iPSC screening identifies CACNA2D2 as a potential therapeutic target for FTLD-Tau

Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (FTLD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects the frontal and temporal lobes, which are crucial for regulating personality, behavior, and language. Pathologically, FTLD is characterized by Tau protein accumulation and neuronal death. In our effort to identify...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Keiko Imamura, Ayako Nagahashi, Aya Okusa, Tomoki Sakasai, Kayoko Tsukita, Yumiko Kutoku, Yutaka Ohsawa, Yoshihide Sunada, Naruhiko Sahara, Nicholas M. Kanaan, Makoto Higuchi, Kohji Mori, Manabu Ikeda, Haruhisa Inoue
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:European Journal of Cell Biology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0171933525000093
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850218694679986176
author Keiko Imamura
Ayako Nagahashi
Aya Okusa
Tomoki Sakasai
Kayoko Tsukita
Yumiko Kutoku
Yutaka Ohsawa
Yoshihide Sunada
Naruhiko Sahara
Nicholas M. Kanaan
Makoto Higuchi
Kohji Mori
Manabu Ikeda
Haruhisa Inoue
author_facet Keiko Imamura
Ayako Nagahashi
Aya Okusa
Tomoki Sakasai
Kayoko Tsukita
Yumiko Kutoku
Yutaka Ohsawa
Yoshihide Sunada
Naruhiko Sahara
Nicholas M. Kanaan
Makoto Higuchi
Kohji Mori
Manabu Ikeda
Haruhisa Inoue
author_sort Keiko Imamura
collection DOAJ
description Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (FTLD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects the frontal and temporal lobes, which are crucial for regulating personality, behavior, and language. Pathologically, FTLD is characterized by Tau protein accumulation and neuronal death. In our effort to identify disease-modifying treatments, we conducted drug screening using neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) of FTLD-Tau patients. This screening identified gabapentin as an existing drug that suppresses neuronal cell death with suppressed accumulation of Tau oligomers. Treatment with gabapentinoids, including pregabalin and mirogabalin, demonstrated similar neuroprotective effects. These compounds bind to the α2δ subunit of voltage-dependent calcium channels and specifically target the two isoforms α2δ-1 and α2δ-2. To determine which isoform is involved in the neurodegeneration seen in FTLD-Tau, we employed a knockout approach using iPSCs, which revealed that α2δ-2, encoded by CACNA2D2, plays a key role in the degeneration of FTLD-Tau neurons. Moreover, Neural organoids of FTLD-Tau exhibited features indicative of neurodegeneration, and CACNA2D2 knockout reversed a part of the gene expression alterations associated with these neurodegenerative features. These findings suggest that α2δ-2 may be a promising target for disease-modifying therapies in FTLD-Tau.
format Article
id doaj-art-e5b5826638dd4e71a7b3c13b172fb04b
institution OA Journals
issn 0171-9335
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series European Journal of Cell Biology
spelling doaj-art-e5b5826638dd4e71a7b3c13b172fb04b2025-08-20T02:07:38ZengElsevierEuropean Journal of Cell Biology0171-93352025-06-01104215148410.1016/j.ejcb.2025.151484iPSC screening identifies CACNA2D2 as a potential therapeutic target for FTLD-TauKeiko Imamura0Ayako Nagahashi1Aya Okusa2Tomoki Sakasai3Kayoko Tsukita4Yumiko Kutoku5Yutaka Ohsawa6Yoshihide Sunada7Naruhiko Sahara8Nicholas M. Kanaan9Makoto Higuchi10Kohji Mori11Manabu Ikeda12Haruhisa Inoue13Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan; iPSC-based Drug Discovery and Development Team, RIKEN BioResource Research Center (BRC), Kyoto, Japan; RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project (AIP), Kyoto, JapanCenter for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan; RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project (AIP), Kyoto, JapanCenter for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan; RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project (AIP), Kyoto, JapanCenter for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan; RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project (AIP), Kyoto, JapanCenter for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan; iPSC-based Drug Discovery and Development Team, RIKEN BioResource Research Center (BRC), Kyoto, JapanDepartment of Neurology, Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki, Okayama, JapanDepartment of Neurology, Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki, Okayama, JapanDepartment of Neurology, Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki, Okayama, JapanAdvanced Neuroimaging Center, Institute for Quantum Medical Science, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan; Department of Neuroscience and Pathobiology, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, JapanDepartment of Translational Neuroscience, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, United StatesAdvanced Neuroimaging Center, Institute for Quantum Medical Science, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan; Neuroetiology and Diagnostic Science, Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, JapanDepartment of Psychiatry, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, JapanDepartment of Psychiatry, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, JapanCenter for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan; iPSC-based Drug Discovery and Development Team, RIKEN BioResource Research Center (BRC), Kyoto, Japan; RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project (AIP), Kyoto, Japan; Corresponding author at: Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (FTLD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects the frontal and temporal lobes, which are crucial for regulating personality, behavior, and language. Pathologically, FTLD is characterized by Tau protein accumulation and neuronal death. In our effort to identify disease-modifying treatments, we conducted drug screening using neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) of FTLD-Tau patients. This screening identified gabapentin as an existing drug that suppresses neuronal cell death with suppressed accumulation of Tau oligomers. Treatment with gabapentinoids, including pregabalin and mirogabalin, demonstrated similar neuroprotective effects. These compounds bind to the α2δ subunit of voltage-dependent calcium channels and specifically target the two isoforms α2δ-1 and α2δ-2. To determine which isoform is involved in the neurodegeneration seen in FTLD-Tau, we employed a knockout approach using iPSCs, which revealed that α2δ-2, encoded by CACNA2D2, plays a key role in the degeneration of FTLD-Tau neurons. Moreover, Neural organoids of FTLD-Tau exhibited features indicative of neurodegeneration, and CACNA2D2 knockout reversed a part of the gene expression alterations associated with these neurodegenerative features. These findings suggest that α2δ-2 may be a promising target for disease-modifying therapies in FTLD-Tau.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0171933525000093TauFTLDexcitabilitygabapentinoidsiPSCs
spellingShingle Keiko Imamura
Ayako Nagahashi
Aya Okusa
Tomoki Sakasai
Kayoko Tsukita
Yumiko Kutoku
Yutaka Ohsawa
Yoshihide Sunada
Naruhiko Sahara
Nicholas M. Kanaan
Makoto Higuchi
Kohji Mori
Manabu Ikeda
Haruhisa Inoue
iPSC screening identifies CACNA2D2 as a potential therapeutic target for FTLD-Tau
European Journal of Cell Biology
Tau
FTLD
excitability
gabapentinoids
iPSCs
title iPSC screening identifies CACNA2D2 as a potential therapeutic target for FTLD-Tau
title_full iPSC screening identifies CACNA2D2 as a potential therapeutic target for FTLD-Tau
title_fullStr iPSC screening identifies CACNA2D2 as a potential therapeutic target for FTLD-Tau
title_full_unstemmed iPSC screening identifies CACNA2D2 as a potential therapeutic target for FTLD-Tau
title_short iPSC screening identifies CACNA2D2 as a potential therapeutic target for FTLD-Tau
title_sort ipsc screening identifies cacna2d2 as a potential therapeutic target for ftld tau
topic Tau
FTLD
excitability
gabapentinoids
iPSCs
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0171933525000093
work_keys_str_mv AT keikoimamura ipscscreeningidentifiescacna2d2asapotentialtherapeutictargetforftldtau
AT ayakonagahashi ipscscreeningidentifiescacna2d2asapotentialtherapeutictargetforftldtau
AT ayaokusa ipscscreeningidentifiescacna2d2asapotentialtherapeutictargetforftldtau
AT tomokisakasai ipscscreeningidentifiescacna2d2asapotentialtherapeutictargetforftldtau
AT kayokotsukita ipscscreeningidentifiescacna2d2asapotentialtherapeutictargetforftldtau
AT yumikokutoku ipscscreeningidentifiescacna2d2asapotentialtherapeutictargetforftldtau
AT yutakaohsawa ipscscreeningidentifiescacna2d2asapotentialtherapeutictargetforftldtau
AT yoshihidesunada ipscscreeningidentifiescacna2d2asapotentialtherapeutictargetforftldtau
AT naruhikosahara ipscscreeningidentifiescacna2d2asapotentialtherapeutictargetforftldtau
AT nicholasmkanaan ipscscreeningidentifiescacna2d2asapotentialtherapeutictargetforftldtau
AT makotohiguchi ipscscreeningidentifiescacna2d2asapotentialtherapeutictargetforftldtau
AT kohjimori ipscscreeningidentifiescacna2d2asapotentialtherapeutictargetforftldtau
AT manabuikeda ipscscreeningidentifiescacna2d2asapotentialtherapeutictargetforftldtau
AT haruhisainoue ipscscreeningidentifiescacna2d2asapotentialtherapeutictargetforftldtau