Small Molecule Recognition and Tools to Study Modulation of r(CGG)(exp) in Fragile X-Associated Tremor Ataxia Syndrome.
RNA transcripts containing expanded nucleotide repeats cause many incurable diseases via various mechanisms. One such disorder, fragile X-associated tremor ataxia syndrome (FXTAS), is caused by a noncoding r(CGG) repeat expansion (r(CGG)(exp)) that (i) sequesters proteins involved in RNA metabolism in nuclear foci, causing dysregulation of alternative pre-mRNA splicing, and (ii) undergoes repeat associated non-ATG translation (RANT), which produces toxic homopolymeric proteins without using a start codon. Here, we describe the design of two small molecules that inhibit both modes of toxicity and the implementation of various tools to study perturbation of these cellular events. Competitive Chemical Cross Linking and Isolation by Pull Down (C-Chem-CLIP) established that compounds bind r(CGG)(exp) and defined small molecule occupancy of r(CGG)(exp) in cells, the first approach to do so. Using an RNA GFP mimic, r(CGG)(exp)-Spinach2, we observe that our optimal designed compound binds r(CGG)(exp) and affects RNA localization by disrupting preformed RNA foci. These events correlate with an improvement of pre-mRNA splicing defects caused by RNA gain of function. In addition, the compounds reduced levels of toxic homopolymeric proteins formed via RANT. Polysome profiling studies showed that small molecules decreased loading of polysomes onto r(CGG)(exp), explaining decreased translation.
Departments of Chemistry and Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute , 130 Scripps Way, Jupiter, Florida 33458, United States.
Wang-Yong
WY
Yang
Department of Neurology, University of Michigan , 4005 BSRB, 109 Zina Pitcher Place, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2200, United States.
Fang
F
He
Department of Pharmacology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University , 1300 York Avenue, Box 70, New York, New York 10065, United States.
Rita L
RL
Strack
Department of Neurology, University of Michigan , 4005 BSRB, 109 Zina Pitcher Place, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2200, United States.
Seok Yoon
SY
Oh
Department of Neurology, University of Michigan , 4005 BSRB, 109 Zina Pitcher Place, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2200, United States.
Michelle
M
Frazer
Department of Pharmacology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University , 1300 York Avenue, Box 70, New York, New York 10065, United States.
Samie R
SR
Jaffrey
Department of Neurology, University of Michigan , 4005 BSRB, 109 Zina Pitcher Place, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2200, United States.
Peter K
PK
Todd
Departments of Chemistry and Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute , 130 Scripps Way, Jupiter, Florida 33458, United States.
Matthew D
MD
Disney
D000818:Animals; D001259:Ataxia / Q000235:genetics*; D005600:Fragile X Syndrome / Q000235:genetics*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D012326:RNA Splicing; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D014202:Tremor / Q000235:genetics*; D018911:Trinucleotide Repeats
D012333:RNA, Messenger