1
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Fare CM, Rothstein JD. Nuclear pore dysfunction and disease: a complex opportunity. Nucleus 2024; 15:2314297. [PMID: 38383349 PMCID: PMC10883112 DOI: 10.1080/19491034.2024.2314297] [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: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The separation of genetic material from bulk cytoplasm has enabled the evolution of increasingly complex organisms, allowing for the development of sophisticated forms of life. However, this complexity has created new categories of dysfunction, including those related to the movement of material between cellular compartments. In eukaryotic cells, nucleocytoplasmic trafficking is a fundamental biological process, and cumulative disruptions to nuclear integrity and nucleocytoplasmic transport are detrimental to cell survival. This is particularly true in post-mitotic neurons, where nuclear pore injury and errors to nucleocytoplasmic trafficking are strongly associated with neurodegenerative disease. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of nuclear pore biology in physiological and pathological contexts and discuss potential therapeutic approaches for addressing nuclear pore injury and dysfunctional nucleocytoplasmic transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte M Fare
- Department of Neurology and Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jeffrey D Rothstein
- Department of Neurology and Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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2
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Wang H, Zeng R. Aberrant protein aggregation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. J Neurol 2024; 271:4826-4851. [PMID: 38869826 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-024-12485-z] [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: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal disease. As its pathological mechanisms are not well understood, there are no efficient therapeutics for it at present. While it is highly heterogenous both etiologically and clinically, it has a common salient hallmark, i.e., aberrant protein aggregation (APA). The upstream pathogenesis and the downstream effects of APA in ALS are sophisticated and the investigation of this pathology would be of consequence for understanding ALS. In this paper, the pathomechanism of APA in ALS and the candidate treatment strategies for it are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huaixiu Wang
- Department Neurology, Shanxi Provincial Peoples Hospital: Fifth Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030012, China.
- Beijing Ai-Si-Kang Medical Technology Co. Ltd., No. 18 11th St Economical & Technological Development Zone, Beijing, 100176, China.
| | - Rong Zeng
- Department Neurology, Shanxi Provincial Peoples Hospital: Fifth Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030012, China
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3
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van Tartwijk FW, Wunderlich LCS, Mela I, Makarchuk S, Jakobs MAH, Qamar S, Franze K, Kaminski Schierle GS, St George-Hyslop PH, Lin JQ, Holt CE, Kaminski CF. Mutation of the ALS-/FTD-Associated RNA-Binding Protein FUS Affects Axonal Development. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e2148232024. [PMID: 38692734 PMCID: PMC7616130 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2148-23.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Aberrant condensation and localization of the RNA-binding protein (RBP) fused in sarcoma (FUS) occur in variants of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Changes in RBP function are commonly associated with changes in axonal cytoskeletal organization and branching in neurodevelopmental disorders. Here, we asked whether branching defects also occur in vivo in a model of FUS-associated disease. We use two reported Xenopus models of ALS/FTD (of either sex), the ALS-associated mutant FUS(P525L) and a mimic of hypomethylated FUS, FUS(16R). Both mutants strongly reduced axonal complexity in vivo. We also observed an axon looping defect for FUS(P525L) in the target area, which presumably arises due to errors in stop cue signaling. To assess whether the loss of axon complexity also had a cue-independent component, we assessed axonal cytoskeletal integrity in vitro. Using a novel combination of fluorescence and atomic force microscopy, we found that mutant FUS reduced actin density in the growth cone, altering its mechanical properties. Therefore, FUS mutants may induce defects during early axonal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca W van Tartwijk
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0AS, United Kingdom
| | - Lucia C S Wunderlich
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0AS, United Kingdom
| | - Ioanna Mela
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0AS, United Kingdom
| | - Stanislaw Makarchuk
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 OAH, United Kingdom
| | - Maximilian A H Jakobs
- Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3DY, United Kingdom
| | - Seema Qamar
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0XY, United Kingdom
| | - Kristian Franze
- Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3DY, United Kingdom
| | - Gabriele S Kaminski Schierle
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0AS, United Kingdom
| | - Peter H St George-Hyslop
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0XY, United Kingdom
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto and University Health Network and Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5T 0S8, Canada
- Department of Neurology, Taub Institute For Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Columbia University Irvine Medical Center, New York, New York 10032
| | - Julie Qiaojin Lin
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 OAH, United Kingdom
- UK Dementia Research Institute Centre and Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, London SE5 9NU, United Kingdom
| | - Christine E Holt
- Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3DY, United Kingdom
| | - Clemens F Kaminski
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0AS, United Kingdom
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4
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Campagne S. U1 snRNP Biogenesis Defects in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Chembiochem 2024; 25:e202300864. [PMID: 38459794 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202300864] [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: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
The U1 small ribonucleoprotein (U1 snRNP) plays a pivotal role in the intricate process of gene expression, specifically within nuclear RNA processing. By initiating the splicing reaction and modulating 3'-end processing, U1 snRNP exerts precise control over RNA metabolism and gene expression. This ribonucleoparticle is abundantly present, and its complex biogenesis necessitates shuttling between the nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments. Over the past three decades, extensive research has illuminated the crucial connection between disrupted U snRNP biogenesis and several prominent human diseases, notably various neurodegenerative conditions. The perturbation of U1 snRNP homeostasis has been firmly established in diseases such as Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Pontocerebellar hypoplasia, and FUS-mediated Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Intriguingly, compelling evidence suggests a potential correlation in Fronto-temporal dementia and Alzheimer's disease as well. Although the U snRNP biogenesis pathway is conserved across all eukaryotic cells, neurons, in particular, appear to be highly susceptible to alterations in spliceosome homeostasis. In contrast, other cell types exhibit a greater resilience to such disturbances. This vulnerability underscores the intricate relationship between U1 snRNP dynamics and the health of neuronal cells, shedding light on potential avenues for understanding and addressing neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastien Campagne
- University of Bordeaux, INSERM U1212, CNRS UMR5320, ARNA unit 146, rue Leo Saignat, 33077, Bordeaux
- Institut Européen de Chimie et de Biologie, 2, rue Robert Escarpit, 33600, Pessac
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5
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Giraud G, Rodà M, Huchon P, Michelet M, Maadadi S, Jutzi D, Montserret R, Ruepp MD, Parent R, Combet C, Zoulim F, Testoni B. G-quadruplexes control hepatitis B virus replication by promoting cccDNA transcription and phase separation in hepatocytes. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:2290-2305. [PMID: 38113270 PMCID: PMC10954475 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad1200] [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: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Phase separation regulates fundamental processes in gene expression and is mediated by the local concentration of proteins and nucleic acids, as well as nucleic acid secondary structures such as G-quadruplexes (G4s). These structures play fundamental roles in both host gene expression and in viral replication due to their peculiar localisation in regulatory sequences. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) is an episomal minichromosome whose persistence is at the basis of chronic infection. Identifying the mechanisms controlling its transcriptional activity is indispensable to develop new therapeutic strategies against chronic hepatitis B. The aim of this study was to determine whether G4s are formed in cccDNA and regulate viral replication. Combining biochemistry and functional studies, we demonstrate that cccDNA indeed contains ten G4s structures. Furthermore, mutations disrupting two G4s located in the enhancer I HBV regulatory region altered cccDNA transcription and viral replication. Finally, we showed for the first time that cccDNA undergoes phase separation in a G4-dependent manner to promote its transcription in infected hepatocytes. Altogether, our data give new insight in the transcriptional regulation of the HBV minichromosome that might pave the way for the identification of novel targets to destabilize or silence cccDNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Giraud
- INSERM U1052, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR)-5286, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, 69003 Lyon, France; Université Claude-Bernard Lyon I, 69003 Lyon, France
- Hepatology Institute of Lyon, 69004 Lyon, France
| | - Mélanie Rodà
- INSERM U1052, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR)-5286, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, 69003 Lyon, France; Université Claude-Bernard Lyon I, 69003 Lyon, France
- Hepatology Institute of Lyon, 69004 Lyon, France
| | - Pélagie Huchon
- INSERM U1052, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR)-5286, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, 69003 Lyon, France; Université Claude-Bernard Lyon I, 69003 Lyon, France
- Hepatology Institute of Lyon, 69004 Lyon, France
- Université Claude-Bernard Lyon I, 69003 Lyon, France
| | - Maud Michelet
- INSERM U1052, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR)-5286, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, 69003 Lyon, France; Université Claude-Bernard Lyon I, 69003 Lyon, France
- Hepatology Institute of Lyon, 69004 Lyon, France
| | - Sarah Maadadi
- INSERM U1052, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR)-5286, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, 69003 lyon, france; université claude-bernard lyon i, 69003 Lyon, France
| | - Daniel Jutzi
- United Kingdom Dementia Research Institute Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, WC2R 2LS London, UK
| | - Roland Montserret
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry (MMSB) UMR 5086 CNRS/Université de Lyon, Labex Ecofect, 7 Passage du Vercors 69367Lyon, France
| | - Marc-David Ruepp
- United Kingdom Dementia Research Institute Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, WC2R 2LS London, UK
| | - Romain Parent
- INSERM U1052, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR)-5286, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, 69003 Lyon, France; Université Claude-Bernard Lyon I, 69003 Lyon, France
- Hepatology Institute of Lyon, 69004 Lyon, France
| | - Christophe Combet
- INSERM U1052, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR)-5286, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, 69003 Lyon, France; Université Claude-Bernard Lyon I, 69003 Lyon, France
- Hepatology Institute of Lyon, 69004 Lyon, France
| | - Fabien Zoulim
- INSERM U1052, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR)-5286, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, 69003 Lyon, France; Université Claude-Bernard Lyon I, 69003 Lyon, France
- Hepatology Institute of Lyon, 69004 Lyon, France
- Université Claude-Bernard Lyon I, 69003 Lyon, France
- Hepatology Service, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69004 Lyon, France
| | - Barbara Testoni
- INSERM U1052, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR)-5286, Cancer Research Center of Lyon, 69003 Lyon, France; Université Claude-Bernard Lyon I, 69003 Lyon, France
- Hepatology Institute of Lyon, 69004 Lyon, France
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6
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Demongin C, Tranier S, Joshi V, Ceschi L, Desforges B, Pastré D, Hamon L. RNA and the RNA-binding protein FUS act in concert to prevent TDP-43 spatial segregation. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:105716. [PMID: 38311174 PMCID: PMC10912363 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.105716] [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: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
FUS and TDP-43 are two self-adhesive aggregation-prone mRNA-binding proteins whose pathological mutations have been linked to neurodegeneration. While TDP-43 and FUS form reversible mRNA-rich compartments in the nucleus, pathological mutations promote their respective cytoplasmic aggregation in neurons with no apparent link between the two proteins except their intertwined function in mRNA processing. By combining analyses in cellular context and at high resolution in vitro, we unraveled that TDP-43 is specifically recruited in FUS assemblies to form TDP-43-rich subcompartments but without reciprocity. The presence of mRNA provides an additional scaffold to promote the mixing between TDP-43 and FUS. Accordingly, we also found that the pathological truncated form of TDP-43, TDP-25, which has an impaired RNA-binding ability, no longer mixes with FUS. Together, these results suggest that the binding of FUS along nascent mRNAs enables TDP-43, which is highly aggregation-prone, to mix with FUS phase to form mRNA-rich subcompartments. A functional link between FUS and TDP-43 may explain their common implication in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clément Demongin
- SABNP, Univ Evry, INSERM, U1204, Université Paris-Saclay, Evry, France
| | - Samuel Tranier
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale, IPBS, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Vandana Joshi
- SABNP, Univ Evry, INSERM, U1204, Université Paris-Saclay, Evry, France
| | - Léa Ceschi
- SABNP, Univ Evry, INSERM, U1204, Université Paris-Saclay, Evry, France
| | | | - David Pastré
- SABNP, Univ Evry, INSERM, U1204, Université Paris-Saclay, Evry, France
| | - Loic Hamon
- SABNP, Univ Evry, INSERM, U1204, Université Paris-Saclay, Evry, France.
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7
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Verma S, Vats A, Ahuja V, Vats K, Khurana S, Vats Y, Gourie-Devi M, Wajid S, Ganguly NK, Chakraborti P, Taneja V. Functional consequences of familial ALS-associated SOD1 L84F in neuronal and muscle cells. FASEB J 2024; 38:e23461. [PMID: 38317639 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202301979r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive skeletal muscle denervation and loss of motor neurons that results in muscle atrophy and eventual death due to respiratory failure. Previously, we identified a novel SOD1L84F variation in a familial ALS case. In this study, we examined the functional consequences of SOD1L84F overexpression in the mouse motor neuron cell line (NSC-34). The cells expressing SOD1L84F showed increased oxidative stress and increased cell death. Interestingly, SOD1L84F destabilized the native dimer and formed high molecular weight SDS-resistant protein aggregates. Furthermore, SOD1L84F also decreased the percentage of differentiated cells and significantly reduced neurite length. A plethora of evidence suggested active involvement of skeletal muscle in disease initiation and progression. We observed differential processing of the mutant SOD1 and perturbations of cellular machinery in NSC-34 and muscle cell line C2C12. Unlike neuronal cells, mutant protein failed to accumulate in muscle cells probably due to the activated autophagy, as evidenced by increased LC3-II and reduced p62. Further, SOD1L84F altered mitochondrial dynamics only in NSC-34. In addition, microarray analysis also revealed huge variations in differentially expressed genes between NSC-34 and C2C12. Interestingly, SOD1L84F hampered the endogenous FUS autoregulatory mechanism in NSC-34 by downregulating retention of introns 6 and 7 resulting in a two-fold upregulation of FUS. No such changes were observed in C2C12. Our findings strongly suggest the differential processing and response towards the mutant SOD1 in neuronal and muscle cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sagar Verma
- Department of Biotechnology and Research, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi, India
- Department of Biotechnology, Jamia Hamdard, Delhi, India
| | - Abhishek Vats
- Department of Biotechnology and Research, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi, India
- Department of Biotechnology, Jamia Hamdard, Delhi, India
- Department of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Vanshika Ahuja
- Department of Biotechnology and Research, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi, India
| | - Kavita Vats
- Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Shiffali Khurana
- Department of Biotechnology and Research, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi, India
| | - Yuvraj Vats
- Department of Biotechnology and Research, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi, India
| | | | - Saima Wajid
- Department of Biotechnology, Jamia Hamdard, Delhi, India
| | | | - Pradip Chakraborti
- Department of Biotechnology, Jamia Hamdard, Delhi, India
- Department of Biotechnology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
| | - Vibha Taneja
- Department of Biotechnology and Research, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi, India
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8
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Zhu Y, Burg T, Neyrinck K, Vervliet T, Nami F, Vervoort E, Ahuja K, Sassano ML, Chai YC, Tharkeshwar AK, De Smedt J, Hu H, Bultynck G, Agostinis P, Swinnen JV, Van Den Bosch L, da Costa RFM, Verfaillie C. Disruption of MAM integrity in mutant FUS oligodendroglial progenitors from hiPSCs. Acta Neuropathol 2024; 147:6. [PMID: 38170217 PMCID: PMC10764485 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-023-02666-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rapidly progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by selective loss of motor neurons (MNs). A number of causative genetic mutations underlie the disease, including mutations in the fused in sarcoma (FUS) gene, which can lead to both juvenile and late-onset ALS. Although ALS results from MN death, there is evidence that dysfunctional glial cells, including oligodendroglia, contribute to neurodegeneration. Here, we used human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) with a R521H or a P525L mutation in FUS and their isogenic controls to generate oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) by inducing SOX10 expression from a TET-On SOX10 cassette. Mutant and control iPSCs differentiated efficiently into OPCs. RNA sequencing identified a myelin sheath-related phenotype in mutant OPCs. Lipidomic studies demonstrated defects in myelin-related lipids, with a reduction of glycerophospholipids in mutant OPCs. Interestingly, FUSR521H OPCs displayed a decrease in the phosphatidylcholine/phosphatidylethanolamine ratio, known to be associated with maintaining membrane integrity. A proximity ligation assay further indicated that mitochondria-associated endoplasmic reticulum membranes (MAM) were diminished in both mutant FUS OPCs. Moreover, both mutant FUS OPCs displayed increased susceptibility to ER stress when exposed to thapsigargin, and exhibited impaired mitochondrial respiration and reduced Ca2+ signaling from ER Ca2+ stores. Taken together, these results demonstrate a pathological role of mutant FUS in OPCs, causing defects in lipid metabolism associated with MAM disruption manifested by impaired mitochondrial metabolism with increased susceptibility to ER stress and with suppressed physiological Ca2+ signaling. As such, further exploration of the role of oligodendrocyte dysfunction in the demise of MNs is crucial and will provide new insights into the complex cellular mechanisms underlying ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingli Zhu
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Stem Cell Institute, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Thibaut Burg
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Center for Brain and Disease Research, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Katrien Neyrinck
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Stem Cell Institute, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tim Vervliet
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Signalling, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Fatemeharefeh Nami
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Stem Cell Institute, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ellen Vervoort
- Laboratory of Cell Death Research and Therapy, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Karan Ahuja
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Stem Cell Institute, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Section, Department of Biology, Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration Research Group, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Maria Livia Sassano
- Laboratory of Cell Death Research and Therapy, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Yoke Chin Chai
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Stem Cell Institute, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Arun Kumar Tharkeshwar
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Center for Brain and Disease Research, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jonathan De Smedt
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Stem Cell Institute, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Haibo Hu
- National Engineering Research Center for Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine-Hakka Medical Resources Branch, School of Pharmacy, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China
| | - Geert Bultynck
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Signalling, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Patrizia Agostinis
- Laboratory of Cell Death Research and Therapy, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Center for Cancer Biology, VIB, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Johannes V Swinnen
- Laboratory of Lipid Metabolism and Cancer, Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ludo Van Den Bosch
- Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), 3000, Leuven, Belgium
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, VIB, Center for Brain and Disease Research, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Catherine Verfaillie
- Department of Development and Regeneration, Stem Cell Institute, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
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9
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Rezvykh A, Shteinberg D, Bronovitsky E, Ustyugov A, Funikov S. Animal Models of FUS-Proteinopathy: A Systematic Review. BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2024; 89:S34-S56. [PMID: 38621743 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297924140037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Mutations that disrupt the function of the DNA/RNA-binding protein FUS could cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other neurodegenerative diseases. One of the key features in ALS pathogenesis is the formation of insoluble protein aggregates containing aberrant isoforms of the FUS protein in the cytoplasm of upper and lower motor neurons. Reproduction of human pathology in animal models is the main tool for studying FUS-associated pathology and searching for potential therapeutic agents for ALS treatment. In this review, we provide a systematic analysis of the role of FUS protein in ALS pathogenesis and an overview of the results of modelling FUS-proteinopathy in animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Rezvykh
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Daniil Shteinberg
- Institute of Physiologically Active Compounds, Federal Research Center of Problems of Chemical Physics and Medicinal Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Chernogolovka, 142432, Russia
| | | | - Aleksey Ustyugov
- Institute of Physiologically Active Compounds, Federal Research Center of Problems of Chemical Physics and Medicinal Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Chernogolovka, 142432, Russia
| | - Sergei Funikov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
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10
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Ocharán-Mercado A, Loaeza-Loaeza J, Castro-Coronel Y, Acosta-Saavedra LC, Hernández-Kelly LC, Hernández-Sotelo D, Ortega A. RNA-Binding Proteins: A Role in Neurotoxicity? Neurotox Res 2023; 41:681-697. [PMID: 37776476 PMCID: PMC10682104 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-023-00669-w] [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: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023]
Abstract
Despite sustained efforts to treat neurodegenerative diseases, little is known at the molecular level to understand and generate novel therapeutic approaches for these malignancies. Therefore, it is not surprising that neurogenerative diseases are among the leading causes of death in the aged population. Neurons require sophisticated cellular mechanisms to maintain proper protein homeostasis. These cells are generally sensitive to loss of gene expression control at the post-transcriptional level. Post-translational control responds to signals that can arise from intracellular processes or environmental factors that can be regulated through RNA-binding proteins. These proteins recognize RNA through one or more RNA-binding domains and form ribonucleoproteins that are critically involved in the regulation of post-transcriptional processes from splicing to the regulation of association of the translation machinery allowing a relatively rapid and precise modulation of the transcriptome. Neurotoxicity is the result of the biological, chemical, or physical interaction of agents with an adverse effect on the structure and function of the central nervous system. The disruption of the proper levels or function of RBPs in neurons and glial cells triggers neurotoxic events that are linked to neurodegenerative diseases such as spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), fragile X syndrome (FXS), and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) among many others. The connection between RBPs and neurodegenerative diseases opens a new landscape for potentially novel therapeutic targets for the intervention of these neurodegenerative pathologies. In this contribution, a summary of the recent findings of the molecular mechanisms involved in the plausible role of RBPs in RNA processing in neurodegenerative disease is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Ocharán-Mercado
- Laboratorio de Neurotoxicología, Departamento de Toxicología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. IPN 2508, San Pedro Zacatenco, 07300 CDMX, México
| | - Jaqueline Loaeza-Loaeza
- Laboratorio de Neurotoxicología, Departamento de Toxicología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. IPN 2508, San Pedro Zacatenco, 07300 CDMX, México
| | - Yaneth Castro-Coronel
- Laboratorio de Epigenética del Cáncer, Facultad de Ciencias Químico Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Av. Lázaro Cárdenas 88, Chilpancingo, Guerrero, 39086, México
| | - Leonor C Acosta-Saavedra
- Laboratorio de Neurotoxicología, Departamento de Toxicología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. IPN 2508, San Pedro Zacatenco, 07300 CDMX, México
| | - Luisa C Hernández-Kelly
- Laboratorio de Neurotoxicología, Departamento de Toxicología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. IPN 2508, San Pedro Zacatenco, 07300 CDMX, México
| | - Daniel Hernández-Sotelo
- Laboratorio de Epigenética del Cáncer, Facultad de Ciencias Químico Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Av. Lázaro Cárdenas 88, Chilpancingo, Guerrero, 39086, México
| | - Arturo Ortega
- Laboratorio de Neurotoxicología, Departamento de Toxicología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. IPN 2508, San Pedro Zacatenco, 07300 CDMX, México.
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11
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Theme 04 - In Vivo Experimetal Models. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener 2023; 24:128-139. [PMID: 37966319 DOI: 10.1080/21678421.2023.2260194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
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12
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Yang W, Chen X, Zhou Y, Tang X, Sun Y, Dong Y, Yang H, Chen Y, Zhang M. Investigation of a Fused in Sarcoma Splicing Mutation in a Chinese Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patient. Can J Neurol Sci 2023; 50:891-896. [PMID: 36511129 DOI: 10.1017/cjn.2022.336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Genetic mutations of fused in sarcoma (FUS) causing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) may disrupt mRNA splicing events. For example, the FUS c.1394-2delA variant was reported in two western ALS patients, but its molecular mechanism is unclear. In this study, we aim to investigate FUS splice site mutations in Chinese ALS patients. METHODS Sanger sequencing was used to identify FUS splicing mutations in Chinese ALS patients. We combined a deep learning tool (SpliceAI), RNA sequencing, and RT-PCR/RT-qPCR to analyze the effect of FUS c.1394-2delA mutation on RNA splicing and expression. AlphaFold was used to predict the protein structure of mutant FUS. In transfected cell lines, we used immunofluorescence to assess cytoplasmic mislocalization of mutant FUS protein. RESULTS We identified a de novo FUS splice acceptor site mutation (c.1394-2delA, p. Gly466Valfs*14) in one Chinese sporadic ALS patient, which is linked to exon 14 skipping, and upregulated total FUS mRNA expression. The FUS splice site mutation was predicted to be translated into a truncated protein product at C-terminal. In vitro studies revealed that the FUS mutation increased cytoplasmic mislocalization in both HEK293T and SH-SY5Y cells. CONCLUSIONS We identified a de novo FUS splicing mutation (c.1394-2delA, p. Gly466Valfs*14) in 1 out of 233 Chinese ALS patients. It caused abnormal RNA splicing, upregulated gene expression, truncated FUS translation, and cytosolic mislocalization. Our findings suggested that FUS splice site mutation is rare in Chinese ALS patients and extended our knowledge of molecular mechanisms of the FUS c.1394-2delA mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanli Yang
- The First Rehabilitation Hospital of Shanghai, Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xi Chen
- Department of Neurology and National Center for Neurological Disorders, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Zhou
- The First Rehabilitation Hospital of Shanghai, Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuelin Tang
- The First Rehabilitation Hospital of Shanghai, Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yimin Sun
- Department of Neurology and National Center for Neurological Disorders, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi Dong
- Department of Neurology and National Center for Neurological Disorders, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hong Yang
- The First Rehabilitation Hospital of Shanghai, Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Chen
- Department of Neurology and National Center for Neurological Disorders, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ming Zhang
- The First Rehabilitation Hospital of Shanghai, Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
- Clinical Center for Brain and Spinal Cord Research, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
- Institute for Advanced Study, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
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13
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Provasek VE, Kodavati M, Guo W, Wang H, Boldogh I, Van Den Bosch L, Britz G, Hegde ML. lncRNA Sequencing Reveals Neurodegeneration-Associated FUS Mutations Alter Transcriptional Landscape of iPS Cells That Persists in Motor Neurons. Cells 2023; 12:2461. [PMID: 37887305 PMCID: PMC10604943 DOI: 10.3390/cells12202461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Fused-in sarcoma (FUS) gene mutations have been implicated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This study aimed to investigate the impact of FUS mutations (R521H and P525L) on the transcriptome of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and iPSC-derived motor neurons (iMNs). Using RNA sequencing (RNA Seq), we characterized differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELs) and subsequently predicted lncRNA-mRNA target pairs (TAR pairs). Our results show that FUS mutations significantly altered the expression profiles of mRNAs and lncRNAs in iPSCs. Using this large dataset, we identified and verified six key differentially regulated TAR pairs in iPSCs that were also altered in iMNs. These target transcripts included: GPR149, NR4A, LMO3, SLC15A4, ZNF404, and CRACD. These findings indicated that selected mutant FUS-induced transcriptional alterations persist from iPSCs into differentiated iMNs. Functional enrichment analyses of DEGs indicated pathways associated with neuronal development and carcinogenesis as likely altered by these FUS mutations. Furthermore, ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) and GO network analysis of lncRNA-targeted mRNAs indicated associations between RNA metabolism, lncRNA regulation, and DNA damage repair. Our findings provide insights into potential molecular mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of ALS-associated FUS mutations and suggest potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent E. Provasek
- Division of DNA Repair Research within the Center for Neuroregeneration, Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (V.E.P.); (M.K.); (H.W.)
- School of Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Manohar Kodavati
- Division of DNA Repair Research within the Center for Neuroregeneration, Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (V.E.P.); (M.K.); (H.W.)
| | - Wenting Guo
- INSERM, UMR-S1118, Mécanismes Centraux et Périphériques de la Neurodégénérescence, Université de Strasbourg, CRBS, 67000 Strasbourg, France;
- VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Stem Cell Institute, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium;
| | - Haibo Wang
- Division of DNA Repair Research within the Center for Neuroregeneration, Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (V.E.P.); (M.K.); (H.W.)
| | - Istvan Boldogh
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA;
| | - Ludo Van Den Bosch
- Stem Cell Institute, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium;
| | - Gavin Britz
- Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Muralidhar L. Hegde
- Division of DNA Repair Research within the Center for Neuroregeneration, Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (V.E.P.); (M.K.); (H.W.)
- School of Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
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14
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Ali Z, Godoy-Corchuelo JM, Martins-Bach AB, Garcia-Toledo I, Fernández-Beltrán LC, Nair RR, Spring S, Nieman BJ, Jimenez-Coca I, Bains RS, Forrest H, Lerch JP, Miller KL, Fisher EMC, Cunningham TJ, Corrochano S. Mutation in the FUS nuclear localisation signal domain causes neurodevelopmental and systemic metabolic alterations. Dis Model Mech 2023; 16:dmm050200. [PMID: 37772684 PMCID: PMC10642611 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.050200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Variants in the ubiquitously expressed DNA/RNA-binding protein FUS cause aggressive juvenile forms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Most FUS mutation studies have focused on motor neuron degeneration; little is known about wider systemic or developmental effects. We studied pleiotropic phenotypes in a physiological knock-in mouse model carrying the pathogenic FUSDelta14 mutation in homozygosity. RNA sequencing of multiple organs aimed to identify pathways altered by the mutant protein in the systemic transcriptome, including metabolic tissues, given the link between ALS-frontotemporal dementia and altered metabolism. Few genes were commonly altered across all tissues, and most genes and pathways affected were generally tissue specific. Phenotypic assessment of mice revealed systemic metabolic alterations related to the pathway changes identified. Magnetic resonance imaging brain scans and histological characterisation revealed that homozygous FUSDelta14 brains were smaller than heterozygous and wild-type brains and displayed significant morphological alterations, including a thinner cortex, reduced neuronal number and increased gliosis, which correlated with early cognitive impairment and fatal seizures. These findings show that the disease aetiology of FUS variants can include both neurodevelopmental and systemic alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeinab Ali
- Neurological Disorders Group, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdiSSC), Madrid 28040, Spain
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell Institute, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 ORD, UK
| | - Juan M. Godoy-Corchuelo
- Neurological Disorders Group, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdiSSC), Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Aurea B. Martins-Bach
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9D, UK
| | - Irene Garcia-Toledo
- Neurological Disorders Group, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdiSSC), Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Luis C. Fernández-Beltrán
- Neurological Disorders Group, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdiSSC), Madrid 28040, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Remya R. Nair
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell Institute, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 ORD, UK
| | - Shoshana Spring
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M57 3H7, Canada
| | - Brian J. Nieman
- Mouse Imaging Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M57 3H7, Canada
| | - Irene Jimenez-Coca
- Neurological Disorders Group, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdiSSC), Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - Rasneer S. Bains
- Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 ORD, UK
| | - Hamish Forrest
- Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 ORD, UK
| | - Jason P. Lerch
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9D, UK
| | - Karla L. Miller
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9D, UK
| | - Elizabeth M. C. Fisher
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Thomas J. Cunningham
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell Institute, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 ORD, UK
- MRC Prion Unit at UCL, UCL Institute of Prion Diseases, University College London, London W1W 7FF, UK
| | - Silvia Corrochano
- Neurological Disorders Group, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital Clínico San Carlos (IdiSSC), Madrid 28040, Spain
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell Institute, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 ORD, UK
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15
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Zhu L, Li S, Li XJ, Yin P. Pathological insights from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis animal models: comparisons, limitations, and challenges. Transl Neurodegener 2023; 12:46. [PMID: 37730668 PMCID: PMC10510301 DOI: 10.1186/s40035-023-00377-7] [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: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
In order to dissect amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a multigenic, multifactorial, and progressive neurodegenerative disease with heterogeneous clinical presentations, researchers have generated numerous animal models to mimic the genetic defects. Concurrent and comparative analysis of these various models allows identification of the causes and mechanisms of ALS in order to finally obtain effective therapeutics. However, most genetically modified rodent models lack overt pathological features, imposing challenges and limitations in utilizing them to rigorously test the potential mechanisms. Recent studies using large animals, including pigs and non-human primates, have uncovered important events that resemble neurodegeneration in patients' brains but could not be produced in small animals. Here we describe common features as well as discrepancies among these models, highlighting new insights from these models. Furthermore, we will discuss how to make rodent models more capable of recapitulating important pathological features based on the important pathogenic insights from large animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longhong Zhu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Non-Human Primate Research, Key Laboratory of CNS Regeneration (Ministry of Education), GHM Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Shihua Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Non-Human Primate Research, Key Laboratory of CNS Regeneration (Ministry of Education), GHM Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
| | - Xiao-Jiang Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Non-Human Primate Research, Key Laboratory of CNS Regeneration (Ministry of Education), GHM Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China.
| | - Peng Yin
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Non-Human Primate Research, Key Laboratory of CNS Regeneration (Ministry of Education), GHM Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China.
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16
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Zhou W, Xu R. Current insights in the molecular genetic pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1189470. [PMID: 37638324 PMCID: PMC10448825 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1189470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disease that leads to the massive loss of motor neurons in cerebrum, brain stem and spinal cord. It affects not only motor neurons but also other neurons and glial cells, resulting in the progressive muscle atrophy, the severe disability and the eventual death due to the respiratory failure. The pathogenesis of ALS is not fully understood. Currently, several factors are considered to be involved in the pathogenesis of ALS, such as genetic factors, imbalances in protein homeostasis, RNA metabolism disorders, mitochondrial dysfunctions, glutamate-mediated excitatory toxicities and intra-neuronal material transport disorders in neurons. The study of genetic mutations related to ALS pathogenesis will link the molecular and cellular mechanisms of the disease, thus enhancing the understanding of its occurrence and progression, thereby providing new insights for the pathogenesis of ALS. This review summarizes the current insights in the molecular genetic pathogenesis of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wan Zhou
- Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Department of Neurology, Jiangxi Provincial People’s Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, The Clinical College of Nanchang Medical College, Nanchang, China
| | - Renshi Xu
- Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- Department of Neurology, Jiangxi Provincial People’s Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, The Clinical College of Nanchang Medical College, Nanchang, China
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17
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Tzeplaeff L, Seguin J, Le Gras S, Megat S, Cosquer B, Plassard D, Dieterlé S, Paiva I, Picchiarelli G, Decraene C, Alcala-Vida R, Cassel JC, Merienne K, Dupuis L, Boutillier AL. Mutant FUS induces chromatin reorganization in the hippocampus and alters memory processes. Prog Neurobiol 2023; 227:102483. [PMID: 37327984 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2023.102483] [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: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Cytoplasmic mislocalization of the nuclear Fused in Sarcoma (FUS) protein is associated to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Cytoplasmic FUS accumulation is recapitulated in the frontal cortex and spinal cord of heterozygous Fus∆NLS/+ mice. Yet, the mechanisms linking FUS mislocalization to hippocampal function and memory formation are still not characterized. Herein, we show that in these mice, the hippocampus paradoxically displays nuclear FUS accumulation. Multi-omic analyses showed that FUS binds to a set of genes characterized by the presence of an ETS/ELK-binding motifs, and involved in RNA metabolism, transcription, ribosome/mitochondria and chromatin organization. Importantly, hippocampal nuclei showed a decompaction of the neuronal chromatin at highly expressed genes and an inappropriate transcriptomic response was observed after spatial training of Fus∆NLS/+ mice. Furthermore, these mice lacked precision in a hippocampal-dependent spatial memory task and displayed decreased dendritic spine density. These studies shows that mutated FUS affects epigenetic regulation of the chromatin landscape in hippocampal neurons, which could participate in FTD/ALS pathogenic events. These data call for further investigation in the neurological phenotype of FUS-related diseases and open therapeutic strategies towards epigenetic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Tzeplaeff
- Université de Strasbourg, Laboratoire de Neuroscience Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), Strasbourg, France; CNRS, UMR 7364, Strasbourg 67000, France; Université de Strasbourg, INSERM, UMR-S1118, Strasbourg, France
| | - Jonathan Seguin
- Université de Strasbourg, Laboratoire de Neuroscience Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), Strasbourg, France; CNRS, UMR 7364, Strasbourg 67000, France
| | - Stéphanie Le Gras
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS UMR 7104, INSERM U1258, GenomEast Platform, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France
| | - Salim Megat
- Université de Strasbourg, INSERM, UMR-S1118, Strasbourg, France
| | - Brigitte Cosquer
- Université de Strasbourg, Laboratoire de Neuroscience Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), Strasbourg, France; CNRS, UMR 7364, Strasbourg 67000, France
| | - Damien Plassard
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS UMR 7104, INSERM U1258, GenomEast Platform, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France
| | | | - Isabel Paiva
- Université de Strasbourg, Laboratoire de Neuroscience Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), Strasbourg, France; CNRS, UMR 7364, Strasbourg 67000, France
| | | | - Charles Decraene
- Université de Strasbourg, Laboratoire de Neuroscience Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), Strasbourg, France; CNRS, UMR 7364, Strasbourg 67000, France
| | - Rafael Alcala-Vida
- Université de Strasbourg, Laboratoire de Neuroscience Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), Strasbourg, France; CNRS, UMR 7364, Strasbourg 67000, France
| | - Jean-Christophe Cassel
- Université de Strasbourg, Laboratoire de Neuroscience Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), Strasbourg, France; CNRS, UMR 7364, Strasbourg 67000, France
| | - Karine Merienne
- Université de Strasbourg, Laboratoire de Neuroscience Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), Strasbourg, France; CNRS, UMR 7364, Strasbourg 67000, France
| | - Luc Dupuis
- Université de Strasbourg, INSERM, UMR-S1118, Strasbourg, France.
| | - Anne-Laurence Boutillier
- Université de Strasbourg, Laboratoire de Neuroscience Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), Strasbourg, France.
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18
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Nikom D, Zheng S. Alternative splicing in neurodegenerative disease and the promise of RNA therapies. Nat Rev Neurosci 2023; 24:457-473. [PMID: 37336982 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-023-00717-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
Alternative splicing generates a myriad of RNA products and protein isoforms of different functions from a single gene. Dysregulated alternative splicing has emerged as a new mechanism broadly implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, frontotemporal dementia, Parkinson disease and repeat expansion diseases. Understanding the mechanisms and functional outcomes of abnormal splicing in neurological disorders is vital in developing effective therapies to treat mis-splicing pathology. In this Review, we discuss emerging research and evidence of the roles of alternative splicing defects in major neurodegenerative diseases and summarize the latest advances in RNA-based therapeutic strategies to target these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Nikom
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
- Center for RNA Biology and Medicine, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Sika Zheng
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA.
- Center for RNA Biology and Medicine, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA.
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA.
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19
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Provasek VE, Kodavati M, Guo W, Wang H, Boldogh I, Van Den Bosch L, Britz G, Hegde M. lncRNA Sequencing Reveals Neurodegeneration-associated FUS Mutations Alter Transcriptional Landscape of iPS Cells That Persists In Motor Neurons. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3112246. [PMID: 37461717 PMCID: PMC10350127 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3112246/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
Fused-in Sarcoma (FUS) gene mutations have been implicated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This study aimed to investigate the impact of FUS mutations (R521H and P525L) on the transcriptome of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and iPSC-derived motor neurons (iMNs). Using RNA sequencing (RNA Seq), we characterized differentially expressed genes (DEGs), differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELs), and subsequently predicted lncRNA-mRNA target pairs (TAR pairs). Our results show that FUS mutations significantly altered expression profiles of mRNAs and lncRNAs in iPSCs. We identified key differentially regulated TAR pairs, including LMO3, TMEM132D, ERMN, GPR149, CRACD, and ZNF404 in mutant FUS iPSCs. We performed reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) validation in iPSCs and iMNs. Validation confirmed RNA-Seq findings and suggested that mutant FUS-induced transcriptional alterations persisted from iPSCs into differentiated iMNs. Functional enrichment analyses of DEGs indicated pathways associated with neuronal development and carcinogenesis that were likely altered by FUS mutations. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) and GO network analysis of lncRNA-targeted mRNAs indicated associations related to RNA metabolism, lncRNA regulation, and DNA damage repair. Our findings provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of ALS-associated FUS mutations and suggest potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent E. Provasek
- Division of DNA Repair Research within the Center for Neuroregeneration, Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- School of Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Manohar Kodavati
- Division of DNA Repair Research within the Center for Neuroregeneration, Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Wenting Guo
- KU Leuven-Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Stem Cell Institute, Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Haibo Wang
- Division of DNA Repair Research within the Center for Neuroregeneration, Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Istvan Boldogh
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Ludo Van Den Bosch
- KU Leuven-Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Gavin Britz
- Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Muralidhar Hegde
- Division of DNA Repair Research within the Center for Neuroregeneration, Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- School of Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
- Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
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20
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Rezvykh A, Ustyugov A, Chaprov K, Teterina E, Nebogatikov V, Spasskaya D, Evgen’ev M, Morozov A, Funikov S. Cytoplasmic aggregation of mutant FUS causes multistep RNA splicing perturbations in the course of motor neuron pathology. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:5810-5830. [PMID: 37115004 PMCID: PMC10287951 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad319] [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: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Dysfunction of the RNA-binding protein (RBP) FUS implicated in RNA metabolism can cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other neurodegenerative diseases. Mutations affecting FUS nuclear localization can drive RNA splicing defects and stimulate the formation of non-amyloid inclusions in affected neurons. However, the mechanism by which FUS mutations contribute to the development of ALS remains uncertain. Here we describe a pattern of RNA splicing changes in the dynamics of the continuous proteinopathy induced by mislocalized FUS. We show that the decrease in intron retention of FUS-associated transcripts represents the hallmark of the pathogenesis of ALS and is the earliest molecular event in the course of progression of the disease. As FUS aggregation increases, the pattern of RNA splicing changes, becoming more complex, including a decrease in the inclusion of neuron-specific microexons and induction of cryptic exon splicing due to the sequestration of additional RBPs into FUS aggregates. Crucially, the identified features of the pathological splicing pattern are also observed in ALS patients in both sporadic and familial cases. Our data provide evidence that both a loss of nuclear FUS function due to mislocalization and the subsequent cytoplasmic aggregation of mutant protein lead to the disruption of RNA splicing in a multistep fashion during FUS aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander P Rezvykh
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russian Federation
| | - Aleksey A Ustyugov
- Institute of Physiologically Active Compounds at Federal Research Center of Problems of Chemical Physics and Medicinal Chemistry of Russian Academy of Sciences, Chernogolovka, 142432, Russian Federation
| | - Kirill D Chaprov
- Institute of Physiologically Active Compounds at Federal Research Center of Problems of Chemical Physics and Medicinal Chemistry of Russian Academy of Sciences, Chernogolovka, 142432, Russian Federation
| | - Ekaterina V Teterina
- Institute of Physiologically Active Compounds at Federal Research Center of Problems of Chemical Physics and Medicinal Chemistry of Russian Academy of Sciences, Chernogolovka, 142432, Russian Federation
| | - Vladimir O Nebogatikov
- Institute of Physiologically Active Compounds at Federal Research Center of Problems of Chemical Physics and Medicinal Chemistry of Russian Academy of Sciences, Chernogolovka, 142432, Russian Federation
| | - Daria S Spasskaya
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russian Federation
| | - Michael B Evgen’ev
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russian Federation
| | - Alexey V Morozov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russian Federation
| | - Sergei Yu Funikov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russian Federation
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21
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Barry A, Samuel SF, Hosni I, Moursi A, Feugere L, Sennett CJ, Deepak S, Achawal S, Rajaraman C, Iles A, Wollenberg Valero KC, Scott IS, Green V, Stead LF, Greenman J, Wade MA, Beltran-Alvarez P. Investigating the effects of arginine methylation inhibitors on microdissected brain tumour biopsies maintained in a miniaturised perfusion system. LAB ON A CHIP 2023; 23:2664-2682. [PMID: 37191188 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00204g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Arginine methylation is a post-translational modification that consists of the transfer of one or two methyl (CH3) groups to arginine residues in proteins. Several types of arginine methylation occur, namely monomethylation, symmetric dimethylation and asymmetric dimethylation, which are catalysed by different protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs). Inhibitors of PRMTs have recently entered clinical trials to target several types of cancer, including gliomas (NCT04089449). People with glioblastoma (GBM), the most aggressive form of brain tumour, are among those with the poorest quality of life and likelihood of survival of anyone diagnosed with cancer. There is currently a lack of (pre)clinical research on the possible application of PRMT inhibitors to target brain tumours. Here, we set out to investigate the effects of clinically-relevant PRMT inhibitors on GBM biopsies. We present a new, low-cost, easy to fabricate perfusion device that can maintain GBM tissue in a viable condition for at least eight days post-surgical resection. The miniaturised perfusion device enables the treatment of GBM tissue with PRMT inhibitors ex vivo, and we observed a two-fold increase in apoptosis in treated samples compared to parallel control experiments. Mechanistically, we show thousands of differentially expressed genes after treatment, and changes in the type of arginine methylation of the RNA binding protein FUS that are consistent with hundreds of differential gene splicing events. This is the first time that cross-talk between different types of arginine methylation has been observed in clinical samples after treatment with PRMT inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonia Barry
- Centre for Biomedicine, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Hull, UK.
| | - Sabrina F Samuel
- Centre for Biomedicine, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Hull, UK.
| | - Ines Hosni
- Centre for Biomedicine, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Hull, UK.
| | - Amr Moursi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Hull Royal Infirmary, Hull, UK
| | - Lauric Feugere
- Department of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Hull, Hull, UK
| | | | - Srihari Deepak
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Hull Royal Infirmary, Hull, UK
| | - Shailendra Achawal
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Hull Royal Infirmary, Hull, UK
| | - Chittoor Rajaraman
- Department of Neurosurgery, Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Hull Royal Infirmary, Hull, UK
| | | | | | - Ian S Scott
- Neuroscience Laboratories, The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK
| | - Vicky Green
- Centre for Biomedicine, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Hull, UK.
| | - Lucy F Stead
- Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's, St James's University Hospital, Leeds, UK
| | - John Greenman
- Centre for Biomedicine, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Hull, UK.
| | - Mark A Wade
- Centre for Biomedicine, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Hull, UK.
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22
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Piol D, Robberechts T, Da Cruz S. Lost in local translation: TDP-43 and FUS in axonal/neuromuscular junction maintenance and dysregulation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neuron 2023; 111:1355-1380. [PMID: 36963381 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.02.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2023]
Abstract
Key early features of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are denervation of neuromuscular junctions and axonal degeneration. Motor neuron homeostasis relies on local translation through controlled regulation of axonal mRNA localization, transport, and stability. Yet the composition of the local transcriptome, translatome (mRNAs locally translated), and proteome during health and disease remains largely unexplored. This review covers recent discoveries on axonal translation as a critical mechanism for neuronal maintenance/survival. We focus on two RNA binding proteins, transactive response DNA binding protein-43 (TDP-43) and fused in sarcoma (FUS), whose mutations cause ALS and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Emerging evidence points to their essential role in the maintenance of axons and synapses, including mRNA localization, transport, and local translation, and whose dysfunction may contribute to ALS. Finally, we describe recent advances in omics-based approaches mapping compartment-specific local RNA and protein compositions, which will be invaluable to elucidate fundamental local processes and identify key targets for therapy development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Piol
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tessa Robberechts
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sandrine Da Cruz
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium.
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23
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Merjane J, Chung R, Patani R, Lisowski L. Molecular mechanisms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis as broad therapeutic targets for gene therapy applications utilizing adeno-associated viral vectors. Med Res Rev 2023. [PMID: 36786126 DOI: 10.1002/med.21937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
Despite the devastating clinical outcome of the neurodegenerative disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), its etiology remains mysterious. Approximately 90% of ALS is characterized as sporadic, signifying that the patient has no family history of the disease. The development of an impactful disease modifying therapy across the ALS spectrum has remained out of grasp, largely due to the poorly understood mechanisms of disease onset and progression. Currently, ALS is invariably fatal and rapidly progressive. It is hypothesized that multiple factors can lead to the development of ALS, however, treatments are often focused on targeting specific familial forms of the disease (10% of total cases). There is a strong need to develop disease modifying treatments for ALS that can be effective across the full ALS spectrum of familial and sporadic cases. Although the onset of disease varies significantly between patients, there are general disease mechanisms and progressions that can be seen broadly across ALS patients. Therefore, this review explores the targeting of these widespread disease mechanisms as possible areas for therapeutic intervention to treat ALS broadly. In particular, this review will focus on targeting mechanisms of defective protein homeostasis and RNA processing, which are both increasingly recognized as design principles of ALS pathogenesis. Additionally, this review will explore the benefits of gene therapy as an approach to treating ALS, specifically focusing on the use of adeno-associated virus (AAV) as a vector for gene delivery to the CNS and recent advances in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Merjane
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Roger Chung
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Rickie Patani
- Department of Neuromuscular Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, UK.,The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Leszek Lisowski
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.,Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Innovative Therapies, Military Institute of Medicine, Warsaw, Poland
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24
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FUS Alters circRNA Metabolism in Human Motor Neurons Carrying the ALS-Linked P525L Mutation. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043181. [PMID: 36834591 PMCID: PMC9968238 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Deregulation of RNA metabolism has emerged as one of the key events leading to the degeneration of motor neurons (MNs) in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) disease. Indeed, mutations on RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) or on proteins involved in aspects of RNA metabolism account for the majority of familiar forms of ALS. In particular, the impact of the ALS-linked mutations of the RBP FUS on many aspects of RNA-related processes has been vastly investigated. FUS plays a pivotal role in splicing regulation and its mutations severely alter the exon composition of transcripts coding for proteins involved in neurogenesis, axon guidance, and synaptic activity. In this study, by using in vitro-derived human MNs, we investigate the effect of the P525L FUS mutation on non-canonical splicing events that leads to the formation of circular RNAs (circRNAs). We observed altered levels of circRNAs in FUSP525L MNs and a preferential binding of the mutant protein to introns flanking downregulated circRNAs and containing inverted Alu repeats. For a subset of circRNAs, FUSP525L also impacts their nuclear/cytoplasmic partitioning, confirming its involvement in different processes of RNA metabolism. Finally, we assess the potential of cytoplasmic circRNAs to act as miRNA sponges, with possible implications in ALS pathogenesis.
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25
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Fare CM, Rhine K, Lam A, Myong S, Shorter J. A minimal construct of nuclear-import receptor Karyopherin-β2 defines the regions critical for chaperone and disaggregation activity. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:102806. [PMID: 36529289 PMCID: PMC9860449 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Karyopherin-β2 (Kapβ2) is a nuclear-import receptor that recognizes proline-tyrosine nuclear localization signals of diverse cytoplasmic cargo for transport to the nucleus. Kapβ2 cargo includes several disease-linked RNA-binding proteins with prion-like domains, such as FUS, TAF15, EWSR1, hnRNPA1, and hnRNPA2. These RNA-binding proteins with prion-like domains are linked via pathology and genetics to debilitating degenerative disorders, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, frontotemporal dementia, and multisystem proteinopathy. Remarkably, Kapβ2 prevents and reverses aberrant phase transitions of these cargoes, which is cytoprotective. However, the molecular determinants of Kapβ2 that enable these activities remain poorly understood, particularly from the standpoint of nuclear-import receptor architecture. Kapβ2 is a super-helical protein comprised of 20 HEAT repeats. Here, we design truncated variants of Kapβ2 and assess their ability to antagonize FUS aggregation and toxicity in yeast and FUS condensation at the pure protein level and in human cells. We find that HEAT repeats 8 to 20 of Kapβ2 recapitulate all salient features of Kapβ2 activity. By contrast, Kapβ2 truncations lacking even a single cargo-binding HEAT repeat display reduced activity. Thus, we define a minimal Kapβ2 construct for delivery in adeno-associated viruses as a potential therapeutic for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/frontotemporal dementia, multisystem proteinopathy, and related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte M Fare
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics Graduate Group, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Kevin Rhine
- Program in Cell, Molecular, Developmental Biology, and Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Andrew Lam
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Sua Myong
- Program in Cell, Molecular, Developmental Biology, and Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - James Shorter
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics Graduate Group, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
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26
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Younger DS. Neurogenetic motor disorders. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2023; 195:183-250. [PMID: 37562870 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-323-98818-6.00003-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
Advances in the field of neurogenetics have practical applications in rapid diagnosis on blood and body fluids to extract DNA, obviating the need for invasive investigations. The ability to obtain a presymptomatic diagnosis through genetic screening and biomarkers can be a guide to life-saving disease-modifying therapy or enzyme replacement therapy to compensate for the deficient disease-causing enzyme. The benefits of a comprehensive neurogenetic evaluation extend to family members in whom identification of the causal gene defect ensures carrier detection and at-risk counseling for future generations. This chapter explores the many facets of the neurogenetic evaluation in adult and pediatric motor disorders as a primer for later chapters in this volume and a roadmap for the future applications of genetics in neurology.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S Younger
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Neuroscience, CUNY School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States; Department of Medicine, Section of Internal Medicine and Neurology, White Plains Hospital, White Plains, NY, United States.
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27
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Abstract
The scientific landscape surrounding amyotrophic lateral sclerosis has shifted immensely with a number of well-defined ALS disease-causing genes, each with related phenotypical and cellular motor neuron processes that have come to light. Yet in spite of decades of research and clinical investigation, there is still no etiology for sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and treatment options even for those with well-defined familial syndromes are still limited. This chapter provides a comprehensive review of the genetic basis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, highlighting factors that contribute to its heritability and phenotypic manifestations, and an overview of past, present, and upcoming therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S Younger
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Neuroscience, CUNY School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States; Department of Medicine, Section of Internal Medicine and Neurology, White Plains Hospital, White Plains, NY, United States.
| | - Robert H Brown
- Department of Neurology, UMass Chan Medical School, Donna M. and Robert J. Manning Chair in Neurosciences and Director in Neurotherapeutics, Worcester, MA, United States
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28
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Rifai OM, Longden J, O'Shaughnessy J, Sewell MDE, Pate J, McDade K, Daniels MJ, Abrahams S, Chandran S, McColl BW, Sibley CR, Gregory JM. Random forest modelling demonstrates microglial and protein misfolding features to be key phenotypic markers in C9orf72-ALS. J Pathol 2022; 258:366-381. [PMID: 36070099 PMCID: PMC9827842 DOI: 10.1002/path.6008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Clinical heterogeneity observed across patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a known complicating factor in identifying potential therapeutics, even within cohorts with the same mutation, such as C9orf72 hexanucleotide repeat expansions (HREs). Thus, further understanding of pathways underlying this heterogeneity is essential for appropriate ALS trial stratification and the meaningful assessment of clinical outcomes. It has been shown that both inflammation and protein misfolding can influence ALS pathogenesis, such as the manifestation or severity of motor or cognitive symptoms. However, there has yet to be a systematic and quantitative assessment of immunohistochemical markers to interrogate the potential relevance of these pathways in an unbiased manner. To investigate this, we extensively characterised features of commonly used glial activation and protein misfolding stains in thousands of images of post-mortem tissue from a heterogeneous cohort of deeply clinically profiled patients with a C9orf72 HRE. Using a random forest model, we show that microglial staining features are the most accurate classifiers of disease status in our panel and that clinicopathological relationships exist between microglial activation status, TDP-43 pathology, and language dysfunction. Furthermore, we detected spatially resolved changes in fused in sarcoma (FUS) staining, suggesting that liquid-liquid phase shift of this aggregation-prone RNA-binding protein may be important in ALS caused by a C9orf72 HRE. Interestingly, no one feature alone significantly impacted the predictiveness of the model, indicating that the collective examination of all features, or a combination of several features, is what allows the model to be predictive. Our findings provide further support to the hypothesis of dysfunctional immune regulation and proteostasis in the pathogenesis of C9-ALS and provide a framework for digital analysis of commonly used neuropathological stains as a tool to enrich our understanding of clinicopathological relationships within and between cohorts. © 2022 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia M Rifai
- Translational Neuroscience PhD Programme, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - James Longden
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Judi O'Shaughnessy
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Michael DE Sewell
- Translational Neuroscience PhD Programme, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Judith Pate
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Karina McDade
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | | | - Sharon Abrahams
- Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Human Cognitive Neuroscience-Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Siddharthan Chandran
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Barry W McColl
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Christopher R Sibley
- Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Institute of Quantitative Biology, Biochemistry and Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jenna M Gregory
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
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29
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Yokoi S, Ito T, Sahashi K, Nakatochi M, Nakamura R, Tohnai G, Fujioka Y, Ishigaki S, Udagawa T, Izumi Y, Morita M, Kano O, Oda M, Sone T, Okano H, Atsuta N, Katsuno M, Okada Y, Sobue G. The SYNGAP1 3'UTR Variant in ALS Patients Causes Aberrant SYNGAP1 Splicing and Dendritic Spine Loss by Recruiting HNRNPK. J Neurosci 2022; 42:8881-8896. [PMID: 36261283 PMCID: PMC9698725 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0455-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Fused in sarcoma (FUS) is a pathogenic RNA-binding protein in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We previously reported that FUS stabilizes Synaptic Ras-GTPase activating protein 1 (Syngap1) mRNA at its 3' untranslated region (UTR) and maintains spine maturation. To elucidate the pathologic roles of this mechanism in ALS patients, we identified the SYNGAP1 3'UTR variant rs149438267 in seven (four males and three females) out of 807 ALS patients at the FUS binding site from a multicenter cohort in Japan. Human-induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived motor neurons with the SYNGAP1 variant showed aberrant splicing, increased isoform α1 levels, and decreased isoform γ levels, which caused dendritic spine loss. Moreover, the SYNGAP1 variant excessively recruited FUS and heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (HNRNPK), and antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) blocking HNRNPK altered aberrant splicing and ameliorated dendritic spine loss. These data suggest that excessive recruitment of RNA-binding proteins, especially HNRNPK, as well as changes in SYNGAP1 isoforms, are crucial for spine formation in motor neurons.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT It is not yet known which RNAs cause the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We previously reported that Fused in sarcoma (FUS), a pathogenic RNA-binding protein in ALS, stabilizes synaptic Ras-GTPase activating protein 1 (Syngap1) mRNA at its 3' untranslated region (UTR) and maintains dendritic spine maturation. To elucidate whether this mechanism is crucial for ALS, we identified the SYNGAP1 3'UTR variant rs149438267 at the FUS binding site. Human-induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived motor neurons with the SYNGAP1 variant showed aberrant splicing, which caused dendritic spine loss along with excessive recruitment of FUS and heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (HNRNPK). Our findings that dendritic spine loss is because of excess recruitment of RNA-binding proteins provide a basis for the future exploration of ALS-related RNA-binding proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoshi Yokoi
- Department of Neurology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan
| | - Takuji Ito
- Department of Neurology, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Aichi 480-1195, Japan
- Department of Neural iPSC Research, Institute for Medical Science of Aging, Aichi Medical University, Aichi 480-1195, Japan
| | - Kentaro Sahashi
- Department of Neurology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan
| | - Masahiro Nakatochi
- Public Health Informatics Unit, Department of Integrated Health Sciences, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 461-8673, Japan
| | - Ryoichi Nakamura
- Department of Neurology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan
- Department of Neurology, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Aichi 480-1195, Japan
| | - Genki Tohnai
- Division of ALS Research, Aichi Medical University, Aichi 480-1195, Japan
| | - Yusuke Fujioka
- Department of Neurology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Ishigaki
- Department of Neurology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan
- Research Division of Dementia and Neurodegenerative Disease, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Udagawa
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya 467-8603, Japan
| | - Yuishin Izumi
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Mitsuya Morita
- Division of Neurology, Department of Internal Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke 329-0498, Japan
| | - Osamu Kano
- Department of Neurology, Toho University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo 143-8540, Japan
| | - Masaya Oda
- Department of Neurology, Vihara Hananosato Hospital, Miyoshi 728-0001, Japan
| | - Takefumi Sone
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-0016, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Okano
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-0016, Japan
| | - Naoki Atsuta
- Department of Neurology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan
- Department of Neurology, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Aichi 480-1195, Japan
| | - Masahisa Katsuno
- Department of Neurology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan
| | - Yohei Okada
- Department of Neurology, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Aichi 480-1195, Japan
- Department of Neural iPSC Research, Institute for Medical Science of Aging, Aichi Medical University, Aichi 480-1195, Japan
| | - Gen Sobue
- Research Division of Dementia and Neurodegenerative Disease, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan
- Aichi Medical University, Aichi 480-1195, Japan
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30
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Taylor R, Hamid F, Fielding T, Gordon PM, Maloney M, Makeyev EV, Houart C. Prematurely terminated intron-retaining mRNAs invade axons in SFPQ null-driven neurodegeneration and are a hallmark of ALS. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6994. [PMID: 36414621 PMCID: PMC9681851 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34331-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Loss of SFPQ is a hallmark of motor degeneration in ALS and prevents maturation of motor neurons when occurring during embryogenesis. Here, we show that in zebrafish, developing motor neurons lacking SFPQ exhibit axon extension, branching and synaptogenesis defects, prior to degeneration. Subcellular transcriptomics reveals that loss of SFPQ in neurons produces a complex set of aberrant intron-retaining (IR) transcripts coding for neuron-specific proteins that accumulate in neurites. Some of these local IR mRNAs are prematurely terminated within the retained intron (PreT-IR). PreT-IR mRNAs undergo intronic polyadenylation, nuclear export, and localise to neurites in vitro and in vivo. We find these IR and PreT-IR mRNAs enriched in RNAseq datasets of tissue from patients with familial and sporadic ALS. This shared signature, between SFPQ-depleted neurons and ALS, functionally implicates SFPQ with the disease and suggests that neurite-centred perturbation of alternatively spliced isoforms drives the neurodegenerative process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Taylor
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology and Medical Research Council Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Guy's Campus, King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK.
| | - Fursham Hamid
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology and Medical Research Council Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Guy's Campus, King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Triona Fielding
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology and Medical Research Council Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Guy's Campus, King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Patricia M Gordon
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology and Medical Research Council Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Guy's Campus, King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Megan Maloney
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology and Medical Research Council Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Guy's Campus, King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Eugene V Makeyev
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology and Medical Research Council Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Guy's Campus, King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Corinne Houart
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology and Medical Research Council Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Guy's Campus, King's College London, London, SE1 1UL, UK.
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31
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Gelon PA, Dutchak PA, Sephton CF. Synaptic dysfunction in ALS and FTD: anatomical and molecular changes provide insights into mechanisms of disease. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:1000183. [PMID: 36263379 PMCID: PMC9575515 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.1000183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Synaptic loss is a pathological feature of all neurodegenerative diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). ALS is a disease of the cortical and spinal motor neurons resulting in fatal paralysis due to denervation of muscles. FTD is a form of dementia that primarily affects brain regions controlling cognition, language and behavior. Once classified as two distinct diseases, ALS and FTD are now considered as part of a common disease spectrum based on overlapping clinical, pathological and genetic evidence. At the cellular level, aggregation of common proteins and overlapping gene susceptibilities are shared in both ALS and FTD. Despite the convergence of these two fields of research, the underlying disease mechanisms remain elusive. However, recent discovers from ALS and FTD patient studies and models of ALS/FTD strongly suggests that synaptic dysfunction is an early event in the disease process and a unifying hallmark of these diseases. This review provides a summary of the reported anatomical and cellular changes that occur in cortical and spinal motor neurons in ALS and FTD tissues and models of disease. We also highlight studies that identify changes in the proteome and transcriptome of ALS and FTD models and provide a conceptual overview of the processes that contribute to synaptic dysfunction in these diseases. Due to space limitations and the vast number of publications in the ALS and FTD fields, many articles have not been discussed in this review. As such, this review focuses on the three most common shared mutations in ALS and FTD, the hexanucleuotide repeat expansion within intron 1 of chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9ORF72), transactive response DNA binding protein 43 (TARDBP or TDP-43) and fused in sarcoma (FUS), with the intention of highlighting common pathways that promote synaptic dysfunction in the ALS-FTD disease spectrum.
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32
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Johnson MA, Nuckols TA, Merino P, Bagchi P, Nandy S, Root J, Taylor G, Seyfried NT, Kukar T. Proximity-based labeling reveals DNA damage-induced phosphorylation of fused in sarcoma (FUS) causes distinct changes in the FUS protein interactome. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102135. [PMID: 35709984 PMCID: PMC9372748 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Accumulation of cytoplasmic inclusions containing fused in sarcoma (FUS), an RNA/DNA-binding protein, is a common hallmark of frontotemporal lobar degeneration and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis neuropathology. We have previously shown that DNA damage can trigger the cytoplasmic accumulation of N-terminally phosphorylated FUS. However, the functional consequences of N-terminal FUS phosphorylation are unknown. To gain insight into this question, we utilized proximity-dependent biotin labeling via ascorbate peroxidase 2 aired with mass spectrometry to investigate whether N-terminal phosphorylation alters the FUS protein-protein interaction network (interactome), and subsequently, FUS function. We report the first analysis comparing the interactomes of three FUS variants: homeostatic wildtype FUS (FUS WT), phosphomimetic FUS (FUS PM; a proxy for N-terminally phosphorylated FUS), and the toxic FUS proline 525 to leucine mutant (FUS P525L) that causes juvenile amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. We found that the phosphomimetic FUS interactome is uniquely enriched for a group of cytoplasmic proteins that mediate mRNA metabolism and translation, as well as nuclear proteins involved in the spliceosome and DNA repair functions. Furthermore, we identified and validated the RNA-induced silencing complex RNA helicase MOV10 as a novel interacting partner of FUS. Finally, we provide functional evidence that N-terminally phosphorylated FUS may disrupt homeostatic translation and steady-state levels of specific mRNA transcripts. Taken together, these results highlight phosphorylation as a unique modulator of the interactome and function of FUS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle A. Johnson
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA,Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Thomas A. Nuckols
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA,Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Paola Merino
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA,Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Pritha Bagchi
- Emory Integrated Proteomics Core, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Srijita Nandy
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA,Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Jessica Root
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA,Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Georgia Taylor
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA,Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Nicholas T. Seyfried
- Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA,Emory Integrated Proteomics Core, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA,Department of Neurology, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA,Department of Biochemistry, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Thomas Kukar
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA,Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA,Department of Neurology, Emory University, School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA,For correspondence: Thomas Kukar
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33
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Brown AL, Wilkins OG, Keuss MJ, Hill SE, Zanovello M, Lee WC, Bampton A, Lee FCY, Masino L, Qi YA, Bryce-Smith S, Gatt A, Hallegger M, Fagegaltier D, Phatnani H, Newcombe J, Gustavsson EK, Seddighi S, Reyes JF, Coon SL, Ramos D, Schiavo G, Fisher EMC, Raj T, Secrier M, Lashley T, Ule J, Buratti E, Humphrey J, Ward ME, Fratta P. TDP-43 loss and ALS-risk SNPs drive mis-splicing and depletion of UNC13A. Nature 2022; 603:131-137. [PMID: 35197628 PMCID: PMC8891020 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04436-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 186] [Impact Index Per Article: 93.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Variants of UNC13A, a critical gene for synapse function, increase the risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia1-3, two related neurodegenerative diseases defined by mislocalization of the RNA-binding protein TDP-434,5. Here we show that TDP-43 depletion induces robust inclusion of a cryptic exon in UNC13A, resulting in nonsense-mediated decay and loss of UNC13A protein. Two common intronic UNC13A polymorphisms strongly associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia risk overlap with TDP-43 binding sites. These polymorphisms potentiate cryptic exon inclusion, both in cultured cells and in brains and spinal cords from patients with these conditions. Our findings, which demonstrate a genetic link between loss of nuclear TDP-43 function and disease, reveal the mechanism by which UNC13A variants exacerbate the effects of decreased TDP-43 function. They further provide a promising therapeutic target for TDP-43 proteinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Leigh Brown
- UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London, UK
| | - Oscar G Wilkins
- UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London, UK
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Matthew J Keuss
- UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London, UK
| | - Sarah E Hill
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Matteo Zanovello
- UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London, UK
| | - Weaverly Colleen Lee
- UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London, UK
| | - Alexander Bampton
- Queen Square Brain Bank, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Flora C Y Lee
- UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London, UK
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | | | - Yue A Qi
- Center for Alzheimer's and Related Dementias, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sam Bryce-Smith
- UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London, UK
| | - Ariana Gatt
- Queen Square Brain Bank, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Martina Hallegger
- UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London, UK
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Delphine Fagegaltier
- Center for Genomics of Neurodegenerative Disease, New York Genome Center (NYGC), New York, NY, USA
| | - Hemali Phatnani
- Center for Genomics of Neurodegenerative Disease, New York Genome Center (NYGC), New York, NY, USA
| | - Jia Newcombe
- NeuroResource, Department of Neuroinflammation, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Emil K Gustavsson
- Queen Square Brain Bank, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
- Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, Genetics and Genomic Medicine, University College London, London, UK
| | - Sahba Seddighi
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Joel F Reyes
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Steven L Coon
- Molecular Genomics Core, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Daniel Ramos
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Center for Alzheimer's and Related Dementias, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Giampietro Schiavo
- UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, UK
| | - Elizabeth M C Fisher
- UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London, UK
| | - Towfique Raj
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences and Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Estelle and Daniel Maggin Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Maria Secrier
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, UCL Genetics Institute, University College London, London, UK
| | - Tammaryn Lashley
- Queen Square Brain Bank, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Jernej Ule
- UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London, UK
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Department of Molecular Biology and Nanobiotechnology, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Emanuele Buratti
- Molecular Pathology Lab, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Trieste, Italy
| | - Jack Humphrey
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences and Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Estelle and Daniel Maggin Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Michael E Ward
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Pietro Fratta
- UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London, UK.
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34
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Tammer L, Hameiri O, Keydar I, Roy VR, Ashkenazy-Titelman A, Custódio N, Sason I, Shayevitch R, Rodríguez-Vaello V, Rino J, Lev Maor G, Leader Y, Khair D, Aiden EL, Elkon R, Irimia M, Sharan R, Shav-Tal Y, Carmo-Fonseca M, Ast G. Gene architecture directs splicing outcome in separate nuclear spatial regions. Mol Cell 2022; 82:1021-1034.e8. [PMID: 35182478 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2022.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
How the splicing machinery defines exons or introns as the spliced unit has remained a puzzle for 30 years. Here, we demonstrate that peripheral and central regions of the nucleus harbor genes with two distinct exon-intron GC content architectures that differ in the splicing outcome. Genes with low GC content exons, flanked by long introns with lower GC content, are localized in the periphery, and the exons are defined as the spliced unit. Alternative splicing of these genes results in exon skipping. In contrast, the nuclear center contains genes with a high GC content in the exons and short flanking introns. Most splicing of these genes occurs via intron definition, and aberrant splicing leads to intron retention. We demonstrate that the nuclear periphery and center generate different environments for the regulation of alternative splicing and that two sets of splicing factors form discrete regulatory subnetworks for the two gene architectures. Our study connects 3D genome organization and splicing, thus demonstrating that exon and intron definition modes of splicing occur in different nuclear regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luna Tammer
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Ofir Hameiri
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Ifat Keydar
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Vanessa Rachel Roy
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Asaf Ashkenazy-Titelman
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and the Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Noélia Custódio
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Itay Sason
- Blavatnik School of Computer Science, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Ronna Shayevitch
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Victoria Rodríguez-Vaello
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain. Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain, ICREA, Barcelona, Spain
| | - José Rino
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Galit Lev Maor
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Yodfat Leader
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Doha Khair
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Erez Lieberman Aiden
- The Center for Genome Architecture, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ran Elkon
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Manuel Irimia
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain. Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain, ICREA, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Roded Sharan
- Blavatnik School of Computer Science, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Yaron Shav-Tal
- The Mina & Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences and the Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Maria Carmo-Fonseca
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Gil Ast
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.
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35
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Implications of Poly(A) Tail Processing in Repeat Expansion Diseases. Cells 2022; 11:cells11040677. [PMID: 35203324 PMCID: PMC8870147 DOI: 10.3390/cells11040677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Repeat expansion diseases are a group of more than 40 disorders that affect mainly the nervous and/or muscular system and include myotonic dystrophies, Huntington’s disease, and fragile X syndrome. The mutation-driven expanded repeat tract occurs in specific genes and is composed of tri- to dodeca-nucleotide-long units. Mutant mRNA is a pathogenic factor or important contributor to the disease and has great potential as a therapeutic target. Although repeat expansion diseases are quite well known, there are limited studies concerning polyadenylation events for implicated transcripts that could have profound effects on transcript stability, localization, and translation efficiency. In this review, we briefly present polyadenylation and alternative polyadenylation (APA) mechanisms and discuss their role in the pathogenesis of selected diseases. We also discuss several methods for poly(A) tail measurement (both transcript-specific and transcriptome-wide analyses) and APA site identification—the further development and use of which may contribute to a better understanding of the correlation between APA events and repeat expansion diseases. Finally, we point out some future perspectives on the research into repeat expansion diseases, as well as APA studies.
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36
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Korobeynikov VA, Lyashchenko AK, Blanco-Redondo B, Jafar-Nejad P, Shneider NA. Antisense oligonucleotide silencing of FUS expression as a therapeutic approach in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Nat Med 2022; 28:104-116. [PMID: 35075293 PMCID: PMC8799464 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-021-01615-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Fused in sarcoma (FUS) is an RNA-binding protein that is genetically and pathologically associated with rare and aggressive forms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). To explore the mechanisms by which mutant FUS causes neurodegeneration in ALS-FTD, we generated a series of FUS knock-in mouse lines that express the equivalent of ALS-associated mutant FUSP525L and FUSΔEX14 protein. In FUS mutant mice, we show progressive, age-dependent motor neuron loss as a consequence of a dose-dependent gain of toxic function, associated with the insolubility of FUS and related RNA-binding proteins. In this disease-relevant mouse model of ALS-FUS, we show that ION363, a non-allele-specific FUS antisense oligonucleotide, efficiently silences Fus and reduces postnatal levels of FUS protein in the brain and spinal cord, delaying motor neuron degeneration. In a patient with ALS with a FUSP525L mutation, we provide preliminary evidence that repeated intrathecal infusions of ION363 lower wild-type and mutant FUS levels in the central nervous system, resulting in a marked reduction in the burden of FUS aggregates that are a pathological hallmark of disease. In mouse genetic and human clinical studies, we provide evidence in support of FUS silencing as a therapeutic strategy in FUS-dependent ALS and FTD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladislav A Korobeynikov
- Department of Neurology, Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alexander K Lyashchenko
- Department of Neurology, Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Beatriz Blanco-Redondo
- Department of Neurology, Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.,Rudolf-Schönheimer Institute for Biochemistry, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Neil A Shneider
- Department of Neurology, Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA. .,Department of Neurology, Eleanor and Lou Gehrig ALS Center, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
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37
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Devoy A, Price G, De Giorgio F, Bunton-Stasyshyn R, Thompson D, Gasco S, Allan A, Codner GF, Nair RR, Tibbit C, McLeod R, Ali Z, Noda J, Marrero-Gagliardi A, Brito-Armas JM, Williams C, Öztürk MM, Simon M, O'Neill E, Bryce-Smith S, Harrison J, Atkins G, Corrochano S, Stewart M, Gilthorpe JD, Teboul L, Acevedo-Arozena A, Fisher EM, Cunningham TJ. Generation and analysis of innovative genomically humanized knockin SOD1, TARDBP (TDP-43), and FUS mouse models. iScience 2021; 24:103463. [PMID: 34988393 PMCID: PMC8710557 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/frontotemporal dementia (ALS/FTD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder, and continued innovation is needed for improved understanding and for developing therapeutics. We have created next-generation genomically humanized knockin mouse models, by replacing the mouse genomic region of Sod1, Tardbp (TDP-43), and Fus, with their human orthologs, preserving human protein biochemistry and splicing with exons and introns intact. We establish a new standard of large knockin allele quality control, demonstrating the utility of indirect capture for enrichment of a genomic region of interest followed by Oxford Nanopore sequencing. Extensive analysis shows that homozygous humanized animals only express human protein at endogenous levels. Characterization of humanized FUS animals showed that they are phenotypically normal throughout their lifespan. These humanized strains are vital for preclinical assessment of interventions and serve as templates for the addition of coding or non-coding human ALS/FTD mutations to dissect disease pathomechanisms, in a physiological context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anny Devoy
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Georgia Price
- UK MRC Harwell Institute, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Francesca De Giorgio
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Rosie Bunton-Stasyshyn
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
- UK MRC Harwell Institute, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - David Thompson
- UK MRC Harwell Institute, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Samanta Gasco
- UK MRC Harwell Institute, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Alasdair Allan
- UK MRC Harwell Institute, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Gemma F. Codner
- UK MRC Harwell Institute, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Remya R. Nair
- UK MRC Harwell Institute, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Charlotte Tibbit
- UK MRC Harwell Institute, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Ross McLeod
- UK MRC Harwell Institute, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Zeinab Ali
- UK MRC Harwell Institute, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Judith Noda
- Research Unit, Hospital Universitario de Canarias; ITB-ULL and CIBERNED, 38320 La Laguna, Spain
| | | | - José M. Brito-Armas
- Research Unit, Hospital Universitario de Canarias; ITB-ULL and CIBERNED, 38320 La Laguna, Spain
| | - Chloe Williams
- Department of Integrative Medical Biology, Umeå University, 901 87, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Muhammet M. Öztürk
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Michelle Simon
- UK MRC Harwell Institute, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Edward O'Neill
- UK MRC Harwell Institute, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Sam Bryce-Smith
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Jackie Harrison
- UK MRC Harwell Institute, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Gemma Atkins
- UK MRC Harwell Institute, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | | | - Michelle Stewart
- UK MRC Harwell Institute, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | | | - Lydia Teboul
- UK MRC Harwell Institute, Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - Abraham Acevedo-Arozena
- Research Unit, Hospital Universitario de Canarias; ITB-ULL and CIBERNED, 38320 La Laguna, Spain
| | - Elizabeth M.C. Fisher
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
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38
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Conboy JG. A Deep Exon Cryptic Splice Site Promotes Aberrant Intron Retention in a Von Willebrand Disease Patient. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:13248. [PMID: 34948044 PMCID: PMC8706089 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222413248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A translationally silent single nucleotide mutation in exon 44 (E44) of the von Willebrand factor (VWF) gene is associated with inefficient removal of intron 44 in a von Willebrand disease (VWD) patient. This intron retention (IR) event was previously attributed to reordered E44 secondary structure that sequesters the normal splice donor site. We propose an alternative mechanism: the mutation introduces a cryptic splice donor site that interferes with the function of the annotated site to favor IR. We evaluated both models using minigene splicing reporters engineered to vary in secondary structure and/or cryptic splice site content. Analysis of splicing efficiency in transfected K562 cells suggested that the mutation-generated cryptic splice site in E44 was sufficient to induce substantial IR. Mutations predicted to vary secondary structure at the annotated site also had modest effects on IR and shifted the balance of residual splicing between the cryptic site and annotated site, supporting competition among the sites. Further studies demonstrated that introduction of cryptic splice donor motifs at other positions in E44 did not promote IR, indicating that interference with the annotated site is context dependent. We conclude that mutant deep exon splice sites can interfere with proper splicing by inducing IR.
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Affiliation(s)
- John G Conboy
- Biological Systems and Engineering Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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39
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Rossi S, Cozzolino M. Dysfunction of RNA/RNA-Binding Proteins in ALS Astrocytes and Microglia. Cells 2021; 10:cells10113005. [PMID: 34831228 PMCID: PMC8616248 DOI: 10.3390/cells10113005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 10/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is a neurological disease that primarily affects motor neurons in the cortex, brainstem, and spinal cord. The process that leads to motor neuron degeneration is strongly influenced by non-motor neuronal events that occur in a variety of cell types. Among these, neuroinflammatory processes mediated by activated astrocytes and microglia play a relevant role. In recent years, it has become clear that dysregulation of essential steps of RNA metabolism, as a consequence of alterations in RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), is a central event in the degeneration of motor neurons. Yet, a causal link between dysfunctional RNA metabolism and the neuroinflammatory processes mediated by astrocytes and microglia in ALS has been poorly defined. In this review, we will discuss the available evidence showing that RBPs and associated RNA processing are affected in ALS astrocytes and microglia, and the possible mechanisms involved in these events.
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40
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HnRNP K mislocalisation is a novel protein pathology of frontotemporal lobar degeneration and ageing and leads to cryptic splicing. Acta Neuropathol 2021; 142:609-627. [PMID: 34274995 PMCID: PMC8423707 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-021-02340-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (HnRNPs) are a group of ubiquitously expressed RNA-binding proteins implicated in the regulation of all aspects of nucleic acid metabolism. HnRNP K is a member of this highly versatile hnRNP family. Pathological redistribution of hnRNP K to the cytoplasm has been linked to the pathogenesis of several malignancies but, until now, has been underexplored in the context of neurodegenerative disease. Here we show hnRNP K mislocalisation in pyramidal neurons of the frontal cortex to be a novel neuropathological feature that is associated with both frontotemporal lobar degeneration and ageing. HnRNP K mislocalisation is mutually exclusive to TDP-43 and tau pathological inclusions in neurons and was not observed to colocalise with mitochondrial, autophagosomal or stress granule markers. De-repression of cryptic exons in RNA targets following TDP-43 nuclear depletion is an emerging mechanism of potential neurotoxicity in frontotemporal lobar degeneration and the mechanistically overlapping disorder amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. We silenced hnRNP K in neuronal cells to identify the transcriptomic consequences of hnRNP K nuclear depletion. Intriguingly, by performing RNA-seq analysis we find that depletion of hnRNP K induces 101 novel cryptic exon events. We validated cryptic exon inclusion in an SH-SY5Y hnRNP K knockdown and in FTLD brain exhibiting hnRNP K nuclear depletion. We, therefore, present evidence for hnRNP K mislocalisation to be associated with FTLD and for this to induce widespread changes in splicing.
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41
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Wild-type FUS corrects ALS-like disease induced by cytoplasmic mutant FUS through autoregulation. Mol Neurodegener 2021; 16:61. [PMID: 34488813 PMCID: PMC8419956 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-021-00477-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in FUS, an RNA-binding protein involved in multiple steps of RNA metabolism, are associated with the most severe forms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Accumulation of cytoplasmic FUS is likely to be a major culprit in the toxicity of FUS mutations. Thus, preventing cytoplasmic mislocalization of the FUS protein may represent a valuable therapeutic strategy. FUS binds to its own pre-mRNA creating an autoregulatory loop efficiently buffering FUS excess through multiple proposed mechanisms including retention of introns 6 and/or 7. Here, we introduced a wild-type FUS gene allele, retaining all intronic sequences, in mice whose heterozygous or homozygous expression of a cytoplasmically retained FUS protein (Fus∆NLS) was previously shown to provoke ALS-like disease or postnatal lethality, respectively. Wild-type FUS completely rescued the early lethality caused by the two Fus∆NLS alleles, and improved the age-dependent motor deficits and reduced lifespan caused by heterozygous expression of mutant FUS∆NLS. Mechanistically, wild-type FUS decreased the load of cytoplasmic FUS, increased retention of introns 6 and 7 in the endogenous mouse Fus mRNA, and decreased expression of the mutant mRNA. Thus, the wild-type FUS allele activates the homeostatic autoregulatory loop, maintaining constant FUS levels and decreasing the mutant protein in the cytoplasm. These results provide proof of concept that an autoregulatory competent wild-type FUS expression could protect against this devastating, currently intractable, neurodegenerative disease.
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42
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Fortuna TR, Kour S, Anderson EN, Ward C, Rajasundaram D, Donnelly CJ, Hermann A, Wyne H, Shewmaker F, Pandey UB. DDX17 is involved in DNA damage repair and modifies FUS toxicity in an RGG-domain dependent manner. Acta Neuropathol 2021; 142:515-536. [PMID: 34061233 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-021-02333-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in the RNA binding protein, Fused in Sarcoma (FUS), lead to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the most frequent form of motor neuron disease. Cytoplasmic aggregation and defective DNA repair machinery are etiologically linked to mutant FUS-associated ALS. Although FUS is involved in numerous aspects of RNA processing, little is understood about the pathophysiological mechanisms of mutant FUS. Here, we employed RNA-sequencing technology in Drosophila brains expressing FUS to identify significantly altered genes and pathways involved in FUS-mediated neurodegeneration. We observed the expression levels of DEAD-Box Helicase 17 (DDX17) to be significantly downregulated in response to mutant FUS in Drosophila and human cell lines. Mutant FUS recruits nuclear DDX17 into cytoplasmic stress granules and physically interacts with DDX17 through the RGG1 domain of FUS. Ectopic expression of DDX17 reduces cytoplasmic mislocalization and sequestration of mutant FUS into cytoplasmic stress granules. We identified DDX17 as a novel regulator of the DNA damage response pathway whose upregulation repairs defective DNA damage repair machinery caused by mutant neuronal FUS ALS. In addition, we show DDX17 is a novel modifier of FUS-mediated neurodegeneration in vivo. Our findings indicate DDX17 is downregulated in response to mutant FUS, and restoration of DDX17 levels suppresses FUS-mediated neuropathogenesis and toxicity in vivo.
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43
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Garone MG, Birsa N, Rosito M, Salaris F, Mochi M, de Turris V, Nair RR, Cunningham TJ, Fisher EMC, Morlando M, Fratta P, Rosa A. ALS-related FUS mutations alter axon growth in motoneurons and affect HuD/ELAVL4 and FMRP activity. Commun Biol 2021; 4:1025. [PMID: 34471224 PMCID: PMC8410767 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02538-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the RNA-binding protein (RBP) FUS have been genetically associated with the motoneuron disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Using both human induced pluripotent stem cells and mouse models, we found that FUS-ALS causative mutations affect the activity of two relevant RBPs with important roles in neuronal RNA metabolism: HuD/ELAVL4 and FMRP. Mechanistically, mutant FUS leads to upregulation of HuD protein levels through competition with FMRP for HuD mRNA 3'UTR binding. In turn, increased HuD levels overly stabilize the transcript levels of its targets, NRN1 and GAP43. As a consequence, mutant FUS motoneurons show increased axon branching and growth upon injury, which could be rescued by dampening NRN1 levels. Since similar phenotypes have been previously described in SOD1 and TDP-43 mutant models, increased axonal growth and branching might represent broad early events in the pathogenesis of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Giovanna Garone
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Nicol Birsa
- UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, UK
| | - Maria Rosito
- Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Rome, Italy
| | - Federico Salaris
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Rome, Italy
| | - Michela Mochi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Valeria de Turris
- Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Rome, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Mariangela Morlando
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, "Department of Excellence 2018-2022", University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Pietro Fratta
- UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Alessandro Rosa
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
- Center for Life Nano- & Neuro-Science, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Rome, Italy.
- Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
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44
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Babarinde IA, Ma G, Li Y, Deng B, Luo Z, Liu H, Abdul MM, Ward C, Chen M, Fu X, Shi L, Duttlinger M, He J, Sun L, Li W, Zhuang Q, Tong G, Frampton J, Cazier JB, Chen J, Jauch R, Esteban MA, Hutchins AP. Transposable element sequence fragments incorporated into coding and noncoding transcripts modulate the transcriptome of human pluripotent stem cells. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:9132-9153. [PMID: 34390351 PMCID: PMC8450112 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) occupy nearly 40% of mammalian genomes and, whilst most are fragmentary and no longer capable of transposition, they can nevertheless contribute to cell function. TEs within genes transcribed by RNA polymerase II can be copied as parts of primary transcripts; however, their full contribution to mature transcript sequences remains unresolved. Here, using long and short read (LR and SR) RNA sequencing data, we show that 26% of coding and 65% of noncoding transcripts in human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) contain TE-derived sequences. Different TE families are incorporated into RNAs in unique patterns, with consequences to transcript structure and function. The presence of TE sequences within a transcript is correlated with TE-type specific changes in its subcellular distribution, alterations in steady-state levels and half-life, and differential association with RNA Binding Proteins (RBPs). We identify hPSC-specific incorporation of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) and LINE:L1 into protein-coding mRNAs, which generate TE sequence-derived peptides. Finally, single cell RNA-seq reveals that hPSCs express ERV-containing transcripts, whilst differentiating subpopulations lack ERVs and express SINE and LINE-containing transcripts. Overall, our comprehensive analysis demonstrates that the incorporation of TE sequences into the RNAs of hPSCs is more widespread and has a greater impact than previously appreciated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac A Babarinde
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.,Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Gang Ma
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.,Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yuhao Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.,Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Boping Deng
- Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.,Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Zhiwei Luo
- Laboratory of Integrative Biology, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China.,Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Hao Liu
- Laboratory of Integrative Biology, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China.,Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Mazid Md Abdul
- Laboratory of Integrative Biology, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China.,Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Carl Ward
- Laboratory of Integrative Biology, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China.,Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Minchun Chen
- Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xiuling Fu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.,Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Liyang Shi
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.,Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Martha Duttlinger
- Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Jiangping He
- Center for Cell Lineage and Atlas (CCLA), Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou 510005, China
| | - Li Sun
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.,Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Wenjuan Li
- Laboratory of Integrative Biology, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China.,Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Qiang Zhuang
- Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Guoqing Tong
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200120, China
| | - Jon Frampton
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - Jean-Baptiste Cazier
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.,Centre for Computational Biology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Jiekai Chen
- Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China.,Center for Cell Lineage and Atlas (CCLA), Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou 510005, China.,Joint School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University and Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ralf Jauch
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Miguel A Esteban
- Laboratory of Integrative Biology, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China.,Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China.,Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou 510005, China
| | - Andrew P Hutchins
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.,Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
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45
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Hogan AL, Grima N, Fifita JA, McCann EP, Heng B, Fat SCM, Wu S, Maharjan R, Cain AK, Henden L, Rayner S, Tarr I, Zhang KY, Zhao Q, Zhang ZH, Wright A, Lee A, Morsch M, Yang S, Williams KL, Blair IP. Splicing factor proline and glutamine rich intron retention, reduced expression and aggregate formation are pathological features of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 2021; 47:990-1003. [PMID: 34288034 DOI: 10.1111/nan.12749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
AIM Splicing factor proline and glutamine rich (SFPQ) is an RNA-DNA binding protein that is dysregulated in Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia. Dysregulation of SFPQ, specifically increased intron retention and nuclear depletion, has been linked to several genetic subtypes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), suggesting that SFPQ pathology may be a common feature of this heterogeneous disease. Our study aimed to investigate this hypothesis by providing the first comprehensive assessment of SFPQ pathology in large ALS case-control cohorts. METHODS We examined SFPQ at the RNA, protein and DNA levels. SFPQ RNA expression and intron retention were examined using RNA-sequencing and quantitative PCR. SFPQ protein expression was assessed by immunoblotting and immunofluorescent staining. At the DNA level, SFPQ was examined for genetic variation novel to ALS patients. RESULTS At the RNA level, retention of SFPQ intron nine was significantly increased in ALS patients' motor cortex. In addition, SFPQ RNA expression was significantly reduced in the central nervous system, but not blood, of patients. At the protein level, neither nuclear depletion nor reduced expression of SFPQ was found to be a consistent feature of spinal motor neurons. However, SFPQ-positive ubiquitinated protein aggregates were observed in patients' spinal motor neurons. At the DNA level, our genetic screen identified two novel and two rare SFPQ sequence variants not previously reported in the literature. CONCLUSIONS Our findings confirm dysregulation of SFPQ as a pathological feature of the central nervous system of ALS patients and indicate that investigation of the functional consequences of this pathology will provide insight into ALS biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison L Hogan
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Natalie Grima
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jennifer A Fifita
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Emily P McCann
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Benjamin Heng
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Sandrine Chan Moi Fat
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Sharlynn Wu
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ram Maharjan
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Department of Molecular Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Amy K Cain
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Department of Molecular Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Lyndal Henden
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Stephanie Rayner
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ingrid Tarr
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Katharine Y Zhang
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Qiongyi Zhao
- Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Zong-Hong Zhang
- School of Medicine, IMPACT, Bioinformatics Core Research Facility, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Amanda Wright
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Albert Lee
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Marco Morsch
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Shu Yang
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Kelly L Williams
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ian P Blair
- Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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46
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Birsa N, Ule AM, Garone MG, Tsang B, Mattedi F, Chong PA, Humphrey J, Jarvis S, Pisiren M, Wilkins OG, Nosella ML, Devoy A, Bodo C, de la Fuente RF, Fisher EMC, Rosa A, Viero G, Forman-Kay JD, Schiavo G, Fratta P. FUS-ALS mutants alter FMRP phase separation equilibrium and impair protein translation. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/30/eabf8660. [PMID: 34290090 PMCID: PMC8294762 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abf8660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
FUsed in Sarcoma (FUS) is a multifunctional RNA binding protein (RBP). FUS mutations lead to its cytoplasmic mislocalization and cause the neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Here, we use mouse and human models with endogenous ALS-associated mutations to study the early consequences of increased cytoplasmic FUS. We show that in axons, mutant FUS condensates sequester and promote the phase separation of fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP), another RBP associated with neurodegeneration. This leads to repression of translation in mouse and human FUS-ALS motor neurons and is corroborated in vitro, where FUS and FMRP copartition and repress translation. Last, we show that translation of FMRP-bound RNAs is reduced in vivo in FUS-ALS motor neurons. Our results unravel new pathomechanisms of FUS-ALS and identify a novel paradigm by which mutations in one RBP favor the formation of condensates sequestering other RBPs, affecting crucial biological functions, such as protein translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicol Birsa
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK.
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Agnieszka M Ule
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Maria Giovanna Garone
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Center for Life Nano Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Brian Tsang
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Francesca Mattedi
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK
- Institute of Biophysics, CNR, Trento, Italy
| | - P Andrew Chong
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Jack Humphrey
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Seth Jarvis
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Melis Pisiren
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Oscar G Wilkins
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK
- The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Micheal L Nosella
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Anny Devoy
- Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, King's College London, London SE5 9RT, UK
| | - Cristian Bodo
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | | | - Elizabeth M C Fisher
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Alessandro Rosa
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Center for Life Nano Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | | | - Julie D Forman-Kay
- Program in Molecular Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Giampietro Schiavo
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Pietro Fratta
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK.
- MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Disease, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
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47
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Ziff OJ, Taha DM, Crerar H, Clarke BE, Chakrabarti AM, Kelly G, Neeves J, Tyzack GE, Luscombe NM, Patani R. Reactive astrocytes in ALS display diminished intron retention. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:3168-3184. [PMID: 33684213 PMCID: PMC8034657 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Reactive astrocytes are implicated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), although the mechanisms controlling reactive transformation are unknown. We show that decreased intron retention (IR) is common to human-induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived astrocytes carrying ALS-causing mutations in VCP, SOD1 and C9orf72. Notably, transcripts with decreased IR and increased expression are overrepresented in reactivity processes including cell adhesion, stress response and immune activation. This was recapitulated in public-datasets for (i) hiPSC-derived astrocytes stimulated with cytokines to undergo reactive transformation and (ii) in vivo astrocytes following selective deletion of TDP-43. We also re-examined public translatome sequencing (TRAP-seq) of astrocytes from a SOD1 mouse model, which revealed that transcripts upregulated in translation significantly overlap with transcripts exhibiting decreased IR. Using nucleocytoplasmic fractionation of VCP mutant astrocytes coupled with mRNA sequencing and proteomics, we identify that decreased IR in nuclear transcripts is associated with enhanced nonsense mediated decay and increased cytoplasmic expression of transcripts and proteins regulating reactive transformation. These findings are consistent with a molecular model for reactive transformation in astrocytes whereby poised nuclear reactivity-related IR transcripts are spliced, undergo nuclear-to-cytoplasmic translocation and translation. Our study therefore provides new insights into the molecular regulation of reactive transformation in astrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver J Ziff
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK.,Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.,National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London NHS Foundation Trust, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Doaa M Taha
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK.,Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.,Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21511, Egypt
| | - Hamish Crerar
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK.,Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Benjamin E Clarke
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK.,Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Anob M Chakrabarti
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK.,UCL Genetics Institute, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Gavin Kelly
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Jacob Neeves
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK.,Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Giulia E Tyzack
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK.,Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Nicholas M Luscombe
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK.,UCL Genetics Institute, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.,Okinawa Institute of Science & Technology Graduate University, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
| | - Rickie Patani
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK.,Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.,National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London NHS Foundation Trust, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
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48
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Liguori F, Amadio S, Volonté C. Where and Why Modeling Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22083977. [PMID: 33921446 PMCID: PMC8070525 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22083977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the years, researchers have leveraged a host of different in vivo models in order to dissect amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a neurodegenerative/neuroinflammatory disease that is heterogeneous in its clinical presentation and is multigenic, multifactorial and non-cell autonomous. These models include both vertebrates and invertebrates such as yeast, worms, flies, zebrafish, mice, rats, guinea pigs, dogs and, more recently, non-human primates. Despite their obvious differences and peculiarities, only the concurrent and comparative analysis of these various systems will allow the untangling of the causes and mechanisms of ALS for finally obtaining new efficacious therapeutics. However, harnessing these powerful organisms poses numerous challenges. In this context, we present here an updated and comprehensive review of how eukaryotic unicellular and multicellular organisms that reproduce a few of the main clinical features of the disease have helped in ALS research to dissect the pathological pathways of the disease insurgence and progression. We describe common features as well as discrepancies among these models, highlighting new insights and emerging roles for experimental organisms in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Liguori
- Preclinical Neuroscience, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143 Rome, Italy; (F.L.); (S.A.)
| | - Susanna Amadio
- Preclinical Neuroscience, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143 Rome, Italy; (F.L.); (S.A.)
| | - Cinzia Volonté
- Preclinical Neuroscience, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143 Rome, Italy; (F.L.); (S.A.)
- Institute for Systems Analysis and Computer Science “A. Ruberti”, National Research Council (IASI—CNR), 00185 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-06-50170-3084
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49
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Harley J, Clarke BE, Patani R. The Interplay of RNA Binding Proteins, Oxidative Stress and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in ALS. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 10:antiox10040552. [PMID: 33918215 PMCID: PMC8066094 DOI: 10.3390/antiox10040552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA binding proteins fulfil a wide number of roles in gene expression. Multiple mechanisms of RNA binding protein dysregulation have been implicated in the pathomechanisms of several neurodegenerative diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction also play important roles in these diseases. In this review, we highlight the mechanistic interplay between RNA binding protein dysregulation, oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in ALS. We also discuss different potential therapeutic strategies targeting these pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine Harley
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK;
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Benjamin E. Clarke
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK;
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
- Correspondence: (B.E.C.); (R.P.)
| | - Rickie Patani
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK;
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
- National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London NHS, London WC1N 3BG, UK
- Correspondence: (B.E.C.); (R.P.)
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50
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Ho WY, Agrawal I, Tyan SH, Sanford E, Chang WT, Lim K, Ong J, Tan BSY, Moe AAK, Yu R, Wong P, Tucker-Kellogg G, Koo E, Chuang KH, Ling SC. Dysfunction in nonsense-mediated decay, protein homeostasis, mitochondrial function, and brain connectivity in ALS-FUS mice with cognitive deficits. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2021; 9:9. [PMID: 33407930 PMCID: PMC7789430 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-020-01111-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) represent two ends of the same disease spectrum of adult-onset neurodegenerative diseases that affect the motor and cognitive functions, respectively. Multiple common genetic loci such as fused in sarcoma (FUS) have been identified to play a role in ALS and FTD etiology. Current studies indicate that FUS mutations incur gain-of-toxic functions to drive ALS pathogenesis. However, how the disease-linked mutations of FUS affect cognition remains elusive. Using a mouse model expressing an ALS-linked human FUS mutation (R514G-FUS) that mimics endogenous expression patterns, we found that FUS proteins showed an age-dependent accumulation of FUS proteins despite the downregulation of mouse FUS mRNA by the R514G-FUS protein during aging. Furthermore, these mice developed cognitive deficits accompanied by a reduction in spine density and long-term potentiation (LTP) within the hippocampus. At the physiological expression level, mutant FUS is distributed in the nucleus and cytosol without apparent FUS aggregates or nuclear envelope defects. Unbiased transcriptomic analysis revealed a deregulation of genes that cluster in pathways involved in nonsense-mediated decay, protein homeostasis, and mitochondrial functions. Furthermore, the use of in vivo functional imaging demonstrated widespread reduction in cortical volumes but enhanced functional connectivity between hippocampus, basal ganglia and neocortex in R514G-FUS mice. Hence, our findings suggest that disease-linked mutation in FUS may lead to changes in proteostasis and mitochondrial dysfunction that in turn affect brain structure and connectivity resulting in cognitive deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wan Yun Ho
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117549 Singapore
| | - Ira Agrawal
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117549 Singapore
| | - Sheue-Houy Tyan
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Emma Sanford
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117549 Singapore
| | - Wei-Tang Chang
- Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore Bioimaging Consortium, Singapore, Singapore
- Present Address: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC USA
| | - Kenneth Lim
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117549 Singapore
- Computational Biology Programme, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jolynn Ong
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117549 Singapore
| | - Bernice Siu Yan Tan
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117549 Singapore
| | - Aung Aung Kywe Moe
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Regina Yu
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Peiyan Wong
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Program in Neuroscience and Behavior Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Greg Tucker-Kellogg
- Computational Biology Programme, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Edward Koo
- Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore Bioimaging Consortium, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, USA
| | - Kai-Hsiang Chuang
- Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore Bioimaging Consortium, Singapore, Singapore
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Shuo-Chien Ling
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117549 Singapore
- Program in Neuroscience and Behavior Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
- Healthy Longevity Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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