PUBLICATION

SINEUP RNA rescues molecular phenotypes associated with CHD8 suppression in Autism Spectrum Disorder model systems

Authors
Di Leva, F., Arnoldi, M., Santarelli, S., Massonot, M., Lemée, M.V., Bon, C., Pellegrini, M., Castellini, M.E., Zarantonello, G., Messina, A., Bozzi, Y., Bernier, R., Zucchelli, S., Casarosa, S., Dassi, E., Ronzitti, G., Golzio, C., Morandell, J., Gustincich, S., Espinoza, S., Biagioli, M.
ID
ZDB-PUB-250109-108
Date
2024
Source
Molecular therapy : the journal of the American Society of Gene Therapy : (Journal)
Registered Authors
Keywords
none
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • RNA, Long Noncoding/genetics
  • Zebrafish*
  • Phenotype*
  • Transcription Factors/genetics
  • Transcription Factors/metabolism
  • DNA-Binding Proteins*/genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins*/metabolism
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder*/genetics
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder*/metabolism
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder*/therapy
  • Fibroblasts/metabolism
  • Humans
  • Disease Models, Animal*
  • Mutation
PubMed
39741407 Full text @ Mol. Ther.
Abstract
Loss-of-function mutations in the chromodomain helicase DNA-binding 8 (CHD8) gene are strongly associated with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Indeed, the reduction of CHD8 causes transcriptional, epigenetic and cellular phenotypic changes correlated to disease, that can be monitored in assessing new therapeutic approaches. SINEUPs are a functional class of natural and synthetic antisense long non-coding RNAs able to stimulate the translation of sense target mRNA, with no effect on transcription. Here we employed synthetic SINEUP-CHD8 targeting the first and third AUG of the CHD8 coding sequence to efficiently stimulate endogenous CHD8 protein production. SINEUP-CHD8 were effective in cells with reduced levels of the target protein and in patients'-derived fibroblasts with CHD8 mutations. Functionally, SINEUP-CHD8 were able to revert molecular phenotypes associated with CHD8-suppression, i.e. genome-wide transcriptional dysregulation, and the reduction of H3K36me3 levels. Strikingly, in chd8-morpholino-treated and ENU mutant zebrafish embryos, SINEUP-chd8 injection confirmed the ability of SINEUP RNA to rescue the chd8-suppression-induced macrocephaly phenotype and neuronal hyperproliferation. Thus, SINEUP-CHD8 molecule(s) represent a proof-of-concept towards the development of a RNA-based therapy for neurodevelopmental syndromes with implications for, and beyond ASD, and relevant to genetic disorders caused by protein haploinsufficiency.
Genes / Markers
Figures
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Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping