1
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Kenney-Jung DL, Collazo-Lopez JE, Rogers DJ, Shanley R, Zatkalik AL, Whitmarsh AE, Roberts AE, Zenker M, Pierpont EI. Epilepsy in cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome: Clinical burden and response to anti-seizure medication. Am J Med Genet A 2024; 194:301-310. [PMID: 37827855 PMCID: PMC10843452 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.63428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Treatment-resistant epilepsy is among the most serious complications of cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome (CFCS), a rare disorder caused by germline variants in the RAS-MAPK signaling pathway. This study analyzed the clinical characteristics of epilepsy and response to anti-seizure medications (ASMs) in a multinational CFCS cohort. A caregiver survey provided data regarding seizure history, use of ASMs and other treatment approaches, adverse effects, caregiver perception of treatment response, and neurological disease burden impact among individuals with CFCS. Results from 138 survey responses were quantitatively analyzed in conjunction with molecular genetic results and neurological records. The disease burden impact of CFCS was higher among individuals with epilepsy (n = 74/138), especially those with more severe seizure presentation. Oxcarbazepine, a sodium-channel blocker, had the best seizure control profile with relatively infrequent adverse effects. The most commonly prescribed ASM, levetiracetam, demonstrated comparatively poor seizure control. ASM efficacy was generally similar for individuals with BRAF and MAP2K1 gene variants. The high proportion of patients with CFCS who experienced poor seizure control despite use of multiple ASMs highlights a substantial unmet treatment need. Prospective study of ASM efficacy and clinical trials of therapies to attenuate RAS-MAPK signaling may improve avenues for clinical management.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Josue E. Collazo-Lopez
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota Medical School
- Ponce Health Sciences University
| | - Dante J. Rogers
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota Medical School
| | - Ryan Shanley
- Biostatistical Design and Analysis Center, Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Minnesota Medical School
| | | | | | - Amy E. Roberts
- Department of Cardiology and Department of Pediatrics, Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Childrens Hospital
| | - Martin Zenker
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg
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2
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Yi JS, Perla S, Bennett AM. An Assessment of the Therapeutic Landscape for the Treatment of Heart Disease in the RASopathies. Cardiovasc Drugs Ther 2023; 37:1193-1204. [PMID: 35156148 DOI: 10.1007/s10557-022-07324-0] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The RAS/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway controls a plethora of developmental and post-developmental processes. It is now clear that mutations in the RAS-MAPK pathway cause developmental diseases collectively referred to as the RASopathies. The RASopathies include Noonan syndrome, Noonan syndrome with multiple lentigines, cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome, neurofibromatosis type 1, and Costello syndrome. RASopathy patients exhibit a wide spectrum of congenital heart defects (CHD), such as valvular abnormalities and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Since the cardiovascular defects are the most serious and recurrent cause of mortality in RASopathy patients, it is critical to understand the pathological signaling mechanisms that drive the disease. Therapies for the treatment of HCM and other RASopathy-associated comorbidities have yet to be fully realized. Recent developments have shown promise for the use of repurposed antineoplastic drugs that target the RAS-MAPK pathway for the treatment of RASopathy-associated HCM. However, given the impact of the RAS-MAPK pathway in post-developmental physiology, establishing safety and evaluating risk when treating children will be paramount. As such insight provided by preclinical and clinical information will be critical. This review will highlight the cardiovascular manifestations caused by the RASopathies and will discuss the emerging therapies for treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae-Sung Yi
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, SHM B226D, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06520-8066, USA
| | - Sravan Perla
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, SHM B226D, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06520-8066, USA
| | - Anton M Bennett
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, SHM B226D, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06520-8066, USA.
- Yale Center for Molecular and Systems Metabolism, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.
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3
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Kundishora AJ, Allington G, McGee S, Mekbib KY, Gainullin V, Timberlake AT, Nelson-Williams C, Kiziltug E, Smith H, Ocken J, Shohfi J, Allocco A, Duy PQ, Elsamadicy AA, Dong W, Zhao S, Wang YC, Qureshi HM, DiLuna ML, Mane S, Tikhonova IR, Fu PY, Castaldi C, López-Giráldez F, Knight JR, Furey CG, Carter BS, Haider S, Moreno-De-Luca A, Alper SL, Gunel M, Millan F, Lifton RP, Torene RI, Jin SC, Kahle KT. Multiomic analyses implicate a neurodevelopmental program in the pathogenesis of cerebral arachnoid cysts. Nat Med 2023; 29:667-678. [PMID: 36879130 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-023-02238-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
Cerebral arachnoid cysts (ACs) are one of the most common and poorly understood types of developmental brain lesion. To begin to elucidate AC pathogenesis, we performed an integrated analysis of 617 patient-parent (trio) exomes, 152,898 human brain and mouse meningeal single-cell RNA sequencing transcriptomes and natural language processing data of patient medical records. We found that damaging de novo variants (DNVs) were highly enriched in patients with ACs compared with healthy individuals (P = 1.57 × 10-33). Seven genes harbored an exome-wide significant DNV burden. AC-associated genes were enriched for chromatin modifiers and converged in midgestational transcription networks essential for neural and meningeal development. Unsupervised clustering of patient phenotypes identified four AC subtypes and clinical severity correlated with the presence of a damaging DNV. These data provide insights into the coordinated regulation of brain and meningeal development and implicate epigenomic dysregulation due to DNVs in AC pathogenesis. Our results provide a preliminary indication that, in the appropriate clinical context, ACs may be considered radiographic harbingers of neurodevelopmental pathology warranting genetic testing and neurobehavioral follow-up. These data highlight the utility of a systems-level, multiomics approach to elucidate sporadic structural brain disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam J Kundishora
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Garrett Allington
- Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Kedous Y Mekbib
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Andrew T Timberlake
- Hansjörg Wyss Department of Plastic Surgery, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Emre Kiziltug
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Hannah Smith
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jack Ocken
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - John Shohfi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - August Allocco
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Phan Q Duy
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Aladine A Elsamadicy
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Weilai Dong
- Laboratory of Human Genetics and Genomics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Shujuan Zhao
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Yung-Chun Wang
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Hanya M Qureshi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Michael L DiLuna
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Shrikant Mane
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Yale Center for Genomic Analysis, Yale University, West Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Po-Ying Fu
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | | | | | - James R Knight
- Yale Center for Genomic Analysis, Yale University, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Charuta G Furey
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Bob S Carter
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Shozeb Haider
- School of Pharmacy, University College London, London, UK
| | - Andres Moreno-De-Luca
- Department of Radiology, Autism and Developmental Medicine Institute, Genomic Medicine Institute, Geisinger, Danville, PA, USA
| | - Seth L Alper
- Division of Nephrology and Vascular Biology Research Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Murat Gunel
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Richard P Lifton
- Laboratory of Human Genetics and Genomics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Sheng Chih Jin
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Kristopher T Kahle
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Department of Neurosurgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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4
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Moriizumi H, Kubota Y, Tsuchiya T, Naka R, Takekawa M. Caspase 3-specific cleavage of MEK1 suppresses ERK signaling and sensitizes cells to stress-induced apoptosis. FEBS Open Bio 2023; 13:684-700. [PMID: 36776127 PMCID: PMC10068311 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.13574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Proper regulation of apoptotic cell death is crucial for normal development and homeostasis in multicellular organisms and is achieved by the balance between pro-apoptotic processes, such as caspase activation, and pro-survival signaling, such as extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation. However, the functional interplay between these opposing signaling pathways remains incompletely understood. Here, we identified MAPK/ERK kinase (MEK) 1, a central component of the ERK pathway, as a specific substrate for the executioner caspase-3. During apoptosis, MEK1 is cleaved at an evolutionarily conserved Asp282 residue in the kinase domain, thereby losing its catalytic activity. Gene knockout experiments showed that MEK1 cleavage was mediated by caspase-3, but not by the other executioner caspases, caspase-6 or -7. Following exposure of cells to osmotic stress, elevated ERK activity gradually decreased, and this was accompanied by increased cleavage of MEK1. In contrast, the expression of a caspase-uncleavable MEK1(D282N) mutant in cells maintained stress-induced ERK activity and thereby attenuated apoptotic cell death. Thus, caspase-3-mediated, proteolytic inhibition of MEK1 sensitizes cells to apoptosis by suppressing pro-survival ERK signaling. Furthermore, we found that a RASopathy-associated MEK1(Y130C) mutation prevented this caspase-3-mediated proteolytic inactivation of MEK1 and efficiently protected cells from stress-induced apoptosis. Our data reveal the functional crosstalk between ERK-mediated cell survival and caspase-mediated cell death pathways and suggest that its dysregulation by a disease-associated MEK1 mutation is at least partly involved in the pathophysiology of congenital RASopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hisashi Moriizumi
- Division of Cell Signaling and Molecular Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yuji Kubota
- Division of Cell Signaling and Molecular Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Tsuchiya
- Division of Cell Signaling and Molecular Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ryosuke Naka
- Division of Cell Signaling and Molecular Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mutsuhiro Takekawa
- Division of Cell Signaling and Molecular Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan
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5
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Kim YE, Kim YS, Lee HE, So KH, Choe Y, Suh BC, Kim JH, Park SK, Mathern GW, Gleeson JG, Rah JC, Baek ST. Reversibility and developmental neuropathology of linear nevus sebaceous syndrome caused by dysregulation of the RAS pathway. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112003. [PMID: 36641749 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112003] [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: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Linear nevus sebaceous syndrome (LNSS) is a neurocutaneous disorder caused by somatic gain-of-function mutations in KRAS or HRAS. LNSS brains have neurodevelopmental defects, including cerebral defects and epilepsy; however, its pathological mechanism and potentials for treatment are largely unclear. We show that introduction of KRASG12V in the developing mouse cortex results in subcortical nodular heterotopia and enhanced excitability, recapitulating major pathological manifestations of LNSS. Moreover, we show that decreased firing frequency of inhibitory neurons without KRASG12V expression leads to disrupted excitation and inhibition balance. Transcriptional profiling after destabilization domain-mediated clearance of KRASG12V in human neural progenitors and differentiating neurons identifies reversible functional networks underlying LNSS. Neurons expressing KRASG12V show molecular changes associated with delayed neuronal maturation, most of which are restored by KRASG12V clearance. These findings provide insights into the molecular networks underlying the reversibility of some of the neuropathologies observed in LNSS caused by dysregulation of the RAS pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Eun Kim
- Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), 7 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Seok Kim
- Korea Brain Research Institute (KBRI), 61 Choemdan-Ro, Dong-Gu, Daegu 41062, Republic of Korea; Department of Brain Sciences, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu 42988, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee-Eun Lee
- Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), 7 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Ki Hurn So
- Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), 7 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Youngshik Choe
- Korea Brain Research Institute (KBRI), 61 Choemdan-Ro, Dong-Gu, Daegu 41062, Republic of Korea
| | - Byung-Chang Suh
- Department of Brain Sciences, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu 42988, Republic of Korea
| | - Joung-Hun Kim
- Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), 7 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Ki Park
- Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), 7 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Gary W Mathern
- Department of Neurosurgery, Mattel Children's Hospital, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Mattel Children's Hospital, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Joseph G Gleeson
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego (UCSD), La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jong-Cheol Rah
- Korea Brain Research Institute (KBRI), 61 Choemdan-Ro, Dong-Gu, Daegu 41062, Republic of Korea; Department of Brain Sciences, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu 42988, Republic of Korea.
| | - Seung Tae Baek
- Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), 7 Cheongam-Ro, Nam-Gu, Pohang 37673, Republic of Korea.
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6
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Abstract
The RASopathies are a group of disorders caused by a germline mutation in one of the genes encoding a component of the RAS/MAPK pathway. These disorders, including neurofibromatosis type 1, Noonan syndrome, cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome, Costello syndrome and Legius syndrome, among others, have overlapping clinical features due to RAS/MAPK dysfunction. Although several of the RASopathies are very rare, collectively, these disorders are relatively common. In this Review, we discuss the pathogenesis of the RASopathy-associated genetic variants and the knowledge gained about RAS/MAPK signaling that resulted from studying RASopathies. We also describe the cell and animal models of the RASopathies and explore emerging RASopathy genes. Preclinical and clinical experiences with targeted agents as therapeutics for RASopathies are also discussed. Finally, we review how the recently developed drugs targeting RAS/MAPK-driven malignancies, such as inhibitors of RAS activation, direct RAS inhibitors and RAS/MAPK pathway inhibitors, might be leveraged for patients with RASopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie E Hebron
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Edjay Ralph Hernandez
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Marielle E Yohe
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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7
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Fowlkes JL, Thrailkill KM, Bunn RC. RASopathies: The musculoskeletal consequences and their etiology and pathogenesis. Bone 2021; 152:116060. [PMID: 34144233 PMCID: PMC8316423 DOI: 10.1016/j.bone.2021.116060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The RASopathies comprise an ever-growing number of clinical syndromes resulting from germline mutations in components of the RAS/MAPK signaling pathway. While multiple organs and tissues may be affected by these mutations, this review will focus on how these mutations specifically impact the musculoskeletal system. Herein, we review the genetics and musculoskeletal phenotypes of these syndromes in humans. We discuss how mutations in the RASopathy syndromes have been studied in translational mouse models. Finally, we discuss how signaling molecules within the RAS/MAPK pathway are involved in normal and abnormal bone biology in the context of osteoblasts, osteoclasts and chondrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- John L Fowlkes
- University of Kentucky Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, United States of America.
| | - Kathryn M Thrailkill
- University of Kentucky Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, United States of America
| | - R Clay Bunn
- University of Kentucky Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, United States of America
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8
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Vasic V, Jones MSO, Haslinger D, Knaus LS, Schmeisser MJ, Novarino G, Chiocchetti AG. Translating the Role of mTOR- and RAS-Associated Signalopathies in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Models, Mechanisms and Treatment. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12111746. [PMID: 34828352 PMCID: PMC8624393 DOI: 10.3390/genes12111746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations affecting mTOR or RAS signaling underlie defined syndromes (the so-called mTORopathies and RASopathies) with high risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). These syndromes show a broad variety of somatic phenotypes including cancers, skin abnormalities, heart disease and facial dysmorphisms. Less well studied are the neuropsychiatric symptoms such as ASD. Here, we assess the relevance of these signalopathies in ASD reviewing genetic, human cell model, rodent studies and clinical trials. We conclude that signalopathies have an increased liability for ASD and that, in particular, ASD individuals with dysmorphic features and intellectual disability (ID) have a higher chance for disruptive mutations in RAS- and mTOR-related genes. Studies on rodent and human cell models confirm aberrant neuronal development as the underlying pathology. Human studies further suggest that multiple hits are necessary to induce the respective phenotypes. Recent clinical trials do only report improvements for comorbid conditions such as epilepsy or cancer but not for behavioral aspects. Animal models show that treatment during early development can rescue behavioral phenotypes. Taken together, we suggest investigating the differential roles of mTOR and RAS signaling in both human and rodent models, and to test drug treatment both during and after neuronal development in the available model systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verica Vasic
- Institute for Microscopic Anatomy and Neurobiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, 55131 Mainz, Germany; (V.V.); (M.J.S.)
| | - Mattson S. O. Jones
- Autism Therapy and Research Center of Excellence, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, 60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (M.S.O.J.); (D.H.)
- Center for Personalized Translational Epilepsy Research (CePTER), Goethe University Frankfurt, 60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Denise Haslinger
- Autism Therapy and Research Center of Excellence, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, 60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (M.S.O.J.); (D.H.)
- Institute of Science and Technology (IST) Austria, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria; (L.S.K.); (G.N.)
| | - Lisa S. Knaus
- Institute of Science and Technology (IST) Austria, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria; (L.S.K.); (G.N.)
| | - Michael J. Schmeisser
- Institute for Microscopic Anatomy and Neurobiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, 55131 Mainz, Germany; (V.V.); (M.J.S.)
- Focus Program Translational Neurosciences (FTN), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Gaia Novarino
- Institute of Science and Technology (IST) Austria, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria; (L.S.K.); (G.N.)
| | - Andreas G. Chiocchetti
- Autism Therapy and Research Center of Excellence, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, 60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; (M.S.O.J.); (D.H.)
- Center for Personalized Translational Epilepsy Research (CePTER), Goethe University Frankfurt, 60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-69-6301-80658
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9
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Talley MJ, Nardini D, Shabbir N, Ehrman LA, Prada CE, Waclaw RR. Generation of a Mouse Model to Study the Noonan Syndrome Gene Lztr1 in the Telencephalon. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:673995. [PMID: 34222248 PMCID: PMC8242193 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.673995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The leucine zipper-like transcriptional regulator 1 (Lztr1) is a BTB-Kelch domain protein involved in RAS/MAPK pathway regulation. Mutations in LZTR1 are associated with cancers and Noonan syndrome, the most common RASopathy. The expression and function of Lztr1 in the developing brain remains poorly understood. Here we show that Lztr1 is expressed in distinct regions of the telencephalon, the most anterior region of the forebrain. Lztr1 expression was robust in the cortex, amygdala, hippocampus, and oligodendrocytes in the white matter. To gain insight into the impact of Lztr1 deficiency, we generated a conditional knockout (cKO) restricted to the telencephalon using Foxg1IREScre/+. Lztr1 cKOs are viable to postnatal stages and show reduced Lztr1 expression in the telencephalon. Interestingly, Lztr1 cKOs exhibit an increase in MAPK pathway activation in white matter regions and subsequently show an altered expression of stage-specific markers in the oligodendrocyte lineage with increased oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) and decreased markers of oligodendrocyte differentiation. Moreover, Lztr1 cKOs also exhibit an increased expression of the astrocyte marker GFAP. These results highlight the generation of a new mouse model to study Lztr1 deficiency in the brain and reveal a novel role for Lztr1 in normal oligodendrocyte and astrocyte development in the telencephalon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Jo Talley
- Graduate Program in Molecular and Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Diana Nardini
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Nisha Shabbir
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Lisa A Ehrman
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Carlos E Prada
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Ronald R Waclaw
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States.,Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
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10
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Lauri A, Fasano G, Venditti M, Dallapiccola B, Tartaglia M. In vivo Functional Genomics for Undiagnosed Patients: The Impact of Small GTPases Signaling Dysregulation at Pan-Embryo Developmental Scale. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:642235. [PMID: 34124035 PMCID: PMC8194860 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.642235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
While individually rare, disorders affecting development collectively represent a substantial clinical, psychological, and socioeconomic burden to patients, families, and society. Insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying these disorders are required to speed up diagnosis, improve counseling, and optimize management toward targeted therapies. Genome sequencing is now unveiling previously unexplored genetic variations in undiagnosed patients, which require functional validation and mechanistic understanding, particularly when dealing with novel nosologic entities. Functional perturbations of key regulators acting on signals' intersections of evolutionarily conserved pathways in these pathological conditions hinder the fine balance between various developmental inputs governing morphogenesis and homeostasis. However, the distinct mechanisms by which these hubs orchestrate pathways to ensure the developmental coordinates are poorly understood. Integrative functional genomics implementing quantitative in vivo models of embryogenesis with subcellular precision in whole organisms contribute to answering these questions. Here, we review the current knowledge on genes and mechanisms critically involved in developmental syndromes and pediatric cancers, revealed by genomic sequencing and in vivo models such as insects, worms and fish. We focus on the monomeric GTPases of the RAS superfamily and their influence on crucial developmental signals and processes. We next discuss the effectiveness of exponentially growing functional assays employing tractable models to identify regulatory crossroads. Unprecedented sophistications are now possible in zebrafish, i.e., genome editing with single-nucleotide precision, nanoimaging, highly resolved recording of multiple small molecules activity, and simultaneous monitoring of brain circuits and complex behavioral response. These assets permit accurate real-time reporting of dynamic small GTPases-controlled processes in entire organisms, owning the potential to tackle rare disease mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Lauri
- Genetics and Rare Diseases Research Division, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Marco Tartaglia
- Genetics and Rare Diseases Research Division, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
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11
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Talley MJ, Nardini D, Qin S, Prada CE, Ehrman LA, Waclaw RR. A role for sustained MAPK activity in the mouse ventral telencephalon. Dev Biol 2021; 476:137-147. [PMID: 33775695 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2021.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Revised: 03/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The MAPK pathway is a major growth signal that has been implicated during the development of progenitors, neurons, and glia in the embryonic brain. Here, we show that the MAPK pathway plays an important role in the generation of distinct cell types from progenitors in the ventral telencephalon. Our data reveal that phospho-p44/42 (called p-ERK1/2) and the ETS transcription factor Etv5, both downstream effectors in the MAPK pathway, show a regional bias in expression during ventral telencephalic development, with enriched expression in the dorsal region of the LGE and ventral region of the MGE at E13.5 and E15.5. Interestingly, expression of both factors becomes more uniform in ventricular zone (VZ) progenitors by E18.5. To gain insight into the role of MAPK activity during progenitor cell development, we used a cre inducible constitutively active MEK1 allele (RosaMEK1DD/+) in combination with a ventral telencephalon enriched cre (Gsx2e-cre) or a dorsal telencephalon enriched cre (Emx1cre/+). Sustained MEK/MAPK activity in the ventral telencephalon (Gsx2e-cre; RosaMEK1DD/+) expanded dorsal lateral ganglionic eminence (dLGE) enriched genes (Gsx2 and Sp8) and oligodendrocyte progenitor cell (OPC) markers (Olig2, Pdgfrα, and Sox10), and also reduced markers in the ventral (v) LGE domain (Isl1 and Foxp1). Activation of MEK/MAPK activity in the dorsal telencephalon (Emx1cre/+; RosaMEK1DD/+) did not initially activate the expression of dLGE or OPC genes at E15.5 but ectopic expression of Gsx2 and OPC markers were observed at E18.5. These results support the idea that MAPK activity as readout by p-ERK1/2 and Etv5 expression is enriched in distinct subdomains of ventral telencephalic progenitors during development. In addition, sustained activation of the MEK/MAPK pathway in the ventral or dorsal telencephalon influences dLGE and OPC identity from progenitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Jo Talley
- Graduate Program in Molecular and Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Diana Nardini
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Shenyue Qin
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Carlos E Prada
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Lisa A Ehrman
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Ronald R Waclaw
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
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12
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Holter MC, Hewitt LT, Nishimura KJ, Knowles SJ, Bjorklund GR, Shah S, Fry NR, Rees KP, Gupta TA, Daniels CW, Li G, Marsh S, Treiman DM, Olive MF, Anderson TR, Sanabria F, Snider WD, Newbern JM. Hyperactive MEK1 Signaling in Cortical GABAergic Neurons Promotes Embryonic Parvalbumin Neuron Loss and Defects in Behavioral Inhibition. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:3064-3081. [PMID: 33570093 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Many developmental syndromes have been linked to genetic mutations that cause abnormal ERK/MAPK activity; however, the neuropathological effects of hyperactive signaling are not fully understood. Here, we examined whether hyperactivation of MEK1 modifies the development of GABAergic cortical interneurons (CINs), a heterogeneous population of inhibitory neurons necessary for cortical function. We show that GABAergic-neuron specific MEK1 hyperactivation in vivo leads to increased cleaved caspase-3 labeling in a subpopulation of immature neurons in the embryonic subpallial mantle zone. Adult mutants displayed a significant loss of parvalbumin (PV), but not somatostatin, expressing CINs and a reduction in perisomatic inhibitory synapses on excitatory neurons. Surviving mutant PV-CINs maintained a typical fast-spiking phenotype but showed signs of decreased intrinsic excitability that coincided with an increased risk of seizure-like phenotypes. In contrast to other mouse models of PV-CIN loss, we discovered a robust increase in the accumulation of perineuronal nets, an extracellular structure thought to restrict plasticity. Indeed, we found that mutants exhibited a significant impairment in the acquisition of behavioral response inhibition capacity. Overall, our data suggest PV-CIN development is particularly sensitive to hyperactive MEK1 signaling, which may underlie certain neurological deficits frequently observed in ERK/MAPK-linked syndromes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael C Holter
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Lauren T Hewitt
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA.,Interdepartmental Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Kenji J Nishimura
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA.,Interdepartmental Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Sara J Knowles
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | | | - Shiv Shah
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Noah R Fry
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Katherina P Rees
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Tanya A Gupta
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Carter W Daniels
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Guohui Li
- College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA
| | - Steven Marsh
- Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA
| | | | | | - Trent R Anderson
- College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA
| | - Federico Sanabria
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - William D Snider
- University of North Carolina Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Jason M Newbern
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
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13
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Maeda Y, Tidyman WE, Ander BP, Pritchard CA, Rauen KA. Ras/MAPK dysregulation in development causes a skeletal myopathy in an activating Braf L597V mouse model for cardio-facio-cutaneous syndrome. Dev Dyn 2021; 250:1074-1095. [PMID: 33522658 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 01/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cardio-facio-cutaneous (CFC) syndrome is a human multiple congenital anomaly syndrome that is caused by activating heterozygous mutations in either BRAF, MEK1, or MEK2, three protein kinases of the Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. CFC belongs to a group of syndromes known as RASopathies. Skeletal muscle hypotonia is a ubiquitous phenotype of RASopathies, especially in CFC syndrome. To better understand the underlying mechanisms for the skeletal myopathy in CFC, a mouse model with an activating BrafL597V allele was utilized. RESULTS The activating BrafL597V allele resulted in phenotypic alterations in skeletal muscle characterized by a reduction in fiber size which leads to a reduction in muscle size which are functionally weaker. MAPK pathway activation caused inhibition of myofiber differentiation during embryonic myogenesis and global transcriptional dysregulation of developmental pathways. Inhibition in differentiation can be rescued by MEK inhibition. CONCLUSIONS A skeletal myopathy was identified in the CFC BrafL597V mouse validating the use of models to study the effect of Ras/MAPK dysregulation on skeletal myogenesis. RASopathies present a novel opportunity to identify new paradigms of myogenesis and further our understanding of Ras in development. Rescue of the phenotype by inhibitors may help advance the development of therapeutic options for RASopathy patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshiko Maeda
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California, USA.,UC Davis MIND Institute, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - William E Tidyman
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California, USA.,UC Davis MIND Institute, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Bradley P Ander
- UC Davis MIND Institute, Sacramento, California, USA.,Department of Neurology, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Catrin A Pritchard
- Leicester Cancer Research Centre, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Katherine A Rauen
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California, USA.,UC Davis MIND Institute, Sacramento, California, USA
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14
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Castel P, Rauen KA, McCormick F. The duality of human oncoproteins: drivers of cancer and congenital disorders. Nat Rev Cancer 2020; 20:383-397. [PMID: 32341551 PMCID: PMC7787056 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-020-0256-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Human oncoproteins promote transformation of cells into tumours by dysregulating the signalling pathways that are involved in cell growth, proliferation and death. Although oncoproteins were discovered many years ago and have been widely studied in the context of cancer, the recent use of high-throughput sequencing techniques has led to the identification of cancer-associated mutations in other conditions, including many congenital disorders. These syndromes offer an opportunity to study oncoprotein signalling and its biology in the absence of additional driver or passenger mutations, as a result of their monogenic nature. Moreover, their expression in multiple tissue lineages provides insight into the biology of the proto-oncoprotein at the physiological level, in both transformed and unaffected tissues. Given the recent paradigm shift in regard to how oncoproteins promote transformation, we review the fundamentals of genetics, signalling and pathogenesis underlying oncoprotein duality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pau Castel
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Katherine A Rauen
- MIND Institute, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Frank McCormick
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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15
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Gross AM, Frone M, Gripp KW, Gelb BD, Schoyer L, Schill L, Stronach B, Biesecker LG, Esposito D, Hernandez ER, Legius E, Loh ML, Martin S, Morrison DK, Rauen KA, Wolters PL, Zand D, McCormick F, Savage SA, Stewart DR, Widemann BC, Yohe ME. Advancing RAS/RASopathy therapies: An NCI-sponsored intramural and extramural collaboration for the study of RASopathies. Am J Med Genet A 2020; 182:866-876. [PMID: 31913576 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.61485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
RASopathies caused by germline pathogenic variants in genes that encode RAS pathway proteins. These disorders include neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), Noonan syndrome (NS), cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome (CFC), and Costello syndrome (CS), and others. RASopathies are characterized by heterogenous manifestations, including congenital heart disease, failure to thrive, and increased risk of cancers. Previous work led by the NCI Pediatric Oncology Branch has altered the natural course of one of the key manifestations of the RASopathy NF1. Through the conduct of a longitudinal cohort study and early phase clinical trials, the MEK inhibitor selumetinib was identified as the first active therapy for the NF1-related peripheral nerve sheath tumors called plexiform neurofibromas (PNs). As a result, selumetinib was granted breakthrough therapy designation by the FDA for the treatment of PN. Other RASopathy manifestations may also benefit from RAS targeted therapies. The overall goal of Advancing RAS/RASopathy Therapies (ART), a new NCI initiative, is to develop effective therapies and prevention strategies for the clinical manifestations of the non-NF1 RASopathies and for tumors characterized by somatic RAS mutations. This report reflects discussions from a February 2019 initiation meeting for this project, which had broad international collaboration from basic and clinical researchers and patient advocates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea M Gross
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Megan Frone
- Clinical Genetics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Karen W Gripp
- Department of Genetics, Division of Pediatrics, Al duPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, Delaware
| | - Bruce D Gelb
- Department of Pediatrics, Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York.,Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | | | | | | | - Leslie G Biesecker
- Medical Genomics and Metabolic Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Dominic Esposito
- NCI RAS Initiative, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Edjay Ralph Hernandez
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Eric Legius
- Laboratory for Neurofibromatosis Research, Department of Human Genetics, KU Leuven University Hospital, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mignon L Loh
- Department of Pediatrics, Benioff Children's Hospital and the Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Staci Martin
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Deborah K Morrison
- Laboratory of Cell and Developmental Signaling, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Katherine A Rauen
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Genomic Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California
| | - Pamela L Wolters
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Dina Zand
- Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Frank McCormick
- NCI RAS Initiative, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Sharon A Savage
- Clinical Genetics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Douglas R Stewart
- Clinical Genetics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Brigitte C Widemann
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Marielle E Yohe
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
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16
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Kang M, Lee YS. The impact of RASopathy-associated mutations on CNS development in mice and humans. Mol Brain 2019; 12:96. [PMID: 31752929 PMCID: PMC6873535 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-019-0517-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The RAS signaling pathway is involved in the regulation of developmental processes, including cell growth, proliferation, and differentiation, in the central nervous system (CNS). Germline mutations in the RAS signaling pathway genes are associated with a group of neurodevelopmental disorders, collectively called RASopathy, which includes neurofibromatosis type 1, Noonan syndrome, cardio-facio-cutaneous syndrome, and Costello syndrome. Most mutations associated with RASopathies increase the activity of the RAS-ERK signaling pathway, and therefore, most individuals with RASopathies share common phenotypes, such as a short stature, heart defects, facial abnormalities, and cognitive impairments, which are often accompanied by abnormal CNS development. Recent studies using mouse models of RASopathies demonstrated that particular mutations associated with each disorder disrupt CNS development in a mutation-specific manner. Here, we reviewed the recent literatures that investigated the developmental role of RASopathy-associated mutations using mutant mice, which provided insights into the specific contribution of RAS-ERK signaling molecules to CNS development and the subsequent impact on cognitive function in adult mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minkyung Kang
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 103 Daehak-ro, Jongro-gu, Seoul, 03080, South Korea.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03080, Korea
| | - Yong-Seok Lee
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 103 Daehak-ro, Jongro-gu, Seoul, 03080, South Korea. .,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03080, Korea. .,Neuroscience Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 103 Daehak-ro, Jongro-gu, Seoul, 03080, South Korea.
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17
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Holter MC, Hewitt LT, Koebele SV, Judd JM, Xing L, Bimonte-Nelson HA, Conrad CD, Araki T, Neel BG, Snider WD, Newbern JM. The Noonan Syndrome-linked Raf1L613V mutation drives increased glial number in the mouse cortex and enhanced learning. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1008108. [PMID: 31017896 PMCID: PMC6502435 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1008108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2018] [Revised: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
RASopathies are a family of related syndromes caused by mutations in regulators of the RAS/Extracellular Regulated Kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) signaling cascade that often result in neurological deficits. RASopathy mutations in upstream regulatory components, such as NF1, PTPN11/SHP2, and RAS have been well-characterized, but mutation-specific differences in the pathogenesis of nervous system abnormalities remain poorly understood, especially those involving mutations downstream of RAS. Here, we assessed cellular and behavioral phenotypes in mice expressing a Raf1L613V gain-of-function mutation associated with the RASopathy, Noonan Syndrome. We report that Raf1L613V/wt mutants do not exhibit a significantly altered number of excitatory or inhibitory neurons in the cortex. However, we observed a significant increase in the number of specific glial subtypes in the forebrain. The density of GFAP+ astrocytes was significantly increased in the adult Raf1L613V/wt cortex and hippocampus relative to controls. OLIG2+ oligodendrocyte progenitor cells were also increased in number in mutant cortices, but we detected no significant change in myelination. Behavioral analyses revealed no significant changes in voluntary locomotor activity, anxiety-like behavior, or sociability. Surprisingly, Raf1L613V/wt mice performed better than controls in select aspects of the water radial-arm maze, Morris water maze, and cued fear conditioning tasks. Overall, these data show that increased astrocyte and oligodendrocyte progenitor cell (OPC) density in the cortex coincides with enhanced cognition in Raf1L613V/wt mutants and further highlight the distinct effects of RASopathy mutations on nervous system development and function. The RASopathies are a large and complex family of syndromes caused by mutations in the RAS/MAPK signaling cascade with no known cure. Individuals with these syndromes often present with heart defects, craniofacial differences, and neurological abnormalities, such as developmental delay, cognitive changes, epilepsy, and an increased risk of autism. However, there is wide variation in the extent of intellectual ability between individuals. It is currently unclear how different RASopathy mutations affect brain development. Here, we describe the cellular and behavioral consequences of a mutation in a gene called Raf1 that is associated with a common RASopathy, Noonan Syndrome. We find that mice harboring a mutation in Raf1 show moderate increases in the number of two subsets of glial cells, which is also observed in a number of other RASopathy brain samples. Surprisingly, we found that Raf1 mutant mice show improved performance in several learning and memory tasks. Our work highlights potential mutation-specific changes in RASopathy brain function and helps set the framework for future personalized therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael C. Holter
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Lauren. T. Hewitt
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Stephanie V. Koebele
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
- Arizona Alzheimer’s Consortium, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Jessica M. Judd
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Lei Xing
- Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Heather A. Bimonte-Nelson
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
- Arizona Alzheimer’s Consortium, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Cheryl D. Conrad
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Toshiyuki Araki
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Benjamin G. Neel
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - William D. Snider
- Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Jason M. Newbern
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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18
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Tajan M, Paccoud R, Branka S, Edouard T, Yart A. The RASopathy Family: Consequences of Germline Activation of the RAS/MAPK Pathway. Endocr Rev 2018; 39:676-700. [PMID: 29924299 DOI: 10.1210/er.2017-00232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2017] [Accepted: 06/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Noonan syndrome [NS; Mendelian Inheritance in Men (MIM) #163950] and related syndromes [Noonan syndrome with multiple lentigines (formerly called LEOPARD syndrome; MIM #151100), Noonan-like syndrome with loose anagen hair (MIM #607721), Costello syndrome (MIM #218040), cardio-facio-cutaneous syndrome (MIM #115150), type I neurofibromatosis (MIM #162200), and Legius syndrome (MIM #611431)] are a group of related genetic disorders associated with distinctive facial features, cardiopathies, growth and skeletal abnormalities, developmental delay/mental retardation, and tumor predisposition. NS was clinically described more than 50 years ago, and disease genes have been identified throughout the last 3 decades, providing a molecular basis to better understand their physiopathology and identify targets for therapeutic strategies. Most of these genes encode proteins belonging to or regulating the so-called RAS/MAPK signaling pathway, so these syndromes have been gathered under the name RASopathies. In this review, we provide a clinical overview of RASopathies and an update on their genetics. We then focus on the functional and pathophysiological effects of RASopathy-causing mutations and discuss therapeutic perspectives and future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mylène Tajan
- INSERM UMR 1048, Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases (I2MC), University of Toulouse Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Romain Paccoud
- INSERM UMR 1048, Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases (I2MC), University of Toulouse Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Sophie Branka
- INSERM UMR 1048, Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases (I2MC), University of Toulouse Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Thomas Edouard
- Endocrine, Bone Diseases, and Genetics Unit, Children's Hospital, Toulouse University Hospital, Toulouse, France
| | - Armelle Yart
- INSERM UMR 1048, Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases (I2MC), University of Toulouse Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
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