Sense and antisense RNA are not toxic in Drosophila models of C9orf72-associated ALS/FTD.

A GGGGCC hexanucleotide repeat expansion in the C9orf72 gene is the most common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia. Neurodegeneration may occur via transcription of the repeats into inherently toxic repetitive sense and antisense RNA species, or via repeat-associated non-ATG initiated translation (RANT) of sense and antisense RNA into toxic dipeptide repeat proteins. We have previously demonstrated that regular interspersion of repeat RNA with stop codons prevents RANT (RNA-only models), allowing us to study the role of repeat RNA in isolation.

Bidirectional nucleolar dysfunction in C9orf72 frontotemporal lobar degeneration.

An intronic GGGGCC expansion in C9orf72 is the most common known cause of both frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The repeat expansion leads to the generation of sense and antisense repeat RNA aggregates and dipeptide repeat (DPR) proteins, generated by repeat-associated non-ATG translation. The arginine-rich DPR proteins poly(glycine-arginine or GR) and poly(proline-arginine or PR) are potently neurotoxic and can localise to the nucleolus when expressed in cells, resulting in enlarged nucleoli with disrupted functionality.

C9orf72 repeat expansions cause neurodegeneration in Drosophila through arginine-rich proteins.

An expanded GGGGCC repeat in C9orf72 is the most common genetic cause of frontotemporal dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. A fundamental question is whether toxicity is driven by the repeat RNA itself and/or by dipeptide repeat proteins generated by repeat-associated, non-ATG translation. To address this question, we developed in vitro and in vivo models to dissect repeat RNA and dipeptide repeat protein toxicity.

C9orf72 frontotemporal lobar degeneration is characterised by frequent neuronal sense and antisense RNA foci.

An expanded GGGGCC repeat in a non-coding region of the C9orf72 gene is a common cause of frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Non-coding repeat expansions may cause disease by reducing the expression level of the gene they reside in, by producing toxic aggregates of repeat RNA termed RNA foci, or by producing toxic proteins generated by repeat-associated non-ATG translation. We present the first definitive report of C9orf72 repeat sense and antisense RNA foci using a series of C9FTLD cases, and neurodegenerative disease and normal controls.