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Garg V, Geurten BRH. Diving deep: zebrafish models in motor neuron degeneration research. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1424025. [PMID: 38966756 PMCID: PMC11222423 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1424025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024] Open
Abstract
In the dynamic landscape of biomedical science, the pursuit of effective treatments for motor neuron disorders like hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) remains a key priority. Central to this endeavor is the development of robust animal models, with the zebrafish emerging as a prime candidate. Exhibiting embryonic transparency, a swift life cycle, and significant genetic and neuroanatomical congruencies with humans, zebrafish offer substantial potential for research. Despite the difference in locomotion-zebrafish undulate while humans use limbs, the zebrafish presents relevant phenotypic parallels to human motor control disorders, providing valuable insights into neurodegenerative diseases. This review explores the zebrafish's inherent traits and how they facilitate profound insights into the complex behavioral and cellular phenotypes associated with these disorders. Furthermore, we examine recent advancements in high-throughput drug screening using the zebrafish model, a promising avenue for identifying therapeutically potent compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vranda Garg
- Department of Cellular Neurobiology, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Neuroscience, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
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Ziff OJ, Harley J, Wang Y, Neeves J, Tyzack G, Ibrahim F, Skehel M, Chakrabarti AM, Kelly G, Patani R. Nucleocytoplasmic mRNA redistribution accompanies RNA binding protein mislocalization in ALS motor neurons and is restored by VCP ATPase inhibition. Neuron 2023; 111:3011-3027.e7. [PMID: 37480846 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.06.019] [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: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by nucleocytoplasmic mislocalization of the RNA-binding protein (RBP) TDP-43. However, emerging evidence suggests more widespread mRNA and protein mislocalization. Here, we employed nucleocytoplasmic fractionation, RNA sequencing, and mass spectrometry to investigate the localization of mRNA and protein in induced pluripotent stem cell-derived motor neurons (iPSMNs) from ALS patients with TARDBP and VCP mutations. ALS mutant iPSMNs exhibited extensive nucleocytoplasmic mRNA redistribution, RBP mislocalization, and splicing alterations. Mislocalized proteins exhibited a greater affinity for redistributed transcripts, suggesting a link between RBP mislocalization and mRNA redistribution. Notably, treatment with ML240, a VCP ATPase inhibitor, partially restored mRNA and protein localization in ALS mutant iPSMNs. ML240 induced changes in the VCP interactome and lysosomal localization and reduced oxidative stress and DNA damage. These findings emphasize the link between RBP mislocalization and mRNA redistribution in ALS motor neurons and highlight the therapeutic potential of VCP inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver J Ziff
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, NW1 1AT London, UK; Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, WC1N 3BG London, UK; National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London NHS Foundation Trust, WC1N 3BG London, UK.
| | - Jasmine Harley
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, NW1 1AT London, UK; Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, WC1N 3BG London, UK; Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A(∗)STAR Research Entities, Singapore 138673, Singapore
| | - Yiran Wang
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, NW1 1AT London, UK; Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, WC1N 3BG London, UK
| | - Jacob Neeves
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, NW1 1AT London, UK; Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, WC1N 3BG London, UK
| | - Giulia Tyzack
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, NW1 1AT London, UK; Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, WC1N 3BG London, UK
| | - Fairouz Ibrahim
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, NW1 1AT London, UK
| | - Mark Skehel
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, NW1 1AT London, UK
| | | | - Gavin Kelly
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, NW1 1AT London, UK; Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, WC1N 3BG London, UK
| | - Rickie Patani
- The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, NW1 1AT London, UK; Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, WC1N 3BG London, UK; National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London NHS Foundation Trust, WC1N 3BG London, UK.
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Yuan A, Nixon RA. Posttranscriptional regulation of neurofilament proteins and tau in health and disease. Brain Res Bull 2023; 192:115-127. [PMID: 36441047 PMCID: PMC9907725 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2022.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Neurofilament and tau proteins are neuron-specific cytoskeletal proteins that are enriched in axons, regulated by many of the same protein kinases, interact physically, and are the principal constituents of neurofibrillary lesions in major adult-onset dementias. Both proteins share functions related to the modulation of stability and functions of the microtubule network in axons, axonal transport and scaffolding of organelles, long-term synaptic potentiation, and learning and memory. Expression of these proteins is regulated not only at the transcriptional level but also through posttranscriptional control of pre-mRNA splicing, mRNA stability, transport, localization, local translation and degradation. Current evidence suggests that posttranscriptional determinants of their levels are usually regulated by RNA-binding proteins and microRNAs primarily through 3'-untranslated regions of neurofilament and tau mRNAs. Dysregulations of neurofilament and tau expression caused by mutations or pathologies of RNA-binding proteins such as TDP43, FUS and microRNAs are increasingly recognized in association with varied neurological disorders. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of posttranscriptional control of neurofilament and tau by examining the posttranscriptional regulation of neurofilament and tau by RNA-binding proteins and microRNAs implicated in health and diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aidong Yuan
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA; Department of Psychiatry, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; NYU Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA.
| | - Ralph A. Nixon
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA,Department of Psychiatry, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA,Department of Cell Biology, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA,NYU Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA,Correspondence to: Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA, (A. Yuan), (R.A. Nixon)
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Braems E, Tziortzouda P, Van Den Bosch L. Exploring the alternative: Fish, flies and worms as preclinical models for ALS. Neurosci Lett 2021; 759:136041. [PMID: 34118308 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2021.136041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an incurable neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of upper and lower motor neurons. In general, patients succumb to respiratory insufficiency due to respiratory muscle weakness. Despite many promising therapeutic strategies primarily identified in rodent models, patient trials remain rather unsuccessful. There is a clear need for alternative approaches, which could provide directions towards the justified use of rodents and which increase the likelihood to identify new promising clinical candidates. In the last decades, the use of fast genetic approaches and the development of high-throughput screening platforms in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, in the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) and in zebrafish (Danio rerio) have contributed to new insights into ALS pathomechanisms, disease modifiers and therapeutic targets. In this mini-review, we provide an overview of these alternative small animal studies, modeling the most common ALS genes and discuss the most recent preclinical discoveries. We conclude that small animal models will not replace rodent models, yet they clearly represent an important asset for preclinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elke Braems
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium; VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Paraskevi Tziortzouda
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium; VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ludo Van Den Bosch
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology, and Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), Leuven, Belgium; VIB, Center for Brain & Disease Research, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium.
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