1
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Wagner M, Zhu G, Khalid F, Phan T, Maity P, Lupu L, Agyeman-Duah E, Wiese S, Lindenberg KS, Schön M, Landwehrmeyer GB, Penzo M, Kochanek S, Scharffetter-Kochanek K, Mulaw M, Iben S. General loss of proteostasis links Huntington disease to Cockayne syndrome. Neurobiol Dis 2024; 201:106668. [PMID: 39284372 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2024.106668] [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: 04/29/2024] [Revised: 08/13/2024] [Accepted: 09/13/2024] [Indexed: 09/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Cockayne syndrome (CS) is an autosomal recessive disorder of developmental delay, multiple organ system degeneration and signs of premature ageing. We show here, using the RNA-seq data from two CS mutant cell lines, that the CS key transcriptional signature displays significant enrichment of neurodegeneration terms, including genes relevant in Huntington disease (HD). By using deep learning approaches and two published RNA-Seq datasets, the CS transcriptional signature highly significantly classified and predicted HD and control samples. Neurodegeneration is one hallmark of CS disease, and fibroblasts from CS patients with different causative mutations display disturbed ribosomal biogenesis and a consecutive loss of protein homeostasis - proteostasis. Encouraged by the transcriptomic data, we asked whether this pathomechanism is also active in HD. In different HD cell-culture models, we showed that mutant Huntingtin impacts ribosomal biogenesis and function. This led to an error-prone protein synthesis and, as shown in different mouse models and human tissue, whole proteome instability, and a general loss of proteostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Wagner
- Department of Dermatology and Allergic Diseases, University of Ulm, James-Franck Ring N27, 89081 Ulm, Germany; Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Oberer Eselsberg 45, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Gaojie Zhu
- Department of Dermatology and Allergic Diseases, University of Ulm, James-Franck Ring N27, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Fatima Khalid
- Department of Dermatology and Allergic Diseases, University of Ulm, James-Franck Ring N27, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Tamara Phan
- Department of Dermatology and Allergic Diseases, University of Ulm, James-Franck Ring N27, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Pallab Maity
- Department of Dermatology and Allergic Diseases, University of Ulm, James-Franck Ring N27, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Ludmila Lupu
- Department of Dermatology and Allergic Diseases, University of Ulm, James-Franck Ring N27, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Eric Agyeman-Duah
- Unit for Single-Cell Genomics, Medical Faculty, University of Ulm, James-Franck Ring N27, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Sebastian Wiese
- Core Unit Mass Spectrometry, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Katrin S Lindenberg
- Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Oberer Eselsberg 45, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Michael Schön
- Department of Anatomy, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Marianna Penzo
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Center for Applied Biomedical Research (CRBA), University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Stefan Kochanek
- Department of Gene Therapy, University of Ulm, Helmholtzstraße 8/1, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Karin Scharffetter-Kochanek
- Department of Dermatology and Allergic Diseases, University of Ulm, James-Franck Ring N27, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Medhanie Mulaw
- Unit for Single-Cell Genomics, Medical Faculty, University of Ulm, James-Franck Ring N27, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
| | - Sebastian Iben
- Department of Dermatology and Allergic Diseases, University of Ulm, James-Franck Ring N27, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
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2
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Tenchov R, Sasso JM, Zhou QA. Polyglutamine (PolyQ) Diseases: Navigating the Landscape of Neurodegeneration. ACS Chem Neurosci 2024; 15:2665-2694. [PMID: 38996083 PMCID: PMC11311141 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.4c00184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 06/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Polyglutamine (polyQ) diseases are a group of inherited neurodegenerative disorders caused by expanded cytosine-adenine-guanine (CAG) repeats encoding proteins with abnormally expanded polyglutamine tract. A total of nine polyQ disorders have been identified, including Huntington's disease, six spinocerebellar ataxias, dentatorubral pallidoluysian atrophy (DRPLA), and spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA). The diseases of this class are each considered rare, yet polyQ diseases constitute the largest group of monogenic neurodegenerative disorders. While each subtype of polyQ diseases has its own causative gene, certain pathologic molecular attributes have been implicated in virtually all of the polyQ diseases, including protein aggregation, proteolytic cleavage, neuronal dysfunction, transcription dysregulation, autophagy impairment, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Although animal models of polyQ disease are available helping to understand their pathogenesis and access disease-modifying therapies, there is neither a cure nor prevention for these diseases, with only symptomatic treatments available. In this paper, we analyze data from the CAS Content Collection to summarize the research progress in the class of polyQ diseases. We examine the publication landscape in the area in effort to provide insights into current knowledge advances and developments. We review the most discussed concepts and assess the strategies to combat these diseases. Finally, we inspect clinical applications of products against polyQ diseases with their development pipelines. The objective of this review is to provide a broad overview of the evolving landscape of current knowledge regarding the class of polyQ diseases, to outline challenges, and evaluate growth opportunities to further efforts in combating the diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rumiana Tenchov
- CAS, a division of the American
Chemical Society, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Janet M. Sasso
- CAS, a division of the American
Chemical Society, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
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3
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Pengo M, Squitieri F. Beyond CAG Repeats: The Multifaceted Role of Genetics in Huntington Disease. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:807. [PMID: 38927742 PMCID: PMC11203031 DOI: 10.3390/genes15060807] [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: 05/01/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is a dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG expansion on the huntingtin (HTT) gene and is characterized by progressive motor, cognitive, and neuropsychiatric decline. Recently, new genetic factors besides CAG repeats have been implicated in the disease pathogenesis. Most genetic modifiers are involved in DNA repair pathways and, as the cause of the loss of CAA interruption in the HTT gene, they exert their main influence through somatic expansion. However, this mechanism might not be the only driver of HD pathogenesis, and future studies are warranted in this field. The aim of the present review is to dissect the many faces of genetics in HD pathogenesis, from cis- and trans-acting genetic modifiers to RNA toxicity, mitochondrial DNA mutations, and epigenetics factors. Exploring genetic modifiers of HD onset and progression appears crucial to elucidate not only disease pathogenesis, but also to improve disease prediction and prevention, develop biomarkers of disease progression and response to therapies, and recognize new therapeutic opportunities. Since the same genetic mechanisms are also described in other repeat expansion diseases, their implications might encompass the whole spectrum of these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Pengo
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25121 Brescia, Italy;
| | - Ferdinando Squitieri
- Centre for Neurological Rare Diseases (CMNR), Fondazione Lega Italiana Ricerca Huntington (LIRH), 00161 Rome, Italy
- Huntington and Rare Diseases Unit, IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
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4
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Litberg TJ, Horowitz S. Roles of Nucleic Acids in Protein Folding, Aggregation, and Disease. ACS Chem Biol 2024; 19:809-823. [PMID: 38477936 PMCID: PMC11149768 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.3c00695] [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] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
The role of nucleic acids in protein folding and aggregation is an area of continued research, with relevance to understanding both basic biological processes and disease. In this review, we provide an overview of the trajectory of research on both nucleic acids as chaperones and their roles in several protein misfolding diseases. We highlight key questions that remain on the biophysical and biochemical specifics of how nucleic acids have large effects on multiple proteins' folding and aggregation behavior and how this pertains to multiple protein misfolding diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theodore J. Litberg
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and The Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80208, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Scott Horowitz
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and The Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 80208, USA
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5
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Tong H, Yang T, Xu S, Li X, Liu L, Zhou G, Yang S, Yin S, Li XJ, Li S. Huntington's Disease: Complex Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Strategies. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3845. [PMID: 38612657 PMCID: PMC11011923 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25073845] [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: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) arises from the abnormal expansion of CAG repeats in the huntingtin gene (HTT), resulting in the production of the mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT) with a polyglutamine stretch in its N-terminus. The pathogenic mechanisms underlying HD are complex and not yet fully elucidated. However, mHTT forms aggregates and accumulates abnormally in neuronal nuclei and processes, leading to disruptions in multiple cellular functions. Although there is currently no effective curative treatment for HD, significant progress has been made in developing various therapeutic strategies to treat HD. In addition to drugs targeting the neuronal toxicity of mHTT, gene therapy approaches that aim to reduce the expression of the mutant HTT gene hold great promise for effective HD therapy. This review provides an overview of current HD treatments, discusses different therapeutic strategies, and aims to facilitate future therapeutic advancements in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Xiao-Jiang Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Non-Human Primate Research, Key Laboratory of CNS Regeneration (Ministry of Education), Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; (H.T.); (T.Y.); (S.X.); (X.L.); (L.L.); (G.Z.); (S.Y.); (S.Y.)
| | - Shihua Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Non-Human Primate Research, Key Laboratory of CNS Regeneration (Ministry of Education), Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; (H.T.); (T.Y.); (S.X.); (X.L.); (L.L.); (G.Z.); (S.Y.); (S.Y.)
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6
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Yu-Taeger L, El-Ayoubi A, Qi P, Danielyan L, Nguyen HHP. Intravenous MSC-Treatment Improves Impaired Brain Functions in the R6/2 Mouse Model of Huntington's Disease via Recovered Hepatic Pathological Changes. Cells 2024; 13:469. [PMID: 38534313 DOI: 10.3390/cells13060469] [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: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 03/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD), a congenital neurodegenerative disorder, extends its pathological damages beyond the nervous system. The systematic manifestation of HD has been extensively described in numerous studies, including dysfunction in peripheral organs and peripheral inflammation. Gut dysbiosis and the gut-liver-brain axis have garnered greater emphasis in neurodegenerative research, and increased plasma levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines have been identified in HD patients and various in vivo models, correlating with disease progression. In the present study, we investigated hepatic pathological markers in the liver of R6/2 mice which convey exon 1 of the human mutant huntingtin gene. Furthermore, we evaluated the impact of intravenously administered Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSCs) on the liver enzymes, changes in hepatic inflammatory markers, as well as brain pathology and behavioral deficits in R6/2 mice. Our results revealed altered enzyme expression and increased levels of inflammatory mediators in the liver of R6/2 mice, which were significantly attenuated in the MSC-treated R6/2 mice. Remarkably, neuronal pathology and altered motor activities in the MSC-treated R6/2 mice were significantly ameliorated, despite the absence of MSCs in the postmortem brain. Our data highlight the importance of hepatic pathological changes in HD, providing a potential therapeutic approach. Moreover, the data open new perspectives for the search in blood biomarkers correlating with liver pathology in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Libo Yu-Taeger
- Department of Human Genetics, Ruhr University of Bochum, D-44801 Bochum, Germany
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tuebingen, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Ali El-Ayoubi
- Department of Human Genetics, Ruhr University of Bochum, D-44801 Bochum, Germany
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tuebingen, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Pengfei Qi
- Department of Human Genetics, Ruhr University of Bochum, D-44801 Bochum, Germany
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tuebingen, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Lusine Danielyan
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital of Tuebingen, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany
- Departments of Biochemistry and Clinical Pharmacology, and Neuroscience Laboratory, Yerevan State Medical University, Yerevan 0025, Armenia
| | - Hoa Huu Phuc Nguyen
- Department of Human Genetics, Ruhr University of Bochum, D-44801 Bochum, Germany
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Yerevan State Medical University, Yerevan 0025, Armenia
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7
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Xiang Y, Song X, Long D. Ferroptosis regulation through Nrf2 and implications for neurodegenerative diseases. Arch Toxicol 2024; 98:579-615. [PMID: 38265475 PMCID: PMC10861688 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-023-03660-8] [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: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
This article provides an overview of the background knowledge of ferroptosis in the nervous system, as well as the key role of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in regulating ferroptosis. The article takes Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) as the starting point to explore the close association between Nrf2 and ferroptosis, which is of clear and significant importance for understanding the mechanism of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) based on oxidative stress (OS). Accumulating evidence links ferroptosis to the pathogenesis of NDs. As the disease progresses, damage to the antioxidant system, excessive OS, and altered Nrf2 expression levels, especially the inhibition of ferroptosis by lipid peroxidation inhibitors and adaptive enhancement of Nrf2 signaling, demonstrate the potential clinical significance of Nrf2 in detecting and identifying ferroptosis, as well as targeted therapy for neuronal loss and mitochondrial dysfunction. These findings provide new insights and possibilities for the treatment and prevention of NDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Xiang
- School of Public Health, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, People's Republic of China
- Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Typical Environmental Pollution and Health Hazards, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaohua Song
- School of Public Health, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, People's Republic of China
- Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Typical Environmental Pollution and Health Hazards, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, People's Republic of China
| | - Dingxin Long
- School of Public Health, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, People's Republic of China.
- Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Typical Environmental Pollution and Health Hazards, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, People's Republic of China.
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8
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Gaudet ID, Xu H, Gordon E, Cannestro GA, Lu ML, Wei J. Elevated SLC7A2 expression is associated with an abnormal neuroinflammatory response and nitrosative stress in Huntington's disease. J Neuroinflammation 2024; 21:59. [PMID: 38419038 PMCID: PMC10900710 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-024-03038-2] [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: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
We previously identified solute carrier family 7 member 2 (SLC7A2) as one of the top upregulated genes when normal Huntingtin was deleted. SLC7A2 has a high affinity for L-arginine. Arginine is implicated in inflammatory responses, and SLC7A2 is an important regulator of innate and adaptive immunity in macrophages. Although neuroinflammation is clearly demonstrated in animal models and patients with Huntington's disease (HD), the question of whether neuroinflammation actively participates in HD pathogenesis is a topic of ongoing research and debate. Here, we studied the role of SLC7A2 in mediating the neuroinflammatory stress response in HD cells. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), quantitative RT-PCR and data mining of publicly available RNA-seq datasets of human patients were performed to assess the levels of SLC7A2 mRNA in different HD cellular models and patients. Biochemical studies were then conducted on cell lines and primary mouse astrocytes to investigate arginine metabolism and nitrosative stress in response to neuroinflammation. The CRISPR-Cas9 system was used to knock out SLC7A2 in STHdhQ7 and Q111 cells to investigate its role in mediating the neuroinflammatory response. Live-cell imaging was used to measure mitochondrial dynamics. Finally, exploratory studies were performed using the Enroll-HD periodic human patient dataset to analyze the effect of arginine supplements on HD progression. We found that SLC7A2 is selectively upregulated in HD cellular models and patients. HD cells exhibit an overactive response to neuroinflammatory challenges, as demonstrated by abnormally high iNOS induction and NO production, leading to increased protein nitrosylation. Depleting extracellular Arg or knocking out SLC7A2 blocked iNOS induction and NO production in STHdhQ111 cells. We further examined the functional impact of protein nitrosylation on a well-documented protein target, DRP-1, and found that more mitochondria were fragmented in challenged STHdhQ111 cells. Last, analysis of Enroll-HD datasets suggested that HD patients taking arginine supplements progressed more rapidly than others. Our data suggest a novel pathway that links arginine uptake to nitrosative stress via upregulation of SLC7A2 in the pathogenesis and progression of HD. This further implies that arginine supplements may potentially pose a greater risk to HD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian D Gaudet
- Department of Biomedical Science, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, USA
| | - Hongyuan Xu
- Department of Biomedical Science, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, USA
| | - Emily Gordon
- Department of Biomedical Science, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, USA
| | - Gianna A Cannestro
- Department of Biomedical Science, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, USA
| | - Michael L Lu
- Department of Biomedical Science, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, USA
| | - Jianning Wei
- Department of Biomedical Science, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, USA.
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9
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Thompson LM, Orr HT. HD and SCA1: Tales from two 30-year journeys since gene discovery. Neuron 2023; 111:3517-3530. [PMID: 37863037 PMCID: PMC10842341 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.09.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
One of the more transformative findings in human genetics was the discovery that the expansion of unstable nucleotide repeats underlies a group of inherited neurological diseases. A subset of these unstable repeat neurodegenerative diseases is due to the expansion of a CAG trinucleotide repeat encoding a stretch of glutamines, i.e., the polyglutamine (polyQ) repeat neurodegenerative diseases. Among the CAG/polyQ repeat diseases are Huntington's disease (HD) and spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1), in which the expansions are within widely expressed proteins. Although both HD and SCA1 are autosomal dominantly inherited, and both typically cause mid- to late-life-onset movement disorders with cognitive decline, they each are characterized by distinct clinical characteristics and predominant sites of neuropathology. Importantly, the respective affected proteins, Huntingtin (HTT, HD) and Ataxin 1 (ATXN1, SCA1), have unique functions and biological properties. Here, we review HD and SCA1 with a focus on how their disease-specific and shared features may provide informative insights.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie M Thompson
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Department of Biological Chemistry, Institute of Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Center, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Harry T Orr
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis and Saint Paul, MN 55455, USA.
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10
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Maurya CK, Tapadia MG. Expanded polyQ aggregates interact with sarco-endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase and Drosophila inhibitor of apoptosis protein1 to regulate polyQ mediated neurodegeneration in Drosophila. Mol Cell Neurosci 2023; 126:103886. [PMID: 37567489 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2023.103886] [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: 05/13/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Polyglutamine (polyQ) induced neurodegeneration is one of the leading causes of progressive neurodegenerative disorders characterized clinically by deteriorating movement defects, psychiatric disability, and dementia. Calcium [Ca2+] homeostasis, which is essential for the functioning of neuronal cells, is disrupted under these pathological conditions. In this paper, we simulated Huntington's disease phenotype in the neuronal cells of the Drosophila eye and identified [Ca2+] pump, sarco-endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA), as one of the genetic modifiers of the neurodegenerative phenotype. This paper shows genetic and molecular interaction between polyglutamine (polyQ) aggregates, SERCA and DIAP1. We present evidence that polyQ aggregates interact with SERCA and alter its dynamics, resulting in a decrease in cytosolic [Ca2+] and an increase in ER [Ca2+], and thus toxicity. Downregulating SERCA lowers the enhanced calcium levels in the ER and rescues, morphological and functional defects caused due to expanded polyQ repeats. Cell proliferation markers such as Yorkie (Yki), Scalloped (Sd), and phosphatidylinositol 3 kinases/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt), also respond to varying levels of calcium due to genetic manipulations, adding to the amelioration of degeneration. These results imply that neurodegeneration due to expanded polyQ repeats is sensitive to SERCA activity, and its manipulation can be an important step toward its therapeutic measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chandan Kumar Maurya
- Cytogenetics Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India.
| | - Madhu G Tapadia
- Cytogenetics Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India.
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11
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Speidell A, Bin Abid N, Yano H. Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Dysregulation as an Essential Pathological Feature in Huntington's Disease: Mechanisms and Potential Therapeutics. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2275. [PMID: 37626771 PMCID: PMC10452871 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11082275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a major neurotrophin whose loss or interruption is well established to have numerous intersections with the pathogenesis of progressive neurological disorders. There is perhaps no greater example of disease pathogenesis resulting from the dysregulation of BDNF signaling than Huntington's disease (HD)-an inherited neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor, psychiatric, and cognitive impairments associated with basal ganglia dysfunction and the ultimate death of striatal projection neurons. Investigation of the collection of mechanisms leading to BDNF loss in HD highlights this neurotrophin's importance to neuronal viability and calls attention to opportunities for therapeutic interventions. Using electronic database searches of existing and forthcoming research, we constructed a literature review with the overarching goal of exploring the diverse set of molecular events that trigger BDNF dysregulation within HD. We highlighted research that investigated these major mechanisms in preclinical models of HD and connected these studies to those evaluating similar endpoints in human HD subjects. We also included a special focus on the growing body of literature detailing key transcriptomic and epigenetic alterations that affect BDNF abundance in HD. Finally, we offer critical evaluation of proposed neurotrophin-directed therapies and assessed clinical trials seeking to correct BDNF expression in HD individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Speidell
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (A.S.); (N.B.A.)
| | - Noman Bin Abid
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (A.S.); (N.B.A.)
| | - Hiroko Yano
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (A.S.); (N.B.A.)
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
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12
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Ferlazzo GM, Gambetta AM, Amato S, Cannizzaro N, Angiolillo S, Arboit M, Diamante L, Carbognin E, Romani P, La Torre F, Galimberti E, Pflug F, Luoni M, Giannelli S, Pepe G, Capocci L, Di Pardo A, Vanzani P, Zennaro L, Broccoli V, Leeb M, Moro E, Maglione V, Martello G. Genome-wide screening in pluripotent cells identifies Mtf1 as a suppressor of mutant huntingtin toxicity. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3962. [PMID: 37407555 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39552-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by CAG-repeat expansions in the huntingtin (HTT) gene. The resulting mutant HTT (mHTT) protein induces toxicity and cell death via multiple mechanisms and no effective therapy is available. Here, we employ a genome-wide screening in pluripotent mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) to identify suppressors of mHTT toxicity. Among the identified suppressors, linked to HD-associated processes, we focus on Metal response element binding transcription factor 1 (Mtf1). Forced expression of Mtf1 counteracts cell death and oxidative stress caused by mHTT in mouse ESCs and in human neuronal precursor cells. In zebrafish, Mtf1 reduces malformations and apoptosis induced by mHTT. In R6/2 mice, Mtf1 ablates motor defects and reduces mHTT aggregates and oxidative stress. Our screening strategy enables a quick in vitro identification of promising suppressor genes and their validation in vivo, and it can be applied to other monogenic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgia Maria Ferlazzo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, University of Padua, 35131, Padua, Italy
- Aptuit (Verona) S.r.l., an Evotec Company, Campus Levi-Montalcini, 37135, Verona, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Gambetta
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, University of Padua, 35131, Padua, Italy
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via U. Bassi 58B, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Sonia Amato
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via U. Bassi 58B, 35131, Padua, Italy
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Padova, Via Belzoni, 160, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Noemi Cannizzaro
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, University of Padua, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Silvia Angiolillo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, University of Padua, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Mattia Arboit
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, University of Padua, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Linda Diamante
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via U. Bassi 58B, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Elena Carbognin
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via U. Bassi 58B, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Patrizia Romani
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, University of Padua, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Federico La Torre
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via U. Bassi 58B, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Elena Galimberti
- Max Perutz Laboratories Vienna, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter, Dr Bohr Gasse 9, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Florian Pflug
- Max Perutz Laboratories Vienna, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter, Dr Bohr Gasse 9, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Mirko Luoni
- Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Serena Giannelli
- Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Paola Vanzani
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, University of Padua, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Lucio Zennaro
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, University of Padua, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Vania Broccoli
- Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132, Milan, Italy
- CNR Institute of Neuroscience, 20854, Vedrano al Lambro, Italy
| | - Martin Leeb
- Max Perutz Laboratories Vienna, University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter, Dr Bohr Gasse 9, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Enrico Moro
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Medical School, University of Padua, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | | | - Graziano Martello
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via U. Bassi 58B, 35131, Padua, Italy.
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13
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Kamitsuka PJ, Ghanem MM, Ziar R, McDonald SE, Thomas MG, Kwakye GF. Defective Mitochondrial Dynamics and Protein Degradation Pathways Underlie Cadmium-Induced Neurotoxicity and Cell Death in Huntington's Disease Striatal Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24087178. [PMID: 37108341 PMCID: PMC10139096 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24087178] [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: 03/18/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure to heavy metals, including cadmium (Cd), can induce neurotoxicity and cell death. Cd is abundant in the environment and accumulates in the striatum, the primary brain region selectively affected by Huntington's disease (HD). We have previously reported that mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT) combined with chronic Cd exposure induces oxidative stress and promotes metal dyshomeostasis, resulting in cell death in a striatal cell model of HD. To understand the effect of acute Cd exposure on mitochondrial health and protein degradation pathways, we hypothesized that expression of mHTT coupled with acute Cd exposure would cooperatively alter mitochondrial bioenergetics and protein degradation mechanisms in striatal STHdh cells to reveal novel pathways that augment Cd cytotoxicity and HD pathogenicity. We report that mHTT cells are significantly more susceptible to acute Cd-induced cell death as early as 6 h after 40 µM CdCl2 exposure compared with wild-type (WT). Confocal microscopy, biochemical assays, and immunoblotting analysis revealed that mHTT and acute Cd exposure synergistically impair mitochondrial bioenergetics by reducing mitochondrial potential and cellular ATP levels and down-regulating the essential pro-fusion proteins MFN1 and MFN2. These pathogenic effects triggered cell death. Furthermore, Cd exposure increases the expression of autophagic markers, such as p62, LC3, and ATG5, and reduces the activity of the ubiquitin-proteasome system to promote neurodegeneration in HD striatal cells. Overall, these results reveal a novel mechanism to further establish Cd as a pathogenic neuromodulator in striatal HD cells via Cd-triggered neurotoxicity and cell death mediated by an impairment in mitochondrial bioenergetics and autophagy with subsequent alteration in protein degradation pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul J Kamitsuka
- Neuroscience Department, Oberlin College, 119 Woodland Street, Oberlin, OH 44074, USA
| | - Marwan M Ghanem
- Neuroscience Department, Oberlin College, 119 Woodland Street, Oberlin, OH 44074, USA
| | - Rania Ziar
- Neuroscience Department, Oberlin College, 119 Woodland Street, Oberlin, OH 44074, USA
| | - Sarah E McDonald
- Neuroscience Department, Oberlin College, 119 Woodland Street, Oberlin, OH 44074, USA
| | - Morgan G Thomas
- Neuroscience Department, Oberlin College, 119 Woodland Street, Oberlin, OH 44074, USA
| | - Gunnar F Kwakye
- Neuroscience Department, Oberlin College, 119 Woodland Street, Oberlin, OH 44074, USA
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14
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Kim H, Gomez-Pastor R. HSF1 and Its Role in Huntington's Disease Pathology. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2023; 1410:35-95. [PMID: 36396925 DOI: 10.1007/5584_2022_742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) is the master transcriptional regulator of the heat shock response (HSR) in mammalian cells and is a critical element in maintaining protein homeostasis. HSF1 functions at the center of many physiological processes like embryogenesis, metabolism, immune response, aging, cancer, and neurodegeneration. However, the mechanisms that allow HSF1 to control these different biological and pathophysiological processes are not fully understood. This review focuses on Huntington's disease (HD), a neurodegenerative disease characterized by severe protein aggregation of the huntingtin (HTT) protein. The aggregation of HTT, in turn, leads to a halt in the function of HSF1. Understanding the pathways that regulate HSF1 in different contexts like HD may hold the key to understanding the pathomechanisms underlying other proteinopathies. We provide the most current information on HSF1 structure, function, and regulation, emphasizing HD, and discussing its potential as a biological target for therapy. DATA SOURCES We performed PubMed search to find established and recent reports in HSF1, heat shock proteins (Hsp), HD, Hsp inhibitors, HSF1 activators, and HSF1 in aging, inflammation, cancer, brain development, mitochondria, synaptic plasticity, polyglutamine (polyQ) diseases, and HD. STUDY SELECTIONS Research and review articles that described the mechanisms of action of HSF1 were selected based on terms used in PubMed search. RESULTS HSF1 plays a crucial role in the progression of HD and other protein-misfolding related neurodegenerative diseases. Different animal models of HD, as well as postmortem brains of patients with HD, reveal a connection between the levels of HSF1 and HSF1 dysfunction to mutant HTT (mHTT)-induced toxicity and protein aggregation, dysregulation of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and disruption of the structural and functional integrity of synaptic connections, which eventually leads to neuronal loss. These features are shared with other neurodegenerative diseases (NDs). Currently, several inhibitors against negative regulators of HSF1, as well as HSF1 activators, are developed and hold promise to prevent neurodegeneration in HD and other NDs. CONCLUSION Understanding the role of HSF1 during protein aggregation and neurodegeneration in HD may help to develop therapeutic strategies that could be effective across different NDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyuck Kim
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Rocio Gomez-Pastor
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
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15
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Younger DS. Neurogenetic motor disorders. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2023; 195:183-250. [PMID: 37562870 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-323-98818-6.00003-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
Advances in the field of neurogenetics have practical applications in rapid diagnosis on blood and body fluids to extract DNA, obviating the need for invasive investigations. The ability to obtain a presymptomatic diagnosis through genetic screening and biomarkers can be a guide to life-saving disease-modifying therapy or enzyme replacement therapy to compensate for the deficient disease-causing enzyme. The benefits of a comprehensive neurogenetic evaluation extend to family members in whom identification of the causal gene defect ensures carrier detection and at-risk counseling for future generations. This chapter explores the many facets of the neurogenetic evaluation in adult and pediatric motor disorders as a primer for later chapters in this volume and a roadmap for the future applications of genetics in neurology.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S Younger
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Neuroscience, CUNY School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States; Department of Medicine, Section of Internal Medicine and Neurology, White Plains Hospital, White Plains, NY, United States.
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16
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Huntingtin and Other Neurodegeneration-Associated Proteins in the Development of Intracellular Pathologies: Potential Target Search for Therapeutic Intervention. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232415533. [PMID: 36555175 PMCID: PMC9779313 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232415533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are currently incurable. Numerous experimental data accumulated over the past fifty years have brought us closer to understanding the molecular and cell mechanisms responsible for their development. However, these data are not enough for a complete understanding of the genesis of these diseases, nor to suggest treatment methods. It turns out that many cellular pathologies developing during neurodegeneration coincide from disease to disease. These observations give hope to finding a common intracellular target(s) and to offering a universal method of treatment. In this review, we attempt to analyze data on similar cellular disorders among neurodegenerative diseases in general, and polyglutamine neurodegenerative diseases in particular, focusing on the interaction of various proteins involved in the development of neurodegenerative diseases with various cellular organelles. The main purposes of this review are: (1) to outline the spectrum of common intracellular pathologies and to answer the question of whether it is possible to find potential universal target(s) for therapeutic intervention; (2) to identify specific intracellular pathologies and to speculate about a possible general approach for their treatment.
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17
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Wu J, Möhle L, Brüning T, Eiriz I, Rafehi M, Stefan K, Stefan SM, Pahnke J. A Novel Huntington's Disease Assessment Platform to Support Future Drug Discovery and Development. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232314763. [PMID: 36499090 PMCID: PMC9740291 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232314763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a lethal neurodegenerative disorder without efficient therapeutic options. The inefficient translation from preclinical and clinical research into clinical use is mainly attributed to the lack of (i) understanding of disease initiation, progression, and involved molecular mechanisms; (ii) knowledge of the possible HD target space and general data awareness; (iii) detailed characterizations of available disease models; (iv) better suitable models; and (v) reliable and sensitive biomarkers. To generate robust HD-like symptoms in a mouse model, the neomycin resistance cassette was excised from zQ175 mice, generating a new line: zQ175Δneo. We entirely describe the dynamics of behavioral, neuropathological, and immunohistological changes from 15-57 weeks of age. Specifically, zQ175Δneo mice showed early astrogliosis from 15 weeks; growth retardation, body weight loss, and anxiety-like behaviors from 29 weeks; motor deficits and reduced muscular strength from 36 weeks; and finally slight microgliosis at 57 weeks of age. Additionally, we collected the entire bioactivity network of small-molecule HD modulators in a multitarget dataset (HD_MDS). Hereby, we uncovered 358 unique compounds addressing over 80 different pharmacological targets and pathways. Our data will support future drug discovery approaches and may serve as useful assessment platform for drug discovery and development against HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyun Wu
- Department of Pathology, Section of Neuropathology, Translational Neurodegeneration Research and Neuropathology Lab, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Sognsvannsveien 20, 0372 Oslo, Norway; www.pahnkelab.eu
| | - Luisa Möhle
- Department of Pathology, Section of Neuropathology, Translational Neurodegeneration Research and Neuropathology Lab, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Sognsvannsveien 20, 0372 Oslo, Norway; www.pahnkelab.eu
| | - Thomas Brüning
- Department of Pathology, Section of Neuropathology, Translational Neurodegeneration Research and Neuropathology Lab, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Sognsvannsveien 20, 0372 Oslo, Norway; www.pahnkelab.eu
| | - Iván Eiriz
- Department of Pathology, Section of Neuropathology, Translational Neurodegeneration Research and Neuropathology Lab, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Sognsvannsveien 20, 0372 Oslo, Norway; www.pahnkelab.eu
| | - Muhammad Rafehi
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Str. 40, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Katja Stefan
- Department of Pathology, Section of Neuropathology, Translational Neurodegeneration Research and Neuropathology Lab, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Sognsvannsveien 20, 0372 Oslo, Norway; www.pahnkelab.eu
| | - Sven Marcel Stefan
- Department of Pathology, Section of Neuropathology, Translational Neurodegeneration Research and Neuropathology Lab, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Sognsvannsveien 20, 0372 Oslo, Norway; www.pahnkelab.eu
- Pahnke Lab (Drug Development and Chemical Biology), Lübeck Institute of Experimental Dermatology (LIED), University of Lübeck and University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 Lübeck, Germany
- Correspondence: (J.P.); (S.M.S.); Tel.: +47-23-071-466 (J.P.)
| | - Jens Pahnke
- Department of Pathology, Section of Neuropathology, Translational Neurodegeneration Research and Neuropathology Lab, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Sognsvannsveien 20, 0372 Oslo, Norway; www.pahnkelab.eu
- Pahnke Lab (Drug Development and Chemical Biology), Lübeck Institute of Experimental Dermatology (LIED), University of Lübeck and University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 Lübeck, Germany
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Latvia, Jelgavas iela 4, 1004 Rīga, Latvia
- Department of Neurobiology, The Georg S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
- Correspondence: (J.P.); (S.M.S.); Tel.: +47-23-071-466 (J.P.)
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18
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Evidences for Mutant Huntingtin Inducing Musculoskeletal and Brain Growth Impairments via Disturbing Testosterone Biosynthesis in Male Huntington Disease Animals. Cells 2022; 11:cells11233779. [PMID: 36497038 PMCID: PMC9737670 DOI: 10.3390/cells11233779] [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: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Body weight (BW) loss and reduced body mass index (BMI) are the most common peripheral alterations in Huntington disease (HD) and have been found in HD mutation carriers and HD animal models before the manifestation of neurological symptoms. This suggests that, at least in the early disease stage, these changes could be due to abnormal tissue growth rather than tissue atrophy. Moreover, BW and BMI are reported to be more affected in males than females in HD animal models and patients. Here, we confirmed sex-dependent growth alterations in the BACHD rat model for HD and investigated the associated contributing factors. Our results showed growth abnormalities along with decreased plasma testosterone and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels only in males. Moreover, we demonstrated correlations between growth parameters, IGF-1, and testosterone. Our analyses further revealed an aberrant transcription of testosterone biosynthesis-related genes in the testes of BACHD rats with undisturbed luteinizing hormone (LH)/cAMP/PKA signaling, which plays a key role in regulating the transcription process of some of these genes. In line with the findings in BACHD rats, analyses in the R6/2 mouse model of HD showed similar results. Our findings support the view that mutant huntingtin may induce abnormal growth in males via the dysregulation of gene transcription in the testis, which in turn can affect testosterone biosynthesis.
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19
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Zhao X, Sun Y, Wang Z, Chen L, Li S, Li XJ. Huntingtin exon 1 deletion does not alter the subcellular distribution of huntingtin and gene transcription in mice. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:1021592. [DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.1021592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is caused by the expansion of CAG triplet repeats in exon 1 of the huntingtin (HTT) gene, which also encodes the first 17 amino acids (N-17) that can modulate the toxicity of the expanded polyQ repeat. N-17 are conserved in a wide range of species and are found to influence the subcellular distribution of mutant Htt. Moreover, N-17 is subject to many posttranslational modifications that may regulate the function, stability, and distribution of HTT. However, the function of Htt exon 1 and its influence on the normal Htt remains to be fully investigated. By investigating a knock-in mouse model that lacks Htt exon1, we found that deletion of Htt exon1 does not affect the survival of mice and differentiation of cultured mouse neurons. Furthermore, the lack of Htt exon 1 does not alter the subcellular distribution of Htt, autophagy protein expression, and global gene transcription in the mouse brain. These results suggest that removing the entire exon 1 of Htt could be a therapeutic approach to eliminate expanded polyQ toxicity.
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20
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Rai S, Tapadia MG. Hsc70-4 aggravates PolyQ-mediated neurodegeneration by modulating NF-κB mediated immune response in Drosophila. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:857257. [PMID: 36425218 PMCID: PMC9678916 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.857257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease occurs when the stretch of CAG repeats in exon 1 of the huntingtin (htt) gene crosses the permissible limit, causing the mutated protein (mHtt) to form insoluble aggregates or inclusion bodies. These aggregates are non-typically associated with various essential proteins in the cells, thus disrupting cellular homeostasis. The cells try to bring back normalcy by synthesizing evolutionary conserved cellular chaperones, and Hsp70 is one of the families of heat shock proteins that has a significant part in this, which comprises of heat-inducible and cognate forms. Here, we demonstrate that the heat shock cognate (Hsc70) isoform, Hsc70-4/HSPA8, has a distinct role in polyglutamate (PolyQ)-mediated pathogenicity, and its expression is enhanced in the polyQ conditions in Drosophila. Downregulation of hsc70-4 rescues PolyQ pathogenicity with a notable improvement in the ommatidia arrangement and near-normal restoration of optic neurons leading to improvement in phototaxis response. Reduced hsc70-4 also attenuates the augmented immune response by decreasing the expression of NF-κB and the antimicrobial peptides, along with that JNK overactivation is also restored. These lead to the rescue of the photoreceptor cells, indicating a decrease in the caspase activity, thus reverting the PolyQ pathogenicity. At the molecular level, we show the interaction between Hsc70-4, Polyglutamine aggregates, and NF-κB, which may be responsible for the dysregulation of signaling molecules in polyQ conditions. Thus, the present data provides a functional link between Hsc70-4 and NF-κB under polyQ conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Madhu G. Tapadia
- Cytogenetics Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
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21
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White A, McGlone A, Gomez-Pastor R. Protein Kinase CK2 and Its Potential Role as a Therapeutic Target in Huntington's Disease. Biomedicines 2022; 10:1979. [PMID: 36009526 PMCID: PMC9406209 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10081979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's Disease (HD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG trinucleotide repeat expansion in the HTT gene, for which no disease modifying therapies are currently available. Much of the recent research has focused on developing therapies to directly lower HTT expression, and while promising, these therapies have presented several challenges regarding administration and efficacy. Another promising therapeutic approach is the modulation of HTT post-translational modifications (PTMs) that are dysregulated in disease and have shown to play a key role in HTT toxicity. Among all PTMs, modulation of HTT phosphorylation has been proposed as an attractive therapeutic option due to the possibility of orally administering specific kinase effectors. One of the kinases described to participate in HTT phosphorylation is Protein Kinase CK2. CK2 has recently emerged as a target for the treatment of several neurological and psychiatric disorders, although its role in HD remains controversial. While pharmacological studies in vitro inhibiting CK2 resulted in reduced HTT phosphorylation and increased toxicity, genetic approaches in mouse models of HD have provided beneficial effects. In this review we discuss potential therapeutic approaches related to the manipulation of HTT-PTMs with special emphasis on the role of CK2 as a therapeutic target in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Rocio Gomez-Pastor
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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22
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Pradhan S, Gao R, Bush K, Zhang N, Wairkar YP, Sarkar PS. Polyglutamine Expansion in Huntingtin and Mechanism of DNA Damage Repair Defects in Huntington’s Disease. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:837576. [PMID: 35444517 PMCID: PMC9013776 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.837576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests that DNA repair deficiency and genome instability may be the impending signs of many neurological diseases. Genome-wide association (GWAS) studies have established a strong correlation between genes that play a role in DNA damage repair and many neurodegenerative diseases, including Huntington’s disease (HD), and several other trinucleotides repeat expansion-related hereditary ataxias. Recently, many reports have documented a significant role played by the DNA repair processes in aging and in modifying many neurodegenerative diseases, early during their progression. Studies from our lab and others have now begun to understand the mechanisms that cause defective DNA repair in HD and surprisingly, many proteins that have a strong link to known neurodegenerative diseases seem to be important players in these cellular pathways. Mutations in huntingtin (HTT) gene that lead to polyglutamine repeat expansion at the N-terminal of HTT protein has been shown to disrupt transcription-coupled DNA repair process, a specialized DNA repair process associated with transcription. Due to the recent progress made in understanding the mechanisms of DNA repair in relation to HD, in this review, we will mainly focus on the mechanisms by which the wild-type huntingtin (HTT) protein helps in DNA repair during transcription, and the how polyglutamine expansions in HTT impedes this process in HD. Further studies that identify new players in DNA repair will help in our understanding of this process in neurons. Furthermore, it should help us understand how various DNA repair mechanism(s) coordinate to maintain the normal physiology of neurons, and provide insights for the development of novel drugs at prodromal stages of these neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subrata Pradhan
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Rui Gao
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Keegan Bush
- Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Nan Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Yogesh P. Wairkar
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Partha S. Sarkar
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States
- *Correspondence: Partha S. Sarkar,
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23
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Sawant N, Morton H, Kshirsagar S, Reddy AP, Reddy PH. Mitochondrial Abnormalities and Synaptic Damage in Huntington's Disease: a Focus on Defective Mitophagy and Mitochondria-Targeted Therapeutics. Mol Neurobiol 2021; 58:6350-6377. [PMID: 34519969 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-021-02556-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a fatal and pure genetic disease with a progressive loss of medium spiny neurons (MSN). HD is caused by expanded polyglutamine repeats in the exon 1 of HD gene. Clinically, HD is characterized by chorea, seizures, involuntary movements, dystonia, cognitive decline, intellectual impairment, and emotional disturbances. Several years of intense research revealed that multiple cellular changes, including defective axonal transport, protein-protein interactions, defective bioenergetics, calcium dyshomeostasis, NMDAR activation, synaptic damage, mitochondrial abnormalities, and selective loss of medium spiny neurons are implicated in HD. Recent research on mutant huntingtin (mHtt) and mitochondria has found that mHtt interacts with the mitochondrial division protein, dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1), enhances GTPase DRP1 enzymatic activity, and causes excessive mitochondrial fragmentation and abnormal distribution, leading to defective axonal transport of mitochondria and selective synaptic degeneration. Recent research also revealed that failure to remove dead and/or dying mitochondria is an early event in the disease progression. Currently, efforts are being made to reduce abnormal protein interactions and enhance synaptic mitophagy as therapeutic strategies for HD. The purpose of this article is to discuss recent research in HD progression. This article also discusses recent developments of cell and mouse models, cellular changes, mitochondrial abnormalities, DNA damage, bioenergetics, oxidative stress, mitophagy, and therapeutics strategies in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neha Sawant
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Hallie Morton
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Sudhir Kshirsagar
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Arubala P Reddy
- Nutritional Sciences Department, College of Human Sciences, Texas Tech University, 1301 Akron Ave, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - P Hemachandra Reddy
- Department of Internal Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA.
- Neuroscience & Pharmacology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA.
- Neurology, Department of School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA.
- Public Health Department of Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA.
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, School Health Professions, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, USA.
- Department of Internal Medicine, Cell Biology & Biochemistry, Public Health and School of Health Professions, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Neuroscience & Pharmacology3601 4th Street, NeurologyLubbock, TX, 79430, USA.
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24
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Real-time three-dimensional tracking of single vesicles reveals abnormal motion and pools of synaptic vesicles in neurons of Huntington's disease mice. iScience 2021; 24:103181. [PMID: 34703988 PMCID: PMC8521108 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.103181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Although defective synaptic transmission was suggested to play a role in neurodegenerative diseases, the dynamics and vesicle pools of synaptic vesicles during neurodegeneration remain elusive. Here, we performed real-time three-dimensional tracking of single synaptic vesicles in cortical neurons from a mouse model of Huntington's disease (HD). Vesicles in HD neurons had a larger net displacement and radius of gyration compared with wild-type neurons. Vesicles with high release probability (Pr) were interspersed with low-Pr vesicles in HD neurons, whereas high-Pr vesicles were closer to fusion sites than low-Pr in wild-type neurons. Non-releasing vesicles in HD neurons had an abnormally high prevalence of irregular oscillatory motion. These abnormal dynamics and vesicle pools were rescued by overexpressing Rab11, and the abnormal irregular oscillatory motion was rescued by jasplakinolide. Our studies reveal the abnormal dynamics and pools of synaptic vesicles in the early stages of HD, suggesting a possible pathogenic mechanism of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Lange J, Wood-Kaczmar A, Ali A, Farag S, Ghosh R, Parker J, Casey C, Uno Y, Kunugi A, Ferretti P, Andre R, Tabrizi SJ. Mislocalization of Nucleocytoplasmic Transport Proteins in Human Huntington's Disease PSC-Derived Striatal Neurons. Front Cell Neurosci 2021; 15:742763. [PMID: 34658796 PMCID: PMC8519404 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.742763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the huntingtin gene (HTT). Disease progression is characterized by the loss of vulnerable neuronal populations within the striatum. A consistent phenotype across HD models is disruption of nucleocytoplasmic transport and nuclear pore complex (NPC) function. Here we demonstrate that high content imaging is a suitable method for detecting mislocalization of lamin-B1, RAN and RANGAP1 in striatal neuronal cultures thus allowing a robust, unbiased, highly powered approach to assay nuclear pore deficits. Furthermore, nuclear pore deficits extended to the selectively vulnerable DARPP32 + subpopulation neurons, but not to astrocytes. Striatal neuron cultures are further affected by changes in gene and protein expression of RAN, RANGAP1 and lamin-B1. Lowering total HTT using HTT-targeted anti-sense oligonucleotides partially restored gene expression, as well as subtly reducing mislocalization of proteins involved in nucleocytoplasmic transport. This suggests that mislocalization of RAN, RANGAP1 and lamin-B1 cannot be normalized by simply reducing expression of CAG-expanded HTT in the absence of healthy HTT protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny Lange
- Huntington’s Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alison Wood-Kaczmar
- Huntington’s Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Aneesa Ali
- Huntington’s Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sahar Farag
- Huntington’s Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Rhia Ghosh
- Huntington’s Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jennifer Parker
- Huntington’s Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Caroline Casey
- Huntington’s Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Yumiko Uno
- Neuroscience Drug Discovery Unit, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Fujisawa, Japan
| | - Akiyoshi Kunugi
- Neuroscience Drug Discovery Unit, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Fujisawa, Japan
| | - Patrizia Ferretti
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Section, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ralph Andre
- Huntington’s Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah J. Tabrizi
- Huntington’s Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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26
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Policarpo R, Sierksma A, De Strooper B, d'Ydewalle C. From Junk to Function: LncRNAs in CNS Health and Disease. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:714768. [PMID: 34349622 PMCID: PMC8327212 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.714768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in RNA sequencing technologies helped to uncover the existence of tens of thousands of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that arise from the dark matter of the genome. These lncRNAs were originally thought to be transcriptional noise but an increasing number of studies demonstrate that these transcripts can modulate protein-coding gene expression by a wide variety of transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms. The spatiotemporal regulation of lncRNA expression is particularly evident in the central nervous system, suggesting that they may directly contribute to specific brain processes, including neurogenesis and cellular homeostasis. Not surprisingly, lncRNAs are therefore gaining attention as putative novel therapeutic targets for disorders of the brain. In this review, we summarize the recent insights into the functions of lncRNAs in the brain, their role in neuronal maintenance, and their potential contribution to disease. We conclude this review by postulating how these RNA molecules can be targeted for the treatment of yet incurable neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafaela Policarpo
- VIB-KU Leuven Center For Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium.,Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Neuroscience Discovery, Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V., Beerse, Belgium
| | - Annerieke Sierksma
- VIB-KU Leuven Center For Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium.,Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bart De Strooper
- VIB-KU Leuven Center For Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium.,Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Constantin d'Ydewalle
- Neuroscience Discovery, Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V., Beerse, Belgium
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27
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Bensalel J, Xu H, Lu ML, Capobianco E, Wei J. RNA-seq analysis reveals significant transcriptome changes in huntingtin-null human neuroblastoma cells. BMC Med Genomics 2021; 14:176. [PMID: 34215255 PMCID: PMC8252266 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-021-01022-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Huntingtin (Htt) protein is the product of the gene mutated in Huntington's disease (HD), a fatal, autosomal dominant, neurodegenerative disorder. Normal Htt is essential for early embryogenesis and the development of the central nervous system. However, the role of Htt in adult tissues is less defined. Following the recent promising clinical trial in which both normal and mutant Htt mRNA were knocked down in HD patients, there is an urgent need to fully understand the molecular consequences of knocking out/down Htt in adult tissues. Htt has been identified as an important transcriptional regulator. Unbiased investigations of transcriptome changes with RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) have been done in multiple cell types in HD, further confirming that transcriptional dysregulation is a central pathogenic mechanism in HD. However, there is lack of direct understanding of the transcriptional regulation by normal Htt. METHODS To investigate the transcriptional role of normal Htt, we first knocked out Htt in the human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line using the CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)-Cas9 (CRISPR-associated protein 9) gene editing approach. We then performed RNA-seq analysis on Htt-null and wild type SH-SY5Y cells to probe the global transcriptome changes induced by Htt deletion. RESULTS In general, Htt has a widespread effect on gene transcription. Functional analysis of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using various bioinformatic tools revealed irregularities in pathways related to cell communication and signaling, and more specifically those related to neuron development, neurotransmission and synaptic signaling. We further examined the transcription factors that may regulate these DEGs. Consistent with the disrupted pathways associated with cellular development, we showed that Htt-null cells exhibited slower cell proliferation than wild type cells. We finally validated some of the top DEGS with quantitative RT-PCR. CONCLUSIONS The widespread transcriptome changes in Htt-null cells could be directly caused by the loss of Htt-mediated transcriptional regulation or due to the secondary consequences of disruption in the gene regulatory network. Our study therefore provides valuable information about key genes associated with Htt-mediated transcription and improves our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the cellular functions of normal and mutant Htt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Bensalel
- Department of Biomedical Science, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, USA
| | - Hongyuan Xu
- Department of Biomedical Science, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, USA
| | - Michael L Lu
- Department of Biomedical Science, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, USA
| | - Enrico Capobianco
- Institute of Data Science and Computing, University of Miami, Miami, FL, 33146, USA
| | - Jianning Wei
- Department of Biomedical Science, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, USA.
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Świtońska-Kurkowska K, Krist B, Delimata J, Figiel M. Juvenile Huntington's Disease and Other PolyQ Diseases, Update on Neurodevelopmental Character and Comparative Bioinformatic Review of Transcriptomic and Proteomic Data. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:642773. [PMID: 34277598 PMCID: PMC8281051 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.642773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Polyglutamine (PolyQ) diseases are neurodegenerative disorders caused by the CAG repeat expansion mutation in affected genes resulting in toxic proteins containing a long chain of glutamines. There are nine PolyQ diseases: Huntington’s disease (HD), spinocerebellar ataxias (types 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, and 17), dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy (DRPLA), and spinal bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA). In general, longer CAG expansions and longer glutamine tracts lead to earlier disease presentations in PolyQ patients. Rarely, cases of extremely long expansions are identified for PolyQ diseases, and they consistently lead to juvenile or sometimes very severe infantile-onset polyQ syndromes. In apparent contrast to the very long CAG tracts, shorter CAGs and PolyQs in proteins seems to be the evolutionary factor enhancing human cognition. Therefore, polyQ tracts in proteins can be modifiers of brain development and disease drivers, which contribute neurodevelopmental phenotypes in juvenile- and adult-onset PolyQ diseases. Therefore we performed a bioinformatics review of published RNAseq polyQ expression data resulting from the presence of polyQ genes in search of neurodevelopmental expression patterns and comparison between diseases. The expression data were collected from cell types reflecting stages of development such as iPSC, neuronal stem cell, neurons, but also the adult patients and models for PolyQ disease. In addition, we extended our bioinformatic transcriptomic analysis by proteomics data. We identified a group of 13 commonly downregulated genes and proteins in HD mouse models. Our comparative bioinformatic review highlighted several (neuro)developmental pathways and genes identified within PolyQ diseases and mouse models responsible for neural growth, synaptogenesis, and synaptic plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bart Krist
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | - Joanna Delimata
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | - Maciej Figiel
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznań, Poland
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29
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Zhang N, Bewick B, Schultz J, Tiwari A, Krencik R, Zhang A, Adachi K, Xia G, Yun K, Sarkar P, Ashizawa T. DNAzyme Cleavage of CAG Repeat RNA in Polyglutamine Diseases. Neurotherapeutics 2021; 18:1710-1728. [PMID: 34160773 PMCID: PMC8609077 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-021-01075-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
CAG repeat expansion is the genetic cause of nine incurable polyglutamine (polyQ) diseases with neurodegenerative features. Silencing repeat RNA holds great therapeutic value. Here, we developed a repeat-based RNA-cleaving DNAzyme that catalyzes the destruction of expanded CAG repeat RNA of six polyQ diseases with high potency. DNAzyme preferentially cleaved the expanded allele in spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) cells. While cleavage was non-allele-specific for spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) cells, treatment of DNAzyme leads to improved cell viability without affecting mitochondrial metabolism or p62-dependent aggresome formation. DNAzyme appears to be stable in mouse brain for at least 1 month, and an intermediate dosage of DNAzyme in a SCA3 mouse model leads to a significant reduction of high molecular weight ATXN3 proteins. Our data suggest that DNAzyme is an effective RNA silencing molecule for potential treatment of multiple polyQ diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience Program, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX USA
| | - Brittani Bewick
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience Program, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX USA
| | - Jason Schultz
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience Program, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX USA
| | - Anjana Tiwari
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience Program, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX USA
| | - Robert Krencik
- Center for Neuroregeneration, Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX USA
| | - Aijun Zhang
- Center for Bioenergetics, Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX USA
| | - Kaho Adachi
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, UC-Berkeley, Berkeley, CA USA
| | - Guangbin Xia
- Indiana University School of Medicine-Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne, IN USA
| | - Kyuson Yun
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience Program, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX USA
| | - Partha Sarkar
- Department of Neurology and Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology and Anatomy, UTMB Health, Galveston, TX USA
| | - Tetsuo Ashizawa
- Department of Neurology, Neuroscience Program, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX USA
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30
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Tan X, Liu Y, Liu Y, Zhang T, Cong S. Dysregulation of long non-coding RNAs and their mechanisms in Huntington's disease. J Neurosci Res 2021; 99:2074-2090. [PMID: 34031910 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24825] [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: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Extensive alterations in gene regulatory networks are a typical characteristic of Huntington's disease (HD); these include alterations in protein-coding genes and poorly understood non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), which are associated with pathology caused by mutant huntingtin. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are an important class of ncRNAs involved in a variety of biological functions, including transcriptional regulation and post-transcriptional modification of many targets, and likely contributed to the pathogenesis of HD. While a number of changes in lncRNAs expression have been observed in HD, little is currently known about their functions. Here, we discuss their possible mechanisms and molecular functions, with a particular focus on their roles in transcriptional regulation. These findings give us a better insight into HD pathogenesis and may provide new targets for the treatment of this neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoping Tan
- Department of Neurology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, P.R. China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Neurology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, P.R. China
| | - Yan Liu
- Department of Neurology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, P.R. China
| | - Taiming Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, P.R. China
| | - Shuyan Cong
- Department of Neurology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, P.R. China
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31
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de Castro IJ, Toner B, Xie SQ, Swingland J, Hodges A, Tabrizi SJ, Turkheimer F, Pombo A, Khalil A. Altered nuclear architecture in blood cells from Huntington's disease patients. Neurol Sci 2021; 43:379-385. [PMID: 33974169 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-021-05289-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cell nuclear architecture has been explored in cancer and laminopathies but not in neurodegenerative disorders. Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that leads to neuronal death. Chromosome-wide changes in gene expression have been reported in HD, not only in the brain but also in peripheral blood cells, but whether this translates into nuclear and chromosome architecture alterations has not yet been studied. METHODS We investigate nuclear structure and chromosome organization in HD blood cells using fluorescence in situ hybridization in ultrathin cryosections (cryoFISH), coupled with machine learning image analysis to evaluate size, distribution, and morphology of nuclei and chromosomes. Four chromosomes were analyzed based on up- or downregulation of gene expression in HD. RESULTS We show that blood cells from HD patients display increased nuclear size and filamentary shape, increased size of gene-rich chromosome 19, decreased filamentary shape of gene-rich chromosome 22, and a more radially centralized position for chromosome 19, whereas chromosomes 4 and 5 do not show detectable differences. CONCLUSIONS We identify gross changes in nuclear architecture and chromosome organization associated with HD in blood. This adds a new layer of information onto disrupting mechanisms in HD and increases the potential of using blood to survey HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inês J de Castro
- Genome Function Group, MRC London Institute for Medical Sciences, London, W12 0NN, UK. .,Epigenetic Regulation and Chromatin Architecture Group, Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max-Delbrück Centre for Molecular Medicine, 10115, Berlin, Germany. .,Department of Infectious Diseases, Integrative Virology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Im Neuenheimer Feld 344, Heidelberg, 69120, Germany.
| | - Brian Toner
- CompuMAINE Lab, Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA
| | - Sheila Q Xie
- Genome Function Group, MRC London Institute for Medical Sciences, London, W12 0NN, UK.,Chromatin and Development Group, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - James Swingland
- Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, SE5 8AF, UK.,GRIP AI, London, EC2A 3AZ, UK.,Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Angela Hodges
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Sarah J Tabrizi
- UCL Institute of Neurology, Box 104, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery Queen Square, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Federico Turkheimer
- Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, SE5 8AF, UK.,Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, SE5 8AF, UK.,Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, University College London (UCL) Queen Square Institute of Neurology and the UK Dementia Research Institute, UCL, London, UK
| | - Ana Pombo
- Genome Function Group, MRC London Institute for Medical Sciences, London, W12 0NN, UK.,Epigenetic Regulation and Chromatin Architecture Group, Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max-Delbrück Centre for Molecular Medicine, 10115, Berlin, Germany
| | - André Khalil
- CompuMAINE Lab, Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA.
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Burrus CJ, McKinstry SU, Kim N, Ozlu MI, Santoki AV, Fang FY, Ma A, Karadeniz YB, Worthington AK, Dragatsis I, Zeitlin S, Yin HH, Eroglu C. Striatal Projection Neurons Require Huntingtin for Synaptic Connectivity and Survival. Cell Rep 2021; 30:642-657.e6. [PMID: 31968243 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.12.069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Revised: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is caused by an autosomal dominant polyglutamine expansion mutation of Huntingtin (HTT). HD patients suffer from progressive motor, cognitive, and psychiatric impairments, along with significant degeneration of the striatal projection neurons (SPNs) of the striatum. HD is widely accepted to be caused by a toxic gain-of-function of mutant HTT. However, whether loss of HTT function, because of dominant-negative effects of the mutant protein, plays a role in HD and whether HTT is required for SPN health and function are not known. Here, we delete Htt from specific subpopulations of SPNs using the Cre-Lox system and find that SPNs require HTT for motor regulation, synaptic development, cell health, and survival during aging. Our results suggest that loss of HTT function in SPNs could play a critical role in HD pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caley J Burrus
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Spencer U McKinstry
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Namsoo Kim
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Trinity College of Arts and Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - M Ilcim Ozlu
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Aditya V Santoki
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Francia Y Fang
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Annie Ma
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Yonca B Karadeniz
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Atesh K Worthington
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Ioannis Dragatsis
- Department of Physiology, The University of Tennessee, Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
| | - Scott Zeitlin
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia, School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Henry H Yin
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Trinity College of Arts and Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Cagla Eroglu
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Regeneration Next Initiative, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
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33
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Hecklau K, Mueller S, Koch SP, Mehkary MH, Kilic B, Harms C, Boehm-Sturm P, Yildirim F. The Effects of Selective Inhibition of Histone Deacetylase 1 and 3 in Huntington's Disease Mice. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:616886. [PMID: 33679321 PMCID: PMC7925995 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.616886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease characterized by a late clinical onset of psychiatric, cognitive, and motor symptoms. Transcriptional dysregulation is an early and central disease mechanism which is accompanied by epigenetic alterations in HD. Previous studies demonstrated that targeting transcriptional changes by inhibition of histone deacetylases (HDACs), especially the class I HDACs, provides therapeutic effects. Yet, their exact mechanisms of action and the features of HD pathology, on which these inhibitors act remain to be elucidated. Here, using transcriptional profiling, we found that selective inhibition of HDAC1 and HDAC3 by RGFP109 alleviated transcriptional dysregulation of a number of genes, including the transcription factor genes Neurod2 and Nr4a2, and gene sets and programs, especially those that are associated to insulin-like growth factor pathway, in the striatum of R6/1 mice. RGFP109 treatment led to a modest improvement of the motor skill learning and coordination deficit on the RotaRod test, while it did not alter the locomotor and anxiety-like phenotypes in R6/1 animals. We also found, by volumetric MRI, a widespread brain atrophy in the R6/1 mice at the symptomatic disease stage, on which RGFP109 showed no significant effects. Collectively, our combined work suggests that specific HDAC1 and HDAC3 inhibition may offer benefits for alleviating the motor phenotypic deficits and transcriptional dysregulation in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Hecklau
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Susanne Mueller
- NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Experimental Neurology, Center for Stroke Research Berlin (CSB), Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Charité Core Facility 7T Experimental MRIs, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Paul Koch
- Department of Experimental Neurology, Center for Stroke Research Berlin (CSB), Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Charité Core Facility 7T Experimental MRIs, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mustafa Hussain Mehkary
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Busra Kilic
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christoph Harms
- NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Experimental Neurology, Center for Stroke Research Berlin (CSB), Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Philipp Boehm-Sturm
- NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Experimental Neurology, Center for Stroke Research Berlin (CSB), Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Charité Core Facility 7T Experimental MRIs, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ferah Yildirim
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Colnaghi L, Rondelli D, Muzi-Falconi M, Sertic S. Tau and DNA Damage in Neurodegeneration. Brain Sci 2020; 10:E946. [PMID: 33297375 PMCID: PMC7762255 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10120946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 11/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative disorders are a family of incurable conditions. Among them, Alzheimer's disease and tauopathies are the most common. Pathological features of these two disorders are synaptic loss, neuronal cell death and increased DNA damage. A key pathological protein for the onset and progression of the conditions is the protein tau, a microtubule-binding protein highly expressed in neurons and encoded by the MAPT (microtubule-associated protein tau) gene. Tau is predominantly a cytosolic protein that interacts with numerous other proteins and molecules. Recent findings, however, have highlighted new and unexpected roles for tau in the nucleus of neuronal cells. This review summarizes the functions of tau in the metabolism of DNA, describing them in the context of the disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Colnaghi
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Via Negri 2, 20156 Milan, Italy
| | - Diego Rondelli
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133 Milan, Italy; (D.R.); (M.M.-F.)
| | - Marco Muzi-Falconi
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133 Milan, Italy; (D.R.); (M.M.-F.)
| | - Sarah Sertic
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133 Milan, Italy; (D.R.); (M.M.-F.)
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O'Regan GC, Farag SH, Ostroff GR, Tabrizi SJ, Andre R. Wild-type huntingtin regulates human macrophage function. Sci Rep 2020; 10:17269. [PMID: 33057179 PMCID: PMC7560844 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-74042-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The huntingtin (HTT) protein in its mutant form is the cause of the inherited neurodegenerative disorder, Huntington's disease. Beyond its effects in the central nervous system, disease-associated mutant HTT causes aberrant phenotypes in myeloid-lineage innate immune system cells, namely monocytes and macrophages. Whether the wild-type form of the protein, however, has a role in normal human macrophage function has not been determined. Here, the effects of lowering the expression of wild-type (wt)HTT on the function of primary monocyte-derived macrophages from healthy, non-disease human subjects were examined. This demonstrated a previously undescribed role for wtHTT in maintaining normal macrophage health and function. Lowered wtHTT expression was associated, for instance, with a diminished release of induced cytokines, elevated phagocytosis and increased vulnerability to cellular stress. These may well occur by mechanisms different to that associated with the mutant form of the protein, given an absence of any effect on the intracellular signalling pathway predominantly associated with macrophage dysfunction in Huntington's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace C O'Regan
- UCL Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Sahar H Farag
- UCL Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Gary R Ostroff
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 373 Plantation Street, Two Biotech, Suite 113, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA
| | - Sarah J Tabrizi
- UCL Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK. .,UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
| | - Ralph Andre
- UCL Huntington's Disease Centre, Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
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36
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King AC, Wood TE, Rodriguez E, Parpura V, Gray M. Differential effects of SNARE-dependent gliotransmission on behavioral phenotypes in a mouse model of Huntington's disease. Exp Neurol 2020; 330:113358. [PMID: 32387649 PMCID: PMC7313419 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2020.113358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disease caused by a polyglutamine expansion in the widely expressed huntingtin protein. Multiple studies have indicated the importance of mutant huntingtin (mHTT) in astrocytes to HD pathogenesis. Astrocytes exhibit SNARE-dependent exocytosis and gliotransmission, which can be hampered by transgenic expression of dominant negative SNARE (dnSNARE) in these glial cells. We used BACHD mice and crossed them with the dnSNARE model to determine if pan-astrocytic SNARE-dependent exocytosis plays an important role in vivo in the progression of HD behavioral phenotypes. We assessed motor and neuropsychiatric behaviors in these mice. At 12 months of age there was a significant improvement in motor coordination (rotarod test) in BACHD/dnSNARE mice when compared to BACHD mice. Analyses of open field performance revealed significant worsening of center entry (at 9 and 12 months), but not distance traveled in BACHD/dnSNARE when compared to BACHD mice, and variable/inconclusive results on vertical plane entry. While no differences between BACHD and BACHD/dnSNARE mice at 12 months of age in the forced swim test were found, we did observe a significant decrease in performance of BACHD/dnSNARE mice in the light-dark box paradigm. Thus, reduction of astrocytic SNARE-dependent exocytosis has differential effects on the psychiatric-like and motor phenotypes observed in BACHD mice. These data suggest broadly targeting SNARE-dependent exocytosis in astrocytes throughout the brain as a means to modulate gliotransmission in HD may contribute to worsening of specific behavioral deficits and perhaps a brain-region specific approach would be required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annesha C King
- Graduate Biomedical Sciences Neuroscience Theme, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Department of Neurology, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Tara E Wood
- Department of Neurology, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Efrain Rodriguez
- Department of Neurology, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Vladimir Parpura
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Michelle Gray
- Department of Neurology, Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL, USA; Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
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Epigenomic Remodeling in Huntington's Disease-Master or Servant? EPIGENOMES 2020; 4:epigenomes4030015. [PMID: 34968288 PMCID: PMC8594700 DOI: 10.3390/epigenomes4030015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
In light of our aging population, neurodegenerative disorders are becoming a tremendous challenge, that modern societies have to face. They represent incurable, progressive conditions with diverse and complex pathological features, followed by catastrophic occurrences of massive neuronal loss at the later stages of the diseases. Some of these disorders, like Huntington’s disease (HD), rely on defined genetic factors. HD, as an incurable, fatal hereditary neurodegenerative disorder characterized by its mid-life onset, is caused by the expansion of CAG trinucleotide repeats coding for glutamine (Q) in exon 1 of the huntingtin gene. Apart from the genetic defect, environmental factors are thought to influence the risk, onset and progression of HD. As epigenetic mechanisms are known to readily respond to environmental stimuli, they are proposed to play a key role in HD pathogenesis. Indeed, dynamic epigenomic remodeling is observed in HD patients and in brains of HD animal models. Epigenetic signatures, such as DNA methylation, histone variants and modifications, are known to influence gene expression and to orchestrate various aspects of neuronal physiology. Hence, deciphering their implication in HD pathogenesis might open up new paths for novel therapeutic concepts, which are discussed in this review.
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Brás IC, König A, Outeiro TF. Glycation in Huntington's Disease: A Possible Modifier and Target for Intervention. J Huntingtons Dis 2020; 8:245-256. [PMID: 31322580 PMCID: PMC6839463 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-190366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Glycation is the non-enzymatic reaction between reactive dicarbonyls and amino groups, and gives rise to a variety of different reaction products known as advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Accumulation of AGEs on proteins is inevitable, and is associated with the aging process. Importantly, glycation is highly relevant in diabetic patients that experience periods of hyperglycemia. AGEs also play an important role in neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). Huntington’s disease (HD) is a hereditary neurodegenerative disease caused by an expansion of a CAG repeat in the huntingtin gene. The resulting expanded polyglutamine stretch in the huntingtin (HTT) protein induces its misfolding and aggregation, leading to neuronal dysfunction and death. HD patients exhibit chorea and psychiatric disturbances, along with abnormalities in glucose and energy homeostasis. Interestingly, an increased prevalence of diabetes mellitus has been reported in HD and in other CAG triplet repeat disorders. However, the mechanisms underlying the connection between glycation and HD progression remain unclear. In this review, we explore the possible connection between glycation and proteostasis imbalances in HD, and posit that it may contribute to disease progression, possibly by accelerating protein aggregation and deposition. Finally, we review therapeutic interventions that might be able to alleviate the negative impact of glycation in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inês Caldeira Brás
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Annekatrin König
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Tiago Fleming Outeiro
- Department of Experimental Neurodegeneration, Center for Biostructural Imaging of Neurodegeneration, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine, Göttingen, Germany.,Institute of Neuroscience, The Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
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Taran AS, Shuvalova LD, Lagarkova MA, Alieva IB. Huntington's Disease-An Outlook on the Interplay of the HTT Protein, Microtubules and Actin Cytoskeletal Components. Cells 2020; 9:E1514. [PMID: 32580314 PMCID: PMC7348758 DOI: 10.3390/cells9061514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease is a severe and currently incurable neurodegenerative disease. An autosomal dominant mutation in the Huntingtin gene (HTT) causes an increase in the polyglutamine fragment length at the protein N-terminus. The consequence of the mutation is the death of neurons, mostly striatal neurons, leading to the occurrence of a complex of motor, cognitive and emotional-volitional personality sphere disorders in carriers. Despite intensive studies, the functions of both mutant and wild-type huntingtin remain poorly understood. Surprisingly, there is the selective effect of the mutant form of HTT even on nervous tissue, whereas the protein is expressed ubiquitously. Huntingtin plays a role in cell physiology and affects cell transport, endocytosis, protein degradation and other cellular and molecular processes. Our experimental data mining let us conclude that a significant part of the Huntingtin-involved cellular processes is mediated by microtubules and other cytoskeletal cell structures. The review attempts to look at unresolved issues in the study of the huntingtin and its mutant form, including their functions affecting microtubules and other components of the cell cytoskeleton.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra S. Taran
- Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1–73, Leninsky Gory, 119992 Moscow, Russia; (A.S.T.); (L.D.S.)
| | - Lilia D. Shuvalova
- Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1–73, Leninsky Gory, 119992 Moscow, Russia; (A.S.T.); (L.D.S.)
- Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, 1a Malaya Pirogovskaya St., 119435 Moscow, Russia
| | - Maria A. Lagarkova
- Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, 1a Malaya Pirogovskaya St., 119435 Moscow, Russia
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, 1a Malaya Pirogovskaya St., 119435 Moscow, Russia
| | - Irina B. Alieva
- Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, 1a Malaya Pirogovskaya St., 119435 Moscow, Russia
- A.N. Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1–40, Leninsky Gory, 119992 Moscow, Russia
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40
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Sedighi F, Adegbuyiro A, Legleiter J. SUMOylation Prevents Huntingtin Fibrillization and Localization onto Lipid Membranes. ACS Chem Neurosci 2020; 11:328-343. [PMID: 31880908 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.9b00509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD), a genetic neurodegenerative disease, is caused by an expanded polyglutamine (polyQ) domain in the first exon of the huntingtin protein (htt). PolyQ expansion destabilizes protein structure, resulting in aggregation into a variety of oligomers, protofibrils, and fibrils. Beyond the polyQ domain, adjacent protein sequences influence the aggregation process. Specifically, the first 17 N-terminal amino acids (Nt17) directly preceding the polyQ domain promote the formation of α-helix-rich oligomers that represent intermediate species associated with fibrillization. Due to its propensity to form an amphipathic α-helix, Nt17 also facilitates lipid binding. Three lysine residues (K6, K9, and K15) within Nt17 can be SUMOylated, which modifies htt's accumulation and toxicity within cells in a variety of HD models. The impact of SUMOylation on htt aggregation and direct interaction with lipid membranes was investigated. SUMOylation of htt-exon1 inhibited fibril formation while promoting larger, amorphous aggregate species. These amorphous aggregates were SDS soluble but nonetheless exhibited levels of β-sheet structure similar to that of htt-exon1 fibrils. In addition, SUMOylation prevented htt binding, aggregation, and accumulation on model lipid bilayers comprised of total brain lipid extract. Collectively, these observations demonstrate that SUMOylation promotes a distinct htt aggregation pathway that may affect htt toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faezeh Sedighi
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, 217 Clark Hall, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - Adewale Adegbuyiro
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, 217 Clark Hall, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
| | - Justin Legleiter
- The C. Eugene Bennett Department of Chemistry, West Virginia University, 217 Clark Hall, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, United States
- Rockefeller Neurosciences Institutes, West Virginia University, 1 Medical Center Drive, P.O. Box 9303, Morgantown, West Virginia 26505, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, West Virginia University, 1 Medical Center Drive, P.O. Box 9303, Morgantown, West Virginia 26505, United States
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41
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Wang Y, Yang J, Hong T, Chen X, Cui L. SIRT2: Controversy and multiple roles in disease and physiology. Ageing Res Rev 2019; 55:100961. [PMID: 31505260 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2019.100961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 138] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2019] [Revised: 07/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Sirtuin 2 (SIRT2) is an NAD+-dependent deacetylase that was under studied compared to other sirtuin family members. SIRT2 is the only sirtuin protein which is predominantly found in the cytoplasm but is also found in the mitochondria and in the nucleus. Recently, accumulating evidence has uncovered a growing number of substrates and additional detailed functions of SIRT2 in a wide range of biological processes, marking its crucial role. Here, we give a comprehensive profile of the crucial physiological functions of SIRT2 and its role in neurological diseases, cancers, and other diseases. This review summarizes the functions of SIRT2 in the nervous system, mitosis regulation, genome integrity, cell differentiation, cell homeostasis, aging, infection, inflammation, oxidative stress, and autophagy. SIRT2 inhibition rescues neurodegenerative disease symptoms and hence SIRT2 is a potential therapeutic target for neurodegenerative disease. SIRT2 is undoubtedly dysfunctional in cancers and plays a dual-faced role in different types of cancers, and although its mechanism is unresolved, SIRT2 remains a promising therapeutic target for certain cancers. In future, the continued rapid growth in SIRT2 research will help clarify its role in human health and disease, and promote the progress of this target in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Wang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China; Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jingqi Yang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Tingting Hong
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Xiongjin Chen
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Lili Cui
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China.
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Satir P, Satir BH. The conserved ancestral signaling pathway from cilium to nucleus. J Cell Sci 2019; 132:132/15/jcs230441. [PMID: 31375541 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.230441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 07/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Many signaling molecules are localized to both the primary cilium and nucleus. Localization of specific transmembrane receptors and their signaling scaffold molecules in the cilium is necessary for correct physiological function. After a specific signaling event, signaling molecules leave the cilium, usually in the form of an endocytic vesicle scaffold, and move to the nucleus, where they dissociate from the scaffold and enter the nucleus to affect gene expression. This ancient pathway probably arose very early in eukaryotic evolution as the nucleus and cilium co-evolved. Because there are similarities in molecular composition of the nuclear and ciliary pores the entry and exit of proteins in both organelles rely on similar mechanisms. In this Hypothesis, we propose that the pathway is a dynamic universal cilia-based signaling pathway with some variations from protists to man. Everywhere the cilium functions as an important organelle for molecular storage of certain key receptors and selection and concentration of their associated signaling molecules that move from cilium to nucleus. This could also have important implications for human diseases such as Huntington disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Satir
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461 .,B&P Nanobiology Consultants, 7 Byfield Lane, Greenwich, CT 06830, USA
| | - Birgit H Satir
- Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461.,B&P Nanobiology Consultants, 7 Byfield Lane, Greenwich, CT 06830, USA
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Huguet G, Temel Y, Kádár E, Pol S, Casaca-Carreira J, Segura-Torres P, Jahanshahi A. Altered expression of dopaminergic cell fate regulating genes prior to manifestation of symptoms in a transgenic rat model of Huntington's disease. Brain Res 2019; 1712:101-108. [PMID: 30711400 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2019.01.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Revised: 01/24/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Hyperactivity of the dopaminergic pathway is thought to contribute to clinical symptoms in the early stages of Huntington's disease (HD). It is suggested to be result of a reduced dopaminergic inhibition by degeneration of medium spiny neurons in the striatum. Previously, we have shown that the number of dopaminergic cells is increased in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) of HD patients and transgenic HD (tgHD) rats during the manifestation phase of the disease; as well as in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) and ventral tegmental area (VTA) of tgHD rats. To address whether these changes are secondary to neurodegeneration or take place in the pre-manifest phase of the disease, we examined the expression of genes controlling neuronal cell fate and genes that define dopaminergic cell phenotype. In the SNc-VTA of tgHD rats, Msx1 was upregulated, which correlated with an altered expression of transcription factors Zbtb16 and Tcf12. Zbtb16 was upregulated in the DRN and it was the only gene that showed a correlated expression in the tgHD rats between SNc-VTA and DRN. Zbtb16 may be a candidate for regionally tuning its cell populations, resulting in the increase in dopaminergic cells observed in our previous studies. Here, we demonstrated an altered expression of genes related to dopaminergic cell fate regulation in the brainstem of 6 months-old tgHD rats. This suggests that changes in dopaminergic system in HD precede the manifestation of clinical symptoms, contradicting the theory that hyperdopaminergic status in HD is a consequence of neurodegeneration in the striatum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gemma Huguet
- Departament de Biologia, Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain.
| | - Yasin Temel
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
| | - Elisabet Kádár
- Departament de Biologia, Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain.
| | - Sylvana Pol
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
| | - Joao Casaca-Carreira
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
| | - Pilar Segura-Torres
- Departament de Psicobiologia i de Metodologia de les Ciències de la Salut, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Ali Jahanshahi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
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Solís-Maldonado M, Miró MP, Acuña AI, Covarrubias-Pinto A, Loaiza A, Mayorga G, Beltrán FA, Cepeda C, Levine MS, Concha II, Bátiz LF, Carrasco MA, Castro MA. Altered lactate metabolism in Huntington's disease is dependent on GLUT3 expression. CNS Neurosci Ther 2018; 24:343-352. [PMID: 29582588 DOI: 10.1111/cns.12837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Revised: 01/31/2018] [Accepted: 02/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive abnormalities in cognitive function, mental state, and motor control. HD is characterized by a failure in brain energy metabolism. It has been proposed that monocarboxylates, such as lactate, support brain activity. During neuronal synaptic activity, ascorbic acid released from glial cells stimulates lactate and inhibits glucose transport. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression and function of monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) in two HD models. METHODS Using immunofluorescence, qPCR, and Western blot analyses, we explored mRNA and protein levels of MCTs in the striatum of R6/2 animals and HdhQ7/111 cells. We also evaluated MCT function in HdhQ7/111 cells using radioactive tracers and the fluorescent lactate sensor Laconic. RESULTS We found no significant differences in the mRNA or protein levels of neuronal MCTs. Functional analyses revealed that neuronal MCT2 had a high catalytic efficiency in HD cells. Ascorbic acid did not stimulate lactate uptake in HD cells. Ascorbic acid was also unable to inhibit glucose transport in HD cells because they exhibit decreased expression of the neuronal glucose transporter GLUT3. CONCLUSION We demonstrate that stimulation of lactate uptake by ascorbic acid is a consequence of inhibiting glucose transport. Supporting this, lactate transport stimulation by ascorbic acid in HD cells was completely restored by overexpressing GLUT3. Therefore, alterations in GLUT3 expression could be responsible for inefficient use of lactate in HD neurons, contributing to the metabolic failure observed in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Macarena Solís-Maldonado
- Instituto de Bioquímica y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.,Center for Interdisciplinary Studies on the Nervous System (CISNe), Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - María Paz Miró
- Instituto de Bioquímica y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.,Center for Interdisciplinary Studies on the Nervous System (CISNe), Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Aníbal I Acuña
- Instituto de Bioquímica y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.,Center for Interdisciplinary Studies on the Nervous System (CISNe), Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Adriana Covarrubias-Pinto
- Instituto de Bioquímica y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.,Center for Interdisciplinary Studies on the Nervous System (CISNe), Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Anitsi Loaiza
- Instituto de Bioquímica y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.,Center for Interdisciplinary Studies on the Nervous System (CISNe), Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Gonzalo Mayorga
- Instituto de Bioquímica y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.,Center for Interdisciplinary Studies on the Nervous System (CISNe), Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Felipe A Beltrán
- Instituto de Bioquímica y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.,Center for Interdisciplinary Studies on the Nervous System (CISNe), Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Carlos Cepeda
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behaviour, Brain Research Institute, The David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michael S Levine
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behaviour, Brain Research Institute, The David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ilona I Concha
- Instituto de Bioquímica y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Luis Federico Bátiz
- Center for Interdisciplinary Studies on the Nervous System (CISNe), Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.,Instituto de Anatomía, Histología y Patología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica (CIB), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Los Andes, Santiago, Chile.,Research Initiative for Brain Rejuvenation (ReBrain), Valdivia, Chile
| | - Mónica A Carrasco
- Research Initiative for Brain Rejuvenation (ReBrain), Valdivia, Chile.,Departamento de Ciencias Básicas Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Maite A Castro
- Instituto de Bioquímica y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.,Center for Interdisciplinary Studies on the Nervous System (CISNe), Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.,Research Initiative for Brain Rejuvenation (ReBrain), Valdivia, Chile
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Askeland G, Rodinova M, Štufková H, Dosoudilova Z, Baxa M, Smatlikova P, Bohuslavova B, Klempir J, Nguyen TD, Kuśnierczyk A, Bjørås M, Klungland A, Hansikova H, Ellederova Z, Eide L. A transgenic minipig model of Huntington's disease shows early signs of behavioral and molecular pathologies. Dis Model Mech 2018; 11:dmm.035949. [PMID: 30254085 PMCID: PMC6215428 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.035949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a monogenic, progressive, neurodegenerative disorder with currently no available treatment. The Libechov transgenic minipig model for HD (TgHD) displays neuroanatomical similarities to humans and exhibits slow disease progression, and is therefore more powerful than available mouse models for the development of therapy. The phenotypic characterization of this model is still ongoing, and it is essential to validate biomarkers to monitor disease progression and intervention. In this study, the behavioral phenotype (cognitive, motor and behavior) of the TgHD model was assessed, along with biomarkers for mitochondrial capacity, oxidative stress, DNA integrity and DNA repair at different ages (24, 36 and 48 months), and compared with age-matched controls. The TgHD minipigs showed progressive accumulation of the mutant huntingtin (mHTT) fragment in brain tissue and exhibited locomotor functional decline at 48 months. Interestingly, this neuropathology progressed without any significant age-dependent changes in any of the other biomarkers assessed. Rather, we observed genotype-specific effects on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage, mtDNA copy number, 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase activity and global level of the epigenetic marker 5-methylcytosine that we believe is indicative of a metabolic alteration that manifests in progressive neuropathology. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were relatively spared in the TgHD minipig, probably due to the lack of detectable mHTT. Our data demonstrate that neuropathology in the TgHD model has an age of onset of 48 months, and that oxidative damage and electron transport chain impairment represent later states of the disease that are not optimal for assessing interventions. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper. Summary: Here, we show that a minipig model of Huntington's disease mimics human neurodegeneration and holds promise for future intervention studies. However, minipig peripheral blood mononuclear cells express no detectable mutant huntingtin, eliminating their use as monitoring tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgina Askeland
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, 0372 Oslo, Norway.,Department of Microbiology, Oslo University Hospital, 0372 Oslo, Norway
| | - Marie Rodinova
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague 12808, Czech Republic
| | - Hana Štufková
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague 12808, Czech Republic
| | - Zaneta Dosoudilova
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague 12808, Czech Republic
| | - Monika Baxa
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague 12808, Czech Republic
| | - Petra Smatlikova
- Laboratory of Cell Regeneration and Plasticity, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Czech Academy of Science, Libechov 27721, Czech Republic
| | - Bozena Bohuslavova
- Laboratory of Cell Regeneration and Plasticity, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Czech Academy of Science, Libechov 27721, Czech Republic.,Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Prague 12843, Czech Republic
| | - Jiri Klempir
- Department of Neurology and Centre of Clinical Neuroscience, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague 12821, Czech Republic
| | - The Duong Nguyen
- Laboratory of Cell Regeneration and Plasticity, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Czech Academy of Science, Libechov 27721, Czech Republic.,Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Prague 12843, Czech Republic
| | - Anna Kuśnierczyk
- Proteomics and Metabolomics Core Facility, PROMEC, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Magnar Bjørås
- Department of Microbiology, Oslo University Hospital, 0372 Oslo, Norway.,Proteomics and Metabolomics Core Facility, PROMEC, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Arne Klungland
- Department of Microbiology, Oslo University Hospital, 0372 Oslo, Norway
| | - Hana Hansikova
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague 12808, Czech Republic
| | - Zdenka Ellederova
- Laboratory of Cell Regeneration and Plasticity, Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Czech Academy of Science, Libechov 27721, Czech Republic
| | - Lars Eide
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, 0372 Oslo, Norway
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Li D, Li YP, Li YX, Zhu XH, Du XG, Zhou M, Li WB, Deng HY. Effect of Regulatory Network of Exosomes and microRNAs on Neurodegenerative Diseases. Chin Med J (Engl) 2018; 131:2216-2225. [PMID: 30203797 PMCID: PMC6144844 DOI: 10.4103/0366-6999.240817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE A comprehensive review of the network regulation of exosomes and microRNAs (miRNAs) in neurodegenerative diseases was done, centering on the mechanism of the formation of exosomes and miRNAs and the sorting mechanism of exosomal miRNAs, with the aim to provide a theoretical basis in the search of biomarkers and the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. DATA SOURCES The comprehensive search used online literature databases including NCBI PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Baidu Scholar. STUDY SELECTION The study selection was based on the following keywords: exosomes, miRNAs, central nervous system (CNS), and neurodegenerative diseases. The time limit for literature retrieval was from the year 2000 to 2018, with language restriction in English. Relevant articles were carefully reviewed, with no exclusions applied to study design and publication type. RESULTS Exosomes are the smallest nanoscale membranous microvesicles secreted by cells and contain important miRNAs, among other rich contents. In the CNS, exosomes can transport amyloid β-protein, α-synuclein, Huntington-associated protein 1, and superoxide dismutase I to other cells. These events relieve the abnormal accumulation of proteins and aggravating neurological diseases. In some neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, miRNAs are pathologically altered as an inexorable course, suggesting that miRNAs may contribute neurodegeneration. Exosomes and miRNAs form a network to regulate the homeostasis of the CNS, both synergistically and individually. CONCLUSION The network of exosomes and miRNAs that regulates CNS homeostasis is a promising biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Li
- Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, China West Normal University, Nanchong, Sichuan 637009, China
- Department of Engineering and Applied Biology, College of Life Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, Sichuan 625014, China
| | - You-Ping Li
- Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, China West Normal University, Nanchong, Sichuan 637009, China
| | - Yun-Xiang Li
- Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, China West Normal University, Nanchong, Sichuan 637009, China
| | - Xiao-Hua Zhu
- Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, China West Normal University, Nanchong, Sichuan 637009, China
- Department of Environmental Geology, College of Environmental and Civil Engineering, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, Sichuan 610059, China
| | - Xiao-Gang Du
- Department of Engineering and Applied Biology, College of Life Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, Sichuan 625014, China
| | - Min Zhou
- Department of Engineering and Applied Biology, College of Life Science, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, Sichuan 625014, China
| | - Wen-Bin Li
- Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, China West Normal University, Nanchong, Sichuan 637009, China
| | - Hong-Yan Deng
- Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, China West Normal University, Nanchong, Sichuan 637009, China
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Ohkuni K, Pasupala N, Peek J, Holloway GL, Sclar GD, Levy-Myers R, Baker RE, Basrai MA, Kerscher O. SUMO-Targeted Ubiquitin Ligases (STUbLs) Reduce the Toxicity and Abnormal Transcriptional Activity Associated With a Mutant, Aggregation-Prone Fragment of Huntingtin. Front Genet 2018; 9:379. [PMID: 30279700 PMCID: PMC6154015 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2018.00379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2018] [Accepted: 08/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell viability and gene expression profiles are altered in cellular models of neurodegenerative disorders such as Huntington’s Disease (HD). Using the yeast model system, we show that the SUMO-targeted ubiquitin ligase (STUbL) Slx5 reduces the toxicity and abnormal transcriptional activity associated with a mutant, aggregation-prone fragment of huntingtin (Htt), the causative agent of HD. We demonstrate that expression of an aggregation-prone Htt construct with 103 glutamine residues (103Q), but not the non-expanded form (25Q), results in severe growth defects in slx5Δ and slx8Δ cells. Since Slx5 is a nuclear protein and because Htt expression affects gene transcription, we assessed the effect of STUbLs on the transcriptional properties of aggregation-prone Htt. Expression of Htt 25Q and 55Q fused to the Gal4 activation domain (AD) resulted in reporter gene auto-activation. Remarkably, the auto-activation of Htt constructs was abolished by expression of Slx5 fused to the Gal4 DNA-binding domain (BD-Slx5). In support of these observations, RNF4, the human ortholog of Slx5, curbs the aberrant transcriptional activity of aggregation-prone Htt in yeast and a variety of cultured human cell lines. Functionally, we find that an extra copy of SLX5 specifically reduces Htt aggregates in the cytosol as well as chromatin-associated Htt aggregates in the nucleus. Finally, using RNA sequencing, we identified and confirmed specific targets of Htt’s transcriptional activity that are modulated by Slx5. In summary, this study of STUbLs uncovers a conserved pathway that counteracts the accumulation of aggregating, transcriptionally active Htt (and possibly other poly-glutamine expanded proteins) on chromatin in both yeast and in mammalian cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kentaro Ohkuni
- Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Nagesh Pasupala
- Biology Department, College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA, United States
| | - Jennifer Peek
- Biology Department, College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA, United States
| | | | - Gloria D Sclar
- Biology Department, College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA, United States
| | - Reuben Levy-Myers
- Biology Department, College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA, United States
| | - Richard E Baker
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Munira A Basrai
- Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Oliver Kerscher
- Biology Department, College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA, United States
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Bondarev SA, Antonets KS, Kajava AV, Nizhnikov AA, Zhouravleva GA. Protein Co-Aggregation Related to Amyloids: Methods of Investigation, Diversity, and Classification. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19082292. [PMID: 30081572 PMCID: PMC6121665 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19082292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2018] [Revised: 07/29/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyloids are unbranched protein fibrils with a characteristic spatial structure. Although the amyloids were first described as protein deposits that are associated with the diseases, today it is becoming clear that these protein fibrils play multiple biological roles that are essential for different organisms, from archaea and bacteria to humans. The appearance of amyloid, first of all, causes changes in the intracellular quantity of the corresponding soluble protein(s), and at the same time the aggregate can include other proteins due to different molecular mechanisms. The co-aggregation may have different consequences even though usually this process leads to the depletion of a functional protein that may be associated with different diseases. The protein co-aggregation that is related to functional amyloids may mediate important biological processes and change of protein functions. In this review, we survey the known examples of the amyloid-related co-aggregation of proteins, discuss their pathogenic and functional roles, and analyze methods of their studies from bacteria and yeast to mammals. Such analysis allow for us to propose the following co-aggregation classes: (i) titration: deposition of soluble proteins on the amyloids formed by their functional partners, with such interactions mediated by a specific binding site; (ii) sequestration: interaction of amyloids with certain proteins lacking a specific binding site; (iii) axial co-aggregation of different proteins within the same amyloid fibril; and, (iv) lateral co-aggregation of amyloid fibrils, each formed by different proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stanislav A Bondarev
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, St. Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya nab., 7/9, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia.
- Laboratory of Amyloid Biology, St. Petersburg State University, Russia, Universitetskaya nab., 7/9, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia.
| | - Kirill S Antonets
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, St. Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya nab., 7/9, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia.
- Laboratory for Proteomics of Supra-Organismal Systems, All-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology, Podbelskogo sh., 3, Pushkin, St. Petersburg 196608, Russia.
| | - Andrey V Kajava
- Centre de Recherche en Biologie cellulaire de Montpellier (CRBM), UMR 5237 CNRS, Université Montpellier 1919 Route de Mende, CEDEX 5, 34293 Montpellier, France.
- Institut de Biologie Computationnelle (IBC), 34095 Montpellier, France.
- University ITMO, Institute of Bioengineering, Kronverksky Pr. 49, St. Petersburg 197101, Russia.
| | - Anton A Nizhnikov
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, St. Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya nab., 7/9, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia.
- Laboratory for Proteomics of Supra-Organismal Systems, All-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology, Podbelskogo sh., 3, Pushkin, St. Petersburg 196608, Russia.
| | - Galina A Zhouravleva
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, St. Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya nab., 7/9, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia.
- Laboratory of Amyloid Biology, St. Petersburg State University, Russia, Universitetskaya nab., 7/9, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia.
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Abstract
This review systematically examines the evidence for shifts in flux through energy generating biochemical pathways in Huntington’s disease (HD) brains from humans and model systems. Compromise of the electron transport chain (ETC) appears not to be the primary or earliest metabolic change in HD pathogenesis. Rather, compromise of glucose uptake facilitates glucose flux through glycolysis and may possibly decrease flux through the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), limiting subsequent NADPH and GSH production needed for antioxidant protection. As a result, oxidative damage to key glycolytic and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle enzymes further restricts energy production so that while basal needs may be met through oxidative phosphorylation, those of excessive stimulation cannot. Energy production may also be compromised by deficits in mitochondrial biogenesis, dynamics or trafficking. Restrictions on energy production may be compensated for by glutamate oxidation and/or stimulation of fatty acid oxidation. Transcriptional dysregulation generated by mutant huntingtin also contributes to energetic disruption at specific enzymatic steps. Many of the alterations in metabolic substrates and enzymes may derive from normal regulatory feedback mechanisms and appear oscillatory. Fine temporal sequencing of the shifts in metabolic flux and transcriptional and expression changes associated with mutant huntingtin expression remain largely unexplored and may be model dependent. Differences in disease progression among HD model systems at the time of experimentation and their varying states of metabolic compensation may explain conflicting reports in the literature. Progressive shifts in metabolic flux represent homeostatic compensatory mechanisms that maintain the model organism through presymptomatic and symptomatic stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet M Dubinsky
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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50
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Neueder A, Bates GP. RNA Related Pathology in Huntington's Disease. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2018; 1049:85-101. [PMID: 29427099 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-71779-1_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
This chapter summarises research investigating the expression of huntingtin sense and anti-sense transcripts, the effect of the mutation on huntingtin processing as well as the more global effect of the mutation on the coding and non-coding transcriptomes. The huntingtin gene is ubiquitously expressed, although expression levels vary between tissues and cell types. A SNP that affects NF-ĸB binding in the huntingtin promoter modulates the expression level of huntingtin transcripts and is associated with the age of disease onset. Incomplete splicing between exon 1 and exon 2 has been shown to result in the expression of a small polyadenylated mRNA that encodes the highly pathogenic exon 1 huntingtin protein. This occurs in a CAG-repeat length dependent manner in all full-length mouse models of HD as well as HD patient post-mortem brains and fibroblasts. An antisense transcript to huntingtin is generated that contains a CUG repeat that is expanded in HD patients. In myotonic dystrophy, expanded CUG repeats form RNA foci in cell nuclei that bind specific proteins (e.g. MBL1). Short, pure CAG RNAs of approximately 21 nucleotides that have been processed by DICER can inhibit the translation of other CAG repeat containing mRNAs. The HD mutation affects the transcriptome at the level of mRNA expression, splicing and the expression of non-coding RNAs. Finally, expanded repetitive stretched of nucleotides can lead to RAN translation, in which the ribosome translates from the expanded repeat in all possible reading frames, producing proteins with various poly-amino acid tracts. The extent to which these events contribute to HD pathogenesis is largely unknown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Neueder
- Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Gillian P Bates
- Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
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