Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40204699›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

Mutant huntingtin induces neuronal apoptosis via derepressing the non-canonical poly(A) polymerase PAPD5.

Zhefan Stephen Chen, Shaohong Isaac Peng, Lok I Leong, Terence Gall-Duncan, Nathan Siu Jun Wong, Tsz Ho Li, Xiao Lin, Yuming Wei, Alex Chun Koon, Junzhe Huang and 12 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

22 authors.

Zhefan Stephen Chen *School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9276-0378
Shaohong Isaac Peng *School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Lok I LeongSchool of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Terence Gall-DuncanGenetics & Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Nathan Siu Jun WongSchool of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Tsz Ho LiSchool of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Xiao LinSchool of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2559-2343
Yuming WeiSchool of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Alex Chun KoonSchool of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4274-7052
Junzhe HuangDivision of Neurology, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Jacquelyne Ka-Li SunSchool of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Clinton TurnerAnatomical Pathology, LabPlus, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand.
Lynette TippettSchool of Psychology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Maurice A CurtisUniversity Research Centre for Brain Research, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4496-0233
Richard L M FaullSchool of Psychology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Kin Ming KwanSchool of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Hei-Man ChowSchool of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1203-2096
Ho KoGerald Choa Neuroscience Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0254-3274
Ting-Fung ChanSchool of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0489-3884
Kevin TalbotOxford Motor Neuron Disease Centre, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5490-1697
Christopher E PearsonGenetics & Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Ho Yin Edwin ChanSchool of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China. hyechan@cuhk.edu.hk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4307-474X

Funding

Research Grants Council, University Grants Committee (RGC, UGC) 14107118
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that play crucial roles in post-transcriptional gene regulation. Poly(A) RNA polymerase D5 (PAPD5) catalyzes the addition of adenosine to the 3' end of miRNAs. In this study, we demonstrate that the Yin Yang 1 protein, a transcriptional repressor of PAPD5, is recruited to both RNA foci and protein aggregates, resulting in an upregulation of PAPD5 expression in Huntington's disease (HD). Additionally, we identify a subset of PAPD5-regulated miRNAs with increased adenylation and reduced expression in our disease model. We focus on miR-7-5p and find that its reduction causes the activation of the TAB2-mediated TAK1-MKK4-JNK pro-apoptotic pathway. This pathway is also activated in induced pluripotent stem cell-derived striatal neurons and post-mortem striatal tissues isolated from HD patients. In addition, we discover that a small molecule PAPD5 inhibitor, BCH001, can mitigate cell death and neurodegeneration in our disease models. This study highlights the importance of PAPD5-mediated miRNA dysfunction in HD pathogenesis and suggests a potential therapeutic direction for the disease.

Indexed as

ApoptosisHuntingtin ProteinHuntington DiseaseNeuronsPolynucleotide AdenylyltransferaseAnimalsCorpus StriatumDisease Models, AnimalHEK293 CellsHumansInduced Pluripotent Stem CellsMaleMiceMicroRNAsMutationHTT protein, humanHuntingtin ProteinMicroRNAsMIRN7-1 microRNA, humanPolynucleotide Adenylyltransferase

Identifiers

PMID40204699
PMCPMC11982267

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.