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Cytoplasmic accumulation of FUS triggers early behavioral alterations linked to cortical neuronal hyperactivity and defects in inhibitory synapses

ABSTRACT: Purpose: Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has revolutionized systems-based analysis of cellular pathways. The goals of this study are to compare NGS-derived frontal cortex transcriptome profiling (RNA-seq) from control and a mouse of ALS-FUS. Gene mutations causing cytoplasmic mislocalization of the RNA-binding protein FUS, lead to severe forms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Cytoplasmic accumulation of FUS is also observed in other diseases, with unknown consequences. Here, we show that cytoplasmic mislocalization of FUS drives behavioral abnormalities in knock-in mice, including locomotor hyperactivity and alterations in social interactions, in the absence of widespread neuronal loss. Mechanistically, we identified a profound increase in neuronal activity in the frontal cortex of Fus knock-in mice in vivo. Importantly, RNAseq analysis suggested involvement of defects in inhibitory neurons, that was confirmed by ultrastructural and morphological defects of inhibitory synapses and increased synaptosomal levels of mRNAs involved in inhibitory neurotransmission. Thus, cytoplasmic FUS triggers inhibitory synaptic deficits, leading to increased neuronal activity and behavioral phenotypes. FUS mislocalization may trigger deleterious phenotypes beyond motor neuron impairment in ALS, but also in other neurodegenerative diseases with FUS mislocalization.

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus

PROVIDER: GSE166615 | GEO | 2021/02/12

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:FUS is an RNA-binding protein involved in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Cytoplasmic FUS-containing aggregates are often associated with concomitant loss of nuclear FUS. Whether loss of nuclear FUS function, gain of a cytoplasmic function, or a combination of both lead to neurodegeneration remains elusive. To address this question, we generated knock-in mice expressing mislocalized cytoplasmic FUS and complete FUS knock-out mice. Both mouse models display similar perinatal lethality with respiratory insufficiency, reduced body weight and length, and largely similar alterations in gene expression and mRNA splicing patterns, indicating that mislocalized FUS results in loss of its normal function. However, FUS knock-in mice, but not FUS knock-out mice, display reduced motor neuron numbers at birth, associated with enhanced motor neuron apoptosis, which can be rescued by cell-specific CRE-mediated expression of wild-type FUS within motor neurons. Together, our findings indicate that cytoplasmic FUS mislocalization not only leads to nuclear loss of function, but also triggers motor neuron death through a toxic gain of function within motor neurons. Total RNA from brains of E18.5 knock-in (FusÎNLS/ÎNLS), and knock-out (Fus-/-) mice and their control littermates were extracted with Trizol and libraries were prepared for RNA sequencing and RNA-mediated oligonucleotide Annealing, Selection, and Ligation with Next-Generation sequencing (RASL-seq) (Li et al. 2012; Zhou et al. 2012). For the RNA-seq experiment, biological replicates were used with n=4-5 knock-in animals per group (4 wild-type and 5 homozygous FusÎNLS) and n=5 knock-out animals per group (5 wild-type and 5 homozygous Fus-/-). For the RASL-seq analysis, biological replicates were used with n=4 knock-in animals per group (4 wild-type, 4 heterozygous and 4 homozygous FusÎNLS) and n=5 animals per group (5 wild-type and 5 homozygous Fus-/- knock-out).

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Cytoplasmic accumulation of FUS triggers early behavioral alterations linked to cortical neuronal hyperactivity and defects in inhibitory synapses

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