@article{JanzWalzCirnuetal.2024, author = {Janz, Anna and Walz, Katharina and Cirnu, Alexandra and Surjanto, Jessica and Urlaub, Daniela and Leskien, Miriam and Kohlhaas, Michael and Nickel, Alexander and Brand, Theresa and Nose, Naoko and W{\"o}rsd{\"o}rfer, Philipp and Wagner, Nicole and Higuchi, Takahiro and Maack, Christoph and Dudek, Jan and Lorenz, Kristina and Klopocki, Eva and Erg{\"u}n, S{\"u}leyman and Duff, Henry J. and Gerull, Brenda}, title = {Mutations in DNAJC19 cause altered mitochondrial structure and increased mitochondrial respiration in human iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes}, series = {Molecular Metabolism}, volume = {79}, journal = {Molecular Metabolism}, issn = {2212-8778}, doi = {10.1016/j.molmet.2023.101859}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-350393}, year = {2024}, abstract = {Highlights • Loss of DNAJC19's DnaJ domain disrupts cardiac mitochondrial structure, leading to abnormal cristae formation in iPSC-CMs. • Impaired mitochondrial structures lead to an increased mitochondrial respiration, ROS and an elevated membrane potential. • Mutant iPSC-CMs show sarcomere dysfunction and a trend to more arrhythmias, resembling DCMA-associated cardiomyopathy. Background Dilated cardiomyopathy with ataxia (DCMA) is an autosomal recessive disorder arising from truncating mutations in DNAJC19, which encodes an inner mitochondrial membrane protein. Clinical features include an early onset, often life-threatening, cardiomyopathy associated with other metabolic features. Here, we aim to understand the metabolic and pathophysiological mechanisms of mutant DNAJC19 for the development of cardiomyopathy. Methods We generated induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) of two affected siblings with DCMA and a gene-edited truncation variant (tv) of DNAJC19 which all lack the conserved DnaJ interaction domain. The mutant iPSC-CMs and their respective control cells were subjected to various analyses, including assessments of morphology, metabolic function, and physiological consequences such as Ca\(^{2+}\) kinetics, contractility, and arrhythmic potential. Validation of respiration analysis was done in a gene-edited HeLa cell line (DNAJC19tv\(_{HeLa}\)). Results Structural analyses revealed mitochondrial fragmentation and abnormal cristae formation associated with an overall reduced mitochondrial protein expression in mutant iPSC-CMs. Morphological alterations were associated with higher oxygen consumption rates (OCRs) in all three mutant iPSC-CMs, indicating higher electron transport chain activity to meet cellular ATP demands. Additionally, increased extracellular acidification rates suggested an increase in overall metabolic flux, while radioactive tracer uptake studies revealed decreased fatty acid uptake and utilization of glucose. Mutant iPSC-CMs also showed increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and an elevated mitochondrial membrane potential. Increased mitochondrial respiration with pyruvate and malate as substrates was observed in mutant DNAJC19tv HeLa cells in addition to an upregulation of respiratory chain complexes, while cellular ATP-levels remain the same. Moreover, mitochondrial alterations were associated with increased beating frequencies, elevated diastolic Ca\(^{2+}\) concentrations, reduced sarcomere shortening and an increased beat-to-beat rate variability in mutant cell lines in response to β-adrenergic stimulation. Conclusions Loss of the DnaJ domain disturbs cardiac mitochondrial structure with abnormal cristae formation and leads to mitochondrial dysfunction, suggesting that DNAJC19 plays an essential role in mitochondrial morphogenesis and biogenesis. Moreover, increased mitochondrial respiration, altered substrate utilization, increased ROS production and abnormal Ca\(^{2+}\) kinetics provide insights into the pathogenesis of DCMA-related cardiomyopathy.}, language = {en} } @article{ElsnerKunzWagneretal.2023, author = {Elsner, Clara and Kunz, Andreas Steven and Wagner, Nicole and Huflage, Henner and H{\"u}bner, Stefan and Luetkens, Karsten Sebastian and Bley, Thorsten Alexander and Schmitt, Rainer and Erg{\"u}n, S{\"u}leyman and Grunz, Jan-Peter}, title = {MRI-based evaluation of the flexor digitorum superficialis anatomy: investigating the prevalence and morphometry of the "chiasma antebrachii"}, series = {Diagnostics}, volume = {13}, journal = {Diagnostics}, number = {14}, issn = {2075-4418}, doi = {10.3390/diagnostics13142406}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-362631}, year = {2023}, abstract = {Recent dissection studies resulted in the introduction of the term "chiasma antebrachii", which represents an intersection of the flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) tendons for digits 2 and 3 in the distal third of the forearm. This retrospective investigation aimed to provide an MRI-based morphologic analysis of the chiasma antebrachii. In 89 patients (41 women, 39.3 ± 21.3 years), MRI examinations of the forearm (2010-2021) were reviewed by two radiologists, who evaluated all studies for the presence and length of the chiasma as well as its distance from the distal radioulnar and elbow joint. The chiasma antebrachii was identified in the distal third of the forearm in 88 patients (98.9\%), while one intersection was located more proximally in the middle part. The chiasma had a median length of 28 mm (interquartile range: 24-35 mm). Its distances to the distal radioulnar and elbow joint were 16 mm (8-25 mm) and 215 mm (187-227 mm), respectively. T1-weighted post-contrast sequences were found to be superior to T2- or proton-density-weighted sequences in 71 cases (79.8\%). To conclude, the chiasma antebrachii is part of the standard FDS anatomy. Knowledge of its morphology is important, e.g., in targeted injections of therapeutics or reconstructive surgery.}, language = {en} } @article{SteuerCostaVanderAuweraGlocketal.2019, author = {Steuer Costa, Wagner and Van der Auwera, Petrus and Glock, Caspar and Liewald, Jana F. and Bach, Maximilian and Sch{\"u}ler, Christina and Wabnig, Sebastian and Oranth, Alexandra and Masurat, Florentin and Bringmann, Henrik and Schoofs, Liliane and Stelzer, Ernst H. K. and Fischer, Sabine C. and Gottschalk, Alexander}, title = {A GABAergic and peptidergic sleep neuron as a locomotion stop neuron with compartmentalized Ca2+ dynamics}, series = {Nature Communications}, volume = {10}, journal = {Nature Communications}, doi = {10.1038/s41467-019-12098-5}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-223273}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Animals must slow or halt locomotion to integrate sensory inputs or to change direction. In Caenorhabditis elegans, the GABAergic and peptidergic neuron RIS mediates developmentally timed quiescence. Here, we show RIS functions additionally as a locomotion stop neuron. RIS optogenetic stimulation caused acute and persistent inhibition of locomotion and pharyngeal pumping, phenotypes requiring FLP-11 neuropeptides and GABA. RIS photoactivation allows the animal to maintain its body posture by sustaining muscle tone, yet inactivating motor neuron oscillatory activity. During locomotion, RIS axonal Ca2+ signals revealed functional compartmentalization: Activity in the nerve ring process correlated with locomotion stop, while activity in a branch correlated with induced reversals. GABA was required to induce, and FLP-11 neuropeptides were required to sustain locomotion stop. RIS attenuates neuronal activity and inhibits movement, possibly enabling sensory integration and decision making, and exemplifies dual use of one cell across development in a compact nervous system.}, language = {en} }