Mutant Cu/Zn Superoxide Dismutase (A4V) Turnover Is Altered in Cells Containing Inclusions

Amyloidogenic regions in beta-strands II and III modulate the aggregation and toxicity of SOD1 in living cells

Mutations in the protein superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1) promote its misfolding and aggregation, ultimately causing familial forms of the debilitating neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Currently, over 220 (mostly missense) ALS-causing mutations in the SOD1 protein have been identified, indicating that common structural features are responsible for aggregation and toxicity. Using in silico tools, we predicted amyloidogenic regions in the ALS-associated SOD1-G85R mutant, finding seven regions throughout the structure. Introduction of proline residues into β-strands II (I18P) or III (I35P) reduced the aggregation propensity and toxicity of SOD1-G85R in cells, significantly more so than proline mutations in other amyloidogenic regions. The I18P and I35P mutations also reduced the capability of SOD1-G85R to template onto previously formed non-proline mutant SOD1 aggregates as measured by fluorescence recovery after photobleaching. Finally, we found that, while the I18P and I35P mutants are less structurally stable than SOD1-G85R, the proline mutants are less aggregation-prone during proteasome inhibition, and less toxic to cells overall. Our research highlights the importance of a previously underappreciated SOD1 amyloidogenic region in β-strand II (15QGIINF20) to the aggregation and toxicity of SOD1 in ALS mutants, and suggests that β-strands II and III may be good targets for the development of SOD1-associated ALS therapies.

Variability in SOD1-associated amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: geographic patterns, clinical heterogeneity, molecular alterations, and therapeutic implications

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive loss of motor neurons, resulting in global health burden and limited post-diagnosis life expectancy. Although primarily sporadic, familial ALS (fALS) cases suggest a genetic basis. This review focuses on SOD1, the first gene found to be associated with fALS, which has been more recently confirmed by genome sequencing. While informative, databases such as ALSoD and STRENGTH exhibit regional biases. Through a systematic global examination of SOD1 mutations from 1993 to 2023, we found different geographic distributions and clinical presentations. Even though different SOD1 variants are expressed at different protein levels and have different half-lives and dismutase activities, these alterations lead to loss of function that is not consistently correlated with disease severity. Gain of function of toxic aggregates of SOD1 resulting from mutated SOD1 has emerged as one of the key contributors to ALS. Therapeutic interventions specifically targeting toxic gain of function of mutant SOD1, including RNA interference and antibodies, show promise, but a cure remains elusive. This review provides a comprehensive perspective on SOD1-associated ALS and describes molecular features and the complex genetic landscape of SOD1, highlighting its importance in determining diverse clinical manifestations observed in ALS patients and emphasizing the need for personalized therapeutic strategies.

Current insights in the molecular genetic pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disease that leads to the massive loss of motor neurons in cerebrum, brain stem and spinal cord. It affects not only motor neurons but also other neurons and glial cells, resulting in the progressive muscle atrophy, the severe disability and the eventual death due to the respiratory failure. The pathogenesis of ALS is not fully understood. Currently, several factors are considered to be involved in the pathogenesis of ALS, such as genetic factors, imbalances in protein homeostasis, RNA metabolism disorders, mitochondrial dysfunctions, glutamate-mediated excitatory toxicities and intra-neuronal material transport disorders in neurons. The study of genetic mutations related to ALS pathogenesis will link the molecular and cellular mechanisms of the disease, thus enhancing the understanding of its occurrence and progression, thereby providing new insights for the pathogenesis of ALS. This review summarizes the current insights in the molecular genetic pathogenesis of ALS.

Protein kinetics of superoxide dismutase-1 in familial and sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

OBJECTIVE

Accumulation of misfolded superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1) is a pathological hallmark of SOD1-related amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and is observed in sporadic ALS where its role in pathogenesis is controversial. Understanding in vivo protein kinetics may clarify how SOD1 influences neurodegeneration and inform optimal dosing for therapies that lower SOD1 transcripts.

METHODS

We employed stable isotope labeling paired with mass spectrometry to evaluate in vivo protein kinetics and concentration of soluble SOD1 in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of SOD1 mutation carriers, sporadic ALS participants and controls. A deaminated SOD1 peptide, SDGPVKV, that correlates with protein stability was also measured.

RESULTS

In participants with heterozygous SOD1A5V mutations, known to cause rapidly progressive ALS, mutant SOD1 protein exhibited ~twofold faster turnover and ~ 16-fold lower concentration compared to wild-type SOD1 protein. SDGPVKV levels were increased in SOD1A5V carriers relative to controls. Thus, SOD1 mutations impact protein kinetics and stability. We applied this approach to sporadic ALS participants and found that SOD1 turnover, concentration, and SDGPVKV levels are not significantly different compared to controls.

INTERPRETATION

These results highlight the ability of stable isotope labeling approaches and peptide deamidation to discern the influence of disease mutations on protein kinetics and stability and support implementation of this method to optimize clinical trial design of gene and molecular therapies for neurological disorders.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03449212.

Meiotic resetting of the cellular Sod1 pool is driven by protein aggregation, degradation, and transient LUTI-mediated repression

Gametogenesis requires packaging of the cellular components needed for the next generation. In budding yeast, this process includes degradation of many mitotically stable proteins, followed by their resynthesis. Here, we show that one such case-Superoxide dismutase 1 (Sod1), a protein that commonly aggregates in human ALS patients-is regulated by an integrated set of events, beginning with the formation of pre-meiotic Sod1 aggregates. This is followed by degradation of a subset of the prior Sod1 pool and clearance of Sod1 aggregates. As degradation progresses, Sod1 protein production is transiently blocked during mid-meiotic stages by transcription of an extended and poorly translated SOD1 mRNA isoform, SOD1LUTI. Expression of SOD1LUTI is induced by the Unfolded Protein Response, and it acts to repress canonical SOD1 mRNA expression. SOD1LUTI is no longer expressed following the meiotic divisions, enabling a resurgence of canonical mRNA and synthesis of new Sod1 protein such that gametes inherit a full complement of Sod1 protein. Failure to aggregate and degrade Sod1 results in reduced gamete fitness in the presence of oxidants, highlighting the importance of this regulation. Investigation of Sod1 during yeast gametogenesis, an unusual cellular context in which Sod1 levels are tightly regulated, could shed light on conserved aspects of its aggregation and degradation, with relevance to understanding Sod1's role in human disease.

Valosin Containing Protein (VCP): A Multistep Regulator of Autophagy

Valosin containing protein (VCP) has emerged as a central protein in the regulation of the protein quality control (PQC) system. VCP mutations are causative of multisystem proteinopathies, which include neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), and share various signs of altered proteostasis, mainly associated with autophagy malfunctioning. Autophagy is a complex multistep degradative system essential for the maintenance of cell viability, especially in post-mitotic cells as neurons and differentiated skeletal muscle cells. Interestingly, many studies concerning NDs have focused on autophagy impairment as a pathological mechanism or autophagy activity boosting to rescue the pathological phenotype. The role of VCP in autophagy has been widely debated, but recent findings have defined new mechanisms associated with VCP activity in the regulation of autophagy, showing that VCP is involved in different steps of this pathway. Here we will discuss the multiple activity of VCP in the autophagic pathway underlying its leading role either in physiological or pathological conditions. A better understanding of VCP complexes and mechanisms in regulating autophagy could define the altered mechanisms by which VCP directly or indirectly causes or modulates different human diseases and revealing possible new therapeutic approaches for NDs.