scholarly journals Hypomorphic and hypermorphic mouse models of Fsip2 indicate its dosage-dependent roles in sperm tail and acrosome formation

Development ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 148 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiang Fang ◽  
Yaser Gamallat ◽  
Zhiheng Chen ◽  
Hanran Mai ◽  
Pei Zhou ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Loss-of-function mutations in multiple morphological abnormalities of the sperm flagella (MMAF)-associated genes lead to decreased sperm motility and impaired male fertility. As an MMAF gene, the function of fibrous sheath-interacting protein 2 (FSIP2) remains largely unknown. In this work, we identified a homozygous truncating mutation of FSIP2 in an infertile patient. Accordingly, we constructed a knock-in (KI) mouse model with this mutation. In parallel, we established an Fsip2 overexpression (OE) mouse model. Remarkably, KI mice presented with the typical MMAF phenotype, whereas OE mice showed no gross anomaly except for sperm tails with increased length. Single-cell RNA sequencing of the testes uncovered altered expression of genes related to sperm flagellum, acrosomal vesicle and spermatid development. We confirmed the expression of Fsip2 at the acrosome and the physical interaction of this gene with Acrv1, an acrosomal marker. Proteomic analysis of the testes revealed changes in proteins sited at the fibrous sheath, mitochondrial sheath and acrosomal vesicle. We also pinpointed the crucial motifs of Fsip2 that are evolutionarily conserved in species with internal fertilization. Thus, this work reveals the dosage-dependent roles of Fsip2 in sperm tail and acrosome formation.

Antioxidants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 357
Author(s):  
Mojca Trstenjak Prebanda ◽  
Petra Matjan-Štefin ◽  
Boris Turk ◽  
Nataša Kopitar-Jerala

Stefin B (cystatin B) is an inhibitor of endo-lysosomal cysteine cathepsin, and the loss-of-function mutations in the stefin B gene were reported in patients with Unverricht–Lundborg disease (EPM1), a form of progressive myoclonus epilepsy. Stefin B-deficient mice, a mouse model of the disease, display key features of EPM1, including myoclonic seizures. Although the underlying mechanism is not yet completely clear, it was reported that the impaired redox homeostasis and inflammation in the brain contribute to the progression of the disease. In the present study, we investigated if lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-triggered neuroinflammation affected the protein levels of redox-sensitive proteins: thioredoxin (Trx1), thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), peroxiredoxins (Prxs) in brain and cerebella of stefin B-deficient mice. LPS challenge was found to result in a marked elevation of Trx1 and TrxR in the brain and cerebella of stefin B deficient mice, while Prx1 was upregulated only in cerebella after LPS challenge. Mitochondrial peroxiredoxin 3 (Prx3), was upregulated also in the cerebellar tissue lysates prepared from unchallenged stefin B deficient mice, while after LPS challenge Prx3 was upregulated in stefin B deficient brain and cerebella. Our results imply the role of oxidative stress in the progression of the disease.


Genes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 520
Author(s):  
Wenfeng Nie ◽  
Jinyu Wang

As essential structural components of ATP-dependent chromatin-remodeling complex, the nucleolus-localized actin-related proteins (ARPs) play critical roles in many biological processes. Among them, ARP4 is identified as an integral subunit of chromatin remodeling complex SWR1, which is conserved in yeast, humans and plants. It was shown that RNAi mediated knock-down of Arabidopsis thaliana ARP4 (AtARP4) could affect plant development, specifically, leading to early flowering. However, so far, little is known about how ARP4 functions in the SWR1 complex in plant. Here, we identified a loss-of-function mutant of AtARP4 with a single nucleotide change from glycine to arginine, which had significantly smaller leaf size. The results from the split luciferase complementation imaging (LCI) and yeast two hybrid (Y2H) assays confirmed its physical interaction with the scaffold and catalytic subunit of SWR1 complex, photoperiod-independent early flowering 1 (PIE1). Furthermore, mutation of AtARP4 caused altered transcription response of hundreds of genes, in which the number of up-regulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) was much larger than those down-regulated. Although most DEGs in atarp4 are related to plant defense and response to hormones such as salicylic acid, overall, it has less overlapping with other swr1 mutants and the hta9 hta11 double-mutant. In conclusion, our results reveal that AtARP4 is important for plant growth and such an effect is likely attributed to its repression on gene expression, typically at defense-related loci, thus providing some evidence for the coordination of plant growth and defense, while the regulatory patterns and mechanisms are distinctive from other SWR1 complex components.


Author(s):  
Daan H. H. M. Viering ◽  
Anneke P. Bech ◽  
Jeroen H. F. de Baaij ◽  
Eric J. Steenbergen ◽  
A. H. Jan Danser ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundGenetic loss of function ofAGT(angiotensinogen),REN(renin),ACE(angiotensin-converting enzyme), orAGTR1(type-1 angiotensin II receptor) leads to renal tubular dysgenesis (RTD). This syndrome is almost invariably lethal. Most surviving patients reach stage 5 chronic kidney disease at a young age.MethodsHere, we report a 28-year-old male with a homozygous truncating mutation inAGTR1(p.Arg216*), who survived the perinatal period with a mildly impaired kidney function. In contrast to classic RTD, kidney biopsy showed proximal tubules that were mostly normal. During the subsequent three decades, we observed evidence of both tubular dysfunction (hyperkalemia, metabolic acidosis, salt-wasting and a urinary concentrating defect) and glomerular dysfunction (reduced glomerular filtration rate, currently ~30 mL/min/1.73 m2, accompanied by proteinuria). To investigate the recurrent and severe hyperkalemia, we performed a patient-tailored functional test and showed that high doses of fludrocortisone induced renal potassium excretion by 155%. Furthermore, fludrocortisone lowered renal sodium excretion by 39%, which would have a mitigating effect on salt-wasting. In addition, urinary pH decreased in response to fludrocortisone. Opposite effects on urinary potassium and pH occurred with administration of amiloride, further supporting the notion that a collecting duct is present and able to react to fludrocortisone.ConclusionsThis report provides living proof that even truncating loss-of-function mutations inAGTR1are compatible with life and relatively good GFR and provides evidence for the prescription of fludrocortisone to treat hyperkalemia and salt-wasting in such patients.


2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. iii300-iii300
Author(s):  
Chen Shen ◽  
David Picketts ◽  
Oren Becher

Abstract Diffuse Intrinsic Potine Glioma (DIPG) is a rare pediatric brain tumor for which no cure or efficacious therapies exist. Previous discoveries have revealed that, DIPG harbors distinct genetic alterations, when compared with adult high-grade glioma (HGG) or even with non-DIPG pediatric HGGs. ATRX alteration is found in 9% of clinical cases of DIPG, and significantly overlaps with H3.3K27M mutation and p53 loss, the two most common genetic changes in DIPG, found in 80% and 77% clinical cases, respectively. Here we developed genetically engineered mouse model of brainstem glioma using the RCAS-Tv-a system by targeting PDGF-B overexpression, p53 loss, H3.3K27M mutation and ATRX loss-of function to Nestin-expression brainstem progenitor cells of the neonatal mouse. Specifically, we used Nestin-Tv-a; p53 floxed; ATRX heterozygous female and Nestin-Tv-a; p53 floxed; ATRX floxed male breeders, generated offsprings with ATRX loss of function (n=18), ATRX heterozygous females (n=6), and ATRX WT (n=10). Median survial of the three groups are 65 days, 88 days and 51 days, respectively. Also, ATRX null mice is lower in tumor incidence (44.4%), compared with ATRX WT (80%). We evaluated the pathological features of DIPG with or without ATRX alteration, RNA-seq is performed to identify differentially expressed genes between ATRX WT and loss-of-function. In conclution, this study generated the first genetically modified mouse model studying ATRX loss-of-function in DIPG, and suggested that ATRX loss-of-function in DIPG may slow down tumorigenesis and decrease tumor incidence.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 1882
Author(s):  
Abdelrahman M. Elsayed ◽  
Emine Bayraktar ◽  
Paola Amero ◽  
Salama A. Salama ◽  
Abdelaziz H. Abdelaziz ◽  
...  

Many long noncoding RNAs have been implicated in tumorigenesis and chemoresistance; however, the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. We investigated the role of PRKAR1B-AS2 long noncoding RNA in ovarian cancer (OC) and chemoresistance and identified potential downstream molecular circuitry underlying its action. Analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas OC dataset, in vitro experiments, proteomic analysis, and a xenograft OC mouse model were implemented. Our findings indicated that overexpression of PRKAR1B-AS2 is negatively correlated with overall survival in OC patients. Furthermore, PRKAR1B-AS2 knockdown-attenuated proliferation, migration, and invasion of OC cells and ameliorated cisplatin and alpelisib resistance in vitro. In proteomic analysis, silencing PRKAR1B-AS2 markedly inhibited protein expression of PI3K-110α and abrogated the phosphorylation of PDK1, AKT, and mTOR, with no significant effect on PTEN. The RNA immunoprecipitation detected a physical interaction between PRKAR1B-AS2 and PI3K-110α. Moreover, PRKAR1B-AS2 knockdown by systemic administration of 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine nanoparticles loaded with PRKAR1B-AS2–specific small interfering RNA enhanced cisplatin sensitivity in a xenograft OC mouse model. In conclusion, PRKAR1B-AS2 promotes tumor growth and confers chemoresistance by modulating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Thus, targeting PRKAR1B-AS2 may represent a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of OC patients.


1990 ◽  
Vol 5 (8) ◽  
pp. 990-996 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Jassim ◽  
David Auger ◽  
Tim Oliver ◽  
John Sachs

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ridge Dershem ◽  
Raghu P.R. Metpally ◽  
Kirk Jeffreys ◽  
Sarathbabu Krishnamurthy ◽  
Diane T. Smelser ◽  
...  

AbstractMany G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) lack common variants that lead to reproducible genome-wide disease associations. Here we used rare variant approaches to assess the disease associations of 85 orphan or understudied GPCRs in an unselected cohort of 51,289 individuals. Rare loss-of-function variants, missense variants predicted to be pathogenic or likely pathogenic, and a subset of rare synonymous variants were used as independent data sets for sequence kernel association testing (SKAT). Strong, phenome-wide disease associations shared by two or more variant categories were found for 39% of the GPCRs. Validating the bioinformatics and SKAT analyses, functional characterization of rare missense and synonymous variants of GPR39, a Family A GPCR, showed altered expression and/or Zn2+-mediated signaling for members of both variant classes. Results support the utility of rare variant analyses for identifying disease associations for genes that lack common variants, while also highlighting the functional importance of rare synonymous variants.Author summaryRare variant approaches have emerged as a viable way to identify disease associations for genes without clinically important common variants. Rare synonymous variants are generally considered benign. We demonstrate that rare synonymous variants represent a potentially important dataset for deriving disease associations, here applied to analysis of a set of orphan or understudied GPCRs. Synonymous variants yielded disease associations in common with loss-of-function or missense variants in the same gene. We rationalize their associations with disease by confirming their impact on expression and agonist activation of a representative example, GPR39. This study highlights the importance of rare synonymous variants in human physiology, and argues for their routine inclusion in any comprehensive analysis of genomic variants as potential causes of disease.


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