Unknown,Transcriptomics,Genomics,Proteomics

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A Gene Expression Phenotype In Lymphocytes From Friedreich’s Ataxia Patients

ABSTRACT: Gene expression studies in peripheral tissues from patients with neurodegenerative disorders can provide insights into disease pathogenesis, and identify potential biomarkers, an important goal of translational research in neurodegeneration. Friedreich’s Ataxia (FRDA) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease caused by reduced transcription of frataxin, a ubiquitously expressed protein. We studied in vitro lymphocytes from FRDA patients and carriers, in order to identify a peripheral gene expression phenotype. Peripheral biomarkers related to disease status would be extremely valuable for assessing drug efficacy and could provide new pathophysiological insights. We identified a subset of genes changed in cells from patients with pathological frataxin deficiency and a core set of these genes were confirmed in independent series. Changes in gene expression were related to the mitochondria, lipid metabolism, cell cycle, and DNA repair, consistent with FRDA’s known pathophysiology. We evaluated the in vitro effect of multiple compounds (HDAC inhibitors) on this putative biomarker set, and found that this biochemical phenotype was ameliorated in accordance with drug efficacy. Frataxin downregulation is associated with robust changes in gene expression in PBMCs, providing pathogenetic insights and a core subset of genes which, if verified in vivo, could be used as a peripheral biomarker. We characterized the gene expression profiles in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from FRDA patients, compared with controls and related carriers. Cells were studied both before and after in vitro treatment with compounds that increase frataxin levels. Quantitative real-time PCR and additional microarrays were used to confirm a core set of genes in multiple independent series

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

SUBMITTER: Giovanni Coppola

PROVIDER: E-GEOD-30933 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress

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Project description:Friedreich's Ataxia (FRDA), a rare, inherited, progressive degenerative disease, is caused by a defective expression of mitochondrial protein frataxin (FXN), due to homozygous hyper-expansion of GAA triplets in the gene which severely reduce its transcription. FXN is crucial for cell survival and its deficiency in humans critically affects viability of neurons, cardiomyocytes and pancreatic beta cells. Around two thirds of individuals with FRDA show typical manifestation of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, that can progress in heart failure and death. Except for FXN, very few genes have been correlated with ataxia and cardiac disease in FRDA. To identify other genes involved in pathogenesis of FRDA, a microarray analysis on FRDA patient's lymphoblastoid cells stably reconstituted with FXN was performed. HS-1 associated protein X-1 (HAX-1), a family of proteins playing important roles in the protection of cardiomyocytes from apoptosis, is the highest up-regulated transcript (FC=+2, p<0.0006). HAX-1 is highly expressed in heart and HAX-1 heterozygous-deficient hearts exhibit increases in infarct size. The microarray result was further assessed with qRT-PCR and western blot analysis performed on HEK293 stably transfected with empty vector or FXN-vector and lymphoblasts from FRDA patients compared to clinically unaffected heterozygous parents, confirming a strong co-expression of HAX-1 and FXN both at mRNA and protein level. Moreover, analysis of FXN and HAX-1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of FRDA patients (n=13), heterozygous parents (n=6) and non-correlated healthy controls (n=13) revealed that their expressions are correlated. The positive correlation is more significant in FRDA patients showing a cardiac disease (10/13). The positive correlation between frataxin and HAX-1 expression level suggests a potential link of HAX-1 expression to pro-survival or protective cellular pathways related to frataxin. Thus, HAX-1 may be considered a specific biomarker of cardiomyopathy in FRDA and may represent a prognostic implement in these patients. Moreover, the discovery of novel genetic "risk" or "protective" factors in cardiomyopathy is crucial to improve risk stratification strategies and to identify new therapeutic targets.

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A Gene Expression Phenotype In Lymphocytes From Friedreich’s Ataxia Patients

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