scholarly journals An Amyloid Agnostic Reformulation of the Alzheimer’s Disease:the Long Gene Vulnerability Hypothesis

Author(s):  
Sourena Soheili-Nezhad

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a genetically complex senile neurodegeneration with unknown etiology. The first gene discovered to be mutated in early-onset AD, the amyloid precursor protein (APP), has been widely assumed as a causal factor in the disease cascade due to its generation of Aβ species. APP has an evolutionarily conserved biological role and activates a signaling program with notable similarities to integrin—a cell adhesion receptor with a wide array of functions. Intriguingly, several AD genome-wide association study (GWAS) candidate genes, including the SHARPIN locus recently reported by us and others, influence signaling of the integrin pathway. Integrins are focal adhesion regulators and serve in nervous system development, synaptic plasticity, and Tau phosphorylation. These observations suggest that the function of APP probably goes beyond Aβ generation in AD. Aging—the strongest risk factor for AD—is associated with various clock-like events in cells. For instance, neurons are continuously impacted by stochastic ‘hits’ to their genomes in aging, in the forms of DNA damage, insertion-deletions, copy-number variations (CNVs) and other types of somatic mutations. DNA damage and somatic mutations can result in neoplastic changes and cancer in mitotically active cells. However, their consequences in post-mitotic cells such as aging neurons are less defined. The current hypothesis holds that the stochastic loss of DNA sequence data at random loci in aging affects longer genes by chance more frequently. As a result, the biological processes coordinated by long genes may be more vulnerable to such random aging effects. Curiously, as shown by us and others, long genes are strongly enriched for synapse- and cell adhesion-related ontologies, more than any other biological process or cellular compartment. In addition, among various cell types, neurons possess the highest levels of long gene expression and are therefore more vulnerable to such harmful effects. The long gene vulnerability hypothesis provides a simple link between aging and the genetic landscape of AD and warrants new strategies for disease modification.

GigaScience ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Taras K Oleksyk ◽  
Walter W Wolfsberger ◽  
Alexandra M Weber ◽  
Khrystyna Shchubelka ◽  
Olga T Oleksyk ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The main goal of this collaborative effort is to provide genome-wide data for the previously underrepresented population in Eastern Europe, and to provide cross-validation of the data from genome sequences and genotypes of the same individuals acquired by different technologies. We collected 97 genome-grade DNA samples from consented individuals representing major regions of Ukraine that were consented for public data release. BGISEQ-500 sequence data and genotypes by an Illumina GWAS chip were cross-validated on multiple samples and additionally referenced to 1 sample that has been resequenced by Illumina NovaSeq6000 S4 at high coverage. Results The genome data have been searched for genomic variation represented in this population, and a number of variants have been reported: large structural variants, indels, copy number variations, single-nucletide polymorphisms, and microsatellites. To our knowledge, this study provides the largest to-date survey of genetic variation in Ukraine, creating a public reference resource aiming to provide data for medical research in a large understudied population. Conclusions Our results indicate that the genetic diversity of the Ukrainian population is uniquely shaped by evolutionary and demographic forces and cannot be ignored in future genetic and biomedical studies. These data will contribute a wealth of new information bringing forth a wealth of novel, endemic and medically related alleles.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ding-fang Zhang ◽  
Zhi-chun Yang ◽  
Jian-qiang Chen ◽  
Xiang-xiang Jin ◽  
Yin-da Qiu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is the leading cause of death among men diagnosed with prostate cancer. Piperlongumine (PL) is a novel potential anticancer agent that has been demonstrated to exhibit anticancer efficacy against prostate cancer cells. However, the effects of PL on DNA damage and repair against CRPC have remained unclear. The aim of this study was to further explore the anticancer activity and mechanisms of action of PL against CRPC in terms of DNA damage and repair processes. Methods The effect of PL on CRPC was evaluated by MTT assay, long-term cell proliferation, reactive oxygen species assay, western blot assay, flow cytometry assay (annexin V/PI staining), β-gal staining assay and DAPI staining assay. The capacity of PL to inhibit the invasion and migration of CRPC cells was assessed by scratch-wound assay, cell adhesion assay, transwell assay and immunofluorescence (IF) assay. The effect of PL on DNA damage and repair was determined via IF assay and comet assay. Results The results showed that PL exhibited stronger anticancer activity against CRPC compared to that of taxol, cisplatin (DDP), doxorubicin (Dox), or 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), with fewer side effects in normal cells. Importantly, PL treatment significantly decreased cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix and inhibited the migration of CRPC cells through affecting the expression and distribution of focal adhesion kinase (FAK), leading to concentration-dependent inhibition of CRPC cell proliferation and concomitantly increased cell death. Moreover, PL treatment triggered persistent DNA damage and provoked strong DNA damage responses in CRPC cells. Conclusion Collectively, our findings demonstrate that PL potently inhibited proliferation, migration, and invasion of CRPC cells and that these potent anticancer effects were potentially achieved via triggering persistent DNA damage in CRPC cells.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Weihua Pan ◽  
Desheng Gong ◽  
Da Sun ◽  
Haohui Luo

AbstractDue to the high complexity of cancer genome, it is too difficult to generate complete cancer genome map which contains the sequence of every DNA molecule until now. Nevertheless, phasing each chromosome in cancer genome into two haplotypes according to germline mutations provides a suboptimal solution to understand cancer genome. However, phasing cancer genome is also a challenging problem, due to the limit in experimental and computational technologies. Hi-C data is widely used in phasing in recent years due to its long-range linkage information and provides an opportunity for solving the problem of phasing cancer genome. The existing Hi-C based phasing methods can not be applied to cancer genome directly, because the somatic mutations in cancer genome such as somatic SNPs, copy number variations and structural variations greatly reduce the correctness and completeness. Here, we propose a new Hi-C based pipeline for phasing cancer genome called HiCancer. HiCancer solves different kinds of somatic mutations and variations, and take advantage of allelic copy number imbalance and linkage disequilibrium to improve the correctness and completeness of phasing. According to our experiments in K562 and KBM-7 cell lines, HiCancer is able to generate very high-quality chromosome-level haplotypes for cancer genome with only Hi-C data.


Author(s):  
Wenhui Li ◽  
Wanjun Lei ◽  
Xiaopei Chao ◽  
Xiaochen Song ◽  
Yalan Bi ◽  
...  

AbstractThe association between human papillomavirus (HPV) integration and relevant genomic changes in uterine cervical adenocarcinoma is poorly understood. This study is to depict the genomic mutational landscape in a cohort of 20 patients. HPV+ and HPV− groups were defined as patients with and without HPV integration in the host genome. The genetic changes between these two groups were described and compared by whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and whole-exome sequencing (WES). WGS identified 2916 copy number variations and 743 structural variations. WES identified 6113 somatic mutations, with a mutational burden of 2.4 mutations/Mb. Six genes were predicted as driver genes: PIK3CA, KRAS, TRAPPC12, NDN, GOLGA6L4 and BAIAP3. PIK3CA, NDN, GOLGA6L4, and BAIAP3 were recognized as significantly mutated genes (SMGs). HPV was detected in 95% (19/20) of patients with cervical adenocarcinoma, 7 of whom (36.8%) had HPV integration (HPV+ group). In total, 1036 genes with somatic mutations were confirmed in the HPV+ group, while 289 genes with somatic mutations were confirmed in the group without HPV integration (HPV− group); only 2.1% were shared between the two groups. In the HPV+ group, GOLGA6L4 and BAIAP3 were confirmed as SMGs, while PIK3CA, NDN, KRAS, FUT1, and GOLGA6L64 were identified in the HPV− group. ZDHHC3, PKD1P1, and TGIF2 showed copy number amplifications after HPV integration. In addition, the HPV+ group had significantly more neoantigens. HPV integration rather than HPV infection results in different genomic changes in cervical adenocarcinoma.


Gut ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. gutjnl-2019-319970 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johann Gout ◽  
Lukas Perkhofer ◽  
Mareen Morawe ◽  
Frank Arnold ◽  
Michaela Ihle ◽  
...  

ObjectiveATM serine/threonine kinase (ATM) is the most frequently mutated DNA damage response gene, involved in homologous recombination (HR), in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).DesignCombinational synergy screening was performed to endeavour a genotype-tailored targeted therapy.ResultsSynergy was found on inhibition of PARP, ATR and DNA-PKcs (PAD) leading to synthetic lethality in ATM-deficient murine and human PDAC. Mechanistically, PAD-induced PARP trapping, replication fork stalling and mitosis defects leading to P53-mediated apoptosis. Most importantly, chemical inhibition of ATM sensitises human PDAC cells toward PAD with long-term tumour control in vivo. Finally, we anticipated and elucidated PARP inhibitor resistance within the ATM-null background via whole exome sequencing. Arising cells were aneuploid, underwent epithelial-mesenchymal-transition and acquired multidrug resistance (MDR) due to upregulation of drug transporters and a bypass within the DNA repair machinery. These functional observations were mirrored in copy number variations affecting a region on chromosome 5 comprising several of the upregulated MDR genes. Using these findings, we ultimately propose alternative strategies to overcome the resistance.ConclusionAnalysis of the molecular susceptibilities triggered by ATM deficiency in PDAC allow elaboration of an efficient mutation-specific combinational therapeutic approach that can be also implemented in a genotype-independent manner by ATM inhibition.


Genes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 730
Author(s):  
Clara Forrer Charlier ◽  
Rodrigo A. P. Martins

The precise replication of DNA and the successful segregation of chromosomes are essential for the faithful transmission of genetic information during the cell cycle. Alterations in the dynamics of genome replication, also referred to as DNA replication stress, may lead to DNA damage and, consequently, mutations and chromosomal rearrangements. Extensive research has revealed that DNA replication stress drives genome instability during tumorigenesis. Over decades, genetic studies of inherited syndromes have established a connection between the mutations in genes required for proper DNA repair/DNA damage responses and neurological diseases. It is becoming clear that both the prevention and the responses to replication stress are particularly important for nervous system development and function. The accurate regulation of cell proliferation is key for the expansion of progenitor pools during central nervous system (CNS) development, adult neurogenesis, and regeneration. Moreover, DNA replication stress in glial cells regulates CNS tumorigenesis and plays a role in neurodegenerative diseases such as ataxia telangiectasia (A-T). Here, we review how replication stress generation and replication stress response (RSR) contribute to the CNS development, homeostasis, and disease. Both cell-autonomous mechanisms, as well as the evidence of RSR-mediated alterations of the cellular microenvironment in the nervous system, were discussed.


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