1
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Kajdasz A, Niewiadomska D, Sekrecki M, Sobczak K. Distribution of alternative untranslated regions within the mRNA of the CELF1 splicing factor affects its expression. Sci Rep 2022; 12:190. [PMID: 34996980 PMCID: PMC8742084 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-03901-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
CUG-binding protein, ELAV-like Family Member 1 (CELF1) plays an important role during the development of different tissues, such as striated muscle and brain tissue. CELF1 is an RNA-binding protein that regulates RNA metabolism processes, e.g., alternative splicing, and antagonizes other RNA-binding proteins, such as Muscleblind-like proteins (MBNLs). Abnormal activity of both classes of proteins plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), the most common form of muscular dystrophy in adults. In this work, we show that alternative splicing of exons forming both the 5' and 3' untranslated regions (UTRs) of CELF1 mRNA is efficiently regulated during development and tissue differentiation and is disrupted in skeletal muscles in the context of DM1. Alternative splicing of the CELF1 5'UTR leads to translation of two potential protein isoforms that differ in the lengths of their N-terminal domains. We also show that the MBNL and CELF proteins regulate the distribution of mRNA splicing isoforms with different 5'UTRs and 3'UTRs and affect the CELF1 expression by changing its sensitivity to specific microRNAs or RNA-binding proteins. Together, our findings show the existence of different mechanisms of regulation of CELF1 expression through the distribution of various 5' and 3' UTR isoforms within CELF1 mRNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arkadiusz Kajdasz
- Department of Gene Expression, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University Poznan, Uniwersytetu Poznanskiego 6, 61-614, Poznan, Poland
| | - Daria Niewiadomska
- Department of Gene Expression, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University Poznan, Uniwersytetu Poznanskiego 6, 61-614, Poznan, Poland
| | - Michal Sekrecki
- Department of Gene Expression, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University Poznan, Uniwersytetu Poznanskiego 6, 61-614, Poznan, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Sobczak
- Department of Gene Expression, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University Poznan, Uniwersytetu Poznanskiego 6, 61-614, Poznan, Poland.
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2
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Dong W, Liu Q, Wang ZC, Du XX, Liu LL, Wang N, Weng JF, Peng XP. miR-322/miR-503 clusters regulate defective myoblast differentiation in myotonic dystrophy RNA-toxic by targeting Celf1. Toxicol Res (Camb) 2021; 10:29-39. [PMID: 33613970 DOI: 10.1093/toxres/tfaa096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Revised: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy (DM) is a genetic disorder featured by muscular dystrophy. It is caused by CUG expansion in the myotonic dystrophy protein kinase gene that leads to aberrant signaling and impaired myocyte differentiation. Many studies have shown that microRNAs are involved in the differentiation process of myoblasts. The purpose of this study was to investigate how the miR-322/miR-503 cluster regulates intracellular signaling to affect cell differentiation. The cell model of DM1 was employed by expressing GFP-CUG200 or CUGBP Elav-like family member 1 (Celf1) in myoblasts. Immunostaining of MF-20 was performed to examine myocyte differentiation. qRT-PCR and western blot were used to determine the levels of Celf1, MyoD, MyoG, Mef2c, miR-322/miR-503, and mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MEK/ERK) signaling. Dual luciferase assay was performed to validate the interaction between miR-322/miR-503 and Celf1. CUG expansion in myoblasts impaired the cell differentiation, increased the Celf1 level, but it decreased the miR-322/miR-503 levels. miR-322/miR-503 mimics restored the impaired differentiation caused by CUG expansion, while miR-322/miR-503 inhibitors further suppressed. miR-322/miR-503 directly targeted Celf1 and negatively regulated its expression. Knockdown of Celf1 promoted myocyte differentiation. Further, miR-322/miR-503 mimics rescued the impaired differentiation of myocytes caused by CUG expansion or Celf1 overexpression through suppressing of MEK/ERK signaling. miR-322/miR-503 cluster recover the defective myocyte differentiation caused by RNA-toxic via targeting Celf1. Restoring miR-322/miR-503 levels could be an avenue for DM1 therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Dong
- Department of Cardiovascular, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 17, Yongwai Zheng Street, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province 330006, P. R. China
| | - Qian Liu
- Department of Cardiovascular, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 17, Yongwai Zheng Street, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province 330006, P. R. China
| | - Zhi-Chao Wang
- Department of Cardiovascular, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 17, Yongwai Zheng Street, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province 330006, P. R. China
| | - Xing-Xiang Du
- Department of Cardiovascular, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 17, Yongwai Zheng Street, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province 330006, P. R. China
| | - Lei-Lei Liu
- Department of Cardiovascular, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 17, Yongwai Zheng Street, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province 330006, P. R. China
| | - Nan Wang
- Department of Cardiovascular, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 17, Yongwai Zheng Street, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province 330006, P. R. China
| | - Jun-Fei Weng
- Department of Cardiovascular, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 17, Yongwai Zheng Street, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province 330006, P. R. China
| | - Xiao-Ping Peng
- Department of Cardiovascular, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 17, Yongwai Zheng Street, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province 330006, P. R. China
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3
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Zhang N, Bewick B, Xia G, Furling D, Ashizawa T. A CRISPR-Cas13a Based Strategy That Tracks and Degrades Toxic RNA in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1. Front Genet 2020; 11:594576. [PMID: 33362853 PMCID: PMC7758406 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.594576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cas13a, an effector of type VI CRISPR-Cas systems, is an RNA guided RNase with multiplexing and therapeutic potential. This study employs the Leptotrichia shahii (Lsh) Cas13a and a repeat-based CRISPR RNA (crRNA) to track and eliminate toxic RNA aggregates in myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) – a neuromuscular disease caused by CTG expansion in the DMPK gene. We demonstrate that LshCas13a cleaves CUG repeat RNA in biochemical assays and reduces toxic RNA load in patient-derived myoblasts. As a result, LshCas13a reverses the characteristic adult-to-embryonic missplicing events in several key genes that contribute to DM1 phenotype. The deactivated LshCas13a can further be repurposed to track RNA-rich organelles within cells. Our data highlights the reprogrammability of LshCas13a and the possible use of Cas13a to target expanded repeat sequences in microsatellite expansion diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Brittani Bewick
- Department of Neurology, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Guangbin Xia
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Fort Wayne, IN, United States
| | - Denis Furling
- Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale (INSERM), Centre de Recherche en Myologie (CRM), Association Institut de Myologie, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Tetsuo Ashizawa
- Department of Neurology, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX, United States
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4
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Cox DC, Guan X, Xia Z, Cooper TA. Increased nuclear but not cytoplasmic activities of CELF1 protein leads to muscle wasting. Hum Mol Genet 2020; 29:1729-1744. [PMID: 32412585 PMCID: PMC7322576 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddaa095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
mRNA processing is highly regulated during development through changes in RNA-binding protein (RBP) activities. CUG-BP, Elav-like family member 1 (CELF1, also called CUGBP1) is an RBP, the expression of which decreases in skeletal muscle soon after birth. CELF1 regulates multiple nuclear and cytoplasmic RNA processing events. In the nucleus, CELF1 regulates networks of postnatal alternative splicing (AS) transitions, while in the cytoplasm, CELF1 regulates mRNA stability and translation. Stabilization and misregulation of CELF1 has been implicated in human diseases including myotonic dystrophy type 1, Alzheimer's disease and multiple cancers. To understand the contribution of nuclear and cytoplasmic CELF1 activity to normal and pathogenic skeletal muscle biology, we generated transgenic mice for doxycycline-inducible and skeletal muscle-specific expression of active CELF1 mutants engineered to be localized predominantly to either the nucleus or the cytoplasm. Adult mice expressing nuclear, but not cytoplasmic, CELF1 are characterized by strong histopathological defects, muscle loss within 10 days and changes in AS. In contrast, mice expressing cytoplasmic CELF1 display changes in protein levels of targets known to be regulated at the level of translation by CELF1, with minimal changes in AS. These changes are in the absence of overt histopathological changes or muscle loss. RNA-sequencing revealed extensive gene expression and AS changes in mice overexpressing nuclear and naturally localized CELF1 protein, with affected genes involved in cytoskeleton dynamics, membrane dynamics, RNA processing and zinc ion binding. These results support a stronger role for nuclear CELF1 functions as compared to cytoplasmic CELF1 functions in skeletal muscle wasting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana C Cox
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Xiangnan Guan
- Computational Biology Program, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239 USA
| | - Zheng Xia
- Computational Biology Program, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239 USA
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239 USA
| | - Thomas A Cooper
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston TX, 77030 USA
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5
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Yadava RS, Yu Q, Mandal M, Rigo F, Bennett CF, Mahadevan MS. Systemic therapy in an RNA toxicity mouse model with an antisense oligonucleotide therapy targeting a non-CUG sequence within the DMPK 3'UTR RNA. Hum Mol Genet 2020; 29:1440-1453. [PMID: 32242217 PMCID: PMC7268549 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddaa060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2020] [Revised: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), the most common adult muscular dystrophy, is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by an expansion of a (CTG)n tract within the 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) of the dystrophia myotonica protein kinase (DMPK) gene. Mutant DMPK mRNAs are toxic, present in nuclear RNA foci and correlated with a plethora of RNA splicing defects. Cardinal features of DM1 are myotonia and cardiac conduction abnormalities. Using transgenic mice, we have demonstrated that expression of the mutant DMPK 3'UTR is sufficient to elicit these features of DM1. Here, using these mice, we present a study of systemic treatment with an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) (ISIS 486178) targeted to a non-CUG sequence within the 3'UTR of DMPK. RNA foci and DMPK 3'UTR mRNA levels were reduced in both the heart and skeletal muscles. This correlated with improvements in several splicing defects in skeletal and cardiac muscles. The treatment reduced myotonia and this correlated with increased Clcn1 expression. Furthermore, functional testing showed improvements in treadmill running. Of note, we demonstrate that the ASO treatment reversed the cardiac conduction abnormalities, and this correlated with restoration of Gja5 (connexin 40) expression in the heart. This is the first time that an ASO targeting a non-CUG sequence within the DMPK 3'UTR has demonstrated benefit on the key DM1 phenotypes of myotonia and cardiac conduction defects. Our data also shows for the first time that ASOs may be a viable option for treating cardiac pathology in DM1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramesh S Yadava
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Qing Yu
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Mahua Mandal
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Frank Rigo
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc., Carlsbad, CA 90210, USA
| | | | - Mani S Mahadevan
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
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6
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Yadava RS, Kim YK, Mandal M, Mahadevan K, Gladman JT, Yu Q, Mahadevan MS. MBNL1 overexpression is not sufficient to rescue the phenotypes in a mouse model of RNA toxicity. Hum Mol Genet 2020; 28:2330-2338. [PMID: 30997488 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddz065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2019] [Revised: 03/17/2019] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is caused by an expanded (CTG)n tract in the 3'UTR of the DM protein kinase (DMPK) gene. The RNA transcripts produced from the expanded allele sequester or alter the function of RNA-binding proteins (MBNL1, CUGBP1, etc.). The sequestration of MBNL1 results in RNA-splicing defects that contribute to disease. Overexpression of MBNL1 in skeletal muscle has been shown to rescue some of the DM1 features in a mouse model and has been proposed as a therapeutic strategy for DM1. Here, we sought to confirm if overexpression of MBNL1 rescues the phenotypes in a different mouse model of RNA toxicity. Using an inducible mouse model of RNA toxicity in which expression of the mutant DMPK 3'UTR results in RNA foci formation, MBNL1 sequestration, splicing defects, myotonia and cardiac conduction defects, we find that MBNL1 overexpression did not rescue skeletal muscle function nor beneficially affect cardiac conduction. Surprisingly, MBNL1 overexpression also did not rescue myotonia, though variable rescue of Clcn1 splicing and other splicing defects was seen. Additionally, contrary to the previous study, we found evidence for increased muscle histopathology with MBNL1 overexpression. Overall, we did not find evidence for beneficial effects from overexpression of MBNL1 as a means to correct RNA toxicity mediated by mRNAs containing an expanded DMPK 3'UTR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramesh S Yadava
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Yun K Kim
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Mahua Mandal
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | | | - Jordan T Gladman
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Qing Yu
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Mani S Mahadevan
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
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7
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López Castel A, Overby SJ, Artero R. MicroRNA-Based Therapeutic Perspectives in Myotonic Dystrophy. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20225600. [PMID: 31717488 PMCID: PMC6888406 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20225600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Revised: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy involves two types of chronically debilitating rare neuromuscular diseases: type 1 (DM1) and type 2 (DM2). Both share similarities in molecular cause, clinical signs, and symptoms with DM2 patients usually displaying milder phenotypes. It is well documented that key clinical symptoms in DM are associated with a strong mis-regulation of RNA metabolism observed in patient’s cells. This mis-regulation is triggered by two leading DM-linked events: the sequestration of Muscleblind-like proteins (MBNL) and the mis-regulation of the CUGBP RNA-Binding Protein Elav-Like Family Member 1 (CELF1) that cause significant alterations to their important functions in RNA processing. It has been suggested that DM1 may be treatable through endogenous modulation of the expression of MBNL and CELF1 proteins. In this study, we analyzed the recent identification of the involvement of microRNA (miRNA) molecules in DM and focus on the modulation of these miRNAs to therapeutically restore normal MBNL or CELF1 function. We also discuss additional prospective miRNA targets, the use of miRNAs as disease biomarkers, and additional promising miRNA-based and miRNA-targeting drug development strategies. This review provides a unifying overview of the dispersed data on miRNA available in the context of DM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arturo López Castel
- Translational Genomics Group, Incliva Health Research Institute, Burjassot, 46100 Valencia, Spain
- Interdisciplinary Research Structure for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (Eri Biotecmed), University of Valencia, Burjassot, 46100 Valencia, Spain
- Correspondence: (A.L.C.); (R.A.)
| | - Sarah Joann Overby
- Translational Genomics Group, Incliva Health Research Institute, Burjassot, 46100 Valencia, Spain
- Interdisciplinary Research Structure for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (Eri Biotecmed), University of Valencia, Burjassot, 46100 Valencia, Spain
| | - Rubén Artero
- Translational Genomics Group, Incliva Health Research Institute, Burjassot, 46100 Valencia, Spain
- Interdisciplinary Research Structure for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (Eri Biotecmed), University of Valencia, Burjassot, 46100 Valencia, Spain
- Correspondence: (A.L.C.); (R.A.)
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8
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Souidi A, Zmojdzian M, Jagla K. Dissecting Pathogenetic Mechanisms and Therapeutic Strategies in Drosophila Models of Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:E4104. [PMID: 30567354 PMCID: PMC6321436 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19124104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2018] [Revised: 12/08/2018] [Accepted: 12/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), the most common cause of adult-onset muscular dystrophy, is autosomal dominant, multisystemic disease with characteristic symptoms including myotonia, heart defects, cataracts and testicular atrophy. DM1 disease is being successfully modelled in Drosophila allowing to identify and validate new pathogenic mechanisms and potential therapeutic strategies. Here we provide an overview of insights gained from fruit fly DM1 models, either: (i) fundamental with particular focus on newly identified gene deregulations and their link with DM1 symptoms; or (ii) applied via genetic modifiers and drug screens to identify promising therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anissa Souidi
- GReD, INSERM U1103, CNRS, UMR6293, University of Clermont Auvergne, 28 Place Henri Dunant, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
| | - Monika Zmojdzian
- GReD, INSERM U1103, CNRS, UMR6293, University of Clermont Auvergne, 28 Place Henri Dunant, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
| | - Krzysztof Jagla
- GReD, INSERM U1103, CNRS, UMR6293, University of Clermont Auvergne, 28 Place Henri Dunant, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
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9
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Dong W, Chen X, Wang M, Zheng Z, Zhang X, Xiao Q, Peng X. Mir-206 partially rescues myogenesis deficiency by inhibiting CUGBP1 accumulation in the cell models of myotonic dystrophy. Neurol Res 2018; 41:9-18. [PMID: 30281408 DOI: 10.1080/01616412.2018.1493963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Objectives: In this study, we aim to determine how CUG-expansion and the abundance of Celf1 regulates normal myocyte differentiation and reveal the role ofmiR-206 in myotonic dystrohy and explore a possible gene therapy vector. Methods: we set up CUG-expansion and Celf1 overexpression C2C12 cell models to imitate the myocyte differentiation defects of DM1, then transfected AdvmiR-206 into cell models, tested the level of myogenic markers MyoD, MyoG, Mef2c, Celf1 by RT-PCRand Western Blotting, detected myotube formation by myosin heavy chain immunostaining. Result: 3'-UTR CUG-expansion leads to myotube defects and impaired myoblasts differentiation. Overexpression of Celf1 inhibits myoblast differentiation and impairs differentiation. Knockdown of Celf1 partially rescues differentiation defects of myoblasts harboring CUG-expansion. miR-206 incompletely reverses myoblast differentiation inhibition induced by CUG-expansion and partially recuses myoblast differentiation defects induced by Celf1 overexpression. Conclusions: Ectopic miR-206 mimicking the endogenous temporal patterns specifically drives a myocyte program that boosts myoblast lineages, likely by promoting the expression of MyoD to rectify the myogenic deficiency by stimulating the accumulation of Celf1. Abbreviations: DMPK: (dystrophia myotonica protein kinase); 3'-UTR: (3'-untranslated region); MBNL1: (muscleblind-like [Drosophila]); DM1: (myotonic dystrophy type 1); GFP: (green fluorescent protein); RT-PCR: (quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction); shRNA: (short hairpin RNA).
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Dong
- a Department of Cardiology , The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University , Nanchang , China.,b Hypertension Research Institute of Jiangxi , Nanchang , China
| | - Xuanying Chen
- a Department of Cardiology , The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University , Nanchang , China.,b Hypertension Research Institute of Jiangxi , Nanchang , China
| | - Menghong Wang
- a Department of Cardiology , The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University , Nanchang , China.,b Hypertension Research Institute of Jiangxi , Nanchang , China
| | - Zeqi Zheng
- a Department of Cardiology , The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University , Nanchang , China.,b Hypertension Research Institute of Jiangxi , Nanchang , China
| | - Xing Zhang
- a Department of Cardiology , The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University , Nanchang , China.,b Hypertension Research Institute of Jiangxi , Nanchang , China
| | - Qunlin Xiao
- a Department of Cardiology , The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University , Nanchang , China.,b Hypertension Research Institute of Jiangxi , Nanchang , China
| | - Xiaoping Peng
- a Department of Cardiology , The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University , Nanchang , China.,b Hypertension Research Institute of Jiangxi , Nanchang , China
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10
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Braz SO, Acquaire J, Gourdon G, Gomes-Pereira M. Of Mice and Men: Advances in the Understanding of Neuromuscular Aspects of Myotonic Dystrophy. Front Neurol 2018; 9:519. [PMID: 30050493 PMCID: PMC6050950 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2018.00519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Intensive effort has been directed toward the modeling of myotonic dystrophy (DM) in mice, in order to reproduce human disease and to provide useful tools to investigate molecular and cellular pathogenesis and test efficient therapies. Mouse models have contributed to dissect the multifaceted impact of the DM mutation in various tissues, cell types and in a pleiotropy of pathways, through the expression of toxic RNA transcripts. Changes in alternative splicing, transcription, translation, intracellular RNA localization, polyadenylation, miRNA metabolism and phosphorylation of disease intermediates have been described in different tissues. Some of these events have been directly associated with specific disease symptoms in the skeletal muscle and heart of mice, offering the molecular explanation for individual disease phenotypes. In the central nervous system (CNS), however, the situation is more complex. We still do not know how the molecular abnormalities described translate into CNS dysfunction, nor do we know if the correction of individual molecular events will provide significant therapeutic benefits. The variability in model design and phenotypes described so far requires a thorough and critical analysis. In this review we discuss the recent contributions of mouse models to the understanding of neuromuscular aspects of disease, therapy development, and we provide a reflective assessment of our current limitations and pressing questions that remain unanswered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra O Braz
- Laboratory CTGDM, INSERM UMR1163, Paris, France.,Institut Imagine, Université Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Julien Acquaire
- Laboratory CTGDM, INSERM UMR1163, Paris, France.,Institut Imagine, Université Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Geneviève Gourdon
- Laboratory CTGDM, INSERM UMR1163, Paris, France.,Institut Imagine, Université Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Mário Gomes-Pereira
- Laboratory CTGDM, INSERM UMR1163, Paris, France.,Institut Imagine, Université Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
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11
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Cerro-Herreros E, Sabater-Arcis M, Fernandez-Costa JM, Moreno N, Perez-Alonso M, Llamusi B, Artero R. miR-23b and miR-218 silencing increase Muscleblind-like expression and alleviate myotonic dystrophy phenotypes in mammalian models. Nat Commun 2018; 9:2482. [PMID: 29946070 PMCID: PMC6018771 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-04892-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 05/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional depletion of the alternative splicing factors Muscleblind-like (MBNL 1 and 2) is at the basis of the neuromuscular disease myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). We previously showed the efficacy of miRNA downregulation in Drosophila DM1 model. Here, we screen for miRNAs that regulate MBNL1 and MBNL2 in HeLa cells. We thus identify miR-23b and miR-218, and confirm that they downregulate MBNL proteins in this cell line. Antagonists of miR-23b and miR-218 miRNAs enhance MBNL protein levels and rescue pathogenic missplicing events in DM1 myoblasts. Systemic delivery of these "antagomiRs" similarly boost MBNL expression and improve DM1-like phenotypes, including splicing alterations, histopathology, and myotonia in the HSALR DM1 model mice. These mammalian data provide evidence for therapeutic blocking of the miRNAs that control Muscleblind-like protein expression in myotonic dystrophy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Estefania Cerro-Herreros
- Interdisciplinary Research Structure for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (ERI BIOTECMED), University of Valencia, Dr. Moliner 50, E46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain.,Translational Genomics Group, Incliva Health Research Institute, Dr. Moliner 50, E46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain.,Joint Unit Incliva-CIPF, Dr. Moliner 50, E46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain
| | - Maria Sabater-Arcis
- Interdisciplinary Research Structure for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (ERI BIOTECMED), University of Valencia, Dr. Moliner 50, E46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain.,Translational Genomics Group, Incliva Health Research Institute, Dr. Moliner 50, E46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain.,Joint Unit Incliva-CIPF, Dr. Moliner 50, E46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain
| | - Juan M Fernandez-Costa
- Interdisciplinary Research Structure for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (ERI BIOTECMED), University of Valencia, Dr. Moliner 50, E46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain.,Translational Genomics Group, Incliva Health Research Institute, Dr. Moliner 50, E46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain.,Joint Unit Incliva-CIPF, Dr. Moliner 50, E46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain
| | - Nerea Moreno
- Interdisciplinary Research Structure for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (ERI BIOTECMED), University of Valencia, Dr. Moliner 50, E46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain.,Translational Genomics Group, Incliva Health Research Institute, Dr. Moliner 50, E46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain.,Joint Unit Incliva-CIPF, Dr. Moliner 50, E46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain
| | - Manuel Perez-Alonso
- Interdisciplinary Research Structure for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (ERI BIOTECMED), University of Valencia, Dr. Moliner 50, E46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain.,Translational Genomics Group, Incliva Health Research Institute, Dr. Moliner 50, E46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain.,Joint Unit Incliva-CIPF, Dr. Moliner 50, E46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain
| | - Beatriz Llamusi
- Interdisciplinary Research Structure for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (ERI BIOTECMED), University of Valencia, Dr. Moliner 50, E46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain. .,Translational Genomics Group, Incliva Health Research Institute, Dr. Moliner 50, E46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain. .,Joint Unit Incliva-CIPF, Dr. Moliner 50, E46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Ruben Artero
- Interdisciplinary Research Structure for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (ERI BIOTECMED), University of Valencia, Dr. Moliner 50, E46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain. .,Translational Genomics Group, Incliva Health Research Institute, Dr. Moliner 50, E46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain. .,Joint Unit Incliva-CIPF, Dr. Moliner 50, E46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain.
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12
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Picchio L, Legagneux V, Deschamps S, Renaud Y, Chauveau S, Paillard L, Jagla K. Bruno-3 regulates sarcomere component expression and contributes to muscle phenotypes of myotonic dystrophy type 1. Dis Model Mech 2018; 11:dmm.031849. [PMID: 29716962 PMCID: PMC5992612 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.031849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2017] [Accepted: 04/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Steinert disease, or myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), is a multisystemic disorder caused by toxic noncoding CUG repeat transcripts, leading to altered levels of two RNA binding factors, MBNL1 and CELF1. The contribution of CELF1 to DM1 phenotypes is controversial. Here, we show that the Drosophila CELF1 family member, Bru-3, contributes to pathogenic muscle defects observed in a Drosophila model of DM1. Bru-3 displays predominantly cytoplasmic expression in muscles and its muscle-specific overexpression causes a range of phenotypes also observed in the fly DM1 model, including affected motility, fiber splitting, reduced myofiber length and altered myoblast fusion. Interestingly, comparative genome-wide transcriptomic analyses revealed that Bru-3 negatively regulates levels of mRNAs encoding a set of sarcomere components, including Actn transcripts. Conversely, it acts as a positive regulator of Actn translation. As CELF1 displays predominantly cytoplasmic expression in differentiating C2C12 myotubes and binds to Actn mRNA, we hypothesize that it might exert analogous functions in vertebrate muscles. Altogether, we propose that cytoplasmic Bru-3 contributes to DM1 pathogenesis in a Drosophila model by regulating sarcomeric transcripts and protein levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Picchio
- GReD (Genetics, Reproduction and Development Laboratory), INSERM 1103, CNRS 6293, University of Clermont Auvergne, 28 Place Henri Dunant, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Vincent Legagneux
- IGDR (Institut de Génétique et Développement de Rennes), UMR 6290 CNRS, Université de Rennes, 2 Avenue Léon Bernard, 35000 Rennes, France.,Inserm UMR1085 IRSET, Université de Rennes 1, 35000 Rennes, France.,CNRS-Université de Rennes1-INRIA, UMR6074 IRISA, 35000 Rennes, France
| | - Stephane Deschamps
- IGDR (Institut de Génétique et Développement de Rennes), UMR 6290 CNRS, Université de Rennes, 2 Avenue Léon Bernard, 35000 Rennes, France
| | - Yoan Renaud
- GReD (Genetics, Reproduction and Development Laboratory), INSERM 1103, CNRS 6293, University of Clermont Auvergne, 28 Place Henri Dunant, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Sabine Chauveau
- GReD (Genetics, Reproduction and Development Laboratory), INSERM 1103, CNRS 6293, University of Clermont Auvergne, 28 Place Henri Dunant, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Luc Paillard
- IGDR (Institut de Génétique et Développement de Rennes), UMR 6290 CNRS, Université de Rennes, 2 Avenue Léon Bernard, 35000 Rennes, France
| | - Krzysztof Jagla
- GReD (Genetics, Reproduction and Development Laboratory), INSERM 1103, CNRS 6293, University of Clermont Auvergne, 28 Place Henri Dunant, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
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13
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Wei C, Stock L, Valanejad L, Zalewski ZA, Karns R, Puymirat J, Nelson D, Witte D, Woodgett J, Timchenko NA, Timchenko L. Correction of GSK3β at young age prevents muscle pathology in mice with myotonic dystrophy type 1. FASEB J 2018; 32:2073-2085. [PMID: 29203592 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201700700r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a progressive neuromuscular disease caused by expanded CUG repeats, which misregulate RNA metabolism through several RNA-binding proteins, including CUG-binding protein/CUGBP1 elav-like factor 1 (CUGBP1/CELF1) and muscleblind 1 protein. Mutant CUG repeats elevate CUGBP1 and alter CUGBP1 activity via a glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β)-cyclin D3-cyclin D-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) signaling pathway. Inhibition of GSK3β corrects abnormal activity of CUGBP1 in DM1 mice [human skeletal actin mRNA, containing long repeats ( HSALR) model]. Here, we show that the inhibition of GSK3β in young HSALR mice prevents development of DM1 muscle pathology. Skeletal muscle in 1-yr-old HSALR mice, treated at 1.5 mo for 6 wk with the inhibitors of GSK3, exhibits high fiber density, corrected atrophy, normal fiber size, with reduced central nuclei and normalized grip strength. Because CUG-GSK3β-cyclin D3-CDK4 converts the active form of CUGBP1 into a form of translational repressor, we examined the contribution of CUGBP1 in myogenesis using Celf1 knockout mice. We found that a loss of CUGBP1 disrupts myogenesis, affecting genes that regulate differentiation and the extracellular matrix. Proteins of those pathways are also misregulated in young HSALR mice and in muscle biopsies of patients with congenital DM1. These findings suggest that the correction of GSK3β-CUGBP1 pathway in young HSALR mice might have a positive effect on the myogenesis over time.-Wei, C., Stock, L., Valanejad, L., Zalewski, Z. A., Karns, R., Puymirat, J., Nelson, D., Witte, D., Woodgett, J., Timchenko, N. A., Timchenko, L. Correction of GSK3β at young age prevents muscle pathology in mice with myotonic dystrophy type 1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Wei
- Division of Neurology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Lauren Stock
- Division of Neurology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Leila Valanejad
- Department of Surgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Zachary A Zalewski
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Rebekah Karns
- Department of Bioinformatics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Jack Puymirat
- Centre Hospitalier-Université Laval Research Center, Québec City, Quebéc, Canada
| | - David Nelson
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - David Witte
- Department of Pathology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; and
| | - Jim Woodgett
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nikolai A Timchenko
- Department of Surgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Lubov Timchenko
- Division of Neurology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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14
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Neonatal cardiac dysfunction and transcriptome changes caused by the absence of Celf1. Sci Rep 2016; 6:35550. [PMID: 27759042 PMCID: PMC5069560 DOI: 10.1038/srep35550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2016] [Accepted: 09/30/2016] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The RNA binding protein Celf1 regulates alternative splicing in the nucleus and mRNA stability and translation in the cytoplasm. Celf1 is strongly down-regulated during mouse postnatal heart development. Its re-induction in adults induced severe heart failure and reversion to fetal splicing and gene expression patterns. However, the impact of Celf1 depletion on cardiac transcriptional and posttranscriptional dynamics in neonates has not been addressed. We found that homozygous Celf1 knock-out neonates exhibited cardiac dysfunction not observed in older homozygous animals, although homozygous mice are smaller than wild type littermates throughout development. RNA-sequencing of mRNA from homozygous neonatal hearts identified a network of cell cycle genes significantly up-regulated and down-regulation of ion transport and circadian genes. Cell cycle genes are enriched for Celf1 binding sites supporting a regulatory role in mRNA stability of these transcripts. We also identified a cardiac splicing network coordinated by Celf1 depletion. Target events contain multiple Celf1 binding sites and enrichment in GU-rich motifs. Identification of direct Celf1 targets will advance our knowledge in the mechanisms behind developmental networks regulated by Celf1 and diseases where Celf1 is mis-regulated.
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15
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Kim YK, Yadava RS, Mandal M, Mahadevan K, Yu Q, Leitges M, Mahadevan MS. Disease Phenotypes in a Mouse Model of RNA Toxicity Are Independent of Protein Kinase Cα and Protein Kinase Cβ. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0163325. [PMID: 27657532 PMCID: PMC5033491 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0163325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2016] [Accepted: 09/06/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy type 1(DM1) is the prototype for diseases caused by RNA toxicity. RNAs from the mutant allele contain an expanded (CUG)n tract within the 3' untranslated region of the dystrophia myotonica protein kinase (DMPK) gene. The toxic RNAs affect the function of RNA binding proteins leading to sequestration of muscleblind-like (MBNL) proteins and increased levels of CELF1 (CUGBP, Elav-like family member 1). The mechanism for increased CELF1 is not very clear. One favored proposition is hyper-phosphorylation of CELF1 by Protein Kinase C alpha (PKCα) leading to increased CELF1 stability. However, most of the evidence supporting a role for PKC-α relies on pharmacological inhibition of PKC. To further investigate the role of PKCs in the pathogenesis of RNA toxicity, we generated transgenic mice with RNA toxicity that lacked both the PKCα and PKCβ isoforms. We find that these mice show similar disease progression as mice wildtype for the PKC isoforms. Additionally, the expression of CELF1 is also not affected by deficiency of PKCα and PKCβ in these RNA toxicity mice. These data suggest that disease phenotypes of these RNA toxicity mice are independent of PKCα and PKCβ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun K. Kim
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Ramesh S. Yadava
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Mahua Mandal
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Karunasai Mahadevan
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Qing Yu
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Michael Leitges
- The Biotechnology Centre of Oslo, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Mani S. Mahadevan
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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16
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Larsen M, Kress W, Schoser B, Hehr U, Müller CR, Rost S. Identification of variants in MBNL1 in patients with a myotonic dystrophy-like phenotype. Eur J Hum Genet 2016; 24:1467-72. [PMID: 27222292 DOI: 10.1038/ejhg.2016.41] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2015] [Revised: 03/22/2016] [Accepted: 04/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The myotonic dystrophies (DMs) are the most common inherited muscular disorders in adults. In most of the cases, the disease is caused by (CTG)n/(CCTG)n repeat expansions (EXPs) in non-coding regions of the genes DMPK (dystrophia myotonica-protein kinase) and CNBP (CCHC-type zinc-finger nucleic acid-binding protein). The EXP is transcribed into mutant RNAs, which provoke a common pathomechanism that is characterized by misexpression and mis-splicing. In this study, we screened 138 patients with typical clinical features of DM being negative for EXP in the known genes. We sequenced DMPK and CNBP - associated with DM, as well as CELF1 (CUGBP, Elav-like family member 1) and MBNL1 (muscleblind-like splicing regulator 1) - associated with the pathomechanism of DM, for pathogenic variants, addressing the question whether defects in other genes could cause a DM-like phenotype. We identified variants in three unrelated patients in the MBNL1 gene, two of them were heterozygous missense mutations and one an in-frame deletion of three amino acids. The variants were located in different conserved regions of the protein. The missense mutations were classified as potentially pathogenic by prediction tools. Analysis of MBNL1 splice target genes was carried out for one of the patients using RNA from peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL). Analysis of six genes known to show mis-splicing in the skeletal muscle gave no informative results on the effect of this variant when tested in PBL. The association of these variants with the DM phenotype therefore remains unconfirmed, but we hope that in view of the key role of MBNL1 in DM pathogenesis our observations may foster further studies in this direction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirjam Larsen
- Department of Human Genetics, Julius-Maximilians-University, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Wolfram Kress
- Department of Human Genetics, Julius-Maximilians-University, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Benedikt Schoser
- Friedrich-Baur-Institute, Department of Neurology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Ute Hehr
- Center for and Department of Human Genetics, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Clemens R Müller
- Department of Human Genetics, Julius-Maximilians-University, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Simone Rost
- Department of Human Genetics, Julius-Maximilians-University, Würzburg, Germany
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17
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Six Serum miRNAs Fail to Validate as Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 Biomarkers. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0150501. [PMID: 26919350 PMCID: PMC4769077 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0150501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2015] [Accepted: 02/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is an autosomal dominant genetic disease caused by expansion of a CTG microsatellite in the 3' untranslated region of the DMPK gene. Despite characteristic muscular, cardiac, and neuropsychological symptoms, CTG trinucleotide repeats are unstable both in the somatic and germinal lines, making the age of onset, clinical presentation, and disease severity very variable. A molecular biomarker to stratify patients and to follow disease progression is, thus, an unmet medical need. Looking for a novel biomarker, and given that specific miRNAs have been found to be misregulated in DM1 heart and muscle tissues, we profiled the expression of 175 known serum miRNAs in DM1 samples. The differences detected between patients and controls were less than 2.6 fold for all of them and a selection of six candidate miRNAs, miR-103, miR-107, miR-21, miR-29a, miR-30c, and miR-652 all failed to show consistent differences in serum expression in subsequent validation experiments.
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18
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Yadava RS, Foff EP, Yu Q, Gladman JT, Zheng TS, Mahadevan MS. TWEAK Regulates Muscle Functions in a Mouse Model of RNA Toxicity. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0150192. [PMID: 26901467 PMCID: PMC4762946 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0150192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2015] [Accepted: 02/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), the most common form of muscular dystrophy in adults, is caused by toxic RNAs produced from the mutant DM protein kinase (DMPK) gene. DM1 is characterized by progressive muscle wasting and weakness. Therapeutic strategies have mainly focused on targeting the toxic RNA. Previously, we found that fibroblast growth factor-inducible 14 (Fn14), the receptor for TWEAK, is induced in skeletal muscles and hearts of mouse models of RNA toxicity and that blocking TWEAK/Fn14 signaling improves muscle function and histology. Here, we studied the effect of Tweak deficiency in a RNA toxicity mouse model. The genetic deletion of Tweak in these mice significantly reduced muscle damage and improved muscle function. In contrast, administration of TWEAK in the RNA toxicity mice impaired functional outcomes and worsened muscle histopathology. These studies show that signaling via TWEAK is deleterious to muscle in RNA toxicity and support the demonstrated utility of anti-TWEAK therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramesh S. Yadava
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
| | - Erin P. Foff
- Department of Neurology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
| | - Qing Yu
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
| | - Jordan T. Gladman
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
| | - Timothy S. Zheng
- Department of Immunology, Biogen Idec, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
| | - Mani S. Mahadevan
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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19
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Chakraborty M, Selma-Soriano E, Magny E, Couso JP, Pérez-Alonso M, Charlet-Berguerand N, Artero R, Llamusi B. Pentamidine rescues contractility and rhythmicity in a Drosophila model of myotonic dystrophy heart dysfunction. Dis Model Mech 2015; 8:1569-78. [PMID: 26515653 PMCID: PMC4728315 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.021428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2015] [Accepted: 10/19/2015] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Up to 80% of individuals with myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) will develop cardiac abnormalities at some point during the progression of their disease, the most common of which is heart blockage of varying degrees. Such blockage is characterized by conduction defects and supraventricular and ventricular tachycardia, and carries a high risk of sudden cardiac death. Despite its importance, very few animal model studies have focused on the heart dysfunction in DM1. Here, we describe the characterization of the heart phenotype in a Drosophila model expressing pure expanded CUG repeats under the control of the cardiomyocyte-specific driver GMH5-Gal4. Morphologically, expression of 250 CUG repeats caused abnormalities in the parallel alignment of the spiral myofibrils in dissected fly hearts, as revealed by phalloidin staining. Moreover, combined immunofluorescence and in situ hybridization of Muscleblind and CUG repeats, respectively, confirmed detectable ribonuclear foci and Muscleblind sequestration, characteristic features of DM1, exclusively in flies expressing the expanded CTG repeats. Similarly to what has been reported in humans with DM1, heart-specific expression of toxic RNA resulted in reduced survival, increased arrhythmia, altered diastolic and systolic function, reduced heart tube diameters and reduced contractility in the model flies. As a proof of concept that the fly heart model can be used for in vivo testing of promising therapeutic compounds, we fed flies with pentamidine, a compound previously described to improve DM1 phenotypes. Pentamidine not only released Muscleblind from the CUG RNA repeats and reduced ribonuclear formation in the Drosophila heart, but also rescued heart arrhythmicity and contractility, and improved fly survival in animals expressing 250 CUG repeats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mouli Chakraborty
- Translational Genomics Group, Incliva Health Research Institute, Avda. Menendez Pelayo 4 acc 46010, Valencia, Spain Department of Genetics and Estructura de Recerca Interdisciplinar en Biotecnologia i Biomedicina (ERI BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, Dr Moliner 50, Burjasot 46100, Spain
| | - Estela Selma-Soriano
- Department of Genetics and Estructura de Recerca Interdisciplinar en Biotecnologia i Biomedicina (ERI BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, Dr Moliner 50, Burjasot 46100, Spain
| | - Emile Magny
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 9QG, UK
| | - Juan Pablo Couso
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 9QG, UK
| | - Manuel Pérez-Alonso
- Translational Genomics Group, Incliva Health Research Institute, Avda. Menendez Pelayo 4 acc 46010, Valencia, Spain Department of Genetics and Estructura de Recerca Interdisciplinar en Biotecnologia i Biomedicina (ERI BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, Dr Moliner 50, Burjasot 46100, Spain
| | - Nicolas Charlet-Berguerand
- Translational Medicine and Neurogenetics, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), 1 Rue Laurent Fries, 67400 Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France
| | - Ruben Artero
- Translational Genomics Group, Incliva Health Research Institute, Avda. Menendez Pelayo 4 acc 46010, Valencia, Spain Department of Genetics and Estructura de Recerca Interdisciplinar en Biotecnologia i Biomedicina (ERI BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, Dr Moliner 50, Burjasot 46100, Spain
| | - Beatriz Llamusi
- Translational Genomics Group, Incliva Health Research Institute, Avda. Menendez Pelayo 4 acc 46010, Valencia, Spain Department of Genetics and Estructura de Recerca Interdisciplinar en Biotecnologia i Biomedicina (ERI BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, Dr Moliner 50, Burjasot 46100, Spain
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20
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Hypogonadism Associated with Cyp19a1 (Aromatase) Posttranscriptional Upregulation in Celf1 Knockout Mice. Mol Cell Biol 2015; 35:3244-53. [PMID: 26169831 DOI: 10.1128/mcb.00074-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2015] [Accepted: 07/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
CELF1 is a multifunctional RNA-binding protein that controls several aspects of RNA fate. The targeted disruption of the Celf1 gene in mice causes male infertility due to impaired spermiogenesis, the postmeiotic differentiation of male gametes. Here, we investigated the molecular reasons that underlie this testicular phenotype. By measuring sex hormone levels, we detected low concentrations of testosterone in Celf1-null mice. We investigated the effect of Celf1 disruption on the expression levels of steroidogenic enzyme genes, and we observed that Cyp19a1 was upregulated. Cyp19a1 encodes aromatase, which transforms testosterone into estradiol. Administration of testosterone or the aromatase inhibitor letrozole partly rescued the spermiogenesis defects, indicating that a lack of testosterone associated with excessive aromatase contributes to the testicular phenotype. In vivo and in vitro interaction assays demonstrated that CELF1 binds to Cyp19a1 mRNA, and reporter assays supported the conclusion that CELF1 directly represses Cyp19a1 translation. We conclude that CELF1 downregulates Cyp19a1 (Aromatase) posttranscriptionally to achieve high concentrations of testosterone compatible with spermiogenesis completion. We discuss the implications of these findings with respect to reproductive defects in men, including patients suffering from isolated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and myotonic dystrophy type I.
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21
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Bisset DR, Stepniak-Konieczna EA, Zavaljevski M, Wei J, Carter GT, Weiss MD, Chamberlain JR. Therapeutic impact of systemic AAV-mediated RNA interference in a mouse model of myotonic dystrophy. Hum Mol Genet 2015; 24:4971-83. [PMID: 26082468 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddv219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2015] [Accepted: 06/08/2015] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi) offers a promising therapeutic approach for dominant genetic disorders that involve gain-of-function mechanisms. One candidate disease for RNAi therapy application is myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), which results from toxicity of a mutant mRNA. DM1 is caused by expansion of a CTG repeat in the 3' UTR of the DMPK gene. The expression of DMPK mRNA containing an expanded CUG repeat (CUG(exp)) leads to defects in RNA biogenesis and turnover. We designed miRNA-based RNAi hairpins to target the CUG(exp) mRNA in the human α-skeletal muscle actin long-repeat (HSA(LR)) mouse model of DM1. RNAi expression cassettes were delivered to HSA(LR) mice using recombinant adeno-associated viral (rAAV) vectors injected intravenously as a route to systemic gene therapy. Vector delivery significantly reduced disease pathology in muscles of the HSA(LR) mice, including a reduction in the CUG(exp) mRNA, a reduction in myotonic discharges, a shift toward adult pre-mRNA splicing patterns, reduced myofiber hypertrophy and a decrease in myonuclear foci containing the CUG(exp) mRNA. Significant reversal of hallmarks of DM1 in the rAAV RNAi-treated HSA(LR) mice indicate that defects characteristic of DM1 can be mitigated with a systemic RNAi approach targeting the nuclei of terminally differentiated myofibers. Efficient rAAV-mediated delivery of RNAi has the potential to provide a long-term therapy for DM1 and other dominant muscular dystrophies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jessica Wei
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Medicine
| | | | - Michael D Weiss
- Department of Neurology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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22
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Peng X, Shen X, Chen X, Liang R, Azares AR, Liu Y. Celf1 regulates cell cycle and is partially responsible for defective myoblast differentiation in myotonic dystrophy RNA toxicity. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2015; 1852:1490-7. [PMID: 25887157 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2015.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2015] [Revised: 03/14/2015] [Accepted: 04/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy is a neuromuscular disease of RNA toxicity. The disease gene DMPK harbors expanded CTG trinucleotide repeats on its 3'-UTR. The transcripts of this mutant DMPK led to misregulation of RNA-binding proteins including MBNL1 and Celf1. In myoblasts, CUG-expansion impaired terminal differentiation. In this study, we formally tested how the abundance of Celf1 regulates normal myocyte differentiation, and how Celf1 expression level mediates CUG-expansion RNA toxicity-triggered impairment of myocyte differentiation. As the results, overexpression of Celf1 largely recapitulated the defects of myocytes with CUG-expansion, by increasing myocyte cycling. Knockdown of endogenous Celf1 level led to precocious myotube formation, supporting a negative connection between Celf1 abundance and myocyte terminal differentiation. Finally, knockdown of Celf1 in myocyte with CUG-expansion led to partial rescue, by promoting cell cycle exit. Our results suggest that Celf1 plays a distinctive and negative role in terminal myocyte differentiation, which partially contribute to DM1 RNA toxicity. Targeting Celf1 may be a valid strategy in correcting DM1 muscle phenotypes, especially for congenital cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoping Peng
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, China; Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Xiaopeng Shen
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Xuanying Chen
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, China; Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Rui Liang
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Alon R Azares
- Stem Cell Engineering, Texas Heart Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yu Liu
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA.
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23
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Chau A, Kalsotra A. Developmental insights into the pathology of and therapeutic strategies for DM1: Back to the basics. Dev Dyn 2015; 244:377-90. [PMID: 25504326 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2014] [Revised: 11/25/2014] [Accepted: 11/27/2014] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Myotonic Dystrophy type 1 (DM1), the most prevalent adult onset muscular dystrophy, is a trinucleotide repeat expansion disease caused by CTG expansion in the 3'-UTR of DMPK gene. This expansion results in the expression of toxic gain-of-function RNA that forms ribonuclear foci and disrupts normal activities of RNA-binding proteins belonging to the MBNL and CELF families. Changes in alternative splicing, translation, localization, and mRNA stability due to sequestration of MBNL proteins and up-regulation of CELF1 are key to DM1 pathology. However, recent discoveries indicate that pathogenic mechanisms of DM1 involves many other factors as well, including repeat associated translation, activation of PKC-dependent signaling pathway, aberrant polyadenylation, and microRNA deregulation. Expression of the toxic repeat RNA culminates in the developmental remodeling of the transcriptome, which produces fetal isoforms of proteins that are unable to fulfill the physiological requirements of adult tissues. This review will describe advances in the understanding of DM1 pathogenesis as well as current therapeutic developments for DM1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Chau
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois; Department of Medical Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois; Institute of Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois
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24
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Yadava RS, Foff EP, Yu Q, Gladman JT, Kim YK, Bhatt KS, Thornton CA, Zheng TS, Mahadevan MS. TWEAK/Fn14, a pathway and novel therapeutic target in myotonic dystrophy. Hum Mol Genet 2014; 24:2035-48. [PMID: 25504044 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddu617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), the most prevalent muscular dystrophy in adults, is characterized by progressive muscle wasting and multi-systemic complications. DM1 is the prototype for disorders caused by RNA toxicity. Currently, no therapies exist. Here, we identify that fibroblast growth factor-inducible 14 (Fn14), a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor super-family, is induced in skeletal muscles and hearts of mouse models of RNA toxicity and in tissues from DM1 patients, and that its expression correlates with severity of muscle pathology. This is associated with downstream signaling through the NF-κB pathways. In mice with RNA toxicity, genetic deletion of Fn14 results in reduced muscle pathology and better function. Importantly, blocking TWEAK/Fn14 signaling with an anti-TWEAK antibody likewise improves muscle histopathology and functional outcomes in affected mice. These results reveal new avenues for therapeutic development and provide proof of concept for a novel therapeutic target for which clinically available therapy exists to potentially treat muscular dystrophy in DM1.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Erin P Foff
- Department of Neurology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | | | | | | | - Kirti S Bhatt
- Department of Neurology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642, USA and
| | - Charles A Thornton
- Department of Neurology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642, USA and
| | - Timothy S Zheng
- Department of Immunology, Biogen Idec, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
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25
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Gladman JT, Yadava RS, Mandal M, Yu Q, Kim YK, Mahadevan MS. NKX2-5, a modifier of skeletal muscle pathology due to RNA toxicity. Hum Mol Genet 2014; 24:251-64. [PMID: 25168381 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddu443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA toxicity is implicated in a number of disorders; especially those associated with expanded repeat sequences, such as myotonic dystrophy (DM1). Previously, we have shown increased NKX2-5 expression in RNA toxicity associated with DM1. Here, we investigate the relationship between NKX2-5 expression and muscle pathology due to RNA toxicity. In skeletal muscle from mice with RNA toxicity and individuals with DM1, expression of Nkx2-5 or NKX2-5 and its downstream targets are significantly correlated with severity of histopathology. Using C2C12 myoblasts, we show that over-expression of NKX2-5 or mutant DMPK 3'UTR results in myogenic differentiation defects, which can be rescued by knockdown of Nkx2-5, despite continued toxic RNA expression. Furthermore, in a mouse model of NKX2-5 over-expression, we find defects in muscle regeneration after induced damage, similar to those seen in mice with RNA toxicity. Using mouse models of Nkx2-5 over-expression and depletion, we find that NKX2-5 levels modify disease phenotypes in mice with RNA toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan T Gladman
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Ramesh S Yadava
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Mahua Mandal
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Qing Yu
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Yun K Kim
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Mani S Mahadevan
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
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26
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Rosenthal SL, Kamboh MI. Late-Onset Alzheimer's Disease Genes and the Potentially Implicated Pathways. CURRENT GENETIC MEDICINE REPORTS 2014; 2:85-101. [PMID: 24829845 PMCID: PMC4013444 DOI: 10.1007/s40142-014-0034-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease with no effective treatment or cure. In addition to APOE, recent large genome-wide association studies have identified variation in over 20 loci that contribute to disease risk: CR1, BIN1, INPP5D, MEF2C, TREM2, CD2AP, HLA-DRB1/HLA-DRB5, EPHA1, NME8, ZCWPW1, CLU, PTK2B, PICALM, SORL1, CELF1, MS4A4/MS4A6E, SLC24A4/RIN3,FERMT2, CD33, ABCA7, CASS4. In addition, rare variants associated with LOAD have also been identified in APP, TREM2 and PLD3 genes. Previous research has identified inflammatory response, lipid metabolism and homeostasis, and endocytosis as the likely modes through which these gene products participate in Alzheimer's disease. Despite the clustering of these genes across a few common pathways, many of their roles in disease pathogenesis have yet to be determined. In this review, we examine both general and postulated disease functions of these genes and consider a comprehensive view of their potential roles in LOAD risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha L. Rosenthal
- Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261 USA
| | - M. Ilyas Kamboh
- Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261 USA
- Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA USA
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