Search

Aicardi Goutières Syndrome (AGS) is an autoinflammatory disorder resulting in sustained interferon activation through defects in nucleic acid modification and sensing pathways. Thus, mRNA-based vaccination used against SARS-CoV-2, raise disease-specific safety concerns. To assess interferon signaling, we tested mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in AGS whole blood samples. Interferon activation is measured through quantitation of interferon signaling gene (ISG) expression and is increased in AGS patients. There was no increase in ISG scores from baseline following treatment with the nucleoside modified mRNA formulation compared to an increase with unmodified. A patient-family survey reported that the vaccines were well tolerated. These findings suggest that COVID vaccination using nucleoside-modified forms of mRNA vaccines are unlikely to directly stimulate ISG expression in response to mRNA internalization in AGS tissues. With continued community spread, we recommend vaccination using nucleoside-modified mRNA vaccines in this rare disease group in individuals for whom vaccines were previously well tolerated.

Aicardi-Goutières syndrome (AGS) is a monogenic type-I interferonopathy that results in neurologic injury. The systemic impact of sustained interferon activation is less well characterized. Liver inflammation is known to be associated with the neonatal form of AGS, but the incidence of AGS-related hepatitis across lifespan is unknown.We compared natural history data including liver enzyme levels with markers of inflammation, (liver-specific autoantibodies and interferon signaling gene expression[ISG] scores). Liver enzymes were classified as normal or elevated by the fold increase over the upper limit of normal (ULN). The highest increases were designated as hepatitis, defined as aspartate-aminotransferase or alanine-aminotransferase threefold ULN, or gamma-glutamyl transferase 2.5-fold ULN. A larger cohort was used to further characterize the longitudinal incidence of liver abnormalities and the association with age and genotype.Across the AGS cohort (n = 102), elevated liver enzymes were identified in 76 individuals (74.5%) with abnormalities at a level consistent with hepatitis in 29 individuals (28.4%). SAMHD1 mutations were less likely to be associated with hepatitis (log-rank test; p = 0.011). Hepatitis was associated with early-onset disease and microcephaly (log-rank test; microcephaly p = 0.0401, age onset p = 0.0355). While most subjects (n = 20/33) were found to have liver-specific autoantibodies, there was no association between the presence of autoantibodies or ISG scores with hepatitis-level enzyme elevations.In conclusion, all genotypes of AGS are associated with transient elevations of liver enzymes and the presence of liver-associated autoantibodies. This adds to our growing understanding of the systemic pathology AGS.

JAK Inhibition in the Aicardi–Goutieres Syndrome Patients with the Aicardi–Goutieres syndrome, an autosomal recessive disorder that affects the central nervous system, immune system, and skin, have...

Alexander disease results from gain of function mutations in the gene encoding glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), an intermediate filament protein expressed in astrocytes. At least eight GFAP isoforms have been described, however, the predominant alpha isoform accounts for approximately 90% of GFAP protein in the central nervous system. Here we describe exonic variants identified in three unrelated families with Type II Alexander disease that alter the splicing of GFAP pre-mRNA and result in upregulation of a previously uncharacterized GFAP lambda isoform (NM 001363846.1). Affected members of Family 1 and Family 2 shared the same missense variant, NM 001363846.1:c.1289G>A;p.(Arg430His) while in Family 3 we identified a synonymous variant in the adjacent nucleotide, NM 001363846.1:c.1290C>A;p.(Arg430Arg). Using RNA and protein analysis of brain autopsy samples, and a mini-gene splicing reporter assay, we demonstrate both variants result in upregulation of the lambda isoform. We assessed other GFAP variants in the ClinVar database for predicted aberrant splicing and using the same assay demonstrated significant changes to splicing for two selected variants. Our approach demonstrates the importance of characterizing the effect of GFAP variants on mRNA splicing in order to inform future pathophysiologic and therapeutic study for Alexander disease.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) poses threats to individuals with rare disease, in part because so little is known about the impact of COVID-19 infection and vaccination safety in rare disease populations. Of particular concern, given the overlap in disease manifestations and interferon dysregulation, are a group of heritable autoinflammatory conditions called type I interferonopathies. The most common of these, Aicardi Goutières Syndrome (AGS), is caused by altered nucleic acid metabolism and sensing, resulting in additional concerns surrounding the use of mRNA vaccination approaches. To determine whether mRNA vaccines induce an interferon response in AGS, we applied mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccines to whole blood samples and assessed internalization and interferon signaling gene expression responses to the mRNA. In all cases (11 AGS and 11 control samples), interferon signatures did not significantly increase from baseline, regardless of baricitinib treatment status in the AGS subjects, and were even decreased, when using codon optimized SARS-CoV-2 di-proline modified spike sequence (S2P). Internalization of S2P in human dendritic cells was verified by Western Blot, and in control and AGS blood cells was verified by Luciferase activity. Although numbers of tested samples in this rare disease are small, based on these findings, we suggest that COVID vaccination is unlikely to directly stimulate the interferon signaling gene expression in AGS patients via response to mRNA internalization. The in vitro nature of this study cannot exclude an exaggerated interferon response to spike protein production at a systemic level in individuals with a primary heritable interferonopathy. In the context of continued SARS-CoV-2 spread in the community, we do not recommend withholding vaccination in this rare disease group. However, we recommend that vaccinations for AGS patients are provided in a controlled setting with appropriate observation and used with caution in individuals with prior vaccine associated adverse events.

Genetic studies show that BLOC1S1 modulates mitochondrial and endosome-lysosome function (Wu et al., 2021a). Furthermore, Bloc1s1 mutations are linked to leukodystrophy (Bertoli-Avella et al., 2021). The Vanderver laboratory identified additional individuals with leukodystrophy that harbored either complex heterozygous (Bloc1s1 c.206A C and c.359G A), or homozygous (Bloc1s1 c.185 T C) point mutations. We generated induced pluripotential stem cell (iPSC) lines from these subjects, from parents of the complex heterozygous mutations patient, and from CRISPR isogenic (c.206A C and c.359G A) corrected iPSC-line. These complex heterozygous, homozygous, and isogenic-corrected Bloc1s1 lines were phenotypically normal and were capable of differentiation towards the three germ layers.

Genetic white matter disorders have heterogeneous etiologies and overlapping clinical presentations. We performed a study of the diagnostic efficacy of genome sequencing in 41 unsolved cases with prior exome sequencing, resolving an additional 14 from an historical cohort (n = 191). Reanalysis in the context of novel disease‐associated genes and improved variant curation and annotation resolved 64% of cases. The remaining diagnoses were directly attributable to genome sequencing, including cases with small and large copy number variants (CNVs) and variants in deep intronic and technically difficult regions. Genome sequencing, in combination with other methodologies, achieved a diagnostic yield of 85% in this retrospective cohort.

Leukoencephalopathy with calcifications and cysts (LCC) is a neurological syndrome recently associated with pathogenic variants in SNORD118. We report autopsy neuropathological findings from an individual with genetically confirmed LCC. Histologic studies included staining of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections by hematoxylin and eosin, elastic van Gieson, and luxol fast blue. Immunohistochemistry stains against glial fibrillary acidic protein, proteolipid protein, phosphorylated neurofilament, CD31, alpha-interferon, LN3, and inflammatory markers were performed. Gross examination revealed dark tan/gray appearing white matter with widespread calcifications. Microscopy revealed a diffuse destructive process due to a vasculopathy with secondary ischemic lesions and mineralization. The vasculopathy involved clustered small vessels, resembling vascular malformations, and sporadic lymphocytic infiltration of vessel walls. The white matter was also diffusely abnormal, with concurrent loss of myelin and axons, tissue rarefaction with multifocal cystic degeneration, and the presence of foamy macrophages, secondary calcifications, and astrogliosis. The midbrain, pons, and cerebellum were diffusely involved. It is not understood why variants in SNORD118 result in a disorder that predominantly causes neurological disease and significantly disrupts the cerebral vasculature. Clinical and radiological benefit was recently reported in an LCC patient treated with Bevacizumab; it is important that these patients are rapidly diagnosed and trial of this treatment modality is considered in appropriate circumstances.

Mutations in TUBB4A result in a spectrum of leukodystrophy including Hypomyelination with Atrophy of Basal Ganglia and Cerebellum (H-ABC), a rare hypomyelinating leukodystrophy, often associated with a recurring variant p.Asp249Asn (D249N). We have developed a novel knock-in mouse model harboring heterozygous (Tubb4aD249N/+) and the homozygous (Tubb4aD249N/D249N) mutation that recapitulate the progressive motor dysfunction with tremor, dystonia and ataxia seen in H-ABC. Tubb4aD249N/D249N mice have myelination deficits along with dramatic decrease in mature oligodendrocytes and their progenitor cells. Additionally, a significant loss occurs in the cerebellar granular neurons and striatal neurons in Tubb4aD249N/D249N mice. In vitro studies show decreased survival and dysfunction in microtubule dynamics in neurons from Tubb4aD249N/D249N mice. Thus Tubb4aD249N/D249N mice demonstrate the complex cellular physiology of H-ABC, likely due to independent effects on oligodendrocytes, striatal neurons, and cerebellar granule cells in the context of altered microtubule dynamics, with profound neurodevelopmental deficits., eLife digest Inside human and other animal cells, filaments known as microtubules help support the shape of the cell and move proteins to where they need to be. Defects in microtubules may lead to disease. For example, genetic mutations affecting a microtubule component called TUBB4A cause a rare brain disease in humans known as H-ABC. Individuals with H-ABC display many symptoms including abnormal walking, speech defects, impaired swallowing, and several cognitive defects. Abnormalities in several areas of the brain, including the cerebellum and striatum contribute to these defects. . In these structures, the neurons that carry messages around the brain and their supporting cells, known as oligodendrocytes, die, which causes these parts of the brain to gradually waste away. At this time, there are no therapies available to treat H-ABC. Furthermore, research into the disease has been hampered by the lack of a suitable “model” in mice or other laboratory animals. To address this issue, Sase, Almad et al. generated mice carrying a mutation in a gene which codes for the mouse equivalent of the human protein TUBB4A. Experiments showed that the mutant mice had similar physical symptoms to humans with H-ABC, including an abnormal walking gait, poor coordination and involuntary movements such as twitching and reduced reflexes. H-ABC mice had smaller cerebellums than normal mice, which was consistent with the wasting away of the cerebellum observed in individuals with H-ABC. The mice also lost neurons in the striatum and cerebellum, and oligodendrocytes in the brain and spinal cord. Furthermore, the mutant TUBB4A protein affected the behavior and formation of microtubules in H-ABC mice. The findings of Sase, Almad et al. provide the first mouse model that shares many features of H-ABC disease in humans. This model provides a useful tool to study the disease and develop potential new therapies.

Aicardi-Goutieres syndrome (AGS) is an early-onset, autoimmune and genetically heterogeneous disorder with severe neurologic injury. Molecular studies have established that autosomal recessive mutations in one of the following genes are causative: TREX1, RNASEH2A, RNASEH2B, RNASEH2C, SAMHD1, ADAR1 and IFIH1/MDA5. The phenotypic presentation and pathophysiology of AGS is associated with over-production of the cytokine Interferon-alpha (IFN-α) and its downstream signaling, characterized as type I interferonopathy. Astrocytes are one of the major source of IFN in the central nervous system (CNS) and it is proposed that they could be key players in AGS pathology. Astrocytes are the most ubiquitous glial cell in the CNS and perform a number of crucial and complex functions ranging from formation of blood-brain barrier, maintaining ionic homeostasis, metabolic support to synapse formation and elimination in healthy CNS. Involvement of astrocytic dysfunction in neurological diseases-Alexander's disease, Epilepsy, Alzheimer's and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)-has been well-established. It is now known that compromised astrocytic function can contribute to CNS abnormalities and severe neurodegeneration, nevertheless, its contribution in AGS is unclear. The current review discusses known molecular and cellular pathways for AGS mutations and how it stimulates IFN-α signaling. We shed light on how astrocytes might be key players in the phenotypic presentations of AGS and emphasize the cell-autonomous and non-cell-autonomous role of astrocytes. Understanding the contribution of astrocytes will help reveal mechanisms underlying interferonopathy and develop targeted astrocyte specific therapeutic treatments in AGS.

BACKGROUND: Aicardi Goutières Syndrome (AGS) is a heritable interferonopathy associated with systemic autoinflammation causing interferon (IFN) elevation, central nervous system calcifications, leukodystrophy and severe neurologic sequelae. An infant with TREX1 mutations was recently found to have abnormal C26:0 lysophosphatidylcholine (C26:0 Lyso-PC) in a newborn screening platform for X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy, prompting analysis of this analyte in retrospectively collected samples from individuals affected by AGS. METHODS: In this study, we explored C26:0 Lyso-PC levels and IFN signatures in newborn blood spots and post-natal blood samples in 19 children with a molecular and clinical diagnosis of AGS and in the blood spots of 22 healthy newborns. We used Nanostring nCounter™ for IFN-induced gene analysis and a high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC MS/MS) newborn screening platform for C26:0 Lyso-PC analysis. RESULTS: Newborn screening cards from patients across six AGS associated genes were collected, with a median disease presentation of 2months. Thirteen out of 19 (68%) children with AGS had elevations of first tier C26:0 Lyso-PC (>0.4µM), that would have resulted in a second screen being performed in a two tier screening system for X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD). The median (95%CI) of first tier C26:0 Lyso-PC values in AGS individuals (0.43µM [0.37-0.48]) was higher than that seen in controls (0.21µM [0.21-0.21]), but lower than X-ALD individuals (0.72µM [0.59-0.84])(p

Hypomyelinating leukodystrophies are heritable disorders defined by lack of development of brain myelin, but the cellular mechanisms of hypomyelination are often poorly understood. Mutations in TUBB4A, encoding the tubulin isoform tubulin beta class IVA (Tubb4a), result in the symptom complex of hypomyelination with atrophy of basal ganglia and cerebellum (H-ABC). Additionally, TUBB4A mutations are known to result in a broad phenotypic spectrum, ranging from primary dystonia (DYT4), isolated hypomyelination with spastic quadriplegia, and an infantile onset encephalopathy, suggesting multiple cell types may be involved. We present a study of the cellular effects of TUBB4A mutations responsible for H-ABC (p.Asp249Asn), DYT4 (p.Arg2Gly), a severe combined phenotype with hypomyelination and encephalopathy (p.Asn414Lys), as well as milder phenotypes causing isolated hypomyelination (p.Val255Ile and p.Arg282Pro). We used a combination of histopathological, biochemical and cellular approaches to determine how these different mutations may have variable cellular effects in neurons and/or oligodendrocytes. Our results demonstrate that specific mutations lead to either purely neuronal, combined neuronal and oligodendrocytic or purely oligodendrocytic defects that closely match their respective clinical phenotypes. Thus, the DYT4 mutation that leads to phenotypes attributable to neuronal dysfunction results in altered neuronal morphology, but with unchanged tubulin quantity and polymerization, with normal oligodendrocyte morphology and myelin gene expression. Conversely, mutations associated with isolated hypomyelination (p.Val255Ile and p.Arg282Pro) and the severe combined phenotype (p.Asn414Lys) resulted in normal neuronal morphology but were associated with altered oligodendrocyte morphology, myelin gene expression, and microtubule dysfunction. The H-ABC mutation (p.Asp249Asn) that exhibits a combined neuronal and myelin phenotype had overlapping cellular defects involving both neuronal and oligodendrocyte cell types in vitro. Only mutations causing hypomyelination phenotypes showed altered microtubule dynamics and acted through a dominant toxic gain of function mechanism. The DYT4 mutation had no impact on microtubule dynamics suggesting a distinct mechanism of action. In summary, the different clinical phenotypes associated with TUBB4A reflect the selective and specific cellular effects of the causative mutations. Cellular specificity of disease pathogenesis is relevant to developing targeted treatments for this disabling condition.

Here we report whole exome sequencing (WES) on a cohort of 71 patients with persistently unresolved white matter abnormalities with a suspected diagnosis of leukodystrophy or genetic leukoencephalopathy. WES analyses were performed on trio, or greater, family groups. Diagnostic pathogenic variants were identified in 35% (25 of 71) of patients. Potentially pathogenic variants were identified in clinically relevant genes in a further 7% (5 of 71) of cases, giving a total yield of clinical diagnoses in 42% of individuals. These findings provide evidence that WES can substantially decrease the number of unresolved white matter cases. Ann Neurol 2016;79:1031-1037.

Colony stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) plays key roles in regulating development and function of the monocyte/macrophage lineage, including microglia and osteoclasts. Mono-allelic mutations of CSF1R are known to cause hereditary diffuse leukoencephalopathy with spheroids (HDLS), an adult-onset progressive neurodegenerative disorder. Here, we report seven affected individuals from three unrelated families who had bi-allelic CSF1R mutations. In addition to early-onset HDLS-like neurological disorders, they had brain malformations and skeletal dysplasia compatible to dysosteosclerosis (DOS) or Pyle disease. We identified five CSF1R mutations that were homozygous or compound heterozygous in these affected individuals. Two of them were deep intronic mutations resulting in abnormal inclusion of intron sequences in the mRNA. Compared with Csf1r-null mice, the skeletal and neural phenotypes of the affected individuals appeared milder and variable, suggesting that at least one of the mutations in each affected individual is hypomorphic. Our results characterized a unique human skeletal phenotype caused by CSF1R deficiency and implied that bi-allelic CSF1R mutations cause a spectrum of neurological and skeletal disorders, probably depending on the residual CSF1R function.

While pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a potentially life threatening complication of many inflammatory conditions, an association between Aicardi Goutières syndrome (AGS), a rare genetic cause of interferon (IFN) overproduction, and the development of PH has not been characterized to date. We analyzed the cardiac function of individuals with AGS enrolled in the Myelin Disorders Bioregistry Project using retrospective chart review (n = 61). Additional prospective echocardiograms were obtained when possible (n = 22). An IFN signature score, a marker of systemic inflammation, was calculated through the measurement of mRNA transcripts of type I IFN-inducible genes (interferon signaling genes or ISG). Pathologic analysis was performed as available from autopsy samples. Within our cohort, four individuals were identified to be affected by PH: three with pathogenic gain-of-function mutations in the IFIH1 gene and one with heterozygous TREX1 mutations. All studied individuals with AGS were noted to have elevated IFN signature scores (Mann-Whitney p .001), with the highest levels in individuals with IFIH1 mutations (Mann-Whitney p .0001). We present clinical and histologic evidence of PH in a series of four individuals with AGS, a rare interferonopathy. Importantly, IFIH1 and TREX1 may represent a novel cause of PH. Furthermore, these findings underscore the importance of screening all individuals with AGS for PH.

Vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) is the second most prevalent type of dementia in the world. The white matter damage that characterizes the common subcortical ischemic form of VCI can be modeled by ligating both common carotid arteries in the Wistar rat to induce protracted cerebral hypoperfusion. In this model, we find that repetitive intranasal administration of recombinant E-selectin to induce mucosal tolerance and to target immunomodulation to activating blood vessels potently suppresses both white matter (and possibly gray matter) damage and markers of vessel activation (tumor necrosis factor and E-selectin); it also preserves behavioral function in T-maze spontaneous alternation, T-maze spatial discrimination memory retention, and object recognition tests. Immunomodulation may be an effective novel strategy to prevent progression of VCI.

OBJECTIVES: Aicardi-Goutières syndrome (AGS) is an autoimmune disorder that shares similarities with systemic lupus erythematous. AGS inflammatory responses specially target the cerebral white matter. However, it remains uncertain why the brain is the most affected organ, and little is known about the presence of autoantibodies in AGS. Here, we aim to profile specific autoantibodies in AGS and to determine whether these autoantibodies target cerebral epitopes.METHODS: Using a multiplex microarray, we assessed the spectrum of serum autoantibodies in 56 genetically confirmed patients with AGS. We investigated the presence of immunoglobulins in AGS brain specimens using immunohistochemistry and studied the reactivity of sera against brain epitopes with proteomics.RESULTS: Serum from patients exhibited high levels of IgGs against nuclear antigens (gP210, Nup62, PCNA, Ro/SSA, Sm/RNP complex, SS-A/SS-B), components of the basement membrane (entactin, laminin), fibrinogen IV and gliadin. Upon testing whether antibodies in AGS could be found in the central nervous system, IgGs were identified to target in vivo endothelial cells in vivo and astrocytes in brain sections of deceased patients with AGS. Using a proteomics approach, we were able to confirm that IgGs in serum samples from AGS patients bind epitopes present in the cerebral white matter.CONCLUSIONS: Patients with AGS produce a broad spectrum of autoantibodies unique from other autoimmune diseases. Some of these autoantibodies target endothelial cells and astrocytes in the brain of the affected patients, perhaps explaining the prominence of neurological disease in the AGS phenotype.

The serine-threonine protein kinase Akt has been identified as an important mediator of cell survival able to counteract apoptotic stimuli. However, hibernation, a model of natural tolerance to cerebral ischemia, is associated with downregulation of Akt. We previously established a model of ischemic tolerance in a PC12 cell line and using this model we now addressed the question whether ischemic tolerance also downregulates Akt in PC12 cells. Kinetic studies showed decreased Akt phosphorylation in tolerized cells. Similarly, phosphorylated levels of three major targets of Akt and well-known proapoptotic factors, the glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3), a Forkhead family member, FoxO4, and the protein murine double minute 2 (MDM2), all inactivated upon phosphorylation by Akt, were decreased in preconditioned cells. In addition, pharmacological blockade of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway reduced cell death induced by oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) and increased the protective effect of preconditioning (PC). Furthermore, decreasing availability of P-Akt by transfecting PC12 cells with constructs of inactive Akt also resulted in protection against OGD and potentiation of the protective effect of PC. Depending on the environment, GSK-3, FOXO-4, and MDM2 can trigger apoptotic responses or cell cycle arrest, and thus, in a situation of reduced energy, driving the cells into a state of quiescence might be neuroprotective. This work suggests that in the context of tolerance downregulation of Akt is beneficial.

Microarray analyses demonstrated that a variety of genes was affected by treatment of cerebellar granule cell neurons with the neurotrophic factor pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF). The genes for neurotrophins, glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), and their receptors were regulated differentially in immature versus mature neurons; however, nerve growth factor (NGF), neurotrophin (NT)-3, and GDNF did not contribute to the protective effect of PEDF. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) seemed capable of inducing apoptosis, because a blocking antibody enhanced the protective effect of PEDF. In addition, PEDF exposure also stimulated expression of several cytokine and chemokine genes. Removal of the less than 1% of microglia in the cultures by treatment with L-leucine methyl ester, combined with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), demonstrated that the cerebellar granule cells constitutively produce three chemokines, macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1alpha, MIP-2, and MIP-3alpha, whose production is enhanced further by treatment with PEDF. Blocking antibodies to each of the chemokines was protective under control conditions, suggesting that they may contribute to the "natural" apoptosis occurring in the cultures, and enhanced the effects of PEDF. Although PEDF enhanced production of all three chemokines, the blocking antibodies did not increase its protective effect against induced apoptosis. These results suggest that although PEDF enhances expression of other neurotrophic factors or chemokines, it does not exert its neuroprotective effect on cerebellar granule cells through their production.

The leukodystrophies are a heterogeneous, often progressive group of disorders manifesting a wide range of symptoms and complications. Most of these disorders have historically had no etiologic or disease specific therapeutic approaches. Recently, a greater understanding of the pathologic mechanisms associated with leukodystrophies has allowed clinicians and researchers to prioritize treatment strategies and advance research in therapies for specific disorders, some of which are on the verge of pilot or phase I/II clinical trials. This shifts the care of leukodystrophy patients from the management of the complex array of symptoms and sequelae alone to targeted therapeutics. The unmet needs of leukodystrophy patients still remain an overwhelming burden. While the overwhelming consensus is that these disorders collectively are symptomatically treatable, leukodystrophy patients are in need of advanced therapies and if possible, a cure.

To elucidate mechanisms of free radical-induced neuronal cell death, lipid peroxidation measured as thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), three antioxidative enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalse), and cytosolic free Ca2+ (Ca2+i) were examined in rat hippocampus-derived cells (HV16-4) exposed to free radicals generated by a hypoxanthine-xanthine oxidase system. The viability of cells decreased with an increase in numbers of free radical positive cells in a dose-dependent manner of xanthine oxidase. The protein-bound TBARS did not change, whereas free TBARS increased at 135% of initial value. No remarkable change was observed in three antioxidative enzyme activities. On the other hand, Ca2+i increased after exposure followed by cell death. Furthermore, the addition of Co2+, a nonspecific Ca2+ channel blocker, delayed the increase of Ca2+i and subsequent cell death. These findings suggested that the influx of Ca2+ played a crucial role for HV16-4 cell death induced by free radicals.

Hypomyelination with atrophy of the basal ganglia and cerebellum (H-ABC) is a rare hereditary leukoencephalopathy that was originally identified by MRI pattern analysis, and it has thus far defied all attempts at identifying the causal mutation. Only 22 cases are published in the literature to date. We performed exome sequencing on five family trios, two family quartets, and three single probands, which revealed that all eleven H-ABC-diagnosed individuals carry the same de novo single-nucleotide TUBB4A mutation resulting in nonsynonymous change p.Asp249Asn. Detailed investigation of one of the family quartets with the singular finding of an H-ABC-affected sibling pair revealed maternal mosaicism for the mutation, suggesting that rare de novo mutations that are initially phenotypically neutral in a mosaic individual can be disease causing in the subsequent generation. Modeling of TUBB4A shows that the mutation creates a nonsynonymous change at a highly conserved asparagine that sits at the intradimer interface of α-tubulin and β-tubulin, and this change might affect tubulin dimerization, microtubule polymerization, or microtubule stability. Consistent with H-ABC's clinical presentation, TUBB4A is highly expressed in neurons, and a recent report has shown that an N-terminal alteration is associated with a heritable dystonia. Together, these data demonstrate that a single de novo mutation in TUBB4A results in H-ABC. © 2013 The American Society of Human Genetics.

Leukodystrophies are a heterogeneous group of inherited neurodegenerative disorders characterized by abnormal white matter visible by brain imaging. It is estimated that at least 30% to 40% of individuals remain without a precise diagnosis despite extensive investigations. We mapped tremor-ataxia with central hypomyelination (TACH) to 10q22.3-23.1 in French-Canadian families and sequenced candidate genes within this interval. Two missense and one insertion mutations in five individuals with TACH were uncovered in POLR3A, which codes for the largest subunit of RNA polymerase III (Pol III). Because these families were mapped to the same locus as leukodystrophy with oligodontia (LO) and presented clinical and radiological overlap with individuals with hypomyelination, hypodontia and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (4H) syndrome, we sequenced this gene in nine individuals with 4H and eight with LO. In total, 14 recessive mutations were found in 19 individuals with TACH, 4H, or LO, establishing that these leukodystrophies are allelic. No individual was found to carry two nonsense mutations. Immunoblots on 4H fibroblasts and on the autopsied brain of an individual diagnosed with 4H documented a significant decrease in POLR3A levels, and there was a more significant decrease in the cerebral white matter compared to that in the cortex. Pol III has a wide set of target RNA transcripts, including all nuclear-coded tRNA. We hypothesize that the decrease in POLR3A leads to dysregulation of the expression of certain Pol III targets and thereby perturbs cytoplasmic protein synthesis. This type of broad alteration in protein synthesis is predicted to occur in other leukoencephalopathies such as hypomyelinating leukodystrophy-3, caused by mutations in aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase complex-interacting multifunctional protein 1 (AIMP1).

Intrauterine inflammation has been implicated in developmental brain injuries, including the development of periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) and cerebral palsy (CP). Previous studies in our rat model of intrauterine inflammation demonstrated apoptotic cell death in fetal brains within the first 5 days after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration to mothers and eventual dysmyelination. Cysteine-containing, aspartate-specific proteases, or caspases, are proteins involved with apoptosis through both intracellular (intrinsic pathway) and extracellular (extrinsic pathway) mechanisms. We hypothesized that cell death in our model would occur mainly via activation of the extrinsic pathway. We further hypothesized that Fas, a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) superfamily, would be increased and the death inducing signaling complex (DISC) would be detectable. Pregnant rats were injected intracervically with LPS at E15 and immunoblotting, immunohistochemical and immunoprecipitation analyses were performed. The presence of the activated form of the effector caspase (caspase-3) was observed 24 h after LPS administration. Caspase activity assays demonstrated rapid increases in (i) caspases-9 and -10 within 1 h, (ii) caspase-8 at 2 h and (iii) caspase-3 at 4 h. At 24 h after LPS, activated caspase-3+/Fas+ cells were observed within the developing white matter. Lastly, the DISC complex (caspase-8, Fas and Fas-associated death domain (FADD)) was observed within 30 min by immunoprecipitation. Apoptosis in our model occurs via both extrinsic and intrinsic pathways, and activation of Fas may play a role. Understanding the mechanisms of cell death in models of intrauterine inflammation may affect development of future strategies to mitigate these injuries in children.

Inflammation during the perinatal period has become a recognized risk factor for developmental brain injuries over the past decade or more. To fully understand the relationship between inflammation and brain development, a comprehensive knowledge about the immune system within the brain is essential. Microglia are resident immune cells within the central nervous system and play a critical role in the development of an inflammatory response within the brain. Microglia are critically involved with both the innate and adaptive immune system, regulating inflammation and cell damage within the brain via activation of Toll-like receptors, production of cytokines, and a myriad of other intracellular and intercellular processes. In this article, microglial physiology is reviewed along with the role of microglia in developmental brain injuries in humans and animal models. Last, microglial functions within the innate and adaptive immune system will be summarized. Understanding the processes of inflammation and microglial activation is critical for formulating effective preventative and therapeutic strategies for developmental brain injuries.

To mimic exercise-induced events such as energetic impairment, free radical generation, and lipid peroxidation in vitro, mouse-derived C2C12 myotubes were submitted to the inhibition of glycolytic and/or oxidative metabolism with 1 mM iodoacetate (IAA) and/or 2 mM sodium cyanide (CN), respectively, under 5% CO2/95% air up to 180 min. Electron spin resonance (ESR) analysis with a spin-trap 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO) revealed time-course increases in spin adducts from hydroxyl radical (DMPO-OH) and carbon-centered radical (DMPO-R) in the supernatant of C2C12 myotubes treated with the combination of IAA + CN. In this condition, malondialdehyde (MDA) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were released into the supernatant. By the addition of iron-chelating 1 mM deferoxamine to the C2C12 preparation with IAA + CN, both ESR signals of DMPO-OH and DMPO-R were completely abolished, and the release of MDA and LDH were significantly reduced, while cyanide-resistant manganese superoxide dismutase had negligible effects on these parameters. Hence, a part of the injury of C2C12 myotube under IAA + CN was considered to result from the lipid peroxidation, which was induced by hydroxyl radical generated from iron-catalyzed systems such as the Fenton-type reaction. This in vitro model would be a helpful tool for investigating the free radical-related muscle injury.

This chapter provides a detailed description of a method used to study temporal changes in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) proteome of fibroblast cells exposed to ER stress agents (tunicamycin and thapsigargin). Differential stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture (SILAC) is used in combination with crude ER fractionation, SDS–PAGE and LC-MS/MS to define altered protein expression in tunicamycin or thapsigargin treated cells versus untreated cells. Treated and untreated cells are harvested at different time points, mixed at a 1:1 ratio and processed for ER fractionation. Samples containing labeled and unlabeled proteins are separated by SDS–PAGE, bands are digested with trypsin and the resulting peptides analyzed by LC-MS/MS. Proteins are identified using Bioworks software and the Swiss-Prot data-base, whereas ratios of protein expression between treated and untreated cells are quantified using ZoomQuant software. Data visualization is facilitated by GeneSpring software. proteomics