Hypomyelinating Leukodystrophy 8 (HLD8)-Associated Mutation of POLR3B Leads to Defective Oligodendroglial Morphological Differentiation Whose Effect Is Reversed by Ibuprofen

Abstract

POLR3B and POLR3A are the major subunits of RNA polymerase III, which synthesizes non-coding RNAs such as tRNAs and rRNAs. Nucleotide mutations of the RNA polymerase 3 subunit b (polr3b) gene are responsible for hypomyelinating leukodystrophy 8 (HLD8), which is an autosomal recessive oligodendroglial cell disease. Despite the important association between POLR3B mutation and HLD8, it remains unclear how mutated POLR3B proteins cause oligodendroglial cell abnormalities. Herein, we show that a severe HLD8-associated nonsense mutation (Arg550-to-Ter (R550X)) primarily localizes POLR3B proteins as protein aggregates into lysosomes in the FBD-102b cell line as an oligodendroglial precursor cell model. Conversely, wild type POLR3B proteins were not localized in lysosomes. Additionally, the expression of proteins with the R550X mutation in cells decreased lysosome-related signaling through the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR). Cells harboring the mutant constructs did not exhibit oligodendroglial cell differentiated phenotypes, which have widespread membranes that extend from their cell body. However, cells harboring the wild type constructs exhibited differentiated phenotypes. Ibuprofen, which is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), improved the defects in their differentiation phenotypes and signaling through mTOR. These results indicate that the HLD8-associated POLR3B proteins with the R550X mutation are localized in lysosomes, decrease mTOR signaling, and inhibit oligodendroglial cell morphological differentiation, and ibuprofen improves these cellular pathological effects. These findings may reveal some of the molecular and cellular pathological mechanisms underlying HLD8 and their amelioration.