ALS/FTD mutation-induced phase transition of FUS liquid droplets and reversible hydrogels into irreversible hydrogels impairs RNP granule function

The mechanisms by which mutations in FUS and other RNA binding proteins cause ALS and FTD remain controversial. We propose a model in which low-complexity (LC) domains of FUS drive its physiologically reversible assembly into membrane-free, liquid droplet and hydrogel-like structures. ALS/FTD mutations in LC or non-LC domains induce further phase transition into poorly soluble fibrillar hydrogels distinct from conventional amyloids. These assemblies are necessary and sufficient for neurotoxicity in a C. elegans model of FUS-dependent neurodegeneration. They trap other ribonucleoprotein (RNP) granule components and disrupt RNP granule function. One consequence is impairment of new protein synthesis by cytoplasmic RNP granules in axon terminals, where RNP granules regulate local RNA metabolism and translation. Nuclear FUS granules may be similarly affected. Inhibiting formation of these fibrillar hydrogel assemblies mitigates neurotoxicity and suggests a potential therapeutic strategy that may also be applicable to ALS/FTD associated with mutations in other RNA binding proteins

Positive Evolutionary Selection of an HD Motif on Alzheimer Precursor Protein Orthologues Suggests a Functional Role

HD amino acid duplex has been found in the active center of many different enzymes. The dyad plays remarkably different roles in their catalytic processes that usually involve metal coordination. An HD motif is positioned directly on the amyloid beta fragment (Aβ) and on the carboxy-terminal region of the extracellular domain (CAED) of the human amyloid precursor protein (APP) and a taxonomically well defined group of APP orthologues (APPOs). In human Aβ HD is part of a presumed, RGD-like integrin-binding motif RHD; however, neither RHD nor RXD demonstrates reasonable conservation in APPOs. The sequences of CAEDs and the position of the HD are not particularly conserved either, yet we show with a novel statistical method using evolutionary modeling that the presence of HD on CAEDs cannot be the result of neutral evolutionary forces (p<0.0001). The motif is positively selected along the evolutionary process in the majority of APPOs, despite the fact that HD motif is underrepresented in the proteomes of all species of the animal kingdom. Position migration can be explained by high probability occurrence of multiple copies of HD on intermediate sequences, from which only one is kept by selective evolutionary forces, in a similar way as in the case of the “transcription binding site turnover.” CAED of all APP orthologues and homologues are predicted to bind metal ions including Amyloid-like protein 1 (APLP1) and Amyloid-like protein 2 (APLP2). Our results suggest that HDs on the CAEDs are most probably key components of metal-binding domains, which facilitate and/or regulate inter- or intra-molecular interactions in a metal ion-dependent or metal ion concentration-dependent manner. The involvement of naturally occurring mutations of HD (Tottori (D7N) and English (H6R) mutations) in early onset Alzheimer's disease gives additional support to our finding that HD has an evolutionary preserved function on APPOs

Impaired comprehension of metaphorical expressions in very mild Alzheimer&rsquo;s disease

Norimasa Fujimoto,1 Hikaru Nakamura,2 Tetsuya Tsuda,3 Yosuke Wakutani,4 Takeo Takao4 1Department of Rehabilitation, Kurashiki Heisei Hospital, Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan; 2Department of Health and Welfare Science, Okayama Prefectural University, Soja, Okayama, Japan; 3Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, Mihara, Hiroshima, Japan; 4Department of Neurology, Kurashiki Heisei Hospital, Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan Background: Brain-damaged patients often have difficulty understanding non-literal language. However, whether patients with Alzheimer&rsquo;s disease (AD) have comprehension deficits of metaphorical expressions, in contrast with non-metaphorical (literal) expressions, remains unclear.Patients and methods: The subjects were 40 AD patients; 20 had mild AD (17&ndash;23 points on the Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE]), and 20 had very mild AD (&ge;24 points). Twenty normal elderly controls were also enrolled as a control group. Thirty sentences that contained novel similes (Items) were prepared. For each Item, four explanatory choices, consisting of one correct response and three foils, were provided. The participants were asked to choose the written statement that best represented the Item&rsquo;s meaning. In addition, all the subjects completed the Token Test.Results: The patients with mild AD had significantly lower scores than the normal controls on both the simile comprehension test and the Token Test. However, the patients with very mild AD exhibited significantly lower scores on the simile comprehension test, but not on the Token Test. The distributions of error types for the simile test differed between the mild AD group and the other groups. The mild AD patients made more errors that were &ldquo;far&rdquo; from the correct responses.Conclusion: Patients with AD are more likely to have comprehension deficits of metaphorical expressions than comprehension deficits of non-metaphorical expressions. Pragmatic language dysfunction may precede formal language dysfunction during the progression of AD.Keywords: non-literal language, simile, multiple-choice, pragmatic

A mechanism for low penetrance in an ALS family with a novel SOD1 deletion

About 20% of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is caused by mutations in SOD1 and is typically transmitted as an autosomal dominant trait. However, due to reduced mutation penetrance, the disease may present in a recessive or sporadic manner. To determine the factors responsible for the low penetrance of the SOD1 mutation. Twelve members of a Canadian ALS family of Filipino origin were recruited for the study. SOD1 was sequenced in the proband. SOD1 expression was assessed by real-time-PCR and immunoblotting. The proband was a homozygous carrier of a novel 6 bp deletion in exon 2 (DeltaG27/P28), the pathologic significance of which was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Eight living family members are heterozygotes and remain unaffected at ages ranging between 48 and 85 years. Haplotype analysis showed that the deletion is a single founder mutation likely common in the Cagayan province (Philippines). The low penetrance of the mutation is explained by the fact that it enhances the naturally occurring alternative splicing of exon 2 of the SOD1 mRNA, leading to reduced transcription of the mutant allele. Indeed, Western blot analysis demonstrated the low level of SOD1 protein in carriers of the DeltaG27/P28 compared to wild-type individuals or a carrier of the A4V SOD1 mutation. The enhanced splicing of exon 2 acts as a natural knock-down of the mutant SOD1 allele in the Filipino amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) family. There is a need for careful investigation of splicing isoforms of SOD1 and other ALS genes as factors influencing the severity of disease