1
|
Zambrano C, Garitaonaindia MT, Salmerón D, Pérez-Sanz F, Tchio C, Picinato MC, de Medina FS, Luján J, Scheer FAJL, Saxena R, Martínez-Augustin O, Garaulet M. Melatonin decreases human adipose tissue insulin sensitivity. J Pineal Res 2024; 76:e12965. [PMID: 38860494 DOI: 10.1111/jpi.12965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Melatonin is a pineal hormone that modulates the circadian system and exerts soporific and phase-shifting effects. It is also involved in many other physiological processes, such as those implicated in cardiovascular, endocrine, immune, and metabolic functions. However, the role of melatonin in glucose metabolism remains contradictory, and its action on human adipose tissue (AT) explants has not been demonstrated. We aimed to assess whether melatonin (a pharmacological dose) influences insulin sensitivity in human AT. This will help better understand melatonin administration's effect on glucose metabolism. Abdominal AT (subcutaneous and visceral) biopsies were obtained from 19 participants with severe obesity (age: 42.84 ± 12.48 years; body mass index: 43.14 ± 8.26 kg/m2) who underwent a laparoscopic gastric bypass. AT biopsies were exposed to four different treatments: control (C), insulin alone (I) (10 nM), melatonin alone (M) (5000 pg/mL), and insulin plus melatonin combined (I + M). All four conditions were repeated in both subcutaneous and visceral AT, and all were performed in the morning at 8 a.m. (n = 19) and the evening at 8 p.m. (in a subsample of n = 12). We used western blot analysis to determine insulin signaling (using the pAKT/tAKT ratio). Furthermore, RNAseq analyses were performed to better understand the metabolic pathways involved in the effect of melatonin on insulin signaling. As expected, insulin treatment (I) increased the pAKT/tAKT ratio compared with control (p < .0001). Furthermore, the addition of melatonin (I + M) resulted in a decrease in insulin signaling as compared with insulin alone (I); this effect was significant only during the evening time (not in the morning time). Further, RNAseq analyses in visceral AT during the evening condition (at 8 p.m.) showed that melatonin resulted in a prompt transcriptome response (around 1 h after melatonin addition), particularly by downregulating the insulin signaling pathway. Our results show that melatonin reduces insulin sensitivity in human AT during the evening. These results may partly explain the previous studies showing a decrease in glucose tolerance after oral melatonin administration in the evening or when eating late when endogenous melatonin is present.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Zambrano
- Department of Physiology, Regional Campus of International Excellence, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
- Research Biomedical Institute of Murcia (IMIB)-Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain
| | - Mireia Tena Garitaonaindia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Ibs Granada, Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología de los Alimentos (INYTA) José Mataix, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Diego Salmerón
- Research Biomedical Institute of Murcia (IMIB)-Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain
- Health and Social Sciences Department, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
- Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Cynthia Tchio
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | | | - Fermín Sánchez de Medina
- Department of Pharmacology, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Ibs Granada, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Juan Luján
- General Surgery Service, Hospital Quirónsalud Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Frank A J L Scheer
- Medical Chronobiology Program, Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Departments of Medicine and Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Broad Institute of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of Sleep Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Richa Saxena
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Olga Martínez-Augustin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Ibs Granada, Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología de los Alimentos (INYTA) José Mataix, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Marta Garaulet
- Department of Physiology, Regional Campus of International Excellence, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
- Research Biomedical Institute of Murcia (IMIB)-Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain
- Medical Chronobiology Program, Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Departments of Medicine and Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Shwab EK, Gingerich DC, Man Z, Gamache J, Garrett ME, Crawford GE, Ashley-Koch AE, Serrano GE, Beach TG, Lutz MW, Chiba-Falek O. Single-nucleus multi-omics of Parkinson's disease reveals a glutamatergic neuronal subtype susceptible to gene dysregulation via alteration of transcriptional networks. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2024; 12:111. [PMID: 38956662 PMCID: PMC11218415 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-024-01803-1] [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: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The genetic architecture of Parkinson's disease (PD) is complex and multiple brain cell subtypes are involved in the neuropathological progression of the disease. Here we aimed to advance our understanding of PD genetic complexity at a cell subtype precision level. Using parallel single-nucleus (sn)RNA-seq and snATAC-seq analyses we simultaneously profiled the transcriptomic and chromatin accessibility landscapes in temporal cortex tissues from 12 PD compared to 12 control subjects at a granular single cell resolution. An integrative bioinformatic pipeline was developed and applied for the analyses of these snMulti-omics datasets. The results identified a subpopulation of cortical glutamatergic excitatory neurons with remarkably altered gene expression in PD, including differentially-expressed genes within PD risk loci identified in genome-wide association studies (GWAS). This was the only neuronal subtype showing significant and robust overexpression of SNCA. Further characterization of this neuronal-subpopulation showed upregulation of specific pathways related to axon guidance, neurite outgrowth and post-synaptic structure, and downregulated pathways involved in presynaptic organization and calcium response. Additionally, we characterized the roles of three molecular mechanisms in governing PD-associated cell subtype-specific dysregulation of gene expression: (1) changes in cis-regulatory element accessibility to transcriptional machinery; (2) changes in the abundance of master transcriptional regulators, including YY1, SP3, and KLF16; (3) candidate regulatory variants in high linkage disequilibrium with PD-GWAS genomic variants impacting transcription factor binding affinities. To our knowledge, this study is the first and the most comprehensive interrogation of the multi-omics landscape of PD at a cell-subtype resolution. Our findings provide new insights into a precise glutamatergic neuronal cell subtype, causal genes, and non-coding regulatory variants underlying the neuropathological progression of PD, paving the way for the development of cell- and gene-targeted therapeutics to halt disease progression as well as genetic biomarkers for early preclinical diagnosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- E Keats Shwab
- Division of Translational Brain Sciences, Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
- Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Daniel C Gingerich
- Division of Translational Brain Sciences, Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
- Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Zhaohui Man
- Division of Translational Brain Sciences, Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
- Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Julia Gamache
- Division of Translational Brain Sciences, Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
- Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Melanie E Garrett
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27701, USA
| | - Gregory E Crawford
- Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
- Center for Advanced Genomic Technologies, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Allison E Ashley-Koch
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27701, USA
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Geidy E Serrano
- Banner Sun Health Research Institute, Sun City, AZ, 85351, USA
| | - Thomas G Beach
- Banner Sun Health Research Institute, Sun City, AZ, 85351, USA
| | - Michael W Lutz
- Division of Translational Brain Sciences, Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Ornit Chiba-Falek
- Division of Translational Brain Sciences, Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
- Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27708, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Niu XY, Xie XX, Tuo HZ, Lv CP, Huang YR, Zhu J, Liang SY, Du XY, Yang CG, Hou SJ, Sun XY, Li LJ, Cui F, Huang QX, Jia YB, Wang YJ, Liu RT. Thrombomodulin reduces α-synuclein generation and ameliorates neuropathology in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease. Cell Death Discov 2024; 10:167. [PMID: 38589400 PMCID: PMC11002034 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-024-01939-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The neurotoxic α-synuclein (α-syn) oligomers play an important role in the occurrence and development of Parkinson's disease (PD), but the factors affecting α-syn generation and neurotoxicity remain unclear. We here first found that thrombomodulin (TM) significantly decreased in the plasma of PD patients and brains of A53T α-syn mice, and the increased TM in primary neurons reduced α-syn generation by inhibiting transcription factor p-c-jun production through Erk1/2 signaling pathway. Moreover, TM decreased α-syn neurotoxicity by reducing the levels of oxidative stress and inhibiting PAR1-p53-Bax signaling pathway. In contrast, TM downregulation increased the expression and neurotoxicity of α-syn in primary neurons. When TM plasmids were specifically delivered to neurons in the brains of A53T α-syn mice by adeno-associated virus (AAV), TM significantly reduced α-syn expression and deposition, and ameliorated the neuronal apoptosis, oxidative stress, gliosis and motor deficits in the mouse models, whereas TM knockdown exacerbated these neuropathology and motor dysfunction. Our present findings demonstrate that TM plays a neuroprotective role in PD pathology and symptoms, and it could be a novel therapeutic target in efforts to combat PD. Schematic representation of signaling pathways of TM involved in the expression and neurotoxicity of α-syn. A TM decreased RAGE, and resulting in the lowered production of p-Erk1/2 and p-c-Jun, and finally reduce α-syn generation. α-syn oligomers which formed from monomers increase the expression of p-p38, p53, C-caspase9, C-caspase3 and Bax, decrease the level of Bcl-2, cause mitochondrial damage and lead to oxidative stress, thus inducing neuronal apoptosis. TM can reduce intracellular oxidative stress and inhibit p53-Bax signaling by activating APC and PAR-1. B The binding of α-syn oligomers to TLR4 may induce the expression of IL-1β, which is subsequently secreted into the extracellular space. This secreted IL-1β then binds to its receptor, prompting p65 to translocate from the cytoplasm into the nucleus. This translocation downregulates the expression of KLF2, ultimately leading to the suppression of TM expression. By Figdraw.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Yun Niu
- College of Life Science, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xi-Xiu Xie
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hou-Zhen Tuo
- Department of Neurology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Cui-Ping Lv
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ya-Ru Huang
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Zhu
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shi-Yu Liang
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Yu Du
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Cheng-Gang Yang
- Department of BigData, Beijing Medintell Bioinformatic Technology Co., LTD, Beijing, China
| | - Sheng-Jie Hou
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Ying Sun
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ling-Jie Li
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fang Cui
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qi-Xin Huang
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ying-Bo Jia
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yu-Jiong Wang
- College of Life Science, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China.
| | - Rui-Tian Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Yuan P, Wang S, Du T, Liu L, Chen X, Yan J, Han S, Peng B, He X, Liu W. ZNF219, a novel transcriptional repressor, inhibits transcription of the prototype foamy virus by interacting with the viral LTR promoter. Virus Res 2023; 334:199161. [PMID: 37356580 PMCID: PMC10410575 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2023.199161] [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: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023]
Abstract
Prototype foamy virus (PFV) is an ancient retrovirus that infects humans with persistent latent infections and non-pathogenic consequences. Lifelong latent PFV infections can be caused by restrictive factors in the host. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying host cell regulation during PFV infection are not fully understood. The aim of the study was to investigate whether a zinc finger protein (ZFP), ZNF219, as a transcription factor, can regulate the transcriptional activity of the viral promoter. Here, using transcriptome sequencing, we found that ZNF219, is downregulated in PFV infected cells and that ZNF219 suppresses viral replication by targeting the viral 5'LTR promoter region to repress its transcription. We also found that PFV infection induced abnormal expression of miRNAs targeting the ZNF219-3'UTR to downregulate ZNF219 expression. These findings indicated that ZNF219 may be a potent antiviral factor for suppressing PFV infection, and may shed light on the mechanism of virus-host interactions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peipei Yuan
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Medicine, Hubei Province, Shiyan 442000, China; Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Taikang Medical School (School of Basic Medical Sciences), Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Hubei University of Medicine, Hubei Province, Shiyan 442000, China
| | - Shuang Wang
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Taikang Medical School (School of Basic Medical Sciences), Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Tongtong Du
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Taikang Medical School (School of Basic Medical Sciences), Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Luo Liu
- Beijing Bioprocess Key Laboratory, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Xiong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Disease Control, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Jun Yan
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Taikang Medical School (School of Basic Medical Sciences), Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Wuhan Children's Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Song Han
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Taikang Medical School (School of Basic Medical Sciences), Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Biwen Peng
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Taikang Medical School (School of Basic Medical Sciences), Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Xiaohua He
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Taikang Medical School (School of Basic Medical Sciences), Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Wanhong Liu
- Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Taikang Medical School (School of Basic Medical Sciences), Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Siwecka N, Saramowicz K, Galita G, Rozpędek-Kamińska W, Majsterek I. Inhibition of Protein Aggregation and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress as a Targeted Therapy for α-Synucleinopathy. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2051. [PMID: 37631265 PMCID: PMC10459316 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15082051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
α-synuclein (α-syn) is an intrinsically disordered protein abundant in the central nervous system. Physiologically, the protein regulates vesicle trafficking and neurotransmitter release in the presynaptic terminals. Pathologies related to misfolding and aggregation of α-syn are referred to as α-synucleinopathies, and they constitute a frequent cause of neurodegeneration. The most common α-synucleinopathy, Parkinson's disease (PD), is caused by abnormal accumulation of α-syn in the dopaminergic neurons of the midbrain. This results in protein overload, activation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and, ultimately, neural cell apoptosis and neurodegeneration. To date, the available treatment options for PD are only symptomatic and rely on dopamine replacement therapy or palliative surgery. As the prevalence of PD has skyrocketed in recent years, there is a pending issue for development of new disease-modifying strategies. These include anti-aggregative agents that target α-syn directly (gene therapy, small molecules and immunization), indirectly (modulators of ER stress, oxidative stress and clearance pathways) or combine both actions (natural compounds). Herein, we provide an overview on the characteristic features of the structure and pathogenic mechanisms of α-syn that could be targeted with novel molecular-based therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Ireneusz Majsterek
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Medical University of Lodz, 92-215 Lodz, Poland; (N.S.); (K.S.); (G.G.); (W.R.-K.)
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Yang M, Matan-Lithwick S, Wang Y, De Jager PL, Bennett DA, Felsky D. Multi-omic integration via similarity network fusion to detect molecular subtypes of ageing. Brain Commun 2023; 5:fcad110. [PMID: 37082508 PMCID: PMC10110975 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcad110] [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: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Molecular subtyping of brain tissue provides insights into the heterogeneity of common neurodegenerative conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease. However, existing subtyping studies have mostly focused on single data modalities and only those individuals with severe cognitive impairment. To address these gaps, we applied similarity network fusion, a method capable of integrating multiple high-dimensional multi-omic data modalities simultaneously, to an elderly sample spanning the full spectrum of cognitive ageing trajectories. We analyzed human frontal cortex brain samples characterized by five omic modalities: bulk RNA sequencing (18 629 genes), DNA methylation (53 932 CpG sites), histone acetylation (26 384 peaks), proteomics (7737 proteins) and metabolomics (654 metabolites). Similarity network fusion followed by spectral clustering was used for subtype detection, and subtype numbers were determined by Eigen-gap and rotation cost statistics. Normalized mutual information determined the relative contribution of each modality to the fused network. Subtypes were characterized by associations with 13 age-related neuropathologies and cognitive decline. Fusion of all five data modalities (n = 111) yielded two subtypes (n S1 = 53, n S2 = 58), which were nominally associated with diffuse amyloid plaques; however, this effect was not significant after correction for multiple testing. Histone acetylation (normalized mutual information = 0.38), DNA methylation (normalized mutual information = 0.18) and RNA abundance (normalized mutual information = 0.15) contributed most strongly to this network. Secondary analysis integrating only these three modalities in a larger subsample (n = 513) indicated support for both three- and five-subtype solutions, which had significant overlap, but showed varying degrees of internal stability and external validity. One subtype showed marked cognitive decline, which remained significant even after correcting for tests across both three- and five-subtype solutions (p Bonf = 5.9 × 10-3). Comparison to single-modality subtypes demonstrated that the three-modal subtypes were able to uniquely capture cognitive variability. Comprehensive sensitivity analyses explored influences of sample size and cluster number parameters. We identified highly integrative molecular subtypes of ageing derived from multiple high dimensional, multi-omic data modalities simultaneously. Fusing RNA abundance, DNA methylation, and histone acetylation measures generated subtypes that were associated with cognitive decline. This work highlights the potential value and challenges of multi-omic integration in unsupervised subtyping of post-mortem brain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mu Yang
- Division of Biostatistics, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 3M7, Canada
- The Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Stuart Matan-Lithwick
- The Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Yanling Wang
- Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Rush University, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Philip L De Jager
- The Center for Translational and Computational Neuroimmunology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10033, USA
| | - David A Bennett
- Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Rush University, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Daniel Felsky
- Division of Biostatistics, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 3M7, Canada
- The Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Lee RMQ, Koh TW. Genetic modifiers of synucleinopathies-lessons from experimental models. OXFORD OPEN NEUROSCIENCE 2023; 2:kvad001. [PMID: 38596238 PMCID: PMC10913850 DOI: 10.1093/oons/kvad001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
α-Synuclein is a pleiotropic protein underlying a group of progressive neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. Together, these are known as synucleinopathies. Like all neurological diseases, understanding of disease mechanisms is hampered by the lack of access to biopsy tissues, precluding a real-time view of disease progression in the human body. This has driven researchers to devise various experimental models ranging from yeast to flies to human brain organoids, aiming to recapitulate aspects of synucleinopathies. Studies of these models have uncovered numerous genetic modifiers of α-synuclein, most of which are evolutionarily conserved. This review discusses what we have learned about disease mechanisms from these modifiers, and ways in which the study of modifiers have supported ongoing efforts to engineer disease-modifying interventions for synucleinopathies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Min Qi Lee
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, Singapore, 117604, Singapore
| | - Tong-Wey Koh
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, Singapore, 117604, Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Block S3 #05-01, 16 Science Drive 4, Singapore, 117558, Singapore
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
SNCA Gene Methylation in Parkinson's Disease and Multiple System Atrophy. EPIGENOMES 2023; 7:epigenomes7010005. [PMID: 36810559 PMCID: PMC9944792 DOI: 10.3390/epigenomes7010005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, epigenetic mechanisms have been implicated in the development of multifactorial diseases including neurodegenerative disorders. In Parkinson's disease (PD), as a synucleinopathy, most studies focused on DNA methylation of SNCA gene coding alpha-synuclein but obtained results were rather contradictory. In another neurodegenerative synucleinopathy, multiple system atrophy (MSA), very few studies investigated the epigenetic regulation. This study included patients with PD (n = 82), patients with MSA (n = 24), and a control group (n = 50). In three groups, methylation levels of CpG and non-CpG sites in regulatory regions of the SNCA gene were analyzed. We revealed hypomethylation of CpG sites in the SNCA intron 1 in PD and hypermethylation of predominantly non-CpG sites in the SNCA promoter region in MSA. In PD patients, hypomethylation in the intron 1 was associated with earlier age at the disease onset. In MSA patients, hypermethylation in the promotor was associated with shorter disease duration (before examination). These results showed different patterns of the epigenetic regulation in two synucleinopathies-PD and MSA.
Collapse
|
9
|
Cheng F, Zheng W, Liu C, Barbuti PA, Yu-Taeger L, Casadei N, Huebener-Schmid J, Admard J, Boldt K, Junger K, Ueffing M, Houlden H, Sharma M, Kruger R, Grundmann-Hauser K, Ott T, Riess O. Intronic enhancers of the human SNCA gene predominantly regulate its expression in brain in vivo. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabq6324. [PMID: 36417521 PMCID: PMC9683720 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abq6324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Evidence from patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and our previously reported α-synuclein (SNCA) transgenic rat model support the idea that increased SNCA protein is a substantial risk factor of PD pathogenesis. However, little is known about the transcription control of the human SNCA gene in the brain in vivo. Here, we identified that the DYT6 gene product THAP1 (THAP domain-containing apoptosis-associated protein 1) and its interaction partner CTCF (CCCTC-binding factor) act as transcription regulators of SNCA. THAP1 controls SNCA intronic enhancers' activities, while CTCF regulates its enhancer-promoter loop formation. The SNCA intronic enhancers present neurodevelopment-dependent activities and form enhancer clusters similar to "super-enhancers" in the brain, in which the PD-associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms are enriched. Deletion of the SNCA intronic enhancer clusters prevents the release of paused RNA polymerase II from its promoter and subsequently reduces its expression drastically in the brain, which may provide new therapeutic approaches to prevent its accumulation and thus related neurodegenerative diseases defined as synucleinopathies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fubo Cheng
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
- Centre for Rare Diseases, University Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Wenxu Zheng
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research Centre for Ophthalmology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Chang Liu
- Institute of Biology, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Peter Antony Barbuti
- Translational Neuroscience, Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Libo Yu-Taeger
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Department of Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Nicolas Casadei
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- NGS Competence Center Tuebingen, Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Jeannette Huebener-Schmid
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Centre for Rare Diseases, University Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Jakob Admard
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- NGS Competence Center Tuebingen, Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Karsten Boldt
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research Centre for Ophthalmology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Katrin Junger
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research Centre for Ophthalmology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Marius Ueffing
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research Centre for Ophthalmology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Henry Houlden
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Manu Sharma
- Centre for Genetic Epidemiology, Institute for Clinical Epidemiology and Applied Biometry, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Rejko Kruger
- Translational Neuroscience, Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg
- Transversal Translational Medicine, Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), Strassen, Luxembourg
- Parkinson Research Clinic, Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg (CHL), Luxembourg, Luxembourg
| | - Kathrin Grundmann-Hauser
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Centre for Rare Diseases, University Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Thomas Ott
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- IZKF-Core Facility Transgenic Animals, University Clinics Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Olaf Riess
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Centre for Rare Diseases, University Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- NGS Competence Center Tuebingen, Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Regulation of Αlpha-Synuclein Gene (SNCA) by Epigenetic Modifier TET1 in Parkinson Disease. Int Neurourol J 2022; 26:S85-93. [PMID: 36503211 PMCID: PMC9767688 DOI: 10.5213/inj.2222206.103] [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: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Deregulation of SNCA encoding α-synuclein (α-SYN) has been associated with both the familial and sporadic forms of Parkinson disease (PD). Epigenetic regulation plays a crucial role in PD. The intron1 of SNCA harbors a large unmethylated CpG island. Ten-eleven translocation methylcytosine dioxygenase 1 (TET1), a CpG island binding protein, can repress gene expression by occupying hypomethylated CpG-rich promoters, and therefore SNCA could be a target for TET1. We investigated whether TET1 binds to SNCA-intron1 and regulates gene expression. METHODS The dopaminergic neuronal cell line, ReNcell VM, was used. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), real time-quantitative PCR, Western blot, dot-blot, and Chromatin immunoprecipitation were conducted. The substantia nigra tissues of postmortem PD samples were used to confirm the level of TET1 expression. RESULTS In the human dopaminergic cell line, ReNcell VM, overexpression of the DNA-binding domain of TET1 (TET1-CXXC) led to significant repression of α-SYN. On the contrary, knocking down of TET1 led to significantly higher expression of α-SYN. However, overexpression of the DNA-hydroxymethylating catalytic domain of TET1 failed to change the expression of α-SYN. Altogether, we showed that TET1 is a repressor for SNCA, and a CXXC domain of TET1 is the primary mediator for this repressive action independent of its hydroxymethylation activity. TET1 levels in PD patients are significantly lower than that in the controls. CONCLUSION We identified that TET1 acts as a repressor for SNCA by binding the intron1 regions of the gene. As a high level of α-SYN is strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of PD, discovering a repressor for the gene encoding α-SYN is highly important for developing novel therapeutic strategies for the disease.
Collapse
|
11
|
Zhu Y, Afolabi LO, Wan X, Shim JS, Chen L. TRIM family proteins: roles in proteostasis and neurodegenerative diseases. Open Biol 2022; 12:220098. [PMID: 35946309 PMCID: PMC9364147 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.220098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are a diverse group of disorders characterized by the progressive degeneration of the structure and function of the central or peripheral nervous systems. One of the major features of NDs, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD) and Huntington's disease (HD), is the aggregation of specific misfolded proteins, which induces cellular dysfunction, neuronal death, loss of synaptic connections and eventually brain damage. By far, a great amount of evidence has suggested that TRIM family proteins play crucial roles in the turnover of normal regulatory and misfolded proteins. To maintain cellular protein quality control, cells rely on two major classes of proteostasis: molecular chaperones and the degradative systems, the latter includes the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and autophagy; and their dysfunction has been established to result in various physiological disorders including NDs. Emerging evidence has shown that TRIM proteins are key players in facilitating the clearance of misfolded protein aggregates associated with neurodegenerative disorders. Understanding the different pathways these TRIM proteins employ during episodes of neurodegenerative disorder represents a promising therapeutic target. In this review, we elucidated and summarized the diverse roles with underlying mechanisms of members of the TRIM family proteins in NDs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhu
- Shenzhen Laboratory of Tumor Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, People's Republic of China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100864, People's Republic of China
| | - Lukman O. Afolabi
- Shenzhen Laboratory of Tumor Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, People's Republic of China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100864, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaochun Wan
- Shenzhen Laboratory of Tumor Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, People's Republic of China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100864, People's Republic of China
| | - Joong Sup Shim
- Cancer Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau, People's Republic of China
| | - Liang Chen
- Shenzhen Laboratory of Tumor Cell Biology, Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, People's Republic of China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100864, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Kim BS, Song JA, Jang KH, Jang T, Jung B, Yoo SE, Lee JM, Kim E. Pharmacological Intervention Targeting FAF1 Restores Autophagic Flux for α-Synuclein Degradation in the Brain of a Parkinson's Disease Mouse Model. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:806-817. [PMID: 35230076 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
α-Synuclein accumulation is implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease (PD). Previously, we reported that Fas-associated factor 1 (FAF1), which plays a role in PD pathogenesis, potentiates α-synuclein accumulation through autophagy impairment in dopaminergic neurons. In this study, we show that KM-819, a FAF1-targeting compound, which has completed phase I clinical trials, interferes with α-synuclein accumulation in the mouse brain, as well as in human neuronal cells (SH-SY5Ys). KM-819 suppressed the accumulation of monomeric, oligomeric, and aggregated forms of α-synuclein in neuronal cells. Furthermore, KM-819 restored the turnover rate of α-synuclein in FAF1-overexpressing SH-SY5Y cells, implicating KM-819-mediated reconstitution of the α-synuclein degradative pathway. In addition, KM-819 reconstituted autophagic flux in FAF1-transfected SH-SY5Y cells, also suppressing α-synuclein-induced mitochondrial dysfunction. Moreover, oral administration of KM-819 also interfered with α-synuclein accumulation in the midbrain of mice overexpressing FAF1 via an adeno-associated virus system. Consistently, KM-819 reduced α-synuclein accumulation in both the hippocampus and the midbrain of human A53T α-synuclein transgenic mice. Collectively, these data imply that KM-819 may have therapeutic potential for patients with PD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bok-Seok Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34134, Korea
| | - Jin-A Song
- Department of Biological Sciences, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34134, Korea
| | - Ki-Hong Jang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34134, Korea
| | - Taeik Jang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34134, Korea
| | - Bumjun Jung
- Department of Biological Sciences, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34134, Korea
| | | | | | - Eunhee Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34134, Korea
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
MicroRNAs in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease: an overview. Mol Neurobiol 2022; 59:1589-1603. [PMID: 35001356 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-022-02727-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by a progressive loss of neurons of the central nervous system (CNS) and serve as a major cause of morbidity, mortality and functional dependence especially among the elderly. Despite extensive research and development efforts, the success rate of clinical pipelines has been very limited. However, microRNAs (miRs) have been proved to be of crucial importance in regulating intracellular pathways for various pathologic conditions including those of a neurodegenerative nature. There is ample evidence of altered levels of various miRs in clinical samples of Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease patients with potentially major clinical implications. In the current review, we aim to summarize the relevant literature on the role of miRs in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) as the two globally predominant neurodegenerative conditions.
Collapse
|
14
|
Bai L, Yang G, Qin Z, Lyu J, Wang Y, Feng J, Liu M, Gong T, Li X, Li Z, Li J, Qin J, Yang W, Ding C. Proteome-Wide Profiling of Readers for DNA Modification. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2021; 8:e2101426. [PMID: 34351703 PMCID: PMC8498917 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202101426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
DNA modifications, represented by 5-methylcytosine (5mC), 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), 5-formylcytosine (5fC), and 5-carboxylcytosine (5caC), play important roles in epigenetic regulation of biological processes. The specific recognition of DNA modifications by the transcriptional protein machinery is thought to be a potential mechanism for epigenetic-driven gene regulation, and many modified DNA-specific binding proteins have been uncovered. However, the panoramic view of the roles of DNA modification readers at the proteome level remains largely unclear. Here, a recently developed concatenated tandem array of consensus transcription factor (TF) response elements (catTFREs) approach is employed to profile the binding activity of TFs at DNA modifications. Modified DNA-binding activity is quantified for 1039 TFs, representing 70% of the TFs in the human genome. Additionally, the modified DNA-binding activity of 600 TFs is monitored during the mouse brain development from the embryo to the adult stages. Readers of these DNA modifications are predicted, and the hierarchical networks between the transcriptional protein machinery and modified DNA are described. It is further demonstrated that ZNF24 and ZSCAN21 are potential readers of 5fC-modified DNA. This study provides a landscape of TF-DNA modification interactions that can be used to elucidate the epigenetic-related transcriptional regulation mechanisms under physiological conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lin Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and DevelopmentSchool of Life SciencesInstitute of Biomedical SciencesHuman Phenome InstituteZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghai200433China
| | - Guojian Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and DevelopmentSchool of Life SciencesInstitute of Biomedical SciencesHuman Phenome InstituteZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghai200433China
| | - Zhaoyu Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and DevelopmentSchool of Life SciencesInstitute of Biomedical SciencesHuman Phenome InstituteZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghai200433China
| | - Jiacheng Lyu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and DevelopmentSchool of Life SciencesInstitute of Biomedical SciencesHuman Phenome InstituteZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghai200433China
| | - Yunzhi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and DevelopmentSchool of Life SciencesInstitute of Biomedical SciencesHuman Phenome InstituteZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghai200433China
| | - Jinwen Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and DevelopmentSchool of Life SciencesInstitute of Biomedical SciencesHuman Phenome InstituteZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghai200433China
| | - Mingwei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of ProteomicsBeijing Proteome Research CenterNational Center for Protein Sciences (The PHOENIX Center, Beijing)Institute of LifeomicsBeijing102206China
| | - Tongqing Gong
- State Key Laboratory of ProteomicsBeijing Proteome Research CenterNational Center for Protein Sciences (The PHOENIX Center, Beijing)Institute of LifeomicsBeijing102206China
| | - Xianju Li
- State Key Laboratory of ProteomicsBeijing Proteome Research CenterNational Center for Protein Sciences (The PHOENIX Center, Beijing)Institute of LifeomicsBeijing102206China
| | - Zhengyang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and DevelopmentSchool of Life SciencesInstitute of Biomedical SciencesHuman Phenome InstituteZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghai200433China
| | - Jixi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and DevelopmentSchool of Life SciencesInstitute of Biomedical SciencesHuman Phenome InstituteZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghai200433China
| | - Jun Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and DevelopmentSchool of Life SciencesInstitute of Biomedical SciencesHuman Phenome InstituteZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghai200433China
- State Key Laboratory of ProteomicsBeijing Proteome Research CenterNational Center for Protein Sciences (The PHOENIX Center, Beijing)Institute of LifeomicsBeijing102206China
| | - Wenjun Yang
- Department of Pediatric OrthopedicsXin Hua Hospital AffiliatedShanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghai200092China
| | - Chen Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering and Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and DevelopmentSchool of Life SciencesInstitute of Biomedical SciencesHuman Phenome InstituteZhongshan HospitalFudan UniversityShanghai200433China
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Guo Q, Geletu Q, Zhang Y. ZNF219 protects human lens epithelial cells against H 2O 2-induced injury via targeting SOX9 through activating AKT/GSK3β pathway. Hum Exp Toxicol 2021; 40:S7-S15. [PMID: 34167360 DOI: 10.1177/09603271211027944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Opacity of the lens caused by cataracts could lead to severe visual impairment and even blindness. Oxidative stress caused by exposure of lens epithelial cells to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) can lead to DNA damage and impair cell function. Therefore, how to prevent lens epithelial cells from being harmed by H2O2 is an urgent problem. The ZNF219 gene belongs to the Kruppel like zinc finger gene family, which is involved in a variety of biological processes. In this study, we found the low expression of ZNF219 in H2O2-induced HLE-B3 cells. We further noticed ZNF219 could improve the survival rate of H2O2-induced HLE-B3 cells, and inhibit the apoptosis and oxidative stress response. Mechanically, ZNF219 protected human lens epithelial cells against H2O2-induced injury via targeting SOX9 through activating AKT/GSK3β pathway. We therefore thought ZNF219 was a key protective protein in the oxidative damage of human lens epithelial cells and the pathogenesis of cataract.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Q Guo
- Department of Ophtalmology, Inner Mongolia Chaoju Eye Hospital, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, People's Republic of China
| | - Q Geletu
- Department of Ophtalmology, Affiliated 534199Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, People's Republic of China
| | - Y Zhang
- 117972The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Chongqing Eye Institute, Chongqing Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Chongqing, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Basu-Shrivastava M, Kozoriz A, Desagher S, Lassot I. To Ubiquitinate or Not to Ubiquitinate: TRIM17 in Cell Life and Death. Cells 2021; 10:1235. [PMID: 34069831 PMCID: PMC8157266 DOI: 10.3390/cells10051235] [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: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
TRIM17 is a member of the TRIM family, a large class of RING-containing E3 ubiquitin-ligases. It is expressed at low levels in adult tissues, except in testis and in some brain regions. However, it can be highly induced in stress conditions which makes it a putative stress sensor required for the triggering of key cellular responses. As most TRIM members, TRIM17 can act as an E3 ubiquitin-ligase and promote the degradation by the proteasome of substrates such as the antiapoptotic protein MCL1. Intriguingly, TRIM17 can also prevent the ubiquitination of other proteins and stabilize them, by binding to other TRIM proteins and inhibiting their E3 ubiquitin-ligase activity. This duality of action confers several pivotal roles to TRIM17 in crucial cellular processes such as apoptosis, autophagy or cell division, but also in pathological conditions as diverse as Parkinson's disease or cancer. Here, in addition to recent data that endorse this duality, we review what is currently known from public databases and the literature about TRIM17 gene regulation and expression, TRIM17 protein structure and interactions, as well as its involvement in cell physiology and human disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Alina Kozoriz
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Solange Desagher
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Iréna Lassot
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Genetic Analysis of ZNF Protein Family Members for Early-Onset Parkinson's Disease in Chinese Population. Mol Neurobiol 2021; 58:3435-3442. [PMID: 33723766 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-021-02354-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Functional and genetic studies have identified association between several Zinc finger (ZNF) proteins and Parkinson's disease (PD). However, most of them were still awaiting further replications, especially in the Asian population. Here, we systematically selected PD-relevant ZNF genes and analyzed the genetic associations between these ZNFs and PD in a large Chinese PD cohort. We identified rare variants (minor allele frequency < 0.01) in 743 unrelated patients with early-onset PD (EOPD, age at onset < 50 years) using whole exome sequencing and evaluated the association between rare variants and EOPD at both allele and gene levels. Totally 91 rare variants were identified in ZNF746, ZNF646, ZNF184, ZNF165, ZND219, and GLIS1. One variant p.R373H in ZNF219 and two variants p.G161D and p.R158H in ZNF746 were significantly associated with EOPD, and gene-based burden analysis showed enrichment of rare variants of ZNF746 in EOPD. Our findings build up the connection between ZNF746 and PD from a genetic perspective for the first time, supplement current understanding for the genetic role of ZNFs in EOPD, and broaden the mutation spectrum in PD.
Collapse
|
18
|
Fouka M, Mavroeidi P, Tsaka G, Xilouri M. In Search of Effective Treatments Targeting α-Synuclein Toxicity in Synucleinopathies: Pros and Cons. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:559791. [PMID: 33015057 PMCID: PMC7500083 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.559791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD), multiple system atrophy (MSA) and Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) represent pathologically similar, progressive neurodegenerative disorders characterized by the pathological aggregation of the neuronal protein α-synuclein. PD and DLB are characterized by the abnormal accumulation and aggregation of α-synuclein in proteinaceous inclusions within neurons named Lewy bodies (LBs) and Lewy neurites (LNs), whereas in MSA α-synuclein inclusions are mainly detected within oligodendrocytes named glial cytoplasmic inclusions (GCIs). The presence of pathologically aggregated α-synuclein along with components of the protein degradation machinery, such as ubiquitin and p62, in LBs and GCIs is considered to underlie the pathogenic cascade that eventually leads to the severe neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation that characterizes these diseases. Importantly, α-synuclein is proposed to undergo pathogenic misfolding and oligomerization into higher-order structures, revealing self-templating conformations, and to exert the ability of "prion-like" spreading between cells. Therefore, the manner in which the protein is produced, is modified within neural cells and is degraded, represents a major focus of current research efforts in the field. Given that α-synuclein protein load is critical to disease pathogenesis, the identification of means to limit intracellular protein burden and halt α-synuclein propagation represents an obvious therapeutic approach in synucleinopathies. However, up to date the development of effective therapeutic strategies to prevent degeneration in synucleinopathies is limited, due to the lack of knowledge regarding the precise mechanisms underlying the observed pathology. This review critically summarizes the recent developed strategies to counteract α-synuclein toxicity, including those aimed to increase protein degradation, to prevent protein aggregation and cell-to-cell propagation, or to engage antibodies against α-synuclein and discuss open questions and unknowns for future therapeutic approaches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Maria Xilouri
- Center of Clinical Research, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Vázquez-Vélez GE, Gonzales KA, Revelli JP, Adamski CJ, Alavi Naini F, Bajić A, Craigen E, Richman R, Heman-Ackah SM, Wood MJA, Rousseaux MWC, Zoghbi HY. Doublecortin-like Kinase 1 Regulates α-Synuclein Levels and Toxicity. J Neurosci 2020; 40:459-477. [PMID: 31748376 PMCID: PMC6948939 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1076-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Revised: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
α-Synuclein (α-Syn) accumulation is a pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease. Duplications and triplications of SNCA, the gene coding for α-Syn, cause genetic forms of the disease, which suggests that increased α-Syn dosage can drive PD. To identify the proteins that regulate α-Syn, we previously performed a screen of potentially druggable genes that led to the identification of 60 modifiers. Among them, Doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1), a microtubule binding serine threonine kinase, emerged as a promising target due to its potent effect on α-Syn and potential druggability as a neuron-expressed kinase. In this study, we explore the relationship between DCLK1 and α-Syn in human cellular and mouse models of PD. First, we show that DCLK1 regulates α-Syn levels post-transcriptionally. Second, we demonstrate that knockdown of Dclk1 reduces phosphorylated species of α-Syn and α-Syn-induced neurotoxicity in the SNc in two distinct mouse models of synucleinopathy. Last, silencing DCLK1 in human neurons derived from individuals with SNCA triplications reduces phosphorylated and total α-Syn, thereby highlighting DCLK1 as a potential therapeutic target to reduce pathological α-Syn in disease.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT DCLK1 regulates α-Syn protein levels, and Dclk1 knockdown rescues α-Syn toxicity in mice. This study provides evidence for a novel function for DCLK1 in the mature brain, and for its potential as a new therapeutic target for synucleinopathies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel E Vázquez-Vélez
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
- Program in Developmental Biology
- Medical Scientist Training Program
| | - Kristyn A Gonzales
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics
| | - Jean-Pierre Revelli
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics
| | - Carolyn J Adamski
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Fatemeh Alavi Naini
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics
| | - Aleksandar Bajić
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics
| | - Evelyn Craigen
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics
| | - Ronald Richman
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Houston, Texas 77030
| | - Sabrina M Heman-Ackah
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QX, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew J A Wood
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QX, United Kingdom
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, United Kingdom, and
| | - Maxime W C Rousseaux
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics
| | - Huda Y Zoghbi
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas 77030,
- Program in Developmental Biology
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics
- Medical Scientist Training Program
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Houston, Texas 77030
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Lassot I, Mora S, Lesage S, Zieba BA, Coque E, Condroyer C, Bossowski JP, Mojsa B, Marelli C, Soulet C, Tesson C, Carballo-Carbajal I, Laguna A, Mangone G, Vila M, Brice A, Desagher S. The E3 Ubiquitin Ligases TRIM17 and TRIM41 Modulate α-Synuclein Expression by Regulating ZSCAN21. Cell Rep 2019; 25:2484-2496.e9. [PMID: 30485814 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2017] [Revised: 10/01/2018] [Accepted: 10/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Although accumulating data indicate that increased α-synuclein expression is crucial for Parkinson disease (PD), mechanisms regulating the transcription of its gene, SNCA, are largely unknown. Here, we describe a pathway regulating α-synuclein expression. Our data show that ZSCAN21 stimulates SNCA transcription in neuronal cells and that TRIM41 is an E3 ubiquitin ligase for ZSCAN21. In contrast, TRIM17 decreases the TRIM41-mediated degradation of ZSCAN21. Silencing of ZSCAN21 and TRIM17 consistently reduces SNCA expression, whereas TRIM41 knockdown increases it. The mRNA levels of TRIM17, ZSCAN21, and SNCA are simultaneously increased in the midbrains of mice following MPTP treatment. In addition, rare genetic variants in ZSCAN21, TRIM17, and TRIM41 genes occur in patients with familial forms of PD. Expression of variants in ZSCAN21 and TRIM41 genes results in the stabilization of the ZSCAN21 protein. Our data thus suggest that deregulation of the TRIM17/TRIM41/ZSCAN21 pathway may be involved in the pathogenesis of PD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Iréna Lassot
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France.
| | - Stéphan Mora
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Suzanne Lesage
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université de Paris 06, UMR S 1127, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière (ICM), Paris, France; INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Barbara A Zieba
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Emmanuelle Coque
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Christel Condroyer
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université de Paris 06, UMR S 1127, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière (ICM), Paris, France; INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Jozef Piotr Bossowski
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Barbara Mojsa
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Cecilia Marelli
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Caroline Soulet
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Christelle Tesson
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université de Paris 06, UMR S 1127, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière (ICM), Paris, France; INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Iria Carballo-Carbajal
- Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Group, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR)-Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ariadna Laguna
- Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Group, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR)-Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Graziella Mangone
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université de Paris 06, UMR S 1127, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière (ICM), Paris, France; INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Miquel Vila
- Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Group, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR)-Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), 08035 Barcelona, Spain; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain; Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), 08010 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alexis Brice
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université de Paris 06, UMR S 1127, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière (ICM), Paris, France; INSERM U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Solange Desagher
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Monzio Compagnoni G, Di Fonzo A. Understanding the pathogenesis of multiple system atrophy: state of the art and future perspectives. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2019; 7:113. [PMID: 31300049 PMCID: PMC6624923 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-019-0730-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2019] [Accepted: 04/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) is a severe neurodegenerative disease clinically characterized by parkinsonism, cerebellar ataxia, dysautonomia and other motor and non-motor symptoms. Although several efforts have been dedicated to understanding the causative mechanisms of the disease, MSA pathogenesis remains widely unknown. The aim of the present review is to describe the state of the art about MSA pathogenesis, with a particular focus on alpha-synuclein accumulation and mitochondrial dysfunction, and to highlight future possible perspectives in this field. In particular, this review describes the most widely investigated hypotheses explaining alpha-synuclein accumulation in oligodendrocytes, including SNCA expression, neuron-oligodendrocyte protein transfer, impaired protein degradation and alpha-synuclein spread mechanisms. Afterwards, several recent achievements in MSA research involving mitochondrial biology are described, including the role of COQ2 mutations, Coenzyme Q10 reduction, respiratory chain dysfunction and altered mitochondrial mass. Some hints are provided about alternative pathogenic mechanisms, including inflammation and impaired autophagy. Finally, all these findings are discussed from a comprehensive point of view, putative explanations are provided and new research perspectives are suggested. Overall, the present review provides a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the mechanisms underlying MSA pathogenesis.
Collapse
|
22
|
Riederer P, Berg D, Casadei N, Cheng F, Classen J, Dresel C, Jost W, Krüger R, Müller T, Reichmann H, Rieß O, Storch A, Strobel S, van Eimeren T, Völker HU, Winkler J, Winklhofer KF, Wüllner U, Zunke F, Monoranu CM. α-Synuclein in Parkinson's disease: causal or bystander? J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2019; 126:815-840. [PMID: 31240402 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-019-02025-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Accepted: 05/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) comprises a spectrum of disorders with differing subtypes, the vast majority of which share Lewy bodies (LB) as a characteristic pathological hallmark. The process(es) underlying LB generation and its causal trigger molecules are not yet fully understood. α-Synuclein (α-syn) is a major component of LB and SNCA gene missense mutations or duplications/triplications are causal for rare hereditary forms of PD. As typical sporadic PD is associated with LB pathology, a factor of major importance is the study of the α-syn protein and its pathology. α-Syn pathology is, however, also evident in multiple system atrophy (MSA) and Lewy body disease (LBD), making it non-specific for PD. In addition, there is an overlap of these α-synucleinopathies with other protein-misfolding diseases. It has been proven that α-syn, phosphorylated tau protein (pτ), amyloid beta (Aβ) and other proteins show synergistic effects in the underlying pathogenic mechanisms. Multiple cell death mechanisms can induce pathological protein-cascades, but this can also be a reverse process. This holds true for the early phases of the disease process and especially for the progression of PD. In conclusion, while rare SNCA gene mutations are causal for a minority of familial PD patients, in sporadic PD (where common SNCA polymorphisms are the most consistent genetic risk factor across populations worldwide, accounting for 95% of PD patients) α-syn pathology is an important feature. Conversely, with regard to the etiopathogenesis of α-synucleinopathies PD, MSA and LBD, α-syn is rather a bystander contributing to multiple neurodegenerative processes, which overlap in their composition and individual strength. Therapeutic developments aiming to impact on α-syn pathology should take this fact into consideration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peter Riederer
- Clinic and Policlinic for Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Würzburg, University of Würzburg, Margarete-Höppel-Platz 1, 97080, Würzburg, Germany. .,Department of Psychiatry, University of South Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
| | - Daniela Berg
- Department of Neurology, UKHS, Christian-Albrechts-Universität, Campus Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Nicolas Casadei
- NGS Competence Center Tübingen, Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Fubo Cheng
- NGS Competence Center Tübingen, Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Joseph Classen
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christian Dresel
- Department of Neurology, Center for Movement Disorders, Neuroimaging Center Mainz, Clinical Neurophysiology, Forschungszentrum Translationale Neurowissenschaften (FTN), Rhein-Main-Neuronetz, Mainz, Germany
| | | | - Rejko Krüger
- Clinical and Experimental Neuroscience, LCSB (Luxembourg Centre for Systems, Biomedicine), University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette and Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg (CHL), Luxembourg, Luxembourg.,National Center for Excellence in Research, Parkinson's disease (NCER-PD), Parkinson Research Clinic, Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg, Luxembourg, Luxembourg
| | - Thomas Müller
- Department of Neurology, Alexianer St. Joseph Berlin-Weißensee, Berlin, Germany
| | - Heinz Reichmann
- Department of Neurology, University of Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Olaf Rieß
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Alexander Storch
- Department of Neurology, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany.,German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Rostock/Greifswald, Rostock, Germany
| | - Sabrina Strobel
- Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Pathology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Thilo van Eimeren
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | | | - Jürgen Winkler
- Department Kopfkliniken, Molekulare Neurologie, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Konstanze F Winklhofer
- Institute of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Ullrich Wüllner
- Department of Neurology, University of Bonn, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE Bonn), Bonn, Germany
| | - Friederike Zunke
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Camelia-Maria Monoranu
- Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Pathology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
CCAAT/enhancer binding protein δ is a transcriptional repressor of α-synuclein. Cell Death Differ 2019; 27:509-524. [PMID: 31209363 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-019-0368-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2018] [Revised: 03/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
α-Synuclein is the main component of Lewy bodies, the intracellular protein aggregates representing the histological hallmark of Parkinson's disease. Elevated α-synuclein levels and mutations in SNCA gene are associated with increased risk for Parkinson's disease. Despite this, little is known about the molecular mechanisms regulating SNCA transcription. CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) β and δ are b-zip transcription factors that play distinct roles in neurons and glial cells. C/EBPβ overexpression increases SNCA expression in neuroblastoma cells and putative C/EBPβ and δ binding sites are present in the SNCA genomic region suggesting that these proteins could regulate SNCA transcription. Based on these premises, the goal of this study was to determine if C/EBPβ and δ regulate the expression of SNCA. We first observed that α-synuclein CNS expression was not affected by C/EBPβ deficiency but it was markedly increased in C/EBPδ-deficient mice. This prompted us to characterize further the role of C/EBPδ in SNCA transcription. C/EBPδ absence led to the in vivo increase of α-synuclein in all brain regions analyzed, both at mRNA and protein level, and in primary neuronal cultures. In agreement with this, CEBPD overexpression in neuroblastoma cells and in primary neuronal cultures markedly reduced SNCA expression. ChIP experiments demonstrated C/EBPδ binding to the SNCA genomic region of mice and humans and luciferase experiments showed decreased expression of a reporter gene attributable to C/EBPδ binding to the SNCA promoter. Finally, decreased CEBPD expression was observed in the substantia nigra and in iPSC-derived dopaminergic neurons from Parkinson patients resulting in a significant negative correlation between SNCA and CEBPD levels. This study points to C/EBPδ as an important repressor of SNCA transcription and suggests that reduced C/EBPδ neuronal levels could be a pathogenic factor in Parkinson's disease and other synucleinopathies and C/EBPδ activity a potential pharmacological target for these neurological disorders.
Collapse
|
24
|
Twohig D, Nielsen HM. α-synuclein in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease. Mol Neurodegener 2019; 14:23. [PMID: 31186026 PMCID: PMC6558879 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-019-0320-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 194] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The Alzheimer’s disease (AD) afflicted brain is neuropathologically defined by extracellular amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and intraneuronal neurofibrillary tangles composed of hyperphosphorylated tau protein. However, accumulating evidence suggests that the presynaptic protein α-synuclein (αSyn), mainly associated with synucleinopathies like Parkinson’s disease (PD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and multiple system atrophy (MSA), is involved in the pathophysiology of AD. Lewy-related pathology (LRP), primarily comprised of αSyn, is present in a majority of autopsied AD brains, and higher levels of αSyn in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD have been linked to cognitive decline. Recent studies also suggest that the asymptomatic accumulation of Aβ plaques is associated with higher CSF αSyn levels in subjects at risk of sporadic AD and in individuals carrying autosomal dominant AD mutations. Experimental evidence has further linked αSyn mainly to tau hyperphosphorylation, but also to the pathological actions of Aβ and the APOEε4 allele, the latter being a major genetic risk factor for both AD and DLB. In this review, we provide a summary of the current evidence proposing an involvement of αSyn either as an active or passive player in the pathophysiological ensemble of AD, and furthermore describe in detail the current knowledge of αSyn structure and inferred function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Twohig
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius Väg 16B, 10691, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Henrietta M Nielsen
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius Väg 16B, 10691, Stockholm, Sweden.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Taguchi K, Watanabe Y, Tsujimura A, Tanaka M. Expression of α-synuclein is regulated in a neuronal cell type-dependent manner. Anat Sci Int 2018; 94:11-22. [PMID: 30362073 PMCID: PMC6315015 DOI: 10.1007/s12565-018-0464-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2018] [Accepted: 10/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
α-Synuclein, the major component of Lewy bodies (LBs) and Lewy neurites (LNs), is expressed in presynapses under physiologically normal conditions and is involved in synaptic function. Abnormal intracellular aggregates of misfolded α-synuclein such as LBs and LNs are pathological hallmarks of synucleinopathies, including Parkinson’s disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). According to previous studies using pathological models overexpressing α-synuclein, high expression of this protein in neurons is a critical risk factor for neurodegeneration. Therefore, it is important to know the endogenous expression levels of α-synuclein in each neuronal cell type. We previously reported differential expression profiles of α-synuclein in vitro and in vivo. In the wild-type mouse brain, particularly in vulnerable regions affected during the progression of idiopathic PD, α-synuclein is highly expressed in neuronal cell bodies of some early PD-affected regions, such as the olfactory bulb, the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus, and the substantia nigra pars compacta. Synaptic expression of α-synuclein is mostly accompanied by expression of vesicular glutamate transporter-1, an excitatory synapse marker protein. In contrast, α-synuclein expression in inhibitory synapses differs among brain regions. Recently accumulated evidence indicates the close relationship between differential expression profiles of α-synuclein and selective vulnerability of certain neuronal populations. Further studies on the regulation of α-synuclein expression will help to understand the mechanism of LB pathology and provide an innovative therapeutic strategy to prevent PD and DLB onset.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katsutoshi Taguchi
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamikyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan
| | - Yoshihisa Watanabe
- Department of Basic Geriatrics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamikyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan
| | - Atsushi Tsujimura
- Department of Basic Geriatrics, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamikyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan
| | - Masaki Tanaka
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamikyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Abstract
Alpha-synuclein (α-SYN) is the main component of anomalous protein aggregates (Lewy bodies) that play a crucial role in several neurodegenerative diseases (synucleinopathies) like Parkinson’s disease and multiple system atrophy. However, the mechanisms involved in its transcriptional regulation are poorly understood. We investigated here the role of the cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) inhibitor and transcriptional regulator p27Kip1 (p27) in the regulation of α-SYN expression. We observed that selective deletion of p27 by CRISPR/Cas9 technology in neural cells resulted in increased levels of α-SYN. Knock-down of the member of the same family p21Cip1 (p21) also led to increased α-SYN levels, indicating that p27 and p21 collaborate in the repression of α-SYN transcription. We demonstrated that this repression is mediated by the transcription factor E2F4 and the member of the retinoblastoma protein family p130 and that it is dependent of Cdk activity. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis revealed specific binding sites for p27, p21 and E2F4 in the proximal α-SYN gene promoter. Finally, luciferase assays revealed a direct action of p27, p21 and E2F4 in α-SYN gene expression. Our findings reveal for the first time a negative regulatory mechanism of α-SYN expression, suggesting a putative role for cell cycle regulators in the etiology of synucleinopathies.
Collapse
|
27
|
Yoshino Y, Mori T, Yoshida T, Yamazaki K, Ozaki Y, Sao T, Funahashi Y, Iga JI, Ueno SI. Elevated mRNA Expression and Low Methylation of SNCA in Japanese Alzheimer's Disease Subjects. J Alzheimers Dis 2018; 54:1349-1357. [PMID: 27567856 DOI: 10.3233/jad-160430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Despite the continuing debate about the amyloid hypothesis in Alzheimer's disease (AD), the precise pathogenesis is still unclear. Mixed pathology is common and multiple different protein aggregates are seen in human postmortem brains. Aggregates consisting of the alpha-synuclein protein encoded by the Synuclein Alpha gene (SCNA) are common in both dementia with Lewy bodies and AD. We examined SNCA mRNA expression and methylation rates of the CpG island at intron 1 of SNCA in peripheral leukocytes in 50 AD and age- and sex-matched control subjects to verify whether alpha-synuclein pathology affects the AD pathogenesis. SNCA mRNA expression in AD subjects was significantly higher than that in control subjects (1.62±0.73 versus 0.98±0.50, p < 0.001). We found significant differences between AD and control subjects at seven CpG sites (average rate; 8.8±2.7 versus 9.5±2.5, respectively: p = 0.027). The methylation rates tended to be lower in AD subjects at all CpG sites. We conclude that mRNA expression and methylation of SNCA intron 1 are altered in AD, which may be caused by Lewy body pathology in AD.
Collapse
|
28
|
Kofoed RH, Zheng J, Ferreira N, Lykke-Andersen S, Salvi M, Betzer C, Reimer L, Jensen TH, Fog K, Jensen PH. Polo-like kinase 2 modulates α-synuclein protein levels by regulating its mRNA production. Neurobiol Dis 2017. [PMID: 28648742 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2017.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Variations in the α-synuclein-encoding SNCA gene represent the greatest genetic risk factor for Parkinson's disease (PD), and duplications/triplications of SNCA cause autosomal dominant familial PD. These facts closely link brain levels of α-synuclein with the risk of PD, and make lowering α-synuclein levels a therapeutic strategy for the treatment of PD and related synucleinopathies. In this paper, we corroborate previous findings on the ability of overexpressed Polo-like kinase 2 (PLK-2) to decrease cellular α-synuclein, but demonstrate that the process is independent of PLK-2 phosphorylating S129 in α-synuclein because a similar reduction is achieved with the non-phosphorable S129A mutant α-synuclein. Using a specific PLK-2 inhibitor (compound 37), we demonstrate that endogenous PLK-2 phosphorylates S129 only in some cells, but increases α-synuclein protein levels in all tested cell cultures and brain slices. PLK-2 is found to regulate the transcription of α-synuclein mRNA from both the endogenous mouse SNCA gene and transgenic vectors that only contain the open reading frame. Moreover, we are the first to show that regulation of α-synuclein by PLK-2 is of physiological importance since 10days' inhibition of endogenous PLK-2 in wt C57BL/6 mice increases endogenous α-synuclein protein levels. Our findings collectively demonstrate that PLK-2 regulates α-synuclein levels by a previously undescribed transcription-based mechanism. This mechanism is active in cells and brain tissue, opening up for alternative strategies for modulating α-synuclein levels and thereby for the possibility of modifying disease progression in synucleinopaties.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rikke H Kofoed
- Aarhus University, DANDRITE - Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience, Dept. of Biomedicine, Ole Worms Allé 3, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark.
| | - Jin Zheng
- Aarhus University, DANDRITE - Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience, Dept. of Biomedicine, Ole Worms Allé 3, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark.
| | - Nelson Ferreira
- Aarhus University, DANDRITE - Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience, Dept. of Biomedicine, Ole Worms Allé 3, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark.
| | - Søren Lykke-Andersen
- Aarhus University, Dept. of Molecular Biology and Genetics, C.F. Møllers Allé 3, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark.
| | - Mauro Salvi
- University of Padova, Dept. of Biomedical Sciences, Via U. Bassi 58/B, I-35131, Padova, Italy.
| | - Cristine Betzer
- Aarhus University, DANDRITE - Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience, Dept. of Biomedicine, Ole Worms Allé 3, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark.
| | - Lasse Reimer
- Aarhus University, DANDRITE - Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience, Dept. of Biomedicine, Ole Worms Allé 3, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark.
| | - Torben Heick Jensen
- Aarhus University, Dept. of Molecular Biology and Genetics, C.F. Møllers Allé 3, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark.
| | - Karina Fog
- H. Lundbeck A/S, Neurodegeneration & Biologics, Ottiliavej, DK-2500, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Poul H Jensen
- Aarhus University, DANDRITE - Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience, Dept. of Biomedicine, Ole Worms Allé 3, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
van Hagen M, Piebes DGE, de Leeuw WC, Vuist IM, van Roon-Mom WMC, Moerland PD, Verschure PJ. The dynamics of early-state transcriptional changes and aggregate formation in a Huntington's disease cell model. BMC Genomics 2017; 18:373. [PMID: 28499347 PMCID: PMC5429582 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-017-3745-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2016] [Accepted: 05/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Huntington’s disease (HD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG expansion in the Huntingtin (HTT) gene. Proteolytic cleavage of mutant huntingtin (Htt) protein with an expanded polyglutamine (polyQ) stretch results in production of Htt fragments that aggregate and induce impaired ubiquitin proteasome, mitochondrial functioning and transcriptional dysregulation. To understand the time-resolved relationship between aggregate formation and transcriptional changes at early disease stages, we performed temporal transcriptome profiling and quantification of aggregate formation in living cells in an inducible HD cell model. Results Rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells containing a stably integrated, doxycycline-inducible, eGFP-tagged N-terminal human Htt fragment with an expanded polyQ domain were used to analyse gene expression changes at different stages of mutant Htt aggregation. At earliest time points after doxycycline induction no detectable aggregates and few changes in gene expression were observed. Aggregates started to appear at intermediate time points. Aggregate formation and subsequent enlargement of aggregates coincided with a rapid increase in the number of differentially expressed (DE) genes. The increase in number of large aggregates coincided with a decrease in the number of smaller aggregates whereas the transcription profile reverted towards the profile observed before mutant Htt induction. Cluster-based analysis of the 2,176 differentially expressed genes revealed fourteen distinct clusters responding differently over time. Functional enrichment analysis of the two major gene clusters revealed that genes in the up-regulated cluster were mainly involved in metabolic (antioxidant activity and cellular ketone metabolic processes) and genes in the down-regulated cluster in developmental processes, respectively. Promoter-based analysis of the identified gene clusters resulted in identification of a transcription factor network of which several previously have been linked to HD. Conclusions We demonstrate a time-resolved relationship between Htt aggregation and changes in the transcriptional profile. We identified two major gene clusters showing involvement of (i) mitochondrial dysfunction and (ii) developmental processes implying cellular homeostasis defects. We identified novel and known HD-linked transcription factors and show their interaction with known and predicted regulatory proteins. Our data provide a novel resource for hypothesis building on the role of transcriptional key regulators in early stages of HD and possibly other polyQ-dependent diseases. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-017-3745-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martijn van Hagen
- Synthetic, Systems Biology and Nuclear Organization, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Diewertje G E Piebes
- Synthetic, Systems Biology and Nuclear Organization, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Wim C de Leeuw
- MicroArray Department, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ilona M Vuist
- Synthetic, Systems Biology and Nuclear Organization, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Perry D Moerland
- Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Pernette J Verschure
- Synthetic, Systems Biology and Nuclear Organization, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Deregulation of α-synuclein in Parkinson's disease: Insight from epigenetic structure and transcriptional regulation of SNCA. Prog Neurobiol 2017; 154:21-36. [PMID: 28445713 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2017.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2015] [Revised: 04/18/2017] [Accepted: 04/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Understanding regulation of α-synuclein has long been a central focus for Parkinson's disease (PD) researchers. Accumulation of this protein in the Lewy body or neurites, mutations in the coding region of the gene and strong association of α-synuclein encoding gene multiplication (duplication/triplication) with familial form of PD have indicated the importance of this molecule in pathogenesis of the disease. Several years of research identified many potential faulty pathways associated with accumulation of α-synuclein inside dopaminergic neurons and its transmission to neighboring ones. Concurrently, an appreciable body of research is growing to understand the epigenetic and genetic deregulation of α-synuclein that might contribute to the disease pathology. Completion of the ENCODE (Encyclopedia of DNA Elements) project and recent advancement made in the epigenetic and trans factor mediated regulation of each gene, has tremendously accelerated the need to carefully understand the epigenetic structure of the gene (SNCA) encoding α-synuclein protein in order to decipher the regulation and contribution of α-synuclein to the pathogenesis of PD. We have also analyzed the detailed epigenetic structure of this gene with knowledge from ENCODE database, which may open new avenues in α-synuclein research. Interestingly, we have found that the gene contains several transcriptionally activate histone modifications and associated potential transcription factor binding sites in the non-coding areas that strongly suggest alternative regulatory pathways. Altogether this review will provide interesting insight of α-synuclein gene regulation from epigenetic, genetic and post-transcriptional perspectives and their potential implication in the PD pathogenesis.
Collapse
|
31
|
A novel tool for monitoring endogenous alpha-synuclein transcription by NanoLuciferase tag insertion at the 3'end using CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing technique. Sci Rep 2017; 8:45883. [PMID: 28374838 PMCID: PMC5379209 DOI: 10.1038/srep45883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2016] [Accepted: 03/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
α-synuclein (α-SYN) is a major pathologic contributor to Parkinson's disease (PD). Multiplication of α-SYN encoding gene (SNCA) is correlated with early onset of the disease underlining the significance of its transcriptional regulation. Thus, monitoring endogenous transcription of SNCA is of utmost importance to understand PD pathology. We developed a stable cell line expressing α-SYN endogenously tagged with NanoLuc luciferase reporter using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing. This allows efficient measurement of transcriptional activity of α-SYN in its native epigenetic landscape which is not achievable using exogenous transfection-based luciferase reporter assays. The NanoLuc activity faithfully monitored the transcriptional regulation of SNCA following treatment with different drugs known to regulate α-SYN expression; while exogenous promoter-reporter assays failed to reproduce the similar outcomes. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing endogenous monitoring of α-SYN transcription, thus making it an efficient drug screening tool that can be used for therapeutic intervention in PD.
Collapse
|
32
|
Funahashi Y, Yoshino Y, Yamazaki K, Mori Y, Mori T, Ozaki Y, Sao T, Ochi S, Iga JI, Ueno SI. DNA methylation changes at SNCA intron 1 in patients with dementia with Lewy bodies. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2017; 71:28-35. [PMID: 27685250 DOI: 10.1111/pcn.12462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2016] [Revised: 09/07/2016] [Accepted: 09/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
AIM It is difficult to diagnose dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) because it exhibits clinical and neuropathological overlap with both Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. The α-synuclein protein is a major component of Lewy bodies, and accumulation of α-synuclein aggregates causes synaptic dysfunction in DLB. Epigenetic changes at the synuclein alpha ( SNCA ) gene may be involved in DLB pathogenesis. METHODS We examined DNA methylation rates at 10 CpG sites located in intron 1 of SNCA and SNCA mRNA expression in peripheral leukocytes to compare DLB patients (n = 20; nine men, 11 women; age = 78.8 ± 7.7 years) with healthy controls (n = 20; eight men, 12 women; age = 77.0 ± 6.9 years). RESULTS The methylation rate at CpG 4 ( P = 0.002) and the overall mean methylation rate at these sites (P < 0.001) were significantly lower in DLB patients than in healthy controls after Bonferroni correction. Although SNCA126 , a partial form of SNCA mRNA expression, was significantly increased in DLB ( P = 0.017), there was no significant difference in total SNCA mRNA expression between DLB patients and healthy controls ( P = 0.165). No correlation was observed between SCNA mRNA expression levels and blood DNA methylation rates in either DLB or healthy controls. CONCLUSION Our findings indicated that lower methylation rates may be a biomarker for DLB.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yu Funahashi
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Molecules and Function, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Ehime, Japan
| | - Yuta Yoshino
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Molecules and Function, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Ehime, Japan
| | - Kiyohiro Yamazaki
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Molecules and Function, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Ehime, Japan
| | - Yoko Mori
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Molecules and Function, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Ehime, Japan
| | - Takaaki Mori
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Molecules and Function, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Ehime, Japan
| | - Yuki Ozaki
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Molecules and Function, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Ehime, Japan
| | - Tomoko Sao
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Molecules and Function, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Ehime, Japan
| | - Shinichiro Ochi
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Molecules and Function, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Ehime, Japan
| | - Jun-Ichi Iga
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Molecules and Function, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Ehime, Japan
| | - Shu-Ichi Ueno
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Molecules and Function, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Ehime, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Expression of the Parkinson’s Disease-Associated Gene Alpha-Synuclein is Regulated by the Neuronal Cell Fate Determinant TRIM32. Mol Neurobiol 2016; 54:4257-4270. [DOI: 10.1007/s12035-016-9989-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
|
34
|
Tagliafierro L, Chiba-Falek O. Up-regulation of SNCA gene expression: implications to synucleinopathies. Neurogenetics 2016; 17:145-57. [PMID: 26948950 DOI: 10.1007/s10048-016-0478-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2015] [Accepted: 02/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Synucleinopathies are a group of neurodegenerative diseases that share a common pathological lesion of intracellular protein inclusions largely composed by aggregates of alpha-synuclein protein. Accumulating evidence, including genome wide association studies, has implicated alpha-synuclein (SNCA) gene in the etiology of synucleinopathies. However, the precise variants within SNCA gene that contribute to the sporadic forms of Parkinson's disease (PD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), multiple system atrophy (MSA), and other synucleinopathies and their molecular mechanisms of action remain elusive. It has been suggested that SNCA expression levels are critical for the development of these diseases. Here, we review several model systems that have been developed to advance the understanding of the role of SNCA expression levels in the etiology of synucleinopathies. We also describe different molecular mechanisms that regulate SNCA gene expression and discuss possible strategies for SNCA down-regulation as means for therapeutic approaches. Finally, we highlight some examples that underscore the relationships between the genetic association findings and the regulatory mechanisms of SNCA expression, which suggest that genetic variability in SNCA locus is directly responsible, at least in part, to the changes in gene expression and explain the reported associations of SNCA with synucleinopathies. Future studies utilizing induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)-derived neuronal lines and genome editing by CRISPR/Cas9, will allow us to validate, characterize, and manipulate the effects of particular cis-genetic variants on SNCA expression. Moreover, this model system will enable us to compare different neuronal and glial lineages involved in synucleinopathies representing an attractive strategy to elucidate-common and specific-SNCA-genetic variants, regulatory mechanisms, and vulnerable expression levels underlying synucleinopathy spectrum disorders. This forthcoming knowledge will support the development of precision medicine for synucleinopathies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- L Tagliafierro
- Department of Neurology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - O Chiba-Falek
- Department of Neurology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Dermentzaki G, Paschalidis N, Politis PK, Stefanis L. Complex Effects of the ZSCAN21 Transcription Factor on Transcriptional Regulation of α-Synuclein in Primary Neuronal Cultures and in Vivo. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:8756-72. [PMID: 26907683 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.704973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
α-Synuclein, a presynaptic neuronal protein encoded by the SNCA gene, is strongly implicated in Parkinson disease (PD). PD pathogenesis is linked to increased SNCA levels; however, the transcriptional elements that control SNCA expression are still elusive. Previous experiments in PC12 cells demonstrated that the transcription factor zinc finger and SCAN domain containing 21 (ZSCAN21) plays an important regulatory role in SNCA transcription. Currently, we characterized the role of ZSCAN21 in SNCA transcription in primary neuronal cultures and in vivo We found that ZSCAN21 is developmentally expressed in neurons in different rat brain regions. We confirmed its binding in the intron 1 region of SNCA in rat cortical cultures. Lentivirus-mediated silencing of ZSCAN21 increased significantly SNCA promoter activity, mRNA, and protein levels in such cultures. In contrast, ZSCAN21 silencing reduced SNCA in neurosphere cultures. Interestingly, ZSCAN21 overexpression in cortical neurons led to robust mRNA but negligible protein expression, suggesting that ZSCAN21 protein levels are tightly regulated post-transcriptionally and/or post-translationally in primary neurons. Efficient adeno-associated virus-mediated knockdown of ZSCAN21 in the postnatal and adult hippocampus, an area linked with non-motor PD symptoms, revealed no significant alterations in SNCA levels. Overall, our study demonstrates that ZSCAN21 is involved in the transcriptional regulation of SNCA in primary neuronal cultures, but the direction of the effect is variable, likely depending on neuronal maturation. However, the unaltered SNCA levels observed following ZSCAN21 down-regulation in the rat brain, possibly due to compensatory mechanisms, imply that ZSCAN21 is not a master regulator of SNCA in vivo.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Georgia Dermentzaki
- From the Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens 11527 and
| | - Nikolaos Paschalidis
- From the Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens 11527 and
| | - Panagiotis K Politis
- From the Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens 11527 and
| | - Leonidas Stefanis
- From the Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens 11527 and the Second Department of Neurology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Hospital Attikon, Athens 12462, Greece,
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Transcriptional regulation of the α-synuclein gene in human brain tissue. Neurosci Lett 2015; 599:140-5. [PMID: 26002080 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2015.05.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2015] [Revised: 05/14/2015] [Accepted: 05/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The transcriptional regulation of the gene encoding α-synuclein (SNCA) is thought to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD), as common genetic variability in this gene is associated with an elevated risk of developing PD. However, the relevant mechanisms are still poorly understood. So far, only few proteins have been identified as transcription factors (TFs) of SNCA in cellular models. Here we show that two of these TFs bind to the DNA in human brain tissue: the zinc finger protein ZSCAN21 occupies a region within SNCA intron 1, as described before, while GATA2 occupies a specific region within intron 2, where we have identified a new binding site within the complex structure of the 5'-promoter region of SNCA. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays confirmed these binding sites. Genetic investigations revealed no polymorphisms or mutations within these sites. A better understanding of TF-DNA interactions within SNCA may allow to develop novel therapies designed to reduce α-synuclein levels.
Collapse
|
37
|
Pihlstrøm L, Berge V, Rengmark A, Toft M. Parkinson's disease correlates with promoter methylation in the α-synuclein gene. Mov Disord 2014; 30:577-80. [DOI: 10.1002/mds.26073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2014] [Revised: 09/30/2014] [Accepted: 10/07/2014] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lasse Pihlstrøm
- Department of Neurology; Oslo University Hospital; Oslo Norway
| | - Victoria Berge
- Department of Neurology; Oslo University Hospital; Oslo Norway
| | - Aina Rengmark
- Department of Neurology; Oslo University Hospital; Oslo Norway
| | - Mathias Toft
- Department of Neurology; Oslo University Hospital; Oslo Norway
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Sterling L, Walter M, Ting D, Schüle B. Discovery of functional non-coding conserved regions in the α-synuclein gene locus. F1000Res 2014; 3:259. [PMID: 25566351 PMCID: PMC4275022 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.3281.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/01/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and the Rep-1 microsatellite marker of the α-synuclein (
SNCA) gene have consistently been shown to be associated with Parkinson’s disease, but the functional relevance is unclear. Based on these findings we hypothesized that conserved cis-regulatory elements in the
SNCA genomic region regulate expression of
SNCA, and that SNPs in these regions could be functionally modulating the expression of
SNCA, thus contributing to neuronal demise and predisposing to Parkinson’s disease. In a pair-wise comparison of a 206kb genomic region encompassing the
SNCA gene, we revealed 34 evolutionary conserved DNA sequences between human and mouse. All elements were cloned into reporter vectors and assessed for expression modulation in dual luciferase reporter assays. We found that 12 out of 34 elements exhibited either an enhancement or reduction of the expression of the reporter gene. Three elements upstream of the
SNCA gene displayed an approximately 1.5 fold (p<0.009) increase in expression. Of the intronic regions, three showed a 1.5 fold increase and two others indicated a 2 and 2.5 fold increase in expression (p<0.002). Three elements downstream of the
SNCA gene showed 1.5 fold and 2.5 fold increase (p<0.0009). One element downstream of
SNCA had a reduced expression of the reporter gene of 0.35 fold (p<0.0009) of normal activity. Our results demonstrate that the
SNCA gene contains cis-regulatory regions that might regulate the transcription and expression of
SNCA. Further studies in disease-relevant tissue types will be important to understand the functional impact of regulatory regions and specific Parkinson’s disease-associated SNPs and its function in the disease process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lori Sterling
- Parkinson's Institute and Clinical Center, Sunnyvale, CA 94085, USA
| | - Michael Walter
- Institute of Human Genetics, Eberhard-Karls-University Tübingen, Tübingen, 72076, Germany
| | - Dennis Ting
- Parkinson's Institute and Clinical Center, Sunnyvale, CA 94085, USA
| | - Birgitt Schüle
- Parkinson's Institute and Clinical Center, Sunnyvale, CA 94085, USA
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Ubhi K, Rockenstein E, Kragh C, Inglis C, Spencer B, Michael S, Mante M, Adame A, Galasko D, Masliah E. Widespread microRNA dysregulation in multiple system atrophy - disease-related alteration in miR-96. Eur J Neurosci 2014; 39:1026-1041. [PMID: 24304186 PMCID: PMC4052839 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2013] [Revised: 10/26/2013] [Accepted: 11/05/2013] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
MicroRNA (miRNA) are short sequences of RNA that function as post-transcriptional regulators by binding to target mRNA transcripts resulting in translational repression. A number of recent studies have identified miRNA as being involved in neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease. However, the role of miRNA in multiple system atrophy (MSA), a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by oligodendroglial accumulation of alpha-synuclein remains unexamined. In this context, this study examined miRNA profiles in MSA cases compared with controls and in transgenic (tg) models of MSA compared with non-tg mice. The results demonstrate a widespread dysregulation of miRNA in MSA cases, which is recapitulated in the murine models. The study employed a cross-disease, cross-species approach to identify miRNA that were either specifically dysregulated in MSA or were commonly dysregulated in neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasal degeneration or the tg mouse model equivalents of these disorders. Using this approach we identified a number of miRNA that were commonly dysregulated between disorders and those that were disease-specific. Moreover, we identified miR-96 as being up-regulated in MSA. Consistent with the up-regulation of miR-96, mRNA and protein levels of members of the solute carrier protein family SLC1A1 and SLC6A6, miR-96 target genes, were down-regulated in MSA cases and a tg model of MSA. These results suggest that miR-96 dysregulation may play a role in MSA and its target genes may be involved in the pathogenesis of MSA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kiren Ubhi
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, California 92093-0624, USA
| | - Edward Rockenstein
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, California 92093-0624, USA
| | - Christine Kragh
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Aarhus, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Chandra Inglis
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, California 92093-0624, USA
| | - Brian Spencer
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, California 92093-0624, USA
| | - Sarah Michael
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, California 92093-0624, USA
| | - Michael Mante
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, California 92093-0624, USA
| | - Anthony Adame
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, California 92093-0624, USA
| | - Douglas Galasko
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, California 92093-0624, USA
| | - Eliezer Masliah
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, California 92093-0624, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, California 92093-0624, USA
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Wright JA, McHugh PC, Pan S, Cunningham A, Brown DR. Counter-regulation of alpha- and beta-synuclein expression at the transcriptional level. Mol Cell Neurosci 2013; 57:33-41. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2013.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2013] [Revised: 08/22/2013] [Accepted: 09/20/2013] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
|
41
|
Abstract
α-Synuclein is a presynaptic neuronal protein that is linked genetically and neuropathologically to Parkinson's disease (PD). α-Synuclein may contribute to PD pathogenesis in a number of ways, but it is generally thought that its aberrant soluble oligomeric conformations, termed protofibrils, are the toxic species that mediate disruption of cellular homeostasis and neuronal death, through effects on various intracellular targets, including synaptic function. Furthermore, secreted α-synuclein may exert deleterious effects on neighboring cells, including seeding of aggregation, thus possibly contributing to disease propagation. Although the extent to which α-synuclein is involved in all cases of PD is not clear, targeting the toxic functions conferred by this protein when it is dysregulated may lead to novel therapeutic strategies not only in PD, but also in other neurodegenerative conditions, termed synucleinopathies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leonidas Stefanis
- Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, and Second Department of Neurology, University of Athens Medical School, Athens 11527, Greece.
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Abstract
Accumulation of misfolded α-synuclein is the pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD). Nevertheless, little is known about the mechanism contributing to α-synuclein aggregation and its further toxicity to dopaminergic neurons. Since oxidative stress can increase the expression and aggregation levels of α-synuclein, NADPH oxidases (Noxs), which are responsible for reactive oxygen species generation, could be major players in α-synucleinopathy. Previously, we demonstrated that Nox1 is expressed in dopaminergic neurons of the PD animal models as well as postmortem brain tissue of PD patients, and is responsible for oxidative stress and subsequent neuronal degeneration. Here, using paraquat (PQ)-based in vitro and in vivo PD models, we show that Nox1 has a crucial role in modulating the behavior of α-synuclein expression and aggregation in dopaminergic neurons. We observed in differentiated human dopaminergic cells that Nox1 and α-synuclein expressions are increased under PQ exposure. Nox1 knockdown significantly reduced both α-synuclein expression and aggregation, supporting the role of Nox1 in this process. Furthermore, in rats exposed to PQ, the selective knockdown of Nox1 in the substantia nigra, using adeno-associated virus encoding Nox1-specific shRNA, largely attenuated the PQ-mediated increase of α-synuclein and ubiquitin expression levels as well as α-synuclein aggregates (proteinase K resistant) and A11 oligomers. Significant reductions in oxidative stress level and dopaminergic neuronal loss were also observed. Our data reveal a new mechanism by which α-synuclein becomes a neuropathologic protein through Nox1-mediated oxidative stress. This finding may be used to generate new therapeutic interventions that slower the rate of α-synuclein aggregation and the progression of PD pathogenesis.
Collapse
|
43
|
Vekrellis K, Stefanis L. Targeting intracellular and extracellular alpha-synuclein as a therapeutic strategy in Parkinson's disease and other synucleinopathies. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2012; 16:421-32. [DOI: 10.1517/14728222.2012.674111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
|
44
|
Vekrellis K, Xilouri M, Emmanouilidou E, Rideout HJ, Stefanis L. Pathological roles of α-synuclein in neurological disorders. Lancet Neurol 2011; 10:1015-25. [PMID: 22014436 DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(11)70213-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 277] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Substantial genetic, neuropathological, and biochemical evidence implicates the presynaptic neuronal protein α-synuclein in Parkinson's disease and related Lewy body disorders. How dysregulation of α-synuclein leads to neurodegeneration is, however, unclear. Soluble oligomeric, but not fully fibrillar, α-synuclein is thought to be toxic. The major neuronal target of aberrant α-synuclein might be the synapse. The effects of aberrant α-synuclein might include alteration of calcium homoeostasis or mitochondrial fragmentation and, in turn, mitochondrial dysfunction, which could link α-synuclein dysfunction to recessive and toxin-induced parkinsonism. α-Synuclein also seems to be linked to other genetic forms of Parkinson's disease, such as those linked to mutations in GBA or LRRK2, possibly through common effects on autophagy and lysosomal function. Finally, α-synuclein is physiologically secreted, and this extracellular form could lead to the spread of pathological accumulations and disease progression. Consequently, factors that regulate the levels, post-translational modifications, specific aberrant cellular effects, or secretion of α-synuclein might be targets for therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kostas Vekrellis
- Biomedical Research Foundation of Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
45
|
Elcoroaristizabal Martín X, Gómez Busto F, González Fernández MC, de Pancorbo MM. [Role of genetics in the etiology of synucleinopathies]. Rev Esp Geriatr Gerontol 2011; 46 Suppl 1:3-11. [PMID: 22152908 DOI: 10.1016/j.regg.2011.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The protein family known as synucleins is composed of α-, β- and γ-synuclein. The most widely studied is the α-synuclein protein due to its participation in essential processes of the central nervous system. Neurotoxicity of this protein is related to the presence of multiplications (duplications and triplications) and point mutations in the gene sequence of the α-synuclein gene (SNCA), differential expression of its isoforms and variations in post-transductional modifications. Neurotoxicity is also related to cytoplasmic inclusions known as Lewy bodies (LBs) and Lewy neurites (LNs), which are also present in α-synucleinopathies. In general, the β-synuclein protein, codified by the SNCB gene, acts as a regulator of processes triggered by α-synuclein and its function is altered by variations in the gene sequence, while γ-synuclein, codified by the SNCG gene, seems to play a major role in certain tumoral processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xabier Elcoroaristizabal Martín
- Grupo de Investigación BIOMICS, Departamento de Biología Celular A, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados Lucio Lascaray, Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU, Vitoria-Gasteiz, España
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
46
|
Clough RL, Dermentzaki G, Haritou M, Petsakou A, Stefanis L. Regulation of α-synuclein expression in cultured cortical neurons. J Neurochem 2011; 117:275-85. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2011.07199.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
47
|
Matsumoto L, Takuma H, Tamaoka A, Kurisaki H, Date H, Tsuji S, Iwata A. CpG demethylation enhances alpha-synuclein expression and affects the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. PLoS One 2010; 5:e15522. [PMID: 21124796 PMCID: PMC2991358 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0015522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 222] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2010] [Accepted: 10/13/2010] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alpha-synuclein (SNCA) gene expression is an important factor in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). Gene multiplication can cause inherited PD, and promoter polymorphisms that increase SNCA expression are associated with sporadic PD. CpG methylation in the promoter region may also influence SNCA expression. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS By using cultured cells, we identified a region of the SNCA CpG island in which the methylation status altered along with increased SNCA expression. Postmortem brain analysis revealed regional non-specific methylation differences in this CpG region in the anterior cingulate and putamen among controls and PD; however, in the substantia nigra of PD, methylation was significantly decreased. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE This CpG region may function as an intronic regulatory element for SNCA gene. Our findings suggest that a novel epigenetic regulatory mechanism controlling SNCA expression influences PD pathogenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lumine Matsumoto
- Division of Neuroscience, Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
48
|
Schneider L, Zhang J. Lysosomal function in macromolecular homeostasis and bioenergetics in Parkinson's disease. Mol Neurodegener 2010; 5:14. [PMID: 20388210 PMCID: PMC2867960 DOI: 10.1186/1750-1326-5-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2010] [Accepted: 04/13/2010] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathological changes occurring in Parkinson's and several other neurodegenerative diseases are complex and poorly understood, but all clearly involve protein aggregation. Also frequently appearing in neurodegeneration is mitochondrial dysfunction which may precede, coincide or follow protein aggregation. These observations led to the concept that protein aggregation and mitochondrial dysfunction either arise from the same etiological factors or are interactive. Understanding the mechanisms and regulation of processes that lead to protein aggregation or mitochondrial dysfunction may therefore contribute to the design of better therapeutics. Clearance of protein aggregates and dysfunctional organelles is dependent on macroautophagy which is the process through which aged or damaged proteins and organelles are first degraded by the lysosome and then recycled. The macroautophagy-lysosomal pathway is essential for maintaining protein and energy homeostasis. Not surprisingly, failure of the lysosomal system has been implicated in diseases that have features of protein aggregation and mitochondrial dysfunction. This review summarizes 3 major topics: 1) the current understanding of Parkinson's disease pathogenesis in terms of accumulation of damaged proteins and reduction of cellular bioenergetics; 2) evolving insights into lysosomal function and biogenesis and the accumulating evidence that lysosomal dysfunction may cause or exacerbate Parkinsonian pathology and finally 3) the possibility that enhancing lysosomal function may provide a disease modifying therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lonnie Schneider
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL35294, USA.
| | | |
Collapse
|
49
|
Isolation and characterization of a novel zinc finger gene, ZNFD, activating AP1(PMA) transcriptional activities. Mol Cell Biochem 2010; 340:63-71. [PMID: 20162441 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-010-0401-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2009] [Accepted: 02/03/2010] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
ZFPs (Zinc Finger Proteins) play important roles in various cellular functions, including transcriptional activation, transcriptional repression, cell proliferation, and development. C(2)H(2) (Cys-Cys-His-His motif) ZFPs are the most abundant proteins among the founding members of the ZFP super family in eukaryotes. In this study, we isolate a novel C(2)H(2) ZNF (Zinc Finger) gene ZNFD. It contains an ORF (Open Reading Frame) with a length of 990 bp, encoding 329 amino acids. The predicted protein contains a C(2)H(2) zinc finger. RT-PCR analysis in 18 human adult tissues indicated that it was expressed in five human adult tissues. Green fluorescence protein localization analysis showed that human ZNFD was located in the nucleus of Hela cells. Overexpression of ZNFD in the COS7 cells activates the transcriptional activities of AP1(PMA) (Activator of protein 1, that responds specifically to phorbol ester). Together the data indicate that ZNFD is probably a new type of C(2)H(2) ZFP and the ZNFD protein may act as a transcriptional activator in PKC (protein kinase C) signal pathway to mediate cellular functions.
Collapse
|