Aggresome formation and liquid-liquid phase separation independently induce cytoplasmic aggregation of TAR DNA-binding protein 43

Cell Death Dis. 2020 Oct 23;11(10):909. doi: 10.1038/s41419-020-03116-2.

Abstract

Cytoplasmic inclusion of TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) is a pathological hallmark of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and a subtype of frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). Recent studies have suggested that the formation of cytoplasmic TDP-43 aggregates is dependent on a liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) mechanism. However, it is unclear whether TDP-43 pathology is induced through a single intracellular mechanism such as LLPS. To identify intracellular mechanisms responsible for TDP-43 aggregation, we established a TDP-43 aggregation screening system using a cultured neuronal cell line stably expressing EGFP-fused TDP-43 and a mammalian expression library of the inherited ALS/FTLD causative genes, and performed a screening. We found that microtubule-related proteins (MRPs) and RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) co-aggregated with TDP-43. MRPs and RBPs sequestered TDP-43 into the cytoplasmic aggregates through distinct mechanisms, such as microtubules and LLPS, respectively. The MRPs-induced TDP-43 aggregates were co-localized with aggresomal markers and dependent on histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6), suggesting that aggresome formation induced the co-aggregation. However, the MRPs-induced aggregates were not affected by 1,6-hexanediol, an LLPS inhibitor. On the other hand, the RBPs-induced TDP-43 aggregates were sensitive to 1,6-hexanediol, but not dependent on microtubules or HDAC6. In sporadic ALS patients, approximately half of skein-like TDP-43 inclusions were co-localized with HDAC6, but round and granular type inclusion were not. Moreover, HDAC6-positive and HDAC6-negative inclusions were found in the same ALS patient, suggesting that the two distinct pathways are both involved in TDP-43 pathology. Our findings suggest that at least two distinct pathways (i.e., aggresome formation and LLPS) are involved in inducing the TDP-43 pathologies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / genetics
  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / metabolism*
  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / pathology
  • Animals
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / chemistry
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • HEK293 Cells
  • HeLa Cells
  • Histone Deacetylase 6 / chemistry
  • Histone Deacetylase 6 / metabolism
  • Histones / chemistry
  • Histones / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Inclusion Bodies / chemistry
  • Inclusion Bodies / metabolism*
  • Inclusion Bodies / pathology
  • Liquid-Liquid Extraction / methods
  • Mice
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins / genetics
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins / metabolism
  • Nocodazole / pharmacology
  • Protein Aggregation, Pathological
  • RNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • RNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Transfection

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Histones
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins
  • RNA-Binding Proteins
  • TARDBP protein, human
  • HDAC6 protein, human
  • Histone Deacetylase 6
  • Nocodazole

Supplementary concepts

  • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis 1