1
|
Nishino M, Tanaka M, Imagawa K, Yaita K, Enokizono T, Ohto T, Suzuki H, Yamada M, Takenouchi T, Kosaki K, Takada H. Identification of a novel splice-site WWOX variant with paternal uniparental isodisomy in a patient with infantile epileptic encephalopathy. Am J Med Genet A 2024. [PMID: 38407561 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.63575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
WOREE syndrome is an early infantile epileptic encephalopathy characterized by drug-resistant seizures and severe psychomotor developmental delays. We report a case of a WWOX splice-site mutation with uniparental isodisomy. A 1-year and 7-month-old girl presented with nystagmus and epileptic seizures from early infancy, with no fixation or pursuit of vision. Physical examination revealed small deformities, such as swelling of both cheeks, folded fingers, rocking feet, and scoliosis. Brain imaging revealed slight hypoplasia of the cerebrum. Electroencephalogram showed focal paroxysmal discharges during the interictal phase of seizures. Vitamin B6 and zonisamide were administered for early infantile epileptic encephalopathy; however, the seizures were not relieved. Despite altering the type and dosage of antiepileptic drugs and ACTH therapy, the seizures were intractable. Whole-exome analysis revealed the homozygosity of WWOX(NM_016373.4):c.516+1G>A. The WWOX mRNA sequencing using peripheral blood RNA confirmed that exon 5 was homozygously deleted. Based on these results, the patient was diagnosed with WOREE syndrome at 5 months. The WWOX variant found in this study is novel and has never been reported before. WOREE syndrome being extremely rare, further case series and analyses of its pathophysiology are warranted.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Megumi Nishino
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Tsukuba Hospital, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Mai Tanaka
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Tsukuba Hospital, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Kazuo Imagawa
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Tsukuba Hospital, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
- Department of Child Health, Institute of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Katsuyuki Yaita
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Tsukuba Hospital, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Takashi Enokizono
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Tsukuba Hospital, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Tatsuyuki Ohto
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Tsukuba Hospital, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
- Department of Child Health, Institute of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Hisato Suzuki
- Center for Medical Genetics, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku City, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mamiko Yamada
- Center for Medical Genetics, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku City, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Toshiki Takenouchi
- Department of Pediatrics, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku City, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kenjiro Kosaki
- Center for Medical Genetics, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku City, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hidetoshi Takada
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Tsukuba Hospital, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
- Department of Child Health, Institute of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Battaglia L, Scorrano G, Spiaggia R, Basile A, Palmucci S, Foti PV, Spatola C, Iacomino M, Marinangeli F, Francia E, Comisi F, Corsello A, Salpietro V, Vittori A, David E. Neuroimaging features of WOREE syndrome: a mini-review of the literature. Front Pediatr 2023; 11:1301166. [PMID: 38161429 PMCID: PMC10757851 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2023.1301166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The WWOX gene encodes a 414-amino-acid protein composed of two N-terminal WW domains and a C-terminal short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) domain. WWOX protein is highly conserved among species and mainly expressed in the cerebellum, cerebral cortex, brain stem, thyroid, hypophysis, and reproductive organs. It plays a crucial role in the biology of the central nervous system, and it is involved in neuronal development, migration, and proliferation. Biallelic pathogenic variants in WWOX have been associated with an early infantile epileptic encephalopathy known as WOREE syndrome. Both missense and null variants have been described in affected patients, leading to a reduction in protein function and stability. The most severe WOREE phenotypes have been related to biallelic null/null variants, associated with the complete loss of function of the protein. All affected patients showed brain anomalies on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), suggesting the pivotal role of WWOX protein in brain homeostasis and developmental processes. We provided a literature review, exploring both the clinical and radiological spectrum related to WWOX pathogenic variants, described to date. We focused on neuroradiological findings to better delineate the WOREE phenotype with diagnostic and prognostic implications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Battaglia
- Department of Medical Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies “GF Ingrassia”, University Hospital Policlinic “G. Rodolico-San Marco”, Catania, Italy
| | - Giovanna Scorrano
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Rossana Spiaggia
- Department of Medical Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies “GF Ingrassia”, University Hospital Policlinic “G. Rodolico-San Marco”, Catania, Italy
| | - Antonio Basile
- Department of Medical Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies “GF Ingrassia”, University Hospital Policlinic “G. Rodolico-San Marco”, Catania, Italy
| | - Stefano Palmucci
- Department of Medical Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies “GF Ingrassia”, University Hospital Policlinic “G. Rodolico-San Marco”, Catania, Italy
| | - Pietro Valerio Foti
- Department of Medical Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies “GF Ingrassia”, University Hospital Policlinic “G. Rodolico-San Marco”, Catania, Italy
| | - Corrado Spatola
- Department of Medical Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies “GF Ingrassia”, University Hospital Policlinic “G. Rodolico-San Marco”, Catania, Italy
| | - Michele Iacomino
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Instituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Franco Marinangeli
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Therapy, University of L’aquila, L’aquila, Italy
| | - Elisa Francia
- Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, ARCO ROMA, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Vincenzo Salpietro
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
- Department of Neuromuscular Disorders, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alessandro Vittori
- Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, ARCO ROMA, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Emanuele David
- Department of Medical Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies “GF Ingrassia”, University Hospital Policlinic “G. Rodolico-San Marco”, Catania, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Li P, Wei J, Zhu Y. CellGO: a novel deep learning-based framework and webserver for cell-type-specific gene function interpretation. Brief Bioinform 2023; 25:bbad417. [PMID: 37995133 PMCID: PMC10790717 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbad417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Interpreting the function of genes and gene sets identified from omics experiments remains a challenge, as current pathway analysis tools often fail to consider the critical biological context, such as tissue or cell-type specificity. To address this limitation, we introduced CellGO. CellGO tackles this challenge by leveraging the visible neural network (VNN) and single-cell gene expressions to mimic cell-type-specific signaling propagation along the Gene Ontology tree within a cell. This design enables a novel scoring system to calculate the cell-type-specific gene-pathway paired active scores, based on which, CellGO is able to identify cell-type-specific active pathways associated with single genes. In addition, by aggregating the activities of single genes, CellGO extends its capability to identify cell-type-specific active pathways for a given gene set. To enhance biological interpretation, CellGO offers additional features, including the identification of significantly active cell types and driver genes and community analysis of pathways. To validate its performance, CellGO was assessed using a gene set comprising mixed cell-type markers, confirming its ability to discern active pathways across distinct cell types. Subsequent benchmarking analyses demonstrated CellGO's superiority in effectively identifying cell types and their corresponding cell-type-specific pathways affected by gene knockouts, using either single genes or sets of genes differentially expressed between knockout and control samples. Moreover, CellGO demonstrated its ability to infer cell-type-specific pathogenesis for disease risk genes. Accessible as a Python package, CellGO also provides a user-friendly web interface, making it a versatile and accessible tool for researchers in the field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peilong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science and Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Junfeng Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science and Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Ying Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science and Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Oliver KL, Trivisano M, Mandelstam SA, De Dominicis A, Francis DI, Green TE, Muir AM, Chowdhary A, Hertzberg C, Goldhahn K, Metreau J, Prager C, Pinner J, Cardamone M, Myers KA, Leventer RJ, Lesca G, Bahlo M, Hildebrand MS, Mefford HC, Kaindl AM, Specchio N, Scheffer IE. WWOX developmental and epileptic encephalopathy: Understanding the epileptology and the mortality risk. Epilepsia 2023; 64:1351-1367. [PMID: 36779245 PMCID: PMC10952634 DOI: 10.1111/epi.17542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE WWOX is an autosomal recessive cause of early infantile developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (WWOX-DEE), also known as WOREE (WWOX-related epileptic encephalopathy). We analyzed the epileptology and imaging features of WWOX-DEE, and investigated genotype-phenotype correlations, particularly with regard to survival. METHODS We studied 13 patients from 12 families with WWOX-DEE. Information regarding seizure semiology, comorbidities, facial dysmorphisms, and disease outcome were collected. Electroencephalographic (EEG) and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data were analyzed. Pathogenic WWOX variants from our cohort and the literature were coded as either null or missense, allowing individuals to be classified into one of three genotype classes: (1) null/null, (2) null/missense, (3) missense/missense. Differences in survival outcome were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS All patients experienced multiple seizure types (median onset = 5 weeks, range = 1 day-10 months), the most frequent being focal (85%), epileptic spasms (77%), and tonic seizures (69%). Ictal EEG recordings in six of 13 patients showed tonic (n = 5), myoclonic (n = 2), epileptic spasms (n = 2), focal (n = 1), and migrating focal (n = 1) seizures. Interictal EEGs demonstrated slow background activity with multifocal discharges, predominantly over frontal or temporo-occipital regions. Eleven of 13 patients had a movement disorder, most frequently dystonia. Brain MRIs revealed severe frontotemporal, hippocampal, and optic atrophy, thin corpus callosum, and white matter signal abnormalities. Pathogenic variants were located throughout WWOX and comprised both missense and null changes including five copy number variants (four deletions, one duplication). Survival analyses showed that patients with two null variants are at higher mortality risk (p-value = .0085, log-rank test). SIGNIFICANCE Biallelic WWOX pathogenic variants cause an early infantile developmental and epileptic encephalopathy syndrome. The most common seizure types are focal seizures and epileptic spasms. Mortality risk is associated with mutation type; patients with biallelic null WWOX pathogenic variants have significantly lower survival probability compared to those carrying at least one presumed hypomorphic missense pathogenic variant.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karen L. Oliver
- Epilepsy Research Centre, Department of MedicineUniversity of Melbourne, Austin HealthHeidelbergVictoriaAustralia
- Population Health and Immunity DivisionWalter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical ResearchParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
- Department of Medical BiologyUniversity of MelbourneMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Marina Trivisano
- Rare and Complex Epilepsy Unit, Department of NeuroscienceBambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, full member of European Reference Network EpiCARERomeItaly
| | - Simone A. Mandelstam
- Department of PaediatricsUniversity of MelbourneMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Murdoch Children's Research InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental HealthMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Department of Radiology, Royal Children's HospitalMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Angela De Dominicis
- Rare and Complex Epilepsy Unit, Department of NeuroscienceBambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, full member of European Reference Network EpiCARERomeItaly
- Department of Biomedicine and PreventionUniversity of Rome “Tor Vergata”RomeItaly
| | - David I. Francis
- Victorian Clinical Genetics ServicesMurdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's HospitalMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Timothy E. Green
- Epilepsy Research Centre, Department of MedicineUniversity of Melbourne, Austin HealthHeidelbergVictoriaAustralia
| | - Alison M. Muir
- Department of PediatricsUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
| | - Apoorva Chowdhary
- Department of PediatricsUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
| | - Christoph Hertzberg
- Zentrum für Sozialpädiatrie und Neuropädiatrie (DBZ)Vivantes Hospital NeukoellnBerlinGermany
| | - Klaus Goldhahn
- Department of Pediatrics and Neuropediatrics, DRK Klinikum WestendBerlinGermany
| | - Julia Metreau
- Department of Pediatric NeurologyHôpital Bicêtre, Assistance Publique Hopitaux de ParisLe Kremlin‐BicêtreFrance
| | - Christine Prager
- Center for Chronically Sick Children (SPZ)Charité‐Universitätsmedizin BerlinBerlinGermany
- Department of Pediatric NeurologyCharité–Universitätsmedizin BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Jason Pinner
- Sydney Children's HospitalRandwickNew South WalesAustralia
- School of Women's and Children's HealthUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Michael Cardamone
- Sydney Children's HospitalRandwickNew South WalesAustralia
- School of Women's and Children's HealthUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Kenneth A. Myers
- Division of Child Neurology, Department of PediatricsMcGill UniversityMontrealQuebecCanada
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health CentreMontrealQuebecCanada
- Department of Neurology and NeurosurgeryMontreal Children's Hospital, McGill UniversityMontrealQuebecCanada
| | - Richard J. Leventer
- Department of PaediatricsUniversity of MelbourneMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Murdoch Children's Research InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Department of NeurologyRoyal Children's HospitalMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Gaetan Lesca
- Department of Medical Genetics, Lyon University HospitalUniversité Claude Bernard Lyon 1, member of the European Reference Network EpiCARELyonFrance
| | - Melanie Bahlo
- Population Health and Immunity DivisionWalter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical ResearchParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
- Department of Medical BiologyUniversity of MelbourneMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Michael S. Hildebrand
- Epilepsy Research Centre, Department of MedicineUniversity of Melbourne, Austin HealthHeidelbergVictoriaAustralia
- Murdoch Children's Research InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Heather C. Mefford
- Department of PediatricsUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
- Center for Pediatric Neurological Disease ResearchSt. Jude Children's Research HospitalMemphisTennesseeUSA
| | - Angela M. Kaindl
- Center for Chronically Sick Children (SPZ)Charité‐Universitätsmedizin BerlinBerlinGermany
- Department of Pediatric NeurologyCharité–Universitätsmedizin BerlinBerlinGermany
- Institute of Cell Biology and NeurobiologyCharité–Universitätsmedizin BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Nicola Specchio
- Rare and Complex Epilepsy Unit, Department of NeuroscienceBambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, full member of European Reference Network EpiCARERomeItaly
| | - Ingrid E. Scheffer
- Epilepsy Research Centre, Department of MedicineUniversity of Melbourne, Austin HealthHeidelbergVictoriaAustralia
- Department of PaediatricsUniversity of MelbourneMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Murdoch Children's Research InstituteMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental HealthMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Hussain T, Sanchez K, Crayton J, Saha D, Jeter C, Lu Y, Abba M, Seo R, Noebels JL, Fonken L, Aldaz CM. WWOX P47T partial loss-of-function mutation induces epilepsy, progressive neuroinflammation, and cerebellar degeneration in mice phenocopying human SCAR12. Prog Neurobiol 2023; 223:102425. [PMID: 36828035 PMCID: PMC10835625 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2023.102425] [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: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
WWOX gene loss-of-function (LoF) has been associated with neuropathologies resulting in developmental, epileptic, and ataxic phenotypes of varying severity based on the level of WWOX dysfunction. WWOX gene biallelic germline variant p.Pro47Thr (P47T) has been causally associated with a new form of autosomal recessive cerebellar ataxia with epilepsy and intellectual disability (SCAR12, MIM:614322). This mutation affecting the WW1 protein binding domain of WWOX, impairs its interaction with canonical proline-proline-X-tyrosine motifs in partner proteins. We generated a mutant knock-in mouse model of Wwox P47T mutation that phenocopies human SCAR12. WwoxP47T/P47T mice displayed epilepsy, profound social behavior and cognition deficits, and poor motor coordination, and unlike KO models that survive only for 1 month, live beyond 1 year of age. These deficits progressed with age and mice became practically immobile, suggesting severe cerebellar dysfunction. WwoxP47T/P47T mice brains revealed signs of progressive neuroinflammation with elevated astro-microgliosis that increased with age. Cerebellar cortex displayed significantly reduced molecular and granular layer thickness and a strikingly reduced number of Purkinje cells with degenerated dendrites. Transcriptome profiling from various brain regions of WW domain LoF mice highlighted widespread changes in neuronal and glial pathways, enrichment of bioprocesses related to neuroinflammation, and severe cerebellar dysfunction. Our results show significant pathobiological effects and potential mechanisms through which WWOX partial LoF leads to epilepsy, cerebellar neurodegeneration, neuroinflammation, and ataxia. Additionally, the mouse model described here will be a useful tool to understand the role of WWOX in common neurodegenerative conditions in which this gene has been identified as a novel risk factor.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tabish Hussain
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA
| | - Kevin Sanchez
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Jennifer Crayton
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA
| | - Dhurjhoti Saha
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA
| | - Collene Jeter
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA
| | - Yue Lu
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA
| | - Martin Abba
- Centro de Investigaciones Inmunológicas Básicas y Aplicadas, School of Medicine, Universidad de La Plata, La Plata 1900, Argentina
| | - Ryan Seo
- Developmental Neurogenetics Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jeffrey L Noebels
- Developmental Neurogenetics Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Laura Fonken
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - C Marcelo Aldaz
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Saleem A, Santos AC, Aquilino MS, Sivitilli AA, Attisano L, Carlen PL. Modelling hyperexcitability in human cerebral cortical organoids: Oxygen/glucose deprivation most effective stimulant. Heliyon 2023; 9:e14999. [PMID: 37089352 PMCID: PMC10113787 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder that affects 1% of the global population. The neonatal period constitutes the highest incidence of seizures. Despite the continual developments in seizure modelling and anti-epileptic drug development, the mechanisms involved in neonatal seizures remain poorly understood. This leaves infants with neonatal seizures at a high risk of death, poor prognosis of recovery and risk of developing neurological disorders later in life. Current in vitro platforms for modelling adult and neonatal epilepsies - namely acute cerebral brain slices or cell-derived cultures, both derived from animals-either lack a complex cytoarchitecture, high-throughput capabilities or physiological similarities to the neonatal human brain. Cerebral organoids, derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), are an emerging technology that could better model neurodevelopmental disorders in the developing human brain. Herein, we study induced hyperexcitability in human cerebral cortical organoids - setting the groundwork for neonatal seizure modelling - using electrophysiological techniques and pharmacological manipulations. In neonatal seizures, energy failure - specifically due to deprivation of oxygen and glucose - is a consistent and reliable seizure induction method that has been used to study the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms. Here, we applied oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) as well as common chemoconvulsants in 3-7-month-old cerebral organoids. Remarkably, OGD resulted in hyperexcitability, with increased power and spontaneous events compared to other common convulsants tested at the population level. These findings characterize OGD as the stimulus most capable of inducing hyperexcitable changes in cerebral organoid tissue, which could be extended to future modelling of neonatal epilepsies in cerebral organoids.
Collapse
|
7
|
Lin YH, Shih YH, Yap YV, Chen YW, Kuo HL, Liu TY, Hsu LJ, Kuo YM, Chang NS. Zfra Inhibits the TRAPPC6AΔ-Initiated Pathway of Neurodegeneration. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232314510. [PMID: 36498839 PMCID: PMC9739312 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232314510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
When WWOX is downregulated in middle age, aggregation of a protein cascade, including TRAPPC6AΔ (TPC6AΔ), TIAF1, and SH3GLB2, may start to occur, and the event lasts more than 30 years, which results in amyloid precursor protein (APP) degradation, amyloid beta (Aβ) generation, and neurodegeneration, as shown in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here, by treating neuroblastoma SK-N-SH cells with neurotoxin MPP+, upregulation and aggregation of TPC6AΔ, along with aggregation of TIAF1, SH3GLB2, Aβ, and tau, occurred. MPP+ is an inducer of Parkinson's disease (PD), suggesting that TPC6AΔ is a common initiator for AD and PD pathogenesis. Zfra, a 31-amino-acid zinc finger-like WWOX-binding protein, is known to restore memory deficits in 9-month-old triple-transgenic (3xTg) mice by blocking the aggregation of TPC6AΔ, SH3GLB2, tau, and amyloid β, as well as inflammatory NF-κB activation. The Zfra4-10 peptide exerted a strong potency in preventing memory loss during the aging of 3-month-old 3xTg mice up to 9 months, as determined by a novel object recognition task (ORT) and Morris water maize analysis. Compared to age-matched wild type mice, 11-month-old Wwox heterozygous mice exhibited memory loss, and this correlates with pT12-WWOX aggregation in the cortex. Together, aggregation of pT12-WWOX may link to TPC6AΔ aggregation for AD progression, with TPC6AΔ aggregation being a common initiator for AD and PD progression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Hao Lin
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
| | - Yao-Hsiang Shih
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, 100, Shih-Chuan 1st Road, Sanmin District, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
| | - Ye Vone Yap
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Wei Chen
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
| | - Hsiang-Lin Kuo
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
| | - Tsung-Yun Liu
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
| | - Li-Jin Hsu
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Min Kuo
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
| | - Nan-Shan Chang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, 100, Shih-Chuan 1st Road, Sanmin District, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
- Department of Neurochemistry, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, New York, NY 10314, USA
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 404333, Taiwan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +886-6-2353535 (ext. 5268)
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Rodent Models of Audiogenic Epilepsy: Genetic Aspects, Advantages, Current Problems and Perspectives. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10112934. [PMID: 36428502 PMCID: PMC9687921 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10112934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal models of epilepsy are of great importance in epileptology. They are used to study the mechanisms of epileptogenesis, and search for new genes and regulatory pathways involved in the development of epilepsy as well as screening new antiepileptic drugs. Today, many methods of modeling epilepsy in animals are used, including electroconvulsive, pharmacological in intact animals, and genetic, with the predisposition for spontaneous or refractory epileptic seizures. Due to the simplicity of manipulation and universality, genetic models of audiogenic epilepsy in rodents stand out among this diversity. We tried to combine data on the genetics of audiogenic epilepsy in rodents, the relevance of various models of audiogenic epilepsy to certain epileptic syndromes in humans, and the advantages of using of rodent strains predisposed to audiogenic epilepsy in current epileptology.
Collapse
|
9
|
WWOX Controls Cell Survival, Immune Response and Disease Progression by pY33 to pS14 Transition to Alternate Signaling Partners. Cells 2022; 11:cells11142137. [PMID: 35883580 PMCID: PMC9323965 DOI: 10.3390/cells11142137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor suppressor WWOX inhibits cancer growth and retards Alzheimer’s disease (AD) progression. Supporting evidence shows that the more strongly WWOX binds intracellular protein partners, the weaker is cancer cell growth in vivo. Whether this correlates with retardation of AD progression is unknown. Two functional forms of WWOX exhibit opposite functions. pY33-WWOX is proapoptotic and anticancer, and is essential for maintaining normal physiology. In contrast, pS14-WWOX is accumulated in the lesions of cancers and AD brains, and suppression of WWOX phosphorylation at S14 by a short peptide Zfra abolishes cancer growth and retardation of AD progression. In parallel, synthetic Zfra4-10 or WWOX7-21 peptide strengthens the binding of endogenous WWOX with intracellular protein partners leading to cancer suppression. Indeed, Zfra4-10 is potent in restoring memory loss in triple transgenic mice for AD (3xTg) by blocking the aggregation of amyloid beta 42 (Aβ42), enhancing degradation of aggregated proteins, and inhibiting activation of inflammatory NF-κB. In light of the findings, Zfra4-10-mediated suppression of cancer and AD is due, in part, to an enhanced binding of endogenous WWOX and its binding partners. In this perspective review article, we detail the molecular action of WWOX in the HYAL-2/WWOX/SMAD4 signaling for biological effects, and discuss WWOX phosphorylation forms in interacting with binding partners, leading to suppression of cancer growth and retardation of AD progression.
Collapse
|
10
|
Sukkar G, Alzahrani RM, Altirkistani BA, Al lohaibi RS. Novel Mutation With Literature Review WW Domain-Containing Oxidoreductase (WWOX) Gene. Cureus 2022; 14:e25003. [PMID: 35712340 PMCID: PMC9193507 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.25003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic alterations in the WW domain-containing oxidoreductase (WWOX) gene cause autosomal recessive developmental and epileptic encephalopathy, characterized by the onset of refractory seizures in infants, along with severe axial hypotonia and profoundly impaired psychomotor development. It has also been expanded to include metabolism and endocrine systems. Despite its function as a tumor suppressor gene, genetic alterations in WWOX have been found in several metabolic disorders and neural diseases related to brain development. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was performed on the patient sample. Genomic DNA was fragmented, and the exons of known genes in the human genome, as well as the corresponding exon-intron boundaries,were enriched using Roche KAPA capture technology (KAPA hyperExome Library, WES identifying the homozygous variant c.406A>G in WWOX (OMIM:605131). This variant of WWOX was also observed in the prenatal WES data, indicating that both parents were heterozygous carriers and the detected variant was homozygous. This study highlighted the importance of the human WWOX gene in brain development and the association between WWOX gene mutations and developmental delay. We recommend performing WES as a primary screening before the final diagnosis, particularly in populations with high rates of consanguinity and in clinically challenging cases.
Collapse
|
11
|
Baryła I, Kośla K, Bednarek AK. WWOX and metabolic regulation in normal and pathological conditions. J Mol Med (Berl) 2022; 100:1691-1702. [PMID: 36271927 PMCID: PMC9691486 DOI: 10.1007/s00109-022-02265-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
WW domain-containing oxidoreductase (WWOX) spans the common fragile site FRA16D. There is evidence that translocations and deletions affecting WWOX accompanied by loss of expression are frequent in many cancers and often correlate with a worse prognosis. Additionally, WWOX germline mutations were also found to be the cause of pathologies of brain development. Because WWOX binds to some transcription factors, it is a modulator of many cellular processes, including metabolic processes. Recently, studies have linked WWOX to familial dyslipidemias, osteopenia, metabolic syndrome, and gestational diabetes, confirming its role as a regulator of steroid, cholesterol, glucose, and normal bone metabolism. The WW domain of WWOX is directly engaged in the control of the activity of transcription factors such as HIF1α and RUNX2; therefore, WWOX gene alterations are associated with some metabolic abnormalities. Presently, most interest is devoted to the associations between WWOX and glucose and basic energy metabolism disturbances. In particular, its involvement in the initiation of the Warburg effect in cancer or gestational diabetes and type II diabetes is of interest. This review is aimed at systematically and comprehensively presenting the current state of knowledge about the participation of WWOX in the metabolism of healthy and diseased organisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Izabela Baryła
- grid.8267.b0000 0001 2165 3025Department of Molecular Carcinogenesis, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Kośla
- grid.8267.b0000 0001 2165 3025Department of Molecular Carcinogenesis, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Andrzej K. Bednarek
- grid.8267.b0000 0001 2165 3025Department of Molecular Carcinogenesis, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Riva A, Nobile G, Giacomini T, Ognibene M, Scala M, Balagura G, Madia F, Accogli A, Romano F, Tortora D, Severino M, Scudieri P, Baldassari S, Musante I, Uva P, Salpietro V, Torella A, Nigro V, Capra V, Nobili L, Striano P, Mancardi MM, Zara F, Iacomino M. A Phenotypic-Driven Approach for the Diagnosis of WOREE Syndrome. Front Pediatr 2022; 10:847549. [PMID: 35573960 PMCID: PMC9100683 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.847549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND WOREE syndrome is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder featuring drug-resistant epilepsy and global developmental delay. The disease, caused by biallelic pathogenic variants in the WWOX gene, usually leads to severe disability or death within the first years of life. Clinicians have become more confident with the phenotypic picture of WOREE syndrome, allowing earlier clinical diagnosis. We report a boy with a peculiar clinic-radiological pattern supporting the diagnosis of WOREE syndrome. METHODS DNA was extracted from blood samples of the proband and his parents and subjected to Exome Sequencing (ES). Agarose gel electrophoresis, real-time quantitative PCR (Q-PCR), and array-CGH 180K were also performed. RESULTS ES detected a pathogenic stop variant (c.790C > T, p.Arg264*) in one allele of WWOX in the proband and his unaffected mother. A 180K array-CGH analysis revealed a 84,828-bp (g.chr16:78,360,803-78,445,630) deletion encompassing exon 6. The Q-PCR product showed that the proband and his father harbored the same deleted fragment, fusing exons 5 and 7 of WWOX. CONCLUSIONS Genetic testing remains crucial in establishing the definitive diagnosis of WOREE syndrome and allows prenatal interventions/parental counseling. However, our findings suggest that targeted Next Generation Sequencing-based testing may occasionally show technical pitfalls, prompting further genetic investigation in selected cases with high clinical suspicion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Riva
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy.,Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Giulia Nobile
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Thea Giacomini
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Unit of Child Neuropsychiatry, Epilepsy Centre, Department of Medical and Surgical Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Marzia Ognibene
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Marcello Scala
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Paediatric Neurology and Muscular Disease Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Ganna Balagura
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR), Vrije Universiteit (VU) Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Francesca Madia
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Andrea Accogli
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Specialized Medicine, Montreal Children's Hospital, McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Ferruccio Romano
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Domenico Tortora
- Neuroradiology Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | | | - Paolo Scudieri
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy.,Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Simona Baldassari
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Ilaria Musante
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Paolo Uva
- Bioinformatica Clinica, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Salpietro
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Paediatric Neurology and Muscular Disease Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Annalaura Torella
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy.,Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Nigro
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy.,Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Valeria Capra
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Lino Nobili
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Unit of Child Neuropsychiatry, Epilepsy Centre, Department of Medical and Surgical Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Pasquale Striano
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Paediatric Neurology and Muscular Disease Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Maria Margherita Mancardi
- Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Unit of Child Neuropsychiatry, Epilepsy Centre, Department of Medical and Surgical Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Federico Zara
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy.,Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Michele Iacomino
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy.,Bioinformatica Clinica, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Repudi S, Kustanovich I, Abu‐Swai S, Stern S, Aqeilan RI. Neonatal neuronal WWOX gene therapy rescues Wwox null phenotypes. EMBO Mol Med 2021; 13:e14599. [PMID: 34747138 PMCID: PMC8649866 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.202114599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
WW domain-containing oxidoreductase (WWOX) is an emerging neural gene-regulating homeostasis of the central nervous system. Germline biallelic mutations in WWOX cause WWOX-related epileptic encephalopathy (WOREE) syndrome and spinocerebellar ataxia and autosomal recessive 12 (SCAR12), two devastating neurodevelopmental disorders with highly heterogenous clinical outcomes, the most common being severe epileptic encephalopathy and profound global developmental delay. We recently demonstrated that neuronal ablation of murine Wwox recapitulates phenotypes of Wwox-null mice leading to intractable epilepsy, hypomyelination, and postnatal lethality. Here, we designed and produced an adeno-associated viral vector (AAV9) harboring murine Wwox or human WWOX cDNA and driven by the human neuronal Synapsin I promoter (AAV-SynI-WWOX). Testing the efficacy of AAV-SynI-WWOX delivery in Wwox-null mice demonstrated that specific neuronal restoration of WWOX expression rescued brain hyperexcitability and seizures, hypoglycemia, myelination deficits, and the premature lethality and behavioral deficits of Wwox-null mice. These findings provide a proof-of-concept for WWOX gene therapy as a promising approach to curing children with WOREE and SCAR12.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Srinivasarao Repudi
- The Concern Foundation Laboratories, The Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer Research, Immunology and Cancer Research‐IMRICHebrew University‐Hadassah Medical SchoolJerusalemIsrael
| | | | - Sara Abu‐Swai
- The Concern Foundation Laboratories, The Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer Research, Immunology and Cancer Research‐IMRICHebrew University‐Hadassah Medical SchoolJerusalemIsrael
| | - Shani Stern
- Sagol Department of NeurobiologyUniversity of HaifaHaifaIsrael
| | - Rami I Aqeilan
- The Concern Foundation Laboratories, The Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer Research, Immunology and Cancer Research‐IMRICHebrew University‐Hadassah Medical SchoolJerusalemIsrael
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Breton VL, Aquilino MS, Repudi S, Saleem A, Mylvaganam S, Abu-Swai S, Bardakjian BL, Aqeilan RI, Carlen PL. Altered neocortical oscillations and cellular excitability in an in vitro Wwox knockout mouse model of epileptic encephalopathy. Neurobiol Dis 2021; 160:105529. [PMID: 34634460 PMCID: PMC8609180 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2021.105529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Loss of function mutations of the WW domain-containing oxidoreductase (WWOX) gene are associated with severe and fatal drug-resistant pediatric epileptic encephalopathy. Epileptic seizures are typically characterized by neuronal hyperexcitability; however, the specific contribution of WWOX to that hyperexcitability has yet to be investigated. Using a mouse model of neuronal Wwox-deletion that exhibit spontaneous seizures, in vitro whole-cell and field potential electrophysiological characterization identified spontaneous bursting activity in the neocortex, a marker of the underlying network hyperexcitability. Spectral analysis of the neocortical bursting events highlighted increased phase-amplitude coupling, and a propagation from layer II/III to layer V. These bursts were NMDAR and gap junction dependent. In layer II/III pyramidal neurons, Wwox knockout mice demonstrated elevated amplitude of excitatory post-synaptic currents, whereas the frequency and amplitude of inhibitory post-synaptic currents were reduced, as compared to heterozygote and wild-type littermate controls. Furthermore, these neurons were depolarized and demonstrated increased action potential frequency, sag current, and post-inhibitory rebound. These findings suggest WWOX plays an essential role in balancing neocortical excitability and provide insight towards developing therapeutics for those suffering from WWOX disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa L Breton
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada; Krembil Research Institute, Division of Fundamental Neurobiology, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario M5T 0S8, Canada.
| | - Mark S Aquilino
- Krembil Research Institute, Division of Fundamental Neurobiology, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario M5T 0S8, Canada; Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G9, Canada.
| | - Srinivasarao Repudi
- The Concern Foundation Laboratories, The Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer Research, Immunology and Cancer Research-IMRIC, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Afifa Saleem
- Krembil Research Institute, Division of Fundamental Neurobiology, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario M5T 0S8, Canada; Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G9, Canada
| | - Shanthini Mylvaganam
- Krembil Research Institute, Division of Fundamental Neurobiology, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario M5T 0S8, Canada
| | - Sara Abu-Swai
- The Concern Foundation Laboratories, The Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer Research, Immunology and Cancer Research-IMRIC, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Berj L Bardakjian
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G9, Canada; Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G4, Canada
| | - Rami I Aqeilan
- The Concern Foundation Laboratories, The Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer Research, Immunology and Cancer Research-IMRIC, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Peter L Carlen
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada; Krembil Research Institute, Division of Fundamental Neurobiology, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario M5T 0S8, Canada; Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G9, Canada; Department of Medicine (Neurology), University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario M5G 2C4, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Steinberg DJ, Aqeilan RI. WWOX-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Models and Future Perspectives. Cells 2021; 10:cells10113082. [PMID: 34831305 PMCID: PMC8623516 DOI: 10.3390/cells10113082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The WW domain-containing oxidoreductase (WWOX) gene was originally discovered as a putative tumor suppressor spanning the common fragile site FRA16D, but as time has progressed the extent of its pleiotropic function has become apparent. At present, WWOX is a major source of interest in the context of neurological disorders, and more specifically developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs). This review article aims to introduce the many model systems used through the years to study its function and roles in neuropathies. Similarities and fundamental differences between rodent and human models are discussed. Finally, future perspectives and promising research avenues are suggested.
Collapse
|
16
|
Steinberg DJ, Repudi S, Saleem A, Kustanovich I, Viukov S, Abudiab B, Banne E, Mahajnah M, Hanna JH, Stern S, Carlen PL, Aqeilan RI. Modeling genetic epileptic encephalopathies using brain organoids. EMBO Mol Med 2021; 13:e13610. [PMID: 34268881 PMCID: PMC8350905 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.202013610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEE) are a group of disorders associated with intractable seizures, brain development, and functional abnormalities, and in some cases, premature death. Pathogenic human germline biallelic mutations in tumor suppressor WW domain-containing oxidoreductase (WWOX) are associated with a relatively mild autosomal recessive spinocerebellar ataxia-12 (SCAR12) and a more severe early infantile WWOX-related epileptic encephalopathy (WOREE). In this study, we generated an in vitro model for DEEs, using the devastating WOREE syndrome as a prototype, by establishing brain organoids from CRISPR-engineered human ES cells and from patient-derived iPSCs. Using these models, we discovered dramatic cellular and molecular CNS abnormalities, including neural population changes, cortical differentiation malfunctions, and Wnt pathway and DNA damage response impairment. Furthermore, we provide a proof of concept that ectopic WWOX expression could potentially rescue these phenotypes. Our findings underscore the utility of modeling childhood epileptic encephalopathies using brain organoids and their use as a unique platform to test possible therapeutic intervention strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Steinberg
- The Concern Foundation LaboratoriesDepartment of Immunology and Cancer Research‐IMRICThe Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer ResearchHebrew University‐Hadassah Medical SchoolJerusalemIsrael
| | - Srinivasarao Repudi
- The Concern Foundation LaboratoriesDepartment of Immunology and Cancer Research‐IMRICThe Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer ResearchHebrew University‐Hadassah Medical SchoolJerusalemIsrael
| | - Afifa Saleem
- Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of TorontoTorontoONCanada
- Krembil Research InstituteUniversity Health NetworkTorontoONCanada
| | | | - Sergey Viukov
- Department of Molecular GeneticsWeizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Baraa Abudiab
- The Concern Foundation LaboratoriesDepartment of Immunology and Cancer Research‐IMRICThe Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer ResearchHebrew University‐Hadassah Medical SchoolJerusalemIsrael
| | - Ehud Banne
- Genetics InstituteKaplan Medical CenterHebrew University‐Hadassah Medical SchoolRehovotIsrael
- The Rina Mor Genetic InstituteWolfson Medical CenterHolonIsrael
| | - Muhammad Mahajnah
- Paediatric Neurology and Child Developmental CenterHillel Yaffe Medical CenterHaderaIsrael
- Rappaport Faculty of MedicineThe TechnionHaifaIsrael
| | - Jacob H Hanna
- Department of Molecular GeneticsWeizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | - Shani Stern
- Sagol Department of NeurobiologyUniversity of HaifaHaifaIsrael
| | - Peter L Carlen
- Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of TorontoTorontoONCanada
- Krembil Research InstituteUniversity Health NetworkTorontoONCanada
- Departments of Medicine and PhysiologyUniversity of TorontoTorontoONCanada
| | - Rami I Aqeilan
- The Concern Foundation LaboratoriesDepartment of Immunology and Cancer Research‐IMRICThe Lautenberg Center for Immunology and Cancer ResearchHebrew University‐Hadassah Medical SchoolJerusalemIsrael
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
WWOX and Its Binding Proteins in Neurodegeneration. Cells 2021; 10:cells10071781. [PMID: 34359949 PMCID: PMC8304785 DOI: 10.3390/cells10071781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 07/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
WW domain-containing oxidoreductase (WWOX) is known as one of the risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disease. WWOX binds Tau via its C-terminal SDR domain and interacts with Tau phosphorylating enzymes ERK, JNK, and GSK-3β, and thereby limits AD progression. Loss of WWOX in newborns leads to severe neural diseases and early death. Gradual loss of WWOX protein in the hippocampus and cortex starting from middle age may slowly induce aggregation of a protein cascade that ultimately causes accumulation of extracellular amyloid beta plaques and intracellular tau tangles, along with reduction in inhibitory GABAergic interneurons, in AD patients over 70 years old. Age-related increases in pS14-WWOX accumulation in the brain promotes neuronal degeneration. Suppression of Ser14 phosphorylation by a small peptide Zfra leads to enhanced protein degradation, reduction in NF-κB-mediated inflammation, and restoration of memory loss in triple transgenic mice for AD. Intriguingly, tumor suppressors p53 and WWOX may counteract each other in vivo, which leads to upregulation of AD-related protein aggregation in the brain and lung. WWOX has numerous binding proteins. We reported that the stronger the binding between WWOX and its partners, the better the suppression of cancer growth and reduction in inflammation. In this regard, the stronger complex formation between WWOX and partners may provide a better blockade of AD progression. In this review, we describe whether and how WWOX and partner proteins control inflammatory response and protein aggregation and thereby limit AD progression.
Collapse
|