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Integrative system biology analyses of CRISPR-edited iPSC-derived neurons and human brains reveal deficiencies of presynaptic signaling in FTLD and PSP.

Shan Jiang | Natalie Wen | Zeran Li | Umber Dube | Jorge Del Aguila | John Budde | Rita Martinez | Simon Hsu | Maria V Fernandez | Nigel J Cairns | Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network (DIAN) | International FTD-Genomics Consortium (IFGC) | Oscar Harari | Carlos Cruchaga | Celeste M Karch
Translational psychiatry | 2018

Mutations in the microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) gene cause autosomal dominant frontotemporal lobar degeneration with tau inclusions (FTLD-tau). MAPT p.R406W carriers present clinically with progressive memory loss and neuropathologically with neuronal and glial tauopathy. However, the pathogenic events triggered by the expression of the mutant tau protein remain poorly understood. To identify the genes and pathways that are dysregulated in FTLD-tau, we performed transcriptomic analyses in induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neurons carrying MAPT p.R406W and CRISPR/Cas9-corrected isogenic controls. We found that the expression of the MAPT p.R406W mutation was sufficient to create a significantly different transcriptomic profile compared with that of the isogeneic controls and to cause the differential expression of 328 genes. Sixty-one of these genes were also differentially expressed in the same direction between MAPT p.R406W carriers and pathology-free human control brains. We found that genes differentially expressed in the stem cell models and human brains were enriched for pathways involving gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors and pre-synaptic function. The expression of GABA receptor genes, including GABRB2 and GABRG2, were consistently reduced in iPSC-derived neurons and brains from MAPT p.R406W carriers. Interestingly, we found that GABA receptor genes, including GABRB2 and GABRG2, are significantly lower in symptomatic mouse models of tauopathy, as well as in brains with progressive supranuclear palsy. Genome wide association analyses reveal that common variants within GABRB2 are associated with increased risk for frontotemporal dementia (P < 1 × 10-3). Thus, our systems biology approach, which leverages molecular data from stem cells, animal models, and human brain tissue can reveal novel disease mechanisms. Here, we demonstrate that MAPT p.R406W is sufficient to induce changes in GABA-mediated signaling and synaptic function, which may contribute to the pathogenesis of FTLD-tau and other primary tauopathies.

Pubmed ID: 30546007

Associated grants

  • Agency: NIA NIH HHS, United States
    Id: U01 AG052411
  • Agency: NIA NIH HHS, United States
    Id: R01 AG057777
  • Agency: NIA NIH HHS, United States
    Id: RF1 AG058501
  • Agency: NIA NIH HHS, United States
    Id: U01 AG058922
  • Agency: NIA NIH HHS, United States
    Id: P01 AG003991
  • Agency: NIA NIH HHS, United States
    Id: K01 AG046374
  • Agency: NIA NIH HHS, United States
    Id: R01 AG044546
  • Agency: NIA NIH HHS, United States
    Id: P50 AG005681
  • Agency: NIA NIH HHS, United States
    Id: UF1 AG032438
  • Agency: NIA NIH HHS, United States
    Id: R01 AG056293
  • Agency: NIA NIH HHS, United States
    Id: RF1 AG053303
  • Agency: NIA NIH HHS, United States
    Id: RF1 AG044546
  • Agency: NIA NIH HHS, United States
    Id: P01 AG026276

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