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Liu Z. Antioxidant activity of the thioredoxin system. BIOPHYSICS REPORTS 2023; 9:26-32. [PMID: 37426202 PMCID: PMC10323771 DOI: 10.52601/bpr.2023.230002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The thioredoxin system is composed of thioredoxin (Trx), thioredoxin reductase (TR) and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate. Trx is an important antioxidant molecule that can resist cell death caused by various stresses and plays a prominent role in redox reactions. TR is a protein that contains selenium (selenocysteine), in three main forms, namely, TR1, TR2 and TR3. TR1, TR2 and TR3 are mainly distributed in the cytoplasm, mitochondria, and testes, respectively. TR can regulate cell growth and apoptosis. After a cell becomes cancerous, the expression of TR is increased to promote cell growth and metastasis. The Trx system is closely related to neurodegenerative diseases, parasitic infections, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension, myocarditis, and so on. In addition, the Trx system can remove the reactive oxygen species in the body and keep the inside and outside of the cell in a balanced state. In summary, the Trx system is an important target for the drug treatment of many diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zihua Liu
- Department of blood transfusion school of second hospital, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730030, China
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2
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Neuroprotective Effects of PARP Inhibitors in Drosophila Models of Alzheimer’s Disease. Cells 2022; 11:cells11081284. [PMID: 35455964 PMCID: PMC9027574 DOI: 10.3390/cells11081284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an irreversible age-related neurodegenerative disorder clinically characterized by severe memory impairment, language deficits and cognitive decline. The major neuropathological hallmarks of AD include extracellular deposits of the β-amyloid (Aβ) peptides and cytoplasmic neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) of hyperphosphorylated tau protein. The accumulation of plaques and tangles in the brain triggers a cascade of molecular events that culminate in neuronal damage and cell death. Despite extensive research, our understanding of the molecular basis of AD pathogenesis remains incomplete and a cure for this devastating disease is still not available. A growing body of evidence in different experimental models suggests that poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) overactivation might be a crucial component of the molecular network of interactions responsible for AD pathogenesis. In this work, we combined genetic, molecular and biochemical approaches to investigate the effects of two different PARP-1 inhibitors (olaparib and MC2050) in Drosophila models of Alzheimer’s disease by exploring their neuroprotective and therapeutic potential in vivo. We found that both pharmacological inhibition and genetic inactivation of PARP-1 significantly extend lifespan and improve the climbing ability of transgenic AD flies. Consistently, PARP-1 inhibitors lead to a significant decrease of Aβ42 aggregates and partially rescue the epigenetic alterations associated with AD in the brain. Interestingly, olaparib and MC2050 also suppress the AD-associated aberrant activation of transposable elements in neuronal tissues of AD flies.
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Greco TM, Secker C, Ramos ES, Federspiel JD, Liu JP, Perez AM, Al-Ramahi I, Cantle JP, Carroll JB, Botas J, Zeitlin SO, Wanker EE, Cristea IM. Dynamics of huntingtin protein interactions in the striatum identifies candidate modifiers of Huntington disease. Cell Syst 2022; 13:304-320.e5. [PMID: 35148841 PMCID: PMC9317655 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2022.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is a monogenic neurodegenerative disorder with one causative gene, huntingtin (HTT). Yet, HD pathobiology is multifactorial, suggesting that cellular factors influence disease progression. Here, we define HTT protein-protein interactions (PPIs) perturbed by the mutant protein with expanded polyglutamine in the mouse striatum, a brain region with selective HD vulnerability. Using metabolically labeled tissues and immunoaffinity purification-mass spectrometry, we establish that polyglutamine-dependent modulation of HTT PPI abundances and relative stability starts at an early stage of pathogenesis in a Q140 HD mouse model. We identify direct and indirect PPIs that are also genetic disease modifiers using in-cell two-hybrid and behavioral assays in HD human cell and Drosophila models, respectively. Validated, disease-relevant mHTT-dependent interactions encompass mediators of synaptic neurotransmission (SNAREs and glutamate receptors) and lysosomal acidification (V-ATPase). Our study provides a resource for understanding mHTT-dependent dysfunction in cortico-striatal cellular networks, partly through impaired synaptic communication and endosomal-lysosomal system. A record of this paper's Transparent Peer Review process is included in the supplemental information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd M Greco
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Washington Road, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Christopher Secker
- Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Centre for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Eduardo Silva Ramos
- Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Centre for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Joel D Federspiel
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Washington Road, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Jeh-Ping Liu
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Alma M Perez
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ismael Al-Ramahi
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jeffrey P Cantle
- Department of Psychology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, USA
| | - Jeffrey B Carroll
- Department of Psychology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, USA
| | - Juan Botas
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Scott O Zeitlin
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Erich E Wanker
- Neuroproteomics, Max Delbrück Centre for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ileana M Cristea
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Washington Road, Princeton, NJ, USA.
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4
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Neurogenetic disorders across the lifespan: from aberrant development to degeneration. Nat Rev Neurol 2022; 18:117-124. [PMID: 34987232 PMCID: PMC10132523 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-021-00595-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are common, and genetic testing is increasingly performed in individuals with these diagnoses to inform prognosis, refine management and provide information about recurrence risk in the family. For neurogenetic conditions associated with intellectual disability and ASD, data on natural history in adults are scarce; however, as older adults with these disorders are identified, it is becoming clear that some conditions are associated with both neurodevelopmental problems and neurodegeneration. Moreover, emerging evidence indicates that some neurogenetic conditions associated primarily with neurodegeneration also affect neurodevelopment. In this Perspective, we discuss examples of diseases that have developmental and degenerative overlap. We propose that neurogenetic disorders should be studied continually across the lifespan to understand the roles of the affected genes in brain development and maintenance, and to inform strategies for treatment.
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Sawant N, Morton H, Kshirsagar S, Reddy AP, Reddy PH. Mitochondrial Abnormalities and Synaptic Damage in Huntington's Disease: a Focus on Defective Mitophagy and Mitochondria-Targeted Therapeutics. Mol Neurobiol 2021; 58:6350-6377. [PMID: 34519969 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-021-02556-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a fatal and pure genetic disease with a progressive loss of medium spiny neurons (MSN). HD is caused by expanded polyglutamine repeats in the exon 1 of HD gene. Clinically, HD is characterized by chorea, seizures, involuntary movements, dystonia, cognitive decline, intellectual impairment, and emotional disturbances. Several years of intense research revealed that multiple cellular changes, including defective axonal transport, protein-protein interactions, defective bioenergetics, calcium dyshomeostasis, NMDAR activation, synaptic damage, mitochondrial abnormalities, and selective loss of medium spiny neurons are implicated in HD. Recent research on mutant huntingtin (mHtt) and mitochondria has found that mHtt interacts with the mitochondrial division protein, dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1), enhances GTPase DRP1 enzymatic activity, and causes excessive mitochondrial fragmentation and abnormal distribution, leading to defective axonal transport of mitochondria and selective synaptic degeneration. Recent research also revealed that failure to remove dead and/or dying mitochondria is an early event in the disease progression. Currently, efforts are being made to reduce abnormal protein interactions and enhance synaptic mitophagy as therapeutic strategies for HD. The purpose of this article is to discuss recent research in HD progression. This article also discusses recent developments of cell and mouse models, cellular changes, mitochondrial abnormalities, DNA damage, bioenergetics, oxidative stress, mitophagy, and therapeutics strategies in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neha Sawant
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Hallie Morton
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Sudhir Kshirsagar
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Arubala P Reddy
- Nutritional Sciences Department, College of Human Sciences, Texas Tech University, 1301 Akron Ave, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - P Hemachandra Reddy
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA.
- Neuroscience & Pharmacology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA.
- Neurology, Department of School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA.
- Public Health Department of Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA.
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, School Health Professions, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA.
- Department of Internal Medicine, Cell Biology & Biochemistry, Public Health and School of Health Professions, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Neuroscience & Pharmacology3601 4th Street, NeurologyLubbock, TX, 79430, USA.
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Abstract
At fifteen different genomic locations, the expansion of a CAG/CTG repeat causes a neurodegenerative or neuromuscular disease, the most common being Huntington's disease and myotonic dystrophy type 1. These disorders are characterized by germline and somatic instability of the causative CAG/CTG repeat mutations. Repeat lengthening, or expansion, in the germline leads to an earlier age of onset or more severe symptoms in the next generation. In somatic cells, repeat expansion is thought to precipitate the rate of disease. The mechanisms underlying repeat instability are not well understood. Here we review the mammalian model systems that have been used to study CAG/CTG repeat instability, and the modifiers identified in these systems. Mouse models have demonstrated prominent roles for proteins in the mismatch repair pathway as critical drivers of CAG/CTG instability, which is also suggested by recent genome-wide association studies in humans. We draw attention to a network of connections between modifiers identified across several systems that might indicate pathway crosstalk in the context of repeat instability, and which could provide hypotheses for further validation or discovery. Overall, the data indicate that repeat dynamics might be modulated by altering the levels of DNA metabolic proteins, their regulation, their interaction with chromatin, or by direct perturbation of the repeat tract. Applying novel methodologies and technologies to this exciting area of research will be needed to gain deeper mechanistic insight that can be harnessed for therapies aimed at preventing repeat expansion or promoting repeat contraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa C. Wheeler
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA,Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA,Correspondence to: Vanessa C. Wheeler, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts Hospital, Boston MAA 02115, USA. E-mail: . and Vincent Dion, UK Dementia Research Institute at Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, CF24 4HQ Cardiff, UK. E-mail:
| | - Vincent Dion
- UK Dementia Research Institute at Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff, UK,Correspondence to: Vanessa C. Wheeler, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts Hospital, Boston MAA 02115, USA. E-mail: . and Vincent Dion, UK Dementia Research Institute at Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, CF24 4HQ Cardiff, UK. E-mail:
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7
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DNA 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in pediatric central nervous system tumors may impact tumor classification and is a positive prognostic marker. Clin Epigenetics 2021; 13:176. [PMID: 34538273 PMCID: PMC8451154 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-021-01156-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Nucleotide-specific 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) remains understudied in pediatric central nervous system (CNS) tumors. 5hmC is abundant in the brain, and alterations to 5hmC in adult CNS tumors have been reported. However, traditional approaches to measure DNA methylation do not distinguish between 5-methylcytosine (5mC) and its oxidized counterpart 5hmC, including those used to build CNS tumor DNA methylation classification systems. We measured 5hmC and 5mC epigenome-wide at nucleotide resolution in glioma, ependymoma, and embryonal tumors from children, as well as control pediatric brain tissues using tandem bisulfite and oxidative bisulfite treatments followed by hybridization to the Illumina Methylation EPIC Array that interrogates over 860,000 CpG loci.
Results Linear mixed effects models adjusted for age and sex tested the CpG-specific differences in 5hmC between tumor and non-tumor samples, as well as between tumor subtypes. Results from model-based clustering of tumors was used to test the relation of cluster membership with patient survival through multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression. We also assessed the robustness of multiple epigenetic CNS tumor classification methods to 5mC-specific data in both pediatric and adult CNS tumors. Compared to non-tumor samples, tumors were hypohydroxymethylated across the epigenome and tumor 5hmC localized to regulatory elements crucial to cell identity, including transcription factor binding sites and super-enhancers. Differentially hydroxymethylated loci among tumor subtypes tended to be hypermethylated and disproportionally found in CTCF binding sites and genes related to posttranscriptional RNA regulation, such as DICER1. Model-based clustering results indicated that patients with low 5hmC patterns have poorer overall survival and increased risk of recurrence. Our results suggest 5mC-specific data from OxBS-treated samples impacts methylation-based tumor classification systems giving new opportunities for further refinement of classifiers for both pediatric and adult tumors. Conclusions We identified that 5hmC localizes to super-enhancers, and genes commonly implicated in pediatric CNS tumors were differentially hypohydroxymethylated. We demonstrated that distinguishing methylation and hydroxymethylation is critical in identifying tumor-related epigenetic changes. These results have implications for patient prognostication, considerations of epigenetic therapy in CNS tumors, and for emerging molecular neuropathology classification approaches. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13148-021-01156-9.
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8
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Braatz EM, André EA, Liu JP, Zeitlin SO. Characterization of a Knock-In Mouse Model with a Huntingtin Exon 1 Deletion. J Huntingtons Dis 2021; 10:435-454. [PMID: 34459410 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-210494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Huntingtin (HTT) N-terminal domains encoded by Huntingtin's (HTT) exon 1 consist of an N17 domain, the polyglutamine (polyQ) stretch and a proline-rich region (PRR). These domains are conserved in mammals and have been hypothesized to modulate HTT's functions in the developing and adult CNS, including DNA damage repair and autophagy. OBJECTIVE This study longitudinally characterizes the in vivo consequences of deleting the murine Htt N-terminal domains encoded by Htt exon 1. METHODS Knock-in mice with a deletion of Htt exon 1 sequences (HttΔE1) were generated and bred into the C57BL/6J congenic genetic background. Their behavior, DNA damage response, basal autophagy, and glutamatergic synapse numbers were evaluated. RESULTS Progeny from HttΔE1/+ intercrosses are born at the expected Mendelian frequency but with a distorted male to female ratio in both the HttΔE1/ΔE1 and Htt+/+ offspring. HttΔE1/ΔE1 adults exhibit a modest deficit in accelerating rotarod performance, and an earlier increase in cortical and striatal DNA damage with elevated neuronal pan-nuclear 53bp1 levels compared to Htt+/+ mice. However, a normal response to induced DNA damage, normal levels of basal autophagy markers, and no significant differences in corticocortical, corticostriatal, thalamocortical, or thalamostriatal synapses numbers were observed compared to controls. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that deletion of the Htt N-terminus encoded by the Htt exon 1 does not affect Htt's critical role during embryogenesis, but instead, may have a modest effect on certain motor tasks, basal levels of DNA damage in the brain, and Htt function in the testis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise M Braatz
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Emily A André
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Jeh-Ping Liu
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Scott O Zeitlin
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
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9
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Wright GEB, Caron NS, Ng B, Casal L, Casazza W, Xu X, Ooi J, Pouladi MA, Mostafavi S, Ross CJD, Hayden MR. Gene expression profiles complement the analysis of genomic modifiers of the clinical onset of Huntington disease. Hum Mol Genet 2021; 29:2788-2802. [PMID: 32898862 PMCID: PMC7530525 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddaa184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that is caused by a CAG repeat expansion in HTT. The length of this repeat, however, only explains a proportion of the variability in age of onset in patients. Genome-wide association studies have identified modifiers that contribute toward a proportion of the observed variance. By incorporating tissue-specific transcriptomic information with these results, additional modifiers can be identified. We performed a transcriptome-wide association study assessing heritable differences in genetically determined expression in diverse tissues, with genome-wide data from over 4000 patients. Functional validation of prioritized genes was undertaken in isogenic HD stem cells and patient brains. Enrichment analyses were performed with biologically relevant gene sets to identify the core pathways. HD-associated gene coexpression modules were assessed for associations with neurological phenotypes in an independent cohort and to guide drug repurposing analyses. Transcriptomic analyses identified genes that were associated with age of HD onset and displayed colocalization with gene expression signals in brain tissue (FAN1, GPR161, PMS2, SUMF2), with supporting evidence from functional experiments. This included genes involved in DNA repair, as well as novel-candidate modifier genes that have been associated with other neurological conditions. Further, cortical coexpression modules were also associated with cognitive decline and HD-related traits in a longitudinal cohort. In summary, the combination of population-scale gene expression information with HD patient genomic data identified novel modifier genes for the disorder. Further, these analyses expanded the pathways potentially involved in modifying HD onset and prioritized candidate therapeutics for future study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Galen E B Wright
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 4H4, Canada.,Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6H 3N1, Canada.,BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Nicholas S Caron
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 4H4, Canada.,Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6H 3N1, Canada.,BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Bernard Ng
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 4H4, Canada.,Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6H 3N1, Canada.,Department of Statistics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Lorenzo Casal
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 4H4, Canada.,Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6H 3N1, Canada.,BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - William Casazza
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 4H4, Canada.,Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6H 3N1, Canada.,Department of Statistics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Xiaohong Xu
- Translational Laboratory in Genetic Medicine (TLGM), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138648, Singapore
| | - Jolene Ooi
- Translational Laboratory in Genetic Medicine (TLGM), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138648, Singapore
| | - Mahmoud A Pouladi
- Translational Laboratory in Genetic Medicine (TLGM), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138648, Singapore.,Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117597, Singapore.,Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117597, Singapore
| | - Sara Mostafavi
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 4H4, Canada.,Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6H 3N1, Canada.,Department of Statistics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Colin J D Ross
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 4H4, Canada.,Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117597, Singapore.,Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Michael R Hayden
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 4H4, Canada.,Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6H 3N1, Canada.,BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 4H4, Canada
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Hickman RA, Faust PL, Rosenblum MK, Marder K, Mehler MF, Vonsattel JP. Developmental malformations in Huntington disease: neuropathologic evidence of focal neuronal migration defects in a subset of adult brains. Acta Neuropathol 2021; 141:399-413. [PMID: 33517535 PMCID: PMC7882590 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-021-02269-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 12/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Neuropathologic hallmarks of Huntington Disease (HD) include the progressive neurodegeneration of the striatum and the presence of Huntingtin (HTT) aggregates that result from abnormal polyQ expansion of the HTT gene. Whether the pathogenic trinucleotide repeat expansion of the HTT gene causes neurodevelopmental abnormalities has garnered attention in both murine and human studies; however, documentation of discrete malformations in autopsy brains of HD individuals has yet to be described. We retrospectively searched the New York Brain Bank (discovery cohort) and an independent cohort (validation cohort) to determine whether developmental malformations are more frequently detected in HD versus non-HD brains and to document their neuropathologic features. One-hundred and thirty HD and 1600 non-HD whole brains were included in the discovery cohort and 720 HD and 1989 non-HD half brains were assessed in the validation cohort. Cases with developmental malformations were found at 6.4–8.2 times greater frequency in HD than in non-HD brains (discovery cohort: OR 8.68, 95% CI 3.48–21.63, P=4.8 × 10-5; validation cohort: OR 6.50, 95% CI 1.83–23.17, P=0.0050). Periventricular nodular heterotopias (PNH) were the most frequent malformations and contained HTT and p62 aggregates analogous to the cortex, whereas cortical malformations with immature neuronal populations did not harbor such inclusions. HD individuals with malformations had heterozygous HTT CAG expansions between 40 and 52 repeats, were more frequently women, and all were asymmetric and focal, aside from one midline hypothalamic hamartoma. Using two independent brain bank cohorts, this large neuropathologic series demonstrates an increased occurrence of developmental malformations in HD brains. Since pathogenic HTT gene expansion is associated with genomic instability, one possible explanation is that neuronal precursors are more susceptible to somatic mutation of genes involved in cortical migration. Our findings further support emerging evidence that pathogenic trinucleotide repeat expansions of the HTT gene may impact neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- R A Hickman
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center and New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, USA.
| | - P L Faust
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center and New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, USA
| | - M K Rosenblum
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, USA
| | - K Marder
- Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, USA
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Medical Center, 710 West 168th Street, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - M F Mehler
- The Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, USA
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, USA
| | - J P Vonsattel
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center and New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, USA
- Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Medical Center, 710 West 168th Street, New York, NY, 10032, USA
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11
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Fautsch MP, Wieben ED, Baratz KH, Bhattacharyya N, Sadan AN, Hafford-Tear NJ, Tuft SJ, Davidson AE. TCF4-mediated Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy: Insights into a common trinucleotide repeat-associated disease. Prog Retin Eye Res 2020; 81:100883. [PMID: 32735996 PMCID: PMC7988464 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2020.100883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) is a common cause for heritable visual loss in the elderly. Since the first description of an association between FECD and common polymorphisms situated within the transcription factor 4 (TCF4) gene, genetic and molecular studies have implicated an intronic CTG trinucleotide repeat (CTG18.1) expansion as a causal variant in the majority of FECD patients. To date, several non-mutually exclusive mechanisms have been proposed that drive and/or exacerbate the onset of disease. These mechanisms include (i) TCF4 dysregulation; (ii) toxic gain-of-function from TCF4 repeat-containing RNA; (iii) toxic gain-of-function from repeat-associated non-AUG dependent (RAN) translation; and (iv) somatic instability of CTG18.1. However, the relative contribution of these proposed mechanisms in disease pathogenesis is currently unknown. In this review, we summarise research implicating the repeat expansion in disease pathogenesis, define the phenotype-genotype correlations between FECD and CTG18.1 expansion, and provide an update on research tools that are available to study FECD as a trinucleotide repeat expansion disease. Furthermore, ongoing international research efforts to develop novel CTG18.1 expansion-mediated FECD therapeutics are highlighted and we provide a forward-thinking perspective on key unanswered questions that remain in the field. FECD is a common, age-related corneal dystrophy. The majority of cases are associated with expansion of a CTG repeat (CTG18.1). FECD is the most common trinucleotide repeat expansion disease in humans. Evidence supports multiple molecular mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology. Novel CTG18.1-targeted therapeutics are in development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael P Fautsch
- Department of Ophthalmology, 200 1st St SW, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.
| | - Eric D Wieben
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 200 1st St SW, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
| | - Keith H Baratz
- Department of Ophthalmology, 200 1st St SW, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.
| | | | - Amanda N Sadan
- University College London Institute of Ophthalmology, London, ECIV 9EL, UK.
| | | | - Stephen J Tuft
- University College London Institute of Ophthalmology, London, ECIV 9EL, UK; Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, EC1V 2PD, UK.
| | - Alice E Davidson
- University College London Institute of Ophthalmology, London, ECIV 9EL, UK.
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La Rosa P, Petrillo S, Bertini ES, Piemonte F. Oxidative Stress in DNA Repeat Expansion Disorders: A Focus on NRF2 Signaling Involvement. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10050702. [PMID: 32369911 PMCID: PMC7277112 DOI: 10.3390/biom10050702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Revised: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA repeat expansion disorders are a group of neuromuscular and neurodegenerative diseases that arise from the inheritance of long tracts of nucleotide repetitions, located in the regulatory region, introns, or inside the coding sequence of a gene. Although loss of protein expression and/or the gain of function of its transcribed mRNA or translated product represent the major pathogenic effect of these pathologies, mitochondrial dysfunction and imbalance in redox homeostasis are reported as common features in these disorders, deeply affecting their severity and progression. In this review, we examine the role that the redox imbalance plays in the pathological mechanisms of DNA expansion disorders and the recent advances on antioxidant treatments, particularly focusing on the expression and the activity of the transcription factor NRF2, the main cellular regulator of the antioxidant response.
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Dulińska-Litewka J, Gąsiorkiewicz B, Litewka A, Gil D, Gołąbek T, Okoń K. Could the kinetin riboside be used to inhibit human prostate cell epithelial-mesenchymal transition? Med Oncol 2020; 37:17. [PMID: 32030542 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-020-1338-1] [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: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a molecular process connected to higher expression of vimentin and increased activity of transcription factors (Snail, Twist) which restrains E-cadherin. EMT has been linked to prostate cancer metastatic potential, therapy resistance, and poor outcomes. Kinetin riboside (9-(b-dribofuranosyl)-6-furfurylaminopurine, KR) is a naturally occurring cytokinin, which induces apoptosis and shows strong antiproliferative activity against various human cancer cell lines. To establish the effect of KR on human prostate cell lines, expression of, e.g. AR, E-, N-cadherins, Vimentin, Snail, Twist, and MMPs, was analysed at mRNA and protein levels using Western Blot and RT-PCR and/or RQ-PCR techniques. KR inhibited the growth of human prostate cancer cells, but also, to a small extent, of normal cells. This effect depended on the type of the cells and their androgen sensitivity. KR also decreased the level of p-Akt, which takes part in androgen signalling modulation. The antiapoptotic Bcl-2 protein was down-regulated in cancer cell lines, while that of Bax is up-regulated upon KR exposure. KR contributed to re-expression of the E-cadherin as well as to significant changes in cell migration. Taken together, our results indicate for the first time that KR can be proposed as a factor for signalling pathways regulation that participates in the inhibition of development of aggressive forms of prostate cancer, and may alter the approach to therapeutic interventions. We propose KR as a potent inhibitor of EMT in human prostate cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Dulińska-Litewka
- Chair of Medical Biochemistry, Jagiellonian University Medical College, ul. Kopernika 7, 31-034, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Bartosz Gąsiorkiewicz
- Medical Biochemistry Students' Research Circle, Chair of Medical Biochemistry, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | | | - Dorota Gil
- Chair of Medical Biochemistry, Jagiellonian University Medical College, ul. Kopernika 7, 31-034, Kraków, Poland
| | - Tomasz Gołąbek
- Department of Urology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Okoń
- Chair of Pathomorphology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
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Maiuri T, Suart CE, Hung CLK, Graham KJ, Barba Bazan CA, Truant R. DNA Damage Repair in Huntington's Disease and Other Neurodegenerative Diseases. Neurotherapeutics 2019; 16:948-956. [PMID: 31364066 PMCID: PMC6985310 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-019-00768-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent genome-wide association studies of Huntington's disease (HD) primarily highlighted genes involved in DNA damage repair mechanisms as modifiers of age at onset and disease severity, consistent with evidence that more DNA repair genes are being implicated in late age-onset neurodegenerative diseases. This provides an exciting opportunity to advance therapeutic development in HD, as these pathways have already been under intense investigation in cancer research. Also emerging are the roles of other polyglutamine disease proteins in DNA damage repair mechanisms. A potential universal trigger of oxidative DNA damage shared in these late age-onset diseases is the increase of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in human aging, defining an age-related mechanism that has defied other hypotheses of neurodegeneration. We discuss the potential commonality of DNA damage repair pathways in HD and other neurodegenerative diseases. Potential targets for therapy that may prove beneficial across many of these diseases are also identified, defining nodes in the ataxia telangiectasia-mutated (ATM) complex, mismatch repair, and poly ADP-ribose polymerases (PARPs).
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Affiliation(s)
- T Maiuri
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, HSC 4N54, 1200 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, L8N3Z5, Canada
| | - C E Suart
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, HSC 4N54, 1200 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, L8N3Z5, Canada
| | - C L K Hung
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, HSC 4N54, 1200 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, L8N3Z5, Canada
| | - K J Graham
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, HSC 4N54, 1200 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, L8N3Z5, Canada
| | - C A Barba Bazan
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, HSC 4N54, 1200 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, L8N3Z5, Canada
| | - R Truant
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, HSC 4N54, 1200 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, L8N3Z5, Canada.
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