How to Detect Isolated PEX10-Related Cerebellar Ataxia?

A 4-year-old boy presented with subacute onset of cerebellar ataxia. Neuroimaging revealed cerebellar atrophy. Metabolic screening tests aiming to detect potentially treatable ataxias showed an increased value (fourfold upper limit of normal) for phytanic acid and elevated very-long-chain fatty acid (VLCFA) ratios (C24:0/C22:0 and C26:0/C22:0), while absolute concentrations of VLCFA were normal. Genetic analysis identified biallelic variants in PEX10. Immunohistochemistry confirmed pathogenicity in the patients' cultured fibroblasts demonstrating peroxisomal mosaicism with a general catalase import deficiency as well as conspicuous peroxisome morphology as an expression of impaired peroxisomal function. We describe for the first time an elongated peroxisome morphology in a patient with PEX10-related cerebellar ataxia.A literature search yielded 14 similar patients from nine families with PEX10-related cerebellar ataxia, most of them presenting their first symptoms between 3 and 8 years of age. In 11/14 patients, the first and main symptom was cerebellar ataxia; in three patients, it was sensorineural hearing impairment. Finally, all 14 patients developed ataxia. Polyneuropathy (9/14) and cognitive impairment (9/14) were common associated findings. In 12/13 patients brain MRI showed cerebellar atrophy. Phytanic acid was elevated in 8/12 patients, while absolute concentrations of VLCFA levels were in normal limits in several patients. VLCFA ratios (C24:0/C22:0 and/or C26:0/C22:0), though, were elevated in 11/11 cases. We suggest including measurement of phytanic acid and VLCFA ratios in metabolic screening tests in unexplained autosomal recessive ataxias with cerebellar atrophy, especially when there is an early onset and symptoms are mild.

Live-Cell Imaging of Peroxisomal Calcium Levels and Dynamics.

Calcium (Ca2+) is an intracellular messenger that plays an essential role in a variety of cellular processes ranging from early embryonic events to muscle contraction and neuron excitability. Measurement of cytosolic, endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and mitochondrial Ca2+ has contributed immensely to our understanding of cellular physiology. Here we describe the measurement of peroxisomal Ca2+ using ratiometric Ca2+ sensors, enabling measurement of absolute Ca2+ concentration and its dynamics in living cells.

Calcium in peroxisomes: An essential messenger in an essential cell organelle.

Calcium is a central signal transduction element in biology. Peroxisomes are essential cellular organelles, yet calcium handling in peroxisomes has been contentious. Recent advances show that peroxisomes are part of calcium homeostasis in cardiac myocytes and therefore may contribute to or even shape their calcium-dependent functionality. However, the mechanisms of calcium movement between peroxisomes and other cellular sites and their mediators remain elusive. Here, we review calcium handling in peroxisomes in concert with other organelles and summarize the most recent knowledge on peroxisomal involvement in calcium dynamics with a focus on mammalian cells.

Fluorescence lifetime DNA-PAINT for multiplexed super-resolution imaging of cells.

DNA point accumulation for imaging in nanoscale topography (DNA-PAINT) is a powerful super-resolution technique highly suitable for multi-target (multiplexing) bio-imaging. However, multiplexed imaging of cells is still challenging due to the dense and sticky environment inside a cell. Here, we combine fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) with DNA-PAINT and use the lifetime information as a multiplexing parameter for targets identification. In contrast to Exchange-PAINT, fluorescence lifetime PAINT (FL-PAINT) can image multiple targets simultaneously and does not require any fluid exchange, thus leaving the sample undisturbed and making the use of flow chambers/microfluidic systems unnecessary. We demonstrate the potential of FL-PAINT by simultaneous imaging of up to three targets in a cell using both wide-field FLIM and 3D time-resolved confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). FL-PAINT can be readily combined with other existing techniques of multiplexed imaging and is therefore a perfect candidate for high-throughput multi-target bio-imaging.

Stop Codon Context-Specific Induction of Translational Readthrough.

Premature termination codon (PTC) mutations account for approximately 10% of pathogenic variants in monogenic diseases. Stimulation of translational readthrough, also known as stop codon suppression, using translational readthrough-inducing drugs (TRIDs) may serve as a possible therapeutic strategy for the treatment of genetic PTC diseases. One important parameter governing readthrough is the stop codon context (SCC)-the stop codon itself and the nucleotides in the vicinity of the stop codon on the mRNA. However, the quantitative influence of the SCC on treatment outcome and on appropriate drug concentrations are largely unknown. Here, we analyze the readthrough-stimulatory effect of various readthrough-inducing drugs on the SCCs of five common premature termination codon mutations of PEX5 in a sensitive dual reporter system. Mutations in PEX5, encoding the peroxisomal targeting signal 1 receptor, can cause peroxisomal biogenesis disorders of the Zellweger spectrum. We show that the stop context has a strong influence on the levels of readthrough stimulation and impacts the choice of the most effective drug and its concentration. These results highlight potential advantages and the personalized medicine nature of an SCC-based strategy in the therapy of rare diseases.

Peroxisomes contribute to intracellular calcium dynamics in cardiomyocytes and non-excitable cells.

Peroxisomes communicate with other cellular compartments by transfer of various metabolites. However, whether peroxisomes are sites for calcium handling and exchange has remained contentious. Here we generated sensors for assessment of peroxisomal calcium and applied them for single cell-based calcium imaging in HeLa cells and cardiomyocytes. We found that peroxisomes in HeLa cells take up calcium upon depletion of intracellular calcium stores and upon calcium influx across the plasma membrane. Furthermore, we show that peroxisomes of neonatal rat cardiomyocytes and human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes can take up calcium. Our results indicate that peroxisomal and cytosolic calcium signals are tightly interconnected both in HeLa cells and in cardiomyocytes. Cardiac peroxisomes take up calcium on beat-to-beat basis. Hence, peroxisomes may play an important role in shaping cellular calcium dynamics of cardiomyocytes.

Staying in Healthy Contact: How Peroxisomes Interact with Other Cell Organelles.

Peroxisomes share extensive metabolic connections with other cell organelles. Membrane contact sites (MCSs) establish and maintain such interactions, and they are vital for organelle positioning and motility. In the past few years peroxisome interactions and MCSs with other cellular organelles have been explored extensively, resulting in the identification of new MCSs, the tethering molecules involved, and their functional characterization. Defective tethering and compartmental communication can lead to pathological conditions that can be termed 'organelle interaction diseases'. We review peroxisome-organelle interactions in mammals and summarize the most recent knowledge of mammalian peroxisomal organelle contacts in health and disease.