Molecular Advances in Rett Syndrome and Other Chromatin Related Disorders

A special issue of Biomolecules (ISSN 2218-273X). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Medicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 June 2025 | Viewed by 1522

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Institute of Genetics and Biophysics "Adriano Buzzati Traverso", CNR Via P. Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy
Interests: human genetics; Rett syndrome; chromatin diseases; epigenetics; epigenomics; MeCP2-mediated molecular mechanisms
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Guest Editor
1. Institute of Genetics and Biophysics "Adriano Buzzati Traverso", CNR, Via P. Castellino, 111, 80131 Naples, Italy
2. Department of Chemistry and Biology "A. Zambelli", University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano, SA, Italy
Interests: Rett syndrome; chromatin diseases; molecular biology; epigenetics; epigenomics; MeCP2-mediated molecular mechanisms

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Chromatin disorders are a class of genetic diseases resulting from mutations in components of the epigenetic machinery, which includes enzymatic factors (writers, erasers and chromatin remodelers) and non-enzymatic components (readers). Such dysfunctions are responsible for alterations in chromatin status, thereby causing drastic effects on gene expression, which can cause the onset of a series of clinical features. Although chromatinopathies are mostly considered individually rare, many of them are characterized by severe intellectual disability, multiple congenital malformations, and behavioral disfunctions which seriously impact the affected individuals, their families and society.

The study of global epigenetic changes in chromatin diseases offers a unique opportunity to understand still-unknown epigenetic processes, unravel the complex interactions of genetics and epigenetics in development and disease and increase our comprehension of disease pathogenesis.

Over the last few decades, a growing number of genetic defects have been discovered involving various components of the epigenetic machinery. Interestingly, the reversible nature of epigenetic modifications, along with better understanding of the pathophysiology of these disorders and the increasing availability of molecules/drugs able to target epigenetic marks, offer the scientific community an opportunity to develop novel therapeutic strategies.

Among many chromatin disorders, Rett syndrome (RTT), a severe childhood neurodevelopmental disease primarily affecting female individuals and caused by mutations in the epigenetic modulator MeCP2, can be considered a paradigmatic example of this class of pathologies.

This Special Issue aims to collect manuscripts (original articles and reviews) focused on Rett syndrome and other chromatin disorders which deal with the molecular mechanisms underlying disease pathogenesis, including genetic and epigenetic aspects, the description/discussion of novel diagnostic and prognostic approaches and preclinical studies for novel therapeutic strategies.

Dr. Floriana Della Ragione
Dr. Salvatore Fioriniello 
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • Rett syndrome and other chromatin disorders
  • epigenetic diseases
  • molecular alterations in Rett syndrome and other chromatin diseases
  • novel genes associated with chromatin disorders
  • MeCP2-mediated molecular mechanisms
  • roles of epigenetic modulators in chromatin-related diseases
  • preclinical studies for chromatin diseases
  • novel diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic approaches for chromatin disorders

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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14 pages, 1591 KiB  
Article
Boosting Serotonin Synthesis Is Not Sufficient to Improve Motor Coordination of Mecp2 Heterozygous Mouse Model of Rett Syndrome
by Claudia Villani, Giuseppina Sacchetti and Roberto W. Invernizzi
Biomolecules 2024, 14(10), 1230; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom14101230 - 29 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1088
Abstract
Motor deficit is a core symptom of Rett syndrome, a rare neurological disease caused in most cases by mutations of the methyl-CpG-binding protein2 (MECP2) gene. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors improve motor coordination in Mecp2 heterozygous (Het) mice and serotonin depletion prevented this [...] Read more.
Motor deficit is a core symptom of Rett syndrome, a rare neurological disease caused in most cases by mutations of the methyl-CpG-binding protein2 (MECP2) gene. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors improve motor coordination in Mecp2 heterozygous (Het) mice and serotonin depletion prevented this effect. Here, we assess alterations in indole levels in various brain regions and whether boosting brain serotonin synthesis with the serotonin precursors tryptophan, 5-hydroxytryptophan and α-lactalbumin rescued motor coordination deficit of Mecp2 Het mice. Motor coordination was assessed in the accelerated rotarod during and after systemic administration of serotonin precursors for 2–3 weeks. Since no data are available, the effect of α-lactalbumin on tryptophan, serotonin and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid levels was evaluated in various brain regions in order to identify the dose of ALAC to evaluate on motor coordination. As compared to WT, Mecp2 Het mice show reduced levels of serotonin in the whole brain, hippocampus, brainstem and cerebral cortex, but not the striatum. Reduced levels of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid were observed in the hippocampus and brainstem. Doses of serotonin precursors increasing brain tryptophan and/or serotonin production and metabolism had no effect on motor coordination. The results indicate that boosting serotonin synthesis is not sufficient to improve motor coordination of Mecp2 Het mice. Full article
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