Mutant SOD1 and mitochondrial damage alter expression and splicing of genes controlling neuritogenesis in models of neurodegeneration.
Mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a number of neurodegenerative disorders including Parkinson, Alzheimer, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). In addition, aberrant mRNA splicing has been documented in neurodegeneration. To characterize the cellular response to mitochondrial perturbations at the level of gene expression and alternative pre-mRNA splicing we used splicing-sensitive microarrays to profile human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells treated with paraquat, a neurotoxic herbicide that induces the formation of reactive oxygen species and causes mitochondrial damage in animal models, and SH-SY5Y cells stably expressing the mutant G93A-SOD1 protein, one of the genetic causes of ALS. In both models we identified a common set of genes whose expression and alternative splicing are deregulated. Pathway analysis of the deregulated genes revealed enrichment in genes involved in neuritogenesis, axon growth and guidance, and synaptogenesis. Alterations in transcription and pre-mRNA splicing of candidate genes were confirmed experimentally in the cell line models as well as in brain and spinal cord of transgenic mice carrying the G93A-SOD1 mutation. Our findings expand the realm of the pathways implicated in neurodegeneration and suggest that alterations of axonal function may descend directly from mitochondrial damage.
Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy.
Silvia C
SC
Lenzken
Valentina
V
Romeo
Francesca
F
Zolezzi
Francesca
F
Cordero
Giuseppe
G
Lamorte
Davide
D
Bonanno
Donatella
D
Biancolini
Mauro
M
Cozzolino
Maria Grazia
MG
Pesaresi
Alessia
A
Maracchioni
Remo
R
Sanges
Tilmann
T
Achsel
Maria Teresa
MT
Carrì
Raffaele A
RA
Calogero
Silvia M L
SM
Barabino
D017398:Alternative Splicing; D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism*; D016501:Neurites / Q000378:metabolism; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism*; D000072105:Superoxide Dismutase-1
C000606290:SOD1 protein, human; C000606291:Sod1 protein, mouse; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D000072105:Superoxide Dismutase-1