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La Cognata V, Morello G, Guarnaccia M, Cavallaro S. The multifaceted role of the CXC chemokines and receptors signaling axes in ALS pathophysiology. Prog Neurobiol 2024; 235:102587. [PMID: 38367748 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2024.102587] [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: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a late-onset motor neuron disease with complex genetic basis and still no clear etiology. Multiple intertwined layers of immune system-related dysfunctions and neuroinflammatory mechanisms are emerging as substantial determinants in ALS onset and progression. In this review, we collect the increasingly arising evidence implicating four main CXC chemokines/cognate receptors signaling axes (CXCR1/2-CXCL1/2/8; CXCR3-CXCL9/10/11; CXCR4/7-CXCL12; CXCR5-CXCL13) in the pathophysiology of ALS. Findings in preclinical models implicate these signaling pathways in motor neuron toxicity and neuroprotection, while in ALS patients dysregulation of CXCLs/CXCRs has been shown at both central and peripheral levels. Immunological monitoring of CXC-ligands in ALS may allow tracking of disease progression, while pharmacological modulation of CXC-receptors provides a novel therapeutic strategy. A deeper understanding of the interplay between CXC-mediated neuroinflammation and ALS is crucial to advance research into treatments for this debilitating uncurable disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina La Cognata
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, Via P. Gaifami 18, Catania 95126, Italy
| | - Giovanna Morello
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, Via P. Gaifami 18, Catania 95126, Italy
| | - Maria Guarnaccia
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, Via P. Gaifami 18, Catania 95126, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Cavallaro
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, Via P. Gaifami 18, Catania 95126, Italy.
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2
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Raghav Y, Dilliott AA, Petrozziello T, Kim SE, Berry JD, Cudkowicz ME, Vakili K, Fraenkel E, Farhan SMK, Sadri-Vakili G. Identification of gene fusions associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Muscle Nerve 2024; 69:477-489. [PMID: 38305586 DOI: 10.1002/mus.28043] [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: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION/AIMS Genetics is an important risk factor for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a neurodegenerative disease affecting motor neurons. Recent findings demonstrate that in addition to specific genetic mutations, structural variants caused by genetic instability can also play a causative role in ALS. Genomic instability can lead to deletions, duplications, insertions, inversions, and translocations in the genome, and these changes can sometimes lead to fusion of distinct genes into a single transcript. Gene fusion events have been studied extensively in cancer; however, they have not been thoroughly investigated in ALS. The aim of this study was to determine whether gene fusions are present in ALS. METHODS Gene fusions were identified using STAR Fusion v1.10.0 software in bulk RNA-Seq data from human postmortem samples from publicly available data sets from Target ALS and the New York Genome Center ALS Consortium. RESULTS We report the presence of gene fusion events in several brain regions as well as in spinal cord samples in ALS. Although most gene fusions were intra-chromosomal events between neighboring genes and present in both ALS and control samples, there was a significantly greater number of unique gene fusions in ALS compared to controls. Lastly, we identified specific gene fusions with a significant burden in ALS, that were absent from both control samples and known cancer gene fusion databases. DISCUSSION Collectively, our findings reveal an enrichment of gene fusions in ALS and suggest that these events may be an additional genetic cause linked to ALS pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yogindra Raghav
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Allison A Dilliott
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Tiziana Petrozziello
- Sean M. Healey &AMG Center for ALS at Mass General, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Spencer E Kim
- Sean M. Healey &AMG Center for ALS at Mass General, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - James D Berry
- Sean M. Healey &AMG Center for ALS at Mass General, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Merit E Cudkowicz
- Sean M. Healey &AMG Center for ALS at Mass General, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Khashayar Vakili
- Department of Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ernest Fraenkel
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sali M K Farhan
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Ghazaleh Sadri-Vakili
- Sean M. Healey &AMG Center for ALS at Mass General, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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3
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Tzeplaeff L, Jürs AV, Wohnrade C, Demleitner AF. Unraveling the Heterogeneity of ALS-A Call to Redefine Patient Stratification for Better Outcomes in Clinical Trials. Cells 2024; 13:452. [PMID: 38474416 PMCID: PMC10930688 DOI: 10.3390/cells13050452] [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: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite tremendous efforts in basic research and a growing number of clinical trials aiming to find effective treatments, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) remains an incurable disease. One possible reason for the lack of effective causative treatment options is that ALS may not be a single disease entity but rather may represent a clinical syndrome, with diverse genetic and molecular causes, histopathological alterations, and subsequent clinical presentations contributing to its complexity and variability among individuals. Defining a way to subcluster ALS patients is becoming a central endeavor in the field. Identifying specific clusters and applying them in clinical trials could enable the development of more effective treatments. This review aims to summarize the available data on heterogeneity in ALS with regard to various aspects, e.g., clinical, genetic, and molecular.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Tzeplaeff
- Department of Neurology, Rechts der Isar Hospital, Technical University of Munich, 81675 München, Germany
| | - Alexandra V. Jürs
- Translational Neurodegeneration Section “Albrecht Kossel”, Department of Neurology, University Medical Center Rostock, 18057 Rostock, Germany
| | - Camilla Wohnrade
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany;
| | - Antonia F. Demleitner
- Department of Neurology, Rechts der Isar Hospital, Technical University of Munich, 81675 München, Germany
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4
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Dinh NTM, Nguyen TM, Park MK, Lee CH. Y-Box Binding Protein 1: Unraveling the Multifaceted Role in Cancer Development and Therapeutic Potential. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:717. [PMID: 38255791 PMCID: PMC10815159 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25020717] [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: 11/11/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Y-box binding protein 1 (YBX1), a member of the Cold Shock Domain protein family, is overexpressed in various human cancers and is recognized as an oncogenic gene associated with poor prognosis. YBX1's functional diversity arises from its capacity to interact with a broad range of DNA and RNA molecules, implicating its involvement in diverse cellular processes. Independent investigations have unveiled specific facets of YBX1's contribution to cancer development. This comprehensive review elucidates YBX1's multifaceted role in cancer across cancer hallmarks, both in cancer cell itself and the tumor microenvironment. Based on this, we proposed YBX1 as a potential target for cancer treatment. Notably, ongoing clinical trials addressing YBX1 as a target in breast cancer and lung cancer have showcased its promise for cancer therapy. The ramp up in in vitro research on targeting YBX1 compounds also underscores its growing appeal. Moreover, the emerging role of YBX1 as a neural input is also proposed where the high level of YBX1 was strongly associated with nerve cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. This review also summarized the up-to-date advanced research on the involvement of YBX1 in pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ngoc Thi Minh Dinh
- College of Pharmacy, Dongguk University, Goyang 10326, Republic of Korea; (N.T.M.D.); (T.M.N.)
| | - Tuan Minh Nguyen
- College of Pharmacy, Dongguk University, Goyang 10326, Republic of Korea; (N.T.M.D.); (T.M.N.)
| | - Mi Kyung Park
- Department of BioHealthcare, Hwasung Medi-Science University, Hwaseong-si 18274, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang Hoon Lee
- College of Pharmacy, Dongguk University, Goyang 10326, Republic of Korea; (N.T.M.D.); (T.M.N.)
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5
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Marriott H, Kabiljo R, Hunt GP, Khleifat AA, Jones A, Troakes C, Pfaff AL, Quinn JP, Koks S, Dobson RJ, Schwab P, Al-Chalabi A, Iacoangeli A. Unsupervised machine learning identifies distinct ALS molecular subtypes in post-mortem motor cortex and blood expression data. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2023; 11:208. [PMID: 38129934 PMCID: PMC10734072 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-023-01686-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) displays considerable clinical and genetic heterogeneity. Machine learning approaches have previously been utilised for patient stratification in ALS as they can disentangle complex disease landscapes. However, lack of independent validation in different populations and tissue samples have greatly limited their use in clinical and research settings. We overcame these issues by performing hierarchical clustering on the 5000 most variably expressed autosomal genes from motor cortex expression data of people with sporadic ALS from the KCL BrainBank (N = 112). Three molecular phenotypes linked to ALS pathogenesis were identified: synaptic and neuropeptide signalling, oxidative stress and apoptosis, and neuroinflammation. Cluster validation was achieved by applying linear discriminant analysis models to cases from TargetALS US motor cortex (N = 93), as well as Italian (N = 15) and Dutch (N = 397) blood expression datasets, for which there was a high assignment probability (80-90%) for each molecular subtype. The ALS and motor cortex specificity of the expression signatures were tested by mapping KCL BrainBank controls (N = 59), and occipital cortex (N = 45) and cerebellum (N = 123) samples from TargetALS to each cluster, before constructing case-control and motor cortex-region logistic regression classifiers. We found that the signatures were not only able to distinguish people with ALS from controls (AUC 0.88 ± 0.10), but also reflect the motor cortex-based disease process, as there was perfect discrimination between motor cortex and the other brain regions. Cell types known to be involved in the biological processes of each molecular phenotype were found in higher proportions, reinforcing their biological interpretation. Phenotype analysis revealed distinct cluster-related outcomes in both motor cortex datasets, relating to disease onset and progression-related measures. Our results support the hypothesis that different mechanisms underpin ALS pathogenesis in subgroups of patients and demonstrate potential for the development of personalised treatment approaches. Our method is available for the scientific and clinical community at https://alsgeclustering.er.kcl.ac.uk .
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather Marriott
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King?s College London, London, SE5 9NU, UK
- Department of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Renata Kabiljo
- Department of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Guy P Hunt
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King?s College London, London, SE5 9NU, UK
- Department of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
| | - Ahmad Al Khleifat
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King?s College London, London, SE5 9NU, UK
| | - Ashley Jones
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King?s College London, London, SE5 9NU, UK
| | - Claire Troakes
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King?s College London, London, SE5 9NU, UK
- MRC London Neurodegenerative Diseases Brain Bank, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Abigail L Pfaff
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
| | - John P Quinn
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 3BX, UK
| | - Sulev Koks
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
| | - Richard J Dobson
- Department of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King's College London, London, UK
- Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, UK
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Patrick Schwab
- GlaxoSmithKline, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Ammar Al-Chalabi
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King?s College London, London, SE5 9NU, UK
- King's College Hospital, London, SE5 9RS, UK
| | - Alfredo Iacoangeli
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King?s College London, London, SE5 9NU, UK.
- Department of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
- NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King's College London, London, UK.
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6
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La Cognata V, D’Amico AG, Maugeri G, Morello G, Guarnaccia M, Magrì B, Aronica E, Alkon DL, D’Agata V, Cavallaro S. The ε-Isozyme of Protein Kinase C (PKCε) Is Impaired in ALS Motor Cortex and Its Pulse Activation by Bryostatin-1 Produces Long Term Survival in Degenerating SOD1-G93A Motor Neuron-like Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12825. [PMID: 37629005 PMCID: PMC10454105 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 08/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rapidly progressive and ultimately fatal neurodegenerative disease, characterized by a progressive depletion of upper and lower motor neurons (MNs) in the brain and spinal cord. The aberrant regulation of several PKC-mediated signal transduction pathways in ALS has been characterized so far, describing either impaired expression or altered activity of single PKC isozymes (α, β, ζ and δ). Here, we detailed the distribution and cellular localization of the ε-isozyme of protein kinase C (PKCε) in human postmortem motor cortex specimens and reported a significant decrease in both PKCε mRNA (PRKCE) and protein immunoreactivity in a subset of sporadic ALS patients. We furthermore investigated the steady-state levels of both pan and phosphorylated PKCε in doxycycline-activated NSC-34 cell lines carrying the human wild-type (WT) or mutant G93A SOD1 and the biological long-term effect of its transient agonism by Bryostatin-1. The G93A-SOD1 cells showed a significant reduction of the phosphoPKCε/panPKCε ratio compared to the WT. Moreover, a brief pulse activation of PKCε by Bryostatin-1 produced long-term survival in activated G93A-SOD1 degenerating cells in two different cell death paradigms (serum starvation and chemokines-induced toxicity). Altogether, the data support the implication of PKCε in ALS pathophysiology and suggests its pharmacological modulation as a potential neuroprotective strategy, at least in a subgroup of sporadic ALS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina La Cognata
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, 95126 Catania, Italy
| | - Agata Grazia D’Amico
- Section of Human Anatomy and Histology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Grazia Maugeri
- Section of Human Anatomy and Histology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Giovanna Morello
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, 95126 Catania, Italy
| | - Maria Guarnaccia
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, 95126 Catania, Italy
| | - Benedetta Magrì
- Section of Human Anatomy and Histology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Eleonora Aronica
- Department of (Neuro) Pathology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Velia D’Agata
- Section of Human Anatomy and Histology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Cavallaro
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, 95126 Catania, Italy
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7
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Morello G, La Cognata V, Guarnaccia M, La Bella V, Conforti FL, Cavallaro S. A Diagnostic Gene-Expression Signature in Fibroblasts of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Cells 2023; 12:1884. [PMID: 37508548 PMCID: PMC10378077 DOI: 10.3390/cells12141884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal, progressive neurodegenerative disease with limited treatment options. Diagnosis can be difficult due to the heterogeneity and non-specific nature of the initial symptoms, resulting in delays that compromise prompt access to effective therapeutic strategies. Transcriptome profiling of patient-derived peripheral cells represents a valuable benchmark in overcoming such challenges, providing the opportunity to identify molecular diagnostic signatures. In this study, we characterized transcriptome changes in skin fibroblasts of sporadic ALS patients (sALS) and controls and evaluated their utility as a molecular classifier for ALS diagnosis. Our analysis identified 277 differentially expressed transcripts predominantly involved in transcriptional regulation, synaptic transmission, and the inflammatory response. A support vector machine classifier based on this 277-gene signature was developed to discriminate patients with sALS from controls, showing significant predictive power in both the discovery dataset and in six independent publicly available gene expression datasets obtained from different sALS tissue/cell samples. Taken together, our findings support the utility of transcriptional signatures in peripheral cells as valuable biomarkers for the diagnosis of ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanna Morello
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council (CNR-IRIB), 95126 Catania, Italy
| | - Valentina La Cognata
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council (CNR-IRIB), 95126 Catania, Italy
| | - Maria Guarnaccia
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council (CNR-IRIB), 95126 Catania, Italy
| | - Vincenzo La Bella
- ALS Clinical Research Center and Neurochemistry Laboratory, BiND, University of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy
| | - Francesca Luisa Conforti
- Medical Genetics Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy and Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Cavallaro
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council (CNR-IRIB), 95126 Catania, Italy
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8
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La Cognata V, D’Amico AG, Maugeri G, Morello G, Guarnaccia M, Magrì B, Aronica E, D’Agata V, Cavallaro S. CXCR2 Is Deregulated in ALS Spinal Cord and Its Activation Triggers Apoptosis in Motor Neuron-Like Cells Overexpressing hSOD1-G93A. Cells 2023; 12:1813. [PMID: 37508478 PMCID: PMC10377984 DOI: 10.3390/cells12141813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a multifactorial neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive depletion of motor neurons (MNs). Recent evidence suggests a role in ALS pathology for the C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 2 (CXCR2), whose expression was found increased at both mRNA and protein level in cortical neurons of sporadic ALS patients. Previous findings also showed that the receptor inhibition is able to prevent iPSC-derived MNs degeneration in vitro and improve neuromuscular function in SOD1-G93A mice. Here, by performing transcriptional analysis and immunofluorescence studies, we detailed the increased expression and localization of CXCR2 and its main ligand CXCL8 in the human lumbar spinal cord of sporadic ALS patients. We further investigated the functional role of CXCR2/ligands axis in NSC-34 motor neuron-like cells expressing human wild-type (WT) or mutant (G93A) SOD1. A significant expression of CXCR2 was found in doxycycline-induced G93A-SOD1-expressing cells, but not in WT cells. In vitro assays showed CXCR2 activation by GROα and MIP2α, two murine endogenous ligands and functional homologs of CXCL8, reduces cellular viability and triggers apoptosis in a dose dependent manner, while treatment with reparixin, a non-competitive allosteric CXCR2 inhibitor, effectively counteracts GROα and MIP2α toxicity, significantly inhibiting the chemokine-induced cell death. Altogether, data further support a role of CXCR2 axis in ALS etiopathogenesis and confirm its pharmacological modulation as a candidate therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina La Cognata
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, 95126 Catania, Italy
| | - Agata Grazia D’Amico
- Section of Human Anatomy and Histology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Grazia Maugeri
- Section of Human Anatomy and Histology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Giovanna Morello
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, 95126 Catania, Italy
| | - Maria Guarnaccia
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, 95126 Catania, Italy
| | - Benedetta Magrì
- Section of Human Anatomy and Histology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Eleonora Aronica
- Department of (Neuro) Pathology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Velia D’Agata
- Section of Human Anatomy and Histology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Cavallaro
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, 95126 Catania, Italy
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9
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Proteomics Analysis of Lymphoblastoid Cell Lines from Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28052014. [PMID: 36903260 PMCID: PMC10004326 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28052014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) consists of the progressive degeneration of motor neurons, caused by poorly understood mechanisms for which there is no cure. Some of the cellular perturbations associated with ALS can be detected in peripheral cells, including lymphocytes from blood. A related cell system that is very suitable for research consists of human lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs), which are immortalized lymphocytes. LCLs that can be easily expanded in culture and can be maintained for long periods as stable cultures. We investigated, on a small set of LCLs, if a proteomics analysis using liquid chromatography followed by tandem mass spectrometry reveals proteins that are differentially present in ALS versus healthy controls. We found that individual proteins, the cellular and molecular pathways in which these proteins participate, are detected as differentially present in the ALS samples. Some of these proteins and pathways are already known to be perturbed in ALS, while others are new and present interest for further investigations. These observations suggest that a more detailed proteomics analysis of LCLs, using a larger number of samples, represents a promising approach for investigating ALS mechanisms and to search for therapeutic agents. Proteomics data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD040240.
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10
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Scala M, Drouot N, MacLennan SC, Wessels MW, Krygier M, Pavinato L, Telegrafi A, de Man SA, van Slegtenhorst M, Iacomino M, Madia F, Scudieri P, Uva P, Giacomini T, Nobile G, Mancardi MM, Balagura G, Galloni GB, Verrotti A, Umair M, Khan A, Liebelt J, Schmidts M, Langer T, Brusco A, Lipska-Ziętkiewicz BS, Saris JJ, Charlet-Berguerand N, Zara F, Striano P, Piton A. De novo truncating NOVA2 variants affect alternative splicing and lead to heterogeneous neurodevelopmental phenotypes. Hum Mutat 2022; 43:1299-1313. [PMID: 35607920 PMCID: PMC9543825 DOI: 10.1002/humu.24414] [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: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Alternative splicing (AS) is crucial for cell-type specific gene transcription and plays a critical role in neuronal differentiation and synaptic plasticity. De novo frameshift variants in NOVA2, encoding a neuron-specific key splicing factor, have been recently associated with a new neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) with hypotonia, neurological features, and brain abnormalities. We investigated eight unrelated individuals by exome sequencing (ES) and identified seven novel pathogenic NOVA2 variants, including two with a novel localization at the KH1 and KH3 domains. In addition to a severe NDD phenotype, novel clinical features included psychomotor regression, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyspraxia, and urogenital and endocrinological manifestations. To test the effect of the variants on splicing regulation, we transfected HeLa cells with wildtype and mutant NOVA2 cDNA. The novel variants NM_002516.4: c.754_756delCTGinsTT p.(Leu252Phefs*144) and c.1329dup p.(Lys444Glnfs*82) all negatively affected AS events. The distal p.(Lys444Glnfs*82) variant, causing a partial removal of the KH3 domain, had a milder functional effect leading to an intermediate phenotype. Our findings expand the molecular and phenotypic spectrum of NOVA2-related NDD, supporting the pathogenic role of AS disruption by truncating variants and suggesting that this is a heterogeneous condition with variable clinical course. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcello Scala
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Pediatric Neurology and Muscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Nathalie Drouot
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch, 67400, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7104, Illkirch, 67400, France.,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U964, Illkirch, 67400, France.,Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, 67400, France
| | - Suzanna C MacLennan
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Marja W Wessels
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Magdalena Krygier
- Department of Developmental Neurology, Medical University of Gdańsk, ul. Dębinki 7 80-952, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Lisa Pavinato
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, 10126, Turin, Italy.,Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Institute of Human Genetics, University of Cologne, 50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - Aida Telegrafi
- Clinical Genomics Program, GeneDx, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| | - Stella A de Man
- Department of Pediatrics, Amphia Hospital, Breda, The Netherlands
| | | | - Michele Iacomino
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Giannina Gaslini Institute, Via Gerolamo Gaslini 5, 16147, Genoa, Italy
| | - Francesca Madia
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Giannina Gaslini Institute, Via Gerolamo Gaslini 5, 16147, Genoa, Italy
| | - Paolo Scudieri
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Giannina Gaslini Institute, Via Gerolamo Gaslini 5, 16147, Genoa, Italy
| | - Paolo Uva
- Clinical Bioinformatics Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Thea Giacomini
- Unit of Child Neuropsychiatry, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy, DINOGMI, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Giulia Nobile
- Unit of Child Neuropsychiatry, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy, DINOGMI, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Maria Margherita Mancardi
- Unit of Child Neuropsychiatry, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy, DINOGMI, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Ganna Balagura
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Pediatric Neurology and Muscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Giovanni Battista Galloni
- Struttura Complessa Neuropsichiatria Infantile Sud, Azienda Sanitaria Locale Città di Torino, Torino, Italy
| | | | - Muhammad Umair
- Medical Genomics Research Department, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.,Department of Life Sciences, School of Science, University of Management and Technology (UMT), Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Amjad Khan
- Faculty of Biological Science, Department of Zoology, University of Lakki Marwat, Lakki Marwat, Pakistan
| | - Jan Liebelt
- South Australian Clinical Genetics Service, Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Miriam Schmidts
- Department of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Thorsten Langer
- Department of Neuropediatrics and Muscle Disorders, Center for Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Alfredo Brusco
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, 10126, Turin, Italy.,Unit of Medical Genetics, "Città della Salute e della Scienza" University Hospital, 10126, Turin, Italy
| | - Beata S Lipska-Ziętkiewicz
- Clinical Genetics Unit, Department of Biology and Medical Genetics, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland.,27Centre for Rare Diseases, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Jasper J Saris
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nicolas Charlet-Berguerand
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch, 67400, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7104, Illkirch, 67400, France.,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U964, Illkirch, 67400, France.,Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, 67400, France
| | - Federico Zara
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Giannina Gaslini Institute, Via Gerolamo Gaslini 5, 16147, Genoa, Italy
| | - Pasquale Striano
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Pediatric Neurology and Muscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Amélie Piton
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch, 67400, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7104, Illkirch, 67400, France.,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U964, Illkirch, 67400, France.,Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, 67400, France.,Laboratory of Genetic Diagnostic, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, 67000, France.,Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, Île-de-France, France
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11
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La Cognata V, Golini E, Iemmolo R, Balletta S, Morello G, De Rosa C, Villari A, Marinelli S, Vacca V, Bonaventura G, Dell'Albani P, Aronica E, Mammano F, Mandillo S, Cavallaro S. CXCR2 increases in ALS cortical neurons and its inhibition prevents motor neuron degeneration in vitro and improves neuromuscular function in SOD1G93A mice. Neurobiol Dis 2021; 160:105538. [PMID: 34743985 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2021.105538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by depletion of motor neurons (MNs), for which effective medical treatments are still required. Previous transcriptomic analysis revealed the up-regulation of C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 2 (CXCR2)-mRNA in a subset of sporadic ALS patients and SOD1G93A mice. Here, we confirmed the increase of CXCR2 in human ALS cortex, and showed that CXCR2 is mainly localized in cell bodies and axons of cortical neurons. We also investigated the effects of reparixin, an allosteric inhibitor of CXCR2, in degenerating human iPSC-derived MNs and SOD1G93A mice. In vitro, reparixin rescued MNs from apoptotic cell death, preserving neuronal morphology, mitochondrial membrane potential and cytoplasmic membrane integrity, whereas in vivo it improved neuromuscular function of SOD1G93A mice. Altogether, these data suggest a role for CXCR2 in ALS pathology and support its pharmacological inhibition as a candidate therapeutic strategy against ALS at least in a specific subgroup of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina La Cognata
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, Via P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, CT, Italy.
| | - Elisabetta Golini
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council, Via E. Ramarini 32, 00015 Monterotondo Scalo, RM, Italy.
| | - Rosario Iemmolo
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, Via P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, CT, Italy.
| | - Sara Balletta
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council, Via E. Ramarini 32, 00015 Monterotondo Scalo, RM, Italy.
| | - Giovanna Morello
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, Via P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, CT, Italy.
| | - Carla De Rosa
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council, Via E. Ramarini 32, 00015 Monterotondo Scalo, RM, Italy.
| | - Ambra Villari
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, Via P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, CT, Italy.
| | - Sara Marinelli
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council, Via E. Ramarini 32, 00015 Monterotondo Scalo, RM, Italy.
| | - Valentina Vacca
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council, Via E. Ramarini 32, 00015 Monterotondo Scalo, RM, Italy.
| | - Gabriele Bonaventura
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, Via P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, CT, Italy.
| | - Paola Dell'Albani
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, Via P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, CT, Italy.
| | - Eleonora Aronica
- Department of (Neuro) Pathology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Fabio Mammano
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council, Via E. Ramarini 32, 00015 Monterotondo Scalo, RM, Italy; Department of Physics and Astronomy "G. Galilei", University of Padua, Padova, Italy.
| | - Silvia Mandillo
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council, Via E. Ramarini 32, 00015 Monterotondo Scalo, RM, Italy.
| | - Sebastiano Cavallaro
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation, National Research Council, Via P. Gaifami 18, 95126 Catania, CT, Italy.
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12
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Vu L, Ghosh A, Tran C, Tebung WA, Sidibé H, Garcia-Mansfield K, David-Dirgo V, Sharma R, Pirrotte P, Bowser R, Vande Velde C. Defining the Caprin-1 Interactome in Unstressed and Stressed Conditions. J Proteome Res 2021; 20:3165-3178. [PMID: 33939924 PMCID: PMC9083243 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.1c00016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Cytoplasmic stress granules (SGs) are dynamic foci containing translationally arrested mRNA and RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) that form in response to a variety of cellular stressors. It has been debated that SGs may evolve into cytoplasmic inclusions observed in many neurodegenerative diseases. Recent studies have examined the SG proteome by interrogating the interactome of G3BP1. However, it is widely accepted that multiple baits are required to capture the full SG proteome. To gain further insight into the SG proteome, we employed immunoprecipitation coupled with mass spectrometry of endogenous Caprin-1, an RBP implicated in mRNP granules. Overall, we identified 1543 proteins that interact with Caprin-1. Interactors under stressed conditions were primarily annotated to the ribosome, spliceosome, and RNA transport pathways. We validated four Caprin-1 interactors that localized to arsenite-induced SGs: ANKHD1, TALIN-1, GEMIN5, and SNRNP200. We also validated these stress-induced interactions in SH-SY5Y cells and further determined that SNRNP200 also associated with osmotic- and thermal-induced SGs. Finally, we identified SNRNP200 in cytoplasmic aggregates in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) spinal cord and motor cortex. Collectively, our findings provide the first description of the Caprin-1 protein interactome, identify novel cytoplasmic SG components, and reveal a SG protein in cytoplasmic aggregates in ALS patient neurons. Proteomic data collected in this study are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD023271.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Vu
- Department of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Asmita Ghosh
- Department of Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- CHUM Research Center, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Chelsea Tran
- Department of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Walters Aji Tebung
- Department of Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- CHUM Research Center, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Hadjara Sidibé
- Department of Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- CHUM Research Center, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Krystine Garcia-Mansfield
- Collaborative Center for Translational Mass Spectrometry, Translational Genomics Research Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Victoria David-Dirgo
- Collaborative Center for Translational Mass Spectrometry, Translational Genomics Research Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Ritin Sharma
- Collaborative Center for Translational Mass Spectrometry, Translational Genomics Research Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Patrick Pirrotte
- Collaborative Center for Translational Mass Spectrometry, Translational Genomics Research Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Robert Bowser
- Department of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Christine Vande Velde
- Department of Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- CHUM Research Center, Montréal, QC, Canada
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13
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Ziff OJ, Taha DM, Crerar H, Clarke BE, Chakrabarti AM, Kelly G, Neeves J, Tyzack GE, Luscombe NM, Patani R. Reactive astrocytes in ALS display diminished intron retention. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:3168-3184. [PMID: 33684213 PMCID: PMC8034657 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Reactive astrocytes are implicated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), although the mechanisms controlling reactive transformation are unknown. We show that decreased intron retention (IR) is common to human-induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived astrocytes carrying ALS-causing mutations in VCP, SOD1 and C9orf72. Notably, transcripts with decreased IR and increased expression are overrepresented in reactivity processes including cell adhesion, stress response and immune activation. This was recapitulated in public-datasets for (i) hiPSC-derived astrocytes stimulated with cytokines to undergo reactive transformation and (ii) in vivo astrocytes following selective deletion of TDP-43. We also re-examined public translatome sequencing (TRAP-seq) of astrocytes from a SOD1 mouse model, which revealed that transcripts upregulated in translation significantly overlap with transcripts exhibiting decreased IR. Using nucleocytoplasmic fractionation of VCP mutant astrocytes coupled with mRNA sequencing and proteomics, we identify that decreased IR in nuclear transcripts is associated with enhanced nonsense mediated decay and increased cytoplasmic expression of transcripts and proteins regulating reactive transformation. These findings are consistent with a molecular model for reactive transformation in astrocytes whereby poised nuclear reactivity-related IR transcripts are spliced, undergo nuclear-to-cytoplasmic translocation and translation. Our study therefore provides new insights into the molecular regulation of reactive transformation in astrocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver J Ziff
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK.,Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.,National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London NHS Foundation Trust, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Doaa M Taha
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK.,Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.,Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21511, Egypt
| | - Hamish Crerar
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK.,Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Benjamin E Clarke
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK.,Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Anob M Chakrabarti
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK.,UCL Genetics Institute, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Gavin Kelly
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Jacob Neeves
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK.,Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Giulia E Tyzack
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK.,Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Nicholas M Luscombe
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK.,UCL Genetics Institute, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.,Okinawa Institute of Science & Technology Graduate University, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
| | - Rickie Patani
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT, UK.,Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.,National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London NHS Foundation Trust, London, WC1N 3BG, UK
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14
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La Cognata V, Morello G, Cavallaro S. Omics Data and Their Integrative Analysis to Support Stratified Medicine in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22094820. [PMID: 34062930 PMCID: PMC8125201 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22094820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Molecular and clinical heterogeneity is increasingly recognized as a common characteristic of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. This heterogeneity makes difficult the development of early diagnosis and effective treatment approaches, as well as the design and testing of new drugs. As such, the stratification of patients into meaningful disease subgroups, with clinical and biological relevance, may improve disease management and the development of effective treatments. To this end, omics technologies-such as genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics-are contributing to offer a more comprehensive view of molecular pathways underlying the development of NDs, helping to differentiate subtypes of patients based on their specific molecular signatures. In this article, we discuss how omics technologies and their integration have provided new insights into the molecular heterogeneity underlying the most prevalent NDs, aiding to define early diagnosis and progression markers as well as therapeutic targets that can translate into stratified treatment approaches, bringing us closer to the goal of personalized medicine in neurology.
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15
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Thompson AG, Gray E, Charles PD, Hu MTM, Talbot K, Fischer R, Kessler BM, Turner MR. Network Analysis of the CSF Proteome Characterizes Convergent Pathways of Cellular Dysfunction in ALS. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:642324. [PMID: 33815045 PMCID: PMC8010303 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.642324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a clinical syndrome with complex biological determinants, but which in most cases is characterized by TDP-43 pathology. The identification in CSF of a protein signature of TDP-43 network dysfunction would have the potential to inform the identification of new biomarkers and therapeutic targets. METHODS We compared CSF proteomic data from patients with ALS (n = 41), Parkinson's disease (n = 19) and healthy control participants (n = 20). Weighted correlation network analysis was used to identify modules within the CSF protein network and combined with gene ontology enrichment analysis to functionally annotate module proteins. Analysis of module eigenproteins and differential correlation analysis of the CSF protein network was used to compare ALS and Parkinson's disease protein co-correlation with healthy controls. In order to monitor temporal changes in the CSF proteome, we performed longitudinal analysis of the CSF proteome in a subset of ALS patients. RESULTS Weighted correlation network analysis identified 10 modules, including those enriched for terms involved in gene expression including nucleic acid binding, RNA metabolism and translation; humoral immune system function, including complement pathways; membrane proteins, axonal outgrowth and adherence; and glutamatergic synapses. Immune system module eigenproteins were increased in ALS, whilst axonal module eigenproteins were decreased in ALS. The 19 altered protein correlations in ALS were enriched for gene expression (OR 3.05, p = 0.017) and membrane protein modules (OR 17.48, p = 0.011), including intramodular hub proteins previously identified as TDP-43 interactors. Proteins decreasing over longitudinal analysis ALS were enriched in glutamatergic synapse and axonal outgrowth modules. Protein correlation network disruptions in Parkinson's disease showed no module enrichment. CONCLUSIONS Alterations in the co-correlation network in CSF samples identified a set of pathways known to be associated with TDP-43 dysfunction in the pathogenesis of ALS, with important implications for therapeutic targeting and biomarker development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander G. Thompson
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth Gray
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Philip D. Charles
- Target Discovery Institute, Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Michele T. M. Hu
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Kevin Talbot
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Roman Fischer
- Target Discovery Institute, Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Benedikt M. Kessler
- Target Discovery Institute, Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Martin R. Turner
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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16
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Morello G, Salomone S, D’Agata V, Conforti FL, Cavallaro S. From Multi-Omics Approaches to Precision Medicine in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:577755. [PMID: 33192262 PMCID: PMC7661549 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.577755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating and fatal neurodegenerative disorder, caused by the degeneration of upper and lower motor neurons for which there is no truly effective cure. The lack of successful treatments can be well explained by the complex and heterogeneous nature of ALS, with patients displaying widely distinct clinical features and progression patterns, and distinct molecular mechanisms underlying the phenotypic heterogeneity. Thus, stratifying ALS patients into consistent and clinically relevant subgroups can be of great value for the development of new precision diagnostics and targeted therapeutics for ALS patients. In the last years, the use and integration of high-throughput "omics" approaches have dramatically changed our thinking about ALS, improving our understanding of the complex molecular architecture of ALS, distinguishing distinct patient subtypes and providing a rational foundation for the discovery of biomarkers and new individualized treatments. In this review, we discuss the most significant contributions of omics technologies in unraveling the biological heterogeneity of ALS, highlighting how these approaches are revealing diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic targets for future personalized interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanna Morello
- Institute for Research and Biomedical Innovation (IRIB), Italian National Research Council (CNR), Catania, Italy
- Section of Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Salvatore Salomone
- Section of Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Velia D’Agata
- Human Anatomy and Histology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | | | - Sebastiano Cavallaro
- Institute for Research and Biomedical Innovation (IRIB), Italian National Research Council (CNR), Catania, Italy
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17
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Ghigna C, Paronetto MP. Alternative Splicing: Recent Insights into Mechanisms and Functional Roles. Cells 2020; 9:cells9102327. [PMID: 33092102 PMCID: PMC7589716 DOI: 10.3390/cells9102327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Ghigna
- Istituto di Genetica Molecolare Luigi Luca Cavalli Sforza—Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, via Abbiategrasso 207, 27100 Pavia, Italy
- Correspondence: (C.G.); (M.P.P.)
| | - Maria Paola Paronetto
- Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome “Foro Italico”, 00135 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence: (C.G.); (M.P.P.)
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