Biology subjects

Vergnol, A.

Publications and source records attributed to Vergnol, A..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

GDF5 modulation of MuSC pool as a potential therapeutic benefit for DMD

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a fatal disease caused by dystrophin deficiency, leading to degeneration of the entire musculature. To improve muscle pathophysiology and gene therapy for DMD, we investigated the potential of growth differentiation factor 5 (GDF5) in the DMD mdx mouse model. We showed that the overexpression of GDF5 in the muscle improved its histology, reduced inflammation, modulated regeneration and induced the appearance of de novo fibers. We demonstrated that muscle satellite cells (MuSCs) are targeted by GDF5 which enhanced their proliferation and slowed down their myogenic commitment and finally their fusion. When combined with AAV-mediated microdystrophin gene therapy, the leading therapeutic strategy, GDF5 further increased the number of microdystrophin-positive fibers compared to gene therapy alone. These findings highlight GDF5 as a promising modulator of DMD pathology and provide the first evidence of a synergistic effect of the combination of GDF5-based intervention and AAV-microdystrophin treatment.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2025

Identification of CaVβ1 isoforms required for neuromuscular junction formation and maintenance

Voltage-gated Ca{superscript 2} channels (VGCCs) are regulated by four CaV{beta} subunits (CaV{beta}1-CaV{beta}4), each showing specific expression patterns in excitable cells. While primarily known for regulating VGCC function, CaV{beta} proteins also have channel-independent roles, including gene expression modulation. Among these, CaV{beta}1 is expressed in skeletal muscle as multiple isoforms. The adult isoform, CaV{beta}1D, localizes at the triad and modulates CaV1 activity during Excitation-Contraction Coupling (ECC). In this study, we investigated the lesser-known embryonic/perinatal CaV{beta}1 isoforms and their roles in neuromuscular junction (NMJ) formation, maturation, and maintenance. We found that CaV{beta}1 isoform expression is developmentally regulated through differential promoter activation. Specifically, CaV{beta}1A is expressed in embryonic muscle and reactivated in denervated adult muscle, alongside the known CaV{beta}1E isoform. Nerve injury in adult muscle triggers a shift in promoter usage, resulting in re-expression of embryonic/perinatal Cacnb1A and Cacnb1E transcripts. Functional analyses using aneural agrin-induced AChR clustering on primary myotubes demonstrated that these isoforms contribute to NMJ formation. Additionally, their expression during early postnatal development is essential for NMJ maturation and long-term maintenance. These findings reveal previously unrecognized roles of CaV{beta}1 isoforms beyond VGCC regulation, highlighting their significance in neuromuscular system development and homeostasis.

physiology↗

bioRxiv2021

Genome-wide association mapping within a single Arabidopsis thaliana population reveals a richer genetic architecture for defensive metabolite diversity

A paradoxical finding from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in plants is that variation in metabolite profiles typically maps to a small number of loci, despite the complexity of underlying biosynthetic pathways. This discrepancy may partially arise from limitations presented by geographically diverse mapping panels. Properties of metabolic pathways that impede GWAS by diluting the additive effect of a causal variant, such as allelic and genic heterogeneity and epistasis, would be expected to increase in severity with the geographic range of the mapping panel. We hypothesized that a population from a single locality would reveal an expanded set of associated loci. We tested this in a French Arabidopsis thaliana population (< 1 km transect) by profiling and conducting GWAS for glucosinolates, a suite of defensive metabolites that have been studied in depth through functional and genetic mapping approaches. For two distinct classes of glucosinolates, we discovered more associations at biosynthetic loci than previous GWAS with continental-scale mapping panels. Candidate genes underlying novel associations were supported by concordance between their observed effects in the TOU-A population and previous functional genetic and biochemical characterization. Local populations complement geographically diverse mapping panels to reveal a more complete genetic architecture for metabolic traits.

evolutionary biology↗