http://www.klinikaikozpont.u-szeged.hu/pedia/images/pdf/CME_TEL/Full-Text/25.pdf

The Hallmarks of Aging

Many lines of evidence suggest that mitochondria have a central role in ageing-related neurodegenerative diseases. Mitochondria are critical regulators of cell death, a key feature of neurodegeneration. Mutations in mitochondrial DNA and oxidative stress both contribute to ageing, which is the greatest risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases. In all major examples of these diseases there is strong evidence that mitochondrial dysfunction occurs early and acts causally in disease pathogenesis. Moreover, an impressive number of disease-specific proteins interact with mitochondria. Thus, therapies targeting basic mitochondrial processes, such as energy metabolism or free-radical generation, or specific interactions of disease-related proteins with mitochondria, hold great promise.

Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress in neurodegenerative diseases

The reference human genome sequence set the stage for studies of genetic variation and its association with human disease, but epigenomic studies lack a similar reference. To address this need, the NIH Roadmap Epigenomics Consortium generated the largest collection so far of human epigenomes for primary cells and tissues. Here we describe the integrative analysis of 111 reference human epigenomes generated as part of the programme, profiled for histone modification patterns, DNA accessibility, DNA methylation and RNA expression. We establish global maps of regulatory elements, define regulatory modules of coordinated activity, and their likely activators and repressors. We show that disease- and trait-associated genetic variants are enriched in tissue-specific epigenomic marks, revealing biologically relevant cell types for diverse human traits, and providing a resource for interpreting the molecular basis of human disease. Our results demonstrate the central role of epigenomic information for understanding gene regulation, cellular differentiation and human disease.

Integrative analysis of 111 reference human epigenomes

ROS Function in Redox Signaling and Oxidative Stress

Interpretation of clinical trials comparing different drug regimens for Parkinson's disease (PD) is complicated by the different dose intensities used: higher doses of levodopa and, possibly, other drugs produce better symptomatic control but more late complications. To address this problem, conversion factors have been calculated for antiparkinsonian drugs that yield a total daily levodopa equivalent dose (LED). LED estimates vary, so we undertook a systematic review of studies reporting LEDs to provide standardized formulae. Electronic database and hand searching of references identified 56 primary reports of LED estimates. Data were extracted and the mean and modal LEDs calculated. This yielded a standardized LED for each drug, providing a useful tool to express dose intensity of different antiparkinsonian drug regimens on a single scale. Using these conversion formulae to report LEDs would improve the consistency of reporting and assist the interpretation of clinical trials comparing different PD medications.

Systematic review of levodopa dose equivalency reporting in Parkinson's disease

Deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs) are the reduced nucleotides used as the building blocks and energy source for DNA replication and maintenance in all living systems. They are present in highly regulated amounts and ratios in the cell, and their balance has been implicated in the most important cell processes, from determining the fidelity of DNA replication to affecting cell fate. Furthermore, many cancer drugs target biosynthetic enzymes in dNTP metabolism, and mutations in genes directly or indirectly affecting these pathways are the cause of devastating diseases. The accurate and systematic measurement of these pools is key to understand the mechanisms behind these diseases and their treatment. We present a new method for measuring dNTP pools from biological samples, utilising the current state-of-the-art polymerase method, modified to a solid-phase setting and optimised for larger scale measurements.

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2018/02/23/270454.full.pdf

Quantitative solid-phase assay to measure deoxynucleoside triphosphate pools

The m.3243A>G mutation in mitochondrial tRNA-Leu(UUR) is one of the most common pathogenic mitochondrial DNA mutations in humans. The clinical manifestations are highly heterogenous and the causes for the drastic clinical variability are unknown. Approximately one third of patients suffer from cardiac disease, which often increases mortality. Why only some patients develop cardiomyopathy is unknown. Here, we studied the molecular effects of a high m.3243A>G mutation load on cardiomyocyte functionality, using cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC-CM) of two different m.3243A>G patients, only one of them suffering from severe cardiomyopathy. While high mutation load impaired mitochondrial respiration in both patients’ iPSC-CMs, the downstream consequences varied. mtDNA mutant cells from a patient with no clinical heart disease showed increased glucose metabolism and retained cellular ATP levels, whereas cells from the cardiac disease patient showed reduced ATP levels. In this patient, the mutations also affected intracellular calcium signaling, while this was not true in the other patient’s cells. Our results reflect the clinical variability in mitochondrial disease patients and show that iPSC-CMs retain tissue specific features seen in patients.

/pdf/varied-responses-to-a-high-m-3243a-g-mutation-load-and-31i1h6m1.pdf

Varied Responses to a High m.3243A>G Mutation Load and Respiratory Chain Dysfunction in Patient-Derived Cardiomyocytes

Recessively inherited mutations in the base excision repair gene MYH have recently been associated with predisposition to colorectal adenomas and cancer in materials selected for occurrence of multiple adenomas. In particular, variants Y165C and G382D have been shown to play a role in Caucasian patients. To evaluate the contribution of MYH mutations to colorectal cancer burden on the population level, and to examine the MYH-associated phenotype in an unselected series of colorectal cancer patients, we determined the frequencies of Y165C and G382D MYH mutations in a population-based series of 1042 Finnish colorectal cancer patients. Four (0.4%) patients had both MYH alleles mutated. Although all these patients had multiple adenomatous polyps, the phenotypes tended to be less extreme than in previous studies on selected cases. The lowest number of colorectal adenomas at the time of cancer diagnosis was five. Cases with one mutant MYH allele were subjected to sequencing of all exons to detect possible Finnish founder mutations, but no additional changes were detected. The Y165C and G382D variants were not present in 424 Finnish cancer-free controls showing that MYH mutations are not enriched in the population. As evaluated against national Finnish Polyposis Registry data MYH-associated colorectal cancer appears to be as common as colorectal cancer associated with familial adenomatous polyposis. (Am J Pathol 2003, 163:827– 832)

Short Communication Proportion and Phenotype of MYH-Associated Colorectal Neoplasia in a Population-Based Series of Finnish Colorectal Cancer Patients

Autosomal dominant progressive external ophthalmoplegia (adPEO) is a mitochondrial disease characterized by muscle weakness, most prominent in ocular muscles. The symptoms are caused by accumulation of multiple large deletions of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in the tissues of the patient, especially in those tissues that are most dependent on oxidative metabolism: brain, skeletal muscle and heart. However, the disorder shows autosomal dominant way of transmission, suggesting a primary defect in a nuclear encoded protein, which only secondarily results in mtDNA deletions. The candidate genes could be those actively participating in the mtDNA replication, or those associated with oxidative metabolism and e.g. via overproduction or inefficient elimination of fire oxygen radicals fragmenting mtDNA. We applied random mapping approach to localize the autosomal adPEO gene locus in a large Finnish family. The affected subjects were identified by detection of multiple mtDNA deletions in the Southern blot analysis of DNA extracted from the muscle biopsy specimens. All the family members underwent muscle biopsy. After analysis of 248 highly polymorphic dinucleotide repeat markets dispersed throughout the genome we were able to assign the adPEO gene locus to a distinct chromosomal region with the maximum pairwise lod score of 4.52, recombination fraction 0.0. This is themore » first evidence that a mutation in a nuclear gene may interfere mtDNA. The pathogenesis of adPEO involves both the genomes: the primary nuclear gene defect leads to secondary mtDNA mutations that cause the symptoms of the patients.« less

Nuclear gene causing multiple mtDNA deletions in autosomal dominant ophthalmoplegia maps to a distinct chromosomal region - involvement of both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA in a single disorder

Anu Suomalainen

Papers

Quantitative solid-phase assay to measure deoxynucleoside triphosphate pools

Varied Responses to a High m.3243A>G Mutation Load and Respiratory Chain Dysfunction in Patient-Derived Cardiomyocytes

Short Communication Proportion and Phenotype of MYH-Associated Colorectal Neoplasia in a Population-Based Series of Finnish Colorectal Cancer Patients

Nuclear gene causing multiple mtDNA deletions in autosomal dominant ophthalmoplegia maps to a distinct chromosomal region - involvement of both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA in a single disorder

LCCS: a lethal motoneuron disease of the fetus maps to chromosome 9q34.