuura
- Division of Neurogenetics, Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Andrew G. Engel
- Department of Neurology, Neuromuscular Research Laboratory, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Kinji Ohno
- Division of Neurogenetics, Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
- Department of Neurology, Neuromuscular Research Laboratory, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
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Ito M, Masuda A, Jinno S, Katagiri T, Krejci E, Ohno K. Viral vector-mediated [corrected] expression of human collagen Q in cultured cells. Chem Biol Interact 2008; 175:346-8. [PMID: 18374322 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2008.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2007] [Accepted: 02/06/2008] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Congenital myasthenic syndromes are caused by mutations in molecules expressed at the neuromuscular junction. Collagen Q (ColQ) makes a triple helical structure and anchors the catalytic subunit of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) to the synaptic basal lamina in the form of asymmetric AChE. Mutations in the collagen Q gene (COLQ) cause endplate AChE deficiency. As an initial step to develop a novel therapeutic strategy for endplate acetylcholinesterase deficiency, we expressed AChE species in cultured cells using retrovirus and adeno-associated virus (AAV). The retroviral vectors carried human ACHE and COLQ either in a single construct (EF1alpha-ACHE-IRES-COLQ) or in two separate constructs (EF1alpha-ACHE and EF1alpha-COLQ). We produced high-titer retroviruses using the PLAT-E retrovirus packaging cells. We also confirmed expression of asymmetric AChE in the PLAT-E cells. We infected NIH3T3 and confirmed expression of the transgenes by RT-PCR. The AAV vector carried human COLQ-IRES-EGFP downstream of the CMV promoter (pAAV-CMV-COLQ-IRES-EGFP). We produced recombinant AAV using HEK293 cells carrying pDF6 encoding the AAV6 capsid gene. We infected AAVHT1080 cells and confirmed expression of COLQ by RT-PCR and EGFP by flow cytometry. We are currently trying to achieve further higher expression levels of transgenes in cultured cells to make the current strategy applicable to an animal model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikako Ito
- Division of Neurogenetics, Center for Neurological Diseases and Cancer, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, 65 Tsurumai, Showa-Ku, Nagoya, Japan
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48
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Johnson G, Swart C, Moore SW. Non-enzymatic developmental functions of acetylcholinesterase - the question of redundancy. FEBS J 2008; 275:5129-38. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1742-4658.2008.06644.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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49
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Rotundo RL, Ruiz CA, Marrero E, Kimbell LM, Rossi SG, Rosenberry T, Darr A, Tsoulfas P. Assembly and regulation of acetylcholinesterase at the vertebrate neuromuscular junction. Chem Biol Interact 2008; 175:26-9. [PMID: 18599029 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2008.05.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2007] [Revised: 05/15/2008] [Accepted: 05/16/2008] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The collagen-tailed form of acetylcholinesterase (ColQ-AChE) is the major if not unique form of the enzyme associated with the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). This enzyme form consists of catalytic and non-catalytic subunits encoded by separate genes, assembled as three enzymatic tetramers attached to the three-stranded collagen-like tail (ColQ). This synaptic form of the enzyme is tightly attached to the basal lamina associated with the glycosaminoglycan perlecan. Fasciculin-2 is a snake toxin that binds tightly to AChE. Localization of junctional AChE on frozen sections of muscle with fluorescent Fasciculin-2 shows that the labeled toxin dissociates with a half-life of about 36 h. The fluorescent toxin can subsequently be taken up by the muscle fibers by endocytosis giving the appearance of enzyme recycling. Newly synthesized AChE molecules undergo a lengthy series of processing events before final transport to the cell surface and association with the synaptic basal lamina. Following co-translational glycosylation the catalytic subunit polypeptide chain interacts with several molecular chaperones, glycosidases and glycosyltransferases to produce a catalytically active enzyme that can subsequently bind to one of two non-catalytic subunits. These molecular chaperones can be rate limiting steps in the assembly process. Treatment of muscle cells with a synthetic peptide containing the PRAD attachment sequence and a KDEL retention signal results in a large increase in assembled and exportable AChE, providing an additional level of post-translational control. Finally, we have found that Pumilio2, a member of the PUF family of RNA-binding proteins, is highly concentrated at the vertebrate neuromuscular junction where it plays an important role in regulating AChE translation through binding to a highly conserved NANOS response element in the 3'-UTR. Together, these studies define several new levels of AChE regulation in electrically excitable cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- R L Rotundo
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, The University of Miami School of Medicine, 1600 N.W. 10th Avenue, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
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Mihaylova V, Müller JS, Vilchez JJ, Salih MA, Kabiraj MM, D’Amico A, Bertini E, Wölfle J, Schreiner F, Kurlemann G, Rasic VM, Siskova D, Colomer J, Herczegfalvi A, Fabriciova K, Weschke B, Scola R, Hoellen F, Schara U, Abicht A, Lochmüller H. Clinical and molecular genetic findings in COLQ-mutant congenital myasthenic syndromes. Brain 2008; 131:747-59. [DOI: 10.1093/brain/awm325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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