1
|
Temgire P, Arthur R, Kumar P. Neuroinflammation and the role of epigenetic-based therapies for Huntington's disease management: the new paradigm. Inflammopharmacology 2024; 32:1791-1804. [PMID: 38653938 DOI: 10.1007/s10787-024-01477-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited, autosomal, neurodegenerative ailment that affects the striatum of the brain. Despite its debilitating effect on its patients, there is no proven cure for HD management as of yet. Neuroinflammation, excitotoxicity, and environmental factors have been reported to influence the regulation of gene expression by modifying epigenetic mechanisms. Aside focusing on the etiology, changes in epigenetic mechanisms have become a crucial factor influencing the interaction between HTT protein and epigenetically transcribed genes involved in neuroinflammation and HD. This review presents relevant literature on epigenetics with special emphasis on neuroinflammation and HD. It summarizes pertinent research on the role of neuroinflammation and post-translational modifications of chromatin, including DNA methylation, histone modification, and miRNAs. To achieve this about 1500 articles were reviewed via databases like PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and Web of Science. They were reduced to 534 using MeSH words like 'epigenetics, neuroinflammation, and HD' coupled with Boolean operators. Results indicated that major contributing factors to the development of HD such as mitochondrial dysfunction, excitotoxicity, neuroinflammation, and apoptosis are affected by epigenetic alterations. However, the association between neuroinflammation-altered epigenetics and the reported transcriptional changes in HD is unknown. Also, the link between epigenetically dysregulated genomic regions and specific DNA sequences suggests the likelihood that transcription factors, chromatin-remodeling proteins, and enzymes that affect gene expression are all disrupted simultaneously. Hence, therapies that target pathogenic pathways in HD, including neuroinflammation, transcriptional dysregulation, triplet instability, vesicle trafficking dysfunction, and protein degradation, need to be developed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pooja Temgire
- Department of Pharmacology, Central University of Punjab, Ghudda, Bathinda, 151401, Punjab, India
| | - Richmond Arthur
- Department of Pharmacology, Central University of Punjab, Ghudda, Bathinda, 151401, Punjab, India
| | - Puneet Kumar
- Department of Pharmacology, Central University of Punjab, Ghudda, Bathinda, 151401, Punjab, India.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Ayyildiz D, Bergonzoni G, Monziani A, Tripathi T, Döring J, Kerschbamer E, Di Leva F, Pennati E, Donini L, Kovalenko M, Zasso J, Conti L, Wheeler VC, Dieterich C, Piazza S, Dassi E, Biagioli M. CAG repeat expansion in the Huntington's disease gene shapes linear and circular RNAs biogenesis. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1010988. [PMID: 37831730 PMCID: PMC10617732 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Alternative splicing (AS) appears to be altered in Huntington's disease (HD), but its significance for early, pre-symptomatic disease stages has not been inspected. Here, taking advantage of Htt CAG knock-in mouse in vitro and in vivo models, we demonstrate a correlation between Htt CAG repeat length and increased aberrant linear AS, specifically affecting neural progenitors and, in vivo, the striatum prior to overt behavioral phenotypes stages. Remarkably, a significant proportion (36%) of the aberrantly spliced isoforms are not-functional and meant to non-sense mediated decay (NMD). The expanded Htt CAG repeats further reflect on a previously neglected, global impairment of back-splicing, leading to decreased circular RNAs production in neural progenitors. Integrative transcriptomic analyses unveil a network of transcriptionally altered micro-RNAs and RNA-binding proteins (Celf, hnRNPs, Ptbp, Srsf, Upf1, Ythd2) which might influence the AS machinery, primarily in neural cells. We suggest that this unbalanced expression of linear and circular RNAs might alter neural fitness, contributing to HD pathogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dilara Ayyildiz
- Bioinformatic facility, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology, CIBIO, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
- Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Guendalina Bergonzoni
- NeuroEpigenetics laboratory, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology, CIBIO, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Alan Monziani
- NeuroEpigenetics laboratory, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology, CIBIO, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Takshashila Tripathi
- NeuroEpigenetics laboratory, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology, CIBIO, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Jessica Döring
- NeuroEpigenetics laboratory, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology, CIBIO, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Emanuela Kerschbamer
- NeuroEpigenetics laboratory, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology, CIBIO, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Francesca Di Leva
- NeuroEpigenetics laboratory, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology, CIBIO, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Elia Pennati
- NeuroEpigenetics laboratory, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology, CIBIO, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Luisa Donini
- NeuroEpigenetics laboratory, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology, CIBIO, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Marina Kovalenko
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jacopo Zasso
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology, CIBIO, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Luciano Conti
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology, CIBIO, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Vanessa C. Wheeler
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Neurology Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Christoph Dieterich
- Section of Bioinformatics and Systems Cardiology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Silvano Piazza
- Bioinformatic facility, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology, CIBIO, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Erik Dassi
- Laboratory of RNA Regulatory Networks, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology, CIBIO, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Marta Biagioli
- NeuroEpigenetics laboratory, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology, CIBIO, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Speidell A, Bin Abid N, Yano H. Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Dysregulation as an Essential Pathological Feature in Huntington's Disease: Mechanisms and Potential Therapeutics. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2275. [PMID: 37626771 PMCID: PMC10452871 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11082275] [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: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a major neurotrophin whose loss or interruption is well established to have numerous intersections with the pathogenesis of progressive neurological disorders. There is perhaps no greater example of disease pathogenesis resulting from the dysregulation of BDNF signaling than Huntington's disease (HD)-an inherited neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor, psychiatric, and cognitive impairments associated with basal ganglia dysfunction and the ultimate death of striatal projection neurons. Investigation of the collection of mechanisms leading to BDNF loss in HD highlights this neurotrophin's importance to neuronal viability and calls attention to opportunities for therapeutic interventions. Using electronic database searches of existing and forthcoming research, we constructed a literature review with the overarching goal of exploring the diverse set of molecular events that trigger BDNF dysregulation within HD. We highlighted research that investigated these major mechanisms in preclinical models of HD and connected these studies to those evaluating similar endpoints in human HD subjects. We also included a special focus on the growing body of literature detailing key transcriptomic and epigenetic alterations that affect BDNF abundance in HD. Finally, we offer critical evaluation of proposed neurotrophin-directed therapies and assessed clinical trials seeking to correct BDNF expression in HD individuals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Speidell
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (A.S.); (N.B.A.)
| | - Noman Bin Abid
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (A.S.); (N.B.A.)
| | - Hiroko Yano
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (A.S.); (N.B.A.)
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Ferlazzo GM, Gambetta AM, Amato S, Cannizzaro N, Angiolillo S, Arboit M, Diamante L, Carbognin E, Romani P, La Torre F, Galimberti E, Pflug F, Luoni M, Giannelli S, Pepe G, Capocci L, Di Pardo A, Vanzani P, Zennaro L, Broccoli V, Leeb M, Moro E, Maglione V, Martello G. Genome-wide screening in pluripotent cells identifies Mtf1 as a suppressor of mutant huntingtin toxicity. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3962. [PMID: 37407555 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39552-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by CAG-repeat expansions in the huntingtin (HTT) gene. The resulting mutant HTT (mHTT) protein induces toxicity and cell death via multiple mechanisms and no effective therapy is available. Here, we employ a genome-wide screening in pluripotent mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) to identify suppressors of mHTT toxicity. Among the identified suppressors, linked to HD-associated processes, we focus on Metal response element binding transcription factor 1 (Mtf1). Forced expression of Mtf1 counteracts cell death and oxidative stress caused by mHTT in mouse ESCs and in human neuronal precursor cells. In zebrafish, Mtf1 reduces malformations and apoptosis induced by mHTT. In R6/2 mice, Mtf1 ablates motor defects and reduces mHTT aggregates and oxidative stress. Our screening strategy enables a quick in vitro identification of promising suppressor genes and their validation in vivo, and it can be applied to other monogenic diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giorgia Maria Ferlazzo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, University of Padua, 35131, Padua, Italy
- Aptuit (Verona) S.r.l., an Evotec Company, Campus Levi-Montalcini, 37135, Verona, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Gambetta
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, University of Padua, 35131, Padua, Italy
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via U. Bassi 58B, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Sonia Amato
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via U. Bassi 58B, 35131, Padua, Italy
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Padova, Via Belzoni, 160, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Noemi Cannizzaro
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, University of Padua, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Silvia Angiolillo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, University of Padua, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Mattia Arboit
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, University of Padua, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Linda Diamante
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via U. Bassi 58B, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Elena Carbognin
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via U. Bassi 58B, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Patrizia Romani
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, University of Padua, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Federico La Torre
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via U. Bassi 58B, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Elena Galimberti
- Max Perutz Laboratories Vienna, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter, Dr Bohr Gasse 9, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Florian Pflug
- Max Perutz Laboratories Vienna, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter, Dr Bohr Gasse 9, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Mirko Luoni
- Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Serena Giannelli
- Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Paola Vanzani
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, University of Padua, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Lucio Zennaro
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, University of Padua, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Vania Broccoli
- Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132, Milan, Italy
- CNR Institute of Neuroscience, 20854, Vedrano al Lambro, Italy
| | - Martin Leeb
- Max Perutz Laboratories Vienna, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter, Dr Bohr Gasse 9, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Enrico Moro
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, University of Padua, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | | | - Graziano Martello
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via U. Bassi 58B, 35131, Padua, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Bauer S, Chen CY, Jonson M, Kaczmarczyk L, Magadi SS, Jackson WS. Cerebellar granule neurons induce Cyclin D1 before the onset of motor symptoms in Huntington's disease mice. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2023; 11:17. [PMID: 36670467 PMCID: PMC9854201 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01500-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Although Huntington's disease (HD) is classically defined by the selective vulnerability of striatal projection neurons, there is increasing evidence that cerebellar degeneration modulates clinical symptoms. However, little is known about cell type-specific responses of cerebellar neurons in HD. To dissect early disease mechanisms in the cerebellum and cerebrum, we analyzed translatomes of neuronal cell types from both regions in a new HD mouse model. For this, HdhQ200 knock-in mice were backcrossed with the calm 129S4 strain, to constrain experimental noise caused by variable hyperactivity of mice in a C57BL/6 background. Behavioral and neuropathological characterization showed that these S4-HdhQ200 mice had very mild behavioral abnormalities starting around 12 months of age that remained mild up to 18 months. By 9 months, we observed abundant Huntingtin-positive neuronal intranuclear inclusions (NIIs) in the striatum and cerebellum. The translatome analysis of GABAergic cells of the cerebrum further confirmed changes typical of HD-induced striatal pathology. Surprisingly, we observed the strongest response with 626 differentially expressed genes in glutamatergic neurons of the cerebellum, a population consisting primarily of granule cells, commonly considered disease resistant. Our findings suggest vesicular fusion and exocytosis, as well as differentiation-related pathways are affected in these neurons. Furthermore, increased expression of cyclin D1 (Ccnd1) in the granular layer and upregulated expression of polycomb group complex protein genes and cell cycle regulators Cbx2, Cbx4 and Cbx8 point to a putative role of aberrant cell cycle regulation in cerebellar granule cells in early disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Bauer
- grid.5640.70000 0001 2162 9922Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Room 463.10.30, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Chwen-Yu Chen
- grid.5640.70000 0001 2162 9922Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Room 463.10.30, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Maria Jonson
- grid.5640.70000 0001 2162 9922Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Room 463.10.30, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Lech Kaczmarczyk
- grid.5640.70000 0001 2162 9922Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Room 463.10.30, Linköping, Sweden ,grid.424247.30000 0004 0438 0426German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Bonn, Germany
| | - Srivathsa Subramanya Magadi
- grid.5640.70000 0001 2162 9922Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Room 463.10.30, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Walker S. Jackson
- grid.5640.70000 0001 2162 9922Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Room 463.10.30, Linköping, Sweden ,grid.424247.30000 0004 0438 0426German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Bonn, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Brocchetti S, Conforti P. Differentiation of hPSCs to Study PRC2 Role in Cell-Fate Specification and Neurodevelopment. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2655:211-220. [PMID: 37212999 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3143-0_16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Several studies highlighted the importance of the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) already at the beginning of development. Although the crucial function of PRC2 in regulating lineage commitment and cell-fate specification has been well-established, the in vitro study of the exact mechanisms for which H3K27me3 is indispensable for proper differentiation is still challenging. In this chapter, we report a well-established and reproducible differentiation protocol to generate striatal medium spiny neurons as a tool to explore PRC2 role in brain development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Paola Conforti
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Pharmacology of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Biosciences, University of Milan and INGM, Istituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare "Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi", Milan, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Riccardi C, D’Aria F, Fasano D, Digilio FA, Carillo MR, Amato J, De Rosa L, Paladino S, Melone MAB, Montesarchio D, Giancola C. Truncated Analogues of a G-Quadruplex-Forming Aptamer Targeting Mutant Huntingtin: Shorter Is Better! Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232012412. [PMID: 36293267 PMCID: PMC9604342 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232012412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Two analogues of the MS3 aptamer, which was previously shown to have an exquisite capability to selectively bind and modulate the activity of mutant huntingtin (mHTT), have been here designed and evaluated in their physicochemical and biological properties. Featured by a distinctive propensity to form complex G-quadruplex structures, including large multimeric aggregates, the original 36-mer MS3 has been truncated to give a 33-mer (here named MS3-33) and a 17-mer (here named MS3-17). A combined use of different techniques (UV, CD, DSC, gel electrophoresis) allowed a detailed physicochemical characterization of these novel G-quadruplex-forming aptamers, tested in vitro on SH-SY5Y cells and in vivo on a Drosophila Huntington’s disease model, in which these shorter MS3-derived oligonucleotides proved to have improved bioactivity in comparison with the parent aptamer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Riccardi
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Federica D’Aria
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Dominga Fasano
- Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, 2nd Division of Neurology, Center for Rare Diseases and InterUniversity Center for Research in Neurosciences, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80131 Naples, Italy
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Filomena Anna Digilio
- Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems (IRET), UOS Naples-CNR, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Rosaria Carillo
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80138 Naples, Italy
| | - Jussara Amato
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Laura De Rosa
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Simona Paladino
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Mariarosa Anna Beatrice Melone
- Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, 2nd Division of Neurology, Center for Rare Diseases and InterUniversity Center for Research in Neurosciences, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80131 Naples, Italy
- Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Center for Biotechnology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122-6078, USA
| | - Daniela Montesarchio
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy
- Correspondence: (D.M.); (C.G.)
| | - Concetta Giancola
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
- Correspondence: (D.M.); (C.G.)
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Kaye J, Reisine T, Finkbeiner S. Huntington's disease iPSC models-using human patient cells to understand the pathology caused by expanded CAG repeats. Fac Rev 2022; 11:16. [PMID: 35865413 PMCID: PMC9264339 DOI: 10.12703/r/11-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
A major advance in the study of Huntington's disease (HD) has been the development of human disease models employing induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from patients with HD. Because iPSCs provide an unlimited source of cells and can be obtained from large numbers of HD patients, they are a uniquely valuable tool for investigating disease mechanisms and for discovering potential disease-modifying therapeutics. Here, we summarize some of the important findings in HD pathophysiology that have emerged from studies of patient-derived iPSC lines. Because they retain the genome and actual disease mutations of the patient, they provide a cell source to investigate genetic contributions to the disease. iPSCs provide advantages over other disease models. While iPSC-based technology erases some epigenetic marks, newly developed transdifferentiation methods now let us investigate epigenetic factors that control expression of mutant huntingtin (mHTT). Human HD iPSC lines allow us to investigate how endogenous levels of mHTT affect cell health, in contrast to other models that often rely on overexpressing the protein. iPSCs can be differentiated into neurons and other disease-related cells such as astrocytes from different brain regions to study brain regional differences in the disease process, as well as the cell-cell dependencies involved in HD-associated neurodegeneration. They also serve as a tissue source to investigate factors that impact CAG repeat instability, which is involved in regional differences in neurodegeneration in the HD brain. Human iPSC models can serve as a powerful model system to identify genetic modifiers that may impact disease onset, progression, and symptomatology, providing novel molecular targets for drug discovery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julia Kaye
- Center for Systems and Therapeutics, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Terry Reisine
- Independent Scientific Consultant, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Steven Finkbeiner
- Center for Systems and Therapeutics, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Taube/Koret Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Neurology and Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Riccardi C, D’Aria F, Digilio FA, Carillo MR, Amato J, Fasano D, De Rosa L, Paladino S, Melone MAB, Montesarchio D, Giancola C. Fighting the Huntington's Disease with a G-Quadruplex-Forming Aptamer Specifically Binding to Mutant Huntingtin Protein: Biophysical Characterization, In Vitro and In Vivo Studies. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:4804. [PMID: 35563194 PMCID: PMC9101412 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23094804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
A set of guanine-rich aptamers able to preferentially recognize full-length huntingtin with an expanded polyglutamine tract has been recently identified, showing high efficacy in modulating the functions of the mutated protein in a variety of cell experiments. We here report a detailed biophysical characterization of the best aptamer in the series, named MS3, proved to adopt a stable, parallel G-quadruplex structure and show high nuclease resistance in serum. Confocal microscopy experiments on HeLa and SH-SY5Y cells, as models of non-neuronal and neuronal cells, respectively, showed a rapid, dose-dependent uptake of fluorescein-labelled MS3, demonstrating its effective internalization, even in the absence of transfecting agents, with no general cytotoxicity. Then, using a well-established Drosophila melanogaster model for Huntington's disease, which expresses the mutated form of human huntingtin, a significant improvement in the motor neuronal function in flies fed with MS3 was observed, proving the in vivo efficacy of this aptamer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Riccardi
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Napoli, Italy;
| | - Federica D’Aria
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Napoli, Italy; (F.D.); (J.A.)
| | - Filomena Anna Digilio
- Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems (IRET), UOS Naples-CNR, 80131 Napoli, Italy; (F.A.D.); (M.R.C.)
| | - Maria Rosaria Carillo
- Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems (IRET), UOS Naples-CNR, 80131 Napoli, Italy; (F.A.D.); (M.R.C.)
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80138 Napoli, Italy
| | - Jussara Amato
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Napoli, Italy; (F.D.); (J.A.)
| | - Dominga Fasano
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Napoli, Italy; (D.F.); (L.D.R.); (S.P.)
- Center for Rare Diseases and Inter University Center for Research in Neurosciences, Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, 2nd Division of Neurology, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80131 Napoli, Italy;
| | - Laura De Rosa
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Napoli, Italy; (D.F.); (L.D.R.); (S.P.)
| | - Simona Paladino
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Napoli, Italy; (D.F.); (L.D.R.); (S.P.)
| | - Mariarosa Anna Beatrice Melone
- Center for Rare Diseases and Inter University Center for Research in Neurosciences, Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, 2nd Division of Neurology, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80131 Napoli, Italy;
- Center for Biotechnology, Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
| | - Daniela Montesarchio
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Napoli, Italy;
| | - Concetta Giancola
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Napoli, Italy; (F.D.); (J.A.)
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Mollasalehi N, Francois-Moutal L, Porciani D, Burke DH, Khanna M. Aptamers Targeting Hallmark Proteins of Neurodegeneration. Nucleic Acid Ther 2022; 32:235-250. [PMID: 35452303 DOI: 10.1089/nat.2021.0091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegeneration is a progressive deterioration of neural structures leading to cognitive or motor impairment of the affected patient. There is still no effective therapy for any of the most common neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease. Although NDs exhibit distinct clinical characteristics, many are characterized by the accumulation of misfolded proteins or peptide fragments in the brain and/or spinal cord. The presence of similar inclusion bodies in patients with diverse NDs provides a rationale for developing therapies directed at overlapping disease mechanisms. A novel targeting strategy involves the use of aptamers for therapeutic development. Aptamers are short nucleic acid ligands able to recognize molecular targets with high specificity and high affinity. Despite the fact that several academic groups have shown that aptamers have the potential to be used in therapeutic and diagnostic applications, their clinical translation is still limited. In this study, we describe aptamers that have been developed against proteins relevant to NDs, including prion protein and amyloid beta (Aβ), cell surface receptors and other cytoplasmic proteins. This review also describes advances in the application of these aptamers in imaging, protein detection, and protein quantification, and it provides insights about their accelerated clinical use for disease diagnosis and therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Niloufar Mollasalehi
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA.,Center for Innovation in Brain Science, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Liberty Francois-Moutal
- Center for Innovation in Brain Science, Tucson, Arizona, USA.,Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - David Porciani
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri, USA.,MU Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Donald H Burke
- Department of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri, USA.,MU Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - May Khanna
- Center for Innovation in Brain Science, Tucson, Arizona, USA.,Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Insights into Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Astrocytes in Neurodegenerative Disorders. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12030344. [PMID: 35327542 PMCID: PMC8945600 DOI: 10.3390/biom12030344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Most neurodegenerative disorders have complex and still unresolved pathology characterized by progressive neuronal damage and death. Astrocytes, the most-abundant non-neuronal cell population in the central nervous system, play a vital role in these processes. They are involved in various functions in the brain, such as the regulation of synapse formation, neuroinflammation, and lactate and glutamate levels. The development of human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) reformed the research in neurodegenerative disorders allowing for the generation of disease-relevant neuronal and non-neuronal cell types that can help in disease modeling, drug screening, and, possibly, cell transplantation strategies. In the last 14 years, the differentiation of human iPSCs into astrocytes allowed for the opportunity to explore the contribution of astrocytes to neurodegenerative diseases. This review discusses the development protocols and applications of human iPSC-derived astrocytes in the most common neurodegenerative conditions.
Collapse
|
12
|
Floreani L, Ansaloni F, Mangoni D, Agostoni E, Sanges R, Persichetti F, Gustincich S. Analysis of LINE1 Retrotransposons in Huntington’s Disease. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 15:743797. [PMID: 35095420 PMCID: PMC8795916 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.743797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are mobile genetic elements that made up about half the human genome. Among them, the autonomous non-LTR retrotransposon long interspersed nuclear element-1 (L1) is the only currently active TE in mammals and covers about 17% of the mammalian genome. L1s exert their function as structural elements in the genome, as transcribed RNAs to influence chromatin structure and as retrotransposed elements to shape genomic variation in somatic cells. L1s activity has been shown altered in several diseases of the nervous system. Huntington disease (HD) is a dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disorder caused by an expansion of a CAG repeat in the HTT gene which leads to a gradual loss of neurons most prominently in the striatum and, to a lesser extent, in cortical brain regions. The length of the expanded CAG tract is related to age at disease onset, with longer repeats leading to earlier onset. Here we carried out bioinformatic analysis of public RNA-seq data of a panel of HD mouse models showing that a decrease of L1 RNA expression recapitulates two hallmarks of the disease: it correlates to CAG repeat length and it occurs in the striatum, the site of neurodegeneration. Results were then experimentally validated in HttQ111 knock-in mice. The expression of L1-encoded proteins was independent from L1 RNA levels and differentially regulated in time and tissues. The pattern of expression L1 RNAs in human HD post-mortem brains showed similarity to mouse models of the disease. This work suggests the need for further study of L1s in HD and adds support to the current hypothesis that dysregulation of TEs may be involved in neurodegenerative diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lavinia Floreani
- Area of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Federico Ansaloni
- Area of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
- Central RNA Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia—IIT, Genova, Italy
| | - Damiano Mangoni
- Central RNA Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia—IIT, Genova, Italy
| | - Elena Agostoni
- Area of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Remo Sanges
- Area of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
- Central RNA Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia—IIT, Genova, Italy
- *Correspondence: Remo Sanges,
| | - Francesca Persichetti
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale “ A. Avogadro,”Novara, Italy
- Francesca Persichetti,
| | - Stefano Gustincich
- Area of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
- Central RNA Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia—IIT, Genova, Italy
- Stefano Gustincich,
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Tan X, Liu Y, Liu Y, Zhang T, Cong S. Dysregulation of long non-coding RNAs and their mechanisms in Huntington's disease. J Neurosci Res 2021; 99:2074-2090. [PMID: 34031910 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24825] [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: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Extensive alterations in gene regulatory networks are a typical characteristic of Huntington's disease (HD); these include alterations in protein-coding genes and poorly understood non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), which are associated with pathology caused by mutant huntingtin. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are an important class of ncRNAs involved in a variety of biological functions, including transcriptional regulation and post-transcriptional modification of many targets, and likely contributed to the pathogenesis of HD. While a number of changes in lncRNAs expression have been observed in HD, little is currently known about their functions. Here, we discuss their possible mechanisms and molecular functions, with a particular focus on their roles in transcriptional regulation. These findings give us a better insight into HD pathogenesis and may provide new targets for the treatment of this neurodegenerative disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoping Tan
- Department of Neurology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, P.R. China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Neurology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, P.R. China
| | - Yan Liu
- Department of Neurology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, P.R. China
| | - Taiming Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, P.R. China
| | - Shuyan Cong
- Department of Neurology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, P.R. China
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Hyeon JW, Kim AH, Yano H. Epigenetic regulation in Huntington's disease. Neurochem Int 2021; 148:105074. [PMID: 34038804 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2021.105074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a devastating and fatal monogenic neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive loss of selective neurons in the brain and is caused by an abnormal expansion of CAG trinucleotide repeats in a coding exon of the huntingtin (HTT) gene. Progressive gene expression changes that begin at premanifest stages are a prominent feature of HD and are thought to contribute to disease progression. Increasing evidence suggests the critical involvement of epigenetic mechanisms in abnormal transcription in HD. Genome-wide alterations of a number of epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation and multiple histone modifications, are associated with HD, suggesting that mutant HTT causes complex epigenetic abnormalities and chromatin structural changes, which may represent an underlying pathogenic mechanism. The causal relationship of specific epigenetic changes to early transcriptional alterations and to disease pathogenesis require further investigation. In this article, we review recent studies on epigenetic regulation in HD with a focus on DNA and histone modifications. We also discuss the contribution of epigenetic modifications to HD pathogenesis as well as potential mechanisms linking mutant HTT and epigenetic alterations. Finally, we discuss the therapeutic potential of epigenetic-based treatments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jae Wook Hyeon
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Albert H Kim
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA; Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA; Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA; Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA; Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Hiroko Yano
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA; Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA; Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA; Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Histone Methylation Regulation in Neurodegenerative Disorders. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22094654. [PMID: 33925016 PMCID: PMC8125694 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22094654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Advances achieved with molecular biology and genomics technologies have permitted investigators to discover epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation and histone posttranslational modifications, which are critical for gene expression in almost all tissues and in brain health and disease. These advances have influenced much interest in understanding the dysregulation of epigenetic mechanisms in neurodegenerative disorders. Although these disorders diverge in their fundamental causes and pathophysiology, several involve the dysregulation of histone methylation-mediated gene expression. Interestingly, epigenetic remodeling via histone methylation in specific brain regions has been suggested to play a critical function in the neurobiology of psychiatric disorders, including that related to neurodegenerative diseases. Prominently, epigenetic dysregulation currently brings considerable interest as an essential player in neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and drugs of abuse, including alcohol abuse disorder, where it may facilitate connections between genetic and environmental risk factors or directly influence disease-specific pathological factors. We have discussed the current state of histone methylation, therapeutic strategies, and future perspectives for these disorders. While not somatically heritable, the enzymes responsible for histone methylation regulation, such as histone methyltransferases and demethylases in neurons, are dynamic and reversible. They have become promising potential therapeutic targets to treat or prevent several neurodegenerative disorders. These findings, along with clinical data, may provide links between molecular-level changes and behavioral differences and provide novel avenues through which the epigenome may be targeted early on in people at risk for neurodegenerative disorders.
Collapse
|
16
|
Bergonzoni G, Döring J, Biagioli M. D1R- and D2R-Medium-Sized Spiny Neurons Diversity: Insights Into Striatal Vulnerability to Huntington's Disease Mutation. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:628010. [PMID: 33642998 PMCID: PMC7902492 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.628010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder caused by an aberrant expansion of the CAG tract within the exon 1 of the HD gene, HTT. HD progressively impairs motor and cognitive capabilities, leading to a total loss of autonomy and ultimate death. Currently, no cure or effective treatment is available to halt the disease. Although the HTT gene is ubiquitously expressed, the striatum appears to be the most susceptible district to the HD mutation with Medium-sized Spiny Neurons (MSNs) (D1R and D2R) representing 95% of the striatal neuronal population. Why are striatal MSNs so vulnerable to the HD mutation? Particularly, why do D1R- and D2R-MSNs display different susceptibility to HD? Here, we highlight significant differences between D1R- and D2R-MSNs subpopulations, such as morphology, electrophysiology, transcriptomic, functionality, and localization in the striatum. We discuss possible reasons for their selective degeneration in the context of HD. Our review suggests that a better understanding of cell type-specific gene expression dysregulation within the striatum might reveal new paths to therapeutic intervention or prevention to ameliorate HD patients' life expectancy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Marta Biagioli
- NeuroEpigenetics Laboratory, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Alcalá-Vida R, Seguin J, Lotz C, Molitor AM, Irastorza-Azcarate I, Awada A, Karasu N, Bombardier A, Cosquer B, Skarmeta JLG, Cassel JC, Boutillier AL, Sexton T, Merienne K. Age-related and disease locus-specific mechanisms contribute to early remodelling of chromatin structure in Huntington's disease mice. Nat Commun 2021; 12:364. [PMID: 33441541 PMCID: PMC7807045 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20605-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Temporal dynamics and mechanisms underlying epigenetic changes in Huntington's disease (HD), a neurodegenerative disease primarily affecting the striatum, remain unclear. Using a slowly progressing knockin mouse model, we profile the HD striatal chromatin landscape at two early disease stages. Data integration with cell type-specific striatal enhancer and transcriptomic databases demonstrates acceleration of age-related epigenetic remodelling and transcriptional changes at neuronal- and glial-specific genes from prodromal stage, before the onset of motor deficits. We also find that 3D chromatin architecture, while generally preserved at neuronal enhancers, is altered at the disease locus. Specifically, we find that the HD mutation, a CAG expansion in the Htt gene, locally impairs the spatial chromatin organization and proximal gene regulation. Thus, our data provide evidence for two early and distinct mechanisms underlying chromatin structure changes in the HD striatum, correlating with transcriptional changes: the HD mutation globally accelerates age-dependent epigenetic and transcriptional reprogramming of brain cell identities, and locally affects 3D chromatin organization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Alcalá-Vida
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), University of Strasbourg, 67000, Strasbourg, France
- CNRS UMR 7364, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Jonathan Seguin
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), University of Strasbourg, 67000, Strasbourg, France
- CNRS UMR 7364, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Caroline Lotz
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), University of Strasbourg, 67000, Strasbourg, France
- CNRS UMR 7364, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Anne M Molitor
- Institut de Genetique et de Biologie Moleculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), 67404, Illkirch, France
- CNRS UMR7104, 67404, Illkirch, France
- INSERM U1258, 67404, Illkirch, France
- University of Strasbourg, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Ibai Irastorza-Azcarate
- Berlin Institute of Medical Systems Biology (BIMSB), Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ali Awada
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), University of Strasbourg, 67000, Strasbourg, France
- CNRS UMR 7364, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Nezih Karasu
- Institut de Genetique et de Biologie Moleculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), 67404, Illkirch, France
- CNRS UMR7104, 67404, Illkirch, France
- INSERM U1258, 67404, Illkirch, France
- University of Strasbourg, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Aurélie Bombardier
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), University of Strasbourg, 67000, Strasbourg, France
- CNRS UMR 7364, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Brigitte Cosquer
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), University of Strasbourg, 67000, Strasbourg, France
- CNRS UMR 7364, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Jose Luis Gomez Skarmeta
- Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo (CABD), CSIC-Universidad Pablo de Olavide-Junta de Andalucía, Seville, Spain
| | - Jean-Christophe Cassel
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), University of Strasbourg, 67000, Strasbourg, France
- CNRS UMR 7364, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Anne-Laurence Boutillier
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), University of Strasbourg, 67000, Strasbourg, France
- CNRS UMR 7364, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Thomas Sexton
- Institut de Genetique et de Biologie Moleculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), 67404, Illkirch, France
- CNRS UMR7104, 67404, Illkirch, France
- INSERM U1258, 67404, Illkirch, France
- University of Strasbourg, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Karine Merienne
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), University of Strasbourg, 67000, Strasbourg, France.
- CNRS UMR 7364, 67000, Strasbourg, France.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Alcalà-Vida R, Awada A, Boutillier AL, Merienne K. Epigenetic mechanisms underlying enhancer modulation of neuronal identity, neuronal activity and neurodegeneration. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 147:105155. [PMID: 33127472 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.105155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases, including Huntington's disease (HD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD), are progressive conditions characterized by selective, disease-dependent loss of neuronal regions and/or subpopulations. Neuronal loss is preceded by a long period of neuronal dysfunction, during which glial cells also undergo major changes, including neuroinflammatory response. Those dramatic changes affecting both neuronal and glial cells associate with epigenetic and transcriptional dysregulations, characterized by defined cell-type-specific signatures. Notably, increasing studies support the view that altered regulation of transcriptional enhancers, which are distal regulatory regions of the genome capable of modulating the activity of promoters through chromatin looping, play a critical role in transcriptional dysregulation in HD and AD. We review current knowledge on enhancers in HD and AD, and highlight challenging issues to better decipher the epigenetic code of neurodegenerative diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Alcalà-Vida
- LNCA, University of Strasbourg, France; CNRS UMR 7364, Strasbourg, France
| | - Ali Awada
- LNCA, University of Strasbourg, France; CNRS UMR 7364, Strasbourg, France
| | | | - Karine Merienne
- LNCA, University of Strasbourg, France; CNRS UMR 7364, Strasbourg, France.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Jung T, Shin B, Tamo G, Kim H, Vijayvargia R, Leitner A, Marcaida MJ, Astorga-Wells J, Jung R, Aebersold R, Peraro MD, Hebert H, Seong IS, Song JJ. The Polyglutamine Expansion at the N-Terminal of Huntingtin Protein Modulates the Dynamic Configuration and Phosphorylation of the C-Terminal HEAT Domain. Structure 2020; 28:1035-1050.e8. [PMID: 32668197 PMCID: PMC11059206 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2020.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2019] [Revised: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The polyQ expansion in huntingtin protein (HTT) is the prime cause of Huntington's disease (HD). The recent cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of HTT-HAP40 complex provided the structural information on its HEAT-repeat domains. Here, we present analyses of the impact of polyQ length on the structure and function of HTT via an integrative structural and biochemical approach. The cryo-EM analysis of normal (Q23) and disease (Q78) type HTTs shows that the structures of apo HTTs significantly differ from the structure of HTT in a HAP40 complex and that the polyQ expansion induces global structural changes in the relative movements among the HTT domains. In addition, we show that the polyQ expansion alters the phosphorylation pattern across HTT and that Ser2116 phosphorylation in turn affects the global structure and function of HTT. These results provide a molecular basis for the effect of the polyQ segment on HTT structure and activity, which may be important for HTT pathology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Taeyang Jung
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), KI for the BioCentury, Daejeon 34141, Korea; School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Health Systems, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 141 52 Huddinge, Sweden; Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, 141 83 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Baehyun Shin
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Giorgio Tamo
- Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Hyeongju Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), KI for the BioCentury, Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Ravi Vijayvargia
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Alexander Leitner
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Maria J Marcaida
- Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Juan Astorga-Wells
- Department of Medical Biochemistry & Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, 171 65 Solna, Sweden; HDxperts AB, 183 48 Täby, Sweden
| | - Roy Jung
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Ruedi Aebersold
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Systems Biology, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland; Faculty of Science, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Matteo Dal Peraro
- Institute of Bioengineering, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Hans Hebert
- School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Health Systems, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 141 52 Huddinge, Sweden; Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, 141 83 Huddinge, Sweden.
| | - Ihn Sik Seong
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
| | - Ji-Joon Song
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), KI for the BioCentury, Daejeon 34141, Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Epigenomic Remodeling in Huntington's Disease-Master or Servant? EPIGENOMES 2020; 4:epigenomes4030015. [PMID: 34968288 PMCID: PMC8594700 DOI: 10.3390/epigenomes4030015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
In light of our aging population, neurodegenerative disorders are becoming a tremendous challenge, that modern societies have to face. They represent incurable, progressive conditions with diverse and complex pathological features, followed by catastrophic occurrences of massive neuronal loss at the later stages of the diseases. Some of these disorders, like Huntington’s disease (HD), rely on defined genetic factors. HD, as an incurable, fatal hereditary neurodegenerative disorder characterized by its mid-life onset, is caused by the expansion of CAG trinucleotide repeats coding for glutamine (Q) in exon 1 of the huntingtin gene. Apart from the genetic defect, environmental factors are thought to influence the risk, onset and progression of HD. As epigenetic mechanisms are known to readily respond to environmental stimuli, they are proposed to play a key role in HD pathogenesis. Indeed, dynamic epigenomic remodeling is observed in HD patients and in brains of HD animal models. Epigenetic signatures, such as DNA methylation, histone variants and modifications, are known to influence gene expression and to orchestrate various aspects of neuronal physiology. Hence, deciphering their implication in HD pathogenesis might open up new paths for novel therapeutic concepts, which are discussed in this review.
Collapse
|
21
|
Bayer C, Pitschelatow G, Hannemann N, Linde J, Reichard J, Pensold D, Zimmer-Bensch G. DNA Methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) Acts on Neurodegeneration by Modulating Proteostasis-Relevant Intracellular Processes. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E5420. [PMID: 32751461 PMCID: PMC7432412 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21155420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The limited regenerative capacity of neurons requires a tightly orchestrated cell death and survival regulation in the context of longevity, as well as age-associated and neurodegenerative diseases. Subordinate to genetic networks, epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation and histone modifications, are involved in the regulation of neuronal functionality and emerge as key contributors to the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases. DNA methylation, a dynamic and reversible process, is executed by DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs). DNMT1 was previously shown to act on neuronal survival in the aged brain, whereby a DNMT1-dependent modulation of processes relevant for protein degradation was proposed as an underlying mechanism. Properly operating proteostasis networks are a mandatory prerequisite for the functionality and long-term survival of neurons. Malfunctioning proteostasis is found, inter alia, in neurodegenerative contexts. Here, we investigated whether DNMT1 affects critical aspects of the proteostasis network by a combination of expression studies, live cell imaging, and protein biochemical analyses. We found that DNMT1 negatively impacts retrograde trafficking and autophagy, with both being involved in the clearance of aggregation-prone proteins by the aggresome-autophagy pathway. In line with this, we found that the transport of GFP-labeled mutant huntingtin (HTT) to perinuclear regions, proposed to be cytoprotective, also depends on DNMT1. Depletion of Dnmt1 accelerated perinuclear HTT aggregation and improved the survival of cells transfected with mutant HTT. This suggests that mutant HTT-induced cytotoxicity is at least in part mediated by DNMT1-dependent modulation of degradative pathways.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Geraldine Zimmer-Bensch
- Division of Functional Epigenetics in the Animal Model, Institute for Biology II, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 3, 52074 Aachen, Germany; (C.B.); (G.P.); (N.H.); (J.L.); (J.R.); (D.P.)
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Goodnight AV, Kremsky I, Khampang S, Jung YH, Billingsley JM, Bosinger SE, Corces VG, Chan AWS. Chromatin accessibility and transcription dynamics during in vitro astrocyte differentiation of Huntington's Disease Monkey pluripotent stem cells. Epigenetics Chromatin 2019; 12:67. [PMID: 31722751 PMCID: PMC6852955 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-019-0313-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 10/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Huntington's Disease (HD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG repeat expansion, resulting in a mutant huntingtin protein. While it is now clear that astrocytes are affected by HD and significantly contribute to neuronal dysfunction and pathogenesis, the alterations in the transcriptional and epigenetic profiles in HD astrocytes have yet to be characterized. Here, we examine global transcription and chromatin accessibility dynamics during in vitro astrocyte differentiation in a transgenic non-human primate model of HD. RESULTS We found global changes in accessibility and transcription across different stages of HD pluripotent stem cell differentiation, with distinct trends first observed in neural progenitor cells (NPCs), once cells have committed to a neural lineage. Transcription of p53 signaling and cell cycle pathway genes was highly impacted during differentiation, with depletion in HD NPCs and upregulation in HD astrocytes. E2F target genes also displayed this inverse expression pattern, and strong associations between E2F target gene expression and accessibility at nearby putative enhancers were observed. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that chromatin accessibility and transcription are altered throughout in vitro HD astrocyte differentiation and provide evidence that E2F dysregulation contributes to aberrant cell-cycle re-entry and apoptosis throughout the progression from NPCs to astrocytes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra V Goodnight
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Program, Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, 1462 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Isaac Kremsky
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Sujittra Khampang
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
- Embryonic Stem Cell Research Center, School of Biotechnology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
| | - Yoon Hee Jung
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - James M Billingsley
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Steven E Bosinger
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Victor G Corces
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Program, Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, 1462 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
| | - Anthony W S Chan
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Program, Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, 1462 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Irmak D, Fatima A, Gutiérrez-Garcia R, Rinschen MM, Wagle P, Altmüller J, Arrigoni L, Hummel B, Klein C, Frese CK, Sawarkar R, Rada-Iglesias A, Vilchez D. Mechanism suppressing H3K9 trimethylation in pluripotent stem cells and its demise by polyQ-expanded huntingtin mutations. Hum Mol Genet 2019; 27:4117-4134. [PMID: 30452683 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddy304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2018] [Accepted: 08/10/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pluripotent stem cells are invaluable resources to study development and disease, holding a great promise for regenerative medicine. Here we use human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from patients with Huntington's disease (HD-iPSCs) to shed light into the normal function of huntingtin (HTT) and its demise in disease. We find that HTT binds ATF7IP, a regulator of the histone H3 methyltransferase SETDB1. HTT inhibits the interaction of the ATF7IP-SETDB1 complex with other heterochromatin regulators and transcriptional repressors, maintaining low levels of H3K9 trimethylation (H3K9me3) in hESCs. Loss of HTT promotes global increased H3K9me3 levels and enrichment of H3K9me3 marks at distinct genes, including transcriptional regulators of neuronal differentiation. Although these genes are normally expressed at low amounts in hESCs, HTT knockdown (KD) reduces their induction during neural differentiation. Notably, mutant expanded polyglutamine repeats in HTT diminish its interaction with ATF7IP-SETDB1 complex and trigger H3K9me3 in HD-iPSCs. Conversely, KD of ATF7IP in HD-iPSCs reduces H3K9me3 alterations and ameliorates gene expression changes in their neural counterparts. Taken together, our results indicate ATF7IP as a potential target to correct aberrant H3K9me3 levels induced by mutant HTT.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dilber Irmak
- Cologne Excellence Cluster for Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Strasse 26, Cologne, Germany
| | - Azra Fatima
- Cologne Excellence Cluster for Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Strasse 26, Cologne, Germany
| | - Ricardo Gutiérrez-Garcia
- Cologne Excellence Cluster for Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Strasse 26, Cologne, Germany
| | - Markus M Rinschen
- Cologne Excellence Cluster for Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Strasse 26, Cologne, Germany
| | - Prerana Wagle
- Cologne Excellence Cluster for Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Strasse 26, Cologne, Germany
| | - Janine Altmüller
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Robert-Koch-Strasse 21, Cologne, Germany.,Cologne Center for Genomics (CCG), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Laura Arrigoni
- Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Barbara Hummel
- Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Corinna Klein
- Cologne Excellence Cluster for Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Strasse 26, Cologne, Germany
| | - Christian K Frese
- Cologne Excellence Cluster for Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Strasse 26, Cologne, Germany
| | - Ritwick Sawarkar
- Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Alvaro Rada-Iglesias
- Cologne Excellence Cluster for Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Strasse 26, Cologne, Germany.,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Robert-Koch-Strasse 21, Cologne, Germany
| | - David Vilchez
- Cologne Excellence Cluster for Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Strasse 26, Cologne, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Cho IK, Yang B, Forest C, Qian L, Chan AWS. Amelioration of Huntington's disease phenotype in astrocytes derived from iPSC-derived neural progenitor cells of Huntington's disease monkeys. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0214156. [PMID: 30897183 PMCID: PMC6428250 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0214156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a devastating monogenic, dominant, hereditary, neurodegenerative disease. HD is caused by the expansion of CAG repeats in exon 1 of the huntingtin (HTT) gene, IT15, resulting in an expanded polyglutamine (polyQ) residue in the N-terminus of the HTT protein. HD is characterized by the accumulation of mutant HTT (mHTT) in neural and somatic cells. Progressive brain atrophy occurs initially in the striatum and extends to different brain regions with progressive decline in cognitive, behavioral and motor functions. Astrocytes are the most abundant cell type in the brain and play an essential role in neural development and maintaining homeostasis in the central nervous system (CNS). There is increasing evidence supporting the involvement of astrocytes in the development of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease (PD), Huntington’s disease (HD), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We have generated neural progenitor cells (NPCs) from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) of transgenic HD monkeys as a model for studying HD pathogenesis. We have reported that NPCs can be differentiated in vitro into mature neural cells, such as neurons and glial cells, and are an excellent tool to study the pathogenesis of HD. To better understand the role of astrocytes in HD pathogenesis and discover new therapies to treat HD, we have developed an astrocyte differentiation protocol and evaluated the efficacy of RNAi to ameliorate HD phenotypes in astrocytes. The resultant astrocytes expressed canonical astrocyte-specific markers examined by immunostaining and real-time PCR. Flow cytometry (FACS) analysis showed that the majority of the differentiated NPCs (95.7%) were positive for an astrocyte specific marker, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Functionalities of astrocytes were evaluated by glutamate uptake assay and electrophysiology. Expression of mHTT in differentiated astrocytes induced cytosolic mHTT aggregates and nuclear inclusions, suppressed the expression of SOD2 and PGC1, reduced ability to uptake glutamate, decreased 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) response, and shifted I/V plot measured by electrophysiology, which are consistent with previous reports on HD astrocytes and patient brain samples. However, expression of small-hairpin RNA against HTT (shHD) ameliorated and reversed aforementioned HD phenotypes in astrocytes. This represents a demonstration of a novel non-human primate (NHP) astrocyte model for studying HD pathogenesis and a platform for discovering novel HD treatments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- In Ki Cho
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- * E-mail: (IKC); (AWSC)
| | - Bo Yang
- Neuroscience Core, Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering & Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Craig Forest
- Neuroscience Core, Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering & Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Lu Qian
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Anthony W. S. Chan
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- * E-mail: (IKC); (AWSC)
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Murthy V, Tebaldi T, Yoshida T, Erdin S, Calzonetti T, Vijayvargia R, Tripathi T, Kerschbamer E, Seong IS, Quattrone A, Talkowski ME, Gusella JF, Georgopoulos K, MacDonald ME, Biagioli M. Hypomorphic mutation of the mouse Huntington's disease gene orthologue. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1007765. [PMID: 30897080 PMCID: PMC6445486 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2018] [Revised: 04/02/2019] [Accepted: 02/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Rare individuals with inactivating mutations in the Huntington's disease gene (HTT) exhibit variable abnormalities that imply essential HTT roles during organ development. Here we report phenotypes produced when increasingly severe hypomorphic mutations in the murine HTT orthologue Htt, (HdhneoQ20, HdhneoQ50, HdhneoQ111), were placed over a null allele (Hdhex4/5). The most severe hypomorphic allele failed to rescue null lethality at gastrulation, while the intermediate, though still severe, alleles yielded recessive perinatal lethality and a variety of fetal abnormalities affecting body size, skin, skeletal and ear formation, and transient defects in hematopoiesis. Comparative molecular analysis of wild-type and Htt-null retinoic acid-differentiated cells revealed gene network dysregulation associated with organ development that nominate polycomb repressive complexes and miRNAs as molecular mediators. Together these findings demonstrate that Htt is required both pre- and post-gastrulation to support normal development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vidya Murthy
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Toma Tebaldi
- Laboratory of Translational Genomics, Centre for Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Toshimi Yoshida
- Cutaneous Biology Research Center (CBRC), Mass General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States of America
| | - Serkan Erdin
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Teresa Calzonetti
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Frederick Community College, Frederick MD, United States of America
| | - Ravi Vijayvargia
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Takshashila Tripathi
- NeuroEpigenetics Laboratory, Centre for Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Emanuela Kerschbamer
- NeuroEpigenetics Laboratory, Centre for Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Ihn Sik Seong
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Alessandro Quattrone
- Laboratory of Translational Genomics, Centre for Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Michael E. Talkowski
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - James F. Gusella
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Katia Georgopoulos
- Cutaneous Biology Research Center (CBRC), Mass General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States of America
| | - Marcy E. MacDonald
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Marta Biagioli
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
- NeuroEpigenetics Laboratory, Centre for Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Abstract
Epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA and histone modifications, are pivotal for normal brain development and functions by modulating spatial and temporal gene expression. Dysregulation of the epigenetic machinery can serve as a causal role in numerous brain disorders. Proper mammalian brain development and functions depend on the precise expression of neuronal-specific genes, transcription factors and epigenetic modifications. Antagonistic polycomb and trithorax proteins form multimeric complexes and play important roles in these processes by epigenetically controlling gene repression or activation through various molecular mechanisms. Aberrant expression or disruption of either protein group can contribute to neurodegenerative diseases. This review focus on the current progress of Polycomb and Trithorax complexes in brain development and disease, and provides a future outlook of the field.
Collapse
|
27
|
Vieira AS, Dogini DB, Lopes-Cendes I. Role of non-coding RNAs in non-aging-related neurological disorders. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 51:e7566. [PMID: 29898036 PMCID: PMC6002137 DOI: 10.1590/1414-431x20187566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 04/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Protein coding sequences represent only 2% of the human genome. Recent advances
have demonstrated that a significant portion of the genome is actively
transcribed as non-coding RNA molecules. These non-coding RNAs are emerging as
key players in the regulation of biological processes, and act as "fine-tuners"
of gene expression. Neurological disorders are caused by a wide range of genetic
mutations, epigenetic and environmental factors, and the exact pathophysiology
of many of these conditions is still unknown. It is currently recognized that
dysregulations in the expression of non-coding RNAs are present in many
neurological disorders and may be relevant in the mechanisms leading to disease.
In addition, circulating non-coding RNAs are emerging as potential biomarkers
with great potential impact in clinical practice. In this review, we discuss
mainly the role of microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs in several neurological
disorders, such as epilepsy, Huntington disease, fragile X-associated ataxia,
spinocerebellar ataxias, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and pain. In
addition, we give information about the conditions where microRNAs have
demonstrated to be potential biomarkers such as in epilepsy, pain, and ALS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A S Vieira
- Departamento de Biologia Estrutural e Funcional, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brasil.,Instituto Brasileiro de Neurociência e Neurotecnologia, Campinas, SP, Brasil
| | - D B Dogini
- Departamento de Genética Médica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brasil.,Instituto Brasileiro de Neurociência e Neurotecnologia, Campinas, SP, Brasil
| | - I Lopes-Cendes
- Departamento de Genética Médica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brasil.,Instituto Brasileiro de Neurociência e Neurotecnologia, Campinas, SP, Brasil
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Shin B, Jung R, Oh H, Owens GE, Lee H, Kwak S, Lee R, Cotman SL, Lee JM, MacDonald ME, Song JJ, Vijayvargia R, Seong IS. Novel DNA Aptamers that Bind to Mutant Huntingtin and Modify Its Activity. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2018; 11:416-428. [PMID: 29858077 PMCID: PMC5992459 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2018.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2017] [Revised: 02/22/2018] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The CAG repeat expansion that elongates the polyglutamine tract in huntingtin is the root genetic cause of Huntington’s disease (HD), a debilitating neurodegenerative disorder. This seemingly slight change to the primary amino acid sequence alters the physical structure of the mutant protein and alters its activity. We have identified a set of G-quadruplex-forming DNA aptamers (MS1, MS2, MS3, MS4) that bind mutant huntingtin proximal to lysines K2932/K2934 in the C-terminal CTD-II domain. Aptamer binding to mutant huntingtin abrogated the enhanced polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) stimulatory activity conferred by the expanded polyglutamine tract. In HD, but not normal, neuronal progenitor cells (NPCs), MS3 aptamer co-localized with endogenous mutant huntingtin and was associated with significantly decreased PRC2 activity. Furthermore, MS3 transfection protected HD NPCs against starvation-dependent stress with increased ATP. Therefore, DNA aptamers can preferentially target mutant huntingtin and modulate a gain of function endowed by the elongated polyglutamine segment. These mutant huntingtin binding aptamers provide novel molecular tools for delineating the effects of the HD mutation and encourage mutant huntingtin structure-based approaches to therapeutic development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Baehyun Shin
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Roy Jung
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Hyejin Oh
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Gwen E Owens
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Hyeongseok Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, KAIST Institute for the BioCentury, Center for Cancer Metastasis, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Kwak
- CHDI Foundation, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
| | - Ramee Lee
- CHDI Foundation, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
| | - Susan L Cotman
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Jong-Min Lee
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Marcy E MacDonald
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Ji-Joon Song
- Department of Biological Sciences, KAIST Institute for the BioCentury, Center for Cancer Metastasis, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Ravi Vijayvargia
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
| | - Ihn Sik Seong
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
|
30
|
Huntington Disease as a Neurodevelopmental Disorder and Early Signs of the Disease in Stem Cells. Mol Neurobiol 2017; 55:3351-3371. [PMID: 28497201 PMCID: PMC5842500 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-017-0477-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2017] [Accepted: 03/01/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is a dominantly inherited disorder caused by a CAG expansion mutation in the huntingtin (HTT) gene, which results in the HTT protein that contains an expanded polyglutamine tract. The adult form of HD exhibits a late onset of the fully symptomatic phase. However, there is also a long presymptomatic phase, which has been increasingly investigated and recognized as important for the disease development. Moreover, the juvenile form of HD, evoked by a higher number of CAG repeats, resembles a neurodevelopmental disorder and has recently been the focus of additional interest. Multiple lines of data, such as the developmental necessity of HTT, its role in the cell cycle and neurogenesis, and findings from pluripotent stem cells, suggest the existence of a neurodevelopmental component in HD pathogenesis. Therefore, we discuss the early molecular pathogenesis of HD in pluripotent and neural stem cells, with respect to the neurodevelopmental aspects of HD.
Collapse
|
31
|
Baronchelli S, La Spada A, Ntai A, Barbieri A, Conforti P, Jotti GS, Redaelli S, Bentivegna A, De Blasio P, Biunno I. Epigenetic and transcriptional modulation of WDR5, a chromatin remodeling protein, in Huntington's disease human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) model. Mol Cell Neurosci 2017; 82:46-57. [PMID: 28476540 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2017.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2016] [Revised: 04/04/2017] [Accepted: 04/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation (DNAm) changes are of increasing relevance to neurodegenerative disorders, including Huntington's disease (HD). We performed genome-wide screening of possible DNAm changes occurring during striatal differentiation in human induced pluripotent stem cells derived from a HD patient (HD-hiPSCs) as cellular model. We identified 240 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) at promoters in fully differentiated HD-hiPSCs. Subsequently, we focused on the methylation differences in a subcluster of genes related to Jumonji Domain Containing 3 (JMJD3), a demethylase that epigenetically regulates neuronal differentiation and activates neuronal progenitor associated genes, which are indispensable for neuronal fate acquisition. Noticeably among these genes, WD repeat-containing protein 5 (WDR5) promoter was found hypermethylated in HD-hiPSCs, resulting in a significant down-modulation in its expression and of the encoded protein. A similar WDR5 expression decrease was seen in a small series of HD-hiPSC lines characterized by different CAG length. The decrease in WDR5 expression was particularly evident in HD-hiPSCs compared to hESCs and control-hiPSCs from healthy subjects. WDR5 is a core component of the MLL/SET1 chromatin remodeling complexes essential for H3K4me3, previously reported to play an important role in stem cells self-renewal and differentiation. These results suggest the existence of epigenetic mechanisms in HD and the identification of genes, which are able to modulate HD phenotype, is important both for biomarker discovery and therapeutic interventions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simona Baronchelli
- Institute of Genetic and Biomedical Research, National Research Council (IRGB-CNR), via Fantoli 16/15, 20138 Milan, Italy
| | - Alberto La Spada
- Institute of Genetic and Biomedical Research, National Research Council (IRGB-CNR), via Fantoli 16/15, 20138 Milan, Italy
| | - Aikaterini Ntai
- Integrated Systems Engineering Srl, Via Fantoli 16/15, 20138 Milano, Italy
| | - Andrea Barbieri
- Institute of Genetic and Biomedical Research, National Research Council (IRGB-CNR), via Fantoli 16/15, 20138 Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Conforti
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan and Istituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare Padiglione Invernizzi, Via Francesco Sforza 35, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Gloria Saccani Jotti
- Department of Biological Science, Biotechnology and Translational - S.Bi.Bi.T., University of Parma, Via Gramsci 14, 43121 Parma, Italy
| | - Serena Redaelli
- Department of Surgery and Translational Medicine, University of Milano-Bicocca, via Cadore 48, 20900 Monza, Milan, Italy
| | - Angela Bentivegna
- Department of Surgery and Translational Medicine, University of Milano-Bicocca, via Cadore 48, 20900 Monza, Milan, Italy; NeuroMI, Milan Center of Neuroscience, via Pergolesi 33, 20900 Monza, Italy
| | - Pasquale De Blasio
- Integrated Systems Engineering Srl, Via Fantoli 16/15, 20138 Milano, Italy
| | - Ida Biunno
- Institute of Genetic and Biomedical Research, National Research Council (IRGB-CNR), via Fantoli 16/15, 20138 Milan, Italy; IRCCS Multimedica, via Fantoli 16/15, 20138 Milano, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Le Gras S, Keime C, Anthony A, Lotz C, De Longprez L, Brouillet E, Cassel JC, Boutillier AL, Merienne K. Altered enhancer transcription underlies Huntington's disease striatal transcriptional signature. Sci Rep 2017; 7:42875. [PMID: 28225006 PMCID: PMC5320509 DOI: 10.1038/srep42875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2016] [Accepted: 01/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic and transcriptional alterations are both implicated in Huntington’s disease (HD), a progressive neurodegenerative disease resulting in degeneration of striatal neurons in the brain. However, how impaired epigenetic regulation leads to transcriptional dysregulation in HD is unclear. Here, we investigated enhancer RNAs (eRNAs), a class of long non-coding RNAs transcribed from active enhancers. We found that eRNAs are expressed from many enhancers of mouse striatum and showed that a subset of those eRNAs are deregulated in HD vs control mouse striatum. Enhancer regions producing eRNAs decreased in HD mouse striatum were associated with genes involved in striatal neuron identity. Consistently, they were enriched in striatal super-enhancers. Moreover, decreased eRNA expression in HD mouse striatum correlated with down-regulation of associated genes. Additionally, a significant number of RNA Polymerase II (RNAPII) binding sites were lost within enhancers associated with decreased eRNAs in HD vs control mouse striatum. Together, this indicates that loss of RNAPII at HD mouse enhancers contributes to reduced transcription of eRNAs, resulting in down-regulation of target genes. Thus, our data support the view that eRNA dysregulation in HD striatum is a key mechanism leading to altered transcription of striatal neuron identity genes, through reduced recruitment of RNAPII at super-enhancers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stéphanie Le Gras
- GenomeEast Platform, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), CNRS/INSERM/University of Strasbourg-UMR 7104, 1 rue Laurent Fries, 67404 Illkirch, France
| | - Céline Keime
- GenomeEast Platform, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), CNRS/INSERM/University of Strasbourg-UMR 7104, 1 rue Laurent Fries, 67404 Illkirch, France
| | - Anne Anthony
- University of Strasbourg, Laboratory of Cognitive and Adaptive Neurosciences (LNCA), 12 rue Goethe, 67000 Strasbourg, France.,CNRS, LNCA UMR 7364, 12 rue Goethe, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Caroline Lotz
- University of Strasbourg, Laboratory of Cognitive and Adaptive Neurosciences (LNCA), 12 rue Goethe, 67000 Strasbourg, France.,CNRS, LNCA UMR 7364, 12 rue Goethe, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Lucie De Longprez
- Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA), Département de Recherches Fondamentales (DRF), Institut d'Imagerie Biomédicale (I2BM), Molecular Imaging Research Center (MIRCen), F-92260 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, UMR 9199, Neurodegenerative Diseases Laboratory, F-92260 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Emmanuel Brouillet
- Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA), Département de Recherches Fondamentales (DRF), Institut d'Imagerie Biomédicale (I2BM), Molecular Imaging Research Center (MIRCen), F-92260 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, UMR 9199, Neurodegenerative Diseases Laboratory, F-92260 Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Jean-Christophe Cassel
- University of Strasbourg, Laboratory of Cognitive and Adaptive Neurosciences (LNCA), 12 rue Goethe, 67000 Strasbourg, France.,CNRS, LNCA UMR 7364, 12 rue Goethe, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Anne-Laurence Boutillier
- University of Strasbourg, Laboratory of Cognitive and Adaptive Neurosciences (LNCA), 12 rue Goethe, 67000 Strasbourg, France.,CNRS, LNCA UMR 7364, 12 rue Goethe, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Karine Merienne
- University of Strasbourg, Laboratory of Cognitive and Adaptive Neurosciences (LNCA), 12 rue Goethe, 67000 Strasbourg, France.,CNRS, LNCA UMR 7364, 12 rue Goethe, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Yu MS, Tanese N. Huntingtin Is Required for Neural But Not Cardiac/Pancreatic Progenitor Differentiation of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells In vitro. Front Cell Neurosci 2017; 11:33. [PMID: 28270748 PMCID: PMC5318384 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2017.00033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2016] [Accepted: 02/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutation in the huntingtin (HTT) gene causes Huntington's disease (HD). It is an autosomal dominant trinucleotide-repeat expansion disease in which CAG repeat sequence expands to >35. This results in the production of mutant HTT protein with an increased stretch of glutamines near the N-terminus. The wild type HTT gene encodes a 350 kD protein whose function remains elusive. Mutant HTT protein has been implicated in transcription, axonal transport, cytoskeletal structure/function, signal transduction, and autophagy. HD is characterized by the appearance of nuclear inclusions and degeneration of the striatum. Although HTT protein is expressed early in embryos, most patients develop symptoms in mid-life. It is also unclear why the ubiquitously expressed mutant HTT specifically causes striatal atrophy. Wild type Htt is essential for development as Htt knockout mice die at day E7.5. Increasing evidence suggests mutant Htt may alter neurogenesis and development of striatal neurons resulting in neuronal loss. Using a mouse embryonic stem cell model, we examined the role of Htt in neural differentiation. We found cells lacking Htt inefficient in generating neural stem cells. In contrast differentiation into progenitors of mesoderm and endoderm lineages was not affected. The data suggests Htt is essential for neural but not cardiac/pancreatic progenitor differentiation of embryonic stem cells in vitro.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Man Shan Yu
- Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York NY, USA
| | - Naoko Tanese
- Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Casa V, Runfola V, Micheloni S, Aziz A, Dilworth FJ, Gabellini D. Polycomb repressive complex 1 provides a molecular explanation for repeat copy number dependency in FSHD muscular dystrophy. Hum Mol Genet 2017; 26:753-767. [PMID: 28040729 PMCID: PMC5409123 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddw426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2016] [Accepted: 12/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Repression of repetitive elements is crucial to preserve genome integrity and has been traditionally ascribed to constitutive heterochromatin pathways. FacioScapuloHumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD), one of the most common myopathies, is characterized by a complex interplay of genetic and epigenetic events. The main FSHD form is linked to a reduced copy number of the D4Z4 macrosatellite repeat on 4q35, causing loss of silencing and aberrant expression of the D4Z4-embedded DUX4 gene leading to disease. By an unknown mechanism, D4Z4 copy-number correlates with FSHD phenotype. Here we show that the DUX4 proximal promoter (DUX4p) is sufficient to nucleate the enrichment of both constitutive and facultative heterochromatin components and to mediate a copy-number dependent gene silencing. We found that both the CpG/GC dense DNA content and the repetitive nature of DUX4p arrays are important for their repressive ability. We showed that DUX4p mediates a copy number-dependent Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 (PRC1) recruitment, which is responsible for the copy-number dependent gene repression. Overall, we directly link genetic and epigenetic defects in FSHD by proposing a novel molecular explanation for the copy number-dependency in FSHD pathogenesis, and offer insight into the molecular functions of repeats in chromatin regulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Casa
- Gene Expression and Muscular Dystrophy Unit, Division of Regenerative Medicine, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan 20132, Italy.,Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan 20132, Italy
| | - Valeria Runfola
- Gene Expression and Muscular Dystrophy Unit, Division of Regenerative Medicine, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan 20132, Italy
| | - Stefano Micheloni
- Gene Expression and Muscular Dystrophy Unit, Division of Regenerative Medicine, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan 20132, Italy
| | - Arif Aziz
- The Sprott Center for Stem Cell Research, Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1Y 4E9, Canada
| | - F Jeffrey Dilworth
- The Sprott Center for Stem Cell Research, Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1Y 4E9, Canada
| | - Davide Gabellini
- Gene Expression and Muscular Dystrophy Unit, Division of Regenerative Medicine, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan 20132, Italy.,Dulbecco Telethon Institute, Milan 20132, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Francelle L, Lotz C, Outeiro T, Brouillet E, Merienne K. Contribution of Neuroepigenetics to Huntington's Disease. Front Hum Neurosci 2017; 11:17. [PMID: 28194101 PMCID: PMC5276857 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2016] [Accepted: 01/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Unbalanced epigenetic regulation is thought to contribute to the progression of several neurodegenerative diseases, including Huntington’s disease (HD), a genetic disorder considered as a paradigm of epigenetic dysregulation. In this review, we attempt to address open questions regarding the role of epigenetic changes in HD, in the light of recent advances in neuroepigenetics. We particularly discuss studies using genome-wide scale approaches that provide insights into the relationship between epigenetic regulations, gene expression and neuronal activity in normal and diseased neurons, including HD neurons. We propose that cell-type specific techniques and 3D-based methods will advance knowledge of epigenome in the context of brain region vulnerability in neurodegenerative diseases. A better understanding of the mechanisms underlying epigenetic changes and of their consequences in neurodegenerative diseases is required to design therapeutic strategies more effective than current strategies based on histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors. Researches in HD may play a driving role in this process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laetitia Francelle
- Department of NeuroDegeneration and Restorative Research, University Medical Center Goettingen Goettingen, Germany
| | - Caroline Lotz
- CNRS UMR 7364, Laboratory of Cognitive and Adaptive Neurosciences, University of Strasbourg Strasbourg, France
| | - Tiago Outeiro
- Department of NeuroDegeneration and Restorative Research, University Medical Center Goettingen Goettingen, Germany
| | - Emmanuel Brouillet
- Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Département de Recherche Fondamentale, Institut d'Imagerie Biomédicale, Molecular Imaging Center, Neurodegenerative diseases Laboratory, UMR 9199, CNRS Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Karine Merienne
- CNRS UMR 7364, Laboratory of Cognitive and Adaptive Neurosciences, University of Strasbourg Strasbourg, France
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a genetic, fatal autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder typically occurring in midlife with symptoms ranging from chorea, to dementia, to personality disturbances (Philos Trans R Soc Lond Ser B Biol Sci 354:957-961, 1999). HD is inherited in a dominant fashion, and the underlying mutation in all cases is a CAG trinucleotide repeat expansion within exon 1 of the HD gene (Cell 72:971-983, 1993). The expanded CAG repeat, translated into a lengthened glutamine tract at the amino terminus of the huntingtin protein, affects its structural properties and functional activities. The effects are pleiotropic, as huntingtin is broadly expressed in different cellular compartments (i.e., cytosol, nucleus, mitochondria) as well as in all cell types of the body at all developmental stages, such that HD pathogenesis likely starts at conception and is a lifelong process (Front Neurosci 9:509, 2015). The rate-limiting mechanism(s) of neurodegeneration in HD still remains elusive: many different processes are commonly disrupted in HD cell lines and animal models, as well as in HD patient cells (Eur J Neurosci 27:2803-2820, 2008); however, epigenetic-chromatin deregulation, as determined by the analysis of DNA methylation, histone modifications, and noncoding RNAs, has now become a prevailing feature. Thus, the overarching goal of this chapter is to discuss the current status of the literature, reviewing how an aberrant epigenetic landscape can contribute to altered gene expression and neuronal dysfunction in HD.
Collapse
|
37
|
von Schimmelmann M, Feinberg PA, Sullivan JM, Ku SM, Badimon A, Duff MK, Wang Z, Lachmann A, Dewell S, Ma'ayan A, Han MH, Tarakhovsky A, Schaefer A. Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) silences genes responsible for neurodegeneration. Nat Neurosci 2016; 19:1321-30. [PMID: 27526204 PMCID: PMC5088783 DOI: 10.1038/nn.4360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2016] [Accepted: 07/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Normal brain function depends on the interaction between highly specialized neurons that operate within anatomically and functionally distinct brain regions. Neuronal specification is driven by transcriptional programs that are established during early neuronal development and remain in place in the adult brain. The fidelity of neuronal specification depends on the robustness of the transcriptional program that supports the neuron type-specific gene expression patterns. Here we show that polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), which supports neuron specification during differentiation, contributes to the suppression of a transcriptional program that is detrimental to adult neuron function and survival. We show that PRC2 deficiency in striatal neurons leads to the de-repression of selected, predominantly bivalent PRC2 target genes that are dominated by self-regulating transcription factors normally suppressed in these neurons. The transcriptional changes in PRC2-deficient neurons lead to progressive and fatal neurodegeneration in mice. Our results point to a key role of PRC2 in protecting neurons against degeneration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Melanie von Schimmelmann
- Friedman Brain Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Philip A Feinberg
- Friedman Brain Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Josefa M Sullivan
- Friedman Brain Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Stacy M Ku
- Friedman Brain Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA.,Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Ana Badimon
- Friedman Brain Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Mary Kaye Duff
- Friedman Brain Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Zichen Wang
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA.,BD2K-LINCS Data Coordination and Integration Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Alexander Lachmann
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA.,BD2K-LINCS Data Coordination and Integration Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Scott Dewell
- Genomics Resource Center, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Avi Ma'ayan
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA.,BD2K-LINCS Data Coordination and Integration Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Ming-Hu Han
- Friedman Brain Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA.,Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Alexander Tarakhovsky
- Laboratory of Immune Cell Epigenetics and Signaling, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Anne Schaefer
- Friedman Brain Institute, Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Horvath S, Langfelder P, Kwak S, Aaronson J, Rosinski J, Vogt TF, Eszes M, Faull RL, Curtis MA, Waldvogel HJ, Choi OW, Tung S, Vinters HV, Coppola G, Yang XW. Huntington's disease accelerates epigenetic aging of human brain and disrupts DNA methylation levels. Aging (Albany NY) 2016; 8:1485-512. [PMID: 27479945 PMCID: PMC4993344 DOI: 10.18632/aging.101005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 151] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2016] [Accepted: 07/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Age of Huntington's disease (HD) motoric onset is strongly related to the number of CAG trinucleotide repeats in the huntingtin gene, suggesting that biological tissue age plays an important role in disease etiology. Recently, a DNA methylation based biomarker of tissue age has been advanced as an epigenetic aging clock. We sought to inquire if HD is associated with an accelerated epigenetic age. DNA methylation data was generated for 475 brain samples from various brain regions of 26 HD cases and 39 controls. Overall, brain regions from HD cases exhibit a significant epigenetic age acceleration effect (p=0.0012). A multivariate model analysis suggests that HD status increases biological age by 3.2 years. Accelerated epigenetic age can be observed in specific brain regions (frontal lobe, parietal lobe, and cingulate gyrus). After excluding controls, we observe a negative correlation (r=-0.41, p=5.5×10-8) between HD gene CAG repeat length and the epigenetic age of HD brain samples. Using correlation network analysis, we identify 11 co-methylation modules with a significant association with HD status across 3 broad cortical regions. In conclusion, HD is associated with an accelerated epigenetic age of specific brain regions and more broadly with substantial changes in brain methylation levels.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Steve Horvath
- Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Biostatistics, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Peter Langfelder
- Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Seung Kwak
- CHDI Management/CHDI Foundation, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
| | - Jeff Aaronson
- CHDI Management/CHDI Foundation, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
| | - Jim Rosinski
- CHDI Management/CHDI Foundation, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
| | - Thomas F. Vogt
- CHDI Management/CHDI Foundation, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA
| | - Marika Eszes
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medical and Health Science (FMHS), University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Science (FMHS), University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Richard L.M. Faull
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medical and Health Science (FMHS), University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Science (FMHS), University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Maurice A. Curtis
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medical and Health Science (FMHS), University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Science (FMHS), University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Henry J. Waldvogel
- Department of Anatomy and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medical and Health Science (FMHS), University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Centre for Brain Research, Faculty of Medical and Health Science (FMHS), University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Oi-Wa Choi
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Spencer Tung
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and Neurology, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Harry V. Vinters
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and Neurology, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Giovanni Coppola
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- UCLA Brain Research Institute, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - X. William Yang
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- UCLA Brain Research Institute, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Stern AM, Schurdak ME, Bahar I, Berg JM, Taylor DL. A Perspective on Implementing a Quantitative Systems Pharmacology Platform for Drug Discovery and the Advancement of Personalized Medicine. JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR SCREENING 2016; 21:521-34. [PMID: 26962875 PMCID: PMC4917453 DOI: 10.1177/1087057116635818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Drug candidates exhibiting well-defined pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles that are otherwise safe often fail to demonstrate proof-of-concept in phase II and III trials. Innovation in drug discovery and development has been identified as a critical need for improving the efficiency of drug discovery, especially through collaborations between academia, government agencies, and industry. To address the innovation challenge, we describe a comprehensive, unbiased, integrated, and iterative quantitative systems pharmacology (QSP)-driven drug discovery and development strategy and platform that we have implemented at the University of Pittsburgh Drug Discovery Institute. Intrinsic to QSP is its integrated use of multiscale experimental and computational methods to identify mechanisms of disease progression and to test predicted therapeutic strategies likely to achieve clinical validation for appropriate subpopulations of patients. The QSP platform can address biological heterogeneity and anticipate the evolution of resistance mechanisms, which are major challenges for drug development. The implementation of this platform is dedicated to gaining an understanding of mechanism(s) of disease progression to enable the identification of novel therapeutic strategies as well as repurposing drugs. The QSP platform will help promote the paradigm shift from reactive population-based medicine to proactive personalized medicine by focusing on the patient as the starting and the end point.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew M. Stern
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- University of Pittsburgh Drug Discovery Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Mark E. Schurdak
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- University of Pittsburgh Drug Discovery Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- The University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Ivet Bahar
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- University of Pittsburgh Drug Discovery Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- The University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jeremy M. Berg
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- University of Pittsburgh Drug Discovery Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- University of Pittsburgh Institute for Personalized Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - D. Lansing Taylor
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- University of Pittsburgh Drug Discovery Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- The University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Integrated genomics and proteomics define huntingtin CAG length-dependent networks in mice. Nat Neurosci 2016; 19:623-33. [PMID: 26900923 PMCID: PMC5984042 DOI: 10.1038/nn.4256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 258] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2015] [Accepted: 01/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
To gain insight into how mutant huntingtin (mHtt) CAG repeat length modifies Huntington’s disease (HD) pathogenesis, we profiled mRNA in over 600 brain and peripheral tissue samples from HD knock-in mice with increasing CAG repeat lengths. We find repeat length dependent transcriptional signatures are prominent in the striatum, less so in cortex, and minimal in the liver. Co-expression network analyses reveal 13 striatal and 5 cortical modules that are highly correlated with CAG length and age, and that are preserved in HD models and some in the patients. Top striatal modules implicate mHtt CAG length and age in graded impairment of striatal medium spiny neuron identity gene expression and in dysregulation of cAMP signaling, cell death, and protocadherin genes. Importantly, we used proteomics to confirm 790 genes and 5 striatal modules with CAG length-dependent dysregulation at both RNA and protein levels, and validated 22 striatal module genes as modifiers of mHtt toxicities in vivo.
Collapse
|
41
|
Kerschbamer E, Biagioli M. Huntington's Disease as Neurodevelopmental Disorder: Altered Chromatin Regulation, Coding, and Non-Coding RNA Transcription. Front Neurosci 2016; 9:509. [PMID: 26793052 PMCID: PMC4710752 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2015.00509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2015] [Accepted: 12/21/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Emanuela Kerschbamer
- NeuroEpigenetics Laboratory, Centre for Integrative Biology, University of Trento Trento, Italy
| | - Marta Biagioli
- NeuroEpigenetics Laboratory, Centre for Integrative Biology, University of Trento Trento, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Sethi R, Patel V, Saleh AA, Roy I. Cellular toxicity of yeast prion protein Rnq1 can be modulated by N-terminal wild type huntingtin. Arch Biochem Biophys 2016; 590:82-89. [DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2015.11.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2015] [Revised: 11/20/2015] [Accepted: 11/21/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
|
43
|
Dong X, Tsuji J, Labadorf A, Roussos P, Chen JF, Myers RH, Akbarian S, Weng Z. The Role of H3K4me3 in Transcriptional Regulation Is Altered in Huntington's Disease. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0144398. [PMID: 26636336 PMCID: PMC4670094 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0144398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2015] [Accepted: 11/17/2015] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal-dominant neurodegenerative disorder resulting from expansion of CAG repeats in the Huntingtin (HTT) gene. Previous studies have shown mutant HTT can alter expression of genes associated with dysregulated epigenetic modifications. One of the most widely studied chromatin modifications is trimethylated lysine 4 of histone 3 (H3K4me3). Here, we conducted the first comprehensive study of H3K4me3 ChIP-sequencing in neuronal chromatin from the prefrontal cortex of six HD cases and six non-neurologic controls, and its association with gene expression measured by RNA-sequencing. We detected 2,830 differentially enriched H3K4me3 peaks between HD and controls, with 55% of them down-regulated in HD. Although H3K4me3 signals are expected to be associated with mRNA levels, we found an unexpected discordance between altered H3K4me3 peaks and mRNA levels. Gene ontology (GO) term enrichment analysis of the genes with differential H3K4me3 peaks, revealed statistically significantly enriched GO terms only in the genes with down-regulated signals in HD. The most frequently implicated biological process terms are organ morphogenesis and positive regulation of gene expression. More than 9,000 H3K4me3 peaks were located not near any recognized transcription start sites and approximately 36% of these "distal" peaks co-localized to known enhancer sites. Six transcription factors and chromatin remodelers are differentially enriched in HD H3K4me3 distal peaks, including EZH2 and SUZ12, two core subunits of the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2). Moreover, PRC2 repressive state was significantly depleted in HD-enriched peaks, suggesting the epigenetic role of PRC2 inhibition associated with up-regulated H3K4me3 in Huntington's disease. In summary, our study provides new insights into transcriptional dysregulation of Huntington's disease by analyzing the differentiation of H3K4me3 enrichment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xianjun Dong
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States of America
| | - Junko Tsuji
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States of America
| | - Adam Labadorf
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Bioinformatics Program, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Panos Roussos
- Friedman Brain Institute, Department of Psychiatry, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States of America
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Jiang-Fan Chen
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Richard H Myers
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Bioinformatics Program, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States of America
- Genome Science Institute, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Schahram Akbarian
- Friedman Brain Institute, Department of Psychiatry, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Zhiping Weng
- Program in Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Achour M, Le Gras S, Keime C, Parmentier F, Lejeune FX, Boutillier AL, Neri C, Davidson I, Merienne K. Neuronal identity genes regulated by super-enhancers are preferentially down-regulated in the striatum of Huntington's disease mice. Hum Mol Genet 2015; 24:3481-96. [DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddv099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2015] [Accepted: 03/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
|