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Elyoseph Z, Geisinger D, Zaltzman R, Mintz M, Gordon CR. Horizontal Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex Deficit as a Biomarker for Clinical Disease Onset, Severity, and Progression of Machado-Joseph Disease. CEREBELLUM (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2024; 23:1273-1279. [PMID: 36977930 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-023-01552-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
Because of the crucial importance of finding a useful biomarker for further clinical trials in Machado-Joseph disease (MJD), and based on our previous studies, we aimed to evaluate whether the horizontal vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) gain could be a reliable neurophysiological biomarker for the clinical onset, severity, and progression of the disease. Thirty-five MJD patients, 11 pre-symptomatic genetically confirmed MJD subjects, and 20 healthy controls underwent a detailed epidemiological and clinical neurological examination including the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA). Their VOR gain was measured using the video Head Impulse Test system. Twenty of the MJD patients were re-tested after a period of 1-3 years. Horizontal VOR gain was abnormal in 92% of MJD, 54% pre-symptomatic, and 0% healthy controls. Horizontal VOR gain in the MJD group was significantly negatively correlated with SARA score in the first (r=0.66, p<0.001) and second (r=0.61, p<0.001) examinations. There was also a significant negative correlation between the percentage of change in horizontal VOR gain and the percentage of change in SARA score across both examinations (r=-0.54, p < 0.05). A regression model of the SARA score with the horizontal VOR gain and disease duration as predictors demonstrated that both the horizontal VOR gain and the disease duration had an independent contribution to the prediction of the SARA score. The horizontal VOR gain seems to be a reliable biomarker for the clinical onset, severity, and progression of MJD and could be used in further clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zohar Elyoseph
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- The Center for Psychobiological Research, Department of Psychology and Educational Counseling, Max Stern Yezreel Valley College, Yezreel Valley, Israel
- Department of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | - Roy Zaltzman
- Department of Neurology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel
| | - Matti Mintz
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Carlos R Gordon
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
- Department of Neurology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel.
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
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Elyoseph Z, Geisinger D, Nave-Aival E, Zaltzman R, Gordon CR. "I Do Not Know How You Feel and How I Feel About That": Mentalizing Impairments in Machado-Joseph Disease. CEREBELLUM (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2024; 23:1265-1272. [PMID: 36853486 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-023-01536-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023]
Abstract
Machado Joseph disease (MJD), also known as spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3), is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease. Mentalizing is the ability to think and understand the mental state of the other and of the self in terms of thoughts, feelings, and intentions. The aim of this study is to fill the gap in our understanding of mentalizing in MJD since there is currently very little and inconsistent research on MJD and mentalizing. A total of 18 Jews of Yemenite origin with clinically and genetically confirmed MJD, 5 pre-symptomatic MJD with a positive genetic test, and 17 Jews of Yemenite origin healthy controls, underwent a battery of tests consisting of reading the mind in the eyes (RME), Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and false belief test (FBt). The MJD group scored lower on the RME and FBt, and higher on TAS-20 test compared to control. A significant negative correlation was found between disease duration and RME score. All the pre-symptomatic participants scored within the normal clinical range in all tests. MJD patients demonstrated a widespread deficiency in the ability to mentalizing on a clinical level with autistic characteristics. These impairments may impact the patient's interpsychic experience and daily life interactions and have important clinical implication. Pre-symptomatic participants demonstrated normal mentalizing in all tests, suggesting that the mentalizing impairments do not precede the symptoms of ataxia and are part of the clinical picture of MJD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zohar Elyoseph
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- The Center for Psychobiological Research, Department of Educational Psychology and Educational Counseling, Max Stern Yezreel Valley College, Jezreel Valley, Israel
| | | | | | - Roy Zaltzman
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Departmentof Neurology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel
| | - Carlos R Gordon
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
- Departmentof Neurology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel.
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
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Déglon N. Gene editing as a therapeutic strategy for spinocerebellar ataxia type-3. Rev Neurol (Paris) 2024; 180:378-382. [PMID: 38580500 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurol.2024.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3), also known as Machado-Joseph disease, is a neurodegenerative disease caused by expanded polyglutamine repeats in exon 10 of the ataxin-3 gene, ATXN3. The accumulation of mutant ATXN3 protein leads to severe clinical manifestations and premature death. Clinically, SCA3 pathology is characterized by progressive ataxia leading to motor incoordination that may affect balance, gait and speech, and neuropathologically by a progressive degeneration of the spinal cord and cerebellum, as well as the cerebral cortex and basal ganglia. Although SCA3 is a rare disease, it is the most common autosomal dominant spinocerebellar ataxia worldwide. Its geographical distribution varies worldwide, with peak prevalence in certain regions of Brazil, Portugal and China. In 1994, the identification of the polyglutamine expansion in the ATXN3 gene made it possible not only to diagnose this pathology but also to dissect the mechanisms leading to cellular degeneration. As a monogenic disease for which only symptomatic treatment is available, the ATXN3 gene represents an attractive therapeutic target for gene editing strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Déglon
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences (DNC), Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurotherapies, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Pavillon 3, Avenue de Beaumont, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland; Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurotherapies (LCMN), Neuroscience Research Center (CRN), Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Elyoseph Z, Geisinger D, Zaltzman R, Mintz M, Gordon CR. The vestibular symptomatology of Machado-Joseph Disease. J Vestib Res 2024; 34:159-167. [PMID: 37661905 DOI: 10.3233/ves-230038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Machado Joseph Disease (MJD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease. In previous studies, we described significant bilateral horizontal Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex (VOR) deficit within this population without any reference to the presence of vestibular symptomatology. OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether, beyond cerebellar ataxia complaints, MJD patients have typical vestibular symptomatology corresponding to the accepted diagnostic criteria of Bilateral Vestibulopathy (BVP) according to the definition of the International Barany Society of Neuro-Otology. METHODS Twenty-one MJD, 12 clinically stable chronic Unilateral Vestibulopathy (UVP), 15 clinically stable chronic BVP, and 22 healthy Controls underwent the video Head Impulse Test (vHIT) evaluating VOR gain and filled out the following questionnaires related to vestibular symptomatology: The Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC), the Vertigo Visual Scale (VVS) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). RESULTS The MJD group demonstrated significant bilateral vestibular impairment with horizontal gain less than 0.6 in 71% of patients (0.54±0.17). Similar to UVP and BVP, MJD patients reported a significantly higher level of symptoms than Controls in the DHI, ABC, VVS, and BAI questionnaires. CONCLUSIONS MJD demonstrated significant VOR impairment and clinical symptoms typical of BVP. We suggest that in a future version of the International Classification of Vestibular Disorders (ICVD), MJD should be categorized under a separate section of central vestibulopathy with the heading of bilateral vestibulopathy. The present findings are of importance regarding the clinical diagnosis process and possible treatment based on vestibular rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zohar Elyoseph
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Department of Psychology and Educational Counseling, The Center for Psychobiological Research, Max Stern Yezreel Valley College, Jezreel Valley, Israel
- Department of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | - Roy Zaltzman
- Department of Neurology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel
| | - Matti Mintz
- School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Department of Psychology, Ashkelon Academic College, Ashkelon, Israel
| | - Carlos R Gordon
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Department of Neurology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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Mengel D, Wellik IG, Schuster KH, Jarrah SI, Wacker M, Ashraf NS, Öz G, Synofzik M, Costa MDC, McLoughlin HS. Blood levels of neurofilament light are associated with disease progression in a mouse model of spinocerebellar ataxia type 3. Dis Model Mech 2023; 16:dmm050144. [PMID: 37664882 PMCID: PMC10499033 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.050144] [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: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Increased neurofilament light (NfL; NEFL) protein in biofluids is reflective of neurodegeneration and has gained interest as a biomarker across neurodegenerative diseases. In spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3), the most common dominantly inherited ataxia, patients exhibit progressive NfL increases in peripheral blood when becoming symptomatic, and NfL remains stably elevated throughout further disease course. However, progressive NfL changes are not yet validated in relevant preclinical SCA3 animal models, hindering its application as a biomarker during therapeutic development. We used ultra-sensitive single-molecule array (Simoa) to measure blood NfL over disease progression in YACQ84 mice, a model of SCA3, assessing relationships with measures of disease severity including age, CAG repeat size and magnetic resonance spectroscopy. YACQ84 mice exhibited plasma NfL increases that were concomitant with ataxia-related motor deficits as well as increased serum NfL, which correlated with previously established neurometabolite abnormalities, two relevant measures of disease in patients with SCA3. Our findings establish the progression of NfL increases in the preclinical YACQ84 mouse, further supporting the utility of blood NfL as a peripheral neurodegeneration biomarker and informing on coinciding timelines of different measures of SCA3 pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Mengel
- Research Division Translational Genomics of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research and Center of Neurology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen 72076,Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), University of Tübingen, Tübingen 72076, Germany
| | - Isabel G. Wellik
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2200, USA
| | - Kristen H. Schuster
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2200, USA
| | - Sabrina I. Jarrah
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2200, USA
| | - Madeleine Wacker
- Research Division Translational Genomics of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research and Center of Neurology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen 72076,Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), University of Tübingen, Tübingen 72076, Germany
| | - Naila S. Ashraf
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2200, USA
| | - Gülin Öz
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, Department of Radiology, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Matthis Synofzik
- Research Division Translational Genomics of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research and Center of Neurology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen 72076,Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), University of Tübingen, Tübingen 72076, Germany
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Qiu H, Wu C, Liang J, Hu M, Chen Y, Huang Z, Yang Z, Zhao J, Chu J. Structural alterations of spinocerebellar ataxias type 3: from pre-symptomatic to symptomatic stage. Eur Radiol 2023; 33:2881-2894. [PMID: 36370172 DOI: 10.1007/s00330-022-09214-3] [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: 05/14/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To investigate and characterize the structural alterations of the brain in SCA3, and their correlations with the scale for the assessment and rating of ataxia (SARA) and normal brain ATXN3 expression. METHODS We performed multimodal analyses in 52 SCA3 (15 pre-symptomatic) and healthy controls (HCs) (n = 35) to assess the abnormalities of gray and white matter (WM) of the cerebrum, brainstem, and cerebellum via FreeSurfer, SUIT, and TBSS, and their associations with disease severity. Twenty SCA3 patients (5 pre- and 15 symptomatic) were followed for at least a year. Besides, we uncovered the normal pattern of brain ATXN3 spatial distribution. RESULTS Pre-symptomatic patients showed only WM damage, mainly in the cerebellar peduncles, compared to HCs. In the advanced stage, the WM damage followed a caudal-rostral pattern. Meanwhile, continuous nonlinear structure damage was characterized by brainstem volumetric reduction and relatively symmetric cerebellar and basal ganglia atrophy but spared the cerebral cortex, partially explained by the ATXN3 overexpression. The bilateral pallidum, brainstem, and cerebellar peduncles demonstrated a very large effect size. Besides, all these alterations were significantly correlated with SARA; the pons (r = -0.65) and superior cerebellar peduncle (r = -0.68) volume demonstrated a higher correlation than the cerebellum with SARA. The longitudinal study further uncovered progressive atrophy of pons in symptomatic SCA3. CONCLUSIONS Significant WM damage starts before the ataxia onset. The bilateral pallidum, brainstem, and cerebellar peduncles are the most vulnerable targets. The volume of pons appears to be the most promising imaging biomarker for a longitudinal study. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrial ID: ChiCTR2100045857 ( http://www.chictr.org.cn/edit.aspx?pid=55652&htm=4 ) KEY POINTS: • Pre- SCA3 showed WM damage mainly in cerebellar peduncles. Continuous brain damage was characterized by brainstem, widespread, and relatively symmetric cerebellar and basal ganglia atrophy. • Volumetric abnormalities were most evident in the bilateral pallidum, brainstem, and cerebellar peduncles in SCA3. • The volume of pons might identify the disease progression longitudinally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haishan Qiu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, 58th, The Second Zhongshan Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Chao Wu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, 58th, The Second Zhongshan Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiahui Liang
- Department of Radiology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center; State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China; Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Manshi Hu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, 58th, The Second Zhongshan Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Yingqian Chen
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, 58th, The Second Zhongshan Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Zihuan Huang
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, 58th, The Second Zhongshan Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhiyun Yang
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, 58th, The Second Zhongshan Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Zhao
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, 58th, The Second Zhongshan Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jianping Chu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, 58th, The Second Zhongshan Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
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Deep brain stimulation for patients with dystonia in Machado-Joseph disease: three case reports. J Neurol 2023; 270:3261-3265. [PMID: 36862147 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-023-11627-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023]
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Mengel D, Wellik IG, Schuster KH, Jarrah SI, Wacker M, Ashraf NS, Öz G, Synofzik M, do Carmo Costa M, McLoughlin HS. Blood neurofilament light chain levels are associated with disease progression in a transgenic SCA3 mouse model. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.28.530463. [PMID: 36909535 PMCID: PMC10002656 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.28.530463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
Increased neurofilament light (NfL) protein in biofluids is reflective of neurodegeneration and has gained interest as a biomarker across neurodegenerative diseases. In spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3), the most common dominantly inherited ataxia, patients exhibit progressive NfL increases in peripheral blood when becoming symptomatic, remaining stably elevated throughout further disease course. However, progressive NfL changes are not yet validated in relevant preclinical SCA3 animal models, hindering its application as a biomarker during therapeutic development. We used ultra-sensitive single-molecule array (Simoa) to measure blood NfL over disease progression in the YACQ84 mouse, assessing relationships with measures of disease severity including age, CAG repeat size, and magnetic resonance spectroscopy. We show that YACQ84 mice exhibit increased blood NfL, concomitant with ataxia-related motor deficits and correlated with neurometabolite abnormalities. Our findings establish natural history progression of NfL increases in the preclinical YACQ84 mouse, further supporting the utility of blood NfL as a peripheral neurodegeneration biomarker and informing coinciding timelines of different measures of SCA3 pathogenesis. Summary statement Peripheral blood of SCA3 YACQ84 mice exhibits increased abundance of neuronal-specific NfL protein directly associating with disease progression, providing an accessible disease biofluid biomarker to interrogate in preclinical therapeutic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Mengel
- Research Division Translational Genomics of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research and Center of Neurology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Isabel G. Wellik
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | | | - Madeleine Wacker
- Research Division Translational Genomics of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research and Center of Neurology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Naila S. Ashraf
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Gülin Öz
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, Department of Radiology, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Matthis Synofzik
- Research Division Translational Genomics of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research and Center of Neurology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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Ding Y, Zhang Y, Liu X. Combinational treatments of RNA interference and extracellular vesicles in the spinocerebellar ataxia. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:1043947. [PMID: 36311034 PMCID: PMC9606576 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.1043947] [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: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease (ND) with a high mortality rate. Symptomatic treatment is the only clinically adopted treatment. However, it has poor effect and serious complications. Traditional diagnostic methods [such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)] have drawbacks. Presently, the superiority of RNA interference (RNAi) and extracellular vesicles (EVs) in improving SCA has attracted extensive attention. Both can serve as the potential biomarkers for the diagnosing and monitoring disease progression. Herein, we analyzed the basis and prospect of therapies for SCA. Meanwhile, we elaborated the development and application of miRNAs, siRNAs, shRNAs, and EVs in the diagnosis and treatment of SCA. We propose the combination of RNAi and EVs to avoid the adverse factors of their respective treatment and maximize the benefits of treatment through the technology of EVs loaded with RNA. Obviously, the combinational therapy of RNAi and EVs may more accurately diagnose and cure SCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Ding
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical College, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yong Zhang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical College, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xuehong Liu
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical College, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China
- *Correspondence: Xuehong Liu,
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A Robust Assay to Monitor Ataxin-3 Amyloid Fibril Assembly. Cells 2022; 11:cells11121969. [PMID: 35741099 PMCID: PMC9222203 DOI: 10.3390/cells11121969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) is caused by the expansion of a glutamine repeat in the protein ataxin-3, which is deposited as intracellular aggregates in affected brain regions. Despite the controversial role of ataxin-3 amyloid structures in SCA3 pathology, the identification of molecules with the capacity to prevent aberrant self-assembly and stabilize functional conformation(s) of ataxin-3 is a key to the development of therapeutic solutions. Amyloid-specific kinetic assays are routinely used to measure rates of protein self-assembly in vitro and are employed during screening for fibrillation inhibitors. The high tendency of ataxin-3 to assemble into oligomeric structures implies that minor changes in experimental conditions can modify ataxin-3 amyloid assembly kinetics. Here, we determine the self-association rates of ataxin-3 and present a detailed study of the aggregation of normal and pathogenic ataxin-3, highlighting the experimental conditions that should be considered when implementing and validating ataxin-3 amyloid progress curves in different settings and in the presence of ataxin-3 interactors. This assay provides a unique and robust platform to screen for modulators of the first steps of ataxin-3 aggregation—a starting point for further studies with cell and animal models of SCA3.
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Chen XY, Lian YH, Liu XH, Sikandar A, Li MC, Xu HL, Hu JP, Chen QL, Gan SR. Effects of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Cerebellar Metabolism in Patients With Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:827993. [PMID: 35547622 PMCID: PMC9082263 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.827993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) is the most common autosomal dominant hereditary ataxia, and, thus far, effective treatment remains low. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can improve the symptoms of spinal cerebellar ataxia, but the mechanism is unclear; in addition, whether any improvement in the symptoms is related to cerebellar metabolism has not yet been investigated. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of low-frequency rTMS on local cerebellar metabolism in patients with SCA3 and the relationship between the improvement in the symptoms and cerebellar metabolism. Methods A double-blind, prospective, randomized, sham-controlled trial was carried out among 18 SCA3 patients. The participants were randomly assigned to the real stimulation group (n = 9) or sham stimulation group (n = 9). Each participant in both the groups underwent 30 min of 1 Hz rTMS stimulation (a total of 900 pulses), differing only in terms of stimulator placement, for 15 consecutive days. To separately compare pre- and post-stimulation data (magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) data and the International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale (ICARS) score) in the real and sham groups, paired-sample t-tests and Wilcoxon’s signed-rank tests were used in the analyses. The differences in the ICARS and MRS data between the two groups were analyzed with independent t-tests and covariance. To explore the association between the changes in the concentration of cerebellar metabolism and ICARS, we applied Pearson’s correlation analysis. Results After 15 days of treatment, the ICARS scores significantly decreased in both the groups, while the decrease was more significant in the real stimulation group compared to the sham stimulation group (p < 0.001). The analysis of covariance further confirmed that the total ICARS scores decreased more dramatically in the real stimulation group after treatment compared to the sham stimulation group (F = 31.239, p < 0.001). The values of NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr in the cerebellar vermis, bilateral dentate nucleus, and bilateral cerebellar hemisphere increased significantly in the real stimulation group (p < 0.05), but no significant differences were found in the sham stimulation group (p > 0.05). The analysis of covariance also confirmed the greater change in the real stimulation group. This study also demonstrated that there was a negative correlation between NAA/Cr in the right cerebellar hemisphere and ICARS in the real stimulation group (r = − 0.831, p = 0.02). Conclusion The treatment with rTMS over the cerebellum was found to induce changes in the cerebellar local metabolism and microenvironment in the SCA3 patients. The alterations may contribute to the improvement of the symptoms of ataxia in SCA3 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin-Yuan Chen
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yan-Hua Lian
- The School of Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xia-Hua Liu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Arif Sikandar
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Meng-Cheng Li
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Hao-Ling Xu
- Department of Neurology, The 900th Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force of PLA, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jian-Ping Hu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Qun-Lin Chen
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Qun-Lin Chen,
| | - Shi-Rui Gan
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
- Shi-Rui Gan,
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