Expanded polyglutamine stretches interact with TAFII130, interfering with CREB-dependent transcription.

At least eight inherited neurodegenerative diseases are caused by expanded CAG repeats encoding polyglutamine (polyQ) stretches. Although cytotoxicities of expanded polyQ stretches are implicated, the molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration remain unclear. We found that expanded polyQ stretches preferentially bind to TAFII130, a coactivator involved in cAMP-responsive element binding protein (CREB)-dependent transcriptional activation, and strongly suppress CREB-dependent transcriptional activation. The suppression of CREB-dependent transcription and the cell death induced by polyQ stretches were restored by the co-expression of TAFII130. Our results indicate that interference of transcription by the binding of TAFII130 with expanded polyQ stretches is involved in the pathogenetic mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration.

Novel SACS mutation in a Belgian family with sacsin-related ataxia.

The authors describe the four patients in the first known Belgian family with autosomal recessive spastic ataxia of Charlevoix-Saguenay (ARSACS). A novel homozygous missense mutation, NM_014363.3: c.3491T>A in exon 9, of the SACS gene was identified in the present family, which results in an original amino acid of methionine to lysine substitution at amino acid residue 1164 (p.M1164K). Although the cardinal clinical features, i.e., spastic ataxia with peripheral neuropathy, in our patients were similar to those in Quebec patients, our patients exhibited some atypical clinical features, e.g., teenage-onset and absence of retinal hypermyelination. The present family is from Wallonia, and there could be shared ethnicity with the families of Charlevoix-Saguenay.

16q-linked autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxia: a clinical and genetic study.

The autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxias (ADCAs) comprise a genetically and clinically heterogenous group of neurodegenerative disorders. Very recently, a C-to-T single nucleotide substitution in the puratrophin-1 gene was found to be strongly associated with a form of ADCA linked to chromosome 16q22.1 (16q-linked ADCA; OMIM 600223). We found the C-to-T substitution in the puratrophin-1 gene in 20 patients with ataxia (16 heterozygotes and four homozygotes) and four asymptomatic carriers in 9 of 24 families with an unknown type of ADCA. We also found two cases with 16q-linked ADCA among 43 sporadic patients with late-onset cortical cerebellar atrophy (LCCA). The mean age at onset in the 22 patients was 61.8 years, and that of homozygous patients was lower than that of heterozygous ones in one family. Neurological examination revealed that the majority of our patients showed exaggerated deep tendon reflexes in addition to the cardinal symptom of cerebellar ataxia (100%), and 37.5% of them had sensorineural hearing impairment, whereas sensory axonal neuropathy was absent. The frequency of 16q-linked ADCA was about 1/10 of our series of 110 ADCA families, making it the third most frequent ADCA in Japan.

Machado-Joseph disease: cerebellar ataxia and autonomic dysfunction in a patient with the shortest known expanded allele (56 CAG repeat units) of the MJD1 gene.

We describe an unusual case of a patient with Machado-Joseph disease (MJD) who showed autonomic dysfunctions in addition to cerebellar ataxia. The number of CAG repeat units in the expanded allele of the MJD1 gene of the patient is smaller (56 CAG repeat units) than all previously reported numbers of CAG repeat units in expanded alleles. Thus, the findings in this patient indicate that the clinical features of MJD cover a wider spectrum than previously thought.

Early-onset ataxia with ocular motor apraxia and hypoalbuminemia: the aprataxin gene mutations.

BACKGROUND: Early-onset ataxia with hypoalbuminemia is regarded as a variant form of Friedreich ataxia in Japan. Early-onset ataxia with hypoalbuminemia and ataxia with ocular motor apraxia have been considered as the same clinical entity because of the recent identification of a common mutation in the aprataxin gene. A new clinical entity named early-onset ataxia with ocular motor apraxia and hypoalbuminemia (EAOH) has been proposed to explain these two diseases. OBJECTIVE: To disclose the clinical features of EAOH and to identify the mutations in the aprataxin gene in six patients in four Japanese families with EAOH. METHODS: The clinical features, laboratory findings, sural nerve biopsy results, and brain MRI or CT findings for these patients were evaluated, and molecular analysis was performed, which involved sequencing of the aprataxin gene directly or use of the subcloning method. RESULTS: Cerebellar ataxia and peripheral neuropathy were noted in all six patients. Ocular motor apraxia was observed in five patients; two of these patients had obvious head thrust. Choreiform movements of the limbs and mental deterioration were observed in five patients. Although foot deformity was noted in five patients, kyphoscoliosis was noted only in one patient. In all patients, hypoalbuminemia and hypercholesterolemia were evident, and brain MRI or CT showed marked cerebellar atrophy. Nerve biopsy revealed depletion of large myelinated fibers in three of the five patients examined. Molecular analysis of the aprataxin gene revealed an insertion mutation (insT at nt167) and two missense mutations (A-to-G transition at nt80 and C-to-T transition at nt95, the former being novel). CONCLUSION: We found clinical heterogeneity in the patients with EAOH in this study. With the disease course, the choreiform movements tended to reduce in degree, and hypoalbuminemia became evident. Molecular analysis identified one insertion and two missense mutations including a novel missense one, which was located at a highly conserved amino acid residue in the aprataxin gene product.

Expression of differentiation-related phenotypes and apoptosis are independently regulated during myeloid cell differentiation.

When human promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL-60 was treated with various differentiation-inducers, apoptosis always occurred after the full appearance of differentiation-related phenotypes. However, the two phenomena could be dissociated when HL-60 cells were treated with PDBu. When HL-60 cells were cultured with PDBu for more than 36 h, apoptosis was induced following differentiation. Apoptosis was not, however, observed when PDBu was removed within 24 h, even though induction of differentiation-related phenotypes, such as NBT-reducing ability and surface marker expression, was the same as that in the control. Northern blot analysis revealed that bcl-2 mRNA was rapidly down-regulated within 6 h of the treatment with PDBu. The amount of bcl-2 mRNA recovered to that of undifferentiated HL-60 cells when PDBu was washed out within 24 h. In contrast, the recovery of bcl-2 was incomplete when the cells were treated with PDBu for more than 36 h, suggesting that bcl-2 is also a critical regulator of the cell fate during myeloid differentiation. This hypothesis was confirmed by experiments using antisense oligonucleotides, i.e., blocking the recovery of bcl-2 mRNA by antisense oligonucleotides could result in the induction of apoptosis in HL-60 cells from which PDBu was removed within 24 h. Moreover, overexpression of BCL-2 in HL-60 cells could block apoptosis during differentiation without any significant effect on differentiation itself. These results strongly suggest that apoptosis is not a simple consequence of differentiation-induction, and that apoptosis and differentiation are regulated independently in myeloid cells.

A large Japanese SPG4 family with a novel insertion mutation of the SPG4 gene: a clinical and genetic study.

We studied a large Japanese family with autosomal dominant pure hereditary spastic paraplegia (ADPHSP) clinically and genetically. To date, seven loci causing ADPHSP have been mapped to chromosomes 14q, 2p, 15q, 8q, 12q, 2q, and 19q. Among these loci, the SPG4 locus on chromosome 2p21--p22 has been shown to account for approximately 40% of all autosomal dominant hereditary spastic paraplegia (ADHSP) families. Very recently, Hazan et al. identified the SPG4 gene encoding a new member of the AAA (ATPases associated with diverse cellular activities) protein family, named spastin. We found a novel insertion mutation (nt1272--1273insA) in exon 8 of the SPG4 gene in the present family. Our study is the first to confirm the causative mutation of the SPG4 gene in Japanese. Clinically, it is noteworthy that the disease progression in the patients of this family was slow in spite of the late onset, and more than half of the patients showed severe constipation in addition to pure spastic paraplegia.

Meiotic instability of the CAG repeats in the SCA6/CACNA1A gene in two Japanese SCA6 families.

Intergenerational stability of the CAG repeat number has been considered to be a specific molecular feature of SCA6 compared with other CAG repeat diseases. Nevertheless, we showed meiotic instability of the CAG repeats in the SCA6/CACNL1A gene in two Japanese SCA6 families, including de novo expansion. In one family, the CAG20 allele expanded to the CAG26 one during paternal transmission, and in the other family, the CAG19 allele expanded to the CAG20 one during maternal transmission. Although it is controversial as to whether the CAG20 allele is pathological or not, this is the first case of haplotype analysis-proven de novo expansion in SCA6, confirming the derivation of an expanded allele from one normal allele. We should carefully follow up the individuals carrying the CAG20 allele in our family who show normal neurological and radiological findings at present.

Choreiform movements in spinocerebellar ataxia type 1.

We describe the unusual case of a 51-year-old woman with spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) who showed choreiform movements in addition to cerebellar ataxia. To date, extrapyramidal signs including involuntary movements have been rarely reported in SCA1. Surface electromyogram in our patient revealed grouped discharges whose duration was longer than that of chorea observed in HD, indicating that the involuntary movements represented choreoathetosis rather than pure chorea. These choreiform movements have not been seen in non-hereditary spinocerebellar ataxia. Therefore, if "sporadic" cases of cerebellar ataxia show such movements, the possibility of genetic origin of the ataxia is high and a surveillance of various forms of hereditary spinocerebellar ataxia including SCA1 is required.

A case of McLeod syndrome with unusually severe myopathy.

A 51-year-old man developed weakness and muscle atrophy in the legs at the age of 41, later followed by choreiform involuntary movements. Neurological and laboratory examinations revealed severe muscle weakness and atrophy, and areflexia in all the extremities, acanthocytosis and an elevated serum creatine kinase level. Together with these findings, the weak expression of Kell blood group antigens and the absence of the Kx antigen led to a definite diagnosis of McLeod syndrome for his condition. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed marked atrophy of the head of the caudate nuclei. Although immunocytochemical analysis of dystrophin in muscle specimens from our patient revealed normal staining, we found prominent fiber size variability, central nuclei, and connective tissue proliferation as well as necrotic and regenerating fibers, which are as a whole compatible with the myopathology of muscular dystrophy. Moreover, muscle computerized tomography of the lower extremities revealed the 'selectivity pattern' characteristically reported in muscular dystrophies including Duchenne type muscular dystrophy. The muscular symptoms and pathology in McLeod syndrome have been reported to be mild, but the present case clearly shows that the muscular features in this condition may be much more severe than previously thought.

A Japanese family with spinocerebellar ataxia type 6 which includes three individuals homozygous for an expanded CAG repeat in the SCA6/CACNL1A4 gene.

We describe a Japanese family which includes 13 patients in five generations who have dominantly inherited ataxia. Molecular testing revealed that in these patients the SCA6/CACNL1A4 gene carries the smallest known expanded CAG repeat (21 repeat units). The clinical features of these patients exhibited predominantly cerebellar ataxia with onset late in adult life and a very slowly progressive disease course. In addition, this SCA6 family showed some characteristic clinical and genetic features, including (1) apparent lack of genetic anticipation, with an intergenerationally stable CAG repeat size and (2) down-beat nystagmus and diabetes mellitus in some of the SCA6 patients. We identified three individuals homozygous for an expanded CAG repeat (21/21) in the SCA6/CACNL1A4 gene, two of whom were symptomatic. There were no apparent differences in clinical phenotype between the individuals homozygous and those heterozygous for an expanded CAG repeat in the SCA6/CACNL1A4 gene.

Maternal anticipation in Machado-Joseph disease (MJD): some maternal factors independent of the number of CAG repeat units may play a role in genetic anticipation in a Japanese MJD family.

We studied the relationship between the number of CAG repeat units in the MJD1 gene and clinical features of Machado-Joseph disease (MJD) in eight patients from two generations of a Japanese MJD family. Because of lack of characteristic clinical signs of MJD such as dystonia, bulging eyes or facial myokymia, clinical diagnosis of MJD in this family was difficult to make prior to molecular testing for the CAG repeat expansion in the MJD1 gene. All the patients exhibited maternal transmission of MJD, and the intergenerational change in the number of CAG repeat units in the MJD1 gene was very small (+0.5+/-0.3, mean+/-S.E.M., n=4) in spite of marked genetic anticipation (-17.0 years/generation). In the present family, the degree of anticipation per repeat unit in maternal transmissions was much larger than that in maternal transmissions in the other six MJD families. This indicates that some maternal factors other than the increase of the number of CAG repeat units, which is known to be the basis of anticipation, may play a role in genetic anticipation in this MJD family.

[A familial case of spinocerebellar ataxia type 8 (SCA 8)--its clinical findings and an issue about the genetic basis].

We report a 28-year-old woman with spinocerebellar ataxia type 8 (SCA 8). This patient began to exhibit dysarthria at the age of 19. At the age of 25, she fell and hit her head while drunk and then a neurosurgeon found that her cerebellum was atrophic on cranial CT and MRI. Neurological examination on admission to our hospital revealed ataxic speech, limb ataxia and mild hyperreflexia without Babinski's sign. Cranial MRI showed only mild atrophy of the cerebellar hemispheres and vermis. Based on the results of genetic analysis, which showed expanded CTG repeats[(CTA) 13 (CTG) 5 (CCG) 4 (CTG) 124] on the SCA 8 locus at 13q21, she was diagnosed as having SCA 8. As clinical signs of SCA 8, Koob et al. reported limb spasticity and diminished vibration perception including cerebellar ataxia. Furthermore, Hirose et al. and Satoh et al. reported cases showing involuntary movements such as myoclonus or chorea including cerebellar ataxia. Our case and Ikeda's cases presented a pure cerebellar phenotype. We think that SCA 8 exhibits clinical heterogeneity. On the other hand, Stevanin et al. and Worth et al. expressed doubt as to whether the SCA 8 locus at 13q21 is the gene actually responsible for autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxia (ADCA). We conclude that it is necessary to accumulate additional case reports, and to further investigate the relationship between the clinical findings and the results of genetic analysis in order to determine whether or not the SCA 8 locus at 13q21 is the genetic basis for ADCA.

Sacsin-related ataxia (ARSACS): expanding the genotype upstream from the gigantic exon.

The authors describe a Japanese autosomal recessive spastic ataxia of Charlevoix-Saguenay (ARSACS) patient with a compound heterozygous mutation (32627-32636delACACTGTTAC and 31760delT) in a new exon of the SACS gene. The new exons upstream of the gigantic one should be analyzed when a case is clinically compatible with ARSACS, even without any mutation in the gigantic exon.

A phenotype without spasticity in sacsin-related ataxia.

The authors describe two Japanese siblings with autosomal recessive spastic ataxia of Charlevoix-Saguenay (ARSACS) without spasticity, usually a core feature of this disorder. They had a novel homozygous missense mutation (T987C) of the SACS gene, which resulted in a phenylalanine-to-serine substitution at amino acid residue 304.

A monoclonal antibody reactive with terminal lactotriaosyl residue-containing oligosaccharides and its application to characterizing cell surface expression of the glyco-epitopes in COS-1 cells.

A new monoclonal antibody (MoAb), designated JF12, reactive strongly with Lc3 (GlcNAc beta 1-->3Gal beta 1-->4Glc beta 1-->Cer) but only slightly with nLc5 (GlcNAc beta 1-->3Gal beta 1-->4GlcNAc beta 1-->3Gal beta 1-->4Glc beta 1-->Cer) has been prepared after immunization of Balb/c mice with Lc3. By the flowcytometrical analyses of COS-1 cells, which was strongly stained with JF12, the reactivity completely disappeared in the confluent condition upon harvesting by the protease treatments of the cell surface. In the sparse condition, however, the cells still retained JF12 reactivity in spite of the protease treatments. This strongly suggests that the expression of terminal GlcNAc-containing glycoconjugates on the surface of COS-1 cells may be dramatically modulated by protease-sensitive membranous components being dependent upon the cell density.

Total metabolic flow of glycosphingolipid biosynthesis is regulated by UDP-GlcNAc:lactosylceramide beta 1-->3N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase and CMP-NeuAc:lactosylceramide alpha 2-->3 sialyltransferase in human hematopoietic cell line HL-60 during differentiation.

We have previously reported that ganglioside GM3 was remarkably increased during monocytoid differentiation of human myelogenous leukemia cell line HL-60 cells and that neolacto series gangliosides (NeuAc-nLc) were enriched during granulocytoid differentiation. In addition, HL-60 was differentiated into monocytic lineage by exogenous GM3 and into granulocytoid by NeuAc-nLc. In the present report, the enzymatic bases of glycosphingolipid biosynthesis in HL-60 during differentiation induced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate and all-trans-retinoic acid were investigated. The following results were of particular interest. (i) Lactosylceramide alpha 2-->3 sialyltransferase (GM3 synthase) was remarkably up-regulated during monocyte differentiation, while the GM3 synthase level did not change in granulocytic differentiation. (ii) By contrast, lactosylceramide beta 1-->3N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (Lc3Cer synthase) was down-regulated during monocytic differentiation, while the activity of Lc3Cer synthase was found to increase in granulocytic differentiation. (iii) The activities of four downstream glycosyltransferases (for synthesis of NeuAc-nLc) were found to increase or to remain unchanged during monocytic and granulocytic differentiation. These results strongly suggested the following. The dramatic GM3 increase and the decrease of NeuAc-nLc during monocytic differentiation are the consequences of the up-regulation of GM3 synthase and the down-regulation of Lc3Cer synthase, although the downstream enzymes are ready to catalyze their enzyme reactions. The notable increase of NeuAc-nLc and the relative decrease of GM3 during granulocytic differentiation are the results of the unchanged level of GM3 synthase and the up-regulation of Lc3Cer synthase together with the activation of the downstream glycosyltransferases. These results suggest that these two key upstream glycosyltransferases, GM3 synthase and Lc3Cer synthase, play critical roles in regulating the glycosphingolipid biosynthesis in HL-60 cells during differentiation. This switching mechanism of these two glycosyltransferases, together with our previous findings, might be one of the most important parts of the determining system of differentiation direction in human myeloid cells into monocytic or granulocytic lineages.

Over-expression and amplification of the CDC2 gene in leukaemia cells.

The expression and structure of the cdc2 gene, one of the master regulators of the eukaryotic cell cycle, were investigated in fresh leukaemic cells from 51 cases of various types of leukaemia. Cdc2 mRNA transcripts were detectable in approximately 40% (21/51) of cases by Northern blotting. Over-expression of cdc2 mRNA as compared to normal bone marrow cells was noted in 10/21 cases with detectable cdc2 mRNA transcripts. Amplification of the cdc2 gene was found in three cases. Cdc2 mRNA was over-expressed in these three cases, suggesting that gene amplification is a direct cause of mRNA over-expression in a subset of cases. Cell proliferative capacity was well correlated with the amount of cdc2 mRNA transcripts, i.e. 3H-thymidine incorporation was highest in cases with cdc2 mRNA over-expression and was significantly higher in cdc2-positive cases than in cdc2-negative cases. These results suggest that over-expression of CDC2, which is due to the gene amplification in some cases, might play a role in altered growth of leukaemic cells.

Biosynthesis of the so-called "a" and "asialo" pathway glycosphingolipids is differentially regulated in murine myelogenous leukemia NFS60 cells.

Regulation of "a" and "asialo" series ganglioside biosynthesis was analyzed. COS-1 cells expressing only GD1a showed high synthetic activities of GM3, GM2, GM1a, and GD1a, but little activity for GA2 synthesis. However, IL-3-dependent murine NFS60-I7, which has GM1b and GD1 alpha, exhibited high synthetic activities of GM2, GM1a, and GD1a, but GM3 synthase was only 1/6 of COS-1 and GA2 synthetic activity was low. By contrast, IL-3 gene-transfected subline NFS60-H7 expressing GD1a in addition to GM1b and GD1 alpha displayed up-regulated GM3 synthase and GA2 synthase activities, while GM2, GM1a, and GD1a synthase activities were in the same levels as in NFS60-I7 cells. Since GA2 synthetic activities were not parallel with GM2 synthase in the investigated machinery of ganglioside biosynthesis, it is strongly suggested that biosynthesis of "a" and "asialo" series gangliosides is regulated differentially from each other in murine NFS60 cell lines.

The role of cellular transcription factor E2F in the regulation of cdc2 mRNA expression and cell cycle control of human hematopoietic cells.

cdc2 mRNA transcripts were detected in immature bone marrow cells and became undetectable along with differentiation. Peripheral blood resting cells did not express cdc2 mRNA, but it was induced in T-lymphocytes when the cells reentered the cell cycle in response to specific mitogens. In contrast, cdc2 mRNA could not be induced in granulocytes and monocytes even after the culture with the appropriate stimulants. In order to investigate the mechanism of the regulation of cdc2 mRNA expression in hematopoietic cells, we isolated the 5'-flanking sequence of the cdc2 gene and found the putative E2F binding site at the position of nucleotides -124 to -117. The binding of E2F at this region was detected by a gel-retardation assay and DNaseI footprinting in phytohemagglutinin-stimulated T-lymphocytes, which was coincident with the expression of cdc2 mRNA. E2F binding was not observed in both granulocytes and monocytes. Transient chloramphenicol acetyltransferase assay revealed that the region containing E2F binding site had a strong promoter activity, and introduction of the mutation at the E2F binding site resulted in a significant loss of the activity. E2F-1 and DP-1 mRNAs were not detectable in granulocytes, monocytes and resting T-lymphocytes but were induced after the mitogenic stimulation of T-lymphocytes. The induction of E2F activity preceded the appearance of cdc2 mRNA, which is consistent with the role of E2F in the regulation of cdc2 mRNA expression. These results suggest that cdc2 mRNA expression is related to the cell cycling of normal human hematopoietic cells and that E2F plays some roles in the regulation of its expression.