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Umek T, Olsson T, Gissberg O, Saher O, Zaghloul EM, Lundin KE, Wengel J, Hanse E, Zetterberg H, Vizlin-Hodzic D, Smith CIE, Zain R. Oligonucleotides Targeting DNA Repeats Downregulate Huntingtin Gene Expression in Huntington's Patient-Derived Neural Model System. Nucleic Acid Ther 2021; 31:443-456. [PMID: 34520257 PMCID: PMC8713517 DOI: 10.1089/nat.2021.0021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is one of the most common, dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disorders. It affects the striatum, cerebral cortex, and other subcortical structures leading to involuntary movement abnormalities, emotional disturbances, and cognitive impairments. HD is caused by a CAG•CTG trinucleotide-repeat expansion in exon 1 of the huntingtin (HTT) gene leading to the formation of mutant HTT (mtHTT) protein aggregates. Besides the toxicity of the mutated protein, there is also evidence that mtHTT transcripts contribute to the disease. Thus, the reduction of both mutated mRNA and protein would be most beneficial as a treatment. Previously, we designed a novel anti-gene oligonucleotide (AGO)-based strategy directly targeting the HTT trinucleotide-repeats in DNA and reported downregulation of mRNA and protein in HD patient fibroblasts. In this study, we differentiate HD patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells to investigate the efficacy of the AGO, a DNA/Locked Nucleic Acid mixmer with phosphorothioate backbone, to modulate HTT transcription during neural in vitro development. For the first time, we demonstrate downregulation of HTT mRNA following both naked and magnetofected delivery into neural stem cells (NSCs) and show that neither emergence of neural rosette structures nor self-renewal of NSCs is compromised. Furthermore, the inhibition potency of both HTT mRNA and protein without off-target effects is confirmed in neurons. These results further validate an anti-gene approach for the treatment of HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tea Umek
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Research Center, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Thomas Olsson
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Pathology and Cytology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Olof Gissberg
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Research Center, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Osama Saher
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Research Center, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Huddinge, Sweden.,Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Eman M Zaghloul
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Research Center, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Huddinge, Sweden.,Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Karin E Lundin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Research Center, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Jesper Wengel
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Biomolecular Nanoscale Engineering Center, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark
| | - Eric Hanse
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.,Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden.,UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London, United Kingdom
| | - Dzeneta Vizlin-Hodzic
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - C I Edvard Smith
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Research Center, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Rula Zain
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Research Center, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Huddinge, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Center for Rare Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
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Terral G, Varilh M, Cannich A, Massa F, Ferreira G, Marsicano G. Synaptic Functions of Type-1 Cannabinoid Receptors in Inhibitory Circuits of the Anterior Piriform Cortex. Neuroscience 2020; 433:121-131. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2019] [Revised: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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Lin YMJ, Hsin IL, Sun HS, Lin S, Lai YL, Chen HY, Chen TY, Chen YP, Shen YT, Wu HM. NTF3 Is a Novel Target Gene of the Transcription Factor POU3F2 and Is Required for Neuronal Differentiation. Mol Neurobiol 2018; 55:8403-8413. [PMID: 29549646 PMCID: PMC6153716 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-018-0995-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2017] [Accepted: 03/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
POU-homeodomain transcription factor POU3F2 is a critical transcription factor that participates in neuronal differentiation. However, little is known about its downstream mediators. Here genome-wide analyses of a human neuronal differentiation cell model, NT2D1, suggested neurotrophin-3 (NTF3), a key mediator of neuronal development during the early neurogenic period, as a putative regulatory target of POU3F2. Western blot, cDNA microarray, and real-time quantitative PCR analyses showed that POU3F2 and NTF3 were upregulated during neuronal differentiation. Next-generation-sequence-based POU3F2 chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing and genome-wide in silico prediction demonstrated that POU3F2 binds to the NTF3 promoter during neuronal differentiation. Furthermore, unidirectional deletion or mutation of the binding site of POU3F2 in the NTF3 promoter decreased promoter-driven luciferase activity, indicating that POU3F2 is a positive regulator of NTF3 promoter activity. While NTF3 knockdown resulted in decreased viability and differentiation of NT2D1 cells, and POU3F2 knockdown downregulated NTF3 expression, recombinant NTF3 significantly rescued viable neuronal cells from NTF3- or POU3F2-knockdown cell cultures. Moreover, immunostaining showed colocalization of POU3F2 and NTF3 in developing mouse neurons. Thus, our data suggest that NTF3 is a novel target gene of POU3F2 and that the POU3F2/NTF3 pathway plays a role in the process of neuronal differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Mei J Lin
- Institute of Biomedical sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung City, Taiwan
| | - I-Lun Hsin
- Inflammation Research & Drug Development Center, Changhua Christian Hospital, No. 135 Nanxiao Street, Changhua, 500, Taiwan
| | - H Sunny Sun
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Shankung Lin
- Inflammation Research & Drug Development Center, Changhua Christian Hospital, No. 135 Nanxiao Street, Changhua, 500, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Ling Lai
- Inflammation Research & Drug Development Center, Changhua Christian Hospital, No. 135 Nanxiao Street, Changhua, 500, Taiwan
| | - Hsuan-Ying Chen
- Inflammation Research & Drug Development Center, Changhua Christian Hospital, No. 135 Nanxiao Street, Changhua, 500, Taiwan
| | - Ting-Yu Chen
- Inflammation Research & Drug Development Center, Changhua Christian Hospital, No. 135 Nanxiao Street, Changhua, 500, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Ping Chen
- Inflammation Research & Drug Development Center, Changhua Christian Hospital, No. 135 Nanxiao Street, Changhua, 500, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ting Shen
- Institute of Biomedical sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung City, Taiwan
| | - Hung-Ming Wu
- Inflammation Research & Drug Development Center, Changhua Christian Hospital, No. 135 Nanxiao Street, Changhua, 500, Taiwan.
- Graduate Institute of Acupuncture Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
- Department of Neurology, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan.
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Murphy E, Benítez-Burraco A. Language deficits in schizophrenia and autism as related oscillatory connectomopathies: An evolutionary account. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 83:742-764. [PMID: 27475632 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.07.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2016] [Revised: 06/23/2016] [Accepted: 07/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Schizophrenia (SZ) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are characterised by marked language deficits, but it is not clear how these arise from gene mutations associated with the disorders. Our goal is to narrow the gap between SZ and ASD and, ultimately, give support to the view that they represent abnormal (but related) ontogenetic itineraries for the human faculty of language. We will focus on the distinctive oscillatory profiles of the SZ and ASD brains, in turn using these insights to refine our understanding of how the brain implements linguistic computations by exploring a novel model of linguistic feature-set composition. We will argue that brain rhythms constitute the best route to interpreting language deficits in both conditions and mapping them to neural dysfunction and risk alleles of the genes. Importantly, candidate genes for SZ and ASD are overrepresented among the gene sets believed to be important for language evolution. This translational effort may help develop an understanding of the aetiology of SZ and ASD and their high prevalence among modern populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elliot Murphy
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
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Chen HY, Lee YH, Chen HY, Yeh CA, Chueh PJ, Lin YMJ. Capsaicin Inhibited Aggressive Phenotypes through Downregulation of Tumor-Associated NADH Oxidase (tNOX) by POU Domain Transcription Factor POU3F2. Molecules 2016; 21:molecules21060733. [PMID: 27271588 PMCID: PMC6273514 DOI: 10.3390/molecules21060733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2016] [Revised: 05/26/2016] [Accepted: 05/31/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Capsaicin has been reported to preferentially inhibit the activity of tumor-associated NADH oxidase (tNOX), which belongs to a family of growth-related plasma membrane hydroquinone oxidases in cancer/transformed cells. The inhibitory effect of capsaicin on tNOX is associated with cell growth attenuation and apoptosis. However, no previous study has examined the transcriptional regulation of tNOX protein expression. Bioinformatic analysis has indicated that the tNOX promoter sequence harbors a binding motif for POU3F2, which is thought to play important roles in neuronal differentiation, melanocytes growth/differentiation and tumorigenesis. In this study, we found that capsaicin-mediated tNOX downregulation and cell migration inhibition were through POU3F2. The protein expression levels of POU3F2 and tNOX are positively correlated, and that overexpression of POU3F2 (and the corresponding upregulation of tNOX) enhanced the proliferation, migration and invasion in AGS (human gastric carcinoma) cells. In contrast, knockdown of POU3F2 downregulates tNOX, and the cancer phenotypes are affected. These findings not only shed light on the molecular mechanism of the anticancer properties of capsaicin, but also the transcription regulation of tNOX expression that may potentially explain how POU3F2 is associated with tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hung Yen Chen
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan.
| | - Yi Hui Lee
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan.
| | - Huei Yu Chen
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan.
| | - Chia An Yeh
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan.
| | - Pin Ju Chueh
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan.
| | - Yi-Mei J Lin
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan.
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Benítez-Burraco A, Boeckx C. Possible functional links among brain- and skull-related genes selected in modern humans. Front Psychol 2015; 6:794. [PMID: 26136701 PMCID: PMC4468360 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2015] [Accepted: 05/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The sequencing of the genomes from extinct hominins has revealed that changes in some brain-related genes have been selected after the split between anatomically-modern humans and Neanderthals/Denisovans. To date, no coherent view of these changes has been provided. Following a line of research we initiated in Boeckx and Benítez-Burraco (2014a), we hypothesize functional links among most of these genes and their products, based on the existing literature for each of the gene discussed. The genes we focus on are found mutated in different cognitive disorders affecting modern populations and their products are involved in skull and brain morphology, and neural connectivity. If our hypothesis turns out to be on the right track, it means that the changes affecting most of these proteins resulted in a more globular brain and ultimately brought about modern cognition, with its characteristic generativity and capacity to form and exploit cross-modular concepts, properties most clearly manifested in language.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cedric Boeckx
- Catalan Institute for Research and Advanced Studies , Barcelona, Spain ; Department of Linguistics, Universitat de Barcelona , Barcelona, Spain
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Boeckx C, Benítez-Burraco A. Globularity and language-readiness: generating new predictions by expanding the set of genes of interest. Front Psychol 2014; 5:1324. [PMID: 25505436 PMCID: PMC4243498 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2014] [Accepted: 10/31/2014] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
This study builds on the hypothesis put forth in Boeckx and Benítez-Burraco (2014), according to which the developmental changes expressed at the levels of brain morphology and neural connectivity that resulted in a more globular braincase in our species were crucial to understand the origins of our language-ready brain. Specifically, this paper explores the links between two well-known 'language-related' genes like FOXP2 and ROBO1 implicated in vocal learning and the initial set of genes of interest put forth in Boeckx and Benítez-Burraco (2014), with RUNX2 as focal point. Relying on the existing literature, we uncover potential molecular links that could be of interest to future experimental inquiries into the biological foundations of language and the testing of our initial hypothesis. Our discussion could also be relevant for clinical linguistics and for the interpretation of results from paleogenomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cedric Boeckx
- Catalan Institute for Advanced Studies and Research (ICREA)Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Linguistics, Universitat de BarcelonaBarcelona, Spain
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Ferraguti F, Crepaldi L, Nicoletti F. Metabotropic glutamate 1 receptor: current concepts and perspectives. Pharmacol Rev 2009; 60:536-81. [PMID: 19112153 DOI: 10.1124/pr.108.000166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 154] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Almost 25 years after the first report that glutamate can activate receptors coupled to heterotrimeric G-proteins, tremendous progress has been made in the field of metabotropic glutamate receptors. Now, eight members of this family of glutamate receptors, encoded by eight different genes that share distinctive structural features have been identified. The first cloned receptor, the metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptor mGlu1 has probably been the most extensively studied mGlu receptor, and in many respects it represents a prototypical subtype for this family of receptors. Its biochemical, anatomical, physiological, and pharmacological characteristics have been intensely investigated. Together with subtype 5, mGlu1 receptors constitute a subgroup of receptors that couple to phospholipase C and mobilize Ca(2+) from intracellular stores. Several alternatively spliced variants of mGlu1 receptors, which differ primarily in the length of their C-terminal domain and anatomical localization, have been reported. Use of a number of genetic approaches and the recent development of selective antagonists have provided a means for clarifying the role played by this receptor in a number of neuronal systems. In this article we discuss recent advancements in the pharmacology and concepts about the intracellular transduction and pathophysiological role of mGlu1 receptors and review earlier data in view of these novel findings. The impact that this new and better understanding of the specific role of these receptors may have on novel treatment strategies for a variety of neurological and psychiatric disorders is considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Ferraguti
- Department of Pharmacology, Innsbruck Medical University, Peter-Mayr Strasse 1a, Innsbruck A-6020, Austria.
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Sugitani M, Sugai T, Onoda N. Postsynaptic metabotropic glutamate receptor mGluR1 mediates the late component of signal propagation in the guinea pig piriform cortex: optical imaging study. Neurosci Lett 2004; 356:29-32. [PMID: 14746894 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2003.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) were previously shown to mediate a postsynaptic late propagation component elicited by layer Ib stimulation in guinea pig piriform cortex slices. In the present study, the effects of some group specific or subtype specific mGluR antagonists on the late propagation component were investigated using an optical imaging method, in order to identify mGluR subtypes mediating it. A selective mGluR1 antagonist (RS)-1-aminoindan-1,5-dicarboxylic acid most effectively suppressed the late component whereas a selective mGluR5 antagonist, selective group II or group III antagonists showed little or no suppressive effect. These results suggest that the late propagation component is mediated by mGluR1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michio Sugitani
- Department of Physiology, Kanazawa Medical University, Uchinada, Ishikawa 920-0293, Japan.
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