MeCP2: a novel Huntingtin interactor.

Transcriptional dysregulation has been proposed to play a major role in the pathology of Huntington's disease (HD). However, the mechanisms that cause selective downregulation of target genes remain unknown. Previous studies have shown that mutant huntingtin (Htt) protein interacts with a number of transcription factors thereby altering transcription. Here we report that Htt directly interacts with methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) in mouse and cellular models of HD using complimentary biochemical and Fluorescent Lifetime Imaging to measure Förster Resonance Energy Transfer approaches. Htt-MeCP2 interactions are enhanced in the presence of the expanded polyglutamine (polyQ) tract and are stronger in the nucleus compared with the cytoplasm. Furthermore, we find increased binding of MeCP2 to the promoter of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a gene that is downregulated in HD, in the presence of mutant Htt. Finally, decreasing MeCP2 levels in mutant Htt-expressing cells using siRNA increases BDNF levels, suggesting that MeCP2 downregulates BDNF expression in HD. Taken together, these findings suggest that aberrant interactions between Htt and MeCP2 contribute to transcriptional dysregulation in HD.

Genome-wide increase in histone H2A ubiquitylation in a mouse model of Huntington's disease.

BACKGROUND: Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder with selective vulnerability of striatal neurons and involves extensive transcriptional dysregulation early in the disease process. Previous work in cell and mouse models has shown that histone modifications are altered in HD. Specifically, monoubiquitylated histone H2A (uH2A) is present at the promoters of downregulated genes which led to the hypothesis that uH2A plays a role in transcriptional silencing in HD. OBJECTIVE: To broaden our view of uH2A function in transcription in HD, we examined genome-wide binding sites of uH2A in 12-week old striatal tissue from R6/2 transgenic HD mouse model. METHODS: We used chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by genomic promoter microarray hybridization (ChIP-chip) and then interrogated how these binding sites correlate with transcribed genes. RESULTS: Our analysis reveals that, while uH2A levels are globally increased at the genome in the transgenic (TG) striatum, uH2A localization at a gene did not strongly correlate with the absence of its transcript. Furthermore, analysis of differential ubiquitylation in wild-type (WT) and TG striata did not reveal the expected enrichment of uH2A at genes with decreased expression in the TG striatum. CONCLUSIONS: This first description of genome-wide localization of uH2A in an HD model reveals that monoubiquitylation of histone H2A may not function at the level of the individual gene but may rather influence transcription through global chromatin structure.

Genome-wide histone acetylation is altered in a transgenic mouse model of Huntington's disease.

In Huntington's disease (HD; MIM ID #143100), a fatal neurodegenerative disorder, transcriptional dysregulation is a key pathogenic feature. Histone modifications are altered in multiple cellular and animal models of HD suggesting a potential mechanism for the observed changes in transcriptional levels. In particular, previous work has suggested an important link between decreased histone acetylation, particularly acetylated histone H3 (AcH3; H3K9K14ac), and downregulated gene expression. However, the question remains whether changes in histone modifications correlate with transcriptional abnormalities across the entire transcriptome. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation paired with microarray hybridization (ChIP-chip), we interrogated AcH3-gene interactions genome-wide in striata of 12-week old wild-type (WT) and transgenic (TG) R6/2 mice, an HD mouse model, and correlated these interactions with gene expression levels. At the level of the individual gene, we found decreases in the number of sites occupied by AcH3 in the TG striatum. In addition, the total number of genes bound by AcH3 was decreased. Surprisingly, the loss of AcH3 binding sites occurred within the coding regions of the genes rather than at the promoter region. We also found that the presence of AcH3 at any location within a gene strongly correlated with the presence of its transcript in both WT and TG striatum. In the TG striatum, treatment with histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors increased global AcH3 levels with concomitant increases in transcript levels; however, AcH3 binding at select gene loci increased only slightly. This study demonstrates that histone H3 acetylation at lysine residues 9 and 14 and active gene expression are intimately tied in the rodent brain, and that this fundamental relationship remains unchanged in an HD mouse model despite genome-wide decreases in histone H3 acetylation.

Increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in the ventral tegmental area during cocaine abstinence is associated with increased histone acetylation at BDNF exon I-containing promoters.

Recent evidence suggests that the persistence of cocaine seeking during periods of protracted drug abstinence following chronic cocaine exposure is mediated, in part, by neuroadaptations in the mesolimbic dopamine system. Specifically, incubation of cocaine-seeking behavior coincides with increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) protein expression in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). However, the molecular mechanisms that regulate time-dependent changes in VTA BDNF protein expression during cocaine abstinence are unclear. The goal of these experiments was to determine whether VTA BDNF transcript levels are altered following cocaine abstinence and identify the molecular mechanisms regulating cocaine-induced changes in VTA BDNF transcription. Rats were allowed to self-administer cocaine (0.25 mg/infusion, i.v.) for 14 days on a fixed-ratio schedule of reinforcement followed by 7 days of forced drug abstinence. BDNF protein and exon I-containing transcripts were significantly increased in the VTA of cocaine-experienced rats following 7 days of forced drug abstinence compared to yoked saline controls. Cocaine-induced changes in BDNF mRNA were associated with increased acetylation of histone 3 and binding of CREB-binding protein to exon I-containing promoters in the VTA. Taken together, these results suggest that drug abstinence following cocaine self-administration remodels chromatin in the VTA resulting in increased expression of BDNF, which may contribute to neuroadaptations underlying cocaine craving and relapse.

Molecular biology of Huntington's disease.

It has been more than 17 years since the causative mutation for Huntington's disease was discovered as the expansion of the triplet repeat in the N-terminal portion of the Huntingtin (HTT) gene. In the intervening time, researchers have discovered a great deal about Huntingtin's involvement in a number of cellular processes. However, the role of Huntingtin in the key pathogenic mechanism leading to neurodegeneration in the disease process has yet to be discovered. Here, we review the body of knowledge that has been uncovered since gene discovery and include discussions of the HTT gene, CAG triplet repeat expansion, HTT expression, protein features, posttranslational modifications, and many of its known protein functions and interactions. We also highlight potential pathogenic mechanisms that have come to light in recent years.

Cocaine-induced chromatin remodeling increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor transcription in the rat medial prefrontal cortex, which alters the reinforcing efficacy of cocaine.

Cocaine self-administration alters patterns of gene expression in the brain that may underlie cocaine-induced neuronal plasticity. In the present study, male Sprague Dawley rats were allowed to self-administer cocaine (0.25 mg/infusion) 2 h/d for 14 d, followed by 7 d of forced abstinence. Compared with yoked saline control rats, cocaine self-administration resulted in increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) protein levels in the rat medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). To examine the functional relevance of this finding, cocaine self-administration maintained under a progressive ratio schedule of reinforcement was assessed after short hairpin RNA-induced suppression of BDNF expression in the mPFC. Decreased BDNF expression in the mPFC increased the cocaine self-administration breakpoint. Next, the effect of cocaine self-administration on specific BDNF exons was assessed; results revealed selectively increased BDNF exon IV-containing transcripts in the mPFC. Moreover, there were significant cocaine-induced increases in acetylated histone H3 (AcH3) and phospho-cAMP response element binding protein (pCREB) association with BDNF promoter IV. In contrast, there was decreased methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2) association with BDNF promoter IV in the mPFC of rats that previously self-administered cocaine. Together, these results indicate that cocaine-induced increases in BDNF promoter IV transcript in the mPFC are driven by increased binding of AcH3 and pCREB as well as decreased MeCP2 binding at this BDNF promoter. Collectively, these results indicate that cocaine self-administration remodels chromatin in the mPFC, resulting in increased expression of BDNF, which appears to represent a compensatory neuroadaptation that reduces the reinforcing efficacy of cocaine.

Environmental enrichment reduces neuronal intranuclear inclusion load but has no effect on messenger RNA expression in a mouse model of Huntington disease.

Huntington disease (HD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease with no effective treatment. In the R6/1 mouse model of HD, environmental enrichment delays the neurologic phenotype onset and prevents cerebral volume loss by unknown molecular mechanisms. We examined the effects of environmental enrichment on well-characterized neuropathological parameters in a mouse model of HD. We found a trend toward preservation of downregulated neurotransmitter receptors in striatum of environmentally enriched mice and assessed possible enrichment-related modifications in gene expression using microarrays. We observed similar gene expression changes in R6/1 and R6/2 transgenic mice but found no specific changes in enrichment-related microarray expression profiles in either transgenic or wild-type mice. Furthermore, specific corrections in transprotein-induced transcriptional dysregulation in R6/1 mice were not detected by microarray profiling. However, gene-specific analyses suggested that long-term environmental enrichment may beneficially modulate gene expression dysregulation. Finally, environmental enrichment significantly decreased neuronal intranuclear inclusion load, despite unaffected transgene expression levels. Thus, the therapeutic effects of environmental enrichment likely contribute to decreasing aggregated polyglutamine protein levels without exerting strong effects on gene expression.

Huntingtin modulates transcription, occupies gene promoters in vivo, and binds directly to DNA in a polyglutamine-dependent manner.

Transcriptional dysregulation is a central pathogenic mechanism in Huntington's disease, a fatal neurodegenerative disorder associated with polyglutamine (polyQ) expansion in the huntingtin (Htt) protein. In this study, we show that mutant Htt alters the normal expression of specific mRNA species at least partly by disrupting the binding activities of many transcription factors which govern the expression of the dysregulated mRNA species. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) demonstrates Htt occupation of gene promoters in vivo in a polyQ-dependent manner, and furthermore, ChIP-on-chip and ChIP subcloning reveal that wild-type and mutant Htt exhibit differential genomic distributions. Exon 1 Htt binds DNA directly in the absence of other proteins and alters DNA conformation. PolyQ expansion increases Htt-DNA interactions, with binding to recognition elements of transcription factors whose function is altered in HD. Together, these findings suggest mutant Htt modulates gene expression through abnormal interactions with genomic DNA, altering DNA conformation and transcription factor binding.

Phosphorylation-dependent trafficking of GluR2-containing AMPA receptors in the nucleus accumbens plays a critical role in the reinstatement of cocaine seeking.

A growing body of evidence indicates that enhanced AMPA-mediated glutamate transmission in the core of the nucleus accumbens is critically involved in cocaine priming-induced reinstatement of drug seeking, an animal model of relapse. However, the extent to which increased glutamate transmission in the other major subregion of the nucleus accumbens, the shell, contributes to the reinstatement of cocaine seeking remains unclear. In the present experiments, administration of the AMPA/kainate receptor antagonist CNQX (0, 0.03, or 0.3 mug) into either the core or the shell of the nucleus accumbens before a systemic cocaine priming injection (10 mg/kg, i.p.) dose-dependently attenuated the reinstatement of drug seeking. Cocaine priming-induced reinstatement of cocaine seeking also was associated with increases in GluR2-pSer880 in the nucleus accumbens shell. The phosphorylation of GluR2 by PKC at Ser880 plays an important role in the trafficking of GluR2-containing AMPA receptors from the plasma membrane. The current results showed that administration of a cell-permeable peptide that disrupts GluR2 trafficking (Pep2-EVKI) into either the accumbens core or shell attenuated cocaine-induced reinstatement of drug seeking. Together, these findings indicate that changes in AMPA receptor-mediated glutamate transmission in both the nucleus accumbens core and shell are necessary for the reinstatement of drug seeking induced by a priming injection of cocaine. The present results also demonstrate that the reinstatement of cocaine seeking is associated with increases in the phosphorylation-dependent trafficking of GluR2-containing AMPA receptors in the nucleus accumbens.

50bp deletion in the promoter for superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) reduces SOD1 expression in vitro and may correlate with increased age of onset of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

The objective was to test the hypothesis that a described association between homozygosity for a 50bp deletion in the SOD1 promoter 1684bp upstream of the SOD1 ATG and an increased age of onset in SALS can be replicated in additional SALS and control sample sets from other populations. Our second objective was to examine whether this deletion attenuates expression of the SOD1 gene. Genomic DNA from more than 1200 SALS cases from Ireland, Scotland, Quebec and the USA was genotyped for the 50bp SOD1 promoter deletion. Reporter gene expression analysis, electrophoretic mobility shift assays and chromatin immunoprecipitation studies were utilized to examine the functional effects of the deletion. The genetic association for homozygosity for the promoter deletion with an increased age of symptom onset was confirmed overall in this further study (p=0.032), although it was only statistically significant in the Irish subset, and remained highly significant in the combined set of all cohorts (p=0.001). Functional studies demonstrated that this polymorphism reduces the activity of the SOD1 promoter by approximately 50%. In addition we revealed that the transcription factor SP1 binds within the 50bp deletion region in vitro and in vivo. Our findings suggest the hypothesis that this deletion reduces expression of the SOD1 gene and that levels of the SOD1 protein may modify the phenotype of SALS within selected populations.

Altered histone monoubiquitylation mediated by mutant huntingtin induces transcriptional dysregulation.

Although transcriptional dysregulation is a critical pathogenic mechanism in Huntington's disease (HD), it is still not known how mutant huntingtin causes it. Here we show that alteration of histone monoubiquitylation is a key mechanism. Disrupted interaction of huntingtin with Bmi-1, a component of the hPRC1L E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, increases monoubiquityl histone H2A (uH2A) levels in a cell culture model of HD. Genes with expression that is repressed in transgenic R6/2 mouse brain have increased uH2A and decreased uH2B at their promoters, whereas actively transcribed genes show the opposite pattern. Reduction in uH2A reverses transcriptional repression and inhibits methylation of histone H3 at lysine 9 in cell culture. In contrast, reduction in uH2B induces transcriptional repression and inhibits methylation of histone H3 at lysine 4. This is the first report to demonstrate hPRC1L as a huntingtin-interacting histone modifying complex and a crucial role for histone monoubiquitylation in mammalian brain gene expression, which broadens our understanding of histone code. These findings also provide a rationale for targeting histone monoubiquitylation for therapy in HD.

CaMKII: a biochemical bridge linking accumbens dopamine and glutamate systems in cocaine seeking.

Increases in dopamine and glutamate transmission in the nucleus accumbens independently promote the reinstatement of cocaine seeking, an animal model of relapse. Here we have tested whether cocaine reinstatement in rats depends on interactions between accumbal dopamine and glutamate systems that are mediated by Ca(2+)/calmodulin-mediated kinase II (CaMKII). We show that stimulation of D1-like dopamine receptors in the nucleus accumbens shell reinstates cocaine seeking by activating L-type Ca(2+) channels and CaMKII. Cocaine reinstatement is associated with D1-like dopamine receptor-dependent increases in accumbens shell CaMKII phosphorylated on Thr286 and glutamate receptor 1 (GluR1) phosphorylated on Ser831 (a known CaMKII phosphorylation site), in addition to increases in cell-surface expression of GluR1-containing AMPA receptors in the shell. Consistent with these findings, cocaine reinstatement is attenuated by intra-shell administration of AAV10-GluR1-C99, a vector that impairs the transport of GluR1-containing AMPA receptors. Thus, CaMKII may be an essential link between accumbens shell dopamine and glutamate systems involved in the neuronal plasticity underlying cocaine craving and relapse.

Mutant huntingtin's effects on striatal gene expression in mice recapitulate changes observed in human Huntington's disease brain and do not differ with mutant huntingtin length or wild-type huntingtin dosage.

To test the hypotheses that mutant huntingtin protein length and wild-type huntingtin dosage have important effects on disease-related transcriptional dysfunction, we compared the changes in mRNA in seven genetic mouse models of Huntington's disease (HD) and postmortem human HD caudate. Transgenic models expressing short N-terminal fragments of mutant huntingtin (R6/1 and R6/2 mice) exhibited the most rapid effects on gene expression, consistent with previous studies. Although changes in the brains of knock-in and full-length transgenic models of HD took longer to appear, 15- and 22-month CHL2(Q150/Q150), 18-month Hdh(Q92/Q92) and 2-year-old YAC128 animals also exhibited significant HD-like mRNA signatures. Whereas it was expected that the expression of full-length huntingtin transprotein might result in unique gene expression changes compared with those caused by the expression of an N-terminal huntingtin fragment, no discernable differences between full-length and fragment models were detected. In addition, very high correlations between the signatures of mice expressing normal levels of wild-type huntingtin and mice in which the wild-type protein is absent suggest a limited effect of the wild-type protein to change basal gene expression or to influence the qualitative disease-related effect of mutant huntingtin. The combined analysis of mouse and human HD transcriptomes provides important temporal and mechanistic insights into the process by which mutant huntingtin kills striatal neurons. In addition, the discovery that several available lines of HD mice faithfully recapitulate the gene expression signature of the human disorder provides a novel aspect of validation with respect to their use in preclinical therapeutic trials.

Transcriptional signatures in Huntington's disease.

While selective neuronal death has been an influential theme in Huntington's disease (HD), there is now a preponderance of evidence that significant neuronal dysfunction precedes frank neuronal death. The best evidence for neuronal dysfunction is the observation that gene expression is altered in HD brain, suggesting that transcriptional dysregulation is a central mechanism. Studies of altered gene expression began with careful observations of postmortem human HD brain and subsequently were accelerated by the development of transgenic mouse models. The application of DNA microarray technology has spurred tremendous progress with respect to the altered transcriptional processes that occur in HD, through gene expression studies of both transgenic mouse models as well as cellular models of HD. Gene expression profiles are remarkably comparable across these models, bolstering the idea that transcriptional signatures reflect an essential feature of disease pathogenesis. Finally, gene expression studies have been applied to human HD, thus not only validating the approach of using model systems, but also solidifying the idea that altered transcription is a key mechanism in HD pathogenesis. In the future, gene expression profiling will be used as a readout in clinical trials aimed at correcting transcriptional dysregulation in Huntington's disease.

Histones associated with downregulated genes are hypo-acetylated in Huntington's disease models.

Transcriptional dysregulation plays a major role in the pathology of Huntington's disease (HD). However, the mechanisms causing selective downregulation of genes remain unknown. Histones regulate chromatin structure and thereby control gene expression; recent studies have demonstrated a therapeutic role for histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors in polyglutamine diseases. This study demonstrates that despite no change in overall acetylated histone levels, histone H3 is hypo-acetylated at promoters of downregulated genes in R6/2 mice, ST14a and STHdh cells, as demonstrated by in vivo chromatin immunoprecipitation. In addition, HDAC inhibitor treatment increases association of acetylated histones with downregulated genes and corrects mRNA abnormalities. In contrast, there is a decrease in mRNA levels in wild-type cells following treatment with a histone acetyltransferase inhibitor. Although changes in histone acetylation correlate with decreased gene expression, histone hypo-acetylation may be a late event, as no hypo-acetylation is observed in 4-week-old R6/2 mice. Nevertheless, treatment with HDAC inhibitors corrects mRNA abnormalities through modification of histone proteins and may prove to be of therapeutic value in HD.

Forebrain adenosine A2A receptors contribute to L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine-induced dyskinesia in hemiparkinsonian mice.

Adenosine A2A receptor antagonists provide a promising nondopaminergic approach to the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). Initial clinical trials of A2A antagonists targeted PD patients who had already developed treatment complications known as L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA)-induced dyskinesia (LID) in an effort to improve symptoms while reducing existing LID. The goal of this study is to explore the effect of A2A antagonists and targeted A2A receptor depletion on the actual development of sensitized responses to L-DOPA in mouse models of LID in PD. Hemiparkinsonian mice (unilaterally lesioned with 6-OHDA) were treated daily for 3 weeks with a low dose of L-DOPA (2 mg/kg) preceded by a low dose of selective A2A antagonist (KW-6002 [(E)-1,3-diethyl-8-(3,4-dimethoxystyryl)-7-methyl-3,7-dihydro-1H-purine-2,6-dione] at 0.03 or 0.3 mg/kg, or SCH58261 [5-amino-7-(2-phenylethyl)-2-(2-furyl)-pyrazolo[4,3-e]-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-c]pyrimidine] at 0.03 mg/kg) or vehicle intraperitoneally. In control mice, contralateral rotational responses to daily L-DOPA gradually increased over the initial week before reaching a persistent maximum. Both A2A antagonists inhibited the development of sensitized contralateral turning, with KW-6002 pretreatment reducing the sensitized rotational responses by up to threefold. The development of abnormal involuntary movements (a measure of LID) as well as rotational responses was attenuated by the postnatal depletion of forebrain A2A receptors in conditional (Cre/loxP system) knock-out mice. These pharmacological and genetic data provide evidence that striatal A2A receptors play an important role in the neuroplasticity underlying behavioral sensitization to L-DOPA, supporting consideration of early adjunctive therapy with an A2A antagonist to reduce the risk of LID in PD.

Histone deacetylase inhibitors: a novel therapeutic approach to Huntington's disease (complex mechanism of neuronal death).

Huntington's disease is an autosomal dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disorder caused by a polyglutamine repeat expansion. The onset of HD leads to problems with movement, cognition, and behavioral functioning and there is currently no effective treatment. The mechanism by which mutant huntingtin causes neuronal dysfunction is not known. However, multiple pathologic mechanisms have been discovered. Recent studies provide strong evidence for transcriptional dysregulation as a mechanism of HD pathogenesis. The control of eukaryotic gene expression depends on the modification of histone proteins associated with specific genes; acetylation and deacetylation of histones play a critical role in gene expression. Studies in numerous HD models have shown that mutant huntingtin expression leads to a change in histone acetyl transferase (HAT) activity and suggest that aberrant HAT activity may be an underlying mechanism of transcriptional dysregulation in HD. Furthermore, recent studies have shown a therapeutic role for histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors in a number of HD models. In this review we discuss a number of studies that use HDAC inhibitors as therapeutic agents in HD models. These studies demonstrate that HDAC inhibitors are a promising therapeutic approach for the treatment of HD.

Mechanisms of disease: Histone modifications in Huntington's disease.

Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by a polyglutamine repeat expansion within the huntingtin protein. HD is characterized by problems with movement, cognition and behavioral functioning, and there is currently no effective treatment. Although multiple pathologic mechanisms have been proposed, the exact mechanism by which mutant huntingtin causes neuronal dysfunction is not known. Recent studies demonstrating altered messenger RNA expression point to transcriptional dysregulation as a central mechanism. The control of eukaryotic gene expression depends on the modification of histone proteins associated with specific genes, with histone acetylation playing a crucial role. Studies in numerous HD models have shown that mutant huntingtin alters histone acetyltransferase activity, and indicate that aberrant activity of this enzyme might be an underlying mechanism of transcriptional dysregulation in HD. Furthermore, recent studies have shown a therapeutic role for histone deacetylase inhibitors in a number of HD models. In this review, we summarize the current state of knowledge regarding the status of histones in HD. In addition, we discuss how these histone modifications not only lead to pathogenesis, but might also provide a novel therapeutic strategy for treating this devastating disease.