中国神经再生研究(英文版) ›› 2021, Vol. 16 ›› Issue (10): 2008-2009.doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.308091

• 观点:脑损伤修复保护与再生 • 上一篇    下一篇

调节自噬:SETXSenataxin)的新角色

  

  • 出版日期:2021-10-15 发布日期:2021-03-19

Regulating autophagy: a novel role for SETX (Senataxin)

Patricia Richard*, Emanuel Rosonina   

  1. Stellate Therapeutics Inc., JLABS @ NYC, New York, USA (Richard P)
    Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Canada (Rosonina E)
  • Online:2021-10-15 Published:2021-03-19
  • Contact: Patricia Richard, PhD, prichard17@gmail.com.
  • Supported by:
    The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

摘要:

Neural Regen Res调节自噬:SETX在神经系统疾病中的作用更加清晰

SETX是一种RNA/DNA解旋酶,在与RNA代谢和DNA维持有关的多个事件中起作用,包括在某些基因上的转录终止和在复制应激点的DNA损伤反应。在运动失调和肌萎缩侧索硬化中,SETX的一个关键作用是R环解析,R环解析可能在有害的DNA:RNA杂交转录过程中形成。神经系统疾病中经常观察到的异常R环水平被认为与SETX功能障碍和神经退行性改变有关。在最近发表的一项研究中,Patricia Richard博士团队证明SETX通过影响自噬相关基因的表达在自噬过程中起关键作用。神经退行性疾病的一个特征是蛋白质聚集体的异常聚集,最终导致细胞功能障碍和神经元组织退化。毫不奇怪,自噬缺陷与神经退行性变的发展密切相关。Patricia Richard博士认为X基因在这种疾病中所扮演的新角色是由基因突变引起的。事实上,在初步分析中,Patricia Richard博士在AOA2ALS4患者的样本中检测到了干扰自噬现象。

Patricia Richard博士认为未来的工作应该研究与SETX缺乏相关的自噬缺陷是如何影响小脑的。未来的工作还需要了解SETX基因突变(分别在AOA2ALS4中)是如何导致自噬功能受损的。由于目前的神经退行性变动物模型不能准确地再现神经系统疾病,神经元源性诱导型多能干细胞可能是神经退行性改变的分子机制研究模型的合理替代品。在多个这样的系统中,转录组结合SETX缺失后的自噬分析对于确定神经系统中SETX依赖的自噬调节具有重要意义

相关观点文章在《中国神经再生研究(英文版)》杂志202010 10  期发表。

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9515-4509 (Patricia Richard) 

Abstract: Mutations in the gene encoding SETX, also known as Senataxin, are mainly linked to two distinct neurodegenerative diseases, a cerebellar ataxia known as oculomotor apraxia type 2 (AOA2) and a form of juvenile amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ALS4 (Chen et al., 2004; Moreira et al., 2004). SETX is an RNA/DNA helicase that functions in multiple events related to RNA metabolism and DNA maintenance, including transcriptional termination at certain genes and the DNA damage response at replication stress foci. A key role attributed to SETX in both of these functions is in the resolution of R loops, potentially deleterious DNA:RNA hybrid structures that form during transcription (Aguilera and Garcia-Muse, 2012). As abnormal levels of R loops are frequently observed in neurological disorders, this role has been proposed as a link between SETX dysfunction and neurodegeneration (Richard and Manley, 2016). In a recently published study, however, we demonstrated that SETX plays critical roles in the progression of autophagy, the process employed by cells to eliminate defective proteins and organelles, through its effects on expression of autophagy-related genes (Richard et al., 2020). A hallmark of neurodegenerative disease is the abnormal accumulation of protein aggregates that eventually lead to cellular dysfunction and degeneration of neuronal tissues (Kurtishi et al., 2019). Not surprisingly, defective autophagy is strongly implicated in the development of such disorders (Finkbeiner, 2020). As described in this perspective, we now suggest that this novel role for SETX provides an additional pathway by which transcriptional and gene expression defects caused by mutations in SETX can lead to neurological disease. Indeed, in preliminary analyses, we have detected perturbed autophagy in samples from AOA2 and ALS4 patients harboring SETX mutations.