Lumbar disc degeneration (LDD) is associated with both genetic and environmental factors and affects many people worldwide. A hallmark of LDD is loss of proteoglycan and water content in the nucleus pulposus of intervertebral discs. While some genetic determinants have been reported, the etiology of LDD is largely unknown. Here we report the findings from linkage and association studies on a total of 32,642 subjects consisting of 4,043 LDD cases and 28,599 control subjects. We identified carbohydrate sulfotransferase 3 (
You-Qiang Song, Tatsuki Karasugi, Kenneth M.C. Cheung, Kazuhiro Chiba, Daniel W.H. Ho, Atsushi Miyake, Patrick Y.P. Kao, Kit Ling Sze, Anita Yee, Atsushi Takahashi, Yoshiharu Kawaguchi, Yasuo Mikami, Morio Matsumoto, Daisuke Togawa, Masahiro Kanayama, Dongquan Shi, Jin Dai, Qing Jiang, Chengai Wu, Wei Tian, Na Wang, John C.Y. Leong, Keith K.D. Luk, Shea-ping Yip, Stacey S. Cherny, Junwen Wang, Stefan Mundlos, Anthi Kelempisioti, Pasi J. Eskola, Minna Männikkö, Pirkka Mäkelä, Jaro Karppinen, Marjo-Riitta Järvelin, Paul F. O’Reilly, Michiaki Kubo, Tomoatsu Kimura, Toshikazu Kubo, Yoshiaki Toyama, Hiroshi Mizuta, Kathryn S.E. Cheah, Tatsuhiko Tsunoda, Pak-Chung Sham, Shiro Ikegawa, Danny Chan
Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are common and severe eating disorders (EDs) of unknown etiology. Although genetic factors have been implicated in the psychopathology of EDs, a clear biological pathway has not been delineated. DNA from two large families affected by EDs was collected, and mutations segregating with illness were identified by whole-genome sequencing following linkage mapping or by whole-exome sequencing. In the first family, analysis of twenty members across three generations identified a rare missense mutation in the estrogen-related receptor α (
Huxing Cui, Jarrette Moore, Sunbola S. Ashimi, Brittany L. Mason, Jordan N. Drawbridge, Shizhong Han, Benjamin Hing, Abigail Matthews, Carrie J. McAdams, Benjamin W. Darbro, Andrew A. Pieper, David A. Waller, Chao Xing, Michael Lutter
Progressive osseous heteroplasia (POH) is a rare developmental disorder of heterotopic ossification (HO) caused by heterozygous inactivating germline mutations in the paternal allele of the
Dana M. Cairns, Robert J. Pignolo, Tomoya Uchimura, Tracy A. Brennan, Carter M. Lindborg, Meiqi Xu, Frederick S. Kaplan, Eileen M. Shore, Li Zeng
For most lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs) affecting the CNS, there is currently no cure. The BBB, which limits the bioavailability of drugs administered systemically, and the short half-life of lysosomal enzymes, hamper the development of effective therapies. Mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIA (MPS IIIA) is an autosomic recessive LSD caused by a deficiency in sulfamidase, a sulfatase involved in the stepwise degradation of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) heparan sulfate. Here, we demonstrate that intracerebrospinal fluid (intra-CSF) administration of serotype 9 adenoassociated viral vectors (AAV9s) encoding sulfamidase corrects both CNS and somatic pathology in MPS IIIA mice. Following vector administration, enzymatic activity increased throughout the brain and in serum, leading to whole body correction of GAG accumulation and lysosomal pathology, normalization of behavioral deficits, and prolonged survival. To test this strategy in a larger animal, we treated beagle dogs using intracisternal or intracerebroventricular delivery. Administration of sulfamidase-encoding AAV9 resulted in transgenic expression throughout the CNS and liver and increased sulfamidase activity in CSF. High-titer serum antibodies against AAV9 only partially blocked CSF-mediated gene transfer to the brains of dogs. Consistently, anti-AAV antibody titers were lower in CSF than in serum collected from healthy and MPS IIIA–affected children. These results support the clinical translation of this approach for the treatment of MPS IIIA and other LSDs with CNS involvement.
Virginia Haurigot, Sara Marcó, Albert Ribera, Miguel Garcia, Albert Ruzo, Pilar Villacampa, Eduard Ayuso, Sònia Añor, Anna Andaluz, Mercedes Pineda, Gemma García-Fructuoso, Maria Molas, Luca Maggioni, Sergio Muñoz, Sandra Motas, Jesús Ruberte, Federico Mingozzi, Martí Pumarola, Fatima Bosch
The DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs; encoded by
Lisa Woodbine, Jessica A. Neal, Nanda-Kumar Sasi, Mayuko Shimada, Karen Deem, Helen Coleman, William B. Dobyns, Tomoo Ogi, Katheryn Meek, E. Graham Davies, Penny A. Jeggo
The identification of a gain-of-function mutation in
Kapil V. Ramachandran, Jessica A. Hennessey, Adam S. Barnett, Xinhe Yin, Harriett A. Stadt, Erika Foster, Raj A. Shah, Masayuki Yazawa, Ricardo E. Dolmetsch, Margaret L. Kirby, Geoffrey S. Pitt
Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors are attractive for gene delivery-based therapeutics, but data from recent clinical trials have indicated that AAV capsids induce a cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response that eliminates transduced cells. In this study, we used traditional pharmacological agents and AAV mutants to elucidate the pathway of capsid cross-presentation in AAV-permissive cells. Endosomal acidification inhibitors blocked AAV2 antigen presentation by over 90%, while proteasome inhibitors completely abrogated antigen presentation. Using mutant viruses that are defective for nuclear entry, we observed a 90% decrease in capsid antigen presentation. Different antigen presentation efficiencies were achieved by selectively mutating virion nuclear localization signals. Low antigen presentation was demonstrated with basic region 1 (BR1) mutants, despite relatively high transduction efficiency, whereas there was no difference in antigen presentation between BR2 and BR3 mutants defective for transduction, as compared with wild-type AAV2. These results suggest that effective AAV2 capsid antigen presentation is dependent on AAV virion escape from the endosome/lysosome for antigen degradation by proteasomes, but is independent of nuclear uncoating. These results should facilitate the design of effective strategies to evade capsid-specific CTL-mediated elimination of AAV-transduced target cells in future clinical trials.
Chengwen Li, Yi He, Sarah Nicolson, Matt Hirsch, Marc S. Weinberg, Ping Zhang, Tal Kafri, R. Jude Samulski
Ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) is an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by radiosensitivity, genomic instability, and predisposition to cancer. A-T is caused by biallelic mutations in the ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (
Andrea Prodosmo, Andrea De Amicis, Cecilia Nisticò, Mario Gabriele, Giuliana Di Rocco, Laura Monteonofrio, Maria Piane, Enrico Cundari, Luciana Chessa, Silvia Soddu
Congenital diarrheal disorders (CDDs) are a collection of rare, heterogeneous enteropathies with early onset and often severe outcomes. Here, we report a family of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, with 2 out of 3 children affected by CDD. Both affected children presented 3 days after birth with severe, intractable diarrhea. One child died from complications at age 17 months. The second child showed marked improvement, with resolution of most symptoms at 10 to 12 months of age. Using exome sequencing, we identified a rare splice site mutation in the DGAT1 gene and found that both affected children were homozygous carriers. Molecular analysis of the mutant allele indicated a total loss of function, with no detectable DGAT1 protein or activity produced. The precise cause of diarrhea is unknown, but we speculate that it relates to abnormal fat absorption and buildup of DGAT substrates in the intestinal mucosa. Our results identify DGAT1 loss-of-function mutations as a rare cause of CDDs. These findings prompt concern for DGAT1 inhibition in humans, which is being assessed for treating metabolic and other diseases.
Joel T. Haas, Harland S. Winter, Elaine Lim, Andrew Kirby, Brendan Blumenstiel, Matthew DeFelice, Stacey Gabriel, David Branski, Carrie A. Grueter, Mauro S. Toporovski, Tobias C. Walther, Mark J. Daly, Robert V. Farese Jr.
l-DOPA–induced dyskinesia (LID), a detrimental consequence of dopamine replacement therapy for Parkinson’s disease, is associated with an alteration in dopamine D1 receptor (D1R) and glutamate receptor interactions. We hypothesized that the synaptic scaffolding protein PSD-95 plays a pivotal role in this process, as it interacts with D1R, regulates its trafficking and function, and is overexpressed in LID. Here, we demonstrate in rat and macaque models that disrupting the interaction between D1R and PSD-95 in the striatum reduces LID development and severity. Single quantum dot imaging revealed that this benefit was achieved primarily by destabilizing D1R localization, via increased lateral diffusion followed by increased internalization and diminished surface expression. These findings indicate that altering D1R trafficking via synapse-associated scaffolding proteins may be useful in the treatment of dyskinesia in Parkinson’s patients.
Gregory Porras, Amandine Berthet, Benjamin Dehay, Qin Li, Laurent Ladepeche, Elisabeth Normand, Sandra Dovero, Audrey Martinez, Evelyne Doudnikoff, Marie-Laure Martin-Négrier, Qin Chuan, Bertrand Bloch, Daniel Choquet, Eric Boué-Grabot, Laurent Groc, Erwan Bezard