In vitro dexamethasone treatment does not induce alternative ATM transcripts in cells from Ataxia-Telangiectasia patients.

Short term treatment with low doses of glucocorticoid analogues has been shown to ameliorate neurological symptoms in Ataxia-Telangiectasia (A-T), a rare autosomal recessive multisystem disease that mainly affects the cerebellum, immune system, and lungs. Molecular mechanisms underlying this clinical observation are unclear. We aimed at evaluating the effect of dexamethasone on the induction of alternative ATM transcripts (ATMdexa1). We showed that dexamethasone cannot induce an alternative ATM transcript in control and A-T lymphoblasts and primary fibroblasts, or in an ATM-knockout HeLa cell line. We also demonstrated that some of the reported readouts associated with ATMdexa1 are due to cellular artifacts and the direct induction of γH2AX by dexamethasone via DNA-PK. Finally, we suggest caution in interpreting dexamethasone effects in vitro for the results to be translated into a rational use of the drug in A-T patients.

The SRCIN1/p140Cap adaptor protein negatively regulates the aggressiveness of neuroblastoma.

Neuroblastoma is the most common extra-cranial pediatric solid tumor, responsible for 13-15% of pediatric cancer death. Its intrinsic heterogeneity makes it difficult to target for successful therapy. The adaptor protein p140Cap/SRCIN1 negatively regulates tumor cell features and limits breast cancer progression. This study wish to assess if p140Cap is a key biological determinant of neuroblastoma outcome. RNAseq profiles of a large cohort of neuroblastoma patients show that SRCIN1 mRNA levels are an independent risk factor inversely correlated to disease aggressiveness. In high-risk patients, CGH+SNP microarray analysis of primary neuroblastoma identifies SRCIN1 as frequently altered by hemizygous deletion, copy-neutral loss of heterozygosity, or disruption. Functional experiments show that p140Cap negatively regulates Src and STAT3 signaling, affects anchorage-independent growth and migration, in vivo tumor growth and spontaneous lung metastasis formation. p140Cap also increases sensitivity of neuroblastoma cells to doxorubicin and etoposide treatment, as well as to a combined treatment with chemotherapy drugs and Src inhibitors. Our functional findings point to a causal role of p140Cap in curbing the aggressiveness of neuroblastoma, due to its ability to impinge on specific molecular pathways, and to sensitize cells to therapeutic treatment. This study provides the first evidence that the SRCIN1/p140Cap adaptor protein is a key player in neuroblastoma as a new independent prognostic marker for patient outcome and treatment. Altogether, these data highlight the potential clinical impact of SRCIN1/p140Cap expression in neuroblastoma tumors, in terms of reducing cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy, one of the main issues for pediatric tumor treatment.

Correction to: The SRCIN1/p140Cap adaptor protein negatively regulates the aggressiveness of neuroblastoma.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Neuronal Cell-Intrinsic Defects in Mouse Models of Down Syndrome.

Down Syndrome (DS) is the most common genetic disorder associated with intellectual disability (ID). Excitatory neurons of DS patients and mouse models show decreased size of dendritic field and reduction of spine density. Whether these defects are caused by cell autonomous alterations or by abnormal multicellular circuitry is still unknown. In this work, we explored this issue by culturing cortical neurons obtained from two mouse models of DS: the widely used Ts65Dn and the less characterized Ts2Cje. We observed that, in the in vitro conditions, axon specification and elongation, as well as dendritogenesis, take place without evident abnormalities, indicating that the initial phases of neuronal differentiation do not suffer from the presence of an imbalanced genetic dosage. Conversely, our analysis highlighted differences between trisomic and euploid neurons in terms of reduction of spine density, in accordance with in vivo data obtained by other groups, proposing the presence of a cell-intrinsic malfunction. This work suggests that the characteristic morphological defects of DS neurons are likely to be caused by the possible combination of cell-intrinsic defects together with cell-extrinsic cues. Additionally, our data support the possibility of using the more sustainable line Ts2Cje as a standard model for the study of DS.

Impaired chromaffin cell excitability and exocytosis in autistic Timothy syndrome TS2-neo mouse rescued by L-type calcium channel blockers.

KEY POINTS: Tymothy syndrome (TS) is a multisystem disorder featuring cardiac arrhythmias, autism and adrenal gland dysfunction that originates from a de novo point mutation in the gene encoding the Cav1.2 (CACNA1C) L-type channel. To study the role of Cav1.2 channel signals in autism, the autistic TS2-neo mouse has been generated bearing the G406R point-mutation associated with TS type-2. Using heterozygous TS2-neo mice, we report that the G406R mutation reduces the rate of inactivation and shifts leftward the activation and inactivation of L-type channels, causing marked increase of resting Ca2+ influx ('window' Ca2+ current). The increased 'window current' causes marked reduction of NaV channel density, switches normal tonic firing to abnormal burst firing, reduces mitochondrial metabolism, induces cell swelling and decreases catecholamine release. Overnight incubations with nifedipine rescue NaV channel density, normal firing and the quantity of catecholamine released. We provide evidence that chromaffin cell malfunction derives from altered Cav1.2 channel gating. ABSTRACT: L-type voltage-gated calcium (Cav1) channels have a key role in long-term synaptic plasticity, sensory transduction, muscle contraction and hormone release. A point mutation in the gene encoding Cav1.2 (CACNA1C) causes Tymothy syndrome (TS), a multisystem disorder featuring cardiac arrhythmias, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and adrenal gland dysfunction. In the more severe type-2 form (TS2), the missense mutation G406R is on exon 8 coding for the IS6-helix of the Cav1.2 channel. The mutation causes reduced inactivation and induces autism. How this occurs and how Cav1.2 gating-changes alter cell excitability, neuronal firing and hormone release on a molecular basis is still largely unknown. Here, using the TS2-neo mouse model of TS we show that the G406R mutation altered excitability and reduced secretory activity in adrenal chromaffin cells (CCs). Specifically, the TS2 mutation reduced the rate of voltage-dependent inactivation and shifted leftward the activation and steady-state inactivation of L-type channels. This markedly increased the resting 'window' Ca2+ current that caused an increased percentage of CCs undergoing abnormal action potential (AP) burst firing, cell swelling, reduced mitochondrial metabolism and decreased catecholamine release. The increased 'window' Ca2+ current caused also decreased NaV channel density and increased steady-state inactivation, which contributed to the increased abnormal burst firing. Overnight incubation with the L-type channel blocker nifedipine rescued the normal AP firing of CCs, the density of functioning NaV channels and their steady-state inactivation. We provide evidence that CC malfunction derives from the altered Cav1.2 channel gating and that dihydropyridines are potential therapeutics for ASD.

p140Cap Regulates GABAergic Synaptogenesis and Development of Hippocampal Inhibitory Circuits.

The neuronal scaffold protein p140Cap was investigated during hippocampal network formation. p140Cap is present in presynaptic GABAergic terminals and its genetic depletion results in a marked alteration of inhibitory synaptic activity. p140Cap-/- cultured neurons display higher frequency of miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs) with no changes of their mean amplitude. Consistent with a potential presynaptic alteration of basal GABA release, p140Cap-/- neurons exhibit a larger synaptic vesicle readily releasable pool, without any variation of single GABAA receptor unitary currents and number of postsynaptic channels. Furthermore, p140Cap-/- neurons show a premature and enhanced network synchronization and appear more susceptible to 4-aminopyridine-induced seizures in vitro and to kainate-induced seizures in vivo. The hippocampus of p140Cap-/- mice showed a significant increase in the number of both inhibitory synapses and of parvalbumin- and somatostatin-expressing interneurons. Specific deletion of p140Cap in forebrain interneurons resulted in increased susceptibility to in vitro epileptic events and increased inhibitory synaptogenesis, comparable to those observed in p140Cap-/- mice. Altogether, our data demonstrate that p140Cap finely tunes inhibitory synaptogenesis and GABAergic neurotransmission, thus regulating the establishment and maintenance of the proper hippocampal excitatory/inhibitory balance.

Citron Kinase Deficiency Leads to Chromosomal Instability and TP53-Sensitive Microcephaly.

Mutations in citron (CIT), leading to loss or inactivation of the citron kinase protein (CITK), cause primary microcephaly in humans and rodents, associated with cytokinesis failure and apoptosis in neural progenitors. We show that CITK loss induces DNA damage accumulation and chromosomal instability in both mammals and Drosophila. CITK-deficient cells display "spontaneous" DNA damage, increased sensitivity to ionizing radiation, and defective recovery from radiation-induced DNA lesions. In CITK-deficient cells, DNA double-strand breaks increase independently of cytokinesis failure. Recruitment of RAD51 to DNA damage foci is compromised by CITK loss, and CITK physically interacts with RAD51, suggesting an involvement of CITK in homologous recombination. Consistent with this scenario, in doubly CitK and Trp53 mutant mice, neural progenitor cell death is dramatically reduced; moreover, clinical and neuroanatomical phenotypes are remarkably improved. Our results underscore a crucial role of CIT in the maintenance of genomic integrity during brain development.

A role for hemopexin in oligodendrocyte differentiation and myelin formation.

Myelin formation and maintenance are crucial for the proper function of the CNS and are orchestrated by a plethora of factors including growth factors, extracellular matrix components, metalloproteases and protease inhibitors. Hemopexin (Hx) is a plasma protein with high heme binding affinity, which is also locally produced in the CNS by ependymal cells, neurons and glial cells. We have recently reported that oligodendrocytes (OLs) are the type of cells in the brain that are most susceptible to lack of Hx, as the number of iron-overloaded OLs increases in Hx-null brain, leading to oxidative tissue damage. In the current study, we found that the expression of the Myelin Basic Protein along with the density of myelinated fibers in the basal ganglia and in the motor and somatosensory cortex of Hx-null mice were strongly reduced starting at 2 months and progressively decreased with age. Myelin abnormalities were confirmed by electron microscopy and, at the functional level, resulted in the inability of Hx-null mice to perform efficiently on the Rotarod. It is likely that the poor myelination in the brain of Hx-null mice was a consequence of defective maturation of OLs as we demonstrated that the number of mature OLs was significantly reduced in mutant mice whereas that of precursor cells was normal. Finally, in vitro experiments showed that Hx promotes OL differentiation. Thus, Hx may be considered a novel OL differentiation factor and the modulation of its expression in CNS may be an important factor in the pathogenesis of human neurodegenerative disorders.