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Ilaria S, Tamara D, Antonella DJ, Elena M. Role of mitochondria-endoplasmic reticulum contacts in neurodegenerative, neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric conditions. Eur J Neurosci 2024; 60:5040-5068. [PMID: 39099373 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024]
Abstract
Mitochondria-endoplasmic reticulum contacts (MERCs) mediate a close and continuous communication between both organelles that is essential for the transfer of calcium and lipids to mitochondria, necessary for cellular signalling and metabolic pathways. Their structural and molecular characterisation has shown the involvement of many proteins that bridge the membranes of the two organelles and maintain the structural stability and function of these contacts. The crosstalk between the two organelles is fundamental for proper neuronal function and is now recognised as a component of many neurological disorders. In fact, an increasing proportion of MERC proteins take part in the molecular and cellular basis of pathologies affecting the nervous system. Here we review the alterations in MERCs that have been reported for these pathologies, from neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders to neurodegenerative diseases. Although mitochondrial abnormalities in these debilitating conditions have been extensively attributed to the high energy demand of neurons, a distinct role for MERCs is emerging as a new field of research. Understanding the molecular details of such alterations may open the way to new paths of therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serangeli Ilaria
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies 'Charles Darwin', Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Diamanti Tamara
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies 'Charles Darwin', Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - De Jaco Antonella
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies 'Charles Darwin', Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Miranda Elena
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies 'Charles Darwin', Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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2
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Guarnaccia M, Morello G, La Cognata V, La Bella V, Conforti FL, Cavallaro S. Increased copy-number variant load of associated risk genes in sporadic cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Cell Mol Life Sci 2024; 81:316. [PMID: 39066921 PMCID: PMC11335238 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-024-05335-8] [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: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an age-related neurodegenerative disease characterized by selective loss of motor neurons in the brainstem and spinal cord. Several genetic factors have been associated to ALS, ranging from causal genes and potential risk factors to disease modifiers. The search for pathogenic variants in these genes has mostly focused on single nucleotide variants (SNVs) while relatively understudied and not fully elucidated is the contribution of structural variants, such as copy number variations (CNVs). Here, we applied an exon-centric aCGH method to investigate, in sporadic ALS patients, the load of CNVs in 131 genes previously associated to ALS. Our approach revealed that CNV load, defined as the total number of CNVs or their size, was significantly higher in ALS cases than controls. About 87% of patients harbored multiple CNVs in ALS-related genes, and 75% structural variants compromised genes directly implicated in ALS pathogenesis (C9orf72, CHCHD10, EPHA4, FUS, HNRNPA1, KIF5A, NEK1, OPTN, PFN1, SOD1, TARDBP, TBK1, UBQLN2, UNC13A, VAPB, VCP). CNV load was also associated to higher onset age and disease progression rate. Although the contribution of individual CNVs in ALS is still unknown, their extensive load in disease-related genes may have relevant implications for the diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutical management of this devastating disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Guarnaccia
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, P. Gaifami 18, Catania, 95126, Italy
| | - Giovanna Morello
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, P. Gaifami 18, Catania, 95126, Italy
| | - Valentina La Cognata
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, P. Gaifami 18, Catania, 95126, Italy
| | - Vincenzo La Bella
- Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Advanced Diagnostics, ALS Clinical Research Center, Laboratory of Neurochemistry, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Francesca Luisa Conforti
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036, Rende, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Cavallaro
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, P. Gaifami 18, Catania, 95126, Italy.
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3
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Min JH, Sarlus H, Harris RA. Copper toxicity and deficiency: the vicious cycle at the core of protein aggregation in ALS. Front Mol Neurosci 2024; 17:1408159. [PMID: 39050823 PMCID: PMC11267976 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2024.1408159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The pathophysiology of ALS involves many signs of a disruption in copper homeostasis, with both excess free levels and functional deficiency likely occurring simultaneously. This is crucial, as many important physiological functions are performed by cuproenzymes. While it is unsurprising that many ALS symptoms are related to signs of copper deficiency, resulting in vascular, antioxidant system and mitochondrial oxidative respiration deficiencies, there are also signs of copper toxicity such as ROS generation and enhanced protein aggregation. We discuss how copper also plays a key role in proteostasis and interacts either directly or indirectly with many of the key aggregate-prone proteins implicated in ALS, such as TDP-43, C9ORF72, SOD1 and FUS as well as the effect of their aggregation on copper homeostasis. We suggest that loss of cuproprotein function is at the core of ALS pathology, a condition that is driven by a combination of unbound copper and ROS that can either initiate and/or accelerate protein aggregation. This could trigger a positive feedback cycle whereby protein aggregates trigger the aggregation of other proteins in a chain reaction that eventually captures elements of the proteostatic mechanisms in place to counteract them. The end result is an abundance of aggregated non-functional cuproproteins and chaperones alongside depleted intracellular copper stores, resulting in a general lack of cuproenzyme function. We then discuss the possible aetiology of ALS and illustrate how strong risk factors including environmental toxins such as BMAA and heavy metals can functionally behave to promote protein aggregation and disturb copper metabolism that likely drives this vicious cycle in sporadic ALS. From this synthesis, we propose restoration of copper balance using copper delivery agents in combination with chaperones/chaperone mimetics, perhaps in conjunction with the neuroprotective amino acid serine, as a promising strategy in the treatment of this incurable disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Hong Min
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital at Solna, Stockholm, Sweden
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Pottinger TD, Motelow JE, Povysil G, Moreno CAM, Ren Z, Phatnani H, Aitman TJ, Santoyo-Lopez J, Mitsumoto H, Goldstein DB, Harms MB. Rare variant analyses validate known ALS genes in a multi-ethnic population and identifies ANTXR2 as a candidate in PLS. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:651. [PMID: 38951798 PMCID: PMC11218304 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10538-1] [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: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease affecting over 300,000 people worldwide. It is characterized by the progressive decline of the nervous system that leads to the weakening of muscles which impacts physical function. Approximately, 15% of individuals diagnosed with ALS have a known genetic variant that contributes to their disease. As therapies that slow or prevent symptoms continue to develop, such as antisense oligonucleotides, it is important to discover novel genes that could be targets for treatment. Additionally, as cohorts continue to grow, performing analyses in ALS subtypes, such as primary lateral sclerosis (PLS), becomes possible due to an increase in power. These analyses could highlight novel pathways in disease manifestation. METHODS Building on our previous discoveries using rare variant association analyses, we conducted rare variant burden testing on a substantially larger multi-ethnic cohort of 6,970 ALS patients, 166 PLS patients, and 22,524 controls. We used intolerant domain percentiles based on sub-region Residual Variation Intolerance Score (subRVIS) that have been described previously in conjunction with gene based collapsing approaches to conduct burden testing to identify genes that associate with ALS and PLS. RESULTS A gene based collapsing model showed significant associations with SOD1, TARDBP, and TBK1 (OR = 19.18, p = 3.67 × 10-39; OR = 4.73, p = 2 × 10-10; OR = 2.3, p = 7.49 × 10-9, respectively). These genes have been previously associated with ALS. Additionally, a significant novel control enriched gene, ALKBH3 (p = 4.88 × 10-7), was protective for ALS in this model. An intolerant domain-based collapsing model showed a significant improvement in identifying regions in TARDBP that associated with ALS (OR = 10.08, p = 3.62 × 10-16). Our PLS protein truncating variant collapsing analysis demonstrated significant case enrichment in ANTXR2 (p = 8.38 × 10-6). CONCLUSIONS In a large multi-ethnic cohort of 6,970 ALS patients, collapsing analyses validated known ALS genes and identified a novel potentially protective gene, ALKBH3. A first-ever analysis in 166 patients with PLS found a candidate association with loss-of-function mutations in ANTXR2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tess D Pottinger
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Internal Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, 622 West 168 , New York, NY, 10032, USA.
| | - Joshua E Motelow
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gundula Povysil
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Zhong Ren
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hemali Phatnani
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- New York Genome Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Timothy J Aitman
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
| | | | - Hiroshi Mitsumoto
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - David B Goldstein
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Matthew B Harms
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
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McAlary L, Nan JR, Shyu C, Sher M, Plotkin SS, Cashman NR. Amyloidogenic regions in beta-strands II and III modulate the aggregation and toxicity of SOD1 in living cells. Open Biol 2024; 14:230418. [PMID: 38835240 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.230418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the protein superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1) promote its misfolding and aggregation, ultimately causing familial forms of the debilitating neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Currently, over 220 (mostly missense) ALS-causing mutations in the SOD1 protein have been identified, indicating that common structural features are responsible for aggregation and toxicity. Using in silico tools, we predicted amyloidogenic regions in the ALS-associated SOD1-G85R mutant, finding seven regions throughout the structure. Introduction of proline residues into β-strands II (I18P) or III (I35P) reduced the aggregation propensity and toxicity of SOD1-G85R in cells, significantly more so than proline mutations in other amyloidogenic regions. The I18P and I35P mutations also reduced the capability of SOD1-G85R to template onto previously formed non-proline mutant SOD1 aggregates as measured by fluorescence recovery after photobleaching. Finally, we found that, while the I18P and I35P mutants are less structurally stable than SOD1-G85R, the proline mutants are less aggregation-prone during proteasome inhibition, and less toxic to cells overall. Our research highlights the importance of a previously underappreciated SOD1 amyloidogenic region in β-strand II (15QGIINF20) to the aggregation and toxicity of SOD1 in ALS mutants, and suggests that β-strands II and III may be good targets for the development of SOD1-associated ALS therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke McAlary
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jeremy R Nan
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Clay Shyu
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Mine Sher
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Steven S Plotkin
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Genome Sciences and Technology Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Neil R Cashman
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Prasad K, Hassan MI, Raghuvanshi S, Kumar V. Understanding the relationship between cerebellum and the frontal-cortex region of C9orf72-related amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A comparative analysis of genetic features. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0301267. [PMID: 38753768 PMCID: PMC11098475 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a relentlessly progressive and fatal neurodegenerative diseases for which at present no cure is available. Despite the extensive research the progress from diagnosis to prognosis in ALS and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) has been slow which represents suboptimal understanding of disease pathophysiological processes. In recent studies, several genes have been associated with the ALS and FTD diseases such as SOD1, TDP43, and TBK1, whereas the hexanucleotide GGGGCC repeat expansion (HRE) in C9orf72 gene is a most frequent cause of ALS and FTD, that has changed the understanding of these diseases. METHODS The goal of this study was to identify and spatially determine differential gene expression signature differences between cerebellum and frontal cortex in C9orf72-associated ALS (C9-ALS), to study the network properties of these differentially expressed genes, and to identify miRNAs targeting the common differentially expressed genes in both the tissues. This study thus highlights underlying differential cell susceptibilities to the disease mechanisms in C9-ALS and suggesting therapeutic target selection in C9-ALS. RESULTS In this manuscript, we have identified that the genes involved in neuron development, protein localization and transcription are mostly enriched in cerebellum of C9-ALS patients, while the UPR-related genes are enriched in the frontal cortex. Of note, UPR pathway genes were mostly dysregulated both in the C9-ALS cerebellum and frontal cortex. Overall, the data presented here show that defects in normal RNA processing and the UPR pathway are the pathological hallmarks of C9-ALS. Interestingly, the cerebellum showed more strong transcriptome changes than the frontal cortex. CONCLUSION Interestingly, the cerebellum region showed more significant transcriptomic changes as compared to the frontal cortex region suggesting its active participation in the disease process. This nuanced understanding may offer valuable insights for the development of targeted therapeutic strategies aimed at mitigating disease progression in C9-ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kartikay Prasad
- Amity Institute of Neuropsychology & Neurosciences, Amity University, Noida, UP, India
| | - Md Imtaiyaz Hassan
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
| | - Saurabh Raghuvanshi
- Department of Plant Molecular Biology, University of Delhi, South Campus, New Delhi, India
| | - Vijay Kumar
- Amity Institute of Neuropsychology & Neurosciences, Amity University, Noida, UP, India
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7
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Ruffo P, De Amicis F, La Bella V, Conforti FL. Investigating Repeat Expansions in NIPA1, NOP56, and NOTCH2NLC Genes: A Closer Look at Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patients from Southern Italy. Cells 2024; 13:677. [PMID: 38667292 PMCID: PMC11049433 DOI: 10.3390/cells13080677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2024] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The discovery of hexanucleotide repeats expansion (RE) in Chromosome 9 Open Reading frame 72 (C9orf72) as the major genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and the association between intermediate repeats in Ataxin-2 (ATXN2) with the disorder suggest that repetitive sequences in the human genome play a significant role in ALS pathophysiology. Investigating the frequency of repeat expansions in ALS in different populations and ethnic groups is therefore of great importance. Based on these premises, this study aimed to define the frequency of REs in the NIPA1, NOP56, and NOTCH2NLC genes and the possible associations between phenotypes and the size of REs in the Italian population. Using repeat-primed-PCR and PCR-fragment analyses, we screened 302 El-Escorial-diagnosed ALS patients and compared the RE distribution to 167 age-, gender-, and ethnicity-matched healthy controls. While the REs distribution was similar between the ALS and control groups, a moderate association was observed between longer RE lengths and clinical features such as age at onset, gender, site of onset, and family history. In conclusion, this is the first study to screen ALS patients from southern Italy for REs in NIPA1, NOP56, and NOTCH2NLC genes, contributing to our understanding of ALS genetics. Our results highlighted that the extremely rare pathogenic REs in these genes do not allow an association with the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Ruffo
- Medical Genetics Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy;
- Neuromuscular Diseases Research Section, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Francesca De Amicis
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy;
| | - Vincenzo La Bella
- ALS Clinical Research Centre and Laboratory of Neurochemistry, Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neurosciences, University of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy;
| | - Francesca Luisa Conforti
- Medical Genetics Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy;
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Sonkodi B. Progressive Irreversible Proprioceptive Piezo2 Channelopathy-Induced Lost Forced Peripheral Oscillatory Synchronization to the Hippocampal Oscillator May Explain the Onset of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Pathomechanism. Cells 2024; 13:492. [PMID: 38534336 DOI: 10.3390/cells13060492] [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: 01/13/2024] [Revised: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a mysterious lethal multisystem neurodegenerative disease that gradually leads to the progressive loss of motor neurons. A recent non-contact dying-back injury mechanism theory for ALS proposed that the primary damage is an acquired irreversible intrafusal proprioceptive terminal Piezo2 channelopathy with underlying genetic and environmental risk factors. Underpinning this is the theory that excessively prolonged proprioceptive mechanotransduction under allostasis may induce dysfunctionality in mitochondria, leading to Piezo2 channelopathy. This microinjury is suggested to provide one gateway from physiology to pathophysiology. The chronic, but not irreversible, form of this Piezo2 channelopathy is implicated in many diseases with unknown etiology. Dry eye disease is one of them where replenishing synthetic proteoglycans promote nerve regeneration. Syndecans, especially syndecan-3, are proposed as the first critical link in this hierarchical ordered depletory pathomechanism as proton-collecting/distributing antennas; hence, they may play a role in ALS pathomechanism onset. Even more importantly, the shedding or charge-altering variants of Syndecan-3 may contribute to the Piezo2 channelopathy-induced disruption of the Piezo2-initiated proton-based ultrafast long-range signaling through VGLUT1 and VGLUT2. Thus, these alterations may not only cause disruption to ultrafast signaling to the hippocampus in conscious proprioception, but could disrupt the ultrafast proprioceptive signaling feedback to the motoneurons. Correspondingly, an inert Piezo2-initiated proton-based ultrafast signaled proprioceptive skeletal system is coming to light that is suggested to be progressively lost in ALS. In addition, the lost functional link of the MyoD family of inhibitor proteins, as auxiliary subunits of Piezo2, may not only contribute to the theorized acquired Piezo2 channelopathy, but may explain how these microinjured ion channels evolve to be principal transcription activators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Balázs Sonkodi
- Department of Health Sciences and Sport Medicine, Hungarian University of Sports Science, 1123 Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Sports Medicine, Semmelweis University, 1122 Budapest, Hungary
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9
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Kwon Y, Kang M, Jeon YM, Lee S, Lee HW, Park JS, Kim HJ. Identification and characterization of novel ERBB4 variant associated with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). J Neurol Sci 2024; 457:122885. [PMID: 38278691 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2024.122885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is the most common type of motor neuron disease characterized by progressive motor neuron degeneration in brain and spinal cord. Most cases are sporadic in ALS and 5-10% of cases are familiar. >50 genes are known to be associated with ALS and one of them is ERBB4. In this paper, we report the case of a 53-year-old ALS patient with progressive muscle weakness and fasciculation, but he had no cognitive decline. We performed the next generation sequencing (NGS) and in silico analysis, it predicted a highly pathogenic variant, c.2116 A > G, p.Asn706Asp (N706D) in the ERBB4 gene. The amino acid residue is highly conserved among species. ERBB4 is a member of the ERBB family of receptor tyrosine kinases. ERBB4 has multiple tyrosine phosphorylation sites, including an autophosphorylation site at tyrosine 1284 residue. Autophosphorylation of ERBB4 promotes biological activity and it associated with NRG-1/ERBB4 pathway. It is already known that tyrosine 128 phosphorylation of ERBB4 is decreased in patients who have ALS-associated ERBB4 mutations. We generated ERBB4 N706D construct using site-directed mutagenesis and checked the phosphorylation level of ERBB4 N706D in NSC-34 cells. We found that the phosphorylation of ERBB4 N706D was decreased compared to ERBB4 wild-type, indicating a loss of function mutation in ERBB4. We report a novel variant in ERBB4 gene leading to ALS through dysfunction of ERBB4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Younghwi Kwon
- Dementia Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute (KBRI), Daegu, South Korea
| | - Minsung Kang
- Department of Neurology, Kyungpook National University Chilgok Hospital, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Yu-Mi Jeon
- Dementia Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute (KBRI), Daegu, South Korea
| | - Shinrye Lee
- Dementia Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute (KBRI), Daegu, South Korea
| | - Ho-Won Lee
- Department of Neurology, Kyungpook National University Chilgok Hospital, Daegu, Republic of Korea; Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Kyungpook National University Chilgok Hospital, Daegu, Republic of Korea; Brain Science & Engineering Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin-Sung Park
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Kyungpook National University Chilgok Hospital, Daegu, Republic of Korea; Brain Science & Engineering Institute, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
| | - Hyung-Jun Kim
- Dementia Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute (KBRI), Daegu, South Korea; Department of Brain Sciences, DGIST, Daegu, South Korea.
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10
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Lee YJ, Rio DC. A mutation in the low-complexity domain of splicing factor hnRNPA1 linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis disrupts distinct neuronal RNA splicing networks. Genes Dev 2024; 38:11-30. [PMID: 38182429 PMCID: PMC10903937 DOI: 10.1101/gad.351104.123] [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: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a debilitating neurodegenerative disease characterized by loss of motor neurons. Human genetic studies have linked mutations in RNA-binding proteins as causative for this disease. The hnRNPA1 protein, a known pre-mRNA splicing factor, is mutated in some ALS patients. Here, two human cell models were generated to investigate how a mutation in the C-terminal low-complexity domain (LCD) of hnRNPA1 can cause splicing changes of thousands of transcripts that collectively are linked to the DNA damage response, cilium organization, and translation. We show that the hnRNPA1 D262V mutant protein binds to new binding sites on differentially spliced transcripts from genes that are linked to ALS. We demonstrate that this ALS-linked hnRNPA1 mutation alters normal RNA-dependent protein-protein interactions. Furthermore, cells expressing this hnRNPA1 mutant exhibit a cell aggregation phenotype, markedly reduced growth rates, changes in stress granule kinetics, and aberrant growth of neuronal processes. This study provides insight into how a single amino acid mutation in a splicing factor can alter RNA splicing networks of genes linked to ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeon J Lee
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Donald C Rio
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA;
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
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11
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Aspden JW, Murphy MA, Kashlan RD, Xiong Y, Poznansky MC, Sîrbulescu RF. Intruders or protectors - the multifaceted role of B cells in CNS disorders. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 17:1329823. [PMID: 38269112 PMCID: PMC10806081 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1329823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
B lymphocytes are immune cells studied predominantly in the context of peripheral humoral immune responses against pathogens. Evidence has been accumulating in recent years on the diversity of immunomodulatory functions that B cells undertake, with particular relevance for pathologies of the central nervous system (CNS). This review summarizes current knowledge on B cell populations, localization, infiltration mechanisms, and function in the CNS and associated tissues. Acute and chronic neurodegenerative pathologies are examined in order to explore the complex, and sometimes conflicting, effects that B cells can have in each context, with implications for disease progression and treatment outcomes. Additional factors such as aging modulate the proportions and function of B cell subpopulations over time and are also discussed in the context of neuroinflammatory response and disease susceptibility. A better understanding of the multifactorial role of B cell populations in the CNS may ultimately lead to innovative therapeutic strategies for a variety of neurological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- James W. Aspden
- Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Matthew A. Murphy
- Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Rommi D. Kashlan
- Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Yueyue Xiong
- Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Mark C. Poznansky
- Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Ruxandra F. Sîrbulescu
- Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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12
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Chen L, Zhang S, Liu S, Gao S. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Mechanism: Insights from the Caenorhabditis elegans Models. Cells 2024; 13:99. [PMID: 38201303 PMCID: PMC10778397 DOI: 10.3390/cells13010099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a debilitating neurodegenerative condition characterized by the progressive degeneration of motor neurons. Despite extensive research in various model animals, the cellular signal mechanisms of ALS remain elusive, impeding the development of efficacious treatments. Among these models, a well-characterized and diminutive organism, Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), has emerged as a potent tool for investigating the molecular and cellular dimensions of ALS pathogenesis. This review summarizes the contributions of C. elegans models to our comprehension of ALS, emphasizing pivotal findings pertaining to genetics, protein aggregation, cellular pathways, and potential therapeutic strategies. We analyze both the merits and constraints of the C. elegans system in the realm of ALS research and point towards future investigations that could bridge the chasm between C. elegans foundational discoveries and clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Shangbang Gao
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China; (L.C.); (S.Z.); (S.L.)
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13
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Pottinger TD, Motelow JE, Povysil G, Moreno CAM, Ren Z, Phatnani H, Aitman TJ, Santoyo-Lopez J, Mitsumoto H, Goldstein DB, Harms MB. Rare variant analyses validate known ALS genes in a multi-ethnic population and identifies ANTXR2 as a candidate in PLS. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3721598. [PMID: 38196621 PMCID: PMC10775375 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3721598/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Background Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease affecting over 30,000 people in the United States. It is characterized by the progressive decline of the nervous system that leads to the weakening of muscles which impacts physical function. Approximately, 15% of individuals diagnosed with ALS have a known genetic variant that contributes to their disease. As therapies that slow or prevent symptoms, such as antisense oligonucleotides, continue to develop, it is important to discover novel genes that could be targets for treatment. Additionally, as cohorts continue to grow, performing analyses in ALS subtypes, such as primary lateral sclerosis (PLS), becomes possible due to an increase in power. These analyses could highlight novel pathways in disease manifestation. Methods Building on our previous discoveries using rare variant association analyses, we conducted rare variant burden testing on a substantially larger cohort of 6,970 ALS patients from a large multi-ethnic cohort as well as 166 PLS patients, and 22,524 controls. We used intolerant domain percentiles based on sub-region Residual Variation Intolerance Score (subRVIS) that have been described previously in conjunction with gene based collapsing approaches to conduct burden testing to identify genes that associate with ALS and PLS. Results A gene based collapsing model showed significant associations with SOD1, TARDBP, and TBK1 (OR=19.18, p = 3.67 × 10-39; OR=4.73, p = 2 × 10-10; OR=2.3, p = 7.49 × 10-9, respectively). These genes have been previously associated with ALS. Additionally, a significant novel control enriched gene, ALKBH3 (p = 4.88 × 10-7), was protective for ALS in this model. An intolerant domain based collapsing model showed a significant improvement in identifying regions in TARDBP that associated with ALS (OR=10.08, p = 3.62 × 10-16). Our PLS protein truncating variant collapsing analysis demonstrated significant case enrichment in ANTXR2 (p=8.38 × 10-6). Conclusions In a large multi-ethnic cohort of 6,970 ALS patients, rare variant burden testing validated known ALS genes and identified a novel potentially protective gene, ALKBH3. A first-ever analysis in 166 patients with PLS found a candidate association with loss-of-function mutations in ANTXR2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tess D. Pottinger
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Internal Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Joshua E. Motelow
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Gundula Povysil
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | | | - Zhong Ren
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Hemali Phatnani
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
- Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
- New York Genome Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | | | - Timothy J. Aitman
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland
| | | | | | - Hiroshi Mitsumoto
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | | | - David B. Goldstein
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Matthew B. Harms
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
- Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
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14
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Yamamuro-Tanabe A, Mukai Y, Kojima W, Zheng S, Matsumoto N, Takada S, Mizuhara M, Kosuge Y, Ishimaru Y, Yoshioka Y. An Increase in Peroxiredoxin 6 Expression Induces Neurotoxic A1 Astrocytes in the Lumbar Spinal Cord of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Mice Model. Neurochem Res 2023; 48:3571-3584. [PMID: 37556038 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-023-04003-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a severe neurodegenerative disease with selective degeneration of motor neurons. It has been reported that an increase in the levels of inflammatory cytokines and glial cells such as reactive astrocytes is closely involved in the pathological progression of ALS. Recently, the levels of neuropathic cytotoxic (A1) astrocytes among reactive astrocytes have reportedly increased in the central nervous system of ALS mice, which induce motor neuron degeneration through the production of inflammatory cytokines and secretion of neuropathic factors. Hence, elucidating the induction mechanism of A1 astrocytes in ALS is important to understand the mechanism of disease progression in ALS. In this study, we observed that the expression of peroxiredoxin 6 (PRDX6), a member of the peroxiredoxin family, was markedly upregulated in astrocytes of the lumbar spinal cord of SOD1G93A mice model for ALS. Additionally, when PRDX6 was transiently transfected into the mouse astrocyte cell line C8-D1A and human astrocytoma cell line U-251 MG, the mRNA expression of complement C3 (a marker for A1 astrocyte phenotype) and inflammatory cytokines was increased. Furthermore, the mRNA expression of C3 and inflammatory cytokine was increased in C8-D1A and U-251 MG cells stably expressing PRDX6, and the increased mRNA expression was significantly suppressed by MJ33 (lithium[1-hexadecoxy-3-(2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy) propan-2-yl] methyl phosphate), an inhibitor of the phospholipase A2 activity of PRDX6. Our results suggest that the expression of PRDX6 in astrocytes plays an important role in the induction of A1 astrocytes and expression of inflammatory cytokines in the ALS mice model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akiko Yamamuro-Tanabe
- Laboratory of Pharmacotherapeutics, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Setsunan University, 45-1 Nagaotoge-cho, Hirakata, Osaka, 573-0101, Japan
| | - Yurika Mukai
- Laboratory of Pharmacotherapeutics, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Setsunan University, 45-1 Nagaotoge-cho, Hirakata, Osaka, 573-0101, Japan
| | - Wataru Kojima
- Laboratory of Pharmacotherapeutics, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Setsunan University, 45-1 Nagaotoge-cho, Hirakata, Osaka, 573-0101, Japan
| | - Siyuan Zheng
- Laboratory of Pharmacotherapeutics, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Setsunan University, 45-1 Nagaotoge-cho, Hirakata, Osaka, 573-0101, Japan
| | - Naoko Matsumoto
- Laboratory of Pharmacotherapeutics, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Setsunan University, 45-1 Nagaotoge-cho, Hirakata, Osaka, 573-0101, Japan
| | - Shoho Takada
- Laboratory of Pharmacotherapeutics, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Setsunan University, 45-1 Nagaotoge-cho, Hirakata, Osaka, 573-0101, Japan
| | - Mao Mizuhara
- Laboratory of Pharmacotherapeutics, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Setsunan University, 45-1 Nagaotoge-cho, Hirakata, Osaka, 573-0101, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Kosuge
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nihon University, Chiba, 274-8555, Japan
| | - Yuki Ishimaru
- Laboratory of Pharmacotherapeutics, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Setsunan University, 45-1 Nagaotoge-cho, Hirakata, Osaka, 573-0101, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Yoshioka
- Laboratory of Pharmacotherapeutics, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Setsunan University, 45-1 Nagaotoge-cho, Hirakata, Osaka, 573-0101, Japan.
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Rani N, Alam MM, Jamal A, Bin Ghaffar U, Parvez S. Caenorhabditis elegans: A transgenic model for studying age-associated neurodegenerative diseases. Ageing Res Rev 2023; 91:102036. [PMID: 37598759 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.102036] [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: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are a heterogeneous group of aging-associated ailments characterized by interrupting cellular proteostasic machinery and the misfolding of distinct proteins to form toxic aggregates in neurons. Neurodegenerative diseases, which include Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Huntington's disease (HD), and others, are becoming an increasing threat to human health worldwide. The degeneration and death of certain specific groups of neurons are the hallmarks of these diseases. Over the past decades, Caenorhabditis eleganshas beenwidely used as a transgenic model to investigate biological processes related to health and disease. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) has developed as a powerful tool for studying disease mechanisms due to its ease of genetic handling and instant cultivation while providing a whole-animal system amendable to several molecular and biochemical techniques. In this review, we elucidate the potential of C. elegans as a versatile platform for systematic dissection of the molecular basis of human disease, focusing on neurodegenerative disorders, and may help better our understanding of the disease mechanisms and search for new therapeutics for these devastating diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nisha Rani
- Department of Toxicology, School of Chemical & Life Sciences, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi 110062, India
| | - Mohammad Mumtaz Alam
- Drug Design and Medicinal Chemistry Lab, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi 110062, India
| | - Azfar Jamal
- Department of Biology, College of Science Al-Zulfi, Majmaah University, Al-Majmaah 11952, Saudi Arabia
| | - Usama Bin Ghaffar
- Department of Basic Science, College of Medicine, Majmaah University, Al-Majmaah 11952, Saudi Arabia
| | - Suhel Parvez
- Department of Toxicology, School of Chemical & Life Sciences, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi 110062, India.
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Lee Y, Yeo IS, Kim N, Lee DK, Kim KT, Yoon J, Yi J, Hong YB, Choi BO, Kosodo Y, Kim D, Park J, Song MR. Transcriptional control of motor pool formation and motor circuit connectivity by the LIM-HD protein Isl2. eLife 2023; 12:e84596. [PMID: 37869988 PMCID: PMC10637776 DOI: 10.7554/elife.84596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The fidelity of motor control requires the precise positional arrangement of motor pools and the establishment of synaptic connections between them. During neural development in the spinal cord, motor nerves project to specific target muscles and receive proprioceptive input from these muscles via the sensorimotor circuit. LIM-homeodomain transcription factors are known to play a crucial role in successively restricting specific motor neuronal fates. However, their exact contribution to limb-based motor pools and locomotor circuits has not been fully understood. To address this, we conducted an investigation into the role of Isl2, a LIM-homeodomain transcription factor, in motor pool organization. We found that deletion of Isl2 led to the dispersion of motor pools, primarily affecting the median motor column (MMC) and lateral motor column (LMC) populations. Additionally, hindlimb motor pools lacked Etv4 expression, and we observed reduced terminal axon branching and disorganized neuromuscular junctions in Isl2-deficient mice. Furthermore, we performed transcriptomic analysis on the spinal cords of Isl2-deficient mice and identified a variety of downregulated genes associated with motor neuron (MN) differentiation, axon development, and synapse organization in hindlimb motor pools. As a consequence of these disruptions, sensorimotor connectivity and hindlimb locomotion were impaired in Isl2-deficient mice. Taken together, our findings highlight the critical role of Isl2 in organizing motor pool position and sensorimotor circuits in hindlimb motor pools. This research provides valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms governing motor control and its potential implications for understanding motor-related disorders in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunjeong Lee
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Oryong-dong, Buk-guGwangjuRepublic of Korea
| | - In Seo Yeo
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Oryong-dong, Buk-guGwangjuRepublic of Korea
| | - Namhee Kim
- Fermentation Regulation Technology Research Group, World Institute of KimchiGwangjuRepublic of Korea
| | - Dong-Keun Lee
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Oryong-dong, Buk-guGwangjuRepublic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Tai Kim
- Jeonbuk Department of Inhalation Research, Korea Institute of ToxicologyJeongeup-siRepublic of Korea
| | - Jiyoung Yoon
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Oryong-dong, Buk-guGwangjuRepublic of Korea
| | - Jawoon Yi
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Oryong-dong, Buk-guGwangjuRepublic of Korea
| | - Young Bin Hong
- Department of Neurology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of MedicineSeoulRepublic of Korea
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Dong-A UniversityBusanRepublic of Korea
| | - Byung-Ok Choi
- Department of Neurology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of MedicineSeoulRepublic of Korea
| | - Yoichi Kosodo
- Korea Brain Research InstituteDaeguRepublic of Korea
| | - Daesoo Kim
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)DaejeonRepublic of Korea
| | - Jihwan Park
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Oryong-dong, Buk-guGwangjuRepublic of Korea
| | - Mi-Ryoung Song
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Oryong-dong, Buk-guGwangjuRepublic of Korea
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17
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Pottinger TD, Motelow JE, Povysil G, Moreno CAM, Ren Z, Phatnani H, Aitman TJ, Santoyo-Lopez J, Mitsumoto H, Goldstein DB, Harms MB. Rare variant analyses validate known ALS genes in a multi-ethnic population and identifies ANTXR2 as a candidate in PLS. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.09.30.23296353. [PMID: 37873269 PMCID: PMC10593055 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.30.23296353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Background Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease affecting over 30,000 people in the United States. It is characterized by the progressive decline of the nervous system that leads to the weakening of muscles which impacts physical function. Approximately, 15% of individuals diagnosed with ALS have a known genetic variant that contributes to their disease. As therapies that slow or prevent symptoms, such as antisense oligonucleotides, continue to develop, it is important to discover novel genes that could be targets for treatment. Additionally, as cohorts continue to grow, performing analyses in ALS subtypes, such as primary lateral sclerosis (PLS), becomes possible due to an increase in power. These analyses could highlight novel pathways in disease manifestation. Methods Building on our previous discoveries using rare variant association analyses, we conducted rare variant burden testing on a substantially larger cohort of 6,970 ALS patients from a large multi-ethnic cohort as well as 166 PLS patients, and 22,524 controls. We used intolerant domain percentiles based on sub-region Residual Variation Intolerance Score (subRVIS) that have been described previously in conjunction with gene based collapsing approaches to conduct burden testing to identify genes that associate with ALS and PLS. Results A gene based collapsing model showed significant associations with SOD1, TARDBP, and TBK1 (OR=19.18, p = 3.67 × 10-39; OR=4.73, p = 2 × 10-10; OR=2.3, p = 7.49 × 10-9, respectively). These genes have been previously associated with ALS. Additionally, a significant novel control enriched gene, ALKBH3 (p = 4.88 × 10-7), was protective for ALS in this model. An intolerant domain based collapsing model showed a significant improvement in identifying regions in TARDBP that associated with ALS (OR=10.08, p = 3.62 × 10-16). Our PLS protein truncating variant collapsing analysis demonstrated significant case enrichment in ANTXR2 (p=8.38 × 10-6). Conclusions In a large multi-ethnic cohort of 6,970 ALS patients, rare variant burden testing validated known ALS genes and identified a novel potentially protective gene, ALKBH3. A first-ever analysis in 166 patients with PLS found a candidate association with loss-of-function mutations in ANTXR2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tess D. Pottinger
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Internal Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Joshua E. Motelow
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Gundula Povysil
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | | | - Zhong Ren
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Hemali Phatnani
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
- Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
- New York Genome Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | | | - Timothy J. Aitman
- Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland
| | | | | | - Hiroshi Mitsumoto
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | | | | | | | - David B. Goldstein
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Matthew B. Harms
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
- Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
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Erdag E, Haskologlu IC, Mercan M, Abacioglu N, Sehirli AO. An in silico investigation: Can melatonin serve as an adjuvant in NR1D1-linked chronotherapy for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis? Chronobiol Int 2023; 40:1395-1403. [PMID: 37781884 DOI: 10.1080/07420528.2023.2265476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Chronobiology, which studies biological rhythms and their impacts on health, presents a potential avenue for treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Clock gene-related therapies, focusing on genes responsible for regulating biological rhythms, may hold promise in the treatment. Among these clock genes, nuclear receptor subfamily 1 Group D member 1 (NR1D1) plays a vital role in neurodegenerative diseases. In this particular study, it was aimed to investigate the potential of FDA-approved drugs commonly used in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis treatment and melatonin, a hormone known for its role in regulating sleep-wake cycles, as ligands for clock gene-related therapy. The ligands were subjected to molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation methods against the NR1D1 clock gene. These results suggested that combining melatonin with FDA-approved medications commonly used in the treatment might yield positive outcomes. This study provides preliminary data and lays the groundwork for future investigations involving in vitro (laboratory-based) and in vivo (animal or human-based) research on chronotherapy. In summary, this research highlights the potential of clock gene-related therapy utilizing melatonin in conjunction with FDA-approved drugs for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis treatment, offering insights into novel treatment strategies. The findings underscore the need for further studies to explore the effectiveness of this hypothetical approach in experimental and clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emine Erdag
- Pharmaceutical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Near East University, Nicosia, Türkiye
| | | | - Merve Mercan
- Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Near East University, Nicosia, Türkiye
| | - Nurettin Abacioglu
- Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Near East University, Nicosia, Türkiye
| | - Ahmet Ozer Sehirli
- Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Dentistry, Near East University, Nicosia, Türkiye
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19
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McGowan E, Sanjak J, Mathé EA, Zhu Q. Integrative rare disease biomedical profile based network supporting drug repurposing or repositioning, a case study of glioblastoma. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2023; 18:301. [PMID: 37749605 PMCID: PMC10519087 DOI: 10.1186/s13023-023-02876-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive and common malignant primary brain tumor; however, treatment remains a significant challenge. This study aims to identify drug repurposing or repositioning candidates for GBM by developing an integrative rare disease profile network containing heterogeneous types of biomedical data. METHODS We developed a Glioblastoma-based Biomedical Profile Network (GBPN) by extracting and integrating biomedical information pertinent to GBM-related diseases from the NCATS GARD Knowledge Graph (NGKG). We further clustered the GBPN based on modularity classes which resulted in multiple focused subgraphs, named mc_GBPN. We then identified high-influence nodes by performing network analysis over the mc_GBPN and validated those nodes that could be potential drug repurposing or repositioning candidates for GBM. RESULTS We developed the GBPN with 1,466 nodes and 107,423 edges and consequently the mc_GBPN with forty-one modularity classes. A list of the ten most influential nodes were identified from the mc_GBPN. These notably include Riluzole, stem cell therapy, cannabidiol, and VK-0214, with proven evidence for treating GBM. CONCLUSION Our GBM-targeted network analysis allowed us to effectively identify potential candidates for drug repurposing or repositioning. Further validation will be conducted by using other different types of biomedical and clinical data and biological experiments. The findings could lead to less invasive treatments for glioblastoma while significantly reducing research costs by shortening the drug development timeline. Furthermore, this workflow can be extended to other disease areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin McGowan
- Division of Pre-Clinical Innovation National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), 9800 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Jaleal Sanjak
- Division of Pre-Clinical Innovation National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), 9800 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Ewy A Mathé
- Division of Pre-Clinical Innovation National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), 9800 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA
| | - Qian Zhu
- Division of Pre-Clinical Innovation National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), 9800 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA.
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20
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Gastelum S, Michael AF, Bolger TA. Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a research tool for RNA-mediated human disease. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2023; 15:e1814. [PMID: 37671427 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
The budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, has been used for decades as a powerful genetic tool to study a broad spectrum of biological topics. With its ease of use, economic utility, well-studied genome, and a highly conserved proteome across eukaryotes, it has become one of the most used model organisms. Due to these advantages, it has been used to study an array of complex human diseases. From broad, complex pathological conditions such as aging and neurodegenerative disease to newer uses such as SARS-CoV-2, yeast continues to offer new insights into how cellular processes are affected by disease and how affected pathways might be targeted in therapeutic settings. At the same time, the roles of RNA and RNA-based processes have become increasingly prominent in the pathology of many of these same human diseases, and yeast has been utilized to investigate these mechanisms, from aberrant RNA-binding proteins in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis to translation regulation in cancer. Here we review some of the important insights that yeast models have yielded into the molecular pathology of complex, RNA-based human diseases. This article is categorized under: RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Gastelum
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Allison F Michael
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Timothy A Bolger
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
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21
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Basha S, Mukunda DC, Rodrigues J, Gail D'Souza M, Gangadharan G, Pai AR, Mahato KK. A comprehensive review of protein misfolding disorders, underlying mechanism, clinical diagnosis, and therapeutic strategies. Ageing Res Rev 2023; 90:102017. [PMID: 37468112 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.102017] [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: 05/06/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Proteins are the most common biological macromolecules in living system and are building blocks of life. They are extremely dynamic in structure and functions. Due to several modifications, proteins undergo misfolding, leading to aggregation and thereby developing neurodegenerative and systemic diseases. Understanding the pathology of these diseases and the techniques used to diagnose them is therefore crucial for their effective management . There are several techniques, currently being in use to diagnose them and those will be discussed in this review. AIM/OBJECTIVES Current review aims to discuss an overview of protein aggregation and the underlying mechanisms linked to neurodegeneration and systemic diseases. Also, the review highlights protein misfolding disorders, their clinical diagnosis, and treatment strategies. METHODOLOGY Literature related to neurodegenerative and systemic diseases was explored through PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Medline databases. The keywords used for literature survey and analysis are protein aggregation, neurodegenerative disorders, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, systemic diseases, protein aggregation mechanisms, etc. DISCUSSION /CONCLUSION: This review summarises the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative and systemic disorders caused by protein misfolding and aggregation. The clinical diagnosis and therapeutic strategies adopted for the management of these diseases are also discussed to aid in a better understanding of protein misfolding disorders. Many significant concerns about the role, characteristics, and consequences of protein aggregates in neurodegenerative and systemic diseases are not clearly understood to date. Regardless of technological advancements, there are still great difficulties in the management and cure of these diseases. Therefore, for better understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of neurodegenerative and systemic diseases, more studies to identify novel drugs that may aid in their treatment and management are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaik Basha
- Department of Biophysics, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India
| | | | - Jackson Rodrigues
- Department of Biophysics, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India
| | - Meagan Gail D'Souza
- Department of Biophysics, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India
| | - Gireesh Gangadharan
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India
| | - Aparna Ramakrishna Pai
- Department of Neurology, Kasturba Medical College - Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India
| | - Krishna Kishore Mahato
- Department of Biophysics, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India.
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22
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Sharma S, Tomar VR, Deep S. Mechanism of the interaction of toxic SOD1 fibrils with two potent polyphenols: curcumin and quercetin. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:23081-23091. [PMID: 37602388 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp02120c] [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: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a debilitating neurodegenerative disease commonly caused due to the aggregation of superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) protein. Finding inhibitors of SOD1 aggregation is of prime concern, but understanding the mechanistic action of inhibitors is equally important. Recent experiments found that two polyphenols, curcumin, and quercetin, have the ability to inhibit SOD1 aggregation. Quercetin was experimentally proven to break pre-formed fibrils into shorter segments, while curcumin did not significantly affect the pre-formed species. Here, we delve deeper into understanding the mechanism of action of quercetin and curcumin on pre-formed octameric fibrils of SOD1 (28PVKVWGSIKGL38: chains A-H) with the help of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of a fibril docked polyphenol complex. Our results suggest that quercetin shows π-π stacking interaction with one of the key residues for toxic amyloid formation, Trp 32 of chains D, E, and F, and breaks the peptide chains G, and H from the rest of the fibril. On the other hand, curcumin binds to the hydrophobic amino acids of almost all the chains B-H and stabilizes the fibril rather than destabilizing it. Binding free energy calculations using MM/PBSA showed that curcumin binds more strongly to the SOD1 fibril due to greater van der Waals interactions compared to quercetin. These findings provide insights for the development of potential ALS treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shilpa Sharma
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, 110016, India.
| | - Vijay Raj Tomar
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, 110016, India.
| | - Shashank Deep
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, 110016, India.
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23
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Huang Y, Yang H, Yang B, Zheng Y, Hou X, Chen G, Zhang W, Zeng X, DU B. Ginsenoside-Rg1 combined with a conditioned medium from induced neuron-like hUCMSCs alleviated the apoptosis in a cell model of ALS through regulating the NF-κB/Bcl-2 pathway. Chin J Nat Med 2023; 21:540-550. [PMID: 37517821 DOI: 10.1016/s1875-5364(23)60445-5] [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: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease affecting both upper and lower motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. One important aspect of ALS pathogenesis is superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) mutant-mediated mitochondrial toxicity, leading to apoptosis in neurons. This study aimed to evaluate the neural protective synergistic effects of ginsenosides Rg1 (G-Rg1) and conditioned medium (CM) on a mutational SOD1 cell model, and to explore the underlying mechanisms. We found that the contents of nerve growth factor, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor significantly increased in CM after human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs) were exposed to neuron differentiation reagents for seven days. CM or G-Rg1 decreased the apoptotic rate of SOD1G93A-NSC34 cells to a certain extent, but their combination brought about the least apoptosis, compared with CM or G-Rg1 alone. Further research showed that the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 was upregulated in all the treatment groups. Proteins associated with mitochondrial apoptotic pathways, such as Bax, caspase 9 (Cas-9), and cytochrome c (Cyt c), were downregulated. Furthermore, CM or G-Rg1 also inhibited the activation of the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway by reducing the phosphorylation of p65 and IκBα. CM/G-Rg1 or their combination also reduced the apoptotic rate induced by betulinic acid (BetA), an agonist of the NF-κB signaling pathway. In summary, the combination of CM and G-Rg1 effectively reduced the apoptosis of SOD1G93A-NSC34 cells through suppressing the NF-κB/Bcl-2 signaling pathway (Fig. 1 is a graphical representation of the abstract).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Huang
- Labortory of Stem Cell Clinical Reaearch, The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China; Labortory of Stem Cell Biology and Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China; Labortory of Stem Cell Biology and Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510006, China; Labortory of Stem Cell Clinical Research, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Huili Yang
- Labortory of Stem Cell Clinical Reaearch, The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China; Labortory of Stem Cell Biology and Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China; Labortory of Stem Cell Biology and Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510006, China; Department of Neurology, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Biying Yang
- Labortory of Stem Cell Clinical Reaearch, The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China; Labortory of Stem Cell Biology and Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China; Labortory of Stem Cell Biology and Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510006, China; Department of Neurology, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yu Zheng
- Labortory of Stem Cell Clinical Reaearch, The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China; Labortory of Stem Cell Biology and Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China; Labortory of Stem Cell Biology and Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510006, China; Department of Neurology, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xiaomei Hou
- Labortory of Stem Cell Clinical Reaearch, The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China; Labortory of Stem Cell Biology and Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China; Labortory of Stem Cell Biology and Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510006, China; Department of Neurology, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Guiling Chen
- Labortory of Stem Cell Clinical Reaearch, The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China; Labortory of Stem Cell Biology and Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China; Labortory of Stem Cell Biology and Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510006, China; Labortory of Stem Cell Clinical Research, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Wenqi Zhang
- Labortory of Stem Cell Clinical Reaearch, The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China; Labortory of Stem Cell Biology and Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China; Labortory of Stem Cell Biology and Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510006, China; Department of Neurology, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xiang Zeng
- Labortory of Stem Cell Clinical Reaearch, The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China; Labortory of Stem Cell Biology and Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China; Labortory of Stem Cell Biology and Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510006, China; Labortory of Stem Cell Clinical Research, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Baoxin DU
- Labortory of Stem Cell Clinical Reaearch, The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China; Labortory of Stem Cell Biology and Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China; Labortory of Stem Cell Biology and Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510006, China; Department of Neurology, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China.
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24
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McGowan E, Sanjak J, Mathé EA, Zhu Q. Integrative Rare Disease Biomedical Profile based Network Supporting Drug Repurposing, a case study of Glioblastoma. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-2809689. [PMID: 37131675 PMCID: PMC10153381 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2809689/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Background Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive and common malignant primary brain tumor; however, treatment remains a significant challenge. This study aims to identify drug repurposing candidates for GBM by developing an integrative rare disease profile network containing heterogeneous types of biomedical data. Methods We developed a Glioblastoma-based Biomedical Profile Network (GBPN) by extracting and integrating biomedical information pertinent to GBM-related diseases from the NCATS GARD Knowledge Graph (NGKG). We further clustered the GBPN based on modularity classes which resulted in multiple focused subgraphs, named mc_GBPN. We then identified high-influence nodes by performing network analysis over the mc_GBPN and validated those nodes that could be potential drug repositioning candidates for GBM. Results We developed the GBPN with 1,466 nodes and 107,423 edges and consequently the mc_GBPN with forty-one modularity classes. A list of the ten most influential nodes were identified from the mc_GBPN. These notably include Riluzole, stem cell therapy, cannabidiol, and VK-0214, with proven evidence for treating GBM. Conclusion Our GBM-targeted network analysis allowed us to effectively identify potential candidates for drug repurposing. This could lead to less invasive treatments for glioblastoma while significantly reducing research costs by shortening the drug development timeline. Furthermore, this workflow can be extended to other disease areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin McGowan
- NCATS: National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
| | - Jaleal Sanjak
- NCATS: National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
| | - Ewy A Mathé
- NCATS: National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
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25
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Nagy ZF, Sonkodi B, Pál M, Klivényi P, Széll M. Likely Pathogenic Variants of Cav1.3 and Nav1.1 Encoding Genes in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Could Elucidate the Dysregulated Pain Pathways. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11030933. [PMID: 36979911 PMCID: PMC10046311 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11030933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a lethal multisystem neurodegenerative disease associated with progressive loss of motor neurons, leading to death. Not only is the clinical picture of ALS heterogenous, but also the pain sensation due to different types of pain involvement. ALS used to be considered a painless disease, but research has been emerging and depicting a more complex pain representation in ALS. Pain has been detected even a couple years before the symptomatic stage of ALS, referring to primary pain associated with muscle denervation, although secondary pain due to nociceptive causes is also a part of the clinical picture. A new non-contact dying-back injury mechanism theory of ALS recently postulated that the irreversible intrafusal proprioceptive Piezo2 microinjury could be the primary damage, with underlying genetic and environmental risk factors. Moreover, this Piezo2 primary damage is also proposed to dysregulate the primary pain pathways in the spinal dorsal horn in ALS due to the lost imbalanced subthreshold Ca2+ currents, NMDA activation and lost L-type Ca2+ currents, leading to the lost activation of wide dynamic range neurons. Our investigation is the first to show that the likely pathogenic variants of the Cav1.3 encoding CACNA1D gene may play a role in ALS pathology and the associated dysregulation or loss of the pain sensation. Furthermore, our reanalysis also shows that the SCN1A gene might also contribute to the dysregulated pain sensation in ALS. Finally, the absence of pathogenic variants of Piezo2 points toward the new non-contact dying-back injury mechanism theory of ALS. However, molecular and genetic investigations are needed to identify the functionally diverse features of this proposed novel critical pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zsófia Flóra Nagy
- Department of Medical Genetics, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, 6725 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Balázs Sonkodi
- Department of Health Sciences and Sport Medicine, Hungarian University of Sports Science, 1123 Budapest, Hungary
- Correspondence:
| | - Margit Pál
- Department of Medical Genetics, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, 6725 Szeged, Hungary
- ELKH-SZTE Functional Clinical Genetics Research Group, 6720 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Péter Klivényi
- Department of Neurology, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, 6725 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Márta Széll
- Department of Medical Genetics, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, 6725 Szeged, Hungary
- ELKH-SZTE Functional Clinical Genetics Research Group, 6720 Szeged, Hungary
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26
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Nemtsova Y, Steinert BL, Wharton KA. Compartment specific mitochondrial dysfunction in Drosophila knock-in model of ALS reversed by altered gene expression of OXPHOS subunits and pro-fission factor Drp1. Mol Cell Neurosci 2023; 125:103834. [PMID: 36868541 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2023.103834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal multisystem neurodegenerative disease, characterized by a loss in motor function. ALS is genetically diverse, with mutations in genes ranging from those regulating RNA metabolism, like TAR DNA-binding protein (TDP-43) and Fused in sarcoma (FUS), to those that act to maintain cellular redox homeostasis, like superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1). Although varied in genetic origin, pathogenic and clinical commonalities are clearly evident between cases of ALS. Defects in mitochondria is one such common pathology, thought to occur prior to, rather than as a consequence of symptom onset, making these organelles a promising therapeutic target for ALS, as well as other neurodegenerative diseases. Depending on the homeostatic needs of neurons throughout life, mitochondria are normally shuttled to different subcellular compartments to regulate metabolite and energy production, lipid metabolism, and buffer calcium. While originally considered a motor neuron disease due to the dramatic loss in motor function accompanied by motor neuron cell death in ALS patients, many studies have now implicated non-motor neurons and glial cells alike. Defects in non-motor neuron cell types often preceed motor neuron death suggesting their dysfunction may initiate and/or facilitate the decline in motor neuron health. Here, we investigate mitochondria in a Drosophila Sod1 knock-in model of ALS. In depth, in vivo, examination reveals mitochondrial dysfunction evident prior to onset of motor neuron degeneration. Genetically encoded redox biosensors identify a general disruption in the electron transport chain (ETC). Compartment specific abnormalities in mitochondrial morphology is observed in diseased sensory neurons, accompanied by no apparent defects in the axonal transport machinery, but instead an increase in mitophagy in synaptic regions. The decrease in networked mitochondria at the synapse is reversed upon downregulation of the pro-fission factor Drp1. Furthermore, altered expression of specific OXPHOS subunits reverses ALS-associated defects in mitochondrial morphology and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Nemtsova
- Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry Department, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, United States.
| | - B L Steinert
- Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry Department, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, United States.
| | - K A Wharton
- Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry Department, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, United States; Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, United States.
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27
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Sharma S, Tomar VR, Jayaraj A, Deep S. A computational strategy for therapeutic development against superoxide dismutase (SOD1) amyloid formation: effect of polyphenols on the various events in the aggregation pathway. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:6232-6246. [PMID: 36756854 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp05537f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Pathology of superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) aggregation is linked to a neurodegenerative disease known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Without suitable post-translational modifications (PTMs), the protein structure tends to become aggregation-prone. Understanding the role of PTMs and targeting the aggregation-prone SOD1 with small molecules can be used to design a strategy to inhibit its aggregation. Microsecond long molecular dynamics (MD) simulations followed by free energy surface (FES) analyses show that the loss of structure in the apo monomer happens locally and stepwise. Removing the disulfide bond from apoprotein leads to further instability in the zinc-binding loop, giving rise to non-native protein conformations. Further, it was found that these non-native conformations have a higher propensity to form a non-native dimer. We chose three structurally similar polyphenols based on their binding energies and investigated their impact on SOD1 aggregation kinetics. MD simulations of apo-SOD1SH/corkscrew fibril-polyphenol complexes were also carried out. The effect of polyphenols was seen on fibril elongation as well. Based on the experiments and MD simulation results, it can be inferred that the choice of inhibitors is influenced not only by the binding energy but also by dimer interface stabilization, the proclivity to form non-native dimers, the propensity to break fibrils, and the propensity to decrease the rate of elongation. The polyphenols with 3' and 4' hydroxyl groups are better inhibitors of SOD1 aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shilpa Sharma
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, India, 110016.
| | - Vijay Raj Tomar
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, India, 110016.
| | - Abhilash Jayaraj
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, India, 110016.
| | - Shashank Deep
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, India, 110016.
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28
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Depraz Depland A, Stroganova I, Wootton CA, Rijs AM. Developments in Trapped Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry to Probe the Early Stages of Peptide Aggregation. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2023; 34:193-204. [PMID: 36633834 PMCID: PMC9896548 DOI: 10.1021/jasms.2c00253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Ion mobility mass spectrometry (IM-MS) has proven to be an excellent method to characterize the structure of amyloidogenic protein and peptide aggregates, which are formed in coincidence with the development of neurodegenerative diseases. However, it remains a challenge to obtain detailed structural information on all conformational intermediates, originating from the early onset of those pathologies, due to their complex and heterogeneous environment. One way to enhance the insights and the identification of these early stage oligomers is by employing high resolution ion mobility mass spectrometry experiments. This would allow us to enhance the mobility separation and MS characterization. Trapped ion mobility spectrometry (TIMS) is an ion mobility technique known for its inherently high resolution and has successfully been applied to the analysis of protein conformations among others. To obtain conformational information on fragile peptide aggregates, the instrumental parameters of the TIMS-Quadrupole-Time-of-Flight mass spectrometer (TIMS-qToF-MS) have to be optimized to allow the study of intact aggregates and ensure their transmission toward the detector. Here, we investigate the suitability and application of TIMS to probe the aggregation process, targeting the well-characterized M307-N319 peptide segment of the TDP-43 protein, which is involved in the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. By studying the influence of key parameters over the full mass spectrometer, such as source temperature, applied voltages or RFs among others, we demonstrate that by using an optimized instrumental method TIMS can be used to probe peptide aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agathe Depraz Depland
- Division
of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life
Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Iuliia Stroganova
- Division
of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life
Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Anouk M. Rijs
- Division
of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life
Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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29
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Udine E, Jain A, van Blitterswijk M. Advances in sequencing technologies for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis research. Mol Neurodegener 2023; 18:4. [PMID: 36635726 PMCID: PMC9838075 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-022-00593-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is caused by upper and lower motor neuron loss and has a fairly rapid disease progression, leading to fatality in an average of 2-5 years after symptom onset. Numerous genes have been implicated in this disease; however, many cases remain unexplained. Several technologies are being used to identify regions of interest and investigate candidate genes. Initial approaches to detect ALS genes include, among others, linkage analysis, Sanger sequencing, and genome-wide association studies. More recently, next-generation sequencing methods, such as whole-exome and whole-genome sequencing, have been introduced. While those methods have been particularly useful in discovering new ALS-linked genes, methodological advances are becoming increasingly important, especially given the complex genetics of ALS. Novel sequencing technologies, like long-read sequencing, are beginning to be used to uncover the contribution of repeat expansions and other types of structural variation, which may help explain missing heritability in ALS. In this review, we discuss how popular and/or upcoming methods are being used to discover ALS genes, highlighting emerging long-read sequencing platforms and their role in aiding our understanding of this challenging disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan Udine
- grid.417467.70000 0004 0443 9942Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road S, Jacksonville, FL 32224 USA ,grid.417467.70000 0004 0443 9942Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 4500 San Pablo Road S, Jacksonville, FL 32224 USA
| | - Angita Jain
- grid.417467.70000 0004 0443 9942Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road S, Jacksonville, FL 32224 USA ,grid.417467.70000 0004 0443 9942Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 4500 San Pablo Road S, Jacksonville, FL 32224 USA ,grid.417467.70000 0004 0443 9942Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road S, Jacksonville, FL 32224 USA
| | - Marka van Blitterswijk
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road S, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA.
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30
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Noori L, Filip K, Nazmara Z, Mahakizadeh S, Hassanzadeh G, Caruso Bavisotto C, Bucchieri F, Marino Gammazza A, Cappello F, Wnuk M, Scalia F. Contribution of Extracellular Vesicles and Molecular Chaperones in Age-Related Neurodegenerative Disorders of the CNS. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:927. [PMID: 36674442 PMCID: PMC9861359 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24020927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Many neurodegenerative disorders are characterized by the abnormal aggregation of misfolded proteins that form amyloid deposits which possess prion-like behavior such as self-replication, intercellular transmission, and consequent induction of native forms of the same protein in surrounding cells. The distribution of the accumulated proteins and their correlated toxicity seem to be involved in the progression of nervous system degeneration. Molecular chaperones are known to maintain proteostasis, contribute to protein refolding to protect their function, and eliminate fatally misfolded proteins, prohibiting harmful effects. However, chaperone network efficiency declines during aging, prompting the onset and the development of neurological disorders. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are tiny membranous structures produced by a wide range of cells under physiological and pathological conditions, suggesting their significant role in fundamental processes particularly in cellular communication. They modulate the behavior of nearby and distant cells through their biological cargo. In the pathological context, EVs transport disease-causing entities, including prions, α-syn, and tau, helping to spread damage to non-affected areas and accelerating the progression of neurodegeneration. However, EVs are considered effective for delivering therapeutic factors to the nervous system, since they are capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and are involved in the transportation of a variety of cellular entities. Here, we review the neurodegeneration process caused mainly by the inefficiency of chaperone systems as well as EV performance in neuropathies, their potential as diagnostic biomarkers and a promising EV-based therapeutic approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leila Noori
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1417653761, Iran
| | - Kamila Filip
- Department of Biology, Institute of Biology and Biotechnology, College of Natural Sciences, University of Rzeszow, 35959 Rzeszow, Poland
| | - Zohreh Nazmara
- Department of Neuroscience and Addiction Studies, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1417653761, Iran
| | - Simin Mahakizadeh
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj 3149779453, Iran
| | - Gholamreza Hassanzadeh
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1417653761, Iran
- Department of Neuroscience and Addiction Studies, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1417653761, Iran
| | - Celeste Caruso Bavisotto
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
- Euro-Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology (IEMEST), 90139 Palermo, Italy
| | - Fabio Bucchieri
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
| | - Antonella Marino Gammazza
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
| | - Francesco Cappello
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
- Euro-Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology (IEMEST), 90139 Palermo, Italy
| | - Maciej Wnuk
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Biology and Biotechnology, College of Natural Sciences, University of Rzeszow, 35959 Rzeszow, Poland
| | - Federica Scalia
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics (BIND), University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy
- Euro-Mediterranean Institute of Science and Technology (IEMEST), 90139 Palermo, Italy
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31
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Molecular Investigations of Protein Aggregation in the Pathogenesis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 24:ijms24010704. [PMID: 36614144 PMCID: PMC9820914 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by selective loss of lower and upper motor neurons (MNs) in the brain and spinal cord, resulting in paralysis and eventually death due to respiratory insufficiency. Although the fundamental physiological mechanisms underlying ALS are not completely understood, the key neuropathological hallmarks of ALS pathology are the aggregation and accumulation of ubiquitinated protein inclusions within the cytoplasm of degenerating MNs. Herein, we discuss recent insights into the molecular mechanisms that lead to the accumulation of protein aggregates in ALS. This will contribute to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease and may open novel avenues for the development of therapeutic strategies.
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Lépine S, Castellanos-Montiel MJ, Durcan TM. TDP-43 dysregulation and neuromuscular junction disruption in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Transl Neurodegener 2022; 11:56. [PMID: 36575535 PMCID: PMC9793560 DOI: 10.1186/s40035-022-00331-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a disease characterized by upper and lower motor neuron (MN) loss with a signature feature of cytoplasmic aggregates containing TDP-43, which are detected in nearly all patients. Mutations in the gene that encodes TDP-43 (TARBDP) are known to result in both familial and sporadic ALS. In ALS, disruption of neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) constitutes a critical event in disease pathogenesis, leading to denervation atrophy, motor impairments and disability. Morphological defects and impaired synaptic transmission at NMJs have been reported in several TDP-43 animal models and in vitro, linking TDP-43 dysregulation to the loss of NMJ integrity in ALS. Through the lens of the dying-back and dying-forward hypotheses of ALS, this review discusses the roles of TDP-43 related to synaptic function, with a focus on the potential molecular mechanisms occurring within MNs, skeletal muscles and glial cells that may contribute to NMJ disruption in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Lépine
- grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649The Neuro’s Early Drug Discovery Unit (EDDU), Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4 Canada ,grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, 3605 De La Montagne, Montreal, QC H3G 2M1 Canada
| | - Maria José Castellanos-Montiel
- grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649The Neuro’s Early Drug Discovery Unit (EDDU), Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4 Canada
| | - Thomas Martin Durcan
- grid.14709.3b0000 0004 1936 8649The Neuro’s Early Drug Discovery Unit (EDDU), Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4 Canada
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Liu Y, Li Y, Xue L, Xiao J, Li P, Xue W, Li C, Guo H, Chen Y. The effect of the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-stimulator of interferon genes signaling pathway on organ inflammatory injury and fibrosis. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:1033982. [PMID: 36545321 PMCID: PMC9762484 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1033982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-stimulator of interferon genes signal transduction pathway is critical in innate immunity, infection, and inflammation. In response to pathogenic microbial infections and other conditions, cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) recognizes abnormal DNA and initiates a downstream type I interferon response. This paper reviews the pathogenic mechanisms of stimulator of interferon genes (STING) in different organs, including changes in fibrosis-related biomarkers, intending to systematically investigate the effect of the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-stimulator of interferon genes signal transduction in inflammation and fibrosis processes. The effects of stimulator of interferon genes in related auto-inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases are described in this article, in addition to the application of stimulator of interferon genes-related drugs in treating fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuliang Liu
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China,The Key Laboratory of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine of Shandong Province, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China,The Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education and Chinese Ministry of Health, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Yihui Li
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China,The Key Laboratory of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine of Shandong Province, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China,The Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education and Chinese Ministry of Health, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Li Xue
- The Key Laboratory of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine of Shandong Province, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China,The Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education and Chinese Ministry of Health, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China,Department of Emergency Medicine and Chest Pain Center, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Jie Xiao
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China,The Key Laboratory of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine of Shandong Province, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China,The Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education and Chinese Ministry of Health, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Pengyong Li
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China,The Key Laboratory of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine of Shandong Province, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China,The Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education and Chinese Ministry of Health, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Wanlin Xue
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China,The Key Laboratory of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine of Shandong Province, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China,The Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education and Chinese Ministry of Health, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Chen Li
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China,The Key Laboratory of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine of Shandong Province, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China,The Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education and Chinese Ministry of Health, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Haipeng Guo
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China,The Key Laboratory of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine of Shandong Province, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China,The Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education and Chinese Ministry of Health, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China,*Correspondence: Haipeng Guo, ; Yuguo Chen,
| | - Yuguo Chen
- The Key Laboratory of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine of Shandong Province, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China,The Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research, Chinese Ministry of Education and Chinese Ministry of Health, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China,Department of Emergency Medicine and Chest Pain Center, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China,*Correspondence: Haipeng Guo, ; Yuguo Chen,
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Butler R, Bradford D, Rodgers KE. Analysis of shared underlying mechanism in neurodegenerative disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:1006089. [PMID: 36523957 PMCID: PMC9745190 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.1006089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
In this review, the relationship between bioenergetics, mitochondrial dysfunction, and inflammation will be and how they contribute to neurodegeneration, specifically in Alzheimer's disease (AD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and multiple sclerosis (MS) will be reviewed. Long-term changes in mitochondrial function, autophagy dysfunction, and immune activation are commonalities shared across these age-related disorders. Genetic risk factors for these diseases support an autophagy-immune connection in the underlying pathophysiology. Critical areas of deeper evaluation in these bioenergetic processes may lead to potential therapeutics with efficacy across multiple neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kathleen E. Rodgers
- Department of Medical Pharmacology, Center for Innovation in Brain Science, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ, United States
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Das T, Kaur H, Gour P, Prasad K, Lynn AM, Prakash A, Kumar V. Intersection of network medicine and machine learning towards investigating the key biomarkers and pathways underlying amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a systematic review. Brief Bioinform 2022; 23:6780269. [PMID: 36411673 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbac442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Network medicine is an emerging area of research that focuses on delving into the molecular complexity of the disease, leading to the discovery of network biomarkers and therapeutic target discovery. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a complicated rare disease with unknown pathogenesis and no available treatment. In ALS, network properties appear to be potential biomarkers that can be beneficial in disease-related applications when explored independently or in tandem with machine learning (ML) techniques. OBJECTIVE This systematic literature review explores recent trends in network medicine and implementations of network-based ML algorithms in ALS. We aim to provide an overview of the identified primary studies and gather details on identifying the potential biomarkers and delineated pathways. METHODS The current study consists of searching for and investigating primary studies from PubMed and Dimensions.ai, published between 2018 and 2022 that reported network medicine perspectives and the coupling of ML techniques. Each abstract and full-text study was individually evaluated, and the relevant studies were finally included in the review for discussion once they met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. RESULTS We identified 109 eligible publications from primary studies representing this systematic review. The data coalesced into two themes: application of network science to identify disease modules and promising biomarkers in ALS, along with network-based ML approaches. Conclusion This systematic review gives an overview of the network medicine approaches and implementations of network-based ML algorithms in ALS to determine new disease genes, and identify critical pathways and therapeutic target discovery for personalized treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trishala Das
- School of Computational & Integrative Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi-110067, India
| | - Harbinder Kaur
- School of Computational & Integrative Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi-110067, India
| | - Pratibha Gour
- Dept. of Plant Molecular Biology, University of Delhi, South Campus, New Delhi-110021, India
| | - Kartikay Prasad
- Amity Institute of Neuropsychology & Neurosciences (AINN), Amity University, Noida, UP-201303, India
| | - Andrew M Lynn
- School of Computational & Integrative Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi-110067, India
| | - Amresh Prakash
- Amity Institute of Integrative Sciences and Health, Amity University Haryana, Gurgaon-122413, India
| | - Vijay Kumar
- Amity Institute of Neuropsychology & Neurosciences (AINN), Amity University, Noida, UP-201303, India
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36
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Bloomingdale P, Karelina T, Ramakrishnan V, Bakshi S, Véronneau‐Veilleux F, Moye M, Sekiguchi K, Meno‐Tetang G, Mohan A, Maithreye R, Thomas VA, Gibbons F, Cabal A, Bouteiller J, Geerts H. Hallmarks of neurodegenerative disease: A systems pharmacology perspective. CPT Pharmacometrics Syst Pharmacol 2022; 11:1399-1429. [PMID: 35894182 PMCID: PMC9662204 DOI: 10.1002/psp4.12852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 07/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-related central neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, are a rising public health concern and have been plagued by repeated drug development failures. The complex nature and poor mechanistic understanding of the etiology of neurodegenerative diseases has hindered the discovery and development of effective disease-modifying therapeutics. Quantitative systems pharmacology models of neurodegeneration diseases may be useful tools to enhance the understanding of pharmacological intervention strategies and to reduce drug attrition rates. Due to the similarities in pathophysiological mechanisms across neurodegenerative diseases, especially at the cellular and molecular levels, we envision the possibility of structural components that are conserved across models of neurodegenerative diseases. Conserved structural submodels can be viewed as building blocks that are pieced together alongside unique disease components to construct quantitative systems pharmacology (QSP) models of neurodegenerative diseases. Model parameterization would likely be different between the different types of neurodegenerative diseases as well as individual patients. Formulating our mechanistic understanding of neurodegenerative pathophysiology as a mathematical model could aid in the identification and prioritization of drug targets and combinatorial treatment strategies, evaluate the role of patient characteristics on disease progression and therapeutic response, and serve as a central repository of knowledge. Here, we provide a background on neurodegenerative diseases, highlight hallmarks of neurodegeneration, and summarize previous QSP models of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Bloomingdale
- Quantitative Pharmacology and PharmacometricsMerck & Co., Inc.BostonMassachusettsUSA
| | | | | | - Suruchi Bakshi
- Certara QSPOssThe Netherlands,Certara QSPPrincetonNew JerseyUSA
| | | | - Matthew Moye
- Quantitative Pharmacology and PharmacometricsMerck & Co., Inc.BostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Kazutaka Sekiguchi
- Shionogi & Co., Ltd.OsakaJapan,SUNY Downstate Medical CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | | | | | | | | | - Frank Gibbons
- Clinical Pharmacology and PharmacometricsBiogenCambridgeMassachusettsUSA
| | | | - Jean‐Marie Bouteiller
- Center for Neural EngineeringDepartment of Biomedical Engineering at the Viterbi School of EngineeringLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA,Institute for Technology and Medical Systems Innovation, Keck School of MedicineUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
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Dashnaw CM, Zhang AY, Gonzalez M, Koone JC, Shaw BF. Metal migration and subunit swapping in ALS-linked SOD1: Zn 2+ transfer between mutant and wild-type occurs faster than the rate of heterodimerization. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102610. [PMID: 36265587 PMCID: PMC9667317 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The heterodimerization of WT Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1), and mutant SOD1 might be a critical step in the pathogenesis of SOD1-linked amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Rates and free energies of heterodimerization (ΔGHet) between WT and ALS-mutant SOD1 in mismatched metalation states-where one subunit is metalated and the other is not-have been difficult to obtain. Consequently, the hypothesis that under-metalated SOD1 might trigger misfolding of metalated SOD1 by "stealing" metal ions remains untested. This study used capillary zone electrophoresis and mass spectrometry to track heterodimerization and metal transfer between WT SOD1, ALS-variant SOD1 (E100K, E100G, D90A), and triply deamidated SOD1 (modeled with N26D/N131D/N139D substitutions). We determined that rates of subunit exchange between apo dimers and metalated dimers-expressed as time to reach 30% heterodimer-ranged from t30% = 67.75 ± 9.08 to 338.53 ± 26.95 min; free energies of heterodimerization ranged from ΔGHet = -1.21 ± 0.31 to -3.06 ± 0.12 kJ/mol. Rates and ΔGHet values of partially metalated heterodimers were more similar to those of fully metalated heterodimers than apo heterodimers, and largely independent of which subunit (mutant or WT) was metal-replete or metal-free. Mass spectrometry and capillary electrophoresis demonstrated that mutant or WT 4Zn-SOD1 could transfer up to two equivalents of Zn2+ to mutant or WT apo-SOD1 (at rates faster than the rate of heterodimerization). This result suggests that zinc-replete SOD1 can function as a chaperone to deliver Zn2+ to apo-SOD1, and that WT apo-SOD1 might increase the toxicity of mutant SOD1 by stealing its Zn2+.
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Lu G, Wang Y, Shi Y, Zhang Z, Huang C, He W, Wang C, Shen H. Autophagy in health and disease: From molecular mechanisms to therapeutic target. MedComm (Beijing) 2022; 3:e150. [PMID: 35845350 PMCID: PMC9271889 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Macroautophagy/autophagy is an evolutionally conserved catabolic process in which cytosolic contents, such as aggregated proteins, dysfunctional organelle, or invading pathogens, are sequestered by the double-membrane structure termed autophagosome and delivered to lysosome for degradation. Over the past two decades, autophagy has been extensively studied, from the molecular mechanisms, biological functions, implications in various human diseases, to development of autophagy-related therapeutics. This review will focus on the latest development of autophagy research, covering molecular mechanisms in control of autophagosome biogenesis and autophagosome-lysosome fusion, and the upstream regulatory pathways including the AMPK and MTORC1 pathways. We will also provide a systematic discussion on the implication of autophagy in various human diseases, including cancer, neurodegenerative disorders (Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, Huntington's disease, and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), metabolic diseases (obesity and diabetes), viral infection especially SARS-Cov-2 and COVID-19, cardiovascular diseases (cardiac ischemia/reperfusion and cardiomyopathy), and aging. Finally, we will also summarize the development of pharmacological agents that have therapeutic potential for clinical applications via targeting the autophagy pathway. It is believed that decades of hard work on autophagy research is eventually to bring real and tangible benefits for improvement of human health and control of human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guang Lu
- Department of Physiology, Zhongshan School of MedicineSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Yu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic MedicineSichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center for BiotherapyChengduChina
| | - Yin Shi
- Department of BiochemistryZhejiang University School of MedicineHangzhouChina
| | - Zhe Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic MedicineSichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center for BiotherapyChengduChina
| | - Canhua Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic MedicineSichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center for BiotherapyChengduChina
| | - Weifeng He
- State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Institute of Burn ResearchSouthwest HospitalArmy Medical UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Chuang Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Provincial Key Laboratory of PathophysiologyNingbo University School of MedicineNingboZhejiangChina
| | - Han‐Ming Shen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ministry of Education Frontiers Science Center for Precision OncologyUniversity of MacauMacauChina
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Synucleinopathy in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Potential Avenue for Antisense Therapeutics? Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23169364. [PMID: 36012622 PMCID: PMC9409035 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23169364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common adult-onset motor neuron disease classified as both a neurodegenerative and neuromuscular disorder. With a complex aetiology and no current cure for ALS, broadening the understanding of disease pathology and therapeutic avenues is required to progress with patient care. Alpha-synuclein (αSyn) is a hallmark for disease in neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, Lewy body dementia, and multiple system atrophy. A growing body of evidence now suggests that αSyn may also play a pathological role in ALS, with αSyn-positive Lewy bodies co-aggregating alongside known ALS pathogenic proteins, such as SOD1 and TDP-43. This review endeavours to capture the scope of literature regarding the aetiology and development of ALS and its commonalities with "synucleinopathy disorders". We will discuss the involvement of αSyn in ALS and motor neuron disease pathology, and the current theories and strategies for therapeutics in ALS treatment, as well as those targeting αSyn for synucleinopathies, with a core focus on small molecule RNA technologies.
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Marlin E, Viu-Idocin C, Arrasate M, Aragón T. The Role and Therapeutic Potential of the Integrated Stress Response in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23147823. [PMID: 35887167 PMCID: PMC9321386 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23147823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients, loss of cellular homeostasis within cortical and spinal cord motor neurons triggers the activation of the integrated stress response (ISR), an intracellular signaling pathway that remodels translation and promotes a gene expression program aimed at coping with stress. Beyond its neuroprotective role, under regimes of chronic or excessive stress, ISR can also promote cell/neuronal death. Given the two-edged sword nature of ISR, many experimental attempts have tried to establish the therapeutic potential of ISR enhancement or inhibition in ALS. This review discusses the complex interplay between ISR and disease progression in different models of ALS, as well as the opportunities and limitations of ISR modulation in the hard quest to find an effective therapy for ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elías Marlin
- Neuroscience Program, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain;
- Gene Therapy and Regulation of Gene Expression Program, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
- School of Medicine, University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
- Neuroscience Department, Navarra Institute for Health Research (IdiSNA), University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | | | - Montserrat Arrasate
- Neuroscience Program, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain;
- School of Medicine, University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
- Neuroscience Department, Navarra Institute for Health Research (IdiSNA), University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
- Correspondence: (M.A.); (T.A.)
| | - Tomás Aragón
- Gene Therapy and Regulation of Gene Expression Program, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
- Neuroscience Department, Navarra Institute for Health Research (IdiSNA), University of Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
- Correspondence: (M.A.); (T.A.)
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Gene Therapy in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Cells 2022; 11:cells11132066. [PMID: 35805149 PMCID: PMC9265980 DOI: 10.3390/cells11132066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the discovery of Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) gene mutation, in 1993, as the first genetic abnormality in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), over 50 genes have been identified as either cause or modifier in ALS and ALS/frontotemporal dementia (FTD) spectrum disease. Mutations in C9orf72, SOD1, TAR DNA binding protein 43 (TARDBP), and fused in sarcoma (FUS) genes are the four most common ones. During the last three decades, tremendous effort has been made worldwide to reveal biological pathways underlying the pathogenesis of these gene mutations in ALS/FTD. Accordingly, targeting etiologic genes (i.e., gene therapies) to suppress their toxic effects have been investigated widely. It includes four major strategies: (i) removal or inhibition of abnormal transcribed RNA using microRNA or antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), (ii) degradation of abnormal mRNA using RNA interference (RNAi), (iii) decrease or inhibition of mutant proteins (e.g., using antibodies against misfolded proteins), and (iv) DNA genome editing with methods such as clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein (CRISPR/Cas). The promising results of these studies have led to the application of some of these strategies into ALS clinical trials, especially for C9orf72 and SOD1. In this paper, we will overview advances in gene therapy in ALS/FTD, focusing on C9orf72, SOD1, TARDBP, and FUS genes.
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Tan HY, Yong YK, Xue YC, Liu H, Furihata T, Shankar EM, Ng CS. cGAS and DDX41-STING mediated intrinsic immunity spreads intercellularly to promote neuroinflammation in SOD1 ALS model. iScience 2022; 25:104404. [PMID: 35712074 PMCID: PMC9194172 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104404] [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: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroinflammation exacerbates the progression of SOD1-driven amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), although the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Herein, we demonstrate that misfolded SOD1 (SOD1Mut)-causing ALS results in mitochondrial damage, thus triggering the release of mtDNA and an RNA:DNA hybrid into the cytosol in an mPTP-independent manner to activate IRF3- and IFNAR-dependent type I interferon (IFN-I) and interferon-stimulating genes. The neuronal hyper-IFN-I and pro-inflammatory responses triggered in ALS-SOD1Mut were sufficiently robust to cause a strong physiological outcome in vitro and in vivo. cGAS/DDX41-STING-signaling is amplified in bystander cells through inter-neuronal gap junctions. Our results highlight the importance of a common DNA-sensing pathway between SOD1 and TDP-43 in influencing the progression of ALS. Constitutive basal activation of IFN-I was found in the SOD1-ALS animal model SOD1-ALS damaged mitochondria to release mtDNA and RNA:DNA to activate the STING-pathway Blocking cGAS and STING diminishes neurodegeneration in vivo in the SOD1-ALS model Connexin and pannexin channels are required to propagate neuroinflammation in SOD1-ALS
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Yien Tan
- Laboratory Centre, Xiamen University Malaysia, Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia.,School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xiamen University Malaysia, Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Yean Kong Yong
- Laboratory Centre, Xiamen University Malaysia, Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Yuan Chao Xue
- Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, St Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Huitao Liu
- Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, St Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Tomomi Furihata
- Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacy and Experimental Therapeutics, School of Pharmacy, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Esaki Muthu Shankar
- Infection Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Central University of Tamil Nadu, Thiruvarur, India
| | - Chen Seng Ng
- China-ASEAN College of Marine Sciences, Xiamen University Malaysia, Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia
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43
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Lambert-Smith IA, Saunders DN, Yerbury JJ. Progress in biophysics and molecular biology proteostasis impairment and ALS. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 174:3-27. [PMID: 35716729 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2022.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rapidly progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disease that results from the loss of both upper and lower motor neurons. It is the most common motor neuron disease and currently has no effective treatment. There is mounting evidence to suggest that disturbances in proteostasis play a significant role in ALS pathogenesis. Proteostasis is the maintenance of the proteome at the right level, conformation and location to allow a cell to perform its intended function. In this review, we present a thorough synthesis of the literature that provides evidence that genetic mutations associated with ALS cause imbalance to a proteome that is vulnerable to such pressure due to its metastable nature. We propose that the mechanism underlying motor neuron death caused by defects in mRNA metabolism and protein degradation pathways converges on proteostasis dysfunction. We propose that the proteostasis network may provide an effective target for therapeutic development in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella A Lambert-Smith
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW, Australia; Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Darren N Saunders
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Justin J Yerbury
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW, Australia; Molecular Horizons and School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
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44
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Liu Y, Andreucci A, Iwamoto N, Yin Y, Yang H, Liu F, Bulychev A, Hu XS, Lin X, Lamore S, Patil S, Mohapatra S, Purcell-Estabrook E, Taborn K, Dale E, Vargeese C. Preclinical evaluation of WVE-004, aninvestigational stereopure oligonucleotide forthe treatment of C9orf72-associated ALS or FTD. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2022; 28:558-570. [PMID: 35592494 PMCID: PMC9092894 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2022.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
A large hexanucleotide (G4C2) repeat expansion in the first intronic region of C9orf72 is the most common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain how the repeat expansion drives disease, and we hypothesize that a variant-selective approach, in which transcripts affected by the repeat expansion are preferentially decreased, has the potential to address most of them. We report a stereopure antisense oligonucleotide, WVE-004, that executes this variant-selective mechanism of action. WVE-004 dose-dependently and selectively reduces repeat-containing transcripts in patient-derived motor neurons carrying a C9orf72-repeat expansion, as well as in the spinal cord and cortex of C9 BAC transgenic mice. In mice, selective transcript knockdown was accompanied by substantial decreases in dipeptide-repeat proteins, which are pathological biomarkers associated with the repeat expansion, and by preservation of healthy C9orf72 protein expression. These in vivo effects were durable, persisting for at least 6 months. These data support the advancement of WVE-004 as an investigational stereopure antisense oligonucleotide targeting C9orf72 for the treatment of C9orf72-associated ALS or FTD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanjing Liu
- Wave Life Sciences, 733 Concord Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Amy Andreucci
- Wave Life Sciences, 733 Concord Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Naoki Iwamoto
- Wave Life Sciences, 733 Concord Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Yuan Yin
- Wave Life Sciences, 733 Concord Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Hailin Yang
- Wave Life Sciences, 733 Concord Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Fangjun Liu
- Wave Life Sciences, 733 Concord Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Alexey Bulychev
- Wave Life Sciences, 733 Concord Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Xiao Shelley Hu
- Wave Life Sciences, 733 Concord Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Xuena Lin
- Wave Life Sciences, 733 Concord Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Sarah Lamore
- Wave Life Sciences, 733 Concord Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Saurabh Patil
- Wave Life Sciences, 733 Concord Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | | | | | - Kristin Taborn
- Wave Life Sciences, 733 Concord Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Elena Dale
- Wave Life Sciences, 733 Concord Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Chandra Vargeese
- Wave Life Sciences, 733 Concord Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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45
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Alaskarov A, Barel S, Bakavayev S, Kahn J, Israelson A. MIF homolog d-dopachrome tautomerase (D-DT/MIF-2) does not inhibit accumulation and toxicity of misfolded SOD1. Sci Rep 2022; 12:9570. [PMID: 35688953 PMCID: PMC9187739 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-13744-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by loss of upper and lower motor neurons. About 20% of familial ALS cases are caused by dominant mutations in SOD1. It has been suggested that toxicity of mutant SOD1 results from its misfolding, however, it is unclear why misfolded SOD1 accumulates within specific tissues. We have demonstrated that macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), a multifunctional protein with cytokine/chemokine and chaperone-like activity, inhibits the accumulation and aggregation of misfolded SOD1. Although MIF homolog, D-dopachrome tautomerase (D-DT/MIF-2), shares structural and genetic similarities with MIF, its biological function is not well understood. In the current study, we investigated, for the first time, the mechanism of action of D-DT in a model of ALS. We show that D-DT inhibits mutant SOD1 amyloid aggregation in vitro, promoting the formation of amorphous aggregates. Moreover, we report that D-DT interacts with mutant SOD1, but does not inhibit misfolded mutant SOD1 accumulation and toxicity in neuronal cells. Finally, we show that D-DT is expressed mainly in liver and kidney, with extremely low expression in brain and spinal cord of adult mice. Our findings contribute to better understanding of D-DT versus MIF function in the context of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amina Alaskarov
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences and The Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Shir Barel
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences and The Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Shamchal Bakavayev
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences and The Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Joy Kahn
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences and The Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Adrian Israelson
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences and The Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O.B. 653, 84105, Beer Sheva, Israel.
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46
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Ondaro J, Hernandez-Eguiazu H, Garciandia-Arcelus M, Loera-Valencia R, Rodriguez-Gómez L, Jiménez-Zúñiga A, Goikolea J, Rodriguez-Rodriguez P, Ruiz-Martinez J, Moreno F, Lopez de Munain A, Holt IJ, Gil-Bea FJ, Gereñu G. Defects of Nutrient Signaling and Autophagy in Neurodegeneration. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:836196. [PMID: 35419363 PMCID: PMC8996160 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.836196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurons are post-mitotic cells that allocate huge amounts of energy to the synthesis of new organelles and molecules, neurotransmission and to the maintenance of redox homeostasis. In neurons, autophagy is not only crucial to ensure organelle renewal but it is also essential to balance nutritional needs through the mobilization of internal energy stores. A delicate crosstalk between the pathways that sense nutritional status of the cell and the autophagic processes to recycle organelles and macronutrients is fundamental to guarantee the proper functioning of the neuron in times of energy scarcity. This review provides a detailed overview of the pathways and processes involved in the balance of cellular energy mediated by autophagy, which when defective, precipitate the neurodegenerative cascade of Parkinson’s disease, frontotemporal dementia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Alzheimer’s disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon Ondaro
- Department of Neuroscience, Biodonostia Health Research Institute (IIS Biodonostia), San Sebastian, Spain.,Center for Biomedical Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Haizea Hernandez-Eguiazu
- Department of Neuroscience, Biodonostia Health Research Institute (IIS Biodonostia), San Sebastian, Spain.,Center for Biomedical Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Maddi Garciandia-Arcelus
- Department of Neuroscience, Biodonostia Health Research Institute (IIS Biodonostia), San Sebastian, Spain.,Center for Biomedical Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Raúl Loera-Valencia
- Department of Neurology, Care Sciences and Society, Center for Alzheimer Research, Karolinska Institutet (KI), Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Laura Rodriguez-Gómez
- Department of Neuroscience, Biodonostia Health Research Institute (IIS Biodonostia), San Sebastian, Spain.,Center for Biomedical Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Andrés Jiménez-Zúñiga
- Department of Neuroscience, Biodonostia Health Research Institute (IIS Biodonostia), San Sebastian, Spain.,Center for Biomedical Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Julen Goikolea
- Department of Neurology, Care Sciences and Society, Center for Alzheimer Research, Karolinska Institutet (KI), Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Patricia Rodriguez-Rodriguez
- Department of Neurology, Care Sciences and Society, Center for Alzheimer Research, Karolinska Institutet (KI), Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Javier Ruiz-Martinez
- Department of Neuroscience, Biodonostia Health Research Institute (IIS Biodonostia), San Sebastian, Spain.,Center for Biomedical Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain.,Donostia University Hospital, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Fermín Moreno
- Department of Neuroscience, Biodonostia Health Research Institute (IIS Biodonostia), San Sebastian, Spain.,Center for Biomedical Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain.,Donostia University Hospital, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Adolfo Lopez de Munain
- Department of Neuroscience, Biodonostia Health Research Institute (IIS Biodonostia), San Sebastian, Spain.,Center for Biomedical Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain.,Donostia University Hospital, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Ian James Holt
- Department of Neuroscience, Biodonostia Health Research Institute (IIS Biodonostia), San Sebastian, Spain.,Center for Biomedical Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom.,IKERBASQUE Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Francisco Javier Gil-Bea
- Department of Neuroscience, Biodonostia Health Research Institute (IIS Biodonostia), San Sebastian, Spain.,Center for Biomedical Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Gorka Gereñu
- Department of Neuroscience, Biodonostia Health Research Institute (IIS Biodonostia), San Sebastian, Spain.,Center for Biomedical Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of Basque Country (UPV-EHU), Leioa, Spain
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47
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Nakaya T. A specific gene-splicing alteration in the SNRNP70 gene as a hallmark of an ALS subtype. Gene 2022; 818:146203. [PMID: 35101583 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.146203] [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: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has been considered as one of the progressive neurodegenerative diseases. Numerous genetic factors in divergent molecular pathways have been identified as causative factors of ALS. However, the underlying molecular mechanism that causes this disease remains undetermined; as a result, this has driven the search to find consensus disease-specific hallmarks. In this study, we focused on the alteration of the ratio of two specific gene-splicing events in the SNRNP70 gene from RNA-seq data derived from patients with ALS and control subjects. The splicing profile was significantly and specifically changed in one previously identified ALS subtype. Conversely, the gene expression profile of other ALS cases containing a splicing alteration in the SNRNP70 gene was similar to that of the subtype, whereas ALS cases without this change have exhibited less similarity. These results indicate that this splicing event in the SNRNP70 gene could represent a novel and broadly applicable molecular hallmark of a subtype of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tadashi Nakaya
- School of Pharmacy at Fukuoka, International University of Health and Welfare, Fukuoka 831-8501, Japan.
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48
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Barbato G, Nisticò R, Triaca V. Exploiting Focused Ultrasound to Aid Intranasal Drug Delivery for Brain Therapy. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:786475. [PMID: 35496270 PMCID: PMC9046653 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.786475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Novel effective therapeutic strategies are needed to treat brain neurodegenerative diseases and to improve the quality of life of patients affected by Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), Huntington’s disease (HD), Amyotrophic Lateral sclerosis (ALS) as well as other brain conditions. At present no effective treatment options are available; current therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) improve cognitive symptoms only transiently and in a minor number of patients. Further, most of the amyloid-based phase III clinical trials recently failed in AD, in spite of promising preclinical and phase I-II clinical trials, further pinpointing the need for a better knowledge of the early mechanisms of disease as well as of more effective routes of drug administration. In fact, beyond common pathological events and molecular substrates, each of these diseases preferentially affect defined subpopulations of neurons in specific neuronal circuits (selective neuronal vulnerability), leading to the typical age-related clinical profile. In this perspective, key to successful drug discovery is a robust and reproducible biological validation of potential new molecular targets together with a concomitant set up of protocols/tools for efficient and targeted brain delivery to a specific area of interest. Here we propose and discuss Focused UltraSound aided drug administration as a specific and novel technical approach to achieve optimal concentration of the drug at the target area of interest. We will focus on drug delivery to the brain through the nasal route coupled to FUS as a promising approach to achieve neuroprotection and rescue of cognitive decline in several NDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaetano Barbato
- Inno-Sol Srl, Rome, Italy
- Department of Biology, School of Pharmacy, University of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
- *Correspondence: Gaetano Barbato, ; Robert Nisticò, ; Viviana Triaca,
| | - Robert Nisticò
- Department of Biology, School of Pharmacy, University of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
- Laboratory of Pharmacology of Synaptic Plasticity, Fondazione EBRI Rita Levi Montalcini, Rome, Italy
- *Correspondence: Gaetano Barbato, ; Robert Nisticò, ; Viviana Triaca,
| | - Viviana Triaca
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology (IBBC), National Research Council (CNR), International Campus A. Buzzati-Traverso, Rome, Italy
- *Correspondence: Gaetano Barbato, ; Robert Nisticò, ; Viviana Triaca,
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49
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Xu H, Jia C, Cheng C, Wu H, Cai H, Le W. Activation of autophagy attenuates motor deficits and extends lifespan in a C. elegans model of ALS. Free Radic Biol Med 2022; 181:52-61. [PMID: 35114355 PMCID: PMC8996503 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2022.01.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) are linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Using a line of ALS-related mutant human SOD1 (hSOD1) transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans, we determined the effects of metformin on the progression of ALS-like pathological abnormalities. We found that metformin significantly extended the lifespan, improved motor performance, and enhanced antioxidant activity of mutant worms. We further showed that metformin enhanced expression of lgg-1, daf-16, skn-1 and other genes known to regulate autophagy, longevity and oxidative stress in hSOD1 transgenic worms. Accordingly, overexpression of lgg-1 or daf-16 attenuated the aging and pathological abnormalities of mutant human SOD1 worms, while genetic deletion of lgg-1 or daf-16 abolished the beneficial effects of metformin. Collectively, we demonstrate that metformin protects against mutant SOD1-induced cytotoxicity in part through enhancement of autophagy and extends lifespan through daf-16 pathway. Our findings suggest that metformin could be further explored as a potential therapeutic agent in treating ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Xu
- Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory for Research on the Pathogenic Mechanisms of Neurological Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116021, China
| | - Congcong Jia
- Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory for Research on the Pathogenic Mechanisms of Neurological Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116021, China
| | - Cheng Cheng
- Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory for Research on the Pathogenic Mechanisms of Neurological Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116021, China
| | - Haifeng Wu
- Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory for Research on the Pathogenic Mechanisms of Neurological Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116021, China
| | - Huaibin Cai
- Transgenic Section, Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Aging (NIA), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Weidong Le
- Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory for Research on the Pathogenic Mechanisms of Neurological Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116021, China; Institute of Neurology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences-Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu, 610072, China.
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50
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Yan L, Guo MS, Zhang Y, Yu L, Wu JM, Tang Y, Ai W, Zhu FD, Law BYK, Chen Q, Yu CL, Wong VKW, Li H, Li M, Zhou XG, Qin DL, Wu AG. Dietary Plant Polyphenols as the Potential Drugs in Neurodegenerative Diseases: Current Evidence, Advances, and Opportunities. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2022; 2022:5288698. [PMID: 35237381 PMCID: PMC8885204 DOI: 10.1155/2022/5288698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and Huntington's disease (HD), are characterized by the progressive degeneration of neurons. Although the etiology and pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases have been studied intensively, the mechanism is still in its infancy. In general, most neurodegenerative diseases share common molecular mechanisms, and multiple risks interact and promote the pathologic process of neurogenerative diseases. At present, most of the approved drugs only alleviate the clinical symptoms but fail to cure neurodegenerative diseases. Numerous studies indicate that dietary plant polyphenols are safe and exhibit potent neuroprotective effects in various neurodegenerative diseases. However, low bioavailability is the biggest obstacle for polyphenol that largely limits its adoption from evidence into clinical practice. In this review, we summarized the widely recognized mechanisms associated with neurodegenerative diseases, such as misfolded proteins, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative damage, and neuroinflammatory responses. In addition, we summarized the research advances about the neuroprotective effect of the most widely reported dietary plant polyphenols. Moreover, we discussed the current clinical study and application of polyphenols and the factors that result in low bioavailability, such as poor stability and low permeability across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). In the future, the improvement of absorption and stability, modification of structure and formulation, and the combination therapy will provide more opportunities from the laboratory into the clinic for polyphenols. Lastly, we hope that the present review will encourage further researches on natural dietary polyphenols in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Yan
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Druggability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy; Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, College of Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Min-Song Guo
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Druggability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy; Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, College of Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Yue Zhang
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Druggability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy; Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, College of Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Lu Yu
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Druggability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy; Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, College of Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Jian-Ming Wu
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Druggability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy; Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, College of Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Yong Tang
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Druggability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy; Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, College of Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
| | - Wei Ai
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Druggability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy; Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, College of Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Feng-Dan Zhu
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Druggability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy; Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, College of Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Betty Yuen-Kwan Law
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
| | - Qi Chen
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Druggability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy; Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, College of Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
- Department of Nursing, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Chong-Lin Yu
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Druggability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy; Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, College of Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Vincent Kam-Wai Wong
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
| | - Hua Li
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Druggability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy; Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, College of Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Mao Li
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Druggability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy; Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, College of Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Xiao-Gang Zhou
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Druggability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy; Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, College of Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Da-Lian Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau SAR, China
| | - An-Guo Wu
- Sichuan Key Medical Laboratory of New Drug Discovery and Druggability Evaluation, Luzhou Key Laboratory of Activity Screening and Druggability Evaluation for Chinese Materia Medica, School of Pharmacy; Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, College of Preclinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
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