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Cortese A, Beecroft SJ, Facchini S, Curro R, Cabrera-Serrano M, Stevanovski I, Chintalaphani SR, Gamaarachchi H, Weisburd B, Folland C, Monahan G, Scriba CK, Dofash L, Johari M, Grosz BR, Ellis M, Fearnley LG, Tankard R, Read J, Merve A, Dominik N, Vegezzi E, Schnekenberg RP, Fernandez-Eulate G, Masingue M, Giovannini D, Delatycki MB, Storey E, Gardner M, Amor DJ, Nicholson G, Vucic S, Henderson RD, Robertson T, Dyke J, Fabian V, Mastaglia F, Davis MR, Kennerson M, Quinlivan R, Hammans S, Tucci A, Bahlo M, McLean CA, Laing NG, Stojkovic T, Houlden H, Hanna MG, Deveson IW, Lockhart PJ, Lamont PJ, Fahey MC, Bugiardini E, Ravenscroft G. A CCG expansion in ABCD3 causes oculopharyngodistal myopathy in individuals of European ancestry. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6327. [PMID: 39068203 PMCID: PMC11283466 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49950-2] [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: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Oculopharyngodistal myopathy (OPDM) is an inherited myopathy manifesting with ptosis, dysphagia and distal weakness. Pathologically it is characterised by rimmed vacuoles and intranuclear inclusions on muscle biopsy. In recent years CGG • CCG repeat expansion in four different genes were identified in OPDM individuals in Asian populations. None of these have been found in affected individuals of non-Asian ancestry. In this study we describe the identification of CCG expansions in ABCD3, ranging from 118 to 694 repeats, in 35 affected individuals across eight unrelated OPDM families of European ancestry. ABCD3 transcript appears upregulated in fibroblasts and skeletal muscle from OPDM individuals, suggesting a potential role of over-expression of CCG repeat containing ABCD3 transcript in progressive skeletal muscle degeneration. The study provides further evidence of the role of non-coding repeat expansions in unsolved neuromuscular diseases and strengthens the association between the CGG • CCG repeat motif and a specific pattern of muscle weakness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Cortese
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK.
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
| | - Sarah J Beecroft
- Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre, Kensington, WA, Australia
| | - Stefano Facchini
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Riccardo Curro
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Macarena Cabrera-Serrano
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- Department of Neurology and Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío/Universidad de Sevilla/CSIC, Sevilla, 41013, Spain
| | - Igor Stevanovski
- Genomics and Inherited Disease Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Centre for Population Genomics, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Sanjog R Chintalaphani
- Genomics and Inherited Disease Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Centre for Population Genomics, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Hasindu Gamaarachchi
- Genomics and Inherited Disease Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Centre for Population Genomics, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ben Weisburd
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Chiara Folland
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- Centre for Medical Research, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Gavin Monahan
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- Centre for Medical Research, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Carolin K Scriba
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Lein Dofash
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- Centre for Medical Research, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Mridul Johari
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- Centre for Medical Research, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Bianca R Grosz
- Northcott Neuroscience Laboratory, ANZAC Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, 2139, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Melina Ellis
- Northcott Neuroscience Laboratory, ANZAC Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, 2139, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Liam G Fearnley
- Population Health and Immunity Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1 G Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC3052, Australia
| | - Rick Tankard
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Justin Read
- Bruce Lefroy Centre, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Ashirwad Merve
- Department of Neuropathology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, United Kingdom
| | - Natalia Dominik
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | | | - Ricardo P Schnekenberg
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Gorka Fernandez-Eulate
- Centre de Référence des Maladies Neuromusculaires Nord-Est-Ile de France, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Institut de Myologie, APHP, Paris, France
| | - Marion Masingue
- Centre de Référence des Maladies Neuromusculaires Nord-Est-Ile de France, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Institut de Myologie, APHP, Paris, France
| | - Diane Giovannini
- CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, INSERM, U1216, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Martin B Delatycki
- Bruce Lefroy Centre, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Elsdon Storey
- Neurology Department, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Mac Gardner
- The Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - David J Amor
- Bruce Lefroy Centre, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Garth Nicholson
- Northcott Neuroscience Laboratory, ANZAC Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, 2139, Australia
- Molecular Medicine Laboratory, Concord Repatriation General Hospital, Sydney, NSW, 2139, Australia
| | - Steve Vucic
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
- Brain and Nerve Research Centre, Concord Repatriation General Hospital, Sydney, NSW, 2139, Australia
| | - Robert D Henderson
- Department of Neurology, Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital, Herston, QLD, Australia
- UQ Centre for Clinical Research, Herston, QLD, Australia
| | - Thomas Robertson
- Pathology Queensland, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, QLD, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Jason Dyke
- PathWest Neuropathology, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia
- School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Vicki Fabian
- PathWest Neuropathology, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Frank Mastaglia
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Mark R Davis
- Neurogenetics Unit, Diagnostic Genomics, PathWest, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Marina Kennerson
- Northcott Neuroscience Laboratory, ANZAC Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, 2139, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
- Molecular Medicine Laboratory, Concord Repatriation General Hospital, Sydney, NSW, 2139, Australia
| | - Ros Quinlivan
- Dubowitz Neuromuscular Centre, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health & MRC Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases, London, United Kingdom
| | - Simon Hammans
- Wessex Neurological Centre, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Arianna Tucci
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
- William Harvey Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Melanie Bahlo
- Population Health and Immunity Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1 G Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC3052, Australia
| | - Catriona A McLean
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Nigel G Laing
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- Centre for Medical Research, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Tanya Stojkovic
- Centre de Référence des Maladies Neuromusculaires Nord-Est-Ile de France, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Institut de Myologie, APHP, Paris, France
| | - Henry Houlden
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Michael G Hanna
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Ira W Deveson
- Genomics and Inherited Disease Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Centre for Population Genomics, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Paul J Lockhart
- Bruce Lefroy Centre, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | | | - Michael C Fahey
- Department of Paediatrics Monash Children's Hospital, Victoria, Australia
| | - Enrico Bugiardini
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Gianina Ravenscroft
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, WA, Australia.
- Centre for Medical Research, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia.
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Roussel MP, Ravel-Chapuis A, Gobin J, Jasmin BJ, Leduc-Gaudet JP, Gagnon C, Duchesne E. Changes in Physiopathological Markers in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 Skeletal Muscle: A 3-Year Follow-up Study. J Neuromuscul Dis 2024:JND230139. [PMID: 39031377 DOI: 10.3233/jnd-230139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/22/2024]
Abstract
Background Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a slowly progressive disease caused by abnormal CTG repetitions on the dystrophia myotonica protein kinase (DMPK) gene. Long mRNA from CTG repetitions stabilizes in nuclear foci and sequester muscleblind-like splicing regulator 1 (MBNL1). Cardinal signs of DM1 include muscle wasting and weakness. The impacts of DM1 progression on skeletal muscle are under-researched. Objective Identifying physiopathological markers related to maximal strength loss over time in DM1. Methods Twenty-two individuals with DM1 participated in two maximal isometric muscle strength (MIMS) evaluations of their knee extensors and two vastus lateralis muscle biopsies, 3 years apart. Muscle fiber typing, size (including minimal Feret's diameter [MFD] and atrophy/hypertrophy factors [AF/HF]), and nuclear foci and MBNL1 colocalization (foci/MBNL1+) were evaluated. Immunoblotting was used to measure glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK3β), p62, LC3BI, LC3BII, and oxidative phosphorylation proteins. Results There are significant correlations between the fold changes of MIMS with type 1 fiber MFD (ρ= 0.483) and AF (ρ= -0.514). Regression analysis shows that baseline percentage of foci/MBNL1+ nuclei and strength training explain 44.1% of foci/MBNL1+ nuclei percentage variation over time. There are fair to excellent correlations between the fold changes of MIMS and GSK3β (ρ= 0.327), p62 (ρ= 0.473), LC3BI (ρ= 0.518), LC3BII (ρ= -0.391) and LC3BII/LC3BI (ρ= -0.773). Conclusion Type 1 MFD decrease and AF increase are correlated with MIMS loss. There seems to be a plateau effect in foci/MBNL1+ nuclei accumulation and strength training helps decrease this accumulation. Autophagy marker LC3BII/LC3BI ratio has a good biomarker potential of MIMS loss, but more investigations are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Pier Roussel
- Département des sciences fondamentales, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Saguenay, Québec, Canada
- Groupe de recherche interdisciplinaire sur les maladies neuromusculaires (GRIMN), Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Saguenay, Québec, Canada
| | - Aymeric Ravel-Chapuis
- École des sciences pharmaceutiques, Faculté de médecine, Université d'Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
- Département de médecine cellulaire et moléculaire, faculté de médecine, Université d'Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
- Centre de recherche Éric-Poulin sur les maladies neuromusculaires, faculté de médecine, Université d'Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Jonathan Gobin
- Département de médecine cellulaire et moléculaire, faculté de médecine, Université d'Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
- Centre de recherche Éric-Poulin sur les maladies neuromusculaires, faculté de médecine, Université d'Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Bernard J Jasmin
- Département de médecine cellulaire et moléculaire, faculté de médecine, Université d'Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
- Centre de recherche Éric-Poulin sur les maladies neuromusculaires, faculté de médecine, Université d'Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Jean-Philippe Leduc-Gaudet
- Groupe de recherche en signalisation cellulaire, Département de biologie médicale, Université du Québec á Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada
| | - Cynthia Gagnon
- Groupe de recherche interdisciplinaire sur les maladies neuromusculaires (GRIMN), Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Saguenay, Québec, Canada
- Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
| | - Elise Duchesne
- Groupe de recherche interdisciplinaire sur les maladies neuromusculaires (GRIMN), Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Saguenay, Québec, Canada
- École des Sciences de la réadaptation, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
- Centre interdisciplinaire de recherche en réadaptation et intégration sociale (Cirris), Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux Capitale-Nationale, Québec, Québec, Canada
- CHU de Québec - Centre de Recherche de l'Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
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3
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Fakharzadeh A, Qu J, Pan F, Sagui C, Roland C. Structure and Dynamics of DNA and RNA Double Helices Formed by d(CTG), d(GTC), r(CUG), and r(GUC) Trinucleotide Repeats and Associated DNA-RNA Hybrids. J Phys Chem B 2023; 127:7907-7924. [PMID: 37681731 PMCID: PMC10519205 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c03538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 is the most frequent form of muscular dystrophy in adults caused by an abnormal expansion of the CTG trinucleotide. Both the expanded DNA and the expanded CUG RNA transcript can fold into hairpins. Co-transcriptional formation of stable RNA·DNA hybrids can also enhance the instability of repeat tracts. We performed molecular dynamics simulations of homoduplexes associated with the disease, d(CTG)n and r(CUG)n, and their corresponding r(CAG)n:d(CTG)n and r(CUG)n:d(CAG)n hybrids that can form under bidirectional transcription and of non-pathological d(GTC)n and d(GUC)n homoduplexes. We characterized their conformations, stability, and dynamics and found that the U·U and T·T mismatches are dynamic, favoring anti-anti conformations inside the helical core, followed by anti-syn and syn-syn conformations. For DNA, the secondary minima in the non-expanding d(GTC)n helices are deeper, wider, and longer-lived than those in d(CTG)n, which constitutes another biophysical factor further differentiating the expanding and non-expanding sequences. The hybrid helices are closer to A-RNA, with the A-T and A-U pairs forming two stable Watson-Crick hydrogen bonds. The neutralizing ion distribution around the non-canonical pairs is also described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashkan Fakharzadeh
- Department
of Physics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-8202, USA
| | - Jing Qu
- Department
of Physics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-8202, USA
| | - Feng Pan
- Department
of Statistics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, USA
| | - Celeste Sagui
- Department
of Physics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-8202, USA
| | - Christopher Roland
- Department
of Physics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-8202, USA
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Visconti VV, Macrì E, D'Apice MR, Centofanti F, Massa R, Novelli G, Botta A. In Cis Effect of DMPK Expanded Alleles in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 Patients Carrying Variant Repeats at 5' and 3' Ends of the CTG Array. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10129. [PMID: 37373276 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241210129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is an autosomal dominant multisystemic disease caused by a CTG repeat expansion in the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) of DMPK gene. DM1 alleles containing non-CTG variant repeats (VRs) have been described, with uncertain molecular and clinical consequences. The expanded trinucleotide array is flanked by two CpG islands, and the presence of VRs could confer an additional level of epigenetic variability. This study aims to investigate the association between VR-containing DMPK alleles, parental inheritance and methylation pattern of the DM1 locus. The DM1 mutation has been characterized in 20 patients using a combination of SR-PCR, TP-PCR, modified TP-PCR and LR-PCR. Non-CTG motifs have been confirmed by Sanger sequencing. The methylation pattern of the DM1 locus was determined by bisulfite pyrosequencing. We characterized 7 patients with VRs within the CTG tract at 5' end and 13 patients carrying non-CTG sequences at 3' end of the DM1 expansion. DMPK alleles with VRs at 5' end or 3' end were invariably unmethylated upstream of the CTG expansion. Interestingly, DM1 patients with VRs at the 3' end showed higher methylation levels in the downstream island of the CTG repeat tract, preferentially when the disease allele was maternally inherited. Our results suggest a potential correlation between VRs, parental origin of the mutation and methylation pattern of the DMPK expanded alleles. A differential CpG methylation status could play a role in the phenotypic variability of DM1 patients, representing a potentially useful diagnostic tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Veronica Visconti
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Genetics Unit, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Elisa Macrì
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Genetics Unit, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Rosaria D'Apice
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Tor Vergata Hospital, Viale Oxford 81, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Federica Centofanti
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Genetics Unit, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Roberto Massa
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Novelli
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Genetics Unit, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
- Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Neuromed, Via Atinense 18, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Annalisa Botta
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Genetics Unit, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
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El Boujnouni N, van der Bent ML, Willemse M, ’t Hoen PA, Brock R, Wansink DG. Block or degrade? Balancing on- and off-target effects of antisense strategies against transcripts with expanded triplet repeats in DM1. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2023; 32:622-636. [PMID: 37200862 PMCID: PMC10185704 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2023.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapies for myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) are based on elimination of transcripts containing an expanded repeat or inhibition of sequestration of RNA-binding proteins. This activity is achievable by both degradation of expanded transcripts and steric hindrance, although it is unknown which approach is superior. We compared blocking ASOs with RNase H-recruiting gapmers of equivalent chemistries. Two DMPK target sequences were selected: the triplet repeat and a unique sequence upstream thereof. We assessed ASO effects on transcript levels, ribonucleoprotein foci and disease-associated missplicing, and performed RNA sequencing to investigate on- and off-target effects. Both gapmers and the repeat blocker led to significant DMPK knockdown and a reduction in (CUG)exp foci. However, the repeat blocker was more effective in MBNL1 protein displacement and had superior efficiency in splicing correction at the tested dose of 100 nM. By comparison, on a transcriptome level, the blocking ASO had the fewest off-target effects. In particular, the off-target profile of the repeat gapmer asks for cautious consideration in further therapeutic development. Altogether, our study demonstrates the importance of evaluating both on-target and downstream effects of ASOs in a DM1 context, and provides guiding principles for safe and effective targeting of toxic transcripts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Najoua El Boujnouni
- Department of Medical BioSciences, Research Institute for Medical Innovation, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - M. Leontien van der Bent
- Department of Medical BioSciences, Research Institute for Medical Innovation, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Marieke Willemse
- Department of Medical BioSciences, Research Institute for Medical Innovation, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Peter A.C. ’t Hoen
- Department of Medical BioSciences, Research Institute for Medical Innovation, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Roland Brock
- Department of Medical BioSciences, Research Institute for Medical Innovation, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Arabian Gulf University, Manama 293, Bahrain
- Corresponding author Roland Brock, Department of Medical BioSciences, Research Institute for Medical Innovation, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Derick G. Wansink
- Department of Medical BioSciences, Research Institute for Medical Innovation, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Corresponding author Derick G. Wansink, Department of Medical BioSciences, Research Institute for Medical Innovation, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
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6
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Nagatsugi F, Onizuka K. Selective Chemical Modification to the Higher-Order Structures of Nucleic Acids. CHEM REC 2023; 23:e202200194. [PMID: 36111635 DOI: 10.1002/tcr.202200194] [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: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
DNA and RNA can adopt a variety of stable higher-order structural motifs, including G-quadruplex (G4 s), mismatches, and bulges. Many of these secondary structures are closely related to the regulation of gene expression. Therefore, the higher-order structure of nucleic acids is one of the candidate therapeutic targets, and the development of binding molecules targeting the higher-order structure of nucleic acids has been pursued vigorously. Furthermore, as one of the methodologies for detecting the higher-order structures of these nucleic acids, developing techniques for the selective chemical modification of the higher-order structures of nucleic acids is also underway. In this personal account, we focus on the following higher-order structures of nucleic acids, double-stranded DNA containing the abasic site, T-T/U-U mismatch structure, and G-quadruplex structure, and describe the development of molecules that bind to and chemically modify these structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fumi Nagatsugi
- Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8577, Japan.,Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8578, Japan
| | - Kazumitsu Onizuka
- Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8577, Japan.,Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8578, Japan.,Division for the Establishment of Frontier Sciences of Organization for Advanced Studies, Tohoku University, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8577, Japan
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7
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Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging assessment of muscle composition in myotonic dystrophy mice. Sci Rep 2023; 13:503. [PMID: 36627397 PMCID: PMC9831979 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-27661-w] [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: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a severe autosomal dominant neuromuscular disease in which the musculoskeletal system contributes substantially to overall mortality and morbidity. DM1 stems from a noncoding CTG trinucleotide repeat expansion in the DMPK gene. The human skeletal actin long repeat (HSALR) mouse model reproduces several aspects of the disease, but the muscle-wasting phenotype of this model has never been characterized in vivo. Herein, we used quantitative MRI to measure the fat and muscle volumes in the leg compartment (LC) of mice. These acquired data were processed to extract relevant parameters such as fat fraction and fat infiltration (fat LC/LC) in HSALR and control (FBV) muscles. These results showed increased fat volume (fat LC) and fat infiltration within the muscle tissue of the leg compartment (muscle LC), in agreement with necropsies, in which fatty clumps were observed, and consistent with previous findings in DM1 patients. Model mice did not reproduce the characteristic impaired fat fraction, widespread fat replacement through the muscles, or reduced muscle volume reported in patients. Taken together, the observed abnormal replacement of skeletal muscle by fat in the HSALR mice indicates that these mice partially reproduced the muscle phenotype observed in humans.
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8
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Lahoti HS, Jogdand SD. Bioimaging: Evolution, Significance, and Deficit. Cureus 2022; 14:e28923. [PMID: 36225412 PMCID: PMC9541884 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.28923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Bioimaging is a digital technology-based medical advancement which is still relatively new. It has to do with real-time visualization of biological processes. This innovative imaging technology combines anatomical structure with functional data such as electric and magnetic fields, motion which is mechanical, and metabolism to provide information on anatomical structure. It's a non-invasive procedure that gives you a bird's-eye view of the human body, with more depth and detail as you go. As a result, bioimaging is a strong tool for seeing the interior functioning of the organism and its disorders. Examples of bioimaging in the medical industry include X-ray and ultrasound pictures, MRI, 3D and 4D body images utilizing Computed Tomography (CT) scans, DEXA scans which is useful for assessing bone density in osteoporosis, and so on. Maximum-resolution, two-positive charge fluorescent excitation microscopy, fluorescence redistribution after photobleaching, and fluorescence resonance energy transfer are some of the recent advancements in biological imaging. It provides us a cellular-level means of obtaining photographs of the entire body, anatomical locations, organs, tissues, and biological indicators. It may be used to aid illness management and therapy, as well as to detect, diagnose, and characterize the problems in clinical settings.
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9
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Gulyurtlu S, Magon MS, Guest P, Papavasiliou PP, Morrison KD, Prescott AR, Sleeman JE. Condensation properties of stress granules and processing bodies are compromised in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1. Dis Model Mech 2022; 15:276177. [PMID: 35642886 PMCID: PMC9366894 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.049294] [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: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA regulation in mammalian cells requires complex physical compartmentalisation, using structures thought to be formed by liquid-liquid phase separation. Disruption of these structures is implicated in numerous degenerative diseases. Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a multi-systemic trinucleotide repeat disorder resulting from an expansion of nucleotides CTG (CTGexp) in the DNA encoding DM1 protein kinase (DMPK). The cellular hallmark of DM1 is the formation of nuclear foci that contain expanded DMPK RNA (CUGexp) (with thymine instead of uracil). We report here the deregulation of stress granules (SGs) and processing bodies (P-bodies), two cytoplasmic structures key for mRNA regulation, in cell culture models of DM1. Alterations to the rates of formation and dispersal of SGs suggest an altered ability of cells to respond to stress associated with DM1, while changes to the structure and dynamics of SGs and P-bodies suggest that a widespread alteration to the biophysical properties of cellular structures is a consequence of the presence of CUGexp RNA. Summary: Validation of an inducible model of myotonic dystrophy type 1 that shows altered cellular stress responses. These involve phase-separated cellular structures also implicated in other degenerative conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selma Gulyurtlu
- Biomolecular Sciences Research Complex, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9ST, UK
| | - Monika S Magon
- Biomolecular Sciences Research Complex, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9ST, UK
| | - Patrick Guest
- Biomolecular Sciences Research Complex, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9ST, UK
| | - Panagiotis P Papavasiliou
- Biomolecular Sciences Research Complex, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9ST, UK
| | - Kim D Morrison
- Biomolecular Sciences Research Complex, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9ST, UK
| | - Alan R Prescott
- School of Life Science, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Judith E Sleeman
- Biomolecular Sciences Research Complex, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9ST, UK
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10
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Lee J, Li K, Zimmerman SC. A Selective Alkylating Agent for CTG Repeats in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1. ACS Chem Biol 2022; 17:1103-1110. [PMID: 35483041 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.1c00949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Disease intervention at the DNA level generally has been avoided because of off-target effects. Recent advances in genome editing technologies using CRISPR-Cas9 have opened a new era in DNA-targeted therapeutic approaches. However, delivery of such systems remains a major challenge. Here, we report a selective DNA-modifying small molecule that targets a disease-specific structure and mismatches involved in myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). This ligand alkylates T-T mismatch-containing hairpins formed in the expanded CTG repeats (d(CTG)exp) in DM1. Ligand alkylation of d(CTG)exp inhibits the transcription of d(CAG·CTG)exp, thereby reducing the level of the toxic r(CUG)exp transcript. The bioactivity of the ligand also included a reduction in DM1 pathological features such as disease foci formation and misregulation of pre-mRNA splicing in DM1 model cells. Furthermore, the CTG-alkylating ligand may change the d(CAG·CTG)exp repeat length dynamics in DM1 patient cells. Our strategy of linking an alkylating moiety to a DNA mismatch-selective small molecule may be generally applicable to other repeat expansion diseases such as Huntington's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- JuYeon Lee
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Ke Li
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Steven C. Zimmerman
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
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11
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Dastidar S, Majumdar D, Tipanee J, Singh K, Klein AF, Furling D, Chuah MK, VandenDriessche T. Comprehensive transcriptome-wide analysis of spliceopathy correction of myotonic dystrophy using CRISPR-Cas9 in iPSCs-derived cardiomyocytes. Mol Ther 2022; 30:75-91. [PMID: 34371182 PMCID: PMC8753376 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2021.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
CTG repeat expansion (CTGexp) is associated with aberrant alternate splicing that contributes to cardiac dysfunction in myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). Excision of this CTGexp repeat using CRISPR-Cas resulted in the disappearance of punctate ribonuclear foci in cardiomyocyte-like cells derived from DM1-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). This was associated with correction of the underlying spliceopathy as determined by RNA sequencing and alternate splicing analysis. Certain genes were of particular interest due to their role in cardiac development, maturation, and function (TPM4, CYP2J2, DMD, MBNL3, CACNA1H, ROCK2, ACTB) or their association with splicing (SMN2, GCFC2, MBNL3). Moreover, while comparing isogenic CRISPR-Cas9-corrected versus non-corrected DM1 cardiomyocytes, a prominent difference in the splicing pattern for a number of candidate genes was apparent pertaining to genes that are associated with cardiac function (TNNT, TNNT2, TTN, TPM1, SYNE1, CACNA1A, MTMR1, NEBL, TPM1), cellular signaling (NCOR2, CLIP1, LRRFIP2, CLASP1, CAMK2G), and other DM1-related genes (i.e., NUMA1, MBNL2, LDB3) in addition to the disease-causing DMPK gene itself. Subsequent validation using a selected gene subset, including MBNL1, MBNL2, INSR, ADD3, and CRTC2, further confirmed correction of the spliceopathy following CTGexp repeat excision. To our knowledge, the present study provides the first comprehensive unbiased transcriptome-wide analysis of the differential splicing landscape in DM1 patient-derived cardiac cells after excision of the CTGexp repeat using CRISPR-Cas9, showing reversal of the abnormal cardiac spliceopathy in DM1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumitava Dastidar
- Department of Gene Therapy & Regenerative Medicine, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Debanjana Majumdar
- Department of Gene Therapy & Regenerative Medicine, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jaitip Tipanee
- Department of Gene Therapy & Regenerative Medicine, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Kshitiz Singh
- Department of Gene Therapy & Regenerative Medicine, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Arnaud F. Klein
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Institut de Myologie, Centre de Recherche en Myologie, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Denis Furling
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Institut de Myologie, Centre de Recherche en Myologie, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Marinee K. Chuah
- Department of Gene Therapy & Regenerative Medicine, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium,Center for Molecular & Vascular Biology, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium,Corresponding author: Marinee K. Chuah, Department of Gene Therapy & Regenerative Medicine, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Thierry VandenDriessche
- Department of Gene Therapy & Regenerative Medicine, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium,Center for Molecular & Vascular Biology, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium,Corresponding author: Thierry VandenDriessche, Department of Gene Therapy & Regenerative Medicine, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium.
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12
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Castelli LM, Benson BC, Huang WP, Lin YH, Hautbergue GM. RNA Helicases in Microsatellite Repeat Expansion Disorders and Neurodegeneration. Front Genet 2022; 13:886563. [PMID: 35646086 PMCID: PMC9133428 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.886563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Short repeated sequences of 3-6 nucleotides are causing a growing number of over 50 microsatellite expansion disorders, which mainly present with neurodegenerative features. Although considered rare diseases in relation to the relatively low number of cases, these primarily adult-onset conditions, often debilitating and fatal in absence of a cure, collectively pose a large burden on healthcare systems in an ageing world population. The pathological mechanisms driving disease onset are complex implicating several non-exclusive mechanisms of neuronal injury linked to RNA and protein toxic gain- and loss- of functions. Adding to the complexity of pathogenesis, microsatellite repeat expansions are polymorphic and found in coding as well as in non-coding regions of genes. They form secondary and tertiary structures involving G-quadruplexes and atypical helices in repeated GC-rich sequences. Unwinding of these structures by RNA helicases plays multiple roles in the expression of genes including repeat-associated non-AUG (RAN) translation of polymeric-repeat proteins with aggregating and cytotoxic properties. Here, we will briefly review the pathogenic mechanisms mediated by microsatellite repeat expansions prior to focus on the RNA helicases eIF4A, DDX3X and DHX36 which act as modifiers of RAN translation in C9ORF72-linked amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/frontotemporal dementia (C9ORF72-ALS/FTD) and Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS). We will further review the RNA helicases DDX5/17, DHX9, Dicer and UPF1 which play additional roles in the dysregulation of RNA metabolism in repeat expansion disorders. In addition, we will contrast these with the roles of other RNA helicases such as DDX19/20, senataxin and others which have been associated with neurodegeneration independently of microsatellite repeat expansions. Finally, we will discuss the challenges and potential opportunities that are associated with the targeting of RNA helicases for the development of future therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia M Castelli
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), Department of Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Bridget C Benson
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), Department of Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Wan-Ping Huang
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), Department of Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Ya-Hui Lin
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), Department of Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Guillaume M Hautbergue
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), Department of Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom.,Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom.,Healthy Lifespan Institute (HELSI), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
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13
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Liu J, Guo ZN, Yan XL, Yang Y, Huang S. Brain Pathogenesis and Potential Therapeutic Strategies in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:755392. [PMID: 34867280 PMCID: PMC8634727 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.755392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is the most common muscular dystrophy that affects multiple systems including the muscle and heart. The mutant CTG expansion at the 3'-UTR of the DMPK gene causes the expression of toxic RNA that aggregate as nuclear foci. The foci then interfere with RNA-binding proteins, affecting hundreds of mis-spliced effector genes, leading to aberrant alternative splicing and loss of effector gene product functions, ultimately resulting in systemic disorders. In recent years, increasing clinical, imaging, and pathological evidence have indicated that DM1, though to a lesser extent, could also be recognized as true brain diseases, with more and more researchers dedicating to develop novel therapeutic tools dealing with it. In this review, we summarize the current advances in the pathogenesis and pathology of central nervous system (CNS) deficits in DM1, intervention measures currently being investigated are also highlighted, aiming to promote novel and cutting-edge therapeutic investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Liu
- Department of Neurology, Stroke Center & Clinical Trial and Research Center for Stroke, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
- China National Comprehensive Stroke Center, Changchun, China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Cerebrovascular Disease, Changchun, China
| | - Zhen-Ni Guo
- Department of Neurology, Stroke Center & Clinical Trial and Research Center for Stroke, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
- China National Comprehensive Stroke Center, Changchun, China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Cerebrovascular Disease, Changchun, China
| | - Xiu-Li Yan
- Department of Neurology, Stroke Center & Clinical Trial and Research Center for Stroke, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yi Yang
- Department of Neurology, Stroke Center & Clinical Trial and Research Center for Stroke, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
- China National Comprehensive Stroke Center, Changchun, China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Cerebrovascular Disease, Changchun, China
| | - Shuo Huang
- Department of Neurology, Stroke Center & Clinical Trial and Research Center for Stroke, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
- China National Comprehensive Stroke Center, Changchun, China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Cerebrovascular Disease, Changchun, China
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14
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Li PP, Moulick R, Feng H, Sun X, Arbez N, Jin J, Marque LO, Hedglen E, Chan HE, Ross CA, Pulst SM, Margolis RL, Woodson S, Rudnicki DD. RNA Toxicity and Perturbation of rRNA Processing in Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 2. Mov Disord 2021; 36:2519-2529. [PMID: 34390268 PMCID: PMC8884117 DOI: 10.1002/mds.28729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [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: 04/05/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by expansion of a CAG repeat in Ataxin-2 (ATXN2) gene. The mutant ATXN2 protein with a polyglutamine tract is known to be toxic and contributes to the SCA2 pathogenesis. OBJECTIVE Here, we tested the hypothesis that the mutant ATXN2 transcript with an expanded CAG repeat (expATXN2) is also toxic and contributes to SCA2 pathogenesis. METHODS The toxic effect of expATXN2 transcripts on SK-N-MC neuroblastoma cells and primary mouse cortical neurons was evaluated by caspase 3/7 activity and nuclear condensation assay, respectively. RNA immunoprecipitation assay was performed to identify RNA binding proteins (RBPs) that bind to expATXN2 RNA. Quantitative PCR was used to examine if ribosomal RNA (rRNA) processing is disrupted in SCA2 and Huntington's disease (HD) human brain tissue. RESULTS expATXN2 RNA induces neuronal cell death, and aberrantly interacts with RBPs involved in RNA metabolism. One of the RBPs, transducin β-like protein 3 (TBL3), involved in rRNA processing, binds to both expATXN2 and expanded huntingtin (expHTT) RNA in vitro. rRNA processing is disrupted in both SCA2 and HD human brain tissue. CONCLUSION These findings provide the first evidence of a contributory role of expATXN2 transcripts in SCA2 pathogenesis, and further support the role of expHTT transcripts in HD pathogenesis. The disruption of rRNA processing, mediated by aberrant interaction of RBPs with expATXN2 and expHTT transcripts, suggest a point of convergence in the pathogeneses of repeat expansion diseases with potential therapeutic implications. © 2021 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pan P. Li
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Division of NeurobiologyJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Roumita Moulick
- T.C. Jenkins Department of BiophysicsJohns Hopkins UniversityBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Hongxuan Feng
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Division of NeurobiologyJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Xin Sun
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Division of NeurobiologyJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Nicolas Arbez
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Division of NeurobiologyJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Jing Jin
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Division of NeurobiologyJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Leonard O. Marque
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Division of NeurobiologyJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Erin Hedglen
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Division of NeurobiologyJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - H.Y. Edwin Chan
- Biochemistry Program, School of Life SciencesThe Chinese University of Hong KongHong KongChina
| | - Christopher A. Ross
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Division of NeurobiologyJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMarylandUSA
- Department of NeurologyJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMarylandUSA
- Department of NeuroscienceJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Stefan M. Pulst
- Department of NeurologyUniversity of UtahSalt Lake CityUtahUSA
| | - Russell L. Margolis
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Division of NeurobiologyJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMarylandUSA
- Department of NeurologyJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Sarah Woodson
- T.C. Jenkins Department of BiophysicsJohns Hopkins UniversityBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Dobrila D. Rudnicki
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Division of NeurobiologyJohns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMarylandUSA
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15
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De Serres-Bérard T, Pierre M, Chahine M, Puymirat J. Deciphering the mechanisms underlying brain alterations and cognitive impairment in congenital myotonic dystrophy. Neurobiol Dis 2021; 160:105532. [PMID: 34655747 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2021.105532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a multisystemic and heterogeneous disorder caused by the expansion of CTG repeats in the 3' UTR of the myotonic dystrophy protein kinase (DMPK) gene. There is a congenital form (CDM1) of the disease characterized by severe hypotonia, respiratory insufficiency as well as developmental delays and intellectual disabilities. CDM1 infants manifest important brain structure abnormalities present from birth while, in contrast, older patients with adult-onset DM1 often present neurodegenerative features and milder progressive cognitive deficits. Promising therapies targeting central molecular mechanisms contributing to the symptoms of adult-onset DM1 are currently in development, but their relevance for treating cognitive impairment in CDM1, which seems to be a partially distinct neurodevelopmental disorder, remain to be elucidated. Here, we provide an update on the clinical presentation of CDM1 and review recent in vitro and in vivo models that have provided meaningful insights on its consequences in development, with a particular focus on the brain. We discuss how enhanced toxic gain-of-function of the mutated DMPK transcripts with larger CUG repeats and the resulting dysregulation of RNA-binding proteins may affect the developing cortex in utero. Because the methylation of CpG islets flanking the trinucleotide repeats has emerged as a strong biomarker of CDM1, we highlight the need to investigate the tissue-specific impacts of these chromatin modifications in the brain. Finally, we outline promising potential therapeutic treatments for CDM1 and propose future in vitro and in vivo models with great potential to shed light on this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thiéry De Serres-Bérard
- LOEX, CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center, Quebec City, Canada; CERVO Brain Research Center, Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Québec, Quebec City, Canada
| | - Marion Pierre
- CERVO Brain Research Center, Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Québec, Quebec City, Canada
| | - Mohamed Chahine
- CERVO Brain Research Center, Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Québec, Quebec City, Canada; Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, Canada.
| | - Jack Puymirat
- LOEX, CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center, Quebec City, Canada; Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, Canada
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16
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Shi DL, Grifone R. RNA-Binding Proteins in the Post-transcriptional Control of Skeletal Muscle Development, Regeneration and Disease. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:738978. [PMID: 34616743 PMCID: PMC8488162 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.738978] [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: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Embryonic myogenesis is a temporally and spatially regulated process that generates skeletal muscle of the trunk and limbs. During this process, mononucleated myoblasts derived from myogenic progenitor cells within the somites undergo proliferation, migration and differentiation to elongate and fuse into multinucleated functional myofibers. Skeletal muscle is the most abundant tissue of the body and has the remarkable ability to self-repair by re-activating the myogenic program in muscle stem cells, known as satellite cells. Post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression mediated by RNA-binding proteins is critically required for muscle development during embryogenesis and for muscle homeostasis in the adult. Differential subcellular localization and activity of RNA-binding proteins orchestrates target gene expression at multiple levels to regulate different steps of myogenesis. Dysfunctions of these post-transcriptional regulators impair muscle development and homeostasis, but also cause defects in motor neurons or the neuromuscular junction, resulting in muscle degeneration and neuromuscular disease. Many RNA-binding proteins, such as members of the muscle blind-like (MBNL) and CUG-BP and ETR-3-like factors (CELF) families, display both overlapping and distinct targets in muscle cells. Thus they function either cooperatively or antagonistically to coordinate myoblast proliferation and differentiation. Evidence is accumulating that the dynamic interplay of their regulatory activity may control the progression of myogenic program as well as stem cell quiescence and activation. Moreover, the role of RNA-binding proteins that regulate post-transcriptional modification in the myogenic program is far less understood as compared with transcription factors involved in myogenic specification and differentiation. Here we review past achievements and recent advances in understanding the functions of RNA-binding proteins during skeletal muscle development, regeneration and disease, with the aim to identify the fundamental questions that are still open for further investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- De-Li Shi
- Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China.,Developmental Biology Laboratory, CNRS-UMR 7622, Institut de Biologie de Paris-Seine, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Raphaëlle Grifone
- Developmental Biology Laboratory, CNRS-UMR 7622, Institut de Biologie de Paris-Seine, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
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17
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Rapisarda A, Bargiela A, Llamusi B, Pont I, Estrada-Tejedor R, Garcia-España E, Artero R, Perez-Alonso M. Defined D-hexapeptides bind CUG repeats and rescue phenotypes of myotonic dystrophy myotubes in a Drosophila model of the disease. Sci Rep 2021; 11:19417. [PMID: 34593893 PMCID: PMC8484449 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-98866-0] [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: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In Myotonic Dystrophy type 1 (DM1), a non-coding CTG repeats rare expansion disease; toxic double-stranded RNA hairpins sequester the RNA-binding proteins Muscleblind-like 1 and 2 (MBNL1 and 2) and trigger other DM1-related pathogenesis pathway defects. In this paper, we characterize four d-amino acid hexapeptides identified together with abp1, a peptide previously shown to stabilize CUG RNA in its single-stranded conformation. With the generalized sequence cpy(a/t)(q/w)e, these related peptides improved three MBNL-regulated exon inclusions in DM1-derived cells. Subsequent experiments showed that these compounds generally increased the relative expression of MBNL1 and its nuclear-cytoplasmic distribution, reduced hyperactivated autophagy, and increased the percentage of differentiated (Desmin-positive) cells in vitro. All peptides rescued atrophy of indirect flight muscles in a Drosophila model of the disease, and partially rescued muscle function according to climbing and flight tests. Investigation of their mechanism of action supports that all four compounds can bind to CUG repeats with slightly different association constant, but binding did not strongly influence the secondary structure of the toxic RNA in contrast to abp1. Finally, molecular modeling suggests a detailed view of the interactions of peptide-CUG RNA complexes useful in the chemical optimization of compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Rapisarda
- Department of Genetics, University Institute for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), University of Valencia, Dr. Moliner, 50, 46100, Burjasot, Valencia, Spain.,Translational Genomics Group, INCLIVA Biomedical Research Institute, 46010, Valencia, Spain
| | - Ariadna Bargiela
- Department of Genetics, University Institute for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), University of Valencia, Dr. Moliner, 50, 46100, Burjasot, Valencia, Spain. .,Translational Genomics Group, INCLIVA Biomedical Research Institute, 46010, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Beatriz Llamusi
- Department of Genetics, University Institute for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), University of Valencia, Dr. Moliner, 50, 46100, Burjasot, Valencia, Spain.,Translational Genomics Group, INCLIVA Biomedical Research Institute, 46010, Valencia, Spain.,Arthex Biotech S.L. Catedrático Agustín Escardino 9, Parc Scientific University of Valencia, Paterna, Valencia, Spain
| | - Isabel Pont
- Instituto de Ciencia Molecular (ICMol), Departamento de Química Inorgánica, C. Catedrático José Beltrán 2, Universidad de Valencia, 46980, Paterna, Spain
| | | | - Enrique Garcia-España
- Instituto de Ciencia Molecular (ICMol), Departamento de Química Inorgánica, C. Catedrático José Beltrán 2, Universidad de Valencia, 46980, Paterna, Spain
| | - Ruben Artero
- Department of Genetics, University Institute for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), University of Valencia, Dr. Moliner, 50, 46100, Burjasot, Valencia, Spain.,Translational Genomics Group, INCLIVA Biomedical Research Institute, 46010, Valencia, Spain
| | - Manuel Perez-Alonso
- Department of Genetics, University Institute for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), University of Valencia, Dr. Moliner, 50, 46100, Burjasot, Valencia, Spain.,Translational Genomics Group, INCLIVA Biomedical Research Institute, 46010, Valencia, Spain
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18
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Todorow V, Hintze S, Kerr ARW, Hehr A, Schoser B, Meinke P. Transcriptome Analysis in a Primary Human Muscle Cell Differentiation Model for Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:8607. [PMID: 34445314 PMCID: PMC8395314 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is caused by CTG-repeat expansions leading to a complex pathology with a multisystemic phenotype that primarily affects the muscles and brain. Despite a multitude of information, especially on the alternative splicing of several genes involved in the pathology, information about additional factors contributing to the disease development is still lacking. We performed RNAseq and gene expression analyses on proliferating primary human myoblasts and differentiated myotubes. GO-term analysis indicates that in myoblasts and myotubes, different molecular pathologies are involved in the development of the muscular phenotype. Gene set enrichment for splicing reveals the likelihood of whole, differentiation stage specific, splicing complexes that are misregulated in DM1. These data add complexity to the alternative splicing phenotype and we predict that it will be of high importance for therapeutic interventions to target not only mature muscle, but also satellite cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Todorow
- Department of Neurology, Friedrich-Baur-Institute, LMU Klinikum, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, 80336 Munich, Germany
| | - Stefan Hintze
- Department of Neurology, Friedrich-Baur-Institute, LMU Klinikum, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, 80336 Munich, Germany
| | - Alastair R W Kerr
- Cancer Biomarker Centre, CRUK Manchester Institute, University of Manchester, Manchester SK10 4TG, UK
| | - Andreas Hehr
- Centre for Human Genetics, 93047 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Benedikt Schoser
- Department of Neurology, Friedrich-Baur-Institute, LMU Klinikum, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, 80336 Munich, Germany
| | - Peter Meinke
- Department of Neurology, Friedrich-Baur-Institute, LMU Klinikum, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, 80336 Munich, Germany
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Alexander MS, Hightower RM, Reid AL, Bennett AH, Iyer L, Slonim DK, Saha M, Kawahara G, Kunkel LM, Kopin AS, Gupta VA, Kang PB, Draper I. hnRNP L is essential for myogenic differentiation and modulates myotonic dystrophy pathologies. Muscle Nerve 2021; 63:928-940. [PMID: 33651408 DOI: 10.1002/mus.27216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) play an important role in skeletal muscle development and disease by regulating RNA splicing. In myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), the RBP MBNL1 (muscleblind-like) is sequestered by toxic CUG repeats, leading to missplicing of MBNL1 targets. Mounting evidence from the literature has implicated other factors in the pathogenesis of DM1. Herein we sought to evaluate the functional role of the splicing factor hnRNP L in normal and DM1 muscle cells. METHODS Co-immunoprecipitation assays using hnRNPL and MBNL1 expression constructs and splicing profiling in normal and DM1 muscle cell lines were performed. Zebrafish morpholinos targeting hnrpl and hnrnpl2 were injected into one-cell zebrafish for developmental and muscle analysis. In human myoblasts downregulation of hnRNP L was achieved with shRNAi. Ascochlorin administration to DM1 myoblasts was performed and expression of the CUG repeats, DM1 splicing biomarkers, and hnRNP L expression levels were evaluated. RESULTS Using DM1 patient myoblast cell lines we observed the formation of abnormal hnRNP L nuclear foci within and outside the expanded CUG repeats, suggesting a role for this factor in DM1 pathology. We showed that the antiviral and antitumorigenic isoprenoid compound ascochlorin increased MBNL1 and hnRNP L expression levels. Drug treatment of DM1 muscle cells with ascochlorin partially rescued missplicing of established early biomarkers of DM1 and improved the defective myotube formation displayed by DM1 muscle cells. DISCUSSION Together, these studies revealed that hnRNP L can modulate DM1 pathologies and is a potential therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew S Alexander
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham and Children's of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.,Center for Exercise Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.,Department of Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.,Civitan International Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Rylie M Hightower
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham and Children's of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.,Center for Exercise Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Andrea L Reid
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham and Children's of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Alexis H Bennett
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lakshmanan Iyer
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Donna K Slonim
- Department of Computer Science, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Madhurima Saha
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Genri Kawahara
- Department of Pathophysiology, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Louis M Kunkel
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.,The Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Alan S Kopin
- Department of Medicine, Molecular Cardiology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Vandana A Gupta
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Peter B Kang
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA.,Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA.,Department of Neurology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA.,Genetics Institute and Myology Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.,Paul and Sheila Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Center, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.,Neurology Department, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Isabelle Draper
- Department of Medicine, Molecular Cardiology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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20
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Weijs R, Okkersen K, van Engelen B, Küsters B, Lammens M, Aronica E, Raaphorst J, van Cappellen van Walsum AM. Human brain pathology in myotonic dystrophy type 1: A systematic review. Neuropathology 2021; 41:3-20. [PMID: 33599033 PMCID: PMC7986875 DOI: 10.1111/neup.12721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 11/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Brain involvement in myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is characterized by heterogeneous cognitive, behavioral, and affective symptoms and imaging alterations indicative of widespread grey and white matter involvement. The aim of the present study was to systematically review the literature on brain pathology in DM1. We conducted a structured search in EMBASE (index period 1974–2017) and MEDLINE (index period 1887–2017) on December 11, 2017, using free text and index search terms related to myotonic dystrophy type 1 and brain structures or regions. Eligible studies were full‐text studies reporting on microscopic brain pathology of DM1 patients without potentially interfering comorbidity. We discussed the findings based on the anatomical region and the nature of the anomaly. Neuropathological findings in DM1 can be classified as follows: (1) protein and nucleotide deposits; (2) changes in neurons and glial cells; and (3) white matter alterations. Most findings are unspecific to DM1 and may occur with physiological aging, albeit to a lesser degree. There are similarities and contrasts with Alzheimer's disease; both show the appearance of neurofibrillary tangles in the limbic system without plaque occurrence. Likewise, there is myelin loss and gliosis, and there are dilated perivascular spaces in the white matter resemblant of cerebral small vessel disease. However, we did not find evidence of lacunar infarction or microbleeding. The various neuropathological findings in DM1 are reflective of the heterogeneous clinical and neuroimaging features of the disease. The strength of conclusions from this study's findings is bounded by limited numbers of participants in studies, methodological constraints, and lack of assessed associations between histopathology and clinical or neuroimaging findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralf Weijs
- Medical Imaging, Anatomy, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.,Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Kees Okkersen
- Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Baziel van Engelen
- Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Benno Küsters
- Department of Pathology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Martin Lammens
- Department of Pathological Anatomy, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Eleonora Aronica
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Department of Neurology and Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Joost Raaphorst
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Department of Neurology and Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Anne-Marie van Cappellen van Walsum
- Medical Imaging, Anatomy, Radboud University Medical Center, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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21
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iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes from patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1 have abnormal ion channel functions and slower conduction velocities. Sci Rep 2021; 11:2500. [PMID: 33510259 PMCID: PMC7844414 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-82007-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cardiac complications such as electrical abnormalities including conduction delays and arrhythmias are the main cause of death in individuals with Myotonic Dystrophy type 1 (DM1). We developed a disease model using iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) from a healthy individual and two DM1 patients with different CTG repeats lengths and clinical history (DM1-1300 and DM1-300). We confirmed the presence of toxic RNA foci and mis-spliced MBNL1/2 transcripts in DM1 iPSC-CMs. In DM1-1300, we identified a switch in the cardiac sodium channel SCN5A from the adult to the neonatal isoform. The down-regulation of adult SCN5A isoforms is consistent with a shift in the sodium current activation to depolarized potentials observed in DM1-1300. L-type calcium current density was higher in iPSC-CMs from DM1-1300, which is correlated with the overexpression of the CaV1.2 transcript and proteins. Importantly, INa and ICaL dysfunctions resulted in prolonged action potentials duration, slower velocities, and decreased overshoots. Optical mapping analysis revealed a slower conduction velocity in DM1-1300 iPSC-CM monolayers. In conclusion, our data revealed two distinct ions channels perturbations in DM1 iPSC-CM from the patient with cardiac dysfunction, one affecting Na+ channels and one affecting Ca2+ channels. Both have an impact on cardiac APs and ultimately on heart conduction.
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22
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Benhamou RI, Vezina-Dawod S, Choudhary S, Won Wang K, Meyer SM, Yildirim I, Disney MD. Macrocyclization of a Ligand Targeting a Toxic RNA Dramatically Improves Potency. Chembiochem 2020; 21:3229-3233. [PMID: 32649032 PMCID: PMC7674229 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202000445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
RNA molecules both contribute to and are causative of many human diseases. One method to perturb RNA function is to target its structure with small molecules. However, discovering bioactive ligands for RNA targets is challenging. Here, we show that the bioactivity of a linear dimeric ligand that inactivates the RNA trinucleotide repeat expansion that causes myotonic dystrophy type 1 [DM1; r(CUG)exp ] can be improved by macrocyclization. Indeed, the macrocyclic compound is ten times more potent than the linear compound for improving DM1-associated defects in cells, including in patient-derived myotubes (muscle cells). This enhancement in potency is due to the macrocycle's increased affinity and selectively for the target, which inhibit r(CUG)exp 's toxic interaction with muscleblind-like 1 (MBNL1), and its superior cell permeability. Macrocyclization could prove to be an effective way to enhance the bioactivity of modularly assembled ligands targeting RNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphael I Benhamou
- Departments of Chemistry and Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, 130 Scripps Way, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Simon Vezina-Dawod
- Departments of Chemistry and Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, 130 Scripps Way, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Shruti Choudhary
- Departments of Chemistry and Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, 130 Scripps Way, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Kye Won Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Florida Atlantic University, John D. MacArthur Campus, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Samantha M Meyer
- Departments of Chemistry and Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, 130 Scripps Way, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Ilyas Yildirim
- Department of Chemistry, Florida Atlantic University, John D. MacArthur Campus, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Matthew D Disney
- Departments of Chemistry and Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, 130 Scripps Way, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
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23
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Schwartz JL, Jones KL, Yeo GW. Repeat RNA expansion disorders of the nervous system: post-transcriptional mechanisms and therapeutic strategies. Crit Rev Biochem Mol Biol 2020; 56:31-53. [PMID: 33172304 PMCID: PMC8192115 DOI: 10.1080/10409238.2020.1841726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Dozens of incurable neurological disorders result from expansion of short repeat sequences in both coding and non-coding regions of the transcriptome. Short repeat expansions underlie microsatellite repeat expansion (MRE) disorders including myotonic dystrophy (DM1, CUG50–3,500 in DMPK; DM2, CCTG75–11,000 in ZNF9), fragile X tremor ataxia syndrome (FXTAS, CGG50–200 in FMR1), spinal bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA, CAG40–55 in AR), Huntington’s disease (HD, CAG36–121 in HTT), C9ORF72-amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)/frontotemporal dementia (FTD and C9-ALS/FTD, GGGGCC in C9ORF72), and many others, like ataxias. Recent research has highlighted several mechanisms that may contribute to pathology in this heterogeneous class of neurological MRE disorders – bidirectional transcription, intranuclear RNA foci, and repeat associated non-AUG (RAN) translation – which are the subject of this review. Additionally, many MRE disorders share similar underlying molecular pathologies that have been recently targeted in experimental and preclinical contexts. We discuss the therapeutic potential of versatile therapeutic strategies that may selectively target disrupted RNA-based processes and may be readily adaptable for the treatment of multiple MRE disorders. Collectively, the strategies under consideration for treatment of multiple MRE disorders include reducing levels of toxic RNA, preventing RNA foci formation, and eliminating the downstream cellular toxicity associated with peptide repeats produced by RAN translation. While treatments are still lacking for the majority of MRE disorders, several promising therapeutic strategies have emerged and will be evaluated within this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua L Schwartz
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Krysten Leigh Jones
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Gene W Yeo
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
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24
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Gadgil RY, Romer EJ, Goodman CC, Rider SD, Damewood FJ, Barthelemy JR, Shin-Ya K, Hanenberg H, Leffak M. Replication stress at microsatellites causes DNA double-strand breaks and break-induced replication. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:15378-15397. [PMID: 32873711 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.013495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 08/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Short tandemly repeated DNA sequences, termed microsatellites, are abundant in the human genome. These microsatellites exhibit length instability and susceptibility to DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) due to their tendency to form stable non-B DNA structures. Replication-dependent microsatellite DSBs are linked to genome instability signatures in human developmental diseases and cancers. To probe the causes and consequences of microsatellite DSBs, we designed a dual-fluorescence reporter system to detect DSBs at expanded (CTG/CAG) n and polypurine/polypyrimidine (Pu/Py) mirror repeat structures alongside the c-myc replication origin integrated at a single ectopic chromosomal site. Restriction cleavage near the (CTG/CAG)100 microsatellite leads to homology-directed single-strand annealing between flanking AluY elements and reporter gene deletion that can be detected by flow cytometry. However, in the absence of restriction cleavage, endogenous and exogenous replication stressors induce DSBs at the (CTG/CAG)100 and Pu/Py microsatellites. DSBs map to a narrow region at the downstream edge of the (CTG)100 lagging-strand template. (CTG/CAG) n chromosome fragility is repeat length-dependent, whereas instability at the (Pu/Py) microsatellites depends on replication polarity. Strikingly, restriction-generated DSBs and replication-dependent DSBs are not repaired by the same mechanism. Knockdown of DNA damage response proteins increases (Rad18, polymerase (Pol) η, Pol κ) or decreases (Mus81) the sensitivity of the (CTG/CAG)100 microsatellites to replication stress. Replication stress and DSBs at the ectopic (CTG/CAG)100 microsatellite lead to break-induced replication and high-frequency mutagenesis at a flanking thymidine kinase gene. Our results show that non-B structure-prone microsatellites are susceptible to replication-dependent DSBs that cause genome instability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rujuta Yashodhan Gadgil
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio, USA
| | - Eric J Romer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio, USA
| | - Caitlin C Goodman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio, USA
| | - S Dean Rider
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio, USA
| | - French J Damewood
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio, USA
| | - Joanna R Barthelemy
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio, USA
| | - Kazuo Shin-Ya
- Biomedical Information Research Center, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Helmut Hanenberg
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head/Neck Surgery, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany; Department of Pediatrics III, University Children's Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Michael Leffak
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio, USA.
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25
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Cerro-Herreros E, González-Martínez I, Moreno-Cervera N, Overby S, Pérez-Alonso M, Llamusí B, Artero R. Therapeutic Potential of AntagomiR-23b for Treating Myotonic Dystrophy. MOLECULAR THERAPY-NUCLEIC ACIDS 2020; 21:837-849. [PMID: 32805487 PMCID: PMC7452101 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2020.07.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a chronically debilitating, rare genetic disease that originates from an expansion of a noncoding CTG repeat in the dystrophia myotonica protein kinase (DMPK) gene. The expansion becomes pathogenic when DMPK transcripts contain 50 or more repetitions due to the sequestration of the muscleblind-like (MBNL) family of proteins. Depletion of MBNLs causes alterations in splicing patterns in transcripts that contribute to clinical symptoms such as myotonia and muscle weakness and wasting. We previously found that microRNA (miR)-23b directly regulates MBNL1 in DM1 myoblasts and mice and that antisense technology (“antagomiRs”) blocking this microRNA (miRNA) boosts MBNL1 protein levels. Here, we show the therapeutic effect over time in response to administration of antagomiR-23b as a treatment in human skeletal actin long repeat (HSALR) mice. Subcutaneous administration of antagomiR-23b upregulated the expression of MBNL1 protein and rescued splicing alterations, grip strength, and myotonia in a dose-dependent manner with long-lasting effects. Additionally, the effects of the treatment on grip strength and myotonia were still slightly notable after 45 days. The pharmacokinetic data obtained provide further evidence that miR-23b could be a valid therapeutic target for DM1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Estefanía Cerro-Herreros
- Interdisciplinary Research Structure for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (ERI BIOTECMED), Universidad de Valencia, 46100 Valencia, Spain; Translational Genomics Group, Incliva Health Research Institute, 46010 Valencia, Spain; Joint Unit Incliva-CIPF, Valencia, Spain
| | - Irene González-Martínez
- Interdisciplinary Research Structure for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (ERI BIOTECMED), Universidad de Valencia, 46100 Valencia, Spain; Translational Genomics Group, Incliva Health Research Institute, 46010 Valencia, Spain; Joint Unit Incliva-CIPF, Valencia, Spain
| | - Nerea Moreno-Cervera
- Interdisciplinary Research Structure for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (ERI BIOTECMED), Universidad de Valencia, 46100 Valencia, Spain; Translational Genomics Group, Incliva Health Research Institute, 46010 Valencia, Spain; Joint Unit Incliva-CIPF, Valencia, Spain
| | - Sarah Overby
- Interdisciplinary Research Structure for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (ERI BIOTECMED), Universidad de Valencia, 46100 Valencia, Spain; Translational Genomics Group, Incliva Health Research Institute, 46010 Valencia, Spain; Joint Unit Incliva-CIPF, Valencia, Spain
| | - Manuel Pérez-Alonso
- Interdisciplinary Research Structure for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (ERI BIOTECMED), Universidad de Valencia, 46100 Valencia, Spain; Translational Genomics Group, Incliva Health Research Institute, 46010 Valencia, Spain; Joint Unit Incliva-CIPF, Valencia, Spain
| | - Beatriz Llamusí
- Interdisciplinary Research Structure for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (ERI BIOTECMED), Universidad de Valencia, 46100 Valencia, Spain; Translational Genomics Group, Incliva Health Research Institute, 46010 Valencia, Spain; Joint Unit Incliva-CIPF, Valencia, Spain
| | - Rubén Artero
- Interdisciplinary Research Structure for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (ERI BIOTECMED), Universidad de Valencia, 46100 Valencia, Spain; Translational Genomics Group, Incliva Health Research Institute, 46010 Valencia, Spain; Joint Unit Incliva-CIPF, Valencia, Spain.
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26
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MyomiRNAs and myostatin as physical rehabilitation biomarkers for myotonic dystrophy. Neurol Sci 2020; 41:2953-2960. [PMID: 32350671 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-020-04409-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 04/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
MiR-1 and myostatin are markers for muscle growth and regeneration. Myostatin has a key role in the regulation of muscle mass. Myotonic dystrophy type 1(DM1) patients have a disease-specific serum miRNA profile characterized by upregulation of miR-1, miR-206, miR-133a, and miR-133b (myomiRNAs).This study aims to evaluate the possible utility of myomiRs and myostatin as biomarkers of rehabilitation efficacy in DM1, supporting clinical outcomes that are often variable and related to the patient's clinical condition.In 9 genetically proven DM1 patients, we collected biological samples before (T0) and after (T1) exercise rehabilitation training as biological measurement. We measured serum myomiRNAs by qRT-PCR and myostatin by ELISA test. The clinical outcomes measures that we utilized during a 3-6 week rehabilitation controlled aerobic exercise period were the 6-min walking test (6MWT) that increased significantly of 53.5 m (p < 0.0004) and the 10-m walk test (10MWT) that decreased of 1.38 s.We observed, after physical rehabilitation, a significant downregulation of myomiRNAs and myostatin that occurred in parallel with the improvement of clinical functional outcome measures assessed as endurance and gait speed, respectively.The modulation of biomarkers may reflect muscle regeneration and increase muscle mass after aerobic exercise. miRNAs and myostatin might be considered as circulating biomarkers of DM1 rehabilitation. The efficacy of physical rehabilitation in counteracting molecular pathways responsible for muscle atrophy and disease progression and the role of these biomarkers in DM1 and other neuromuscular diseases warrant further investigation.
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27
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Gonzalez-Alegre P. Recent advances in molecular therapies for neurological disease: triplet repeat disorders. Hum Mol Genet 2020; 28:R80-R87. [PMID: 31227833 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddz138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Revised: 04/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Triplet repeat diseases (TRDs) are caused by pathogenic expansions of trinucleotide sequence repeats within coding and non-coding regions of different genes. They are typically progressive, very disabling and frequently involve the nervous system. Currently available symptomatic therapies provide modest benefit at best. The development of interventions that interfere with the natural history of these diseases is a priority. A common pathogenic process shared by most TRDs is the presence of toxicity from the messenger RNA or protein encoded by the gene harboring the abnormal expansion. Strategies to interfere with the expression of these genes using different molecular approaches are being pursued and have reached the clinical stage. This review will summarize the significant progress made in this field in the last few years, focusing on three main areas: the discovery of biomarkers of disease progression and target engagement, advances in preclinical studies for the polyglutamine ataxias and the initial clinical application in myotonic dystrophy type 1 and Huntington's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Gonzalez-Alegre
- Department of Neurology, the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.,Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapy, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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28
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SRSF7 maintains its homeostasis through the expression of Split-ORFs and nuclear body assembly. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2020; 27:260-273. [PMID: 32123389 PMCID: PMC7096898 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-020-0385-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
SRSF7 is an essential RNA-binding protein whose misexpression promotes cancer. Here, we describe how SRSF7 maintains its protein homeostasis in murine P19 cells using an intricate negative feedback mechanism. SRSF7 binding to its premessenger RNA promotes inclusion of a poison cassette exon and transcript degradation via nonsense-mediated decay (NMD). However, elevated SRSF7 levels inhibit NMD and promote translation of two protein halves, termed Split-ORFs, from the bicistronic SRSF7-PCE transcript. The first half acts as dominant-negative isoform suppressing poison cassette exon inclusion and instead promoting the retention of flanking introns containing repeated SRSF7 binding sites. Massive SRSF7 binding to these sites and its oligomerization promote the assembly of large nuclear bodies, which sequester SRSF7 transcripts at their transcription site, preventing their export and restoring normal SRSF7 protein levels. We further show that hundreds of human and mouse NMD targets, especially RNA-binding proteins, encode potential Split-ORFs, some of which are expressed under specific cellular conditions.
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Božič T, Zalar M, Rogelj B, Plavec J, Šket P. Structural Diversity of Sense and Antisense RNA Hexanucleotide Repeats Associated with ALS and FTLD. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25030525. [PMID: 31991801 PMCID: PMC7037139 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25030525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Revised: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The hexanucleotide expansion GGGGCC located in C9orf72 gene represents the most common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar dementia (FTLD). Since the discovery one of the non-exclusive mechanisms of expanded hexanucleotide G4C2 repeats involved in ALS and FTLD is RNA toxicity, which involves accumulation of pathological sense and antisense RNA transcripts. Formed RNA foci sequester RNA-binding proteins, causing their mislocalization and, thus, diminishing their biological function. Therefore, structures adopted by pathological RNA transcripts could have a key role in pathogenesis of ALS and FTLD. Utilizing NMR spectroscopy and complementary methods, we examined structures adopted by both guanine-rich sense and cytosine-rich antisense RNA oligonucleotides with four hexanucleotide repeats. While both oligonucleotides tend to form dimers and hairpins, the equilibrium of these structures differs with antisense oligonucleotide being more sensitive to changes in pH and sense oligonucleotide to temperature. In the presence of K+ ions, guanine-rich sense RNA oligonucleotide also adopts secondary structures called G-quadruplexes. Here, we also observed, for the first time, that antisense RNA oligonucleotide forms i-motifs under specific conditions. Moreover, simultaneous presence of sense and antisense RNA oligonucleotides promotes formation of heterodimer. Studied structural diversity of sense and antisense RNA transcripts not only further depicts the complex nature of neurodegenerative diseases but also reveals potential targets for drug design in treatment of ALS and FTLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Božič
- Slovenian NMR Centre, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (T.B.); (M.Z.)
| | - Matja Zalar
- Slovenian NMR Centre, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (T.B.); (M.Z.)
| | - Boris Rogelj
- Department of Biotechnology, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia;
- Biomedical Research Institute BRIS, Puhova 10, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Janez Plavec
- Slovenian NMR Centre, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (T.B.); (M.Z.)
- EN-FIST Center of Excellence, Trg OF 13, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 113, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Correspondence: (P.Š.); (J.P.); Tel.: +386-1-4760223 (P.Š.); +386-1-4760353 (J.P.)
| | - Primož Šket
- Slovenian NMR Centre, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (T.B.); (M.Z.)
- Correspondence: (P.Š.); (J.P.); Tel.: +386-1-4760223 (P.Š.); +386-1-4760353 (J.P.)
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30
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Swinnen B, Robberecht W, Van Den Bosch L. RNA toxicity in non-coding repeat expansion disorders. EMBO J 2020; 39:e101112. [PMID: 31721251 PMCID: PMC6939197 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2018101112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2018] [Revised: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Several neurodegenerative disorders like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) are caused by non-coding nucleotide repeat expansions. Different pathogenic mechanisms may underlie these non-coding repeat expansion disorders. While gain-of-function mechanisms, such as toxicity associated with expression of repeat RNA or toxicity associated with repeat-associated non-ATG (RAN) products, are most frequently connected with these disorders, loss-of-function mechanisms have also been implicated. We review the different pathways that have been linked to non-coding repeat expansion disorders such as C9ORF72-linked ALS/frontotemporal dementia (FTD), myotonic dystrophy, fragile X tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS), SCA, and Huntington's disease-like 2. We discuss modes of RNA toxicity focusing on the identity and the interacting partners of the toxic RNA species. Using the C9ORF72 ALS/FTD paradigm, we further explore the efforts and different methods used to disentangle RNA vs. RAN toxicity. Overall, we conclude that there is ample evidence for a role of RNA toxicity in non-coding repeat expansion diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart Swinnen
- Department of NeurosciencesExperimental NeurologyLeuven Brain Institute (LBI)KU Leuven – University of LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- Laboratory of NeurobiologyVIB, Center for Brain & Disease ResearchLeuvenBelgium
- Department of NeurologyUniversity Hospitals LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Wim Robberecht
- Department of NeurosciencesExperimental NeurologyLeuven Brain Institute (LBI)KU Leuven – University of LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- Laboratory of NeurobiologyVIB, Center for Brain & Disease ResearchLeuvenBelgium
- Department of NeurologyUniversity Hospitals LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Ludo Van Den Bosch
- Department of NeurosciencesExperimental NeurologyLeuven Brain Institute (LBI)KU Leuven – University of LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- Laboratory of NeurobiologyVIB, Center for Brain & Disease ResearchLeuvenBelgium
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31
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Christou M, Wengel J, Sokratous K, Kyriacou K, Nikolaou G, Phylactou LA, Mastroyiannopoulos NP. Systemic Evaluation of Chimeric LNA/2'-O-Methyl Steric Blockers for Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 Therapy. Nucleic Acid Ther 2019; 30:80-93. [PMID: 31873063 PMCID: PMC7133450 DOI: 10.1089/nat.2019.0811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a dominantly inherited, multisystemic disorder characterized clinically by delayed muscle relaxation and weakness. The disease is caused by a CTG repeat expansion in the 3′ untranslated region (3′ UTR) of the DMPK gene, which leads to the expression of a toxic gain-of-function mRNA. The expanded CUG repeat mRNA sequesters the MBNL1 splicing regulator in nuclear-retained foci structures, resulting in loss of protein function and disruption of alternative splicing homeostasis. In this study, we used CAG repeat antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), composed of locked nucleic acid (LNA)- and 2′-O-methyl (2′OMe)-modified bases in a chimeric design, to alleviate CUGexpanded-mediated toxicity. Chimeric 14–18mer LNA/2′OMe oligonucleotides, exhibiting an LNA incorporation of ∼33%, significantly ameliorated the misregulated alternative splicing of Mbnl1-dependent exons in primary DM1 mouse myoblasts and tibialis anterior muscles of DM1 mice. Subcutaneous delivery of 14mer and 18mer LNA/2′OMe chimeras in DM1 mice resulted in high levels of accumulation in all tested skeletal muscles, as well as in the diaphragm and heart tissue. Despite the efficient delivery, chimeric LNA/2′OMe oligonucleotides were not able, even at a high-dosage regimen (400 mg/kg/week), to correct the misregulated splicing of Serca1 exon 22 in skeletal muscles. Nevertheless, oligonucleotide doses were well-tolerated as determined by histological and plasma biochemistry analyses. Our results provide proof of concept that inhibition of MBNL1 sequestration by systemic delivery of a steric-blocking ASO is extremely challenging, considering the large number of target sites that need to be occupied per RNA molecule. Although not suitable for DM1 therapy, chimeric LNA/2′OMe oligonucleotides could prove to be highly beneficial for other diseases, such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy, that require inhibition of a single target site per RNA molecule.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melina Christou
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Function & Therapy, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus.,The Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Jesper Wengel
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Biomolecular Nanoscale Engineering Center, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark
| | - Kleitos Sokratous
- Department of Electron Microscopy and Molecular Pathology, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus.,Bioinformatics Group, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Kyriacos Kyriacou
- The Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus.,Department of Electron Microscopy and Molecular Pathology, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Georgios Nikolaou
- Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Vet Ex Machina Ltd, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Leonidas A Phylactou
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Function & Therapy, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus.,The Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Nikolaos P Mastroyiannopoulos
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Function & Therapy, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus.,The Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus
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Dosage effect of multiple genes accounts for multisystem disorder of myotonic dystrophy type 1. Cell Res 2019; 30:133-145. [PMID: 31853004 PMCID: PMC7015062 DOI: 10.1038/s41422-019-0264-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Multisystem manifestations in myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) may be due to dosage reduction in multiple genes induced by aberrant expansion of CTG repeats in DMPK, including DMPK, its neighboring genes (SIX5 or DMWD) and downstream MBNL1. However, direct evidence is lacking. Here, we develop a new strategy to generate mice carrying multigene heterozygous mutations to mimic dosage reduction in one step by injection of haploid embryonic stem cells with mutant Dmpk, Six5 and Mbnl1 into oocytes. The triple heterozygous mutant mice exhibit adult-onset DM1 phenotypes. With the additional mutation in Dmwd, the quadruple heterozygous mutant mice recapitulate many major manifestations in congenital DM1. Moreover, muscle stem cells in both models display reduced stemness, providing a unique model for screening small molecules for treatment of DM1. Our results suggest that the complex symptoms of DM1 result from the reduced dosage of multiple genes.
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Cid-Samper F, Gelabert-Baldrich M, Lang B, Lorenzo-Gotor N, Ponti RD, Severijnen LAWFM, Bolognesi B, Gelpi E, Hukema RK, Botta-Orfila T, Tartaglia GG. An Integrative Study of Protein-RNA Condensates Identifies Scaffolding RNAs and Reveals Players in Fragile X-Associated Tremor/Ataxia Syndrome. Cell Rep 2019; 25:3422-3434.e7. [PMID: 30566867 PMCID: PMC6315285 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.11.076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Revised: 09/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent evidence indicates that specific RNAs promote the formation of ribonucleoprotein condensates by acting as scaffolds for RNA-binding proteins (RBPs). We systematically investigated RNA-RBP interaction networks to understand ribonucleoprotein assembly. We found that highly contacted RNAs are structured, have long UTRs, and contain nucleotide repeat expansions. Among the RNAs with such properties, we identified the FMR1 3' UTR that harbors CGG expansions implicated in fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS). We studied FMR1 binding partners in silico and in vitro and prioritized the splicing regulator TRA2A for further characterization. In a FXTAS cellular model, we validated the TRA2A-FMR1 interaction and investigated implications of its sequestration at both transcriptomic and post-transcriptomic levels. We found that TRA2A co-aggregates with FMR1 in a FXTAS mouse model and in post-mortem human samples. Our integrative study identifies key components of ribonucleoprotein aggregates, providing links to neurodegenerative disease and allowing the discovery of therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Cid-Samper
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mariona Gelabert-Baldrich
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Benjamin Lang
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Nieves Lorenzo-Gotor
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Riccardo Delli Ponti
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Benedetta Bolognesi
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ellen Gelpi
- Neurological Tissue Biobank of the Hospital Clinic and Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Carrer del Rosselló, 149, 08036, Barcelona, Spain; Institute of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Renate K Hukema
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC, 3000 CA Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Teresa Botta-Orfila
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Gian Gaetano Tartaglia
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), The Barcelona Institute for Science and Technology, Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), 08003 Barcelona, Spain; Department of Biology 'Charles Darwin', Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, Rome 00185, Italy; Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), 23 Passeig Lluís Companys, 08010 Barcelona, Spain.
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34
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Andrzejewska W, Wilkowska M, Peplińska B, Skrzypczak A, Kozak M. Structural characterization of transfection nanosystems based on tricationic surfactants and short double stranded oligonucleotides. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2019; 518:706-711. [PMID: 31472953 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2019.08.114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
For several years cationic surfactants have been the subjects of extensive studies as potential transgene carriers to be used in gene therapy. We report the formation of stable complexes between 21 base pairs oligonucleotides - siRNA, enhancing DMPK gene, and dsDNA and two tricationic surfactants (1,2,3-propanetri[oxymethyl-3-(1-dodecylimidazolium)]chloride and 1,2,3-propanetri[(oxymethyl)dimethyldodecylammonium]chloride. Structural studies by SAXS and TEM have shown that the dominant structure of the obtained lipoplexes is based on hexagonal, lamellar and cubic phases, packed in highly ordered aggregates. It has been established that tricationic surfactants can be used as siRNA carriers in gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weronika Andrzejewska
- Department of Macromolecular Physics, Faculty of Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Michalina Wilkowska
- Department of Macromolecular Physics, Faculty of Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Barbara Peplińska
- Department of Macromolecular Physics, Faculty of Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland; NanoBioMedical Centre, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
| | - Andrzej Skrzypczak
- Faculty of Chemical Technology, Poznan University of Technology, Poznań, Poland
| | - Maciej Kozak
- Department of Macromolecular Physics, Faculty of Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland; Joint SAXS Laboratory, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland.
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35
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Mondragon-Gonzalez R, Azzag K, Selvaraj S, Yamamoto A, Perlingeiro RCR. Transplantation studies reveal internuclear transfer of toxic RNA in engrafted muscles of myotonic dystrophy 1 mice. EBioMedicine 2019; 47:553-562. [PMID: 31446083 PMCID: PMC6796515 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2019.08.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2019] [Revised: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Stem cell transplantation represents a potential therapeutic option for muscular dystrophies (MD). However, to date, most reports have utilized mouse models for recessive types of MD. Here we performed studies to determine whether myotonic dystrophy 1 (DM1), an autosomal dominant type of MD, could benefit from cell transplantation. Methods We injected human pluripotent stem (PS) cell-derived myogenic progenitors into the muscles of a novel mouse model combining immunodeficiency and skeletal muscle pathology of DM1 and investigated transplanted mice for engraftment as well as for the presence of RNA foci and alternative splicing pattern. Findings Engraftment was clearly observed in recipient mice, but unexpectedly, we detected RNA foci in donor-derived engrafted myonuclei. These foci proved to be pathogenic as we observed MBNL1 sequestration and abnormal alternative splicing in donor-derived transcripts. Interpretation It has been assumed that toxic CUG repeat-containing RNA forms foci in situ in the nucleus in which it is expressed, but these data suggest that CUG repeat-containing RNA may also exit the nucleus and traffic to other nuclei in the syncytial myofiber, where it can exert pathological effects. Fund This project was supported by funds from the LaBonte/Shawn family and NIH grants R01 AR055299 and AR071439 (R.C.R.P.). R.M-G. was funded by CONACyT-Mexico (#394378).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Mondragon-Gonzalez
- Lillehei Heart Institute, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Departamento de Genética y Biología Molecular, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN (CINVESTAV-IPN), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Karim Azzag
- Lillehei Heart Institute, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Sridhar Selvaraj
- Lillehei Heart Institute, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Ami Yamamoto
- Lillehei Heart Institute, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Rita C R Perlingeiro
- Lillehei Heart Institute, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Stem Cell Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
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36
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van der Bent ML, Paulino da Silva Filho O, Willemse M, Hällbrink M, Wansink DG, Brock R. The nuclear concentration required for antisense oligonucleotide activity in myotonic dystrophy cells. FASEB J 2019; 33:11314-11325. [PMID: 31311315 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201900263r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) are a promising class of therapeutics that are starting to emerge in the clinic. Determination of intracellular concentrations required for biologic effects and identification of effective delivery vehicles are crucial for understanding the mode of action and required dosing. Here, we investigated which nuclear oligonucleotide concentration is needed for a therapeutic effect for a triplet repeat-targeting ASO in a muscle cell model of myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). For cellular delivery, ASOs were complexed into nanoparticles using the cationic cell-penetrating peptides nona-arginine and PepFect14 (PF14). Although both peptides facilitated uptake, only PF14 led to a dose-dependent correction of disease-typical abnormal splicing. In line with this observation, time-lapse confocal microscopy demonstrated that only PF14 mediated translocation of the ASOs to the nucleus, which is the main site of action. Through fluorescence lifetime imaging, we could distinguish intact oligonucleotide from free fluorophore, showing that PF14 also shielded the ASOs from degradation. Finally, we employed a combination of live-cell fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and immunofluorescence microscopy and demonstrated that intranuclear blocking-type oligonucleotide concentrations in the upper nanomolar range were required to dissolve nuclear muscleblind-like protein 1 foci, a hallmark of DM1. Our findings have important implications for the clinical use of ASOs in DM1 and provide a basis for further research on other types of ASOs.-Van der Bent, M. L., Paulino da Silva Filho, O., Willemse, M., Hällbrink, M., Wansink, D. G., Brock, R. The nuclear concentration required for antisense oligonucleotide activity in myotonic dystrophy cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Leontien van der Bent
- Department of Cell Biology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (RIMLS), Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Department of Biochemistry, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (RIMLS), Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Omar Paulino da Silva Filho
- Department of Biochemistry, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (RIMLS), Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) Foundation, Ministry of Education of Brazil, Brasilia, Brazil
| | - Marieke Willemse
- Department of Cell Biology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (RIMLS), Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Mattias Hällbrink
- Department of Neurochemistry, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Derick G Wansink
- Department of Cell Biology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (RIMLS), Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Roland Brock
- Department of Biochemistry, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (RIMLS), Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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37
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Rodriguez CM, Todd PK. New pathologic mechanisms in nucleotide repeat expansion disorders. Neurobiol Dis 2019; 130:104515. [PMID: 31229686 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2019.104515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2019] [Revised: 06/07/2019] [Accepted: 06/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Tandem microsatellite repeats are common throughout the human genome and intrinsically unstable, exhibiting expansions and contractions both somatically and across generations. Instability in a small subset of these repeats are currently linked to human disease, although recent findings suggest more disease-causing repeats await discovery. These nucleotide repeat expansion disorders (NREDs) primarily affect the nervous system and commonly lead to neurodegeneration through toxic protein gain-of-function, protein loss-of-function, and toxic RNA gain-of-function mechanisms. However, the lines between these categories have blurred with recent findings of unconventional Repeat Associated Non-AUG (RAN) translation from putatively non-coding regions of the genome. Here we review two emerging topics in NREDs: 1) The mechanisms by which RAN translation occurs and its role in disease pathogenesis and 2) How nucleotide repeats as RNA and translated proteins influence liquid-liquid phase separation, membraneless organelle dynamics, and nucleocytoplasmic transport. We examine these topics with a particular eye on two repeats: the CGG repeat expansion responsible for Fragile X syndrome and Fragile X-associated Tremor Ataxia Syndrome (FXTAS) and the intronic GGGGCC repeat expansion in C9orf72, the most common inherited cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Our thesis is that these emerging disease mechanisms can inform a broader understanding of the native roles of microsatellites in cellular function and that aberrations in these native processes provide clues to novel therapeutic strategies for these currently untreatable disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- C M Rodriguez
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - P K Todd
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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38
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André LM, van Cruchten RTP, Willemse M, Wansink DG. (CTG)n repeat-mediated dysregulation of MBNL1 and MBNL2 expression during myogenesis in DM1 occurs already at the myoblast stage. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0217317. [PMID: 31116797 PMCID: PMC6530876 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0217317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Accepted: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a severe neuromuscular disorder caused by the expression of trinucleotide repeat-containing DMPK transcripts. Abnormally expanded (CUG)n repeats in these transcripts form hairpin-like structures that cause the RNA to accumulate in the cell nucleus by sequestering isoforms of the Muscleblind (MBNL) family, tissue-specific regulators of developmentally programmed, post-transcriptional processes in RNA metabolism. Through this mechanism, the function of MBNL in RNA processing becomes dominantly perturbed, which eventually leads to aberrant alternative splicing and the expression of foetal splice variants of a wide variety of proteins, including the MBNL isoforms themselves. Here, we employ a patient-derived muscle cell model for DM1 to examine in detail the expression of MBNL RNA and protein variants during myogenic differentiation. This DM1 model consists of a panel of isogenic myoblast cell lines that either contain a pathogenic DMPK allele with a congenital mutation of 2600 triplets, or lack this expanded repeat through CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing. We found that the temporal expression levels of MBNL1, MBNL2 and MBNL3 RNAs are not influenced by presence of the (CTG)2600 repeat during myogenesis in vitro. However, throughout myoblast proliferation and differentiation to myotubes a disproportionate inclusion of MBNL1 exon 5 and MBNL2 exons 5 and 8 occurs in cells with the (CTG)2600 repeat. As a consequence, a reduced quantity and imbalanced collection of splice variants of MBNL1 and MBNL2 accumulates in both the cytoplasm and the nucleus of DM1 myoblasts and myotubes. We thus propose that both the quantitative and qualitative changes in the intracellular partitioning of MBNL proteins are a pivotal cause of skeletal muscle problems in DM1, starting already in muscle progenitor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurène M. André
- Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Department of Cell Biology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Remco T. P. van Cruchten
- Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Department of Cell Biology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Marieke Willemse
- Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Department of Cell Biology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Derick G. Wansink
- Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Department of Cell Biology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
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39
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van Cruchten RTP, Wieringa B, Wansink DG. Expanded CUG repeats in DMPK transcripts adopt diverse hairpin conformations without influencing the structure of the flanking sequences. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2019; 25:481-495. [PMID: 30700578 PMCID: PMC6426290 DOI: 10.1261/rna.068940.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2018] [Accepted: 01/24/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a complex neuromuscular disorder caused by expansion of a CTG repeat in the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) of the DMPK gene. Mutant DMPK transcripts form aberrant structures and anomalously associate with RNA-binding proteins (RBPs). As a first step toward better understanding of the involvement of abnormal DMPK mRNA folding in DM1 manifestation, we used SHAPE, DMS, CMCT, and RNase T1 structure probing in vitro for modeling of the topology of the DMPK 3'-UTR with normal and pathogenic repeat lengths of up to 197 CUG triplets. The resulting structural information was validated by disruption of base-pairing with LNA antisense oligonucleotides (AONs) and used for prediction of therapeutic AON accessibility and verification of DMPK knockdown efficacy in cells. Our model for DMPK RNA structure demonstrates that the hairpin formed by the CUG repeat has length-dependent conformational plasticity, with a structure that is guided by and embedded in an otherwise rigid architecture of flanking regions in the DMPK 3'-UTR. Evidence is provided that long CUG repeats may form not only single asymmetrical hairpins but also exist as branched structures. These newly identified structures have implications for DM1 pathogenic mechanisms, like sequestration of RBPs and repeat-associated non-AUG (RAN) translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Remco T P van Cruchten
- Department of Cell Biology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, 6525 GA, The Netherlands
| | - Bé Wieringa
- Department of Cell Biology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, 6525 GA, The Netherlands
| | - Derick G Wansink
- Department of Cell Biology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, 6525 GA, The Netherlands
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Nikonova E, Kao SY, Ravichandran K, Wittner A, Spletter ML. Conserved functions of RNA-binding proteins in muscle. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2019; 110:29-49. [PMID: 30818081 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2019.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2018] [Revised: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Animals require different types of muscle for survival, for example for circulation, motility, reproduction and digestion. Much emphasis in the muscle field has been placed on understanding how transcriptional regulation generates diverse types of muscle during development. Recent work indicates that alternative splicing and RNA regulation are as critical to muscle development, and altered function of RNA-binding proteins causes muscle disease. Although hundreds of genes predicted to bind RNA are expressed in muscles, many fewer have been functionally characterized. We present a cross-species view summarizing what is known about RNA-binding protein function in muscle, from worms and flies to zebrafish, mice and humans. In particular, we focus on alternative splicing regulated by the CELF, MBNL and RBFOX families of proteins. We discuss the systemic nature of diseases associated with loss of RNA-binding proteins in muscle, focusing on mis-regulation of CELF and MBNL in myotonic dystrophy. These examples illustrate the conservation of RNA-binding protein function and the marked utility of genetic model systems in understanding mechanisms of RNA regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Nikonova
- Biomedical Center, Department of Physiological Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University München, Großhaderner Str. 9, 82152, Martinsried-Planegg, Germany
| | - Shao-Yen Kao
- Biomedical Center, Department of Physiological Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University München, Großhaderner Str. 9, 82152, Martinsried-Planegg, Germany
| | - Keshika Ravichandran
- Biomedical Center, Department of Physiological Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University München, Großhaderner Str. 9, 82152, Martinsried-Planegg, Germany
| | - Anja Wittner
- Biomedical Center, Department of Physiological Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University München, Großhaderner Str. 9, 82152, Martinsried-Planegg, Germany
| | - Maria L Spletter
- Biomedical Center, Department of Physiological Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University München, Großhaderner Str. 9, 82152, Martinsried-Planegg, Germany; Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM) at the Department of Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.
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41
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Witkos TM, Krzyzosiak WJ, Fiszer A, Koscianska E. A potential role of extended simple sequence repeats in competing endogenous RNA crosstalk. RNA Biol 2018; 15:1399-1409. [PMID: 30381983 PMCID: PMC6284579 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2018.1536593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNA (miRNA)-mediated crosstalk between coding and non-coding RNAs of various types is known as the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) concept. Here, we propose that there is a specific variant of the ceRNA language that takes advantage of simple sequence repeat (SSR) wording. We applied bioinformatics tools to identify human transcripts that may be regarded as repeat-associated ceRNAs (raceRNAs). Multiple protein-coding transcripts, transcribed pseudogenes, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs) showing this potential were identified, and numerous miRNAs were predicted to bind to SSRs. We propose that simple repeats expanded in various hereditary neurological diseases may act as sponges for miRNAs containing complementary repeats that would affect raceRNA crosstalk. Based on the representation of specific SSRs in transcripts, expression data for SSR-binding miRNAs and expression profiling data from patients, we determined that raceRNA crosstalk is most likely to be perturbed in the case of myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) and type 2 (DM2).
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomasz M Witkos
- a Department of Molecular Biomedicine , Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences , Poznan , Poland
| | - Wlodzimierz J Krzyzosiak
- a Department of Molecular Biomedicine , Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences , Poznan , Poland
| | - Agnieszka Fiszer
- a Department of Molecular Biomedicine , Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences , Poznan , Poland
| | - Edyta Koscianska
- a Department of Molecular Biomedicine , Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences , Poznan , Poland
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Cumming SA, Hamilton MJ, Robb Y, Gregory H, McWilliam C, Cooper A, Adam B, McGhie J, Hamilton G, Herzyk P, Tschannen MR, Worthey E, Petty R, Ballantyne B, Warner J, Farrugia ME, Longman C, Monckton DG. De novo repeat interruptions are associated with reduced somatic instability and mild or absent clinical features in myotonic dystrophy type 1. Eur J Hum Genet 2018; 26:1635-1647. [PMID: 29967337 PMCID: PMC6189127 DOI: 10.1038/s41431-018-0156-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2018] [Revised: 03/23/2018] [Accepted: 03/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a multisystem disorder, caused by expansion of a CTG trinucleotide repeat in the 3'-untranslated region of the DMPK gene. The repeat expansion is somatically unstable and tends to increase in length with time, contributing to disease progression. In some individuals, the repeat array is interrupted by variant repeats such as CCG and CGG, stabilising the expansion and often leading to milder symptoms. We have characterised three families, each including one person with variant repeats that had arisen de novo on paternal transmission of the repeat expansion. Two individuals were identified for screening due to an unusual result in the laboratory diagnostic test, and the third due to exceptionally mild symptoms. The presence of variant repeats in all three expanded alleles was confirmed by restriction digestion of small pool PCR products, and allele structures were determined by PacBio sequencing. Each was different, but all contained CCG repeats close to the 3'-end of the repeat expansion. All other family members had inherited pure CTG repeats. The variant repeat-containing alleles were more stable in the blood than pure alleles of similar length, which may in part account for the mild symptoms observed in all three individuals. This emphasises the importance of somatic instability as a disease mechanism in DM1. Further, since patients with variant repeats may have unusually mild symptoms, identification of these individuals has important implications for genetic counselling and for patient stratification in DM1 clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Cumming
- Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Mark J Hamilton
- Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK.
- West of Scotland Clinical Genetics Service, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, G51 4TF, UK.
| | - Yvonne Robb
- Clinical Genetics Service, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Helen Gregory
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Aberdeen Royal Hospital, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZA, UK
| | | | - Anneli Cooper
- Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Berit Adam
- Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Josephine McGhie
- Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Graham Hamilton
- Glasgow Polyomics, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK
| | - Pawel Herzyk
- Glasgow Polyomics, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK
| | - Michael R Tschannen
- Human and Molecular Genetics Center, Medical College Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
| | - Elizabeth Worthey
- Human and Molecular Genetics Center, Medical College Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
- Hudson Alpha Institute for Biotechnology, 601 Genome Way, NW, Huntsville, AL, 35806, USA
| | - Richard Petty
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Neurological Sciences, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, G51 4TF, UK
| | - Bob Ballantyne
- West of Scotland Clinical Genetics Service, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, G51 4TF, UK
| | - Jon Warner
- Molecular Genetics Service, Molecular Medicine Centre, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Maria Elena Farrugia
- Department of Neurology, Institute of Neurological Sciences, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, G51 4TF, UK
| | - Cheryl Longman
- West of Scotland Clinical Genetics Service, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, G51 4TF, UK
| | - Darren G Monckton
- Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
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Activation of the interferon type I response rather than autophagy contributes to myogenesis inhibition in congenital DM1 myoblasts. Cell Death Dis 2018; 9:1071. [PMID: 30341284 PMCID: PMC6195593 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-018-1080-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Revised: 08/21/2018] [Accepted: 08/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Congenital myotonic dystrophy type 1 (CDM1) is characterized by severe symptoms that affect patients from birth, with 40% mortality in the neonatal period and impaired skeletal muscle development. In this paper, we examined the relationship between autophagy and abnormal myogenic differentiation of CDM1 myoblasts. We investigated these pathological features at both ultrastructural and molecular levels, utilizing two CDM1 foetal myoblasts, CDM13 and CDM15, with 1800 and 3200 repeats, respectively. The congenital nature of these CDM1 myoblasts was confirmed by the high methylation level at the DMPK locus. Our results indicated that abnormal autophagy was independent of myogenic differentiation, as CDM13 myoblasts differentiated as well as control myoblasts but underwent autophagy like CDM15, displaying impaired differentiation. miRNA expression profiles revealed that CDM15 myoblasts failed to upregulate the complex network of myo-miRNAs under MYOD and MEF2A control, while this network was upregulated in CDM13 myoblasts. Interestingly, the abnormal differentiation of CDM15 myoblasts was associated with cellular stress accompanied by the induction of the interferon type 1 pathway (innate immune response). Indeed, inhibition of the interferon (IFN) type I pathway restores myogenic differentiation of CDM15 myoblasts, suggesting that the inappropriate activation of the innate immune response might contribute to impaired myogenic differentiation and severe muscle symptoms observed in some CDM1 patients. These findings open up the possibility of new therapeutic approaches to treat CDM1.
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André LM, Ausems CRM, Wansink DG, Wieringa B. Abnormalities in Skeletal Muscle Myogenesis, Growth, and Regeneration in Myotonic Dystrophy. Front Neurol 2018; 9:368. [PMID: 29892259 PMCID: PMC5985300 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2018.00368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) and 2 (DM2) are autosomal dominant degenerative neuromuscular disorders characterized by progressive skeletal muscle weakness, atrophy, and myotonia with progeroid features. Although both DM1 and DM2 are characterized by skeletal muscle dysfunction and also share other clinical features, the diseases differ in the muscle groups that are affected. In DM1, distal muscles are mainly affected, whereas in DM2 problems are mostly found in proximal muscles. In addition, manifestation in DM1 is generally more severe, with possible congenital or childhood-onset of disease and prominent CNS involvement. DM1 and DM2 are caused by expansion of (CTG•CAG)n and (CCTG•CAGG)n repeats in the 3' non-coding region of DMPK and in intron 1 of CNBP, respectively, and in overlapping antisense genes. This critical review will focus on the pleiotropic problems that occur during development, growth, regeneration, and aging of skeletal muscle in patients who inherited these expansions. The current best-accepted idea is that most muscle symptoms can be explained by pathomechanistic effects of repeat expansion on RNA-mediated pathways. However, aberrations in DNA replication and transcription of the DM loci or in protein translation and proteome homeostasis could also affect the control of proliferation and differentiation of muscle progenitor cells or the maintenance and physiological integrity of muscle fibers during a patient's lifetime. Here, we will discuss these molecular and cellular processes and summarize current knowledge about the role of embryonic and adult muscle-resident stem cells in growth, homeostasis, regeneration, and premature aging of healthy and diseased muscle tissue. Of particular interest is that also progenitor cells from extramuscular sources, such as pericytes and mesoangioblasts, can participate in myogenic differentiation. We will examine the potential of all these types of cells in the application of regenerative medicine for muscular dystrophies and evaluate new possibilities for their use in future therapy of DM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurène M André
- Department of Cell Biology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - C Rosanne M Ausems
- Department of Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Derick G Wansink
- Department of Cell Biology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Bé Wieringa
- Department of Cell Biology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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De Siena C, Cardani R, Brigonzi E, Bosè F, Fossati B, Meola G, Costa E, Valaperta R. Incidence of amplification failure in DMPK allele due to allelic dropout event in a diagnostic laboratory. Clin Chim Acta 2018; 484:111-116. [PMID: 29803895 DOI: 10.1016/j.cca.2018.05.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2018] [Revised: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is caused by an expanded CTG repeat in the non-coding 3' UTR of the DMPK gene. PCR and Southern Blot Analysis (SBA) of long-range PCR represent the routine molecular testing most widely used for DM1 diagnosis. However, in these conventional methods artifacts such as allele dropout (ADO) represent a risk of misdiagnosis for DM1. Subjects, who show a single product by conventional methods, require a complementary technique such as triplet repeat primed PCR (TP-PCR). OBJECT To estimate and minimize the incidence of allele dropout event in our diagnostic molecular laboratory by the use of new kit TP-PCR-based. METHODS We retrospectively studied 190 DMPK alleles, on blood samples from to ninety-five subjects, previously genotyped by traditional methods to validate a new assay. The pedigree of a DM1 family was used to expand our analysis. RESULTS TP-PCR assay correctly identified all 95/95 (100%) subjects and these results were in agreement with the other molecular laboratory. By conventional methods the amplification failure due to allele dropout in our cohort was in 12/190 (6.3%) DMPK alleles analyzed. When these 12 alleles were detected and solved by new assay, we found that the 2.6% was caused by primer sequence-dependent and the remaining 3.6% by polymerase-hindering secondary structures. CONCLUSIONS Allele dropout could be considered as a potentially important problem in DM1 diagnosis that may lead to the attribution of a wrong genotype with long-term consequences for both proband and family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia De Siena
- Research Laboratories, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, Milan, Italy.; Service of Laboratory Medicine, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, Milan, Italy..
| | - Rosanna Cardani
- Laboratory of Muscle Histopathology and Molecular Biology, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisa Brigonzi
- Department of Neurology, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, Milan, Italy.; Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Bosè
- Laboratory of Muscle Histopathology and Molecular Biology, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, Milan, Italy
| | - Barbara Fossati
- Department of Neurology, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, Milan, Italy
| | - Giovanni Meola
- Department of Neurology, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, Milan, Italy.; Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milan, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Costa
- Research Laboratories, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, Milan, Italy.; Service of Laboratory Medicine, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, Milan, Italy
| | - Rea Valaperta
- Research Laboratories, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, Milan, Italy.; Service of Laboratory Medicine, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, San Donato Milanese, Milan, Italy
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Targeting the Polyadenylation Signal of Pre-mRNA: A New Gene Silencing Approach for Facioscapulohumeral Dystrophy. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19051347. [PMID: 29751519 PMCID: PMC5983732 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19051347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2018] [Revised: 04/27/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Facioscapulohumeral dystrophy (FSHD) is characterized by the contraction of the D4Z4 array located in the sub-telomeric region of the chromosome 4, leading to the aberrant expression of the DUX4 transcription factor and the mis-regulation of hundreds of genes. Several therapeutic strategies have been proposed among which the possibility to target the polyadenylation signal to silence the causative gene of the disease. Indeed, defects in mRNA polyadenylation leads to an alteration of the transcription termination, a disruption of mRNA transport from the nucleus to the cytoplasm decreasing the mRNA stability and translation efficiency. This review discusses the polyadenylation mechanisms, why alternative polyadenylation impacts gene expression, and how targeting polyadenylation signal may be a potential therapeutic approach for FSHD.
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Thomas JD, Oliveira R, Sznajder ŁJ, Swanson MS. Myotonic Dystrophy and Developmental Regulation of RNA Processing. Compr Physiol 2018; 8:509-553. [PMID: 29687899 PMCID: PMC11323716 DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c170002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy (DM) is a multisystemic disorder caused by microsatellite expansion mutations in two unrelated genes leading to similar, yet distinct, diseases. DM disease presentation is highly variable and distinguished by differences in age-of-onset and symptom severity. In the most severe form, DM presents with congenital onset and profound developmental defects. At the molecular level, DM pathogenesis is characterized by a toxic RNA gain-of-function mechanism that involves the transcription of noncoding microsatellite expansions. These mutant RNAs disrupt key cellular pathways, including RNA processing, localization, and translation. In DM, these toxic RNA effects are predominantly mediated through the modulation of the muscleblind-like and CUGBP and ETR-3-like factor families of RNA binding proteins (RBPs). Dysfunction of these RBPs results in widespread RNA processing defects culminating in the expression of developmentally inappropriate protein isoforms in adult tissues. The tissue that is the focus of this review, skeletal muscle, is particularly sensitive to mutant RNA-responsive perturbations, as patients display a variety of developmental, structural, and functional defects in muscle. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of DM1 and DM2 clinical presentation and pathology as well as the underlying cellular and molecular defects associated with DM disease onset and progression. Additionally, fundamental aspects of skeletal muscle development altered in DM are highlighted together with ongoing and potential therapeutic avenues to treat this muscular dystrophy. © 2018 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 8:509-553, 2018.
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Affiliation(s)
- James D. Thomas
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for NeuroGenetics and the Genetics Institute, University of Florida, College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Ruan Oliveira
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for NeuroGenetics and the Genetics Institute, University of Florida, College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Łukasz J. Sznajder
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for NeuroGenetics and the Genetics Institute, University of Florida, College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Maurice S. Swanson
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for NeuroGenetics and the Genetics Institute, University of Florida, College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA
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Spitalieri P, Talarico RV, Caioli S, Murdocca M, Serafino A, Girasole M, Dinarelli S, Longo G, Pucci S, Botta A, Novelli G, Zona C, Mango R, Sangiuolo F. Modelling the pathogenesis of Myotonic Dystrophy type 1 cardiac phenotype through human iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2018; 118:95-109. [PMID: 29551391 DOI: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2018.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2018] [Revised: 03/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Myotonic Dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a multisystemic disease, autosomal dominant, caused by a CTG repeat expansion in DMPK gene. We assessed the appropriateness of patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (CMs) as a model to recapitulate some aspects of the pathogenetic mechanism involving cardiac manifestations in DM1 patients. Once obtained in vitro, CMs have been characterized for their morphology and their functionality. CMs DM1 show intranuclear foci and transcript markers abnormally spliced respect to WT ones, as well as several irregularities in nuclear morphology, probably caused by an unbalanced lamin A/C ratio. Electrophysiological characterization evidences an abnormal profile only in CMs DM1 such that the administration of antiarrythmic drugs to these cells highlights even more the functional defect linked to the disease. Finally, Atomic Force Measurements reveal differences in the biomechanical behaviour of CMs DM1, in terms of frequencies and synchronicity of the beats. Altogether the complex phenotype described in this work, strongly reproduces some aspects of the human DM1 cardiac phenotype. Therefore, the present study provides an in vitro model suggesting novel insights into the mechanisms leading to the development of arrhythmogenesis and dilatative cardiomyopathy to consider when approaching to DM1 patients, especially for the risk assessment of sudden cardiac death (SCD). These data could be also useful in identifying novel biomarkers effective in clinical settings and patient-tailored therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Spitalieri
- Dept of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
| | - Rosa V Talarico
- Dept of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
| | | | - Michela Murdocca
- Dept of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | - Sabina Pucci
- Dept of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
| | - Annalisa Botta
- Dept of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Novelli
- Dept of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
| | - Cristina Zona
- I.R.C.C.S. S. Lucia, Rome, Italy; Dept of Systems Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
| | | | - Federica Sangiuolo
- Dept of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy.
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Wegener M, Müller-McNicoll M. Nuclear retention of mRNAs - quality control, gene regulation and human disease. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2017; 79:131-142. [PMID: 29102717 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2017.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2017] [Revised: 10/30/2017] [Accepted: 11/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Nuclear retention of incompletely spliced or mature mRNAs emerges as a novel, previously underappreciated layer of gene regulation, which enables the cell to rapidly respond to stress, viral infection, differentiation cues or changing environmental conditions. Focusing on mammalian cells, we discuss recent insights into the mechanisms and functions of nuclear retention, describe retention-promoting features in protein-coding transcripts and propose mechanisms for their regulated release into the cytoplasm. Moreover, we discuss examples of how aberrant nuclear retention of mRNAs may lead to human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marius Wegener
- RNA Regulation Group, Cluster of Excellence 'Macromolecular Complexes', Goethe University Frankfurt, Institute of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Michaela Müller-McNicoll
- RNA Regulation Group, Cluster of Excellence 'Macromolecular Complexes', Goethe University Frankfurt, Institute of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438 Frankfurt/Main, Germany.
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50
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Gudde AEEG, van Heeringen SJ, de Oude AI, van Kessel IDG, Estabrook J, Wang ET, Wieringa B, Wansink DG. Antisense transcription of the myotonic dystrophy locus yields low-abundant RNAs with and without (CAG)n repeat. RNA Biol 2017; 14:1374-1388. [PMID: 28102759 PMCID: PMC5711456 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2017.1279787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2016] [Revised: 12/21/2016] [Accepted: 12/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The unstable (CTG·CAG)n trinucleotide repeat in the myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) locus is bidirectionally transcribed from genes with terminal overlap. By transcription in the sense direction, the DMPK gene produces various alternatively spliced mRNAs with a (CUG)n repeat in their 3' UTR. Expression in opposite orientation reportedly yields (CAG)n-repeat containing RNA, but both structure and biologic significance of this antisense gene (DM1-AS) are largely unknown. Via a combinatorial approach of computational and experimental analyses of RNA from unaffected individuals and DM1 patients we discovered that DM1-AS spans >6 kb, contains alternative transcription start sites and uses alternative polyadenylation sites up- and downstream of the (CAG)n repeat. Moreover, its primary transcripts undergo alternative splicing, whereby the (CAG)n segment is removed as part of an intron. Thus, in patients a mixture of DM1-AS RNAs with and without expanded (CAG)n repeat are produced. DM1-AS expression appears upregulated in patients, but transcript abundance remains very low in all tissues analyzed. Our data suggest that DM1-AS transcripts belong to the class of long non-coding RNAs. These and other biologically relevant implications for how (CAG)n-expanded transcripts may contribute to DM1 pathology can now be explored experimentally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anke E. E. G. Gudde
- Radboud University Medical Center, Department of Cell Biology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Simon J. van Heeringen
- Radboud University, Faculty of Science, Department of Molecular Developmental Biology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Amanda I. de Oude
- Radboud University Medical Center, Department of Cell Biology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Joseph Estabrook
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for Neurogenetics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Eric T. Wang
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for Neurogenetics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Bé Wieringa
- Radboud University Medical Center, Department of Cell Biology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Derick G. Wansink
- Radboud University Medical Center, Department of Cell Biology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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