The pathogenesis linked to coenzyme Q10 insufficiency in iPSC-derived neurons from patients with multiple-system atrophy

Sci Rep. 2018 Sep 21;8(1):14215. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-32573-1.

Abstract

Multiple-system atrophy (MSA) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by autonomic failure with various combinations of parkinsonism, cerebellar ataxia, and pyramidal dysfunction. We previously reported that functionally impaired variants of COQ2, which encodes an essential enzyme in the biosynthetic pathway of coenzyme Q10, are associated with MSA. Here, we report functional deficiencies in mitochondrial respiration and the antioxidative system in induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neurons from an MSA patient with compound heterozygous COQ2 mutations. The functional deficiencies were rescued by site-specific CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene corrections. We also report an increase in apoptosis of iPSC-derived neurons from MSA patients. Coenzyme Q10 reduced apoptosis of neurons from the MSA patient with compound heterozygous COQ2 mutations. Our results reveal that cellular dysfunctions attributable to decreased coenzyme Q10 levels are related to neuronal death in MSA, particularly in patients with COQ2 variants, and may contribute to the development of therapy using coenzyme Q10 supplementation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Alkyl and Aryl Transferases / metabolism
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Atrophy / metabolism
  • Atrophy / pathology
  • Base Sequence
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / metabolism*
  • Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / pathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mitochondria / metabolism
  • Multiple System Atrophy / metabolism*
  • Multiple System Atrophy / pathology*
  • Mutation / genetics
  • Neurons / metabolism*
  • Neurons / pathology
  • Ubiquinone / analogs & derivatives*
  • Ubiquinone / metabolism

Substances

  • Ubiquinone
  • Alkyl and Aryl Transferases
  • coenzyme Q10
  • Ubiquinone Q2