Decreasing Mutant ATXN1 Nuclear Localization Improves a Spectrum of SCA1-Like Phenotypes and Brain Region Transcriptomic Profiles
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ABSTRACT: Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) is a dominant trinucleotide repeat neurodegenerative disease characterized by motor dysfunction, cognitive impairment, and premature death. Degeneration of cerebellar Purkinje cells is a frequent and prominent pathological feature of SCA1. We previously showed that transport of ATXN1 to Purkinje cell nuclei is required for pathology, where mutant ATXN1 alters transcription. To examine the role of ATXN1 nuclear localization broadly in SCA1-like disease pathogenesis, CRISPR-Cas9 was used to develop a mouse with an amino acid alteration (K772T) in the nuclear localization sequence of the expanded ATXN1 protein. Characterization of these mice indicates proper nuclear localization of mutant ATXN1 contributes to many disease-like phenotypes including motor dysfunction, cognitive deficits, and premature lethality. RNA sequencing analysis of genes with expression corrected to WT levels in Atxn1175QK772T/2Q mice indicates that transcriptomic aspects of SCA1 pathogenesis differ between the cerebellum, brainstem, cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and striatum.
Project description:RNA-targeting approaches have improved disease symptoms in preclinical rodent models of several neurological diseases. Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) is a dominantly inherited ataxia caused by expansion of a polyglutamine tract in the encoded protein Ataxin-1 (ATXN1). Despite advances in understanding this CAG repeat/polyglutamine expansion disease, there are still no therapies to alter its progressive fatal course. Here we investigate the therapeutic capability of an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) targeting mouse Atxn1 in Atxn 1 154Q/2Q knockin mice that manifest motor deficits and premature lethality. Following a single ASO treatment at 5 weeks of age, mice demonstrated rescue of these disease-associated phenotypes. In addition, RNA-seq on vehicle-treated Atxn1 154Q/2Q and ASO-treated Atxn1 154Q/2Q mice were used to demonstrate molecular differences between SCA1 pathogenesis in the cerebellum that underlies ataxia with disease in the medulla associated with lethality. Together, these findings support the efficacy and therapeutic importance of directly targeting ATXN1 expression as a strategy to rescue both motor deficits and lethality seen in SCA1.
Project description:Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) is a polyglutamine (polyQ) repeat neurodegenerative disease in which a primary site of pathogenesis are cerebellar Purkinje cells. In addition to polyQ expansion of ataxin-1 protein (ATXN1), phosphorylation of ATXN1 at the serine 776 residue (ATXN1-pS776) plays a significant role in protein toxicity. Utilizing a biochemical approach, pharmacological agents and cell-based assays, including SCA1 patient iPSC-derived neurons, we examine the role of Protein Kinase A (PKA) as an effector of ATXN1-S776 phosphorylation. We further examine the implications of PKA-mediated phosphorylation at ATXN1-S776 on SCA1 through genetic manipulation of the PKA catalytic subunit Cα in Pcp2-ATXN1[82Q] mice. Here we show that pharmacologic inhibition of S776 phosphorylation in transfected cells and SCA1 patient iPSC-derived neuronal cells lead to a decrease in ATXN1. In vivo, reduction of PKA-mediated ATXN1-pS776 results in enhanced degradation of ATXN1 and improved cerebellar-dependent motor performance. These results provide evidence that PKA is a biologically important kinase for ATXN1-pS776 in cerebellar Purkinje cells.
Project description:Spinocerebellar Ataxias (SCAs) are a group of genetic diseases characterized by progressive ataxia and neurodegeneration, often in cerebellar Purkinje neurons. A SCA1 mouse model, Pcp2-ATXN1[30Q]D776, has severe ataxia in absence of progressive Purkinje neuron degeneration and death. Previous RNA-seq analyses identified cerebellar up-regulation of the peptide hormone Cholecystokinin (Cck) in Pcp2-ATXN1[30Q]D776 mice. Importantly, absence of Cck1 receptor (Cck1R) in Pcp2-ATXN1[30Q]D776 mice confers a progressive disease with Purkinje neuron death. A Cck1R agonist, A71623 administered to Pcp2-ATXN1[30Q]D776;Cck-/- and Pcp2-AXTN1[82Q] mice dampened Purkinje neuron pathology and associated deficits in motor performance. In addition, A71623 administration improved motor performance of Pcp2-ATXN2[127Q] SCA2 mice. Moreover, the Cck1R agonist A71623 corrected mTORC1 signaling and improved expression of calbindin in cerebella of AXTN1[82Q] and ATXN2[127Q] mice. These results indicate that manipulation of the Cck-Cck1R pathway is a potential therapeutic target for treatment of diseases involving Purkinje neuron degeneration.
Project description:Mutant ataxin-1 (Atxn1), which causes spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1), binds to and impairs the function of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a critical nuclear protein that regulates DNA architectural changes essential for DNA damage repair and transcription. In this study, we established that transgenic or virus vector-mediated supplementation of HMGB1 ameliorates motor dysfunction and elongates lifespan in mutant Atxn1 knock-in (Atxn1-KI) mice. We identified mitochondrial DNA damage repair by HMGB1 as a novel molecular basis for this effect, in addition to the mechanisms already associated with HMGB1 function, such as nuclear DNA damage repair and nuclear transcription. The dysfunction and the improvement of mitochondrial DNA damage repair functions are tightly associated with the exacerbation and rescue, respectively, of symptoms, supporting the involvement of mitochondrial DNA quality control by HMGB1 in SCA1 pathology. Moreover, we show that the rescue of Purkinje cell dendrites and dendritic spines by HMGB1 could be downstream effects. Although extracellular HMGB1 triggers inflammation mediated by toll-like receptor and receptor for advanced glycation end products, upregulation of intracellular HMGB1 does not induce such side effects. Thus, viral delivery of HMGB1 is a candidate approach by which to modify the disease progression of SCA1 even after its onset.
Project description:Comparative analysis of cerebellar gene expression changes occurring in Sca1154Q/2Q and Sca7266Q/5Q knock-in mice Polyglutamine diseases are inherited neurodegenerative disorders caused by expansion of CAG repeats encoding a glutamine tract in the disease-causing proteins. There are nine disorders each having distinct features but also clinical and pathological similarities. In particular, spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 and type 7 (SCA1 and SCA7) patients manifest cerebellar ataxia with degeneration of Purkinje cells. To determine whether the disorders share molecular pathogenic events, we studied two mouse models of SCA1 and SCA7 that express the glutamine-expanded protein from the respective endogenous loci. We found common transcriptional changes, with down-regulation of Insulin-like growth factor binding protein 5 (Igfbp5) representing one of the most robust changes. Igfbp5 down-regulation occurred in granule neurons through a non-cell autonomous mechanism and was concomitant with activation of of the Insulin-like growth factor (IGF) pathway and the type I IGF receptor on Purkinje cells. These data define one common pathogenic response in SCA1 and SCA7 and reveal the importance of intercellular mechanisms in their pathogenesis. Given that SCA1 and SCA7 share a cerebellar degenerative phenotype, we proposed that some shared molecular changes might occur in both diseases, and that common molecular alterations could pinpoint pathways that could be targeted to modulate or monitor the pathogenesis of more than one disease. We focused on transcriptional changes because both ATXN1 and ATXN7 play roles in transcriptional regulation and transcriptional defects can be detected in early-symptomatic stages of both SCA1 and SCA7 mouse models. To test our hypothesis, we examined cerebellar gene expression patterns in SCA1 and SCA7 knock-in (KI) models--Sca1154Q/2Q and Sca7266Q/5Q mice. Keywords: comparative disesae state analysis between Sca1154Q/2Q and Sca7266Q/5Q knock-in cerebellum
Project description:Comparative analysis of cerebellar gene expression changes occurring in Sca1154Q/2Q and Sca7266Q/5Q knock-in mice; Polyglutamine diseases are inherited neurodegenerative disorders caused by expansion of CAG repeats encoding a glutamine tract in the disease-causing proteins. There are nine disorders each having distinct features but also clinical and pathological similarities. In particular, spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 and type 7 (SCA1 and SCA7) patients manifest cerebellar ataxia with degeneration of Purkinje cells. To determine whether the disorders share molecular pathogenic events, we studied two mouse models of SCA1 and SCA7 that express the glutamine-expanded protein from the respective endogenous loci. We found common transcriptional changes, with down-regulation of Insulin-like growth factor binding protein 5 (Igfbp5) representing one of the most robust changes. Igfbp5 down-regulation occurred in granule neurons through a non-cell autonomous mechanism and was concomitant with activation of of the Insulin-like growth factor (IGF) pathway and the type I IGF receptor on Purkinje cells. These data define one common pathogenic response in SCA1 and SCA7 and reveal the importance of intercellular mechanisms in their pathogenesis. Given that SCA1 and SCA7 share a cerebellar degenerative phenotype, we proposed that some shared molecular changes might occur in both diseases, and that common molecular alterations could pinpoint pathways that could be targeted to modulate or monitor the pathogenesis of more than one disease. We focused on transcriptional changes because both ATXN1 and ATXN7 play roles in transcriptional regulation and transcriptional defects can be detected in early-symptomatic stages of both SCA1 and SCA7 mouse models. To test our hypothesis, we examined cerebellar gene expression patterns in SCA1 and SCA7 knock-in (KI) models--Sca1154Q/2Q and Sca7266Q/5Q mice. Experiment Overall Design: Total cerebellar RNA samples were collected from Sca1154Q/2Q knock-in and wild type mice at the early symptomatic disease stage (4 weeks, n=3 knock-in and 3 wild type; 9-12 weeks, n=3 knock-in and 3 wild type). In parallel experiments, total cerebellar RNA samples were collected from Sca7266Q/5Q knock-in and wild type mice also at the early symptomatic disease stage (5 weeks, n=5 knock-in and 5 wild type).
Project description:Ataxin 1 (Atxn1) is a protein of unknown function associated with cerebellar neurodegeneration in spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1). SCA1 is caused by an expanded polyglutamine within Atxn1 by gain-of-function mechanisms. Lack of Atxn1 in mice triggers motor deficits in the absence of neurodegeneration or apparent neuropathological abnormalities.We extracted RNA from cerebellum of 5 Atxn1-null mice and 5 WT. Cerebellar gene expression profiles at 15 weeks of age were generated usSCA1 ing Affymetrix MOE430A arrays. Identifying the molecular pathways regulated by Atxn1 can provide insights into the early molecular mechanisms underlying neuronal dysfunction.
Project description:Dysfunction and loss of motor neurons (MNs) in the brain stem and spinal cord is hypothesized to contribute to premature lethality in spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) by affecting the swallowing and breathing. Despite the usefulness of SCA1 mouse models in studying pathogenesis, they have important limitations including species differences and extreme size of repeats in comparison to the repeat length present in adult SCA1 patients. Thus, to study early stages of SCA1 pathogenesis that have been shown to be most therapeutically effective in human cells, we have created a human motor neuron model of SCA1. We differentiated MNs patient and unaffected control-donated iPSCs to assess the effect of mutant ATXN1 on this vulnerable cell population with the goal to provide insight to human cellular pathology in this cell type and facilitate the development of therapies to limit pathogenesis in SCA1.
Project description:RNA was isolated from mouse cerebellum at 6 weeks of age in 5 different gentoypes; wild-type (WT), Atxn1_154Q/2Q (SCA1), Atxn1_154Q[S776A]/2Q (SCA1 S776A), Atxn1_154Q[S776A]/2Q[S776A] (S776A Double) and Atxn1_2Q[S776A]/2Q[S776A] (homo). After RNA isolation, RNA-seq was performed and gene expression profiles were compared between WT, SCA1, and the S776A mutants. The goal was to determine if mutating the phosphorylation site S776 in the context of spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) is protective.
Project description:SCA1, a fatal neurodegenerative disorder, is caused by a CAG expansion encoding a polyglutamine stretch in the protein ATXN1. We used RNA-seq to profile cerebellar RNA expression in ATXN1 mice, including lines with ataxia and progressive pathology and lines having ataxia in absence of Purkinje cell progressive pathology. Weighted Gene Coexpression Network Analysis of the cerebellar RNA-seq data revealed two gene networks that significantly correlated with disease, the Magenta (342 genes) and Light Yellow (35 genes) Modules. Features of the Magenta and Light Yellow Modules indicate they reflect distinctive pathways. The Magenta Module provides a description of suppressed transcriptional programs reflecting disease progression in Purkinje cells, while the Lt Yellow Module reflects other transcriptional programs activated in response to disease in Purkinje cells as well as other cerebellar cell types. We also found that up-regulation of cholecystokinin (Cck) blocked progression of Purkinje cell pathology and that loss of Cck function in mice lacking progressive disease enabled Purkinje cell pathology to progress to cell death.