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Shorrock HK, Lennon CD, Aliyeva A, Davey EE, DeMeo CC, Pritchard CE, Planco L, Velez JM, Mascorro-Huamancaja A, Shin DS, Cleary JD, Berglund JA. Widespread alternative splicing dysregulation occurs presymptomatically in CAG expansion spinocerebellar ataxias. Brain 2024; 147:486-504. [PMID: 37776516 PMCID: PMC10834251 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) are a group of dominantly inherited neurodegenerative diseases, several of which are caused by CAG expansion mutations (SCAs 1, 2, 3, 6, 7 and 12) and more broadly belong to the large family of over 40 microsatellite expansion diseases. While dysregulation of alternative splicing is a well defined driver of disease pathogenesis across several microsatellite diseases, the contribution of alternative splicing in CAG expansion SCAs is poorly understood. Furthermore, despite extensive studies on differential gene expression, there remains a gap in our understanding of presymptomatic transcriptomic drivers of disease. We sought to address these knowledge gaps through a comprehensive study of 29 publicly available RNA-sequencing datasets. We identified that dysregulation of alternative splicing is widespread across CAG expansion mouse models of SCAs 1, 3 and 7. These changes were detected presymptomatically, persisted throughout disease progression, were repeat length-dependent, and were present in brain regions implicated in SCA pathogenesis including the cerebellum, pons and medulla. Across disease progression, changes in alternative splicing occurred in genes that function in pathways and processes known to be impaired in SCAs, such as ion channels, synaptic signalling, transcriptional regulation and the cytoskeleton. We validated several key alternative splicing events with known functional consequences, including Trpc3 exon 9 and Kcnma1 exon 23b, in the Atxn1154Q/2Q mouse model. Finally, we demonstrated that alternative splicing dysregulation is responsive to therapeutic intervention in CAG expansion SCAs with Atxn1 targeting antisense oligonucleotide rescuing key splicing events. Taken together, these data demonstrate that widespread presymptomatic dysregulation of alternative splicing in CAG expansion SCAs may contribute to disease onset, early neuronal dysfunction and may represent novel biomarkers across this devastating group of neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Claudia D Lennon
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - Asmer Aliyeva
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA
- Department of Biology, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - Emily E Davey
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - Cristina C DeMeo
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | | | - Lori Planco
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - Jose M Velez
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA
- Department of Biology, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | | | - Damian S Shin
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY 12208, USA
| | - John D Cleary
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA
| | - J Andrew Berglund
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA
- Department of Biology, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, NY 12222, USA
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Davey EE, Légaré C, Planco L, Shaughnessy S, Lennon CD, Roussel MP, Shorrock HK, Hung M, Cleary JD, Duchesne E, Berglund JA. Individual transcriptomic response to strength training for patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1. JCI Insight 2023; 8:e163856. [PMID: 37318869 PMCID: PMC10443797 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.163856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), the most common form of adult-onset muscular dystrophy, is caused by a CTG expansion resulting in significant transcriptomic dysregulation that leads to muscle weakness and wasting. While strength training is clinically beneficial in DM1, molecular effects had not been studied. To determine whether training rescued transcriptomic defects, RNA-Seq was performed on vastus lateralis samples from 9 male patients with DM1 before and after a 12-week strength-training program and 6 male controls who did not undergo training. Differential gene expression and alternative splicing analysis were correlated with the one-repetition maximum strength evaluation method (leg extension, leg press, hip abduction, and squat). While training program-induced improvements in splicing were similar among most individuals, rescued splicing events varied considerably between individuals. Gene expression improvements were highly varied between individuals, and the percentage of differentially expressed genes rescued after training were strongly correlated with strength improvements. Evaluating transcriptome changes individually revealed responses to the training not evident from grouped analysis, likely due to disease heterogeneity and individual exercise response differences. Our analyses indicate that transcriptomic changes are associated with clinical outcomes in patients with DM1 undergoing training and that these changes are often specific to the individual and should be analyzed accordingly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily E. Davey
- RNA Institute, College of Arts and Sciences, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, New York, USA
| | - Cécilia Légaré
- RNA Institute, College of Arts and Sciences, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, New York, USA
- Department of Health Sciences, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Saguenay, Québec, Canada
- Groupe de Recherche Interdisciplinaire sur les Maladies Neuromusculaires (GRIMN), Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Saguenay, Quebec, Canada
- Centre de recherche Charles-Le Moyne Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean sur les innovations en santé (CR-CSIS), Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé de l’Université de Sherbrooke, Site Saguenay, Saguenay, Quebec, Canada
| | - Lori Planco
- RNA Institute, College of Arts and Sciences, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, New York, USA
| | - Sharon Shaughnessy
- RNA Institute, College of Arts and Sciences, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, New York, USA
| | - Claudia D. Lennon
- RNA Institute, College of Arts and Sciences, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, New York, USA
| | - Marie-Pier Roussel
- Groupe de Recherche Interdisciplinaire sur les Maladies Neuromusculaires (GRIMN), Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Saguenay, Quebec, Canada
- Centre de recherche Charles-Le Moyne Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean sur les innovations en santé (CR-CSIS), Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé de l’Université de Sherbrooke, Site Saguenay, Saguenay, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Basic Sciences, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Saguenay, Québec, Canada
| | - Hannah K. Shorrock
- RNA Institute, College of Arts and Sciences, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, New York, USA
| | - Man Hung
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Operations, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
- College of Dental Medicine, Roseman University of Health Sciences, South Jordan, Utah, USA
| | - John Douglas Cleary
- RNA Institute, College of Arts and Sciences, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, New York, USA
| | - Elise Duchesne
- Department of Health Sciences, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Saguenay, Québec, Canada
- Groupe de Recherche Interdisciplinaire sur les Maladies Neuromusculaires (GRIMN), Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Saguenay, Quebec, Canada
- Centre de recherche Charles-Le Moyne Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean sur les innovations en santé (CR-CSIS), Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé de l’Université de Sherbrooke, Site Saguenay, Saguenay, Quebec, Canada
| | - J. Andrew Berglund
- RNA Institute, College of Arts and Sciences, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, New York, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, New York, USA
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Prosser JM, Eisenberg D, Davey EE, Steinfeld M, Cohen LJ, London ED, Galynker II. Character pathology and neuropsychological test performance in remitted opiate dependence. Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy 2008; 3:23. [PMID: 19019247 PMCID: PMC2633291 DOI: 10.1186/1747-597x-3-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2008] [Accepted: 11/19/2008] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Background Cognitive deficits and personality pathology are prevalent in opiate dependence, even during periods of remission, and likely contribute to relapse. Understanding the relationship between the two in vulnerable, opiate-addicted patients may contribute to the design of better treatment and relapse prevention strategies. Methods The Millon Multiaxial Clinical Inventory (MCMI) and a series of neuropsychological tests were administered to three subject groups: 29 subjects receiving methadone maintenance treatment (MM), 27 subjects in protracted abstinence from methadone maintenance treatment (PA), and 29 healthy non-dependent comparison subjects. Relationships between MCMI scores, neuropsychological test results, and measures of substance use and treatment were examined using bivariate correlation and regression analysis. Results MCMI scores were greater in subjects with a history of opiate dependence than in comparison subjects. A significant negative correlation between MCMI scores and neuropsychological test performance was identified in all subjects. MCMI scores were stronger predictors of neuropsychological test performance than measures of drug use. Conclusion Formerly methadone-treated opiate dependent individuals in protracted opiate abstinence demonstrate a strong relationship between personality pathology and cognitive deficits. The cause of these deficits is unclear and most likely multi-factorial. This finding may be important in understanding and interpreting neuropsychological testing deficiencies in opiate-dependent subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- James M Prosser
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Beth Israel Medical Center, First Avenue at 16th St, New York, NY 10003, USA.
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