Mechanism of STMN2 cryptic splice-polyadenylation and its correction for TDP-43 proteinopathies

Science. 2023 Mar 17;379(6637):1140-1149. doi: 10.1126/science.abq5622. Epub 2023 Mar 16.

Abstract

Loss of nuclear TDP-43 is a hallmark of neurodegeneration in TDP-43 proteinopathies, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). TDP-43 mislocalization results in cryptic splicing and polyadenylation of pre-messenger RNAs (pre-mRNAs) encoding stathmin-2 (also known as SCG10), a protein that is required for axonal regeneration. We found that TDP-43 binding to a GU-rich region sterically blocked recognition of the cryptic 3' splice site in STMN2 pre-mRNA. Targeting dCasRx or antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) suppressed cryptic splicing, which restored axonal regeneration and stathmin-2-dependent lysosome trafficking in TDP-43-deficient human motor neurons. In mice that were gene-edited to contain human STMN2 cryptic splice-polyadenylation sequences, ASO injection into cerebral spinal fluid successfully corrected Stmn2 pre-mRNA misprocessing and restored stathmin-2 expression levels independently of TDP-43 binding.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • DNA-Binding Proteins* / metabolism
  • Gene Editing*
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Neuronal Outgrowth
  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense / genetics
  • Polyadenylation*
  • RNA Precursors / genetics
  • RNA Precursors / metabolism
  • RNA Splice Sites
  • RNA Splicing*
  • Stathmin* / genetics
  • Stathmin* / metabolism
  • TDP-43 Proteinopathies* / genetics
  • TDP-43 Proteinopathies* / therapy

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • RNA Precursors
  • Stathmin
  • STMN2 protein, human
  • Stmn2 protein, mouse
  • TDP-43 protein, mouse
  • RNA Splice Sites
  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense