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Stearns-Reider KM, Hicks MR, Hammond KG, Reynolds JC, Maity A, Kurmangaliyev YZ, Chin J, Stieg AZ, Geisse NA, Hohlbauch S, Kaemmer S, Schmitt LR, Pham TT, Yamauchi K, Novitch BG, Wollman R, Hansen KC, Pyle AD, Crosbie RH. Myoscaffolds reveal laminin scarring is detrimental for stem cell function while sarcospan induces compensatory fibrosis. NPJ Regen Med 2023; 8:16. [PMID: 36922514 PMCID: PMC10017766 DOI: 10.1038/s41536-023-00287-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
We developed an on-slide decellularization approach to generate acellular extracellular matrix (ECM) myoscaffolds that can be repopulated with various cell types to interrogate cell-ECM interactions. Using this platform, we investigated whether fibrotic ECM scarring affected human skeletal muscle progenitor cell (SMPC) functions that are essential for myoregeneration. SMPCs exhibited robust adhesion, motility, and differentiation on healthy muscle-derived myoscaffolds. All SPMC interactions with fibrotic myoscaffolds from dystrophic muscle were severely blunted including reduced motility rate and migration. Furthermore, SMPCs were unable to remodel laminin dense fibrotic scars within diseased myoscaffolds. Proteomics and structural analysis revealed that excessive collagen deposition alone is not pathological, and can be compensatory, as revealed by overexpression of sarcospan and its associated ECM receptors in dystrophic muscle. Our in vivo data also supported that ECM remodeling is important for SMPC engraftment and that fibrotic scars may represent one barrier to efficient cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen M Stearns-Reider
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Michael R Hicks
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Katherine G Hammond
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Joseph C Reynolds
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Alok Maity
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Yerbol Z Kurmangaliyev
- Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry, HHMI, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Jesse Chin
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Adam Z Stieg
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | | | - Sophia Hohlbauch
- Asylum Research, An Oxford Instruments Company, Santa Barbara, CA, 93117, USA
| | - Stefan Kaemmer
- Park Systems, 3040 Olcott St, Santa Clara, CA, 95054, USA
| | - Lauren R Schmitt
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado, Denver, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Thanh T Pham
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado, Denver, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Ken Yamauchi
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Bennett G Novitch
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Roy Wollman
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Kirk C Hansen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado, Denver, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - April D Pyle
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Rachelle H Crosbie
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
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2
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McCourt JL, Stearns-Reider KM, Mamsa H, Kannan P, Afsharinia MH, Shu C, Gibbs EM, Shin KM, Kurmangaliyev YZ, Schmitt LR, Hansen KC, Crosbie RH. Multi-omics analysis of sarcospan overexpression in mdx skeletal muscle reveals compensatory remodeling of cytoskeleton-matrix interactions that promote mechanotransduction pathways. Skelet Muscle 2023; 13:1. [PMID: 36609344 PMCID: PMC9817407 DOI: 10.1186/s13395-022-00311-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The dystrophin-glycoprotein complex (DGC) is a critical adhesion complex of the muscle cell membrane, providing a mechanical link between the extracellular matrix (ECM) and the cortical cytoskeleton that stabilizes the sarcolemma during repeated muscle contractions. One integral component of the DGC is the transmembrane protein, sarcospan (SSPN). Overexpression of SSPN in the skeletal muscle of mdx mice (murine model of DMD) restores muscle fiber attachment to the ECM in part through an associated increase in utrophin and integrin adhesion complexes at the cell membrane, protecting the muscle from contraction-induced injury. In this study, we utilized transcriptomic and ECM protein-optimized proteomics data sets from wild-type, mdx, and mdx transgenic (mdxTG) skeletal muscle tissues to identify pathways and proteins driving the compensatory action of SSPN overexpression. METHODS The tibialis anterior and quadriceps muscles were isolated from wild-type, mdx, and mdxTG mice and subjected to bulk RNA-Seq and global proteomics analysis using methods to enhance capture of ECM proteins. Data sets were further analyzed through the ingenuity pathway analysis (QIAGEN) and integrative gene set enrichment to identify candidate networks, signaling pathways, and upstream regulators. RESULTS Through our multi-omics approach, we identified 3 classes of differentially expressed genes and proteins in mdxTG muscle, including those that were (1) unrestored (significantly different from wild type, but not from mdx), (2) restored (significantly different from mdx, but not from wild type), and (3) compensatory (significantly different from both wild type and mdx). We identified signaling pathways that may contribute to the rescue phenotype, most notably cytoskeleton and ECM organization pathways. ECM-optimized proteomics revealed an increased abundance of collagens II, V, and XI, along with β-spectrin in mdxTG samples. Using ingenuity pathway analysis, we identified upstream regulators that are computationally predicted to drive compensatory changes, revealing a possible mechanism of SSPN rescue through a rewiring of cell-ECM bidirectional communication. We found that SSPN overexpression results in upregulation of key signaling molecules associated with regulation of cytoskeleton organization and mechanotransduction, including Yap1, Sox9, Rho, RAC, and Wnt. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that SSPN overexpression rescues dystrophin deficiency partially through mechanotransduction signaling cascades mediated through components of the ECM and the cortical cytoskeleton.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jackie L. McCourt
- grid.19006.3e0000 0000 9632 6718Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
| | - Kristen M. Stearns-Reider
- grid.19006.3e0000 0000 9632 6718Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA ,grid.19006.3e0000 0000 9632 6718Department of Orthopedic Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA USA
| | - Hafsa Mamsa
- grid.19006.3e0000 0000 9632 6718Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
| | - Pranav Kannan
- grid.19006.3e0000 0000 9632 6718Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
| | - Mohammad Hossein Afsharinia
- grid.19006.3e0000 0000 9632 6718Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
| | - Cynthia Shu
- grid.19006.3e0000 0000 9632 6718Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
| | - Elizabeth M. Gibbs
- grid.19006.3e0000 0000 9632 6718Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
| | - Kara M. Shin
- grid.19006.3e0000 0000 9632 6718Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
| | - Yerbol Z. Kurmangaliyev
- grid.19006.3e0000 0000 9632 6718Department of Biological Chemistry, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA USA
| | - Lauren R. Schmitt
- grid.241116.10000000107903411Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado, Denver, CO USA
| | - Kirk C. Hansen
- grid.241116.10000000107903411Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado, Denver, CO USA
| | - Rachelle H. Crosbie
- grid.19006.3e0000 0000 9632 6718Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA ,grid.19006.3e0000 0000 9632 6718Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA USA ,grid.19006.3e0000 0000 9632 6718Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA USA ,grid.19006.3e0000 0000 9632 6718Broad Stem Cell Research Center, University of California, Los Angeles, CA USA
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High-Throughput Screening to Identify Modulators of Sarcospan. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2587:479-493. [PMID: 36401045 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2772-3_25] [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: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
High-throughput screening enables the discovery of disease-modifying small molecules. Here, we describe the development of a scalable, cell-based assay to screen for small molecules that modulate sarcospan for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. We detail the hit validation pipeline, which includes secondary screening, gene/protein quantification, and an in vitro membrane stability assay.
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4
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Bishop DP, Westerhausen MT, Barthelemy F, Lockwood T, Cole N, Gibbs EM, Crosbie RH, Nelson SF, Miceli MC, Doble PA, Wanagat J. Quantitative immuno-mass spectrometry imaging of skeletal muscle dystrophin. Sci Rep 2021; 11:1128. [PMID: 33441839 PMCID: PMC7806610 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-80495-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Emerging and promising therapeutic interventions for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) are confounded by the challenges of quantifying dystrophin. Current approaches have poor precision, require large amounts of tissue, and are difficult to standardize. This paper presents an immuno-mass spectrometry imaging method using gadolinium (Gd)-labeled anti-dystrophin antibodies and laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry to simultaneously quantify and localize dystrophin in muscle sections. Gd is quantified as a proxy for the relative expression of dystrophin and was validated in murine and human skeletal muscle sections following k-means clustering segmentation, before application to DMD patients with different gene mutations where dystrophin expression was measured up to 100 µg kg-1 Gd. These results demonstrate that immuno-mass spectrometry imaging is a viable approach for pre-clinical to clinical research in DMD. It rapidly quantified relative dystrophin in single tissue sections, efficiently used valuable patient resources, and may provide information on drug efficacy for clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- David P Bishop
- Atomic Medicine Initiative, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Mika T Westerhausen
- Atomic Medicine Initiative, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Florian Barthelemy
- Center for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine and College of Letters and Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Thomas Lockwood
- Atomic Medicine Initiative, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Nerida Cole
- ARC Training Centre in Biodevices, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC, Australia
| | - Elizabeth M Gibbs
- Center for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Rachelle H Crosbie
- Center for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Stanley F Nelson
- Center for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - M Carrie Miceli
- Center for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine and College of Letters and Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Philip A Doble
- Atomic Medicine Initiative, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Jonathan Wanagat
- Veterans Administration Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, USA.
- Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 10945 Le Conte Avenue, Suite 2339, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
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5
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Gibbs EM, McCourt JL, Shin KM, Hammond KG, Marshall JL, Crosbie RH. Loss of sarcospan exacerbates pathology in mdx mice, but does not affect utrophin amelioration of disease. Hum Mol Genet 2021; 30:149-159. [PMID: 33432327 PMCID: PMC8091037 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddaa264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The dystrophin-glycoprotein complex (DGC) is a membrane adhesion complex that provides structural stability at the sarcolemma by linking the myocyte's internal cytoskeleton and external extracellular matrix. In Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), the absence of dystrophin leads to the loss of the DGC at the sarcolemma, resulting in sarcolemmal instability and progressive muscle damage. Utrophin (UTRN), an autosomal homolog of dystrophin, is upregulated in dystrophic muscle and partially compensates for the loss of dystrophin in muscle from patients with DMD. Here, we examine the interaction between Utr and sarcospan (SSPN), a small transmembrane protein that is a core component of both UTRN-glycoprotein complex (UGC) and DGC. We show that additional loss of SSPN causes an earlier onset of disease in dystrophin-deficient mdx mice by reducing the expression of the UGC at the sarcolemma. In order to further evaluate the role of SSPN in maintaining therapeutic levels of Utr at the sarcolemma, we tested the effect of Utr transgenic overexpression in mdx mice lacking SSPN (mdx:SSPN -/-:Utr-Tg). We found that overexpression of Utr restored SSPN to the sarcolemma in mdx muscle but that the ablation of SSPN in mdx muscle reduced Utr at the membrane. Nevertheless, Utr overexpression reduced central nucleation and improved grip strength in both lines. These findings demonstrate that high levels of Utr transgenic overexpression ameliorate the mdx phenotype independently of SSPN expression but that loss of SSPN may impair Utr-based mechanisms that rely on lower levels of Utr protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M Gibbs
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Jackie L McCourt
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Kara M Shin
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Katherine G Hammond
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Jamie L Marshall
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Rachelle H Crosbie
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.,Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.,Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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6
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Shu C, Parfenova L, Mokhonova E, Collado JR, Damoiseaux R, Campagna J, John V, Crosbie RH. High-throughput screening identifies modulators of sarcospan that stabilize muscle cells and exhibit activity in the mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Skelet Muscle 2020; 10:26. [PMID: 32948250 PMCID: PMC7499884 DOI: 10.1186/s13395-020-00244-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [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: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a degenerative muscle disease caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene. Loss of dystrophin prevents the formation of a critical connection between the muscle cell membrane and the extracellular matrix. Overexpression of sarcospan (SSPN) in the mouse model of DMD restores the membrane connection and reduces disease severity, making SSPN a promising therapeutic target for pharmacological upregulation. METHODS Using a previously described cell-based promoter reporter assay of SSPN gene expression (hSSPN-EGFP), we conducted high-throughput screening on libraries of over 200,000 curated small molecules to identify SSPN modulators. The hits were validated in both hSSPN-EGFP and hSSPN-luciferase reporter cells. Hit selection was conducted on dystrophin-deficient mouse and human myotubes with assessments of (1) SSPN gene expression using quantitative PCR and (2) SSPN protein expression using immunoblotting and an ELISA. A membrane stability assay using osmotic shock was used to validate the functional effects of treatment followed by cell surface biotinylation to label cell surface proteins. Dystrophin-deficient mdx mice were treated with compound, and muscle was subjected to quantitative PCR to assess SSPN gene expression. RESULTS We identified and validated lead compounds that increased SSPN gene and protein expression in dystrophin-deficient mouse and human muscle cells. The lead compound OT-9 increased cell membrane localization of compensatory laminin-binding adhesion complexes and improved membrane stability in DMD myotubes. We demonstrated that the membrane stabilizing benefit is dependent on SSPN. Intramuscular injection of OT-9 in the mouse model of DMD increased SSPN gene expression. CONCLUSIONS This study identifies a pharmacological approach to treat DMD and sets the path for the development of SSPN-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia Shu
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Terasaki Life Sciences Building, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Center for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Liubov Parfenova
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Terasaki Life Sciences Building, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Ekaterina Mokhonova
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Terasaki Life Sciences Building, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Center for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Judd R Collado
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Terasaki Life Sciences Building, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Robert Damoiseaux
- Department of Molecular and Medicinal Pharmacology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jesus Campagna
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Terasaki Life Sciences Building, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Drug Discovery Lab, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Varghese John
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Terasaki Life Sciences Building, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Drug Discovery Lab, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Rachelle H Crosbie
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Terasaki Life Sciences Building, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Center for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Terasaki Life Sciences Building, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
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7
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Chen DY, Jiang RF, Li YJ, Liu MX, Wu L, Hu W. Screening and functional identification of lncRNAs in antler mesenchymal and cartilage tissues using high-throughput sequencing. Sci Rep 2020; 10:9492. [PMID: 32528134 PMCID: PMC7289821 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-66383-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is a transcription product of the mammalian genome that regulates the development and growth in the body. The present study aimed to analyze the expression dynamics of lncRNA in sika antler mesenchymal and cartilage tissues by high-throughput sequencing. Bioinformatics was applied to predict differentially expressed lncRNAs and target genes and screen lncRNAs and mRNAs related to osteogenic differentiation, cell proliferation, and migration. Finally, the expression of the lncRNAs and target genes were analyzed by qRT-PCR. The results showed that compared to the cartilage tissue, the transcription levels of lncRNA and mRNA, 1212 lncRNAs and 518 mRNAs, in mesenchymal tissue were altered significantly. Thus, a complex interaction network was constructed, and the lncRNA-mRNA interaction network correlation related to osteogenic differentiation, cell proliferation, and migration was analyzed. Among these, the 26 lncRNAs and potential target genes were verified by qRT-PCR, and the results of qRT-PCR were consistent with high-throughput sequencing results. These data indicated that lncRNA promotes the differentiation of deer antler mesenchymal tissue into cartilage tissue by regulating the related osteogenic factors, cell proliferation, and migration-related genes and accelerating the process of deer antler regeneration and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan-Yang Chen
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agriculture University, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130118, China
| | - Ren-Feng Jiang
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agriculture University, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130118, China
| | - Yan-Jun Li
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agriculture University, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130118, China
| | - Ming-Xiao Liu
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agriculture University, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130118, China
| | - Lei Wu
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agriculture University, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130118, China.
| | - Wei Hu
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agriculture University, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130118, China.
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8
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Shu C, Kaxon-Rupp AN, Collado JR, Damoiseaux R, Crosbie RH. Development of a high-throughput screen to identify small molecule enhancers of sarcospan for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Skelet Muscle 2019; 9:32. [PMID: 31831063 PMCID: PMC6907331 DOI: 10.1186/s13395-019-0218-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is caused by loss of sarcolemma connection to the extracellular matrix. Transgenic overexpression of the transmembrane protein sarcospan (SSPN) in the DMD mdx mouse model significantly reduces disease pathology by restoring membrane adhesion. Identifying SSPN-based therapies has the potential to benefit patients with DMD and other forms of muscular dystrophies caused by deficits in muscle cell adhesion. METHODS Standard cloning methods were used to generate C2C12 myoblasts stably transfected with a fluorescence reporter for human SSPN promoter activity. Assay development and screening were performed in a core facility using liquid handlers and imaging systems specialized for use with a 384-well microplate format. Drug-treated cells were analyzed for target gene expression using quantitative PCR and target protein expression using immunoblotting. RESULTS We investigated the gene expression profiles of SSPN and its associated proteins during myoblast differentiation into myotubes, revealing an increase in expression after 3 days of differentiation. We created C2C12 muscle cells expressing an EGFP reporter for SSPN promoter activity and observed a comparable increase in reporter levels during differentiation. Assay conditions for high-throughput screening were optimized for a 384-well microplate format and a high-content imager for the visualization of reporter levels. We conducted a screen of 3200 compounds and identified seven hits, which include an overrepresentation of L-type calcium channel antagonists, suggesting that SSPN gene activity is sensitive to calcium. Further validation of a select hit revealed that the calcium channel inhibitor felodipine increased SSPN transcript and protein levels in both wild-type and dystrophin-deficient myotubes, without increasing differentiation. CONCLUSIONS We developed a stable muscle cell line containing the promoter region of the human SSPN protein fused to a fluorescent reporter. Using the reporter cells, we created and validated a scalable, cell-based assay that is able to identify compounds that increase SSPN promoter reporter, transcript, and protein levels in wild-type and dystrophin-deficient muscle cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia Shu
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA.,Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Terasaki Life Sciences Building, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.,Center for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Ariana N Kaxon-Rupp
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Terasaki Life Sciences Building, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Judd R Collado
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Terasaki Life Sciences Building, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Robert Damoiseaux
- Department of Molecular and Medicinal Pharmacology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA.,California NanoSystems Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Rachelle H Crosbie
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA. .,Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Terasaki Life Sciences Building, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA. .,Center for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA. .,Department of Neurology David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Terasaki Life Sciences Building, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
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9
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Parvatiyar MS, Brownstein AJ, Kanashiro-Takeuchi RM, Collado JR, Dieseldorff Jones KM, Gopal J, Hammond KG, Marshall JL, Ferrel A, Beedle AM, Chamberlain JS, Renato Pinto J, Crosbie RH. Stabilization of the cardiac sarcolemma by sarcospan rescues DMD-associated cardiomyopathy. JCI Insight 2019; 5:123855. [PMID: 31039133 PMCID: PMC6629091 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.123855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
In the current preclinical study, we demonstrate the therapeutic potential of sarcospan (SSPN) overexpression to alleviate cardiomyopathy associated with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) utilizing dystrophin-deficient mdx mice with utrophin haploinsufficiency that more accurately represent the severe disease course of human DMD. SSPN interacts with dystrophin, the DMD disease gene product, and its autosomal paralog utrophin, which is upregulated in DMD as a partial compensatory mechanism. SSPN transgenic mice have enhanced abundance of fully glycosylated α-dystroglycan, which may further protect dystrophin-deficient cardiac membranes. Baseline echocardiography reveals SSPN improves systolic function and hypertrophic indices in mdx and mdx:utr-heterozygous mice. Assessment of SSPN transgenic mdx mice by hemodynamic pressure-volume methods highlights enhanced systolic performance compared to mdx controls. SSPN restores cardiac sarcolemma stability, the primary defect in DMD disease, reduces fibrotic response and improves contractile function. We demonstrate that SSPN ameliorates more advanced cardiac disease in the context of diminished sarcolemma expression of utrophin and β1D integrin that mitigate disease severity and partially restores responsiveness to β-adrenergic stimulation. Overall, our current and previous findings suggest SSPN overexpression in DMD mouse models positively impacts skeletal, pulmonary and cardiac performance by addressing the stability of proteins at the sarcolemma that protect the heart from injury, supporting SSPN and membrane stabilization as a therapeutic target for DMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle S. Parvatiyar
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology and
- Center for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Alexandra J. Brownstein
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology and
- Center for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Rosemeire M. Kanashiro-Takeuchi
- Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute, University of Miami, Florida, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | | | | | - Jay Gopal
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology and
| | - Katherine G. Hammond
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology and
- Center for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jamie L. Marshall
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology and
- Center for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Abel Ferrel
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology and
| | - Aaron M. Beedle
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Binghamton University State University of New York, Binghamton, New York, USA
| | | | - Jose Renato Pinto
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Rachelle H. Crosbie
- Department of Integrative Biology & Physiology and
- Center for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
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10
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Guiraud S, Roblin D, Kay DE. The potential of utrophin modulators for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Expert Opin Orphan Drugs 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/21678707.2018.1438261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Simon Guiraud
- Oxford Neuromuscular Centre, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Davies. E. Kay
- Oxford Neuromuscular Centre, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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11
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Hightower RM, Alexander MS. Genetic modifiers of Duchenne and facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophies. Muscle Nerve 2018; 57:6-15. [PMID: 28877560 PMCID: PMC5759757 DOI: 10.1002/mus.25953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Muscular dystrophy is defined as the progressive wasting of skeletal muscles that is caused by inherited or spontaneous genetic mutations. Next-generation sequencing has greatly improved the accuracy and speed of diagnosis for different types of muscular dystrophy. Advancements in depth of coverage, convenience, and overall reduced cost have led to the identification of genetic modifiers that are responsible for phenotypic variability in affected patients. These genetic modifiers have been postulated to explain key differences in disease phenotypes, including age of loss of ambulation, steroid responsiveness, and the presence or absence of cardiac defects in patients with the same form of muscular dystrophy. This review highlights recent findings on genetic modifiers of Duchenne and facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophies based on animal and clinical studies. These genetic modifiers hold great promise to be developed into novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of muscular dystrophies. Muscle Nerve 57: 6-15, 2018.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rylie M. Hightower
- University of Alabama at Birmingham Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Birmingham, AL 35294
| | - Matthew S. Alexander
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neurology at Children’s of Alabama and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35294
- Department of Genetics, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35294
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12
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Gibbs EM, Crosbie-Watson RH. A Simple and Low-cost Assay for Measuring Ambulation in Mouse Models of Muscular Dystrophy. J Vis Exp 2017:56772. [PMID: 29364281 PMCID: PMC5908392 DOI: 10.3791/56772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Measuring functional outcomes in the treatment of muscular dystrophy is an essential aspect of preclinical testing. The assessment of voluntary ambulation in mouse models is a non-invasive and reproducible activity assay that is directly analogous to measures of patient ambulation such as the 6-minute walk test and related mobility scores. Many common methods for testing mouse ambulation speed and distance are based on the open field test, where an animal's free movement within an arena is measured over time. One major downside to this approach is that commercial software and equipment for high-resolution motion tracking is expensive and may require transferring mice to specialized facilities for testing. Here, we describe a low-cost, video-based system for measuring mouse ambulation that utilizes free and open-source software. Using this protocol, we demonstrate that voluntary ambulation in the dystrophin-null mdx mouse model for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is decreased relative to wild-type mouse activity. In mdx mice expressing the utrophin transgene, these activity deficits are not observed and the total distance traveled is indistinguishable from wild-type mice. This method is effective for measuring changes in voluntary ambulation associated with dystrophic pathology, and provides a versatile platform that can be readily adapted to diverse research settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M Gibbs
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California; Center for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, University of California
| | - Rachelle H Crosbie-Watson
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California; Center for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, University of California; Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California; Molecular Biology Institute, University of California;
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