Juan Cadiñanos

Genomic instability in laminopathy-based premature aging

Premature aging syndromes often result from mutations in nuclear proteins involved in the maintenance of genomic integrity. Lamin A is a major component of the nuclear lamina and nuclear skeleton. Truncation in lamin A causes Hutchinson-Gilford progerial syndrome (HGPS), a severe form of early-onset premature aging. Lack of functional Zmpste24, a metalloproteinase responsible for the maturation of prelamin A, also results in progeroid phenotypes in mice and humans. We found that Zmpste24-deficient mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) show increased DNA damage and chromosome aberrations and are more sensitive to DNA-damaging agents. Bone marrow cells isolated from Zmpste24−/− mice show increased aneuploidy and the mice are more sensitive to DNA-damaging agents. Recruitment of p53 binding protein 1 (53BP1) and Rad51 to sites of DNA lesion is impaired in Zmpste24−/− MEFs and in HGPS fibroblasts, resulting in delayed checkpoint response and defective DNA repair. Wild-type MEFs ectopically expressing unprocessible prelamin A show similar defects in checkpoint response and DNA repair. Our results indicate that unprocessed prelamin A and truncated lamin A act dominant negatively to perturb DNA damage response and repair, resulting in genomic instability which might contribute to laminopathy-based premature aging.

Defective prelamin A processing and muscular and adipocyte alterations in Zmpste24 metalloproteinase–deficient mice

The mouse ortholog of human FACE-1, Zmpste24, is a multispanning membrane protein widely distributed in mammalian tissues and structurally related to Afc1p/ste24p, a yeast metalloproteinase involved in the maturation of fungal pheromones. Disruption of the gene Zmpste24 caused severe growth retardation and premature death in homozygous-null mice. Histopathological analysis of the mutant mice revealed several abnormalities, including dilated cardiomyopathy, muscular dystrophy and lipodystrophy. These alterations are similar to those developed by mice deficient in A-type lamin, a major component of the nuclear lamina, and phenocopy most defects observed in humans with diverse congenital laminopathies. In agreement with this finding, Zmpste24-null mice are defective in the proteolytic processing of prelamin A. This deficiency in prelamin A maturation leads to the generation of abnormalities in nuclear architecture that probably underlie the many phenotypes observed in both mice and humans with mutations in the lamin A gene. These results indicate that prelamin A is a specific substrate for Zmpste24 and demonstrate the usefulness of genetic approaches for identifying the in vivo substrates of proteolytic enzymes.

Accelerated ageing in mice deficient in Zmpste24 protease is linked to p53 signalling activation.

Zmpste24 (also called FACE-1) is a metalloproteinase involved in the maturation of lamin A (Lmna), an essential component of the nuclear envelope. Both Zmpste24- and Lmna-deficient mice exhibit profound nuclear architecture abnormalities and multiple histopathological defects that phenocopy an accelerated ageing process. Similarly, diverse human progeroid syndromes are caused by mutations in ZMPSTE24 or LMNA genes. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying these devastating diseases, we have analysed the transcriptional alterations occurring in tissues from Zmpste24-deficient mice. We demonstrate that Zmpste24 deficiency elicits a stress signalling pathway that is evidenced by a marked upregulation of p53 target genes, and accompanied by a senescence phenotype at the cellular level and accelerated ageing at the organismal level. These phenotypes are largely rescued in Zmpste24-/-Lmna+/- mice and partially reversed in Zmpste24-/-p53-/- mice. These findings provide evidence for the existence of a checkpoint response activated by the nuclear abnormalities caused by prelamin A accumulation, and support the concept that hyperactivation of the tumour suppressor p53 may cause accelerated ageing.

Combined treatment with statins and aminobisphosphonates extends longevity in a mouse model of human premature aging

Several human progerias, including Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS), are caused by the accumulation at the nuclear envelope of farnesylated forms of truncated prelamin A, a protein that is also altered during normal aging. Previous studies in cells from individuals with HGPS have shown that farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTIs) improve nuclear abnormalities associated with prelamin A accumulation, suggesting that these compounds could represent a therapeutic approach for this devastating progeroid syndrome. We show herein that both prelamin A and its truncated form progerin/LAΔ50 undergo alternative prenylation by geranylgeranyltransferase in the setting of farnesyltransferase inhibition, which could explain the low efficiency of FTIs in ameliorating the phenotypes of progeroid mouse models. We also show that a combination of statins and aminobisphosphonates efficiently inhibits both farnesylation and geranylgeranylation of progerin and prelamin A and markedly improves the aging-like phenotypes of mice deficient in the metalloproteinase Zmpste24, including growth retardation, loss of weight, lipodystrophy, hair loss and bone defects. Likewise, the longevity of these mice is substantially extended. These findings open a new therapeutic approach for human progeroid syndromes associated with nuclear-envelope abnormalities.

Generation of an inducible and optimized piggyBac transposon system

Genomic studies in the mouse have been slowed by the lack of transposon-mediated mutagenesis. However, since the resurrection of Sleeping Beauty (SB), the possibility of performing forward genetics in mice has been reinforced. Recently, piggyBac (PB), a functional transposon from insects, was also described to work in mammals. As the activity of PB is higher than that of SB11 and SB12, two hyperactive SB transposases, we have characterized and improved the PB system in mouse ES cells. We have generated a mouse codon-optimized version of the PB transposase coding sequence (CDS) which provides transposition levels greater than the original. We have also found that the promoter sequence predicted in the 5′-terminal repeat of the PB transposon is active in the mammalian context. Finally, we have engineered inducible versions of the optimized piggyBac transposase fused with ERT2. One of them, when induced, provides higher levels of transposition than the native piggyBac CDS, whereas in the absence of induction its activity is indistinguishable from background. We expect that these tools, adaptable to perform mouse-germline mutagenesis, will facilitate the identification of genes involved in pathological and physiological processes, such as cancer or ES cell differentiation.

PiggyBac Transposon Mutagenesis: A Tool for Cancer Gene Discovery in Mice

Piggybacking on Cancer Genes Transposons are mobile segments of DNA that can insert in or near important genes to cause mutations that disrupt gene function. Rad et al. (p. 1104, published online 14 October) adapted a mutagenic transposon called Piggybac, originally derived from a moth, into a tool for discovery of cancer-causing genes in mice. Mobilization of Piggybac in mice was associated with the development of leukemias and solid tumors. In many instances the causative mutations, which were identified by mapping the Piggybac integration sites, were within genes not previously implicated in cancer. Mutations induced by a transposable element in mice can be used to identify cancer-causing genes. Transposons are mobile DNA segments that can disrupt gene function by inserting in or near genes. Here, we show that insertional mutagenesis by the PiggyBac transposon can be used for cancer gene discovery in mice. PiggyBac transposition in genetically engineered transposon-transposase mice induced cancers whose type (hematopoietic versus solid) and latency were dependent on the regulatory elements introduced into transposons. Analysis of 63 hematopoietic tumors revealed that PiggyBac is capable of genome-wide mutagenesis. The PiggyBac screen uncovered many cancer genes not identified in previous retroviral or Sleeping Beauty transposon screens, including Spic, which encodes a PU.1-related transcription factor, and Hdac7, a histone deacetylase gene. PiggyBac and Sleeping Beauty have different integration preferences. To maximize the utility of the tool, we engineered 21 mouse lines to be compatible with both transposon systems in constitutive, tissue- or temporal-specific mutagenesis. Mice with different transposon types, copy numbers, and chromosomal locations support wide applicability.

Aging and chronic DNA damage response activate a regulatory pathway involving miR-29 and p53

Aging is a multifactorial process that affects most of the biological functions of the organism and increases susceptibility to disease and death. Recent studies with animal models of accelerated aging have unveiled some mechanisms that also operate in physiological aging. However, little is known about the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in this process. To address this question, we have analysed miRNA levels in Zmpste24‐deficient mice, a model of Hutchinson–Gilford progeria syndrome. We have found that expression of the miR‐29 family of miRNAs is markedly upregulated in Zmpste24−/− progeroid mice as well as during normal aging in mouse. Functional analysis revealed that this transcriptional activation of miR‐29 is triggered in response to DNA damage and occurs in a p53‐dependent manner since p53−/− murine fibroblasts do not increase miR‐29 expression upon doxorubicin treatment. We have also found that miR‐29 represses Ppm1d phosphatase, which in turn enhances p53 activity. Based on these results, we propose the existence of a novel regulatory circuitry involving miR‐29, Ppm1d and p53, which is activated in aging and in response to DNA damage.

Splicing-Directed Therapy in a New Mouse Model of Human Accelerated Aging

Antisense oligonucleotides reverse premature aging and extend life span in mutant mice that mimic aberrant splicing in progeria patients. Countering Careless Cutting Carpenters warn that one should “measure twice, cut once” to avoid unfixable assaults on building materials. Indeed, careless cutting lies at the heart of Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS). This premature aging disease is caused by a point mutation in the LMNA gene that activates a cryptic donor splice site in LMNA RNA; aberrant cutting and splicing results in the production of an mRNA that encodes progerin, a truncated form of the lamin A protein that is also produced in small amounts during normal aging. Until now, no model system has recapitulated the pathogenic LMNA splicing that occurs in HGPS patients. Here, Osorio et al. characterize such HGPS mutant mice mimics—called LmnaG609G/G609G mice—and show that antisense oligonucleotide–based therapy reverses various premature aging phenotypes and extends life span. Encoded by the LMNA gene, lamin A is a nuclear envelope protein that is important for nuclear stability, chromatin structure, and regulation of gene expression. Osorio et al. showed that the LmnaG609G/G609G mice produced reduced amounts of intact lamin A, accumulated progerin, displayed the nuclear abnormalities and transcriptional alterations seen in other progeroid models, and sported the key clinical features of human HGPS, such as a shortened life span, reduced size, disrupted metabolism, and enhanced bone and cardiovascular maladies relative to wild-type animals. The authors then used their newly characterized HGPS animal model to test the effects of antisense morpholino oligonucleotides that bound to and blocked the aberrant splice donor site in Lmna RNA. These reagents reduced progerin accumulation and corrected the nuclear abnormalities in both cultured mutant mouse and human HGPS fibroblasts. Furthermore, LmnaG609G/G609G mice that were treated with a combination of two antisense oligonucleotides that blocked aberrant splicing displayed reduced amounts of accumulated progerin, enhanced life expectancy, and a reversal of the phenotypical and molecular alterations associated with HGPS, including the righting of gene expression aberrations and normalization of blood glucose levels. Together, these findings provide preclinical proof of concept for the use of antisense oligonucleotide–based therapies in the treatment of HGPS. Furthermore, because progerin also accumulates during normal aging, the LmnaG609G/G609G mutant mice may be useful for preclinical testing of therapies designed to slow the human aging process and prevent age-related diseases. As the poet Ralph Waldo Emerson noted, “All diseases run into one—old age.” Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is caused by a point mutation in the LMNA gene that activates a cryptic donor splice site and yields a truncated form of prelamin A called progerin. Small amounts of progerin are also produced during normal aging. Studies with mouse models of HGPS have allowed the recent development of the first therapeutic approaches for this disease. However, none of these earlier works have addressed the aberrant and pathogenic LMNA splicing observed in HGPS patients because of the lack of an appropriate mouse model. Here, we report a genetically modified mouse strain that carries the HGPS mutation. These mice accumulate progerin, present histological and transcriptional alterations characteristic of progeroid models, and phenocopy the main clinical manifestations of human HGPS, including shortened life span and bone and cardiovascular aberrations. Using this animal model, we have developed an antisense morpholino–based therapy that prevents the pathogenic Lmna splicing, markedly reducing the accumulation of progerin and its associated nuclear defects. Treatment of mutant mice with these morpholinos led to a marked amelioration of their progeroid phenotype and substantially extended their life span, supporting the effectiveness of antisense oligonucleotide–based therapies for treating human diseases of accelerated aging.

Exome sequencing and functional analysis identifies BANF1 mutation as the cause of a hereditary progeroid syndrome.

Accelerated aging syndromes represent a valuable source of information about the molecular mechanisms involved in normal aging. Here, we describe a progeroid syndrome that partially phenocopies Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) but also exhibits distinctive features, including the absence of cardiovascular deficiencies characteristic of HGPS, the lack of mutations in LMNA and ZMPSTE24, and a relatively long lifespan of affected individuals. Exome sequencing and molecular analysis in two unrelated families allowed us to identify a homozygous mutation in BANF1 (c.34G>A [p.Ala12Thr]), encoding barrier-to-autointegration factor 1 (BAF), as the molecular abnormality responsible for this Mendelian disorder. Functional analysis showed that fibroblasts from both patients have a dramatic reduction in BAF protein levels, indicating that the p.Ala12Thr mutation impairs protein stability. Furthermore, progeroid fibroblasts display profound abnormalities in the nuclear lamina, including blebs and abnormal distribution of emerin, an interaction partner of BAF. These nuclear abnormalities are rescued by ectopic expression of wild-type BANF1, providing evidence for the causal role of this mutation. These data demonstrate the utility of exome sequencing for identifying the cause of rare Mendelian disorders and underscore the importance of nuclear envelope alterations in human aging.

Premature aging in mice activates a systemic metabolic response involving autophagy induction

Autophagy is a highly regulated intracellular process involved in the turnover of most cellular constituents and in the maintenance of cellular homeostasis. It is well-established that the basal autophagic activity of living cells decreases with age, thus contributing to the accumulation of damaged macromolecules during aging. Conversely, the activity of this catabolic pathway is required for lifespan extension in animal models such as Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila melanogaster. In this work, we describe the unexpected finding that Zmpste24-null mice, which show accelerated aging and are a reliable model of human Hutchinson-Gilford progeria, exhibit an extensive basal activation of autophagy instead of the characteristic decline in this process occurring during normal aging. We also show that this autophagic increase is associated with a series of changes in lipid and glucose metabolic pathways, which resemble those occurring in diverse situations reported to prolong lifespan. These Zmpste24(-/-) mice metabolic alterations are also linked to substantial changes in circulating blood parameters, such as leptin, glucose, insulin or adiponectin which in turn lead to peripheral LKB1-AMPK activation and mTOR inhibition. On the basis of these results, we propose that nuclear abnormalities causing premature aging in Zmpste24(-/-) mice trigger a metabolic response involving the activation of autophagy. However, the chronic activation of this catabolic pathway may turn an originally intended pro-survival strategy into a pro-aging mechanism and could contribute to the systemic degeneration and weakening observed in these progeroid mice.