Spinal cord phosphoproteome of a SCA2/ALS13 mouse model reveals alteration of ATXN2-N-term SH3-actin interactome and of autophagy via WNK1-MYO6-OPTN-SQSTM1

Toxic polyglutamine (polyQ) expansions in ATXN2 trigger neurodegenerative processes, causing Spinocerebellar Ataxia type 2 (SCA2), and enhancing TDP-43-dependent pathology in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) / Fronto-Temporal Dementia (FTD). Primary disease events can be compensated transiently, delaying disease manifestation. To define potential therapy targets, we documented how cells modify their phospho-signals and how the ATXN2 interactome changes, using preferentially affected nervous tissues from end-stage Atxn2-CAG100-KnockIn mice. The spinal cord phosphorylome revealed massive hyperphosphorylations flanking the polyQ expansion in ATXN2 and for SQSTM1, and moderate hyperphosphorylations also for ALS proteins OPTN, UBQLN2, TNIP1 and TBK1-targeted TAX1BP1, versus strong hypophosphorylations of WNK1, SPARCL1 and PSMD9. Significant enrichments of SH3-containing proteins, autophagy / endocytosis factors, and actin modulators could be explained by N-terminal, polyQ-adjacent, proline-rich motifs in ATXN2. Coimmunoprecipitation profiling in cerebellum documented known associations with RNA-binding proteins like PABPC1 and TDP-43 with its modifier PPIA to decrease upon expansion, contrasting with increased binding of SH3-proteins, like MYO6, RPL21 and DLG4. Validation of protein and mRNA levels in mouse spinal cord, and embryonic fibroblasts or patient fibroblasts after bafilomycin or arsenite treatment, observed polyQ-dependent OPTN deficiency and SQSTM1 induction impairment. Overall, this combined phosphoproteome / interactome study efficiently revealed key pathways and molecular events.