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Gutiérrez Rico E, Joseph P, Noutsos C, Poon K. Hypothalamic and hippocampal transcriptome changes in App NL-G-F mice as a function of metabolic and inflammatory dysfunction. Neuroscience 2024; 554:107-117. [PMID: 39002757 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2024.07.007] [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: 08/13/2023] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024]
Abstract
The progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has a silent phase that predates characteristic cognitive decline and eventually leads to active cognitive deficits. Metabolism, diet, and obesity have been correlated to the development of AD but is poorly understood. The hypothalamus is a brain region that exerts homeostatic control on food intake and metabolism and has been noted to be impacted during the active phase of Alzheimer's disease. This study, in using an amyloid overexpression AppNL-G-F mouse model under normal metabolic conditions, examines blood markers in young and old male AppNL-G-F mice (n = 5) that corresponds to the silent and active phases of AD, and bulk gene expression changes in the hypothalamus and the hippocampus. The results show a large panel of inflammatory mediators, leptin, and other proteins that may be involved in weakening the blood brain barrier, to be increased in the young AppNL-G-F mice but not in the old AppNL-G-F mice. There were also several differentially expressed genes in both the hypothalamus and the hippocampus in the young AppNL-G-F mice prior to amyloid plaque formation and cognitive decline that persisted in the old AppNL-G-F mice, including GABRa2 receptor, Wdfy1, and several pseudogenes with unknown function. These results suggests that a larger panel of inflammatory mediators may be used as blood markers to detect silent AD, and that a change in leptin and gene expression in the hypothalamus exist prior to cognitive effects, suggesting a coupling of metabolism with amyloid plaque induced cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelyn Gutiérrez Rico
- Tohoku University, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sendai 980-8578, Japan
| | - Patricia Joseph
- SUNY Old Westbury, 223 Store Hill Rd, Old Westbury, NY 11568, USA
| | - Christos Noutsos
- SUNY Old Westbury, 223 Store Hill Rd, Old Westbury, NY 11568, USA
| | - Kinning Poon
- SUNY Old Westbury, 223 Store Hill Rd, Old Westbury, NY 11568, USA.
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2
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Castillo-Ordoñez WO, Cajas-Salazar N, Velasco-Reyes MA. Genetic and epigenetic targets of natural dietary compounds as anti-Alzheimer's agents. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:846-854. [PMID: 37843220 PMCID: PMC10664119 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.382232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder and the most common cause of dementia that principally affects older adults. Pathogenic factors, such as oxidative stress, an increase in acetylcholinesterase activity, mitochondrial dysfunction, genotoxicity, and neuroinflammation are present in this syndrome, which leads to neurodegeneration. Neurodegenerative pathologies such as Alzheimer's disease are considered late-onset diseases caused by the complex combination of genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors. There are two main types of Alzheimer's disease, known as familial Alzheimer's disease (onset < 65 years) and late-onset or sporadic Alzheimer's disease (onset ≥ 65 years). Patients with familial Alzheimer's disease inherit the disease due to rare mutations on the amyloid precursor protein (APP), presenilin 1 and 2 (PSEN1 and PSEN2) genes in an autosomal-dominantly fashion with closely 100% penetrance. In contrast, a different picture seems to emerge for sporadic Alzheimer's disease, which exhibits numerous non-Mendelian anomalies suggesting an epigenetic component in its etiology. Importantly, the fundamental pathophysiological mechanisms driving Alzheimer's disease are interfaced with epigenetic dysregulation. However, the dynamic nature of epigenetics seems to open up new avenues and hope in regenerative neurogenesis to improve brain repair in Alzheimer's disease or following injury or stroke in humans. In recent years, there has been an increase in interest in using natural products for the treatment of neurodegenerative illnesses such as Alzheimer's disease. Through epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, non-coding RNAs, histone modification, and chromatin conformation regulation, natural compounds appear to exert neuroprotective effects. While we do not purport to cover every in this work, we do attempt to illustrate how various phytochemical compounds regulate the epigenetic effects of a few Alzheimer's disease-related genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Willian Orlando Castillo-Ordoñez
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales-Exactas y de la Educación, Departamento de Biología. Universidad del Cauca, Popayán-Cauca, Colombia
- Departamento de Estudios Psicológicos, Universidad Icesi, Cali, Colombia
| | - Nohelia Cajas-Salazar
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales-Exactas y de la Educación, Departamento de Biología. Universidad del Cauca, Popayán-Cauca, Colombia
| | - Mayra Alejandra Velasco-Reyes
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales-Exactas y de la Educación, Departamento de Biología. Universidad del Cauca, Popayán-Cauca, Colombia
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3
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Upadhyay A, Chhangani D, Rao NR, Kofler J, Vassar R, Rincon-Limas DE, Savas JN. Amyloid fibril proteomics of AD brains reveals modifiers of aggregation and toxicity. Mol Neurodegener 2023; 18:61. [PMID: 37710351 PMCID: PMC10503190 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-023-00654-z] [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: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The accumulation of amyloid beta (Aβ) peptides in fibrils is prerequisite for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Our understanding of the proteins that promote Aβ fibril formation and mediate neurotoxicity has been limited due to technical challenges in isolating pure amyloid fibrils from brain extracts. METHODS To investigate how amyloid fibrils form and cause neurotoxicity in AD brain, we developed a robust biochemical strategy. We benchmarked the success of our purifications using electron microscopy, amyloid dyes, and a large panel of Aβ immunoassays. Tandem mass-spectrometry based proteomic analysis workflows provided quantitative measures of the amyloid fibril proteome. These methods allowed us to compare amyloid fibril composition from human AD brains, three amyloid mouse models, transgenic Aβ42 flies, and Aβ42 seeded cultured neurons. RESULTS Amyloid fibrils are primarily composed by Aβ42 and unexpectedly harbor Aβ38 but generally lack Aβ40 peptides. Multidimensional quantitative proteomics allowed us to redefine the fibril proteome by identifying 20 new amyloid-associated proteins. Notably, we confirmed 57 previously reported plaque-associated proteins. We validated a panel of these proteins as bona fide amyloid-interacting proteins using antibodies and orthogonal proteomic analysis. One metal-binding chaperone metallothionein-3 is tightly associated with amyloid fibrils and modulates fibril formation in vitro. Lastly, we used a transgenic Aβ42 fly model to test if knock down or over-expression of fibril-interacting gene homologues modifies neurotoxicity. Here, we could functionally validate 20 genes as modifiers of Aβ42 toxicity in vivo. CONCLUSIONS These discoveries and subsequent confirmation indicate that fibril-associated proteins play a key role in amyloid formation and AD pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arun Upadhyay
- Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Deepak Chhangani
- Department of Neurology, McKnight Brain Institute, and Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Nalini R Rao
- Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Julia Kofler
- Department of Pathology, Division of Neuropathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Robert Vassar
- Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
- Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer's Disease, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Diego E Rincon-Limas
- Department of Neurology, McKnight Brain Institute, and Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
- Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Jeffrey N Savas
- Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
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4
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Tai Y, Chen J, Tao Z, Ren J. Non-coding RNAs: New players in mitophagy and neurodegeneration. Neurochem Int 2021; 152:105253. [PMID: 34864089 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2021.105253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Mitophagy controls mitochondrial quality to maintain cellular homeostasis, while aberrations in this process are responsible for neurodegenerative diseases. Mitophagy is initiated through the recruitment of autophagosomes in a ubiquitin-dependent or ubiquitin-independent manner under different stress conditions. Although the detailed molecular mechanisms of how mitophagy processes influence neurodegeneration remain largely uncharacterized, there is mounting evidence indicating that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), a variety of endogenous regulators, including microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs, extensively participate in mitophagy processes and play pivotal roles in the aging process and neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we reviewed the major mitophagy pathways modulated by some classical and newly found ncRNAs and summarized the diverse mechanisms in a regulatory network. We also discussed the generalizability of ncRNAs in the development of common neurodegenerative diseases related to proteotoxicity and the importance of mitophagy in the pathogenesis of these diseases. In summary, we propose that ncRNAs act as linkers between mitophagy and neurodegeneration, showing the potential therapeutic application of mitophagy regulation mediated by ncRNAs in neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusi Tai
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Chen
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhouteng Tao
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
| | - Jin Ren
- Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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5
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Ciomborowska-Basheer J, Staszak K, Kubiak MR, Makałowska I. Not So Dead Genes-Retrocopies as Regulators of Their Disease-Related Progenitors and Hosts. Cells 2021; 10:cells10040912. [PMID: 33921034 PMCID: PMC8071448 DOI: 10.3390/cells10040912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2021] [Revised: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Retroposition is RNA-based gene duplication leading to the creation of single exon nonfunctional copies. Nevertheless, over time, many of these duplicates acquire transcriptional capabilities. In human in most cases, these so-called retrogenes do not code for proteins but function as regulatory long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). The mechanisms by which they can regulate other genes include microRNA sponging, modulation of alternative splicing, epigenetic regulation and competition for stabilizing factors, among others. Here, we summarize recent findings related to lncRNAs originating from retrocopies that are involved in human diseases such as cancer and neurodegenerative, mental or cardiovascular disorders. Special attention is given to retrocopies that regulate their progenitors or host genes. Presented evidence from the literature and our bioinformatics analyses demonstrates that these retrocopies, often described as unimportant pseudogenes, are significant players in the cell’s molecular machinery.
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6
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Zhou K, Wang Y, Bretonnel Cohen K, Kim JD, Ma X, Shen Z, Meng X, Xia J. Bridging heterogeneous mutation data to enhance disease gene discovery. Brief Bioinform 2021; 22:6224263. [PMID: 33847357 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbab079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Bridging heterogeneous mutation data fills in the gap between various data categories and propels discovery of disease-related genes. It is known that genome-wide association study (GWAS) infers significant mutation associations that link genotype and phenotype. However, due to the differences of size and quality between GWAS studies, not all de facto vital variations are able to pass the multiple testing. In the meantime, mutation events widely reported in literature unveil typical functional biological process, including mutation types like gain of function and loss of function. To bring together the heterogeneous mutation data, we propose a 'Gene-Disease Association prediction by Mutation Data Bridging (GDAMDB)' pipeline with a statistic generative model. The model learns the distribution parameters of mutation associations and mutation types and recovers false-negative GWAS mutations that fail to pass significant test but represent supportive evidences of functional biological process in literature. Eventually, we applied GDAMDB in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and predicted 79 AD-associated genes. Besides, 12 of them from the original GWAS, 60 of them are supported to be AD-related by other GWAS or literature report, and rest of them are newly predicted genes. Our model is capable of enhancing the GWAS-based gene association discovery by well combining text mining results. The positive result indicates that bridging the heterogeneous mutation data is contributory for the novel disease-related gene discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaiyin Zhou
- Hubei Key Lab of Agricultural Bioinformatics, College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, P.R. China
| | - Yuxing Wang
- Hubei Key Lab of Agricultural Bioinformatics, College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, P.R. China
| | - Kevin Bretonnel Cohen
- Hubei Key Lab of Agricultural Bioinformatics, College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, P.R. China
| | - Jin-Dong Kim
- Hubei Key Lab of Agricultural Bioinformatics, College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, P.R. China
| | - Xiaohang Ma
- Hubei Key Lab of Agricultural Bioinformatics, College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, P.R. China
| | - Zhixue Shen
- Hubei Key Lab of Agricultural Bioinformatics, College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, P.R. China
| | - Xiangyu Meng
- Hubei Key Lab of Agricultural Bioinformatics, College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, P.R. China
| | - Jingbo Xia
- Hubei Key Lab of Agricultural Bioinformatics, College of Informatics, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, P.R. China
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7
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Hanss Z, Boussaad I, Jarazo J, Schwamborn JC, Krüger R. Quality Control Strategy for CRISPR-Cas9-Based Gene Editing Complicated by a Pseudogene. Front Genet 2020; 10:1297. [PMID: 31998363 PMCID: PMC6961559 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.01297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas9 mediated gene editing in induced pluripotent stem cells became an efficient tool to investigate biological mechanisms underlying genetic-driven diseases while accounting for the respective genetic background. This technique relies on the targeting of a specific nucleotide sequence present in the gene of interest. Therefore, the gene editing of some genes can be complicated by non-coding pseudogenes presenting a high homology of sequence with their respective genes. Among them, GBA is raising special interest because of its implication as the most common genetic risk factor for Parkinson’s disease. In this study, we present an easy-to-use CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing strategy allowing for specific editing of point mutations in a gene without genetic alteration of its pseudogene exemplified by the correction or insertion of the common N370S mutation in GBA. A quality control strategy by combined fluorescence and PCR-based screening allows the early identification of correctly edited clones with unambiguous identification of the status of its pseudogene, GBAP1. Successful gene editing was confirmed by functional validation. Our work presents the first CRISPR-Cas9 based editing of a point mutation in GBA and paves the way for technically demanding gene engineering due to the presence of pseudogenes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoé Hanss
- Clinical and Experimental Neuroscience, Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Ibrahim Boussaad
- Clinical and Experimental Neuroscience, Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Javier Jarazo
- Developmental and Cellular Biology, Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Jens C Schwamborn
- Developmental and Cellular Biology, Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Rejko Krüger
- Clinical and Experimental Neuroscience, Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg.,Parkinson Research Clinic, Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg (CHL), Luxembourg, Luxembourg.,Transversal Translational Medicine, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Strassen, Luxembourg
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8
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Finding relationships among biological entities. LOGIC AND CRITICAL THINKING IN THE BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES 2020. [PMCID: PMC7499094 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-821364-3.00005-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Confusion over the concepts of “relationships” and “similarities” lies at the heart of many battles over the direction and intent of research projects. Here is a short story that demonstrates the difference between the two concepts: You look up at the clouds, and you begin to see the shape of a lion. The cloud has a tail, like a lion’s tale, and a fluffy head, like a lion’s mane. With a little imagination the mouth of the lion seems to roar down from the sky. You have succeeded in finding similarities between the cloud and a lion. If you look at a cloud and you imagine a tea kettle producing a head of steam and you recognize that the physical forces that create a cloud and the physical forces that produced steam from a heated kettle are the same, then you have found a relationship. Most popular classification algorithms operate by grouping together data objects that have similar properties or values. In so doing, they may miss finding the true relationships among objects. Traditionally, relationships among data objects are discovered by an intellectual process. In this chapter, we will discuss the scientific gains that come when we classify biological entities by relationships, not by their similarities.
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9
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Johnson TS, Li S, Franz E, Huang Z, Dan Li S, Campbell MJ, Huang K, Zhang Y. PseudoFuN: Deriving functional potentials of pseudogenes from integrative relationships with genes and microRNAs across 32 cancers. Gigascience 2019; 8:5480571. [PMID: 31029062 PMCID: PMC6486473 DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/giz046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2018] [Revised: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Long thought “relics” of evolution, not until recently have pseudogenes been of medical interest regarding regulation in cancer. Often, these regulatory roles are a direct by-product of their close sequence homology to protein-coding genes. Novel pseudogene-gene (PGG) functional associations can be identified through the integration of biomedical data, such as sequence homology, functional pathways, gene expression, pseudogene expression, and microRNA expression. However, not all of the information has been integrated, and almost all previous pseudogene studies relied on 1:1 pseudogene–parent gene relationships without leveraging other homologous genes/pseudogenes. Results We produce PGG families that expand beyond the current 1:1 paradigm. First, we construct expansive PGG databases by (i) CUDAlign graphics processing unit (GPU) accelerated local alignment of all pseudogenes to gene families (totaling 1.6 billion individual local alignments and >40,000 GPU hours) and (ii) BLAST-based assignment of pseudogenes to gene families. Second, we create an open-source web application (PseudoFuN [Pseudogene Functional Networks]) to search for integrative functional relationships of sequence homology, microRNA expression, gene expression, pseudogene expression, and gene ontology. We produce four “flavors” of CUDAlign-based databases (>462,000,000 PGG pairwise alignments and 133,770 PGG families) that can be queried and downloaded using PseudoFuN. These databases are consistent with previous 1:1 PGG annotation and also are much more powerful including millions of de novo PGG associations. For example, we find multiple known (e.g., miR-20a-PTEN-PTENP1) and novel (e.g., miR-375-SOX15-PPP4R1L) microRNA-gene-pseudogene associations in prostate cancer. PseudoFuN provides a “one stop shop” for identifying and visualizing thousands of potential regulatory relationships related to pseudogenes in The Cancer Genome Atlas cancers. Conclusions Thousands of new PGG associations can be explored in the context of microRNA-gene-pseudogene co-expression and differential expression with a simple-to-use online tool by bioinformaticians and oncologists alike.
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Affiliation(s)
- Travis S Johnson
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, 1800 Cannon Drive, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.,Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, 545 Barnhill Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Sihong Li
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, 1800 Cannon Drive, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Eric Franz
- Ohio Supercomputer Center, 1224 Kinnear Road, Columbus, OH 43212, USA
| | - Zhi Huang
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, 465 Northwestern Avenue, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.,Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, 545 Barnhill Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Shuyu Dan Li
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Moray J Campbell
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, 500 West 12 th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Kun Huang
- Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, 545 Barnhill Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.,Regenstrief Institute, Indiana University, 1101 West 10 th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46262, USA
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, 1800 Cannon Drive, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.,The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center (OSUCCC - James), 460 West 10 th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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Nuzziello N, Liguori M. The MicroRNA Centrism in the Orchestration of Neuroinflammation in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Cells 2019; 8:cells8101193. [PMID: 31581723 PMCID: PMC6829202 DOI: 10.3390/cells8101193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Revised: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs with a unique ability to regulate the transcriptomic profile by binding to complementary regulatory RNA sequences. The ability of miRNAs to enhance (proinflammatory miRNAs) or restrict (anti-inflammatory miRNAs) inflammatory signalling within the central nervous system is an area of ongoing research, particularly in the context of disorders that feature neuroinflammation, including neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs). Furthermore, the discovery of competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) has led to an increase in the complexity of miRNA-mediated gene regulation, with a paradigm shift from a unidirectional to a bidirectional regulation, where miRNA acts as both a regulator and is regulated by ceRNAs. Increasing evidence has revealed that ceRNAs, including long non-coding RNAs, circular RNAs, and pseudogenes, can act as miRNA sponges to regulate neuroinflammation in NDDs within complex cross-talk regulatory machinery, which is referred to as ceRNA network (ceRNET). In this review, we discuss the role of miRNAs in neuroinflammatory regulation and the manner in which cellular and vesicular ceRNETs could influence neuroinflammatory dynamics in complex multifactorial diseases, such as NDDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicoletta Nuzziello
- National Research Council, Institute of Biomedical Technologies, Bari Unit, 70126 Bari, Italy.
| | - Maria Liguori
- National Research Council, Institute of Biomedical Technologies, Bari Unit, 70126 Bari, Italy.
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11
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Nogimori T, Furutachi K, Ogami K, Hosoda N, Hoshino SI. A novel method for stabilizing microRNA mimics. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2019; 511:422-426. [PMID: 30799083 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2019.02.075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression at post-transcriptional level via translational repression and/or mRNA degradation. miRNAs are associated with many cellular processes, and down-regulation of miRNAs causes numerous diseases including cancer, neurological disorders, inflammation, and cardiovascular diseases, for which miRNA replacement therapy has emerged as a promising approach. This approach aims to restore down-regulated miRNAs using synthetic miRNA mimics. However, it remains a critical issue that miRNA mimics are unstable and transient in cells. Here, we first show that miRNA mimics are rapidly degraded by a mechanism different from Tudor-staphylococcal/micrococcal-like nuclease (TSN)-mediated miRNA decay, which degrades endogenous miRNAs, and newly identified 2'-5'-oligoadenylate synthetase (OAS)/RNase L as key factors responsible for the degradation of miRNA mimics in human cells. Our results suggest that the OAS1 recognizes miRNA mimics and produces 2'-5'-oligoadenylates (2-5A), which leads to the activation of latent endoribonuclease RNase L to degrade miRNA mimics. A small-molecule inhibitor that blocks RNase L can stabilize miRNA mimics. These findings provide a promising method for the stabilization of miRNA mimics, as well as for the efficient miRNA replacement therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuto Nogimori
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, 467-8603, Japan
| | - Kazuya Furutachi
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, 467-8603, Japan
| | - Koichi Ogami
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, 467-8603, Japan
| | - Nao Hosoda
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, 467-8603, Japan
| | - Shin-Ichi Hoshino
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, 467-8603, Japan.
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12
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Cell type-specific gene expression patterns associated with posttraumatic stress disorder in World Trade Center responders. Transl Psychiatry 2019; 9:1. [PMID: 30664621 PMCID: PMC6341096 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-018-0355-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Revised: 11/26/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a chronic disorder resulting from severe trauma, has been linked to immunologic dysregulation. Gene expression profiling has emerged as a promising tool for understanding the pathophysiology of PTSD. However, to date, all but one gene expression study was based on whole blood or unsorted peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC), a complex tissue consisting of several populations of cells. The objective of this study was to utilize RNA sequencing to simultaneously profile the gene expression of four immune cell subpopulations (CD4T, CD8T, B cells, and monocytes) in 39 World Trade Center responders (20 with and 19 without PTSD) to determine which immune subsets play a role in the transcriptomic changes found in whole blood. Transcriptome-wide analyses identified cell-specific and shared differentially expressed genes across the four cell types. FKBP5 and PI4KAP1 genes were consistently upregulated across all cell types. Notably, REST and SEPT4, genes linked to neurodegeneration, were among the top differentially expressed genes in monocytes. Pathway analyses identified differentially expressed gene sets involved in mast cell activation and regulation in CD4T, interferon-beta production in CD8T, and neutrophil-related gene sets in monocytes. These findings suggest that gene expression indicative of immune dysregulation is common across several immune cell populations in PTSD. Furthermore, given notable differences between cell subpopulations in gene expression associated with PTSD, the results also indicate that it may be valuable to analyze different cell populations separately. Monocytes may constitute a key cell type to target in research on gene expression profile of PTSD.
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Abdollahzadeh R, Daraei A, Mansoori Y, Sepahvand M, Amoli MM, Tavakkoly-Bazzaz J. Competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) cross talk and language in ceRNA regulatory networks: A new look at hallmarks of breast cancer. J Cell Physiol 2018; 234:10080-10100. [PMID: 30537129 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.27941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 194] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2018] [Accepted: 11/16/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequently occurring malignancy in women worldwide. Despite the substantial advancement in understanding the molecular mechanisms and management of BC, it remains the leading cause of cancer death in women. One of the main reasons for this obstacle is that we have not been able to find the Achilles heel for the BC as a highly heterogeneous disease. Accumulating evidence has revealed that noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), play key roles in the development of BC; however, the involving of complex regulatory interactions between the different varieties of ncRNAs in the development of this cancer has been poorly understood. In the recent years, the newly discovered mechanism in the RNA world is "competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA)" which proposes regulatory dialogues between different RNAs, including long ncRNAs (lncRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs), transcribed pseudogenes, and circular RNAs (circRNAs). In the latest BC research, various studies have revealed that dysregulation of several ceRNA networks (ceRNETs) between these ncRNAs has fundamental roles in establishing the hallmarks of BC development. And it is thought that such a discovery could open a new window for a better understanding of the hidden aspects of breast tumors. Besides, it probably can provide new biomarkers and potential efficient therapeutic targets for BC. This review will discuss the existing body of knowledge regarding the key functions of ceRNETs and then highlights the emerging roles of some recently discovered ceRNETs in several hallmarks of BC. Moreover, we propose for the first time the "ceRnome" as a new term in the present article for RNA research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rasoul Abdollahzadeh
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abdolreza Daraei
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
| | - Yaser Mansoori
- Department of Medical Genetics, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Masoumeh Sepahvand
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahsa M Amoli
- Endocrinology and Metabolism Molecular Cellular Sciences Institute, Metabolic Disorders Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Javad Tavakkoly-Bazzaz
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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14
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Cabrera B, Monroy-Jaramillo N, Fries GR, Mendoza-Morales RC, García-Dolores F, Mendoza-Larios A, Diaz-Otañez C, Walss-Bass C, Glahn DC, Ostrosky-Wegman P, Fresno C, Nicolini H. Brain Gene Expression Pattern of Subjects with Completed Suicide and Comorbid Substance Use Disorder. MOLECULAR NEUROPSYCHIATRY 2018; 5:60-73. [PMID: 31019919 DOI: 10.1159/000493940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2018] [Accepted: 09/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Background/Aim Although individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) are at high risk of committing suicide, most studies of postmortem gene expression exclude subjects with SUD due to the potential confounding effect of drugs in the transcriptome. Thus, little is known about the gene expression profile in suicides with SUD. The identification of altered biological processes in suicides with SUD is crucial in the comprehension of the interaction between both pathologies. Methods We evaluated the gene expression profile in the dorsolateral prefrontal area of suicides and nonsuicides with and without SUD by microarrays. Results We identified 222 differentially expressed genes, predominately enriched in cell proliferation in the comparison between suicides with and without SUD. When comparing the transcriptome of suicides with SUD to nonsuicides with SUD, we identified 550 differentially expressed genes, mainly enriched in oxidative phosphorylation. Differentially expressed genes (1,417) between suicides and nonsuicides without SUD were detected. Most of them were related to mitochondrial function. Conclusion Interaction between suicide and SUD seems to influence the expression of genes involved in glial proliferation and glutamatergic neurotransmission. These results highlight, for the first time, that suicides with SUD have a gene expression profile distinct from that of subjects with only one of these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenda Cabrera
- Genomics of Psychiatric and Neurodegenerative Diseases Laboratory, National Institute of Genomic Medicine (INMEGEN), Mexico City, Mexico.,PECEM, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Nancy Monroy-Jaramillo
- Department of Genetics, National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Gabriel Rodrigo Fries
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Consuelo Walss-Bass
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - David Colin Glahn
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.,Olin Neuropsychiatric Research Center, Institute of Living, Hartford, Connecticut, USA
| | | | - Cristobal Fresno
- Computational Genomics Department, National Institute of Genomic Medicine (INMEGEN), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Humberto Nicolini
- Genomics of Psychiatric and Neurodegenerative Diseases Laboratory, National Institute of Genomic Medicine (INMEGEN), Mexico City, Mexico
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15
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Yu L, Qian S, Wei S. Identification of a noncoding RNA‑mediated gene pair‑based regulatory module in Alzheimer's disease. Mol Med Rep 2018; 18:2164-2170. [PMID: 29956760 PMCID: PMC6072230 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2018.9190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of neurological disorder that results from brain cell death; however, not all brain regions are simultaneously affected to the same extent. Despite single biomarkers for AD having been determined on a genome-wide scale, the differential co-expression in gene pairs between regions and interactions with other types of cellular molecules, particularly non-coding (nc)RNAs, are often overlooked in studies investigating the underlying mechanisms associated with AD. In the present study, based on 1,548 samples obtained from a cohort of 90 patients with AD spanning 19 brain regions, a gene-pair based method was established for the classification of 19 brain regions into seven different groups, including marked disparate groupings of six single regions and a cluster of another 13 regions as revealed by principal component analysis (PCA). To further investigate the different underlying mechanisms associated with each group, five highly interconnected functional modules of the protein-protein interaction network were demonstrated to characterize the seven region groups containing six single groups and 13 clustered regions based on 4,731 gene-pairs. Genes in two of the functional modules exhibited a strong association with pathways associated with the nervous system, including cholinergic synapses, circadian entrainment and dopaminergic synapses. Notably, following integration of these two modules with a ncRNA-mediated network, one module demonstrated a strong association with micro (mi)RNAs, which were revealed to interact with numerous long non-coding (lnc)RNAs associated with AD, such as metastasis associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 and taurine upregulated 1. This suggested that mRNAs and lncRNAs may represent competing endogenous RNAs for binding with miRNAs. Thus, these results indicated that the ncRNA-mediated gene regulatory module detected by the established gene pair-based method may further the understanding of underlying mechanisms associated with AD as well as aid the development of novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of patients with AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Yu
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, P.R. China
| | - Shi Qian
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, P.R. China
| | - Sun Wei
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, P.R. China
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16
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Abstract
Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are an abundant class of RNAs that include small ncRNAs, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) and pseudogenes. The human ncRNA atlas includes thousands of these specialised RNA molecules that are further subcategorised based on their size or function. Two of the more well-known and widely studied ncRNA species are microRNAs (miRNAs) and lncRNAs. These are regulatory RNAs and their altered expression has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a variety of human diseases. Failure to express a functional cystic fibrosis (CF) transmembrane receptor (CFTR) chloride ion channel in epithelial cells underpins CF. Secondary to the CFTR defect, it is known that other pathways can be altered and these may contribute to the pathophysiology of CF lung disease in particular. For example, quantitative alterations in expression of some ncRNAs are associated with CF. In recent years, there has been a series of published studies exploring ncRNA expression and function in CF. The majority have focussed principally on miRNAs, with just a handful of reports to date on lncRNAs. The present study reviews what is currently known about ncRNA expression and function in CF, and discusses the possibility of applying this knowledge to the clinical management of CF in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arlene M.A. Glasgow
- Lung Biology Group, Department of Clinical Microbiology, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Education and Research Centre, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9, Ireland
| | - Chiara De Santi
- Lung Biology Group, Department of Clinical Microbiology, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Education and Research Centre, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9, Ireland
| | - Catherine M. Greene
- Lung Biology Group, Department of Clinical Microbiology, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Education and Research Centre, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9, Ireland
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17
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Leti F, DiStefano JK. Long Noncoding RNAs as Diagnostic and Therapeutic Targets in Type 2 Diabetes and Related Complications. Genes (Basel) 2017; 8:genes8080207. [PMID: 28829354 PMCID: PMC5575670 DOI: 10.3390/genes8080207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2017] [Revised: 08/16/2017] [Accepted: 08/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein-coding genes represent only a small fraction of the human genome. In the past, the majority of the genomic sequence has been considered transcriptionally silent, but recent large-scale studies have uncovered an array of functionally significant elements, including non-protein-coding transcripts, within these noncoding regions of the human genome. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), a class of noncoding transcripts with lengths >200 nucleotides, are pervasively transcribed in the genome and function as signals, decoys, guides, or scaffolds to regulate gene expression. More than 200 diseases have been associated with dysregulated or dysfunctional lncRNAs, and new associations continue to accumulate in the literature. The role of lncRNAs in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus and related complications has only recently been recognized, but there is already evidence for their involvement in many of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the disease. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of the functions and underlying mechanisms of lncRNA activity with a focus on type 2 diabetes mellitus and related renal and retinal complications of the disease. We also discuss the potential of lncRNAs to serve as therapeutic targets for drug development and diagnostic markers for clinical applications in the management of diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatjon Leti
- Department of Biomedical Research, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO 80210, USA.
| | - Johanna K DiStefano
- Department of Biomedical Research, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO 80210, USA.
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18
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Transcriptome Profiling in Human Diseases: New Advances and Perspectives. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:ijms18081652. [PMID: 28758927 PMCID: PMC5578042 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18081652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Revised: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 07/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In the last decades, transcriptome profiling has been one of the most utilized approaches to investigate human diseases at the molecular level. Through expression studies, many molecular biomarkers and therapeutic targets have been found for several human pathologies. This number is continuously increasing thanks to total RNA sequencing. Indeed, this new technology has completely revolutionized transcriptome analysis allowing the quantification of gene expression levels and allele-specific expression in a single experiment, as well as to identify novel genes, splice isoforms, fusion transcripts, and to investigate the world of non-coding RNA at an unprecedented level. RNA sequencing has also been employed in important projects, like ENCODE (Encyclopedia of the regulatory elements) and TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas), to provide a snapshot of the transcriptome of dozens of cell lines and thousands of primary tumor specimens. Moreover, these studies have also paved the way to the development of data integration approaches in order to facilitate management and analysis of data and to identify novel disease markers and molecular targets to use in the clinics. In this scenario, several ongoing clinical trials utilize transcriptome profiling through RNA sequencing strategies as an important instrument in the diagnosis of numerous human pathologies.
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19
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Lin Z, Li X, Zhan X, Sun L, Gao J, Cao Y, Qiu H. Construction of competitive endogenous RNA network reveals regulatory role of long non-coding RNAs in type 2 diabetes mellitus. J Cell Mol Med 2017. [PMID: 28643459 PMCID: PMC5706502 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.13224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasing epidemic of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its comorbidities makes it urgent to understand the pathogenesis and regulatory mechanism. However, little is known about the regulatory role of lncRNAs in diabetes. Here, we constructed a T2DM‐related competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network (DMCN) to explore biological function of lncRNAs during the development of diabetes mellitus. This network contained 351 nodes including 98 mRNAs, 86 microRNAs and 167 lncRNAs. Functional analysis showed that the mRNAs in DMCN were annotated into some diabetes‐related pathways. Furthermore, mTOR‐centred subnetwork was extracted and ncRNA‐involved mTOR pathway was established. Finally, we validated that NEAT1 was potentially communicated with mTOR signalling target protein mLST8 via the association with miR‐181b. These findings provide significant insight into lncRNA regulatory network in T2DM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zijing Lin
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Xinyu Li
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Xiaorong Zhan
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Lijie Sun
- Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Jie Gao
- Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Yan Cao
- Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Hui Qiu
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China
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20
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Protein-Coding Genes' Retrocopies and Their Functions. Viruses 2017; 9:v9040080. [PMID: 28406439 PMCID: PMC5408686 DOI: 10.3390/v9040080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2017] [Revised: 04/07/2017] [Accepted: 04/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements, often considered to be not important for survival, significantly contribute to the evolution of transcriptomes, promoters, and proteomes. Reverse transcriptase, encoded by some transposable elements, can be used in trans to produce a DNA copy of any RNA molecule in the cell. The retrotransposition of protein-coding genes requires the presence of reverse transcriptase, which could be delivered by either non-long terminal repeat (non-LTR) or LTR transposons. The majority of these copies are in a state of “relaxed” selection and remain “dormant” because they are lacking regulatory regions; however, many become functional. In the course of evolution, they may undergo subfunctionalization, neofunctionalization, or replace their progenitors. Functional retrocopies (retrogenes) can encode proteins, novel or similar to those encoded by their progenitors, can be used as alternative exons or create chimeric transcripts, and can also be involved in transcriptional interference and participate in the epigenetic regulation of parental gene expression. They can also act in trans as natural antisense transcripts, microRNA (miRNA) sponges, or a source of various small RNAs. Moreover, many retrocopies of protein-coding genes are linked to human diseases, especially various types of cancer.
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21
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Millan MJ. Linking deregulation of non-coding RNA to the core pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease: An integrative review. Prog Neurobiol 2017; 156:1-68. [PMID: 28322921 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2017.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2016] [Revised: 03/09/2017] [Accepted: 03/09/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The human genome encodes a vast repertoire of protein non-coding RNAs (ncRNA), some specific to the brain. MicroRNAs, which interfere with the translation of target mRNAs, are of particular interest since their deregulation has been implicated in neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, it remains challenging to link the complex body of observations on miRNAs and AD into a coherent framework. Using extensive graphical support, this article discusses how a diverse panoply of miRNAs convergently and divergently impact (and are impacted by) core pathophysiological processes underlying AD: neuroinflammation and oxidative stress; aberrant generation of β-amyloid-42 (Aβ42); anomalies in the production, cleavage and post-translational marking of Tau; impaired clearance of Aβ42 and Tau; perturbation of axonal organisation; disruption of synaptic plasticity; endoplasmic reticulum stress and the unfolded protein response; mitochondrial dysfunction; aberrant induction of cell cycle re-entry; and apoptotic loss of neurons. Intriguingly, some classes of miRNA provoke these cellular anomalies, whereas others act in a counter-regulatory, protective mode. Moreover, changes in levels of certain species of miRNA are a consequence of the above-mentioned anomalies. In addition to miRNAs, circular RNAs, piRNAs, long non-coding RNAs and other types of ncRNA are being increasingly implicated in AD. Overall, a complex mesh of deregulated and multi-tasking ncRNAs reciprocally interacts with core pathophysiological mechanisms underlying AD. Alterations in ncRNAs can be detected in CSF and the circulation as well as the brain and are showing promise as biomarkers, with the ultimate goal clinical exploitation as targets for novel modes of symptomatic and course-altering therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark J Millan
- Centre for Therapeutic Innovation in Neuropsychiatry, institut de recherche Servier, 125 chemin de ronde, 78290 Croissy sur Seine, France.
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22
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Differentially-Expressed Pseudogenes in HIV-1 Infection. Viruses 2015; 7:5191-205. [PMID: 26426037 PMCID: PMC4632377 DOI: 10.3390/v7102869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2015] [Revised: 09/16/2015] [Accepted: 09/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Not all pseudogenes are transcriptionally silent as previously thought. Pseudogene transcripts, although not translated, contribute to the non-coding RNA pool of the cell that regulates the expression of other genes. Pseudogene transcripts can also directly compete with the parent gene transcripts for mRNA stability and other cell factors, modulating their expression levels. Tissue-specific and cancer-specific differential expression of these “functional” pseudogenes has been reported. To ascertain potential pseudogene:gene interactions in HIV-1 infection, we analyzed transcriptomes from infected and uninfected T-cells and found that 21 pseudogenes are differentially expressed in HIV-1 infection. This is interesting because parent genes of one-third of these differentially-expressed pseudogenes are implicated in HIV-1 life cycle, and parent genes of half of these pseudogenes are involved in different viral infections. Our bioinformatics analysis identifies candidate pseudogene:gene interactions that may be of significance in HIV-1 infection. Experimental validation of these interactions would establish that retroviruses exploit this newly-discovered layer of host gene expression regulation for their own benefit.
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Guibinga GH. MicroRNAs: tools of mechanistic insights and biological therapeutics discovery for the rare neurogenetic syndrome Lesch-Nyhan disease (LND). ADVANCES IN GENETICS 2015; 90:103-131. [PMID: 26296934 DOI: 10.1016/bs.adgen.2015.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small regulatory RNAs that modulate the translation of mRNA. They have emerged over the past few years as indispensable entities in the transcriptional regulation of genes. Their discovery has added additional layers of complexity to regulatory networks that control cellular homeostasis. Also, their dysregulated pattern of expression is now well demonstrated in myriad diseases and pathogenic processes. In the current review, we highlight the role of miRNAs in Lesch-Nyhan disease (LND), a rare neurogenetic syndrome caused by mutations in the purine metabolic gene encoding the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) enzyme. We describe how experimental and biocomputational approaches have helped to unravel genetic and signaling pathways that provide mechanistic understanding of some of the molecular and cellular basis of this ill-defined neurogenetic disorder. Through miRNA-based target predictions, we have identified signaling pathways that may be of significance in guiding biological therapeutic discovery for this incurable neurological disorder. We also propose a model to explain how a gene such as HPRT, mostly known for its housekeeping metabolic functions, can have pleiotropic effects on disparate genes and signal transduction pathways. Our hypothetical model suggests that HPRT mRNA transcripts may be acting as competitive endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) intertwined in multiregulatory cross talk between key neural transcripts and miRNAs. Overall, this approach of using miRNA-based genomic approaches to elucidate the molecular and cellular basis of LND and guide biological target identification might be applicable to other ill-defined rare inborn-error metabolic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghiabe-Henri Guibinga
- Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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24
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Ergun S, Oztuzcu S. Oncocers: ceRNA-mediated cross-talk by sponging miRNAs in oncogenic pathways. Tumour Biol 2015; 36:3129-36. [PMID: 25809705 DOI: 10.1007/s13277-015-3346-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2015] [Accepted: 03/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) are RNA transcripts which can communicate with each other by decreasing targeting concentration of micro-RNA (miRNA) with the derepression of other messenger RNAs (mRNAs) having the common miRNA response elements (MREs). Oncocers are ceRNAs taking crucial roles in oncogenic pathways processed in many types of cancer, and this study analyzes oncocer-mediated cross-talk by sponging microRNAs (miRNAs) in these pathways. While doing this, breast, liver, colon, prostate, gastric, lung, endometrium, thyroid and epithelial cancers and melanoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, glioblastoma, acute promyelocytic leukemia, retinoblastoma, and neuroblastoma were analyzed with respect to ceRNA-based carcinogenesis. This study defines, firstly, oncocers in the literature and contains all oncocer-related findings found up to now. Therefore, it will help to increase our comprehension about oncocer-mediated mechanisms. Via this study, a novel perspective would be produced to make clear cancer mechanisms and suggest novel approaches to regulate ceRNA networks via miRNA competition for cancer therapeutics. Graphical Abstract Multiple RNA transcripts have common MREs for the similar miRNA in their 3'-untranslated regions (3'-UTRs). Upregulation of ceRNAs rises the abundance of specific MREs and shifts the miRNA pool distribution, as a result, leading to the increased expression of target mRNA. The depot of genomic mutations and epigenetic alterations changing gene function and expression causes cancers. Herewith, genome-based somatic base-pair mutations, DNA copy number alterations, chromosomal translocation, also transcript fusions, alternative splicing are usually seen in cancer situations. Consequently, such cases causing changed UTR expression in transcripts influence the levels of MRE or present new MREs into the cells. Alterations in MREs of ceRNAs affect the capability of a specific mRNA transcript to attach or titrate miRNAs. As a result, the disturbed ceRNA network can lead to diseases and cancers. As a new term in RNA world, oncocers-the name for ceRNAs taking crucial roles in oncogenic pathways-are processed in many types of cancer, and oncocer-mediated cross-talk are analyzed by sponging miRNAs in these pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sercan Ergun
- Ulubey Vocational Higher School, Ordu University, Ordu, Turkey,
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25
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Iossa S, Costa V, Corvino V, Auletta G, Barruffo L, Cappellani S, Ceglia C, Cennamo G, D'Adamo AP, D'Amico A, Di Paolo N, Forte R, Gasparini P, Laria C, Lombardo B, Malesci R, Vitale A, Marciano E, Franzè A. Phenotypic and genetic characterization of a family carrying two Xq21.1-21.3 interstitial deletions associated with syndromic hearing loss. Mol Cytogenet 2015; 8:18. [PMID: 25821518 PMCID: PMC4376344 DOI: 10.1186/s13039-015-0120-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2014] [Accepted: 02/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Sensorineural hearing impairment is a common pathological manifestation in patients affected by X-linked intellectual disability. A few cases of interstitial deletions at Xq21 with several different phenotypic characteristics have been described, but to date, a complete molecular characterization of the deletions harboring disease-causing genes is still missing. Thus, the aim of this study is to realize a detailed clinical and molecular analysis of a family affected by syndromic X-linked hearing loss with intellectual disability. Results Clinical analyses revealed a very complex phenotype that included inner ear malformations, vestibular problems, choroideremia and hypotonia with a peculiar pattern of phenotypic variability. Genomic analysis revealed, for the first time, the presence of two close interstitial deletions in the Xq21.1-21.3, harboring 11 protein coding, 9 non-coding genes and 19 pseudogenes. Among these, 3 protein coding genes have already been associated with X-linked hearing loss, intellectual disability and choroideremia. Conclusions In this study we highlighted the presence of peculiar genotypic and phenotypic details in a family affected by syndromic X-linked hearing loss with intellectual disability. We identified two, previously unreported, Xq21.1-21.3 interstitial deletions. The two rearrangements, containing several genes, segregate with the clinical features, suggesting their role in the pathogenicity. However, not all the observed phenotypic features can be clearly associated with the known genes thus, further study is necessary to determine regions involved. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13039-015-0120-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Iossa
- DMMBM, Università di Napoli "Federico II", Naples, Italy ; Ceinge Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Virginia Corvino
- Istituto di Audiologia, Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Scienze Riproduttive e Odontostomatologiche, Università di Napoli "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Gennaro Auletta
- Istituto di Audiologia, Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Scienze Riproduttive e Odontostomatologiche, Università di Napoli "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Luigi Barruffo
- Istituto di Audiologia, Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Scienze Riproduttive e Odontostomatologiche, Università di Napoli "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Stefania Cappellani
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Trieste, Italy
| | | | - Giovanni Cennamo
- Dipartimento di Oftalmologia, Università di Napoli "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Adamo Pio D'Adamo
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Trieste, Italy ; University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Alessandra D'Amico
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche Avanzate, Università di Napoli "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Nilde Di Paolo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche Avanzate, Università di Napoli "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Raimondo Forte
- Dipartimento di Oftalmologia Pediatrica, Università di Salerno, Salerno, Italy
| | - Paolo Gasparini
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Trieste, Italy ; University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Carla Laria
- Istituto di Audiologia, Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Scienze Riproduttive e Odontostomatologiche, Università di Napoli "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Barbara Lombardo
- DMMBM, Università di Napoli "Federico II", Naples, Italy ; Ceinge Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy
| | - Rita Malesci
- Istituto di Audiologia, Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Scienze Riproduttive e Odontostomatologiche, Università di Napoli "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Andrea Vitale
- Dipartimento di Scienze Motorie e del Benessere, Università di Napoli "Parthenope", Naples, Italy
| | - Elio Marciano
- Istituto di Audiologia, Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Scienze Riproduttive e Odontostomatologiche, Università di Napoli "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Annamaria Franzè
- Ceinge Biotecnologie Avanzate, Naples, Italy ; Istituto di Audiologia, Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Scienze Riproduttive e Odontostomatologiche, Università di Napoli "Federico II", Naples, Italy
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26
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Zheng W, Sai W, Yao M, Gu H, Yao Y, Qian Q, Yao D. Silencing clusterin gene transcription on effects of multidrug resistance reversing of human hepatoma HepG2/ADM cells. Tumour Biol 2015. [PMID: 25600802 DOI: 10.1007/s13277-015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abnormal clusterin (CLU) expression is associated with multidrug resistance (MDR) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In the present study, the CLU expression was analyzed in human hepatoma cells and chemoresistant counterpart HepG2/ADM cells. Compared with L02 cells, the overexpression of cellular CLU was identified in HepG2, HepG2/ADM, SMMC7721, Hep3B ,and PLC cells and relatively lower expression in Bel-7404, SNU-739, and MHCC97H cells. Specific short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) to silence CLU gene transcription were designed, and the most effective sequences were screened. After the HepG2/ADM cells transfected with shRNA-1, the inhibition of CLU expression was 73.68 % at messenger RNA (mRNA) level by real-time quantitative RT-PCR with obvious enhancement in cell chemosensitivity, increasing apoptosis induced by doxorubicin using fluorescence kit, and Rh-123 retention qualified with flow cytometry. Knockdown CLU also significantly decreased the drug efflux pump activity through the depression of MDR1/P-glycoprotein (q = 11.739, P < 0.001). Moreover, silencing CLU led to downregulation of β-catenin (q = 13.544, P = 0.001), suggesting that downregulation of CLU might be a key point to reverse multidrug resistance of HepG2/ADM cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjie Zheng
- Research Center of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, 20 West Temple Road, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu Province, China
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27
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Abstract
Pseudogenes were once considered genomic fossils, but recent studies indicate that they may function as gene regulators through the generation of endogenous small interfering RNAs (esiRNAs), antisense RNAs, and decoys for microRNAs. In this review, we summarize pseudogene study methods, emphasizing relevant publicly available resources, and we describe a systematic pipeline to identify pseudogene-derived esiRNAs and their targets, which can lead to a deeper understanding of pseudogene function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Ling Chan
- Biomedical Informatics, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
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28
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Guffanti A, Simchovitz A, Soreq H. Emerging bioinformatics approaches for analysis of NGS-derived coding and non-coding RNAs in neurodegenerative diseases. Front Cell Neurosci 2014; 8:89. [PMID: 24723850 PMCID: PMC3973899 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2014.00089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2013] [Accepted: 03/10/2014] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases in general and specifically late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (LOAD) involve a genetically complex and largely obscure ensemble of causative and risk factors accompanied by complex feedback responses. The advent of “high-throughput” transcriptome investigation technologies such as microarray and deep sequencing is increasingly being combined with sophisticated statistical and bioinformatics analysis methods complemented by knowledge-based approaches such as Bayesian Networks or network and graph analyses. Together, such “integrative” studies are beginning to identify co-regulated gene networks linked with biological pathways and potentially modulating disease predisposition, outcome, and progression. Specifically, bioinformatics analyses of integrated microarray and genotyping data in cases and controls reveal changes in gene expression of both protein-coding and small and long regulatory RNAs; highlight relevant quantitative transcriptional differences between LOAD and non-demented control brains and demonstrate reconfiguration of functionally meaningful molecular interaction structures in LOAD. These may be measured as changes in connectivity in “hub nodes” of relevant gene networks (Zhang etal., 2013). We illustrate here the open analytical questions in the transcriptome investigation of neurodegenerative disease studies, proposing “ad hoc” strategies for the evaluation of differential gene expression and hints for a simple analysis of the non-coding RNA (ncRNA) part of such datasets. We then survey the emerging role of long ncRNAs (lncRNAs) in the healthy and diseased brain transcriptome and describe the main current methods for computational modeling of gene networks. We propose accessible modular and pathway-oriented methods and guidelines for bioinformatics investigations of whole transcriptome next generation sequencing datasets. We finally present methods and databases for functional interpretations of lncRNAs and propose a simple heuristic approach to visualize and represent physical and functional interactions of the coding and non-coding components of the transcriptome. Integrating in a functional and integrated vision coding and ncRNA analyses is of utmost importance for current and future analyses of neurodegenerative transcriptomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Guffanti
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Department of Biological Chemistry, The Edmond and Lily Safra Center of Brain Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem, Israel ; Bioinformatics, Genomnia srl Milano, Italy
| | - Alon Simchovitz
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Department of Biological Chemistry, The Edmond and Lily Safra Center of Brain Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Hermona Soreq
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience, Department of Biological Chemistry, The Edmond and Lily Safra Center of Brain Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem, Israel
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29
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Scarpato M, Esposito R, Evangelista D, Aprile M, Ambrosio MR, Angelini C, Ciccodicola A, Costa V. AnaLysis of Expression on human chromosome 21, ALE-HSA21: a pilot integrated web resource. DATABASE-THE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL DATABASES AND CURATION 2014; 2014:bau009. [PMID: 24573881 PMCID: PMC3935309 DOI: 10.1093/database/bau009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Transcriptome studies have shown the pervasive nature of transcription, demonstrating almost all the genes undergo alternative splicing. Accurately annotating all transcripts of a gene is crucial. It is needed to understand the impact of mutations on phenotypes, to shed light on genetic and epigenetic regulation of mRNAs and more generally to widen our knowledge about cell functionality and tissue diversity. RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq), and the other applications of the next-generation sequencing, provides precious data to improve annotations' accuracy, simultaneously creating issues related to the variety, complexity and the size of produced data. In this ‘scenario’, the lack of user-friendly resources, easily accessible to researchers with low skills in bioinformatics, makes difficult to retrieve complete information about one or few genes without browsing a jungle of databases. Concordantly, the increasing amount of data from ‘omics’ technologies imposes to develop integrated databases merging different data formats coming from distinct but complementary sources. In light of these considerations, and given the wide interest in studying Down syndrome—a genetic condition due to the trisomy of human chromosome 21 (HSA21)—we developed an integrated relational database and a web interface, named ALE-HSA21 (AnaLysis of Expression on HSA21), accessible at http://bioinfo.na.iac.cnr.it/ALE-HSA21. This comprehensive and user-friendly web resource integrates—for all coding and noncoding transcripts of chromosome 21—existing gene annotations and transcripts identified de novo through RNA-Seq analysis with predictive computational analysis of regulatory sequences. Given the role of noncoding RNAs and untranslated regions of coding genes in key regulatory mechanisms, ALE-HSA21 is also an interesting web-based platform to investigate such processes. The ‘transcript-centric’ and easily-accessible nature of ALE-HSA21 makes this resource a valuable tool to rapidly retrieve data at the isoform level, rather than at gene level, useful to investigate any disease, molecular pathway or cell process involving chromosome 21 genes. Database URL: http://bioinfo.na.iac.cnr.it/ALE-HSA21/
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Affiliation(s)
- Margherita Scarpato
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics 'Adriano Buzzati-Traverso', National Research Council, Naples, Italy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Salerno, National Research Council, Fisciano, Salerno, Italy, Istituto per le Applicazioni del Calcolo 'Mauro Picone', National Research Council, Naples, Italy and Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Second University of Naples (SUN), Naples, Italy
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30
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Korrodi-Gregório L, Abrantes J, Muller T, Melo-Ferreira J, Marcus K, da Cruz e Silva OAB, Fardilha M, Esteves PJ. Not so pseudo: the evolutionary history of protein phosphatase 1 regulatory subunit 2 and related pseudogenes. BMC Evol Biol 2013; 13:242. [PMID: 24195737 PMCID: PMC3840573 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2148-13-242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2013] [Accepted: 10/29/2013] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Pseudogenes are traditionally considered “dead” genes, therefore lacking biological functions. This view has however been challenged during the last decade. This is the case of the Protein phosphatase 1 regulatory subunit 2 (PPP1R2) or inhibitor-2 gene family, for which several incomplete copies exist scattered throughout the genome. Results In this study, the pseudogenization process of PPP1R2 was analyzed. Ten PPP1R2-related pseudogenes (PPP1R2P1-P10), highly similar to PPP1R2, were retrieved from the human genome assembly present in the databases. The phylogenetic analysis of mammalian PPP1R2 and related pseudogenes suggested that PPP1R2P7 and PPP1R2P9 retroposons appeared before the great mammalian radiation, while the remaining pseudogenes are primate-specific and retroposed at different times during Primate evolution. Although considered inactive, four of these pseudogenes seem to be transcribed and possibly possess biological functions. Given the role of PPP1R2 in sperm motility, the presence of these proteins was assessed in human sperm, and two PPP1R2-related proteins were detected, PPP1R2P3 and PPP1R2P9. Signatures of negative and positive selection were also detected in PPP1R2P9, further suggesting a role as a functional protein. Conclusions The results show that contrary to initial observations PPP1R2-related pseudogenes are not simple bystanders of the evolutionary process but may rather be at the origin of genes with novel functions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Pedro J Esteves
- CIBIO-UP, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, InBIO, Laboratório Associado, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal.
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31
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Regulation of huntingtin gene expression by miRNA-137, -214, -148a, and their respective isomiRs. Int J Mol Sci 2013; 14:16999-7016. [PMID: 23965969 PMCID: PMC3759948 DOI: 10.3390/ijms140816999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2013] [Revised: 08/06/2013] [Accepted: 08/08/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
With the advent of deep sequencing technology, a variety of miRNA length and sequence variants, termed isomiRNAs (isomiRs), have been discovered. However, the functional roles of these commonly detected isomiRs remain unknown. In this paper, we demonstrated that miRNAs regulate the expression of the HTT gene, whose mutation leads to Huntington’s disease (HD), a hereditary degenerative disorder. Specifically, we validated the interactions of canonical miRNAs, miR-137, miR-214, and miR-148a, with the HTT 3′UTR using a luciferase assay. Moreover, we applied synthetic miRNA mimics to examine whether a slight shifting of miRNA seed regions might alter the regulation of the HTT transcript. We also examined miR-137, miR-214, and miR-148a isomiRs and showed the activity of these isoforms on reporter constructs bearing appropriate sequences from the HTT 3′UTR. Hence, we demonstrated that certain 5′-end variants of miRNAs might be functional for the regulation of the same targets as canonical miRNAs.
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32
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Bicchi I, Morena F, Montesano S, Polidoro M, Martino S. MicroRNAs and Molecular Mechanisms of Neurodegeneration. Genes (Basel) 2013; 4:244-63. [PMID: 24705162 PMCID: PMC3899972 DOI: 10.3390/genes4020244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2013] [Revised: 05/09/2013] [Accepted: 05/10/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
During the last few years microRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as key mediators of post-transcriptional and epigenetic regulation of gene expression. MiRNAs targets, identified through gene expression profiling and studies in animal models, depict a scenario where miRNAs are fine-tuning metabolic pathways and genetic networks in both plants and animals. MiRNAs have shown to be differentially expressed in brain areas and alterations of miRNAs homeostasis have been recently correlated to pathological conditions of the nervous system, such as cancer and neurodegeneration. Here, we review and discuss the most recent insights into the involvement of miRNAs in the neurodegenerative mechanisms and their correlation with significant neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Bicchi
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del Giochetto, 06126 Perugia, Italy.
| | - Francesco Morena
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del Giochetto, 06126 Perugia, Italy.
| | - Simona Montesano
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del Giochetto, 06126 Perugia, Italy.
| | - Mario Polidoro
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del Giochetto, 06126 Perugia, Italy.
| | - Sabata Martino
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del Giochetto, 06126 Perugia, Italy.
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