{"title":"Unraveling autophagic imbalances and therapeutic insights in Mecp2-deficient models.","authors":"Alessandro Esposito,Tommaso Seri,Martina Breccia,Marzia Indrigo,Giuseppina De Rocco,Francesca Nuzzolillo,Vanna Denti,Francesca Pappacena,Gaia Tartaglione,Simone Serrao,Giuseppe Paglia,Luca Murru,Stefano de Pretis,Jean-Michel Cioni,Nicoletta Landsberger,Fabrizia Claudia Guarnieri,Michela Palmieri","doi":"10.1038/s44321-024-00151-w","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Loss-of-function mutations in MECP2 are associated to Rett syndrome (RTT), a severe neurodevelopmental disease. Mainly working as a transcriptional regulator, MeCP2 absence leads to gene expression perturbations resulting in deficits of synaptic function and neuronal activity. In addition, RTT patients and mouse models suffer from a complex metabolic syndrome, suggesting that related cellular pathways might contribute to neuropathogenesis. Along this line, autophagy is critical in sustaining developing neuron homeostasis by breaking down dysfunctional proteins, lipids, and organelles.Here, we investigated the autophagic pathway in RTT and found reduced content of autophagic vacuoles in Mecp2 knock-out neurons. This correlates with defective lipidation of LC3B, probably caused by a deficiency of the autophagic membrane lipid phosphatidylethanolamine. The administration of the autophagy inducer trehalose recovers LC3B lipidation, autophagosomes content in knock-out neurons, and ameliorates their morphology, neuronal activity and synaptic ultrastructure. Moreover, we provide evidence for attenuation of motor and exploratory impairment in Mecp2 knock-out mice upon trehalose administration. Overall, our findings open new perspectives for neurodevelopmental disorders therapies based on the concept of autophagy modulation.","PeriodicalId":11597,"journal":{"name":"EMBO Molecular Medicine","volume":"13 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":9.0000,"publicationDate":"2024-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"EMBO Molecular Medicine","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s44321-024-00151-w","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"MEDICINE, RESEARCH & EXPERIMENTAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Loss-of-function mutations in MECP2 are associated to Rett syndrome (RTT), a severe neurodevelopmental disease. Mainly working as a transcriptional regulator, MeCP2 absence leads to gene expression perturbations resulting in deficits of synaptic function and neuronal activity. In addition, RTT patients and mouse models suffer from a complex metabolic syndrome, suggesting that related cellular pathways might contribute to neuropathogenesis. Along this line, autophagy is critical in sustaining developing neuron homeostasis by breaking down dysfunctional proteins, lipids, and organelles.Here, we investigated the autophagic pathway in RTT and found reduced content of autophagic vacuoles in Mecp2 knock-out neurons. This correlates with defective lipidation of LC3B, probably caused by a deficiency of the autophagic membrane lipid phosphatidylethanolamine. The administration of the autophagy inducer trehalose recovers LC3B lipidation, autophagosomes content in knock-out neurons, and ameliorates their morphology, neuronal activity and synaptic ultrastructure. Moreover, we provide evidence for attenuation of motor and exploratory impairment in Mecp2 knock-out mice upon trehalose administration. Overall, our findings open new perspectives for neurodevelopmental disorders therapies based on the concept of autophagy modulation.
期刊介绍:
EMBO Molecular Medicine is an open access journal in the field of experimental medicine, dedicated to science at the interface between clinical research and basic life sciences. In addition to human data, we welcome original studies performed in cells and/or animals provided they demonstrate human disease relevance.
To enhance and better specify our commitment to precision medicine, we have expanded the scope of EMM and call for contributions in the following fields:
Environmental health and medicine, in particular studies in the field of environmental medicine in its functional and mechanistic aspects (exposome studies, toxicology, biomarkers, modeling, and intervention).
Clinical studies and case reports - Human clinical studies providing decisive clues how to control a given disease (epidemiological, pathophysiological, therapeutic, and vaccine studies). Case reports supporting hypothesis-driven research on the disease.
Biomedical technologies - Studies that present innovative materials, tools, devices, and technologies with direct translational potential and applicability (imaging technologies, drug delivery systems, tissue engineering, and AI)