scholarly journals Genome-Encoded Cytoplasmic Double-Stranded RNAs, Found in C9ORF72 ALS-FTD Brain, Provoke Propagated Neuronal Death

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Rodriguez ◽  
Benjamin R. Schrank ◽  
Asli Sahin ◽  
Hawra Al-Lawati ◽  
Isabel Costantino ◽  
...  

SUMMARYInnate immune signaling activation and DNA damage are pathological hallmarks of aging that may herald multiple adult-onset neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we report that both cell autonomous and non-autonomous neuronal death are triggered by the production of cytoplasmic double-stranded RNA (cdsRNA) from a regulated, disarticulated transgene in the setting of type I interferon (IFN-I) signaling. CdsRNA is a pathogen associated molecular pattern that induces IFN-I in many cell types. Transfection of a dsRNA mimetic into cultured human neurons also induces IFN-I signaling and cell death in a dose-dependent manner. Direct relevance to human disease is found in neurons of ALS-FTD patients carrying C9ORF72 intronic hexanucleotide expansions; cdsRNA isolated from these tissues is comprised of repeat sequences. Together, these findings implicate cdsRNA generated from genomic sequences in neurons as a trigger for sterile, viral-mimetic IFN-I induction and propagated neuronal death within in a neural circuit in the aging nervous system.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Benedict Tanudjojo ◽  
Samiha S. Shaikh ◽  
Alexis Fenyi ◽  
Luc Bousset ◽  
Devika Agarwal ◽  
...  

Abstractα-Synuclein is critical in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease and related disorders, yet it remains unclear how its aggregation causes degeneration of human dopaminergic neurons. In this study, we induced α-synuclein aggregation in human iPSC-derived dopaminergic neurons using fibrils generated de novo or amplified in the presence of brain homogenates from Parkinson’s disease or multiple system atrophy. Increased α-synuclein monomer levels promote seeded aggregation in a dose and time-dependent manner, which is associated with a further increase in α-synuclein gene expression. Progressive neuronal death is observed with brain-amplified fibrils and reversed by reduction of intraneuronal α-synuclein abundance. We identified 56 proteins differentially interacting with aggregates triggered by brain-amplified fibrils, including evasion of Parkinson’s disease-associated deglycase DJ-1. Knockout of DJ-1 in iPSC-derived dopaminergic neurons enhance fibril-induced aggregation and neuronal death. Taken together, our results show that the toxicity of α-synuclein strains depends on aggregate burden, which is determined by monomer levels and conformation which dictates differential interactomes. Our study demonstrates how Parkinson’s disease-associated genes influence the phenotypic manifestation of strains in human neurons.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean Matthew McCauley ◽  
Kyusik Kim ◽  
Anetta Nowosielska ◽  
Ann Dauphin ◽  
Leonid Yurkovetskiy ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTHIV-1-infected people who take drugs that suppress viremia to undetectable levels are protected from developing AIDS. Nonetheless, these individuals have chronic inflammation associated with heightened risk of cardiovascular pathology. HIV-1 establishes proviruses in long-lived CD4+memory T cells, and perhaps other cell types, that preclude elimination of the virus even after years of continuous antiviral therapy. Though the majority of proviruses that persist during antiviral therapy are defective for production of infectious virions, many are expressed, raising the possibility that the HIV-1provirus or its transcripts contribute to ongoing inflammation. Here we found that the HIV-1 provirus activated innate immune signaling in isolated dendritic cells, macrophages, and CD4+T cells. Immune activation required transcription from the HIV-1 provirus and expression of CRM1-dependent, Rev-dependent, RRE-containing, unspliced HIV-1 RNA. Ifrevwas providedin trans, all HIV-1 coding sequences were dispensable for activation except thosecis-acting sequences required for replication or splicing. These results indicate that the complex, post-transcriptional regulation intrinsic to HIV-1 RNA is detected by the innate immune system as a danger signal, and that drugs which disrupt HIV-1 transcription or HIV-1 RNA metabolism would add qualitative benefit to current antiviral drug regimens.


2008 ◽  
Vol 2008 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Serban Iren Andreea ◽  
Costache Marieta ◽  
Dinischiotu Anca

In the dermis, fibroblasts play an important role in the turnover of the dermal extracellular matrix. Collagen I and III, the most important dermal proteins of the extracellular matrix, are progressively altered during ageing and diabetes. For mimicking diabetic conditions, the cultured human dermal fibroblasts were incubated with increasing amounts of AGE-modified BSA andD-glucose for 24 hours. The expression of procollagenα2(I) and procollagenα1(III) mRNA was analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR. Our data revealed that the treatment of fibroblasts with AGE-modified BSA upregulated the expression of procollagenα2(I) and procollagenα1(III) mRNA in a dose-dependent manner. High glucose levels mildly induced a profibrogenic pattern, increasing the procollagenα2(I) mRNA expression whereas there was a downregulation tendency of procollagenα1(III) mRNA.


Cells ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 1205
Author(s):  
Tianhong Chen ◽  
Wenjuan Zhang ◽  
Bo Huang ◽  
Xuan Chen ◽  
Cao Huang

Mutations of Ubiquilin 2 (UBQLN2) or TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) are associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal degeneration (ALS/FTD). However, the mechanisms whereby UBQLN2 or TBK1 mutations lead to ALS and FTD remain unclear. Here, we explored the effect of UBQLN2 on TBK1 in HEK-293T cells or in CRISPR–Cas9-mediated IRF3 and IRF7 knockout (KO) cells. We found an interaction between TBK1 and UBQLN2, which was affected by ALS/FTD-linked mutations in TBK1 or UBQLN2. Co-expression of UBQLN2 with TBK1 elevated the protein level of TBK1 as well as the phosphorylation of TBK1 and IRF3 in a UBQLN2 dose-dependent manner, and this phosphorylation was reduced by mutant UBQLN2. In addition, the cellular production of IFN1 and related pro-inflammatory cytokines was substantially elevated when UBQLN2 and TBK1 were co-expressed, which was also decreased by mutant UBQLN2. Functional assay revealed that mutant UBQLN2 significantly reduced the binding affinity of TBK1 for its partners, including IRF3, (SQSTM1)/p62 and optineurin (OPTN). Moreover, complete loss of IRF3 abolished the induction of IFN1 and related pro-inflammatory cytokines enhanced by UBQLN2 in HEK-293T cells, whereas no significant change in IRF7 knockout cells was observed. Thus, our findings suggest that UBQLN2 promotes IRF3 phosphorylation via TBK1, leading to enhanced IFN1 induction, and also imply that the dysregulated TBK1-IRF3 pathway may play a role in UBQLN2-related neurodegeneration.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Li-Hua Mu ◽  
Li-Hua Wang ◽  
Teng-Fei Yu ◽  
Yu-Ning Wang ◽  
Hong Yan ◽  
...  

Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) are associated with poor patient survival because of the absence of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) expressions. Our previous studies have shown that the triterpenoid saponin AG8 from Ardisia gigantifolia stapf. inhibits the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells. In this study, the effects of AG8 were further analyzed in different TNBC cell types: MDA-MB-231, BT-549, and MDA-MB-157 cells. AG8 inhibited the viability of MDA-MB-231, BT-549, and MDA-MB-157 cells in a dose-dependent manner and showed stronger cytotoxicity to African American (AA) and mesenchymal (M) subtypes than Caucasian (CA) and mesenchymal stem-like (MSL) subtypes, respectively. AG8 impaired the uptake of MitoTracker Red CMXRos by the mitochondria of TNBC cells in a dose-dependent manner, and this was recovered by N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC). AG8 affected GSH, SOD, and MDA levels of TNBC cells, but different TNBC subtypes had different sensitivities to AG8 and NAC. In addition, we found that AG8 increased the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and the levels of cytoplasmic cytochrome c and significantly decreased phosphorylation of ERK and AKT in BT549 and MDA-MB-157 cells. AG8 elicited its anticancer effects through ROS generation, ERK and AKT activation, and by triggering mitochondrial apoptotic pathways in TNBC cells. AG8 had selective cytotoxic effects against the AA and M TNBC subtypes and markedly induced MDA-MB-157 (AA subtype) cell apoptosis through pathways that were not associated with ROS, which was different from the other two subtypes. The underlying mechanisms should be further investigated.


2011 ◽  
Vol 286 (12) ◽  
pp. 10568-10580 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong-Kang Yang ◽  
Hong Qu ◽  
Dong Gao ◽  
Wei Di ◽  
Hai-Wei Chen ◽  
...  

Retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) recognizes RNA virus-derived nucleic acids, which leads to the production of type I interferon (IFN) in most cell types. Tight regulation of RIG-I activity is important to prevent ultra-immune responses. In this study, we identified an ARF-like (ARL) family member, ARL16, as a protein that interacts with RIG-I. Overexpression of ARL16, but not its homologous proteins ARL1 and ARF1, inhibited RIG-I-mediated downstream signaling and antiviral activity. Knockdown of endogenous ARL16 by RNAi potentiated Sendai virus-induced IFN-β expression and vesicular stomatitis virus replication. ARL16 interacted with the C-terminal domain (CTD) of RIG-I to suppress the association between RIG-I and RNA. ARL16 (T37N) and ARL16Δ45–54, which were restricted to the GTP-disassociated form, did not interact with RIG-I and also lost the inhibitory function. Furthermore, we suggest that endogenous ARL16 changes to GTP binding status upon viral infection and binds with the RIG-I CTD to negatively control its signaling activity. These findings suggested a novel innate immune function for an ARL family member, and a GTP-dependent model in which RIG-I is regulated.


2000 ◽  
Vol 279 (2) ◽  
pp. F309-F318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joel Neugarten ◽  
Anjali Acharya ◽  
Jun Lei ◽  
Sharon Silbiger

Estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) are “designer drugs” that exert estrogen-like actions in some cells but not in others. We examined the effects of the SERMs LY-117018 (an analog of raloxifene) and tamoxifen on mesangial cells synthesis of type I and type IV collagen. We found that LY-117018 and tamoxifen suppressed mesangial cell type IV collagen gene transcription and type IV collagen protein synthesis in a dose-dependent manner, with a potency identical to that of estradiol. Type I collagen synthesis was also suppressed by LY-117018 in a dose-dependent manner with a potency identical to that of estradiol but greater than that of tamoxifen. Genistein, which selectively binds to estrogen receptor-β in nanomolar concentrations, suppressed type I and type IV collagen synthesis, suggesting that estrogen receptor-β mediates the effects of estrogen on collagen synthesis. Because matrix accumulation is central to the development of glomerulosclerosis, second-generation SERMs may prove clinically useful in ameliorating progressive renal disease without the adverse effects of estrogen on reproductive tissues.


Development ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 124 (19) ◽  
pp. 3797-3804 ◽  
Author(s):  
N.A. Armes ◽  
J.C. Smith

The TGFbeta family member activin induces different mesodermal cell types in a dose-dependent fashion in the Xenopus animal cap assay. High concentrations of activin induce dorsal and anterior cell types such as notochord and muscle, while low concentrations induce ventral and posterior tissues such as mesenchyme and mesothelium. In this paper we investigate whether this threshold phenomenon involves the differential effects of the two type I activin receptors ALK-2 and ALK-4. Injection of RNA encoding constitutively active forms of the receptors (here designated ALK-2* and ALK-4*) reveals that ALK-4* strongly induces the more posterior mesodermal marker Xbra and the dorsoanterior marker goosecoid in animal cap explants. Maximal levels of Xbra expression are attained using lower concentrations of RNA than are required for the strongest activation of goosecoid, and at the highest doses of ALK-4*, levels of Xbra transcription decrease, as is seen with high concentrations of activin. By contrast, the ALK-2* receptor activates Xbra but fails to induce goosecoid to significant levels. Analysis at later stages reveals that ALK-4* signalling induces the formation of a variety of mesodermal derivatives, including dorsal cell types, in a dose-dependent fashion, and that high levels also induce endoderm. By contrast, the ALK-2* receptor induces only ventral mesodermal markers. Consistent with these observations, ALK-4* is capable of inducing a secondary axis when injected into the ventral side of 32-cell stage embryos whilst ALK-2* cannot. Co-injection of RNAs encoding constitutively active forms of both receptors reveals that ventralising signals from ALK-2* antagonise the dorsal mesoderm-inducing signal derived from ALK-4*, suggesting that the two receptors use distinct and interfering signalling pathways. Together, these results show that although ALK-2* and ALK-4* transduce distinct signals, the threshold responses characteristic of activin cannot be due to interactions between these two pathways; rather, thresholds can be established by ALK-4* alone. Furthermore, the effects of ALK-2* signalling are at odds with it behaving as an activin receptor in the early Xenopus embryo.


1998 ◽  
Vol 274 (2) ◽  
pp. H719-H727
Author(s):  
Di Lu ◽  
Hong Yang ◽  
Mohan K. Raizada

Both central and peripheral renin-angiotensin systems (RAS) are important in the development and establishment of hypertension. Thus, introducing genes relevant to RAS into neuronal and vascular smooth muscle (VSM) cells, two major targets for angiotensin (ANG) II action, is a prerequisite in considering a gene therapy approach for the control of ANG-dependent hypertension. In this study, we explored the use of adenoviral (Ad) vector to transfer AT1 receptor antisense cDNA (AT1R-AS) into neuronal and VSM cells with the anticipation of attenuation of ANG II-mediated cellular actions. Incubation of neurons and VSM cells with viral particles containing AT1R-AS (Ad-AT1R-AS) resulted in a robust expression of AT1R-AS in a majority (∼80%) of the cells. The expression was persistent for at least 28 days and was associated with decreases in the immunoreactive AT1 receptor protein and the maximal binding for AT1 receptor in a time- and dose-dependent manner in both cell types. ANG II stimulation of [3H]thymidine incorporation in VSM cells and norepinephrine transporter gene expression in neuronal cells were attenuated by Ad-AT1R-AS infection. Uninfected cells or cells infected with adenovirus particles containing a mutant AT1 receptor sense cDNA showed no effects on either AT1 receptor or on attenuation of ANG II’s cellular affects. These observations show, for the first time, that adenovirus can be used to deliver AT1 receptor mutant sense and antisense cDNAs into two major ANG II target tissues. This consequently influences AT1 receptor-mediated cellular actions of ANG II.


Dose-Response ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 155932581987727 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hao Zhu ◽  
Yong Chen ◽  
Liang-cai Bai ◽  
Xiang-rong Cao ◽  
Rui Xu

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of melatonin on the radiosensitivity of HeLa cells. Concentration from 10 to 1000 µM of melatonin was used on HeLa cells before X-rays irradiation (IR). The cellular inactivation effect was analyzed by clonogenic assay, and cell growth was measured by MTT assay at various concentrations. Ten micrometer melatonin promoted the cell-killing effects of IR, while 1000-µM melatonin prevented IR-induced cellular inactivation. Further analysis revealed that 1000-µM melatonin protected the cells from IR-induced reactive oxygen species damage, as the oxidative stress measured by fluorescent microscopy and fluorescence-activated cell sorting using 2,7-dichlorofluorescein diacetate staining. This is further confirmed by melatonin receptor agonist, which has no antioxidant capacity. A 10-µM melatonin, on the contrary, enhanced the cell-killing effects of IR by activating c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling. c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase signaling activation was indicated by Western blot of phosphorylated JNK. We used JNK inhibitor to further confirm the involvement of JNK signaling in the cell-killing enhancement of 10-µM melatonin administration. Our results suggest the importance of dose-dependent effects in melatonin application for radiotherapy.


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