Oxidative damage compromises energy metabolism in the axonal degeneration mouse model of X-adrenoleukodystrophy

Aims: Chronic metabolic impairment and oxidative stress are associated with the pathogenesis of axonal dysfunction in a growing number of neurodegenerative conditions. To investigate the intertwining of both noxious factors, we have chosen the mouse model of adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD), which exhibits axonal degeneration in spinal cords and motor disability. The disease is caused by loss of function of the ABCD1 transporter, involved in the import and degradation of very long-chain fatty acids (VLCFA) in peroxisomes. Oxidative stress due to VLCFA excess appears early in the neurodegenerative cascade. Results: In this study, we demonstrate by redox proteomics that oxidative damage to proteins specifically affects five key enzymes of glycolysis and TCA (Tricarboxylic acid) cycle in spinal cords of Abcd1(-) mice and pyruvate kinase in human X-ALD fibroblasts. We also show that NADH and ATP levels are significantly diminished in these samples, together with decrease of pyruvate kinase activities and GSH levels, and increase of NADPH. Innovation: Treating Abcd1(-) mice with the antioxidants N-acetylcysteine and alpha-lipoic acid (LA) prevents protein oxidation; preserves NADH, NADPH, ATP, and GSH levels; and normalizes pyruvate kinase activity, which implies that oxidative stress provoked by VLCFA results in bioenergetic dysfunction, at a presymptomatic stage. Conclusion: Our results provide mechanistic insight into the beneficial effects of antioxidants and enhance the rationale for translation into clinical trials for X-adrenoleukodystrophy. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 15, 2095-2107

Gal-1 Expression Analysis in the GLIOCAT Multicenter Study: Role as a Prognostic Factor and an Immune-Suppressive Biomarker

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most frequent primary malignant brain tumor and has a dismal prognosis. Unfortunately, despite the recent revolution of immune checkpoint inhibitors in many solid tumors, these have not shown a benefit in overall survival in GBM patients. Therefore, new potential treatment targets as well as diagnostic, prognostic, and/or predictive biomarkers are needed to improve outcomes in this population. The beta-galactoside binding protein Galectin-1 (Gal-1) is a protein with a wide range of pro-tumor functions such as proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis, and immune suppression. Here, we evaluated Gal-1 expression by immunohistochemistry in a homogenously treated cohort of GBM (the GLIOCAT project) and correlated its expression with clinical and molecular data. We observed that Gal-1 is a negative prognostic factor in GBM. Interestingly, we observed higher levels of Gal-1 expression in the mesenchymal/classical subtypes compared to the less aggressive proneural subtype. We also observed a Gal-1 expression correlation with immune suppressive signatures of CD4 T-cells and macrophages, as well as with several GBM established biomarkers, including SHC1, PD-L1, PAX2, MEOX2, YKL-40, TCIRG1, YWHAG, OLIG2, SOX2, Ki-67, and SOX11. Moreover, Gal-1 levels were significantly lower in grade 4 IDH-1 mutant astrocytomas, which have a better prognosis. Our results confirm the role of Gal-1 as a prognostic factor and also suggest its value as an immune-suppressive biomarker in GBM

Late-onset thymidine kinase 2 deficiency: a review of 18 cases

Background: TK2 gene encodes for mitochondrial thymidine kinase, which phosphorylates the pyrimidine nucleosides thymidine and deoxycytidine. Recessive mutations in the TK2 gene are responsible for the ‘myopathic form’ of the mitochondrial depletion/multiple deletions syndrome, with a wide spectrum of severity. Methods: We describe 18 patients with mitochondrial myopathy due to mutations in the TK2 gene with absence of clinical symptoms until the age of 12. Results: The mean age of onset was 31 years. The first symptom was muscle limb weakness in 10/18, eyelid ptosis in 6/18, and respiratory insufficiency in 2/18. All patients developed variable muscle weakness during the evolution of the disease. Half of patients presented difficulty in swallowing. All patients showed evidence of respiratory muscle weakness, with need for non-invasive Mechanical Ventilation in 12/18. Four patients had deceased, all of them due to respiratory insufficiency. We identified common radiological features in muscle magnetic resonance, where the most severely affected muscles were the gluteus maximus, semitendinosus and sartorius. On muscle biopsies typical signs of mitochondrial dysfunction were associated with dystrophic changes. All mutations identified were previously reported, being the most frequent the in-frame deletion p.Lys202del. All cases showed multiple mtDNA deletions but mtDNA depletion was present only in two patients. Conclusions: The late-onset is the less frequent form of presentation of the TK2 deficiency and its natural history is not well known. Patients with late onset TK2 deficiency have a consistent and recognizable clinical phenotype and a poor prognosis, due to the high risk of early and progressive respiratory insufficiency

Systematic Collaborative Reanalysis of Genomic Data Improves Diagnostic Yield in Neurologic Rare Diseases

Altres ajuts: Generalitat de Catalunya, Departament de Salut; Generalitat de Catalunya, Departament d'Empresa i Coneixement i CERCA Program; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación; Instituto Nacional de Bioinformática; ELIXIR Implementation Studies (CNAG-CRG); Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Red de Enfermedades Raras; Centro de Excelencia Severo Ochoa; European Regional Development Fund (FEDER).Many patients experiencing a rare disease remain undiagnosed even after genomic testing. Reanalysis of existing genomic data has shown to increase diagnostic yield, although there are few systematic and comprehensive reanalysis efforts that enable collaborative interpretation and future reinterpretation. The Undiagnosed Rare Disease Program of Catalonia project collated previously inconclusive good quality genomic data (panels, exomes, and genomes) and standardized phenotypic profiles from 323 families (543 individuals) with a neurologic rare disease. The data were reanalyzed systematically to identify relatedness, runs of homozygosity, consanguinity, single-nucleotide variants, insertions and deletions, and copy number variants. Data were shared and collaboratively interpreted within the consortium through a customized Genome-Phenome Analysis Platform, which also enables future data reinterpretation. Reanalysis of existing genomic data provided a diagnosis for 20.7% of the patients, including 1.8% diagnosed after the generation of additional genomic data to identify a second pathogenic heterozygous variant. Diagnostic rate was significantly higher for family-based exome/genome reanalysis compared with singleton panels. Most new diagnoses were attributable to recent gene-disease associations (50.8%), additional or improved bioinformatic analysis (19.7%), and standardized phenotyping data integrated within the Undiagnosed Rare Disease Program of Catalonia Genome-Phenome Analysis Platform functionalities (18%)

CIBERER : Spanish national network for research on rare diseases: A highly productive collaborative initiative

Altres ajuts: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII); Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación.CIBER (Center for Biomedical Network Research; Centro de Investigación Biomédica En Red) is a public national consortium created in 2006 under the umbrella of the Spanish National Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII). This innovative research structure comprises 11 different specific areas dedicated to the main public health priorities in the National Health System. CIBERER, the thematic area of CIBER focused on rare diseases (RDs) currently consists of 75 research groups belonging to universities, research centers, and hospitals of the entire country. CIBERER's mission is to be a center prioritizing and favoring collaboration and cooperation between biomedical and clinical research groups, with special emphasis on the aspects of genetic, molecular, biochemical, and cellular research of RDs. This research is the basis for providing new tools for the diagnosis and therapy of low-prevalence diseases, in line with the International Rare Diseases Research Consortium (IRDiRC) objectives, thus favoring translational research between the scientific environment of the laboratory and the clinical setting of health centers. In this article, we intend to review CIBERER's 15-year journey and summarize the main results obtained in terms of internationalization, scientific production, contributions toward the discovery of new therapies and novel genes associated to diseases, cooperation with patients' associations and many other topics related to RD research

Nevus displásico : gradación de la atipia y correlación de la atipia con marcadores de proliferación y de migración celular /

Descripció del recurs: 10 setembre 2002Consultable des del TDXTítol obtingut de la portada digitalitzadaEl nevus displásico (ND), factor de riesgo de melanoma maligno (MM), ha sido fuente de controversia en diferentes sentidos desde su descripción, desde el nombre asignado, los criterios clínicos e histológicos que la caracterizan hasta la gradación de los mismos en tres grados de atipia: leve, moderado y severo. Se ha evaluado en primer lugar si el grado de atipia de los ND tiene alguna relación con el riesgo de padecer melanoma mediante un estudio de datos clínicos y en segundo lugar, buscar un marcador que permita realizar una clasificación del grado de atipia de los nevus displásicos basada en criterios objetivos mediante el estudio de la expresión del marcador de proliferación Ki-67 y el marcador de migración ChAT (Acetil-colina transferasa). En la primera parte del estudio se revisaron los informes de 20.275 nevus recibidos entre 1989 y 1996, constatándose que 6.275 eran ND que pertenecían a 4.481 pacientes. Los pacientes fueron clasificados con respecto a su lesión con mayor grado de atipia y se revisó sus datos clínicos con respecto a la historia de melanoma. Se calculó la Odds Ratio (OR) como medida de asociación entre los grados de atipia de los ND e historia de melanoma. En la segunda parte del estudio se realizó estudio inmunohistoquímico con doble marcaje para HMB-45 y Ki-67 en 36 ND con atipia leve, 36 ND con atipia moderada, 36 ND con atipia severa, 18 nevus melanocíticos benignos (NMB) y 18 MM in-situ, evaluándose la proporción de células melanocíticas de la unión dermo-epidérmica positivas para Ki-67. Así mismo se realizó estudio inmunohistoquímico para ChAT en 30 ND con atipia leve, 30 con atipia moderada y 30 con atipia severa. Los resultados pusieron de manifiesto que 2.504 pacientes presentaban ND con atipia leve como nevus con mayor grado de atipia, 1.657 ND con atipia moderada y 320 ND con atipia severa. La revisión de sus datos clínicos puso de manifiesto que 142 pacientes del grupo de atipia leve, 133 pacientes del grupo con atipia moderada y 63 pacientes del grupo con atipia severa tenían historia de melanoma (c2= 59,89; p<0,001). El estudio de la asociación del grado de atipia con historia de melanoma dio como resultado una OR de 4,08 (2.91-5,7) para los ND con atipia severa versus ND con atipia leve, 2,81 (2-3,95) para los ND con atipia severa vs ND con atipia moderada y 1,45 (1,13-1,87) para ND con atipia moderada vs leve. El estudio inmunohistoquímico con doble marcaje con HMB-45 y Ki-67 mostraron diferencias significativas entre ND vs NMB vs MM (p<0,0001) y entre ND con atipia severa vs ND con atipia leve y moderada (p<0,0003). No se observaron diferencias significativas en el estudio mediante ChAT. En conclusión, la gradación de la atipia citológica de los ND se correlaciona con el riesgo de presentar historia de melanoma y el estudio del índice de proliferación Ki-67 puede ser de ayuda para diferenciar entre NMB, ND y MM, así como para distinguir entre ND con alto y bajo grado de atipia (leve y moderada).Classification of the different aspects of dysplastic nevus (DN), a risk factor of malignant melanoma (MM), has been source of controversy from its decription, its assigned name and clinical and histological criteria, by which it is chacarcterized, to the ranking of the same into three grades of atypia: mild, moderate, and severe. In the first place, through a study of clinical data, it has been assessed if the grade of DN atypia has some relationship to the risk of suffering from MM; and, in the second place, through studies of the proliferation marker Ki-67 and the ChAT migration marker (acetyl choline transferase), a marker has been searched for, which will allow the classification of the grade of atypia for DN, based on objective criteria. In the first part of the study, reports on 20,275 nevi received between 1989 and 1996 were examined, verifiying that 6,275 of them were DN belonging to 4,481 patients. The patients were classified with respect to their lesions, having the greatest grade of atypia, and their clinical data was also examined, with respect to their history of melanoma. The Odds Ratio (OR) was calculated as a measure of association between the grades of DN aypia and the history of melanoma. In the second part of the study, an immunohistochemical study was conducted, with double staining for HMB-45 and Ki-67 on 36 DN with mild atypia, 36 DN with moderate atypia, 36 DN with severe atypia,18 BMN and 18 MM in-situ, evaluating the proportion of melanocytic cells in the dermo-epidermic junction, showing positive for Ki-67. In this way, an immunohistochemical study was also carried out for ChAT in 30 DN with mild atypia, 30 with moderate atypia and 30 with severe atypia. Results made clear that 2,504 patients presented DN with mild atypia as the highest presenting grade of atypia, 1,657 DN presented with moderate atypia, and 320 presented DN with severe grade of atypia. The review of the clinical data made clear that there were 142 patients in the group having mild atypia, 133 having moderate atypia, and 63 with sever atypia, who all had personal histories of MM (c2= 59,89; p<0,001). The study of the association of the grade of atypia with the history of MM gave as its result an OR of 4.08 (2.91-5.7) for the DN with severe atypia: DN with mild atypia; 2.81 (2-3.95) for the DN with severe atypia: DN with moderate atypia; and 1.45 (1.13-1.87) for DN with moderate atypia : DN with mild atypia. The immunohistochemical study with double staining for HMB-45 and Ki-67 showed significant differences between DN:BMN:MM (p<0.0001) and between DN with severe atypia : DN with mild and moderate atypia (p<0.0003). No significant differences were observed in the study using ChAT. In conclusion, the ranking of the cytological atypia of DN is correlated to the risk of presenting a history of melanoma, and the study of the proliferation rate of Ki-67 can help in the differentiation between BMN, DN, and MM, such as between DN with severe and mild+moderate atypia

Nevus displásico: graduación de la atipia y correlación de la atipia con marcadores de proliferación y de migración celular

El nevus displásico (ND), factor de riesgo de melanoma maligno (MM), ha sido fuente de controversia en diferentes sentidos desde su descripción, desde el nombre asignado, los criterios clínicos e histológicos que la caracterizan hasta la gradación de los mismos en tres grados de atipia: leve, moderado y severo. Se ha evaluado en primer lugar si el grado de atipia de los ND tiene alguna relación con el riesgo de padecer melanoma mediante un estudio de datos clínicos y en segundo lugar, buscar un marcador que permita realizar una clasificación del grado de atipia de los nevus displásicos basada en criterios objetivos mediante el estudio de la expresión del marcador de proliferación Ki-67 y el marcador de migración ChAT (Acetil-colina transferasa).En la primera parte del estudio se revisaron los informes de 20.275 nevus recibidos entre 1989 y 1996, constatándose que 6.275 eran ND que pertenecían a 4.481 pacientes. Los pacientes fueron clasificados con respecto a su lesión con mayor grado de atipia y se revisó sus datos clínicos con respecto a la historia de melanoma. Se calculó la Odds Ratio (OR) como medida de asociación entre los grados de atipia de los ND e historia de melanoma. En la segunda parte del estudio se realizó estudio inmunohistoquímico con doble marcaje para HMB-45 y Ki-67 en 36 ND con atipia leve, 36 ND con atipia moderada, 36 ND con atipia severa, 18 nevus melanocíticos benignos (NMB) y 18 MM in-situ, evaluándose la proporción de células melanocíticas de la unión dermo-epidérmica positivas para Ki-67. Así mismo se realizó estudio inmunohistoquímico para ChAT en 30 ND con atipia leve, 30 con atipia moderada y 30 con atipia severa.Los resultados pusieron de manifiesto que 2.504 pacientes presentaban ND con atipia leve como nevus con mayor grado de atipia, 1.657 ND con atipia moderada y 320 ND con atipia severa. La revisión de sus datos clínicos puso de manifiesto que 142 pacientes del grupo de atipia leve, 133 pacientes del grupo con atipia moderada y 63 pacientes del grupo con atipia severa tenían historia de melanoma (c2= 59,89; pEn conclusión, la gradación de la atipia citológica de los ND se correlaciona con el riesgo de presentar historia de melanoma y el estudio del índice de proliferación Ki-67 puede ser de ayuda para diferenciar entre NMB, ND y MM, así como para distinguir entre ND con alto y bajo grado de atipia (leve y moderada).Classification of the different aspects of dysplastic nevus (DN), a risk factor of malignant melanoma (MM), has been source of controversy from its decription, its assigned name and clinical and histological criteria, by which it is chacarcterized, to the ranking of the same into three grades of atypia: mild, moderate, and severe. In the first place, through a study of clinical data, it has been assessed if the grade of DN atypia has some relationship to the risk of suffering from MM; and, in the second place, through studies of the proliferation marker Ki-67 and the ChAT migration marker (acetyl choline transferase), a marker has been searched for, which will allow the classification of the grade of atypia for DN, based on objective criteria. In the first part of the study, reports on 20,275 nevi received between 1989 and 1996 were examined, verifiying that 6,275 of them were DN belonging to 4,481 patients. The patients were classified with respect to their lesions, having the greatest grade of atypia, and their clinical data was also examined, with respect to their history of melanoma. The Odds Ratio (OR) was calculated as a measure of association between the grades of DN aypia and the history of melanoma. In the second part of the study, an immunohistochemical study was conducted, with double staining for HMB-45 and Ki-67 on 36 DN with mild atypia, 36 DN with moderate atypia, 36 DN with severe atypia,18 BMN and 18 MM in-situ, evaluating the proportion of melanocytic cells in the dermo-epidermic junction, showing positive for Ki-67. In this way, an immunohistochemical study was also carried out for ChAT in 30 DN with mild atypia, 30 with moderate atypia and 30 with severe atypia.Results made clear that 2,504 patients presented DN with mild atypia as the highest presenting grade of atypia, 1,657 DN presented with moderate atypia, and 320 presented DN with severe grade of atypia. The review of the clinical data made clear that there were 142 patients in the group having mild atypia, 133 having moderate atypia, and 63 with sever atypia, who all had personal histories of MM (c2= 59,89; pIn conclusion, the ranking of the cytological atypia of DN is correlated to the risk of presenting a history of melanoma, and the study of the proliferation rate of Ki-67 can help in the differentiation between BMN, DN, and MM, such as between DN with severe and mild+moderate atypia

Gal-1 expression analysis in the GLIOCAT multicenter study: Role as a prognostic factor and an immune-suppressive biomarker

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most frequent primary malignant brain tumor and has a dismal prognosis. Unfortunately, despite the recent revolution of immune checkpoint inhibitors in many solid tumors, these have not shown a benefit in overall survival in GBM patients. Therefore, new potential treatment targets as well as diagnostic, prognostic, and/or predictive biomarkers are needed to improve outcomes in this population. The β-galactoside binding protein Galectin-1 (Gal-1) is a protein with a wide range of pro-tumor functions such as proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis, and immune suppression. Here, we evaluated Gal-1 expression by immunohistochemistry in a homogenously treated cohort of GBM (the GLIOCAT project) and correlated its expression with clinical and molecular data. We observed that Gal-1 is a negative prognostic factor in GBM. Interestingly, we observed higher levels of Gal-1 expression in the mesenchymal/classical subtypes compared to the less aggressive proneural subtype. We also observed a Gal-1 expression correlation with immune suppressive signatures of CD4 T-cells and macrophages, as well as with several GBM established biomarkers, including SHC1, PD-L1, PAX2, MEOX2, YKL-40, TCIRG1, YWHAG, OLIG2, SOX2, Ki-67, and SOX11. Moreover, Gal-1 levels were significantly lower in grade 4 IDH-1 mutant astrocytomas, which have a better prognosis. Our results confirm the role of Gal-1 as a prognostic factor and also suggest its value as an immune-suppressive biomarker in GBM