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Mutant FUS and ELAVL4 (HuD) Aberrant Crosstalk in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

  • Riccardo De Santis
  • , Vincenzo Alfano
  • , Valeria de Turris
  • , Alessio Colantoni
  • , Laura Santini
  • , Maria Giovanna Garone
  • , Giuseppe Antonacci
  • , Giovanna Peruzzi
  • , Emma Sudria-Lopez
  • , Emanuel Wyler
  • , Jasper J. Anink
  • , Eleonora Aronica
  • , Markus Landthaler
  • , R. Jeroen Pasterkamp
  • , Irene Bozzoni
  • , Alessandro Rosa*
  • *Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

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Abstract

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has been genetically linked to mutations in RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), including FUS. Here, we report the RNA interactome of wild-type and mutant FUS in human motor neurons (MNs). This analysis identified a number of RNA targets. Whereas the wild-type protein preferentially binds introns, the ALS mutation causes a shift toward 3' UTRs. Neural ELAV-like RBPs are among mutant FUS targets. As a result, ELAVL4 protein levels are increased in mutant MNs. ELAVL4 and mutant FUS interact and co-localize in cytoplasmic speckles with altered biomechanical properties. Upon oxidative stress, ELAVL4 and mutant FUS are engaged in stress granules. In the spinal cord of FUS ALS patients, ELAVL4 represents a neural-specific component of FUS-positive cytoplasmic aggregates, whereas in sporadic patients it co-localizes with phosphorylated TDP-43-positive inclusions. We propose that pathological mutations in FUS trigger an aberrant crosstalk with ELAVL4 with implications for ALS.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)3818-3831.e5
JournalCell Reports
Volume27
Issue number13
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 25 Jun 2019

Keywords

  • amytrophic lateral sclerosis
  • Brillouin
  • ELAVL4
  • FUS
  • HuD
  • motor neuron
  • PAR-CLIP
  • RNA-binding protein
  • stress granules
  • TDP-43

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