RESUMO
We previously found C9orf72-associated (c9ALS) and sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (sALS) brain transcriptomes comprise thousands of defects, among which, some are likely key contributors to ALS pathogenesis. We have now generated complementary methylome data and combine these two data sets to perform a comprehensive "multi-omic" analysis to clarify the molecular mechanisms initiating RNA misregulation in ALS. We found that c9ALS and sALS patients have generally distinct but overlapping methylome profiles, and that the c9ALS- and sALS-affected genes and pathways have similar biological functions, indicating conserved pathobiology in disease. Our results strongly implicate SERPINA1 in both C9orf72 repeat expansion carriers and non-carriers, where expression levels are greatly increased in both patient groups across the frontal cortex and cerebellum. SERPINA1 expression is particularly pronounced in C9orf72 repeat expansion carriers for both brain regions, where SERPINA1 levels are strictly down regulated across most human tissues, including the brain, except liver and blood, and are not measurable in E18 mouse brain. The altered biological networks we identified contain critical molecular players known to contribute to ALS pathology, which also interact with SERPINA1. Our comprehensive combined methylation and transcription study identifies new genes and highlights that direct genetic and epigenetic changes contribute to c9ALS and sALS pathogenesis.
Assuntos
Esclerose Lateral Amiotrófica/genética , Proteína C9orf72/genética , Cerebelo/metabolismo , Metilação de DNA , Lobo Frontal/metabolismo , alfa 1-Antitripsina/genética , Esclerose Lateral Amiotrófica/metabolismo , Esclerose Lateral Amiotrófica/patologia , Proteína C9orf72/metabolismo , Cerebelo/patologia , Expansão das Repetições de DNA , Éxons , Lobo Frontal/patologia , Humanos , alfa 1-Antitripsina/metabolismoRESUMO
Clinical and neuropathological characteristics associated with G4C2 repeat expansions in chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9ORF72), the most common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia, are highly variable. To gain insight on the molecular basis for the heterogeneity among C9ORF72 mutation carriers, we evaluated associations between features of disease and levels of two abundantly expressed "c9RAN proteins" produced by repeat-associated non-ATG (RAN) translation of the expanded repeat. For these studies, we took a departure from traditional immunohistochemical approaches and instead employed immunoassays to quantitatively measure poly(GP) and poly(GA) levels in cerebellum, frontal cortex, motor cortex, and/or hippocampus from 55 C9ORF72 mutation carriers [12 patients with ALS, 24 with frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) and 19 with FTLD with motor neuron disease (FTLD-MND)]. We additionally investigated associations between levels of poly(GP) or poly(GA) and cognitive impairment in 15 C9ORF72 ALS patients for whom neuropsychological data were available. Among the neuroanatomical regions investigated, poly(GP) levels were highest in the cerebellum. In this same region, associations between poly(GP) and both neuropathological and clinical features were detected. Specifically, cerebellar poly(GP) levels were significantly lower in patients with ALS compared to patients with FTLD or FTLD-MND. Furthermore, cerebellar poly(GP) associated with cognitive score in our cohort of 15 patients. In the cerebellum, poly(GA) levels similarly trended lower in the ALS subgroup compared to FTLD or FTLD-MND subgroups, but no association between cerebellar poly(GA) and cognitive score was detected. Both cerebellar poly(GP) and poly(GA) associated with C9ORF72 variant 3 mRNA expression, but not variant 1 expression, repeat size, disease onset, or survival after onset. Overall, these data indicate that cerebellar abnormalities, as evidenced by poly(GP) accumulation, associate with neuropathological and clinical phenotypes, in particular cognitive impairment, of C9ORF72 mutation carriers.
Assuntos
Cerebelo/metabolismo , Expansão das Repetições de DNA , Proteínas/genética , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Esclerose Lateral Amiotrófica/complicações , Esclerose Lateral Amiotrófica/genética , Esclerose Lateral Amiotrófica/metabolismo , Esclerose Lateral Amiotrófica/patologia , Proteína C9orf72 , Cerebelo/patologia , Transtornos Cognitivos/complicações , Transtornos Cognitivos/genética , Transtornos Cognitivos/metabolismo , Transtornos Cognitivos/patologia , Estudos de Coortes , Feminino , Lobo Frontal/metabolismo , Lobo Frontal/patologia , Demência Frontotemporal/complicações , Demência Frontotemporal/genética , Demência Frontotemporal/metabolismo , Demência Frontotemporal/patologia , Heterozigoto , Hipocampo/metabolismo , Hipocampo/patologia , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Córtex Motor/metabolismo , Córtex Motor/patologia , Doença dos Neurônios Motores/complicações , Doença dos Neurônios Motores/genética , Doença dos Neurônios Motores/metabolismo , Doença dos Neurônios Motores/patologia , Biossíntese de Proteínas , RNA Mensageiro/metabolismoRESUMO
There is no effective treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a devastating motor neuron disease. However, discovery of a G4C2 repeat expansion in the C9ORF72 gene as the most common genetic cause of ALS has opened up new avenues for therapeutic intervention for this form of ALS. G4C2 repeat expansion RNAs and proteins of repeating dipeptides synthesized from these transcripts are believed to play a key role in C9ORF72-associated ALS (c9ALS). Therapeutics that target G4C2 RNA, such as antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) and small molecules, are thus being actively investigated. A limitation in moving such treatments from bench to bedside is a lack of pharmacodynamic markers for use in clinical trials. We explored whether poly(GP) proteins translated from G4C2 RNA could serve such a purpose. Poly(GP) proteins were detected in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from c9ALS patients and, notably, from asymptomatic C9ORF72 mutation carriers. Moreover, CSF poly(GP) proteins remained relatively constant over time, boding well for their use in gauging biochemical responses to potential treatments. Treating c9ALS patient cells or a mouse model of c9ALS with ASOs that target G4C2 RNA resulted in decreased intracellular and extracellular poly(GP) proteins. This decrease paralleled reductions in G4C2 RNA and downstream G4C2 RNA-mediated events. These findings indicate that tracking poly(GP) proteins in CSF could provide a means to assess target engagement of G4C2 RNA-based therapies in symptomatic C9ORF72 repeat expansion carriers and presymptomatic individuals who are expected to benefit from early therapeutic intervention.