Urea cycle disorders (UCD) are inherited defects in clearance of waste nitrogen with high morbidity and mortality. Novel and more effective therapies for UCD are needed. Studies in mice with constitutive activation of autophagy unravelled Beclin-1 as druggable candidate for therapy of hyperammonemia. Next, we investigated efficacy of cell-penetrating autophagy-inducing Tat-Beclin-1 (TB-1) peptide for therapy of the two most common UCD, namely ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) and argininosuccinate lyase (ASL) deficiencies. TB-1 reduced urinary orotic acid and improved survival under protein-rich diet in spf-ash mice, a model of OTC deficiency (proximal UCD). In Asl mice, a model of ASL deficiency (distal UCD), TB-1 increased ureagenesis, reduced argininosuccinate, and improved survival. Moreover, it alleviated hepatocellular injury and decreased both cytoplasmic and nuclear glycogen accumulation in Asl mice. In conclusion, Beclin-1-dependent activation of autophagy improved biochemical and clinical phenotypes of proximal and distal defects of the urea cycle.

Beclin-1-mediated activation of autophagy improves proximal and distal urea cycle disorders

Paris Debora;Motta Andrea;
2020

Abstract

Urea cycle disorders (UCD) are inherited defects in clearance of waste nitrogen with high morbidity and mortality. Novel and more effective therapies for UCD are needed. Studies in mice with constitutive activation of autophagy unravelled Beclin-1 as druggable candidate for therapy of hyperammonemia. Next, we investigated efficacy of cell-penetrating autophagy-inducing Tat-Beclin-1 (TB-1) peptide for therapy of the two most common UCD, namely ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) and argininosuccinate lyase (ASL) deficiencies. TB-1 reduced urinary orotic acid and improved survival under protein-rich diet in spf-ash mice, a model of OTC deficiency (proximal UCD). In Asl mice, a model of ASL deficiency (distal UCD), TB-1 increased ureagenesis, reduced argininosuccinate, and improved survival. Moreover, it alleviated hepatocellular injury and decreased both cytoplasmic and nuclear glycogen accumulation in Asl mice. In conclusion, Beclin-1-dependent activation of autophagy improved biochemical and clinical phenotypes of proximal and distal defects of the urea cycle.
2020
Istituto di Chimica Biomolecolare - ICB - Sede Pozzuoli
argininosuccinic aciduria
autophagy
OTC deficiency
Tat-Beclin-1 peptide
urea cycle disorders
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14243/421259
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