Stepping Out of the Shade: Control of Neuronal Activity by the Scaffold Protein Kidins220/ARMS

NEXMIF Combined with KIDINS220 Gene Mutation Caused Neurodevelopmental Disorder and Epilepsy: One Case Report

of Medical History: A male infant, 8 months old, was admitted to hospital with cough and fever. The clinical symptoms were found to be mental retardation, obesity, dystonia, movement limitation, and visual retardation. Early development was normal, but after 6 months, the child developed upright head instability, difficulty grasping, and seizures. Symptoms and Signs: The child presents with mental retardation, obesity, increased muscle tone, motor dysfunction, visual impairment, and seizures.

DIAGNOSIS

A whole exon test was performed to detect a neurite extension and migration factor (NEXMIF) gene mutation (NM_001008537.2: c.1042C > T (p. Arg348*)), which is known to be associated with intellectual disability and neurological symptoms. In addition, the test revealed a mutation in the Kinase D interacting substrate of 220 kDa (KIDINS220) gene (NM_020738.2: c.3242_3243insC (p. Leu1082AIafs*5)) with a heterozygous mutation in the father and wild type in the mother.

TREATMENT

The patient was treated with anti-infection, aerosol inhalation, calcium supplement, and anti-epileptic drugs (levetiracetam), and the disease was controlled. Home and hospital rehabilitation is also underway.

CLINICAL OUTCOME

The condition of the child improved after treatment and no seizures occurred again. The patient needs continuous rehabilitation treatment and follow-up observation.

CONCLUSION

For male children with unexplained neurodevelopmental disorders and comorbidities such as obesity, dystonia, and seizures, mutations in related genes such as NEXMIF should be considered. Clinical practice should improve genetic testing as early as possible to provide a basis for genetic counseling.

Extended genome-wide association study employing the African genome resources panel identifies novel susceptibility loci for Alzheimer's disease in individuals of African ancestry

INTRODUCTION

Despite a two-fold risk, individuals of African ancestry have been underrepresented in Alzheimer's disease (AD) genomics efforts.

METHODS

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of 2,903 AD cases and 6,265 controls of African ancestry. Within-dataset results were meta-analyzed, followed by functional genomics analyses.

RESULTS

A novel AD-risk locus was identified in MPDZ on chromosome (chr) 9p23 (rs141610415, MAF = 0.002, p = 3.68×10-9). Two additional novel common and nine rare loci were identified with suggestive associations (P < 9×10-7). Comparison of association and linkage disequilibrium (LD) patterns between datasets with higher and lower degrees of African ancestry showed differential association patterns at chr12q23.2 (ASCL1), suggesting that this association is modulated by regional origin of local African ancestry.

DISCUSSION

These analyses identified novel AD-associated loci in individuals of African ancestry and suggest that degree of African ancestry modulates some associations. Increased sample sets covering as much African genetic diversity as possible will be critical to identify additional loci and deconvolute local genetic ancestry effects.

HIGHLIGHTS

Genetic ancestry significantly impacts risk of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Although individuals of African ancestry are twice as likely to develop AD, they are vastly underrepresented in AD genomics studies. The Alzheimer's Disease Genetics Consortium has previously identified 16 common and rare genetic loci associated with AD in African American individuals. The current analyses significantly expand this effort by increasing the sample size and extending ancestral diversity by including populations from continental Africa. Single variant meta-analysis identified a novel genome-wide significant AD-risk locus in individuals of African ancestry at the MPDZ gene, and 11 additional novel loci with suggestive genome-wide significance at p < 9×10-7. Comparison of African American datasets with samples of higher degree of African ancestry demonstrated differing patterns of association and linkage disequilibrium at one of these loci, suggesting that degree and/or geographic origin of African ancestry modulates the effect at this locus. These findings illustrate the importance of increasing number and ancestral diversity of African ancestry samples in AD genomics studies to fully disentangle the genetic architecture underlying AD, and yield more effective ancestry-informed genetic screening tools and therapeutic interventions.

Scalable genetic screening for regulatory circuits using compressed Perturb-seq

Pooled CRISPR screens with single-cell RNA sequencing readout (Perturb-seq) have emerged as a key technique in functional genomics, but they are limited in scale by cost and combinatorial complexity. In this study, we modified the design of Perturb-seq by incorporating algorithms applied to random, low-dimensional observations. Compressed Perturb-seq measures multiple random perturbations per cell or multiple cells per droplet and computationally decompresses these measurements by leveraging the sparse structure of regulatory circuits. Applied to 598 genes in the immune response to bacterial lipopolysaccharide, compressed Perturb-seq achieves the same accuracy as conventional Perturb-seq with an order of magnitude cost reduction and greater power to learn genetic interactions. We identified known and novel regulators of immune responses and uncovered evolutionarily constrained genes with downstream targets enriched for immune disease heritability, including many missed by existing genome-wide association studies. Our framework enables new scales of interrogation for a foundational method in functional genomics.

Kidins220 and Aiolos promote thymic iNKT cell development by reducing TCR signals

Development of T cells is controlled by the signal strength of the TCR. The scaffold protein kinase D-interacting substrate of 220 kilodalton (Kidins220) binds to the TCR; however, its role in T cell development was unknown. Here, we show that T cell-specific Kidins220 knockout (T-KO) mice have strongly reduced invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cell numbers and modest decreases in conventional T cells. Enhanced apoptosis due to increased TCR signaling in T-KO iNKT thymocytes of developmental stages 2 and 3 shows that Kidins220 down-regulates TCR signaling at these stages. scRNA-seq  indicated that the transcription factor Aiolos is down-regulated in Kidins220-deficient iNKT cells. Analysis of an Aiolos KO demonstrated that Aiolos is a downstream effector of Kidins220 during iNKT cell development. In the periphery, T-KO iNKT cells show reduced TCR signaling upon stimulation with α-galactosylceramide, suggesting that Kidins220 promotes TCR signaling in peripheral iNKT cells. Thus, Kidins220 reduces or promotes signaling dependent on the iNKT cell developmental stage.

Gain-of-Function KIDINS220 Variants Disrupt Neuronal Development and Cause Cerebral Palsy

BACKGROUND

Kinase D-interacting substrate of 220 kDa (KIDINS220) is a multifunctional scaffolding protein essential for neuronal development. It has been implicated in neurological diseases with either autosomal dominant (AD) or autosomal recessive (AR) inheritance patterns. The molecular mechanisms underlying the AR/AD dual nature of KIDINS220 remain elusive, posing challenges to genetic interpretation and clinical interventions. Moreover, increased KIDINS220 exhibited neurotoxicity, but its role in neurodevelopment remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE

The aim was to investigate the genotype-phenotype correlations of KIDINS220 and elucidate its pathophysiological role in neuronal development.

METHODS

Whole-exome sequencing was performed in a four-generation family with cerebral palsy. CRISPR/Cas9 was used to generate KIDINS220 mutant cell lines. In utero electroporation was employed to investigate the effect of KIDINS220 variants on neurogenesis in vivo.

RESULTS

We identified in KIDINS220 a pathogenic nonsense variant (c.4177C > T, p.Q1393*) that associated with AD cerebral palsy. We demonstrated that the nonsense variants located in the terminal exon of KIDINS220 are gain-of-function (GoF) variants, which enable the mRNA to escape nonsense-mediated decay and produce a truncated yet functional KIDINS220 protein. The truncated protein exhibited significant resistance to calpain and consequently accumulated within cells, resulting in the hyperactivation of Rac1 and defects in neuronal development.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings demonstrate that the location of variants within KIDINS220 plays a crucial role in determining inheritance patterns and corresponding clinical outcomes. The proposed interaction between Rac1 and KIDINS220 provides new insights into the pathogenesis of cerebral palsy, implying potential therapeutic perspectives. © 2023 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Increased burden of rare protein-truncating variants in constrained, brain-specific and synaptic genes in extremely impulsively violent males with antisocial personality disorder

The genetic correlates of extreme impulsive violence are poorly understood, and there have been few studies that have characterized a large group of affected individuals both clinically and genetically. We performed whole exome sequencing (WES) in 290 males with the life-course-persistent, extremely impulsively violent form of antisocial personality disorder (APD) and analyzed the spectrum of rare protein-truncating variants (rPTVs). Comparisons were made with 314 male controls and publicly available genotype data. Functional annotation tools were used for biological interpretation. Participants were significantly more likely to harbor rPTVs in genes that are intolerant to loss-of-function variants (odds ratio [OR] 2.06; p < 0.001), specifically expressed in brain (OR 2.80; p = 0.036) and enriched for those involved in neurotransmitter transport and synaptic processes. In 60 individuals (20%), we identified rPTVs that we classified as clinically relevant based on their clinical associations, biological function and gene expression patterns. Of these, 37 individuals harbored rPTVs in 23 genes that are associated with a monogenic neurological disorder, and 23 individuals harbored rPTVs in 20 genes reportedly intolerant to loss-of-function variants. The analysis presents evidence in support of a model where presence of either one or several private, functionally relevant mutations contribute significantly to individual risk of life-course-persistent APD and reveals multiple individuals who could be affected by clinically unrecognized neuropsychiatric Mendelian disease. Thus, Mendelian diseases and increased rPTV burden may represent important factors for the development of extremely impulsive violent life-course-persistent forms of APD irrespective of their clinical presentation.

Neuronal Scaffold Protein ARMS Interacts with Synaptotagmin-4 C2AB through the Ankyrin Repeat Domain with an Unexpected Mode

The ankyrin repeat-rich membrane spanning (ARMS), a transmembrane neuronal scaffold protein, plays a fundamental role in neuronal physiology, including neuronal development, polarity, differentiation, survival and angiogenesis, through interactions with diverse partners. Previous studies have shown that the ARMS negatively regulates brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) secretion by interacting with Synaptotagmin-4 (Syt4), thereby affecting neurogenesis and the development and function of the nervous system. However, the molecular mechanisms of the ARMS/Syt4 complex assembly remain unclear. Here, we confirmed that the ARMS directly interacts with Syt4 through its N-terminal ankyrin repeats 1-8. Unexpectedly, both the C2A and C2B domains of Syt4 are necessary for binding with the ARMS. We then combined the predicted complex structural models from AlphaFold2 with systematic biochemical analyses using point mutagenesis to underline the molecular basis of ARMS/Syt4 complex formation and to identify two conserved residues, E15 and W72, of the ARMS, as essential residues mediating the assembly of the complex. Furthermore, we showed that ARMS proteins are unable to interact with Syt1 or Syt3, indicating that the interaction between ARMS and Syt4 is specific. Taken together, the findings from this study provide biochemical details on the interaction between the ARMS and Syt4, thereby offering a biochemical basis for the further understanding of the potential mechanisms and functional implications of the ARMS/Syt4 complex formation, especially with regard to the modulation of BDNF secretion and associated neuropathies.

Extended genome-wide association study employing the African Genome Resources Panel identifies novel susceptibility loci for Alzheimer's Disease in individuals of African ancestry

INTRODUCTION

Despite a two-fold increased risk, individuals of African ancestry have been significantly underrepresented in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) genomics efforts.

METHODS

GWAS of 2,903 AD cases and 6,265 cognitive controls of African ancestry. Within-dataset results were meta-analyzed, followed by gene-based and pathway analyses, and analysis of RNAseq and whole-genome sequencing data.

RESULTS

A novel AD risk locus was identified in MPDZ on chromosome 9p23 (rs141610415, MAF=.002, P =3.68×10 -9 ). Two additional novel common and nine novel rare loci approached genome-wide significance at P <9×10 -7 . Comparison of association and LD patterns between datasets with higher and lower degrees of African ancestry showed differential association patterns at chr12q23.2 ( ASCL1 ), suggesting that the association is modulated by regional origin of local African ancestry.

DISCUSSION

Increased sample sizes and sample sets from Africa covering as much African genetic diversity as possible will be critical to identify additional disease-associated loci and improve deconvolution of local genetic ancestry effects.

Kidins220 sets the threshold for survival of neural stem cells and progenitors to sustain adult neurogenesis

In the adult mammalian brain, neural stem cells (NSCs) located in highly restricted niches sustain the generation of new neurons that integrate into existing circuits. A reduction in adult neurogenesis is linked to ageing and neurodegeneration, whereas dysregulation of proliferation and survival of NSCs have been hypothesized to be at the origin of glioma. Thus, unravelling the molecular underpinnings of the regulated activation that NSCs must undergo to proliferate and generate new progeny is of considerable relevance. Current research has identified cues promoting or restraining NSCs activation. Yet, whether NSCs depend on external signals to survive or if intrinsic factors establish a threshold for sustaining their viability remains elusive, even if this knowledge could involve potential for devising novel therapeutic strategies. Kidins220 (Kinase D-interacting substrate of 220 kDa) is an essential effector of crucial pathways for neuronal survival and differentiation. It is dramatically altered in cancer and in neurological and neurodegenerative disorders, emerging as a regulatory molecule with important functions in human disease. Herein, we discover severe neurogenic deficits and hippocampal-based spatial memory defects accompanied by increased neuroblast death and high loss of newly formed neurons in Kidins220 deficient mice. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that Kidins220-dependent activation of AKT in response to EGF restraints GSK3 activity preventing NSCs apoptosis. We also show that NSCs with Kidins220 can survive with lower concentrations of EGF than the ones lacking this molecule. Hence, Kidins220 levels set a molecular threshold for survival in response to mitogens, allowing adult NSCs growth and expansion. Our study identifies Kidins220 as a key player for sensing the availability of growth factors to sustain adult neurogenesis, uncovering a molecular link that may help paving the way towards neurorepair.

Patent highlights October-November 2022

A snapshot of recent noteworthy developments in the patent literature of relevance to pharmaceutical and medical research and development.

Morin post-treatment surpassed calpeptin in ameliorating 3-NP-induced cortical neurotoxicity via modulation of glutamate/calpain axis, Kidins220, and BDNF/TrkB/AKT/CREB trajectory

The neuroprotective capacity of morin hydrate (MH), a potent antioxidant flavonoid, and calpeptin (CP), a calpain inhibitor, was documented against different insults but not Huntington's disease (HD). Accordingly, we aim to assess the neuroprotective potential of MH and/or CP in a 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP)-induced HD model. The 3-NP-treated rats were post-treated with saline, MH, CP, or MH + CP for a week. Post-treatment with MH and/or CP amended motor function (beam walking test) and short-/ long-term spatial memory (novel object recognition test) and improved cortical microscopic architecture. On the molecular level, MH, and to a lesser extent CP, inhibited the cortical content/expression of glutamate, calpain, and Kidins220 and abated the inflammatory molecules, nuclear factor (NF)-κB, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-1β, as well as lipid peroxidation. However, MH, but barely CP, activated the molecules of the neuroprotective trajectory; viz., brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), tropomyosin-related kinase receptor B (TrkB), protein kinase B (AKT), and cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB). Compared to the single treatments, the combination regimen mediated further reductions in the cortical contents of glutamate, calpain, and Kidins220, effects that extended to entail the anti-inflammatory/anti-oxidant potentials of MH and to a greater extent CP. However, the combination of MH strengthened the fair effect of CP on the survival signaling pathway BDNF/TrkB/AKT/CREB. In conclusion, MH, CP, and especially their combination, afforded neuroprotection against HD through curbing the glutamate/calpain axis, Kidins220, as well as NF-κB-mediated neuroinflammation/oxidative stress, besides activating the BDNF/TrkB/AKT/CREB hub that was partly dependent on calpain inhibition.

Compressed Perturb-seq: highly efficient screens for regulatory circuits using random composite perturbations

Pooled CRISPR screens with single-cell RNA-seq readout (Perturb-seq) have emerged as a key technique in functional genomics, but are limited in scale by cost and combinatorial complexity. Here, we reimagine Perturb-seq's design through the lens of algorithms applied to random, low-dimensional observations. We present compressed Perturb-seq, which measures multiple random perturbations per cell or multiple cells per droplet and computationally decompresses these measurements by leveraging the sparse structure of regulatory circuits. Applied to 598 genes in the immune response to bacterial lipopolysaccharide, compressed Perturb-seq achieves the same accuracy as conventional Perturb-seq at 4 to 20-fold reduced cost, with greater power to learn genetic interactions. We identify known and novel regulators of immune responses and uncover evolutionarily constrained genes with downstream targets enriched for immune disease heritability, including many missed by existing GWAS or trans-eQTL studies. Our framework enables new scales of interrogation for a foundational method in functional genomics.

Transcriptomics of angiotensin II-induced long noncoding and coding RNAs in endothelial cells

OBJECTIVE

Angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced endothelial dysfunction plays an important role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases such as systemic hypertension, cardiac hypertrophy and atherosclerosis. Recently, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to play an essential role in the pathobiology of cardiovascular diseases; however, the effect of Ang II on lncRNAs and coding RNAs expression in endothelial cells has not been evaluated. Accordingly, we sought to evaluate the expression profiles of lncRNAs and coding RNAs in endothelial cells following treatment with Ang II.

METHODS

Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured and treated with Ang II (10-6 mol/l) for 24 h. The cells were then profiled for the expression of lncRNAs and mRNAs using the Arraystar Human lncRNA Expression Microarray V3.0.

RESULTS

In HUVECs following Ang II treatment, from a total of 30 584 lncRNA targets screened, 25 targets were significantly upregulated, while 69 were downregulated. In the same HUVECs samples, from 26 106 mRNA targets screened, 28 targets were significantly upregulated and 67 were downregulated. Of the differentially expressed lncRNAs, RP11-354P11.2 and RP11-360F5.1 were the most upregulated (11-fold) and downregulated (three-fold) lncRNAs, respectively. Assigning the differentially regulated genes into functional groups using bioinformatics reveals numerous genes involved in the nucleotide excision repair and ECM-receptor interaction.

CONCLUSION

This is the first study to profile the Ang II-induced differentially expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs in human endothelial cells. Our results reveal novel targets and substantially extend the list of potential candidate genes involved in Ang II-induced endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular diseases.

Kidins220/ARMS modulates brain morphology and anxiety-like traits in adult mice

Kinase D interacting substrate of 220 kDa (Kidins220), also known as ankyrin repeat-rich membrane spanning (ARMS), is a transmembrane scaffold protein that participates in fundamental aspects of neuronal physiology including cell survival, differentiation, and synaptic plasticity. The Kidins220 constitutive knockout line displays developmental defects in the nervous and cardiovascular systems that lead to embryonic lethality, which has so far precluded the study of this protein in the adult. Moreover, Kidins220 mRNA is tightly regulated by alternative splicing, whose impact on nervous system physiology has not yet been addressed in vivo. Here, we have asked to what extent the absence of Kidins220 splicing and the selective knockout of Kidins220 impact on adult brain homeostasis. To answer this question, we used a floxed line that expresses only the full-length, non-spliced Kidins220 mRNA, and a forebrain-specific, CaMKII-Cre driven Kidins220 conditional knockout (cKO) line. Kidins220 cKO brains are characterized by enlarged ventricles in the absence of cell death, and by deficient dendritic arborization in several cortical regions. The deletion of Kidins220 leads to behavioral changes, such as reduced anxiety-like traits linked to alterations in TrkB-BDNF signaling and sex-dependent alterations of hippocampal-dependent spatial memory. Kidins220 floxed mice present similarly enlarged brain ventricles and increased associative memory. Thus, both the absolute levels of Kidins220 expression and its splicing pattern are required for the correct brain development and related expression of behavioral phenotypes. These findings are relevant in light of the increasing evidence linking mutations in the human KIDINS220 gene to the onset of severe neurodevelopmental disorders.

A developmental stage- and Kidins220-dependent switch in astrocyte responsiveness to brain-derived neurotrophic factor

Astroglial cells are key to maintain nervous system homeostasis. Neurotrophins are known for their pleiotropic effects on neuronal physiology but also exert complex functions to glial cells. Here, we investigated (i) the signaling competence of mouse embryonic and postnatal primary cortical astrocytes exposed to brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and, (ii) the role of kinase D-interacting substrate of 220 kDa (Kidins220), a transmembrane scaffold protein that mediates neurotrophin signaling in neurons. We found a shift from a kinase-based response in embryonic cells to a response predominantly relying on intracellular Ca2+ transients [Ca2+]i within postnatal cultures, associated with a decrease in the synthesis of full-length BDNF receptor TrkB, with Kidins220 contributing to the BDNF-activated kinase and [Ca2+]i pathways. Finally, Kidins220 participates in the homeostatic function of astrocytes by controlling the expression of the ATP-sensitive inward rectifier potassium channel 10 (Kir4.1) and the metabolic balance of embryonic astrocytes. Overall, our data contribute to the understanding of the complex role played by astrocytes within the central nervous system, and identify Kidins220 as a novel actor in the increasing number of pathologies characterized by astrocytic dysfunctions. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first authors of the paper.

Autosomal recessive variants in TUBGCP2 alter the γ-tubulin ring complex leading to neurodevelopmental disease

Microtubules help building the cytoskeleton of neurons and other cells. Several components of the gamma-tubulin (γ-tubulin) complex have been previously reported in human neurodevelopmental diseases. We describe two siblings from a consanguineous Turkish family with dysmorphic features, developmental delay, brain malformation, and epilepsy carrying a homozygous mutation (p.Glu311Lys) in TUBGCP2 encoding the γ-tubulin complex 2 (GCP2) protein. This variant is predicted to disrupt the electrostatic interaction of GCP2 with GCP3. In primary fibroblasts carrying the variant, we observed a faint delocalization of γ-tubulin during the cell cycle but normal GCP2 protein levels. Through mass spectrometry, we observed dysregulation of multiple proteins involved in the assembly and organization of the cytoskeleton and the extracellular matrix, controlling cellular adhesion and of proteins crucial for neuronal homeostasis including axon guidance. In summary, our functional and proteomic studies link TUBGCP2 and the γ-tubulin complex to the development of the central nervous system in humans.

Kidins220 deficiency causes ventriculomegaly via SNX27-retromer-dependent AQP4 degradation

Several psychiatric, neurologic and neurodegenerative disorders present increased brain ventricles volume, being hydrocephalus the disease with the major manifestation of ventriculomegaly caused by the accumulation of high amounts of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The molecules and pathomechanisms underlying cerebral ventricular enlargement are widely unknown. Kinase D interacting substrate of 220 kDa (KIDINS220) gene has been recently associated with schizophrenia and with a novel syndrome characterized by spastic paraplegia, intellectual disability, nystagmus and obesity (SINO syndrome), diseases frequently occurring with ventriculomegaly. Here we show that Kidins220, a transmembrane protein effector of various key neuronal signalling pathways, is a critical regulator of CSF homeostasis. We observe that both KIDINS220 and the water channel aquaporin-4 (AQP4) are markedly downregulated at the ventricular ependymal lining of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) patients. We also find that Kidins220 deficient mice develop ventriculomegaly accompanied by water dyshomeostasis and loss of AQP4 in the brain ventricular ependymal layer and astrocytes. Kidins220 is a known cargo of the SNX27-retromer, a complex that redirects endocytosed plasma membrane proteins (cargos) back to the cell surface, thus avoiding their targeting to lysosomes for degradation. Mechanistically, we show that AQP4 is a novel cargo of the SNX27-retromer and that Kidins220 deficiency promotes a striking and unexpected downregulation of the SNX27-retromer that results in AQP4 lysosomal degradation. Accordingly, SNX27 silencing decreases AQP4 levels in wild-type astrocytes whereas SNX27 overexpression restores AQP4 content in Kidins220 deficient astrocytes. Together our data suggest that the KIDINS220-SNX27-retromer-AQP4 pathway is involved in human ventriculomegaly and open novel therapeutic perspectives.

Bottom up proteomics identifies neuronal differentiation pathway networks activated by cathepsin inhibition treatment in neuroblastoma cells that are enhanced by concurrent 13-cis retinoic acid treatment

Neuroblastoma is the second most common pediatric cancer involving the peripheral nervous system in which stage IVS metastatic tumors regress due to spontaneous differentiation. 13-cis retinoic acid (13-cis RA) is currently used in the clinic for its differentiation effects and although it improves outcomes, relapse is seen in half of high-risk patients. Combinatorial therapies have been shown to be more effective in oncotherapy and since cathepsin inhibition reduces tumor growth, we explored the potential of coupling 13-cis RA with a cathepsin inhibitor (K777) to enhance therapeutic efficacy against neuroblastoma. Shotgun proteomics was used to identify proteins affected by K777 and dual (13-cis RA/K777) treatment in neuroblastoma SK-N-SH cells. Cathepsin inhibition was more effective in increasing proteins involved in neuronal differentiation and neurite outgrowth than 13-cis RA alone, but the combination of both treatments enhanced the neuronal differentiation effect. SIGNIFICANCE: As neuroblastoma can spontaneously differentiate, determining which proteins are involved in differentiation can guide development of more accurate diagnostic markers and more effective treatments. In this study, we established a differentiation proteomic map of SK-N-SH cells treated with a cathepsin inhibitor (K777) and K777/13-cis RA (dual). Bioinformatic analysis revealed these treatments enhanced neuronal differentiation and axonogenesis pathways. The most affected proteins in these pathways may become valuable biomarkers of efficacy of drugs designed to enhance differentiation of neuroblastoma [1].

High neural activity accelerates the decline of cognitive plasticity with age in Caenorhabditis elegans

The ability to learn progressively declines with age. Neural hyperactivity has been implicated in impairing cognitive plasticity with age, but the molecular mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we show that chronic excitation of the Caenorhabditis elegans O₂-sensing neurons during ageing causes a rapid decline of experience-dependent plasticity in response to environmental O₂ concentration, whereas sustaining lower activity of O₂-sensing neurons retains plasticity with age. We demonstrate that neural activity alters the ageing trajectory in the transcriptome of O₂-sensing neurons, and our data suggest that high-activity neurons redirect resources from maintaining plasticity to sustaining continuous firing. Sustaining plasticity with age requires the K⁺-dependent Na⁺/Ca²⁺ (NCKX) exchanger, whereas the decline of plasticity with age in high-activity neurons acts through calmodulin and the scaffold protein Kidins220. Our findings demonstrate directly that the activity of neurons alters neuronal homeostasis to govern the age-related decline of neural plasticity and throw light on the mechanisms involved.

TrkA mediates effect of novel KIDINS220 mutation in human brain ventriculomegaly

Congenital hydrocephalus is a potentially devastating, highly heterogeneous condition whose genetic subset remains incompletely known. We here report a consanguineous family where three fetuses presented with brain ventriculomegaly and limb contractures and shared a very rare homozygous variant of KIDINS220, consisting of an in-frame deletion of three amino acids adjacent to the fourth transmembrane domain. Fetal brain imaging and autopsy showed major ventriculomegaly, reduced brain mass, and with no histomorphologic abnormalities. We demonstrate that the binding of KIDINS220 to TrkA is diminished by the deletion mutation. This family is the second that associates a KIDINS220 genetic variant with human ventriculomegaly and limb contractures, validating causality of the gene and indicating TrkA as a likely mediator of the phenotype.

Kidins220/ARMS controls astrocyte calcium signaling and neuron-astrocyte communication

Through their ability to modulate synaptic transmission, glial cells are key regulators of neuronal circuit formation and activity. Kidins220/ARMS (kinase-D interacting substrate of 220 kDa/ankyrin repeat-rich membrane spanning) is one of the key effectors of the neurotrophin pathways in neurons where it is required for differentiation, survival, and plasticity. However, its role in glial cells remains largely unknown. Here, we show that ablation of Kidins220 in primary cultured astrocytes induced defects in calcium (Ca2+) signaling that were linked to altered store-operated Ca2+ entry and strong overexpression of the transient receptor potential channel TRPV4. Moreover, Kidins220-/- astrocytes were more sensitive to genotoxic stress. We also show that Kidins220 expression in astrocytes is required for the establishment of proper connectivity of cocultured wild-type neurons. Altogether, our data reveal a previously unidentified role for astrocyte-expressed Kidins220 in the control of glial Ca2+ dynamics, survival/death pathways and astrocyte-neuron communication.

Regulation of BDNF Release by ARMS/Kidins220 through Modulation of Synaptotagmin-IV Levels

BDNF is a growth factor with important roles in the nervous system in both physiological and pathological conditions, but the mechanisms controlling its secretion are not completely understood. Here, we show that ARMS/Kidins220 negatively regulates BDNF secretion in neurons from the CNS and PNS. Downregulation of the ARMS/Kidins220 protein in the adult mouse brain increases regulated BDNF secretion, leading to its accumulation in the striatum. Interestingly, two mouse models of Huntington's disease (HD) showed increased levels of ARMS/Kidins220 in the hippocampus and regulated BDNF secretion deficits. Importantly, reduction of ARMS/Kidins220 in hippocampal slices from HD mice reversed the impaired regulated BDNF release. Moreover, there are increased levels of ARMS/Kidins220 in the hippocampus and PFC of patients with HD. ARMS/Kidins220 regulates Synaptotagmin-IV levels, which has been previously observed to modulate BDNF secretion. These data indicate that ARMS/Kidins220 controls the regulated secretion of BDNF and might play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of HD.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT BDNF is an important growth factor that plays a fundamental role in the correct functioning of the CNS. The secretion of BDNF must be properly controlled to exert its functions, but the proteins regulating its release are not completely known. Using neuronal cultures and a new conditional mouse to modulate ARMS/Kidins220 protein, we report that ARMS/Kidins220 negatively regulates BDNF secretion. Moreover, ARMS/Kidins220 is overexpressed in two mouse models of Huntington's disease (HD), causing an impaired regulation of BDNF secretion. Furthermore, ARMS/Kidins220 levels are increased in brain samples from HD patients. Future studies should address whether ARMS/Kidins220 has any function on the pathophysiology of HD.

Kidins220 and tumour development: Insights into a complexity of cross-talk among signalling pathways (Review)

The mechanistic complexes of kinase D-interacting substrate of 220 kDa/ankyrin repeat-rich membrane spanning (Kidins220/ARMS) bind and integrate a variety of cellular cues to mediate neuronal activities such as neuronal differentiation, survival, and cytoskeleton remodelling by interacting with a variety of binding partners. Accumulated evidence has also indicated its role in the regulation of vascular development. Mice with Kidins220 knockdown phenotypically present with cardiovascular abnormalities. Kidins220 also contributes to immunomodulation in combination with B cells and T cells. Moreover, emerging evidence has revealed that this protein regulates many crucial cellular processes and thus has been implicated in an increasing number of malignancies. Here, we review recent advances in our understanding of Kidins220 and its role in cancer development. Further investigation is warranted to shed light on the role played by Kidins220 in the dynamic arrangement of the cytoskeleton and epithelial–mesenchymal transition, and its implication in tumourigenesis and cancer progression.