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Brenner M, Parpura V. The Role of Astrocytes in CNS Disorders: Historic and Contemporary Views. Cells 2024; 13:1388. [PMID: 39195276 DOI: 10.3390/cells13161388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024] Open
Abstract
This Special Issue of Cells presents a collection of 22 published, peer-reviewed articles on the theme of "Astrocytes in CNS Disorders," including 9 reviews of the evidence implicating astrocytes in the etiology of specific disorders, and 13 original research papers providing such evidence [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Brenner
- Department of Neurobiology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Vladimir Parpura
- International Translational Neuroscience Research Institute, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
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2
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Rajan-Babu IS, Dolzhenko E, Eberle MA, Friedman JM. Sequence composition changes in short tandem repeats: heterogeneity, detection, mechanisms and clinical implications. Nat Rev Genet 2024; 25:476-499. [PMID: 38467784 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-024-00696-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Short tandem repeats (STRs) are a class of repetitive elements, composed of tandem arrays of 1-6 base pair sequence motifs, that comprise a substantial fraction of the human genome. STR expansions can cause a wide range of neurological and neuromuscular conditions, known as repeat expansion disorders, whose age of onset, severity, penetrance and/or clinical phenotype are influenced by the length of the repeats and their sequence composition. The presence of non-canonical motifs, depending on the type, frequency and position within the repeat tract, can alter clinical outcomes by modifying somatic and intergenerational repeat stability, gene expression and mutant transcript-mediated and/or protein-mediated toxicities. Here, we review the diverse structural conformations of repeat expansions, technological advances for the characterization of changes in sequence composition, their clinical correlations and the impact on disease mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Indhu-Shree Rajan-Babu
- Department of Medical Genetics, The University of British Columbia, and Children's & Women's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
| | | | | | - Jan M Friedman
- Department of Medical Genetics, The University of British Columbia, and Children's & Women's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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3
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Pengo M, Squitieri F. Beyond CAG Repeats: The Multifaceted Role of Genetics in Huntington Disease. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:807. [PMID: 38927742 PMCID: PMC11203031 DOI: 10.3390/genes15060807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is a dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG expansion on the huntingtin (HTT) gene and is characterized by progressive motor, cognitive, and neuropsychiatric decline. Recently, new genetic factors besides CAG repeats have been implicated in the disease pathogenesis. Most genetic modifiers are involved in DNA repair pathways and, as the cause of the loss of CAA interruption in the HTT gene, they exert their main influence through somatic expansion. However, this mechanism might not be the only driver of HD pathogenesis, and future studies are warranted in this field. The aim of the present review is to dissect the many faces of genetics in HD pathogenesis, from cis- and trans-acting genetic modifiers to RNA toxicity, mitochondrial DNA mutations, and epigenetics factors. Exploring genetic modifiers of HD onset and progression appears crucial to elucidate not only disease pathogenesis, but also to improve disease prediction and prevention, develop biomarkers of disease progression and response to therapies, and recognize new therapeutic opportunities. Since the same genetic mechanisms are also described in other repeat expansion diseases, their implications might encompass the whole spectrum of these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Pengo
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25121 Brescia, Italy;
| | - Ferdinando Squitieri
- Centre for Neurological Rare Diseases (CMNR), Fondazione Lega Italiana Ricerca Huntington (LIRH), 00161 Rome, Italy
- Huntington and Rare Diseases Unit, IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
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Pilotto F, Del Bondio A, Puccio H. Hereditary Ataxias: From Bench to Clinic, Where Do We Stand? Cells 2024; 13:319. [PMID: 38391932 PMCID: PMC10886822 DOI: 10.3390/cells13040319] [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: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Cerebellar ataxias are a wide heterogeneous group of movement disorders. Within this broad umbrella of diseases, there are both genetics and sporadic forms. The clinical presentation of these conditions can exhibit a diverse range of symptoms across different age groups, spanning from pure cerebellar manifestations to sensory ataxia and multisystemic diseases. Over the last few decades, advancements in our understanding of genetics and molecular pathophysiology related to both dominant and recessive ataxias have propelled the field forward, paving the way for innovative therapeutic strategies aimed at preventing and arresting the progression of these diseases. Nevertheless, the rarity of certain forms of ataxia continues to pose challenges, leading to limited insights into the etiology of the disease and the identification of target pathways. Additionally, the lack of suitable models hampers efforts to comprehensively understand the molecular foundations of disease's pathophysiology and test novel therapeutic interventions. In the following review, we describe the epidemiology, symptomatology, and pathological progression of hereditary ataxia, including both the prevalent and less common forms of these diseases. Furthermore, we illustrate the diverse molecular pathways and therapeutic approaches currently undergoing investigation in both pre-clinical studies and clinical trials. Finally, we address the existing and anticipated challenges within this field, encompassing both basic research and clinical endeavors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Pilotto
- Institut Neuromyogène, Pathophysiology and Genetics of Neuron and Muscle, Inserm U1315, CNRS-Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 UMR5261, 69008 Lyon, France
| | - Andrea Del Bondio
- Institut Neuromyogène, Pathophysiology and Genetics of Neuron and Muscle, Inserm U1315, CNRS-Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 UMR5261, 69008 Lyon, France
| | - Hélène Puccio
- Institut Neuromyogène, Pathophysiology and Genetics of Neuron and Muscle, Inserm U1315, CNRS-Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 UMR5261, 69008 Lyon, France
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5
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Thompson LM, Orr HT. HD and SCA1: Tales from two 30-year journeys since gene discovery. Neuron 2023; 111:3517-3530. [PMID: 37863037 PMCID: PMC10842341 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.09.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
One of the more transformative findings in human genetics was the discovery that the expansion of unstable nucleotide repeats underlies a group of inherited neurological diseases. A subset of these unstable repeat neurodegenerative diseases is due to the expansion of a CAG trinucleotide repeat encoding a stretch of glutamines, i.e., the polyglutamine (polyQ) repeat neurodegenerative diseases. Among the CAG/polyQ repeat diseases are Huntington's disease (HD) and spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1), in which the expansions are within widely expressed proteins. Although both HD and SCA1 are autosomal dominantly inherited, and both typically cause mid- to late-life-onset movement disorders with cognitive decline, they each are characterized by distinct clinical characteristics and predominant sites of neuropathology. Importantly, the respective affected proteins, Huntingtin (HTT, HD) and Ataxin 1 (ATXN1, SCA1), have unique functions and biological properties. Here, we review HD and SCA1 with a focus on how their disease-specific and shared features may provide informative insights.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie M Thompson
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Department of Biological Chemistry, Institute of Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders, Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Center, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Harry T Orr
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis and Saint Paul, MN 55455, USA.
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Kandola T, Venkatesan S, Zhang J, Lerbakken BT, Von Schulze A, Blanck JF, Wu J, Unruh JR, Berry P, Lange JJ, Box AC, Cook M, Sagui C, Halfmann R. Pathologic polyglutamine aggregation begins with a self-poisoning polymer crystal. eLife 2023; 12:RP86939. [PMID: 37921648 PMCID: PMC10624427 DOI: 10.7554/elife.86939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
A long-standing goal of amyloid research has been to characterize the structural basis of the rate-determining nucleating event. However, the ephemeral nature of nucleation has made this goal unachievable with existing biochemistry, structural biology, and computational approaches. Here, we addressed that limitation for polyglutamine (polyQ), a polypeptide sequence that causes Huntington's and other amyloid-associated neurodegenerative diseases when its length exceeds a characteristic threshold. To identify essential features of the polyQ amyloid nucleus, we used a direct intracellular reporter of self-association to quantify frequencies of amyloid appearance as a function of concentration, conformational templates, and rational polyQ sequence permutations. We found that nucleation of pathologically expanded polyQ involves segments of three glutamine (Q) residues at every other position. We demonstrate using molecular simulations that this pattern encodes a four-stranded steric zipper with interdigitated Q side chains. Once formed, the zipper poisoned its own growth by engaging naive polypeptides on orthogonal faces, in a fashion characteristic of polymer crystals with intramolecular nuclei. We further show that self-poisoning can be exploited to block amyloid formation, by genetically oligomerizing polyQ prior to nucleation. By uncovering the physical nature of the rate-limiting event for polyQ aggregation in cells, our findings elucidate the molecular etiology of polyQ diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tej Kandola
- Stowers Institute for Medical ResearchKansas CityUnited States
- The Open UniversityMilton KeynesUnited Kingdom
| | | | - Jiahui Zhang
- Department of Physics, North Carolina State UniversityRaleighUnited States
| | | | | | | | - Jianzheng Wu
- Stowers Institute for Medical ResearchKansas CityUnited States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Kansas Medical CenterKansas CityUnited States
| | - Jay R Unruh
- Stowers Institute for Medical ResearchKansas CityUnited States
| | - Paula Berry
- Stowers Institute for Medical ResearchKansas CityUnited States
| | - Jeffrey J Lange
- Stowers Institute for Medical ResearchKansas CityUnited States
| | - Andrew C Box
- Stowers Institute for Medical ResearchKansas CityUnited States
| | - Malcolm Cook
- Stowers Institute for Medical ResearchKansas CityUnited States
| | - Celeste Sagui
- Department of Physics, North Carolina State UniversityRaleighUnited States
| | - Randal Halfmann
- Stowers Institute for Medical ResearchKansas CityUnited States
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Kandola T, Venkatesan S, Zhang J, Lerbakken B, Schulze AV, Blanck JF, Wu J, Unruh J, Berry P, Lange JJ, Box A, Cook M, Sagui C, Halfmann R. Pathologic polyglutamine aggregation begins with a self-poisoning polymer crystal. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.20.533418. [PMID: 36993401 PMCID: PMC10055281 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.20.533418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
A long-standing goal of amyloid research has been to characterize the structural basis of the rate-determining nucleating event. However, the ephemeral nature of nucleation has made this goal unachievable with existing biochemistry, structural biology, and computational approaches. Here, we addressed that limitation for polyglutamine (polyQ), a polypeptide sequence that causes Huntington's and other amyloid-associated neurodegenerative diseases when its length exceeds a characteristic threshold. To identify essential features of the polyQ amyloid nucleus, we used a direct intracellular reporter of self-association to quantify frequencies of amyloid appearance as a function of concentration, conformational templates, and rational polyQ sequence permutations. We found that nucleation of pathologically expanded polyQ involves segments of three glutamine (Q) residues at every other position. We demonstrate using molecular simulations that this pattern encodes a four-stranded steric zipper with interdigitated Q side chains. Once formed, the zipper poisoned its own growth by engaging naive polypeptides on orthogonal faces, in a fashion characteristic of polymer crystals with intramolecular nuclei. We further show that self-poisoning can be exploited to block amyloid formation, by genetically oligomerizing polyQ prior to nucleation. By uncovering the physical nature of the rate-limiting event for polyQ aggregation in cells, our findings elucidate the molecular etiology of polyQ diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tej Kandola
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
- The Open University, Milton Keyes, MK7 6AA, UK
| | | | - Jiahui Zhang
- Department of Physics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | | | - Alex Von Schulze
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
| | - Jillian F Blanck
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
| | - Jianzheng Wu
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Jay Unruh
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
| | - Paula Berry
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
| | - Jeffrey J Lange
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
| | - Andrew Box
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
| | - Malcolm Cook
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
| | - Celeste Sagui
- Department of Physics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Randal Halfmann
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
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8
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Correia JS, Duarte-Silva S, Salgado AJ, Maciel P. Cell-based therapeutic strategies for treatment of spinocerebellar ataxias: an update. Neural Regen Res 2022; 18:1203-1212. [PMID: 36453395 PMCID: PMC9838137 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.355981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxias are heritable neurodegenerative diseases caused by a cytosine-adenine-guanine expansion, which encodes a long glutamine tract (polyglutamine) in the respective wild-type protein causing misfolding and protein aggregation. Clinical features of polyglutamine spinocerebellar ataxias include neuronal aggregation, mitochondrial dysfunction, decreased proteasomal activity, and autophagy impairment. Mutant polyglutamine protein aggregates accumulate within neurons and cause neural dysfunction and death in specific regions of the central nervous system. Spinocerebellar ataxias are mostly characterized by progressive ataxia, speech and swallowing problems, loss of coordination and gait deficits. Over the past decade, efforts have been made to ameliorate disease symptoms in patients, yet no cure is available. Previous studies have been proposing the use of stem cells as promising tools for central nervous system tissue regeneration. So far, pre-clinical trials have shown improvement in various models of neurodegenerative diseases following stem cell transplantation, including animal models of spinocerebellar ataxia types 1, 2, and 3. However, contrasting results can be found in the literature, depending on the animal model, cell type, and route of administration used. Nonetheless, clinical trials using cellular implants into degenerated brain regions have already been applied, with the expectation that these cells would be able to differentiate into the specific neuronal subtypes and re-populate these regions, reconstructing the affected neural network. Meanwhile, the question of how feasible it is to continue such treatments remains unanswered, with long-lasting effects being still unknown. To establish the value of these advanced therapeutic tools, it is important to predict the actions of the transplanted cells as well as to understand which cell type can induce the best outcomes for each disease. Further studies are needed to determine the best route of administration, without neglecting the possible risks of repetitive transplantation that these approaches so far appear to demand. Despite the challenges ahead of us, cell-transplantation therapies are reported to have transient but beneficial outcomes in spinocerebellar ataxias, which encourages efforts towards their improvement in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Sofia Correia
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal,ICVS/3B’s – PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Sara Duarte-Silva
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal,ICVS/3B’s – PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - António José Salgado
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal,ICVS/3B’s – PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Patrícia Maciel
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal,ICVS/3B’s – PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Guimarães, Portugal,Correspondence to: Patrícia Maciel, .
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Sharma P, Sonakar AK, Tyagi N, Suroliya V, Kumar M, Kutum R, Asokchandran V, Ambawat S, Shamim U, Anand A, Ahmad I, Shakya S, Uppili B, Mathur A, Parveen S, Jain S, Singh J, Seth M, Zahra S, Joshi A, Goel D, Sahni S, Kamai A, Wadhwa S, Murali A, Saifi S, Chowdhury D, Pandey S, Anand KS, Narasimhan RL, Laskar S, Kushwaha S, Kumar M, Shaji CV, Srivastava MVP, Srivastava AK, Faruq M. Genetics of Ataxias in Indian Population: A Collative Insight from a Common Genetic Screening Tool. ADVANCED GENETICS (HOBOKEN, N.J.) 2022; 3:2100078. [PMID: 36618024 PMCID: PMC9744545 DOI: 10.1002/ggn2.202100078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Cerebellar ataxias (CAs) represent a group of autosomal dominant and recessive neurodegenerative disorders affecting cerebellum with or without spinal cord. Overall, CAs have preponderance for tandem nucleotide repeat expansions as an etiological factor (10 TREs explain nearly 30-40% of ataxia cohort globally). The experience of 10 years of common genetic ataxia subtypes for ≈5600 patients' referrals (Pan-India) received at a single center is shared herein. Frequencies (in %, n) of SCA types and FRDA in the sample cohort are observed as follows: SCA12 (8.6%, 490); SCA2 (8.5%, 482); SCA1 (4.8%, 272); SCA3 (2%, 113); SCA7 (0.5%, 28); SCA6 (0.1%, 05); SCA17 (0.1%, 05), and FRDA (2.2%, 127). A significant amount of variability in TRE lengths at each locus is observed, we noted presence of biallelic expansion, co-occurrence of SCA-subtypes, and the presence of premutable normal alleles. The frequency of mutated GAA-FRDA allele in healthy controls is 1/158 (0.63%), thus an expected FRDA prevalence of 1:100 000 persons. The data of this study are relevant not only for clinical decision making but also for guidance in direction of genetic investigations, transancestral comparison of genotypes, and lastly provide insight for policy decision for the consideration of SCAs under rare disease category.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pooja Sharma
- Genomics and Molecular MedicineCSIR‐Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR‐IGIB)Mall RoadDelhi110007India,Academy for Scientific and Innovative ResearchGhaziabadUttar Pradesh201002India
| | | | - Nishu Tyagi
- Genomics and Molecular MedicineCSIR‐Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR‐IGIB)Mall RoadDelhi110007India,Academy for Scientific and Innovative ResearchGhaziabadUttar Pradesh201002India
| | - Varun Suroliya
- Neurology DepartmentNeuroscience CentreNew Delhi110029India
| | - Manish Kumar
- Genomics and Molecular MedicineCSIR‐Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR‐IGIB)Mall RoadDelhi110007India,Academy for Scientific and Innovative ResearchGhaziabadUttar Pradesh201002India
| | - Rintu Kutum
- Genomics and Molecular MedicineCSIR‐Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR‐IGIB)Mall RoadDelhi110007India
| | - Vivekananda Asokchandran
- Genomics and Molecular MedicineCSIR‐Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR‐IGIB)Mall RoadDelhi110007India,Academy for Scientific and Innovative ResearchGhaziabadUttar Pradesh201002India
| | - Sakshi Ambawat
- Genomics and Molecular MedicineCSIR‐Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR‐IGIB)Mall RoadDelhi110007India
| | - Uzma Shamim
- Genomics and Molecular MedicineCSIR‐Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR‐IGIB)Mall RoadDelhi110007India
| | - Avni Anand
- Genomics and Molecular MedicineCSIR‐Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR‐IGIB)Mall RoadDelhi110007India
| | - Ishtaq Ahmad
- Neurology DepartmentNeuroscience CentreNew Delhi110029India
| | - Sunil Shakya
- Neurology DepartmentNeuroscience CentreNew Delhi110029India
| | - Bharathram Uppili
- Genomics and Molecular MedicineCSIR‐Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR‐IGIB)Mall RoadDelhi110007India,Academy for Scientific and Innovative ResearchGhaziabadUttar Pradesh201002India
| | - Aradhana Mathur
- Genomics and Molecular MedicineCSIR‐Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR‐IGIB)Mall RoadDelhi110007India
| | - Shaista Parveen
- Genomics and Molecular MedicineCSIR‐Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR‐IGIB)Mall RoadDelhi110007India
| | - Shweta Jain
- Genomics and Molecular MedicineCSIR‐Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR‐IGIB)Mall RoadDelhi110007India
| | - Jyotsna Singh
- Genomics and Molecular MedicineCSIR‐Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR‐IGIB)Mall RoadDelhi110007India,Neurology DepartmentNeuroscience CentreNew Delhi110029India
| | - Malika Seth
- Genomics and Molecular MedicineCSIR‐Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR‐IGIB)Mall RoadDelhi110007India
| | - Sana Zahra
- Genomics and Molecular MedicineCSIR‐Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR‐IGIB)Mall RoadDelhi110007India,Academy for Scientific and Innovative ResearchGhaziabadUttar Pradesh201002India
| | - Aditi Joshi
- Genomics and Molecular MedicineCSIR‐Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR‐IGIB)Mall RoadDelhi110007India
| | - Divya Goel
- Genomics and Molecular MedicineCSIR‐Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR‐IGIB)Mall RoadDelhi110007India
| | - Shweta Sahni
- Genomics and Molecular MedicineCSIR‐Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR‐IGIB)Mall RoadDelhi110007India
| | - Asangla Kamai
- Genomics and Molecular MedicineCSIR‐Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR‐IGIB)Mall RoadDelhi110007India,Academy for Scientific and Innovative ResearchGhaziabadUttar Pradesh201002India
| | - Saruchi Wadhwa
- Genomics and Molecular MedicineCSIR‐Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR‐IGIB)Mall RoadDelhi110007India,Academy for Scientific and Innovative ResearchGhaziabadUttar Pradesh201002India
| | - Aparna Murali
- Genomics and Molecular MedicineCSIR‐Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR‐IGIB)Mall RoadDelhi110007India
| | - Sheeba Saifi
- Genomics and Molecular MedicineCSIR‐Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR‐IGIB)Mall RoadDelhi110007India
| | | | - Sanjay Pandey
- Department of NeurologyGB Pant HospitalDelhi110002India
| | - Kuljeet Singh Anand
- Department of NeurologyPost Graduate Institute of Medical Education and ResearchDr. Ram Manohar Lohia HospitalNew Delhi110001India
| | | | | | - Suman Kushwaha
- Department of NeurologyInstitute of Human Behaviour and Allied SciencesDelhi110095India
| | | | | | | | | | - Mohammed Faruq
- Genomics and Molecular MedicineCSIR‐Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR‐IGIB)Mall RoadDelhi110007India,Academy for Scientific and Innovative ResearchGhaziabadUttar Pradesh201002India
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10
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Jang JH, Yoon SJ, Kim SK, Cho JW, Kim JW. Detection Methods and Status of CAT Interruption of ATXN1 in Korean Patients With Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 1. Ann Lab Med 2022; 42:274-277. [PMID: 34635619 PMCID: PMC8548249 DOI: 10.3343/alm.2022.42.2.274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) is an autosomal dominant disease caused by abnormal CAG repeat expansion in the ataxin 1 gene (ATXN1). The presence of CAT interruption(s) is important for diagnosing SCA1 in patients with 39–44 repeat alleles, as only uninterrupted alleles are considered abnormal. Determining the CAT interruption status might also be important for patients with >44 repeats, as the length of the longest uninterrupted CAG repeat stretch has been correlated with age at SCA1 onset. We detected CAT interruption(s) in the archived samples of Korean SCA1 patients using a traditional restriction enzyme method and validated the usefulness of a fluorescence-based tethering PCR procedure. Among the 2,312 alleles analyzed from 1,156 patients, we found 17 expanded alleles with ≥39 repeats, 71% of which harbored 39–44 repeats. Restriction enzyme method of six samples (four with 39–44 repeats and two with >44 repeats) revealed that none of the expanded alleles had CAT interruption(s). Tethering PCR showed the characteristic electropherogram pattern expected without CAT interruption(s). Along with the enzyme restriction method, tethering PCR can be applied to determine the number of allele repeats and provide information on CAT interruption(s) in clinical laboratories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ja-Hyun Jang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Genetics, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sun Joo Yoon
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Genetics, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sun-Kyung Kim
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Genetics, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jin Whan Cho
- Department of Neurology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.,Neuroscience Center, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jong-Won Kim
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Genetics, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
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11
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Elsaey MA, Namikawa K, Köster RW. Genetic Modeling of the Neurodegenerative Disease Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 1 in Zebrafish. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:7351. [PMID: 34298970 PMCID: PMC8306488 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22147351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Dominant spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) are progredient neurodegenerative diseases commonly affecting the survival of Purkinje cells (PCs) in the human cerebellum. Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) is caused by the mutated ataxin1 (Atx1) gene product, in which a polyglutamine stretch encoded by CAG repeats is extended in affected SCA1 patients. As a monogenetic disease with the Atx1-polyQ protein exerting a gain of function, SCA1 can be genetically modelled in animals by cell type-specific overexpression. We have established a transgenic PC-specific SCA1 model in zebrafish coexpressing the fluorescent reporter protein mScarlet together with either human wild type Atx1[30Q] as control or SCA1 patient-derived Atx1[82Q]. SCA1 zebrafish display an age-dependent PC degeneration starting at larval stages around six weeks postfertilization, which continuously progresses during further juvenile and young adult stages. Interestingly, PC degeneration is observed more severely in rostral than in caudal regions of the PC population. Although such a neuropathology resulted in no gross locomotor control deficits, SCA1-fish with advanced PC loss display a reduced exploratory behaviour. In vivo imaging in this SCA1 model may help to better understand such patterned PC death known from PC neurodegeneration diseases, to elucidate disease mechanisms and to provide access to neuroprotective compound characterization in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed A. Elsaey
- Division of Cellular & Molecular Neurobiology, Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany;
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt
| | - Kazuhiko Namikawa
- Division of Cellular & Molecular Neurobiology, Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany;
| | - Reinhard W. Köster
- Division of Cellular & Molecular Neurobiology, Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany;
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Clinical and genetic profile in index patients with spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 in Indonesia: case report. Heliyon 2021; 7:e07519. [PMID: 34345727 PMCID: PMC8319015 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) is an autosomal dominant hereditary disease with progressive course, and no causal therapy. Diagnostics are still challenging, due to facility and protocols, and so as in Indonesia. As a national referral center, Dr. Hasan Sadikin Central General Hospital has received a lot of patients from all over Indonesia, particularly from Western Java. Study related to SCA (including clinical and genetic profile) is still limited in Indonesia. We identified index patients from three families with ataxia, hence intend to determine their clinical and genetic pattern. The hereditary pattern is autosomal dominant. Scale for the assessment and rating of ataxia (SARA) shows mild and moderate ataxia. Inventory of non-ataxia signs (INAS) scores of the patients were 3, 5 and 6. Montreal cognitive assessment-Indonesian version (MOCA-INA) shows only one patient has mild cognitive impairment, despite young age. Barthel index shows 1 subject has moderate dependency. Mutation in Ataxin3 polyQ repeats shows pathologically long CAG repeats, 72,10; 72,10; and 72,23 respectively in mutant and wild type allele. We diagnosed the index patients with spinocerebellar ataxia type 3. This study is the first case series study in Indonesia. The hereditary pattern is clearly shown as an autosomal dominant ataxia. The clinical and genetic profile was varied, and the symptom is progressive and deteriorates overtime, including wide based gait, speech problem, motor and sensor complaint, and cognitive decline complaint. Despite the same polyQ stretch length, the onset and clinical characteristics of patients are diverse.
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Donaldson J, Powell S, Rickards N, Holmans P, Jones L. What is the Pathogenic CAG Expansion Length in Huntington's Disease? J Huntingtons Dis 2021; 10:175-202. [PMID: 33579866 PMCID: PMC7990448 DOI: 10.3233/jhd-200445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) (OMIM 143100) is caused by an expanded CAG repeat tract in the HTT gene. The inherited CAG length is known to expand further in somatic and germline cells in HD subjects. Age at onset of the disease is inversely correlated with the inherited CAG length, but is further modulated by a series of genetic modifiers which are most likely to act on the CAG repeat in HTT that permit it to further expand. Longer repeats are more prone to expansions, and this expansion is age dependent and tissue-specific. Given that the inherited tract expands through life and most subjects develop disease in mid-life, this implies that in cells that degenerate, the CAG length is likely to be longer than the inherited length. These findings suggest two thresholds- the inherited CAG length which permits further expansion, and the intracellular pathogenic threshold, above which cells become dysfunctional and die. This two-step mechanism has been previously proposed and modelled mathematically to give an intracellular pathogenic threshold at a tract length of 115 CAG (95% confidence intervals 70- 165 CAG). Empirically, the intracellular pathogenic threshold is difficult to determine. Clues from studies of people and models of HD, and from other diseases caused by expanded repeat tracts, place this threshold between 60- 100 CAG, most likely towards the upper part of that range. We assess this evidence and discuss how the intracellular pathogenic threshold in manifest disease might be better determined. Knowing the cellular pathogenic threshold would be informative for both understanding the mechanism in HD and deploying treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine Donaldson
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Sophie Powell
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Nadia Rickards
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Peter Holmans
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Lesley Jones
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
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Wright GEB, Black HF, Collins JA, Gall-Duncan T, Caron NS, Pearson CE, Hayden MR. Interrupting sequence variants and age of onset in Huntington's disease: clinical implications and emerging therapies. Lancet Neurol 2020; 19:930-939. [PMID: 33098802 DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(20)30343-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2020] [Revised: 08/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Huntington's disease is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder that is caused by CAG-CAA repeat expansion, encoding polyglutamine, in the huntingtin (HTT) gene. Current age-of-clinical-onset prediction models for Huntington's disease are based on polyglutamine length and explain only a proportion of the variability in age of onset observed between patients. These length-based assays do not interrogate the underlying genetic variation, because known genetic variants in this region do not alter the protein coding sequence. Given that individuals with identical repeat lengths can present with Huntington's disease decades apart, the search for genetic modifiers of clinical age of onset has become an active area of research. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS Results from three independent genetic studies of Huntington's disease have shown that glutamine-encoding CAA variants that interrupt DNA CAG repeat tracts, but do not alter polyglutamine length or polyglutamine homogeneity, are associated with substantial differences in age of onset of Huntington's disease in carriers. A variant that results in the loss of CAA interruption is associated with early onset and is particularly relevant to individuals that carry alleles in the reduced penetrance range (ie, CAG 36-39). Approximately a third of clinically manifesting carriers of reduced penetrance alleles, defined by current diagnostics, carry this variant. Somatic repeat instability, modified by interrupted CAG tracts, is the most probable cause mediating this effect. This relationship is supported by genome-wide screens for disease modifiers, which have revealed the importance of DNA-repair genes in Huntington's disease (ie, FAN1, LIG1, MLH1, MSH3, PMS1, and PMS2). WHERE NEXT?: Focus needs to be placed on refining our understanding of the effect of the loss-of-interruption and duplication-of-interruption variants and other interrupting sequence variants on age of onset, and assessing their effect in disease-relevant brain tissues, as well as in diverse population groups, such as individuals from Africa and Asia. Diagnostic tests should be augmented or updated, since current tests do not assess the underlying DNA sequence variation, especially when assessing individuals that carry alleles in the reduced penetrance range. Future studies should explore somatic repeat instability and DNA repair as new therapeutic targets to modify age of onset in Huntington's disease and in other repeat-mediated disorders. Disease-modifying therapies could potentially be developed by therapeutically targeting these processes. Promising approaches include therapeutically targeting the expanded repeat or directly perturbing key DNA-repair genes (eg, with antisense oligonucleotides or small molecules). Targeting the CAG repeat directly with naphthyridine-azaquinolone, a compound that induces contractions, and altering the expression of MSH3, represent two viable therapeutic strategies. However, as a first step, the capability of such novel therapeutic approaches to delay clinical onset in animal models should be assessed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Galen E B Wright
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Neuroscience Research Program, Kleysen Institute for Advanced Medicine, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Hailey Findlay Black
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jennifer A Collins
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Terence Gall-Duncan
- Program of Genetics and Genome Biology, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Program of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Nicholas S Caron
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Christopher E Pearson
- Program of Genetics and Genome Biology, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Program of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Michael R Hayden
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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15
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Frequency and distribution of polyQ disease intermediate-length repeat alleles in healthy Italian population. Neurol Sci 2020; 41:1475-1482. [PMID: 31940111 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-019-04233-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Huntington disease (HD) and spinocerebellar ataxia type 1-2-17 (SCA1-2-17) are adult-onset autosomal dominant diseases, caused by triplet repeat expansions in the HTT, ATXN1, ATXN2, and TBP genes. Alleles with a repeat number just below the pathological threshold are associated with reduced penetrance and meiotic instability and are defined as intermediate alleles (IAs). OBJECTIVES We aimed to determine the frequencies of IAs in healthy Italian subjects and to compare the proportion of the IAs with the prevalence of the respective diseases. METHODS We analyzed the triplet repeat size in HTT, ATXN1, ATXN2, and TBP genes in the DNA samples from 729 consecutive adult healthy Italian subjects. RESULTS IAs associated with reduced penetrance were found in ATXN2 gene (1 subject, 0.1%) and TBP gene (0.82%). IAs at risk for meiotic instability were found in HTT (5.3%) and ATXN2 genes (2.7%). In ATXN1, we found a low percentage of IAs (0.4%). Alleles lacking the common CAT interruption within the CAG sequence were also rare (0.3%). CONCLUSIONS The high frequencies of IAs in HTT and ATXN2 genes suggest a correlation with the prevalence of the diseases in our population and support the hypothesis that IAs could represent a reservoir of new pathological expansions. On the opposite, ATXN1-IA were very rare in respect to the prevalence of SCA1 in our country, and TBP- IA were more frequent than expected, suggesting that other mechanisms could influence the occurrence of novel pathological expansions.
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16
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Rocha S, Vieira J, Vázquez N, López-Fernández H, Fdez-Riverola F, Reboiro-Jato M, Sousa AD, Vieira CP. ATXN1 N-terminal region explains the binding differences of wild-type and expanded forms. BMC Med Genomics 2019; 12:145. [PMID: 31655597 PMCID: PMC6814966 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-019-0594-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Wild-type (wt) polyglutamine (polyQ) regions are implicated in stabilization of protein-protein interactions (PPI). Pathological polyQ expansion, such as that in human Ataxin-1 (ATXN1), that causes spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1), results in abnormal PPI. For ATXN1 a larger number of interactors has been reported for the expanded (82Q) than the wt (29Q) protein. Methods To understand how the expanded polyQ affects PPI, protein structures were predicted for wt and expanded ATXN1, as well as, for 71 ATXN1 interactors. Then, the binding surfaces of wt and expanded ATXN1 with the reported interactors were inferred. Results Our data supports that the polyQ expansion alters the ATXN1 conformation and that it enhances the strength of interaction with ATXN1 partners. For both ATXN1 variants, the number of residues at the predicted binding interface are greater after the polyQ, mainly due to the AXH domain. Moreover, the difference in the interaction strength of the ATXN1 variants was due to an increase in the number of interactions at the N-terminal region, before the polyQ, for the expanded form. Conclusions There are three regions at the AXH domain that are essential for ATXN1 PPI. The N-terminal region is responsible for the strength of the PPI with the ATXN1 variants. How the predicted motifs in this region affect PPI is discussed, in the context of ATXN1 post-transcriptional modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Rocha
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (I3S), Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
| | - Jorge Vieira
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (I3S), Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
| | - Noé Vázquez
- ESEI - Escuela Superior de Ingeniería Informática, Edificio Politécnico, Campus Universitario As Lagoas s/n, Universidad de Vigo, 32004, Ourense, Spain.,Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas (Centro Singular de Investigación de Galicia), Vigo, Spain.,SING Research Group, Galicia Sur Health Research Institute (IIS Galicia Sur). SERGAS-UVIGO, Vigo, Spain
| | - Hugo López-Fernández
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (I3S), Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.,ESEI - Escuela Superior de Ingeniería Informática, Edificio Politécnico, Campus Universitario As Lagoas s/n, Universidad de Vigo, 32004, Ourense, Spain.,Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas (Centro Singular de Investigación de Galicia), Vigo, Spain.,SING Research Group, Galicia Sur Health Research Institute (IIS Galicia Sur). SERGAS-UVIGO, Vigo, Spain
| | - Florentino Fdez-Riverola
- ESEI - Escuela Superior de Ingeniería Informática, Edificio Politécnico, Campus Universitario As Lagoas s/n, Universidad de Vigo, 32004, Ourense, Spain.,Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas (Centro Singular de Investigación de Galicia), Vigo, Spain.,SING Research Group, Galicia Sur Health Research Institute (IIS Galicia Sur). SERGAS-UVIGO, Vigo, Spain
| | - Miguel Reboiro-Jato
- ESEI - Escuela Superior de Ingeniería Informática, Edificio Politécnico, Campus Universitario As Lagoas s/n, Universidad de Vigo, 32004, Ourense, Spain.,Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas (Centro Singular de Investigación de Galicia), Vigo, Spain.,SING Research Group, Galicia Sur Health Research Institute (IIS Galicia Sur). SERGAS-UVIGO, Vigo, Spain
| | - André D Sousa
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (I3S), Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal
| | - Cristina P Vieira
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal. .,Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (I3S), Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen, 208, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.
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Buijsen RAM, Toonen LJA, Gardiner SL, van Roon-Mom WMC. Genetics, Mechanisms, and Therapeutic Progress in Polyglutamine Spinocerebellar Ataxias. Neurotherapeutics 2019; 16:263-286. [PMID: 30607747 PMCID: PMC6554265 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-018-00696-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxias (ADCAs) are a group of neurodegenerative disorders characterized by degeneration of the cerebellum and its connections. All ADCAs have progressive ataxia as their main clinical feature, frequently accompanied by dysarthria and oculomotor deficits. The most common spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) are 6 polyglutamine (polyQ) SCAs. These diseases are all caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the coding region of a gene. Currently, no curative treatment is available for any of the polyQ SCAs, but increasing knowledge on the genetics and the pathological mechanisms of these polyQ SCAs has provided promising therapeutic targets to potentially slow disease progression. Potential treatments can be divided into pharmacological and gene therapies that target the toxic downstream effects, gene therapies that target the polyQ SCA genes, and stem cell replacement therapies. Here, we will provide a review on the genetics, mechanisms, and therapeutic progress in polyglutamine spinocerebellar ataxias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald A M Buijsen
- Department of Human Genetics, LUMC, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Lodewijk J A Toonen
- Department of Human Genetics, LUMC, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Sarah L Gardiner
- Department of Human Genetics, LUMC, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Neurology, LUMC, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The Netherlands
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