Verapamil mitigates chloride and calcium bi-channelopathy in a myotonic dystrophy mouse model.

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) involves misregulated alternative splicing for specific genes. We used exon or nucleotide deletion to mimic altered splicing of genes central to muscle excitation-contraction coupling in mice. Mice with forced skipping of exon 29 in the CaV1.1 calcium channel combined with loss of ClC-1 chloride channel function displayed markedly reduced lifespan, whereas other combinations of splicing mimics did not affect survival. The Ca2+/Cl- bi-channelopathy mice exhibited myotonia, weakness, and impairment of mobility and respiration. Chronic administration of the calcium channel blocker verapamil rescued survival and improved force generation, myotonia, and respiratory function. These results suggest that Ca2+/Cl- bi-channelopathy contributes to muscle impairment in DM1 and is potentially mitigated by common clinically available calcium channel blockers.

Photomodulation of the ASIC1a acidic pocket destabilizes the open state.

Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) are important players in detecting extracellular acidification throughout the brain and body. ASICs have large extracellular domains containing two regions replete with acidic residues: the acidic pocket, and the palm domain. In the resting state, the acidic pocket is in an expanded conformation but collapses in low pH conditions as the acidic side chains are neutralized. Thus, extracellular acidification has been hypothesized to collapse the acidic pocket that, in turn, ultimately drives channel activation. However, several observations run counter to this idea. To explore how collapse or mobility of the acidic pocket is linked to channel gating, we employed two distinct tools. First, we incorporated the photocrosslinkable noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs) 4-azido-L-phenylalanine (AzF) or 4-benzoyl-L-phenylalanine (BzF) into several positions in the acidic pocket. At both E315 and Y318, AzF incorporation followed by UV irradiation led to right shifts in pH response curves and accelerations of desensitization and deactivation, consistent with restrictions of acidic pocket mobility destabilizing the open state. Second, we reasoned that because Cl- ions are found in the open and desensitized structures but absent in the resting state structures, Cl- substitution would provide insight into how stability of the pocket is linked to gating. Anion substitution resulted in faster deactivation and desensitization, consistent with the acidic pocket regulating the stability of the open state. Taken together, our data support a model where acidic pocket collapse is not essential for channel activation. Rather, collapse of the acidic pocket influences the stability of the open state of the pore.

Combinatorial chloride and calcium channelopathy in myotonic dystrophy.

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) involves misregulated alternative splicing for specific genes. We used exon or nucleotide deletion to mimic altered splicing of genes central to muscle excitation-contraction coupling processes in mice. Mice with forced-skipping of exon 29 in CaV1.1 calcium channel combined with loss of ClC-1 chloride channel function showed a markedly reduced lifespan, whereas other combinations of splicing mimics did not affect survival. The Ca2+/Cl- bi-channelopathy mice exhibited myotonia, weakness, and impairment of mobility and respiration. Chronic administration of the calcium channel blocker verapamil rescued survival and improved force generation, myotonia, and respiratory function. These results suggest that Ca2+/Cl- bi-channelopathy contributes to muscle impairment in DM1 and is potentially mitigated by common clinically available calcium channel blockers.

Gene, RNA, and ASO-based therapeutic approaches in Cystic Fibrosis.

Most people with Cystic Fibrosis (PwCF) harbor Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance (CFTR) mutations that respond to highly effective CFTR modulators (HEM); however, a small fraction of non-responsive variants will require alternative approaches for treatment. Furthermore, the long-term goal to develop a cure for CF will require novel therapeutic strategies. Nucleic acid-based approaches offer the potential to address all CF-causing mutations and possibly a cure for all PwCF. In this minireview, we discuss current knowledge, recent progress, and critical questions surrounding the topic of Gene-, RNA-, and ASO-based therapies for the treatment of Cystic Fibrosis (CF).

Efficient suppression of endogenous CFTR nonsense mutations using anticodon-engineered transfer RNAs.

Nonsense mutations or premature termination codons (PTCs) comprise ∼11% of all genetic lesions, which result in over 7,000 distinct genetic diseases. Due to their outsized impact on human health, considerable effort has been made to find therapies for nonsense-associated diseases. Suppressor tRNAs have long been identified as a possible therapeutic for nonsense-associated diseases; however, their ability to inhibit nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) and support significant protein translation from endogenous transcripts has not been determined in mammalian cells. Here, we investigated the ability of anticodon edited (ACE)-tRNAs to suppress cystic fibrosis (CF) causing PTCs in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) gene in gene-edited immortalized human bronchial epithelial (16HBEge) cells. Delivery of ACE-tRNAs to 16HBEge cells harboring three common CF mutations G542XUGA-, R1162XUGA-, and W1282XUGA-CFTR PTCs significantly inhibited NMD and rescued endogenous mRNA expression. Furthermore, delivery of our highly active leucine-encoding ACE-tRNA resulted in rescue of W1282X-CFTR channel function to levels that significantly exceed the necessary CFTR channel function for therapeutic relevance. This study establishes the ACE-tRNA approach as a potential standalone therapeutic for nonsense-associated diseases due to its ability to rescue both mRNA and full-length protein expression from PTC-containing endogenous genes.

Therapeutic promise of engineered nonsense suppressor tRNAs.

Nonsense mutations change an amino acid codon to a premature termination codon (PTC) generally through a single-nucleotide substitution. The generation of a PTC results in a defective truncated protein and often in severe forms of disease. Because of the exceedingly high prevalence of nonsense-associated diseases and a unifying mechanism, there has been a concerted effort to identify PTC therapeutics. Most clinical trials for PTC therapeutics have been conducted with small molecules that promote PTC read through and incorporation of a near-cognate amino acid. However, there is a need for PTC suppression agents that recode PTCs with the correct amino acid while being applicable to PTC mutations in many different genomic landscapes. With these characteristics, a single therapeutic will be able to treat several disease-causing PTCs. In this review, we will focus on the use of nonsense suppression technologies, in particular, suppressor tRNAs (sup-tRNAs), as possible therapeutics for correcting PTCs. Sup-tRNAs have many attractive qualities as possible therapeutic agents although there are knowledge gaps on their function in mammalian cells and technical hurdles that need to be overcome before their promise is realized. This article is categorized under: RNA Processing > tRNA Processing Translation > Translation Regulation.

ß11-12 linker isomerization governs acid-sensing ion channel desensitization and recovery.

Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) are neuronal sodium-selective channels activated by reductions in extracellular pH. Structures of the three presumptive functional states, high-pH resting, low-pH desensitized, and toxin-stabilized open, have all been solved for chicken ASIC1. These structures, along with prior functional data, suggest that the isomerization or flipping of the ß11-12 linker in the extracellular, ligand-binding domain is an integral component of the desensitization process. To test this, we combined fast perfusion electrophysiology, molecular dynamics simulations and state-dependent non-canonical amino acid cross-linking. We find that both desensitization and recovery can be accelerated by orders of magnitude by mutating resides in this linker or the surrounding region. Furthermore, desensitization can be suppressed by trapping the linker in the resting state, indicating that isomerization of the ß11-12 linker is not merely a consequence of, but a necessity for the desensitization process in ASICs.

Engineered transfer RNAs for suppression of premature termination codons.

Premature termination codons (PTCs) are responsible for 10-15% of all inherited disease. PTC suppression during translation offers a promising approach to treat a variety of genetic disorders, yet small molecules that promote PTC read-through have yielded mixed performance in clinical trials. Here we present a high-throughput, cell-based assay to identify anticodon engineered transfer RNAs (ACE-tRNA) which can effectively suppress in-frame PTCs and faithfully encode their cognate amino acid. In total, we identify ACE-tRNA with a high degree of suppression activity targeting the most common human disease-causing nonsense codons. Genome-wide transcriptome ribosome profiling of cells expressing ACE-tRNA at levels which repair PTC indicate that there are limited interactions with translation termination codons. These ACE-tRNAs display high suppression potency in mammalian cells, Xenopus oocytes and mice in vivo, producing PTC repair in multiple genes, including disease causing mutations within cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR).

Orthogonality of Pyrrolysine tRNA in the Xenopus oocyte.

Chemical aminoacylation of orthogonal tRNA allows for the genetic encoding of a wide range of synthetic amino acids without the need to evolve specific aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. This method, when paired with protein expression in the Xenopus laevis oocyte expression system, can extract atomic scale functional data from a protein structure to advance the study of membrane proteins. The utility of the method depends on the orthogonality of the tRNA species used to deliver the amino acid. Here, we report that the pyrrolysyl tRNA (pylT) from Methanosarcina barkeri fusaro is orthogonal and highly competent for genetic code expansion experiments in the Xenopus oocyte. The data show that pylT is amendable to chemical acylation in vitro; it is then used to rescue a cytoplasmic site within a voltage-gated sodium channel. Further, the high fidelity of the pylT is demonstrated via encoding of lysine within the selectivity filter of the sodium channel, where sodium ion recognition by the distal amine of this side-chain is essential. Thus, pylT is an appropriate tRNA species for delivery of amino acids via nonsense suppression in the Xenopus oocyte. It may prove useful in experimental contexts wherein reacylation of suppressor tRNAs have been observed.

Cross-kingdom auxiliary subunit modulation of a voltage-gated sodium channel.

Voltage-gated, sodium ion-selective channels (NaV) generate electrical signals contributing to the upstroke of the action potential in animals. NaVs are also found in bacteria and are members of a larger family of tetrameric voltage-gated channels that includes CaVs, KVs, and NaVs. Prokaryotic NaVs likely emerged from a homotetrameric Ca2+-selective voltage-gated progenerator, and later developed Na+ selectivity independently. The NaV signaling complex in eukaryotes contains auxiliary proteins, termed beta (ß) subunits, which are potent modulators of the expression profiles and voltage-gated properties of the NaV pore, but it is unknown whether they can functionally interact with prokaryotic NaV channels. Herein, we report that the eukaryotic NaVß1-subunit isoform interacts with and enhances the surface expression as well as the voltage-dependent gating properties of the bacterial NaV, NaChBac in Xenopus oocytes. A phylogenetic analysis of the ß-subunit gene family proteins confirms that these proteins appeared roughly 420 million years ago and that they have no clear homologues in bacterial phyla. However, a comparison between eukaryotic and bacterial NaV structures highlighted the presence of a conserved fold, which could support interactions with the ß-subunit. Our electrophysiological, biochemical, structural, and bioinformatics results suggests that the prerequisites for ß-subunit regulation are an evolutionarily stable and intrinsic property of some voltage-gated channels.

Cellular encoding of Cy dyes for single-molecule imaging.

A general method is described for the site-specific genetic encoding of cyanine dyes as non-canonical amino acids (Cy-ncAAs) into proteins. The approach relies on an improved technique for nonsense suppression with in vitro misacylated orthogonal tRNA. The data show that Cy-ncAAs (based on Cy3 and Cy5) are tolerated by the eukaryotic ribosome in cell-free and whole-cell environments and can be incorporated into soluble and membrane proteins. In the context of the Xenopus laevis oocyte expression system, this technique yields ion channels with encoded Cy-ncAAs that are trafficked to the plasma membrane where they display robust function and distinct fluorescent signals as detected by TIRF microscopy. This is the first demonstration of an encoded cyanine dye as a ncAA in a eukaryotic expression system and opens the door for the analysis of proteins with single-molecule resolution in a cellular environment.

Atomic mutagenesis in ion channels with engineered stoichiometry.

C-type inactivation of potassium channels fine-tunes the electrical signaling in excitable cells through an internal timing mechanism that is mediated by a hydrogen bond network in the channels' selectively filter. Previously, we used nonsense suppression to highlight the role of the conserved Trp434-Asp447 indole hydrogen bond in Shaker potassium channels with a non-hydrogen bonding homologue of tryptophan, Ind (Pless et al., 2013). Here, molecular dynamics simulations indicate that the Trp434Ind hydrogen bonding partner, Asp447, unexpectedly 'flips out' towards the extracellular environment, allowing water to penetrate the space behind the selectivity filter while simultaneously reducing the local negative electrostatic charge. Additionally, a protein engineering approach is presented whereby split intein sequences are flanked by endoplasmic reticulum retention/retrieval motifs (ERret) are incorporated into the N- or C- termini of Shaker monomers or within sodium channels two-domain fragments. This system enabled stoichiometric control of Shaker monomers and the encoding of multiple amino acids within a channel tetramer.

Allele-specific gene silencing in two mouse models of autosomal dominant skeletal myopathy.

We explored the potential of mutant allele-specific gene silencing (ASGS) in providing therapeutic benefit in two established mouse models of the autosomal dominantly-inherited muscle disorders, Malignant Hyperthermia (MH) and Central Core Disease (CCD). Candidate ASGS siRNAs were designed and validated for efficacy and specificity on ryanodine receptor (RyR1) cDNA mini-constructs expressed in HEK293 cells using RT-PCR- and confocal microscopy-based assays. In vivo delivery of the most efficacious identified siRNAs into flexor digitorum brevis (FDB) muscles was achieved by injection/electroporation of footpads of 4-6 month old heterozygous Ryr1(Y524S/+) (YS/+) and Ryr1(I4895T/+) (IT/+) knock-in mice, established mouse models of MH with cores and CCD, respectively. Treatment of IT/+ mice resulted in a modest rescue of deficits in the maximum rate (∼38% rescue) and magnitude (∼78%) of ligand-induced Ca(2+) release that occurred in the absence of a change in the magnitude of electrically-evoked Ca(2+) release. Compared to the difference between the caffeine sensitivity of Ca(2+) release in FDB fibers from YS/+ and WT mice treated with SCR siRNA (EC(50): 1.1 mM versus 4.4 mM, respectively), caffeine sensitivity was normalized in FDB fibers from YS/+ mice following 2 (EC(50): 2.8 mM) and 4 week (EC(50): 6.6 mM) treatment with YS allele-specific siRNA. Moreover, the temperature-dependent increase in resting Ca(2+) observed in FDB fibers from YS/+ mice was normalized to WT levels after 2 weeks of treatment with YS allele-specific siRNA. As determined by quantitative real time PCR, the degree of functional rescue in YS/+ and IT/+ mice correlated well with the relative increase in fractional WT allele expression.

Mouse fukutin deletion impairs dystroglycan processing and recapitulates muscular dystrophy.

Dystroglycan is a transmembrane glycoprotein that links the extracellular basement membrane to cytoplasmic dystrophin. Disruption of the extensive carbohydrate structure normally present on α-dystroglycan causes an array of congenital and limb girdle muscular dystrophies known as dystroglycanopathies. The essential role of dystroglycan in development has hampered elucidation of the mechanisms underlying dystroglycanopathies. Here, we developed a dystroglycanopathy mouse model using inducible or muscle-specific promoters to conditionally disrupt fukutin (Fktn), a gene required for dystroglycan processing. In conditional Fktn-KO mice, we observed a near absence of functionally glycosylated dystroglycan within 18 days of gene deletion. Twenty-week-old KO mice showed clear dystrophic histopathology and a defect in glycosylation near the dystroglycan O-mannose phosphate, whether onset of Fktn excision driven by muscle-specific promoters occurred at E8 or E17. However, the earlier gene deletion resulted in more severe phenotypes, with a faster onset of damage and weakness, reduced weight and viability, and regenerating fibers of smaller size. The dependence of phenotype severity on the developmental timing of muscle Fktn deletion supports a role for dystroglycan in muscle development or differentiation. Moreover, given that this conditional Fktn-KO mouse allows the generation of tissue- and timing-specific defects in dystroglycan glycosylation, avoids embryonic lethality, and produces a phenotype resembling patient pathology, it is a promising new model for the study of secondary dystroglycanopathy.

Sarcolemmal-restricted localization of functional ClC-1 channels in mouse skeletal muscle.

Skeletal muscle fibers exhibit a high resting chloride conductance primarily determined by ClC-1 chloride channels that stabilize the resting membrane potential during repetitive stimulation. Although the importance of ClC-1 channel activity in maintaining normal muscle excitability is well appreciated, the subcellular location of this conductance remains highly controversial. Using a three-pronged multidisciplinary approach, we determined the location of functional ClC-1 channels in adult mouse skeletal muscle. First, formamide-induced detubulation of single flexor digitorum brevis (FDB) muscle fibers from 15-16-day-old mice did not significantly alter macroscopic ClC-1 current magnitude (at -140 mV; -39.0 +/- 4.5 and -42.3 +/- 5.0 nA, respectively), deactivation kinetics, or voltage dependence of channel activation (V(1/2) was -61.0 +/- 1.7 and -64.5 +/- 2.8 mV; k was 20.5 ± 0.8 and 22.8 +/- 1.2 mV, respectively), despite a 33% reduction in cell capacitance (from 465 +/- 36 to 312 +/- 23 pF). In paired whole cell voltage clamp experiments, where ClC-1 activity was measured before and after detubulation in the same fiber, no reduction in ClC-1 activity was observed, despite an approximately 40 and 60% reduction in membrane capacitance in FDB fibers from 15-16-day-old and adult mice, respectively. Second, using immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy, native ClC-1 channels in adult mouse FDB fibers were localized within the sarcolemma, 90 degrees out of phase with double rows of dihydropyridine receptor immunostaining of the T-tubule system. Third, adenoviral-mediated expression of green fluorescent protein-tagged ClC-1 channels in adult skeletal muscle of a mouse model of myotonic dystrophy type 1 resulted in a significant reduction in myotonia and localization of channels to the sarcolemma. Collectively, these results demonstrate that the majority of functional ClC-1 channels localize to the sarcolemma and provide essential insight into the basis of myofiber excitability in normal and diseased skeletal muscle.

Genetic ablation of complement C3 attenuates muscle pathology in dysferlin-deficient mice.

Mutations in the dysferlin gene underlie a group of autosomal recessive muscle-wasting disorders denoted as dysferlinopathies. Dysferlin has been shown to play roles in muscle membrane repair and muscle regeneration, both of which require vesicle-membrane fusion. However, the mechanism by which muscle becomes dystrophic in these disorders remains poorly understood. Although muscle inflammation is widely recognized in dysferlinopathy and dysferlin is expressed in immune cells, the contribution of the immune system to the pathology of dysferlinopathy remains to be fully explored. Here, we show that the complement system plays an important role in muscle pathology in dysferlinopathy. Dysferlin deficiency led to increased expression of complement factors in muscle, while muscle-specific transgenic expression of dysferlin normalized the expression of complement factors and eliminated the dystrophic phenotype present in dysferlin-null mice. Furthermore, genetic disruption of the central component (C3) of the complement system ameliorated muscle pathology in dysferlin-deficient mice but had no significant beneficial effect in a genetically distinct model of muscular dystrophy, mdx mice. These results demonstrate that complement-mediated muscle injury is central to the pathogenesis of dysferlinopathy and suggest that targeting the complement system might serve as a therapeutic approach for this disease.

Reversal of RNA dominance by displacement of protein sequestered on triplet repeat RNA.

Genomic expansions of simple tandem repeats can give rise to toxic RNAs that contain expanded repeats. In myotonic dystrophy, the expression of expanded CUG repeats (CUGexp) causes abnormal regulation of alternative splicing and neuromuscular dysfunction. We used a transgenic mouse model to show that derangements of myotonic dystrophy are reversed by a morpholino antisense oligonucleotide, CAG25, that binds to CUGexp RNA and blocks its interaction with muscleblind-like 1 (MBNL1), a CUGexp-binding protein. CAG25 disperses nuclear foci of CUGexp RNA and reduces the overall burden of this toxic RNA. As MBNL1 is released from sequestration, the defect of alternative splicing regulation is corrected, thereby restoring ion channel function. These findings suggest an alternative use of antisense methods, to inhibit deleterious interactions of proteins with pathogenic RNAs.

Alternative splicing of RyR1 alters the efficacy of skeletal EC coupling.

Alternative splicing of ASI residues (Ala(3481)-Gln(3485)) in the skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor (RyR1) is developmentally regulated: the residues are present in adult ASI(+)RyR1, but absent in the juvenile ASI(-)RyR1 which is over-expressed in adult myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). Although this splicing switch may influence RyR1 function in developing muscle and DM1, little is known about the properties of the splice variants. We examined excitation-contraction (EC) coupling and the structure and interactions of the ASI domain (Thr(3471)-Gly(3500)) in the splice variants. Depolarisation-dependent Ca(2+) release was enhanced by >50% in myotubes expressing ASI(-)RyR1 compared with ASI(+)RyR1, although DHPR L-type currents and SR Ca(2+) content were unaltered, while ASI(-)RyR1 channel function was actually depressed. The effect on EC coupling did not depend on changes in ASI domain secondary structure. Probing RyR1 function with peptides possessing the ASI domain sequence indicated that the domain contributes to an inhibitory module in RyR1. The action of the peptide depended on a sequence of basic residues and their alignment in an alpha-helix adjacent to the ASI splice site. This is the first evidence that the ASI residues contribute to an inhibitory module in RyR1 that influences EC coupling. Implications for development and DM1 are discussed.

Correction of ClC-1 splicing eliminates chloride channelopathy and myotonia in mouse models of myotonic dystrophy.

In myotonic dystrophy (dystrophia myotonica [DM]), an increase in the excitability of skeletal muscle leads to repetitive action potentials, stiffness, and delayed relaxation. This constellation of features, collectively known as myotonia, is associated with abnormal alternative splicing of the muscle-specific chloride channel (ClC-1) and reduced conductance of chloride ions in the sarcolemma. However, the mechanistic basis of the chloride channelopathy and its relationship to the development of myotonia are uncertain. Here we show that a morpholino antisense oligonucleotide (AON) targeting the 3' splice site of ClC-1 exon 7a reversed the defect of ClC-1 alternative splicing in 2 mouse models of DM. By repressing the inclusion of this exon, the AON restored the full-length reading frame in ClC-1 mRNA, upregulated the level of ClC-1 mRNA, increased the expression of ClC-1 protein in the surface membrane, normalized muscle ClC-1 current density and deactivation kinetics, and eliminated myotonic discharges. These observations indicate that the myotonia and chloride channelopathy observed in DM both result from abnormal alternative splicing of ClC-1 and that antisense-induced exon skipping offers a powerful method for correcting alternative splicing defects in DM.