Expanded, non-coding RNAs can exhibit a deleterious gain-of-function causing human disease through abnormal interactions with RNA-binding proteins. Myotonic dystrophy (DM), the prototypical example ...of an RNA-dominant disorder, is mediated by trinucleotide repeat-containing transcripts that deregulate alternative splicing. Spliceopathy has therefore been a major focus of DM research. However, changes in gene expression, protein translation and micro-RNA metabolism may also contribute to disease pathology. The exciting finding of bidirectional transcription and non-conventional RNA translation of trinucleotide repeat sequences points to a new scenario, in which DM is not mediated by one single expanded RNA transcript, but involves multiple pathogenic elements and pathways. The study of the growing number of human diseases associated with toxic repeat-containing transcripts provides important insight into the understanding of the complex pathways of RNA toxicity. This review describes some of the recent advances in the understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind DM and other RNA-dominant disorders.
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a dominant multisystemic disorder associated with high variability of symptoms and anticipation. DM1 is caused by an unstable CTG repeat expansion that usually ...increases in successive generations and tissues. DM1 family pedigrees have shown that ∼90% and 10% of transmissions result in expansions and contractions of the CTG repeat, respectively. To date, the mechanisms of CTG repeat contraction remain poorly documented in DM1. In this report, we identified two new DM1 families with apparent contractions and no worsening of DM1 symptoms in two and three successive maternal transmissions. A new and unique CAG interruption was found in 5′ of the CTG expansion in one family, whereas multiple 5′ CCG interruptions were detected in the second family. We showed that these interruptions are associated with maternal intergenerational contractions and low somatic mosaicism in blood. By specific triplet‐prime PCR, we observed that CTG repeat changes (contractions/expansions) occur preferentially in 3′ of the interruptions for both families.
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 is a dominant multisystemic disorder caused by an unstable CTG repeat expansion that usually increases in successive generations and tissues. We described an unique CAG interruption or multiple CCG interruptions in the 5' end of the CTG repeat tract in two atypical DM1 families. We showed that these interruptions are associated with maternal intergenerational contractions and low somatic mosaicism in blood.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a multisystemic neuromuscular disease caused by an abnormal CTG repeat expansion in the 3'UTR region of the DMPK gene. In patients, the CTG repeat size varies from ...fifty to thousands CTG and usually increases across generations (intergenerational instability) and over time in tissues (somatic instability). Larger expansions are associated with more severe symptoms and a decreasing age of onset. Thus, the larger expansions are often associated with the most severe clinical form of DM1 (congenital form). Our PhD project is to identify new genetic and chemical factors reducing the number of repeats and to better understand the mechanisms underlying instability. To this end, genetic and pharmacological screenings are carried out in a HEK293 cell model allowing the rapid detection of expansions (increase in CTG repeat number) and contractions (decrease in CTG repeat number). The effects of different genes and chemical factors, selected during the screening, on the dynamics of the CTG repeat instability will be studied in a DM1 cell model. The results of our work will provide a better understanding of the mechanisms behind contractions. In addition, the identification of new pharmacological compounds promoting CTG contractions and thus reducing or even reversing the progression of disease will offer new therapeutic prospects for DM1 but also for other triplet repeat diseases.
Myotonic Dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a neuromuscular disease associated with toxic RNA containing expanded CUG repeats. The developing therapeutic approaches to DM1 target mutant RNA or correct early ...toxic events downstream of the mutant RNA. We have previously described the benefits of the correction of the GSK3β-CUGBP1 pathway in DM1 mice (
model) expressing 250 CUG repeats using the GSK3 inhibitor tideglusib (TG). Here, we show that TG treatments corrected the expression of ~17% of genes misregulated in DM1 mice, including genes involved in cell transport, development and differentiation. The expression of chloride channel 1 (
), the key trigger of myotonia in DM1, was also corrected by TG. We found that correction of the GSK3β-CUGBP1 pathway in mice expressing long CUG repeats (DMSXL model) is beneficial not only at the prenatal and postnatal stages, but also during adulthood. Using a mouse model with dysregulated CUGBP1, which mimics alterations in DM1, we showed that the dysregulated CUGBP1 contributes to the toxicity of expanded CUG repeats by changing gene expression and causing CNS abnormalities. These data show the critical role of the GSK3β-CUGBP1 pathway in DM1 muscle and in CNS pathologies, suggesting the benefits of GSK3 inhibitors in patients with different forms of DM1.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
•Myotonic dystrophy covers a huge genetic and clinical variability.•Review of the current models and literature.•Review of molecular methods and interventions.•Sharing of existing materials, models, ...protocols and data.•Consensus on next steps for an European DM consortium.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
La dystrophie myotonique de type 1 (DM1 ou maladie de Steinert) est une maladie neuromusculaire multi-systémique causée par une expansion anormale de triplets CTG instables dans la région 3’UTR du ...gène
DMPK
. Le nombre de répétitions augmente au cours des générations (instabilité intergénérationnelle) mais également avec l’âge du patient (instabilité somatique). Chez les patients, la taille des répétitions CTG est généralement corrélée à l’âge d’apparition et à la sévérité des symptômes. Ainsi, les expansions les plus grandes sont souvent associées à la forme clinique la plus grave de la DM1 (forme congénitale). Notre projet de thèse vise à identifier des nouveaux facteurs génétiques et chimiques capables de diminuer la taille des répétitions, et de mieux comprendre les mécanismes d’instabilité. Pour cela, un criblage génétique et pharmacologique est réalisé dans un modèle cellulaire HEK293 permettant de détecter rapidement les expansions (augmentation de la taille des triplets CTG) et les contractions (diminution de la taille des CTG). Les effets des différents gènes et facteurs chimiques, sélectionnés au cours du criblage, sur la dynamique de l’instabilité des triplets CTG seront étudiés dans un modèle cellulaire DM1. Les résultats de nos travaux permettront de mieux comprendre les mécanismes à l’origine des contractions. Par ailleurs, l’identification de nouveaux composés pharmacologiques susceptibles de favoriser les contractions CTG et ainsi réduire, voire inverser, la progression de la maladie, offrira de nouvelles perspectives thérapeutiques pour la DM1 mais aussi pour d’autres maladies à triplets répétés.
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a multisystemic neuromuscular disease caused by an abnormal CTG repeat expansion in the 3’UTR region of the
DMPK
gene. In patients, the CTG repeat size varies from fifty to thousands CTG and usually increases across generations (intergenerational instability) and over time in tissues (somatic instability). Larger expansions are associated with more severe symptoms and a decreasing age of onset. Thus, the larger expansions are often associated with the most severe clinical form of DM1 (congenital form).
Our PhD project is to identify new genetic and chemical factors reducing the number of repeats and to better understand the mechanisms underlying instability. To this end, genetic and pharmacological screenings are carried out in a HEK293 cell model allowing the rapid detection of expansions (increase in CTG repeat number) and contractions (decrease in CTG repeat number). The effects of different genes and chemical factors, selected during the screening, on the dynamics of the CTG repeat instability will be studied in a DM1 cell model. The results of our work will provide a better understanding of the mechanisms behind contractions. In addition, the identification of new pharmacological compounds promoting CTG contractions and thus reducing or even reversing the progression of disease will offer new therapeutic prospects for DM1 but also for other triplet repeat diseases.
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a dominantly inherited neuromuscular disease caused by the abnormal expansion of CTG-repeats in the 3'-untranslated region of the Dystrophia Myotonica Protein ...Kinase (DMPK) gene, characterized by multisystemic symptoms including muscle weakness, myotonia, cardio-respiratory problems, hypersomnia, cognitive dysfunction and behavioral abnormalities. Sleep-related disturbances are among the most reported symptoms that negatively affect the quality of life of patients and that are present in early and adult-onset forms of the disease. DMSXL mice carry a mutated human
transgene containing >1,000 CTGrepeats, modeling an early onset, severe form of DM1. They exhibit a pathologic neuromuscular phenotype and also synaptic dysfunction resulting in neurological and behavioral deficits similar to those observed in patients. Additionally, they are underweight with a very high mortality within the first month after birth presenting several welfare issues. To specifically explore sleep/rest-related behaviors of this frail DM1 mouse model we used an automated home cage-based system that allows 24/7 monitoring of their activity non-invasively. We tested male and female DMSXL mice and their wild-type (WT) littermates in Digital Ventilated Cages (DVCR) assessing activity and rest parameters on day and night for 5 weeks. We demonstrated that DMSXL mice show reduced activity and regularity disruption index (RDI), higher percentage of zero activity per each hour and longer periods of rest during the active phase compared to WT. This novel rest-related phenotype in DMSXL mice, assessed unobtrusively, could be valuable to further explore mechanisms and potential therapeutic interventions to alleviate the very common symptom of excessive daytime sleepiness in DM1 patients.
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a multisystemic genetic disorder caused by the increased number of CTG repeats in 3' UTR of
gene. DM1 patients experience conduction abnormalities as well as atrial ...and ventricular arrhythmias with increased susceptibility to sudden cardiac death. The ionic basis of these electrical abnormalities is poorly understood.
We evaluated the surface electrocardiogram (ECG) and key ion currents underlying the action potential (AP) in a mouse model of DM1, DMSXL, which express over 1000 CTG repeats. Sodium current (I
), L-type calcium current (I
), transient outward potassium current (I
), and APs were recorded using the patch-clamp technique.
Arrhythmic events on the ECG including sinus bradycardia, conduction defects, and premature ventricular and atrial arrhythmias were observed in DMSXL homozygous mice but not in WT mice. PR interval shortening was observed in homozygous mice while ECG parameters such as QRS duration, and QTc did not change. Further, flecainide prolonged PR, QRS, and QTc visually in DMSXL homozygous mice. At the single ventricular myocyte level, we observed a reduced current density for I
and I
with a positive shift in steady state activation of L-type calcium channels carrying I
in DMSXL homozygous mice compared with WT mice. I
densities and action potential duration did not change between DMSXL and WT mice.
The reduced current densities of I
, and I
and alterations in gating properties in L-type calcium channels may contribute to the ECG abnormalities in the DMSXL mouse model of DM1. These findings open new avenues for novel targeted therapeutics.
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 is a complex multisystemic inherited disorder, which displays multiple debilitating neurological manifestations. Despite recent progress in the understanding of the ...molecular pathogenesis of myotonic dystrophy type 1 in skeletal muscle and heart, the pathways affected in the central nervous system are largely unknown. To address this question, we studied the only transgenic mouse line expressing CTG trinucleotide repeats in the central nervous system. These mice recreate molecular features of RNA toxicity, such as RNA foci accumulation and missplicing. They exhibit relevant behavioural and cognitive phenotypes, deficits in short-term synaptic plasticity, as well as changes in neurochemical levels. In the search for disease intermediates affected by disease mutation, a global proteomics approach revealed RAB3A upregulation and synapsin I hyperphosphorylation in the central nervous system of transgenic mice, transfected cells and post-mortem brains of patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1. These protein defects were associated with electrophysiological and behavioural deficits in mice and altered spontaneous neurosecretion in cell culture. Taking advantage of a relevant transgenic mouse of a complex human disease, we found a novel connection between physiological phenotypes and synaptic protein dysregulation, indicative of synaptic dysfunction in myotonic dystrophy type 1 brain pathology.
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