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G-quadruplex-binding small molecules ameliorate C9orf72 FTD/ALS pathology in vitro and in vivo

Simone, R; Balendra, R; Moens, TG; Preza, E; Wilson, KM; Heslegrave, A; Woodling, NS; ... Isaacs, AM; + view all (2018) G-quadruplex-binding small molecules ameliorate C9orf72 FTD/ALS pathology in vitro and in vivo. EMBO Molecular Medicine , 10 (1) pp. 22-31. 10.15252/emmm.201707850. Green open access

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Abstract

Intronic GGGGCC repeat expansions in C9orf72 are the most common known cause of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which are characterised by degeneration of cortical and motor neurons, respectively. Repeat expansions have been proposed to cause disease by both the repeat RNA forming foci that sequester RNA-binding proteins and through toxic dipeptide repeat proteins generated by repeat-associated non-ATG translation. GGGGCC repeat RNA folds into a G-quadruplex secondary structure, and we investigated whether targeting this structure is a potential therapeutic strategy. We performed a screen that identified three structurally related small molecules that specifically stabilise GGGGCC repeat G-quadruplex RNA We investigated their effect in C9orf72 patient iPSC-derived motor and cortical neurons and show that they significantly reduce RNA foci burden and the levels of dipeptide repeat proteins. Furthermore, they also reduce dipeptide repeat proteins and improve survival in vivo, in GGGGCC repeat-expressing Drosophila Therefore, small molecules that target GGGGCC repeat G-quadruplexes can ameliorate the two key pathologies associated with C9orf72 FTD/ALS These data provide proof of principle that targeting GGGGCC repeat G-quadruplexes has therapeutic potential.

Type: Article
Title: G-quadruplex-binding small molecules ameliorate C9orf72 FTD/ALS pathology in vitro and in vivo
Location: England
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.15252/emmm.201707850
Publisher version: http://doi.org/10.15252/emmm.201707850
Language: English
Additional information: Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published under the terms of the CC BY 4.0 license
Keywords: C9orf72, G‐quadruplex, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, frontotemporal dementia
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > UCL Institute of Prion Diseases
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology > Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology > Department of Neuromuscular Diseases
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology > Neurodegenerative Diseases
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences > Div of Biosciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences > Div of Biosciences > Genetics, Evolution and Environment
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences > UCL School of Pharmacy
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences > UCL School of Pharmacy > Pharma and Bio Chemistry
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10037480
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