# Mechanisms of DUX4-induced misregulation of RNA processing and quality control

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER · 2024 · $522,001

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is a devastating muscle disease caused by the
inappropriate expression of an early embryonic transcription factor, DUX4, in the skeletal muscle. DUX4
activates hundreds of genes in muscle cells and eventually induces toxicity. Which of the DUX4-driven gene
expression changes underlie its pathogenicity is currently unknown. Our previous research has shown that
DUX4 significantly affects RNA metabolism in muscle cells. Specifically, DUX4 induces altered splicing and
proteasome-mediated loss of RNA quality control, with a resultant increase in aberrant transcripts that encode
potentially toxic, truncated proteins. Hence, we hypothesize that DUX4-induced misregulation of RNA
metabolism is a key driver of its pathogenicity in FSHD.
To test this hypothesis, we seek to determine the mechanistic underpinnings of how DUX4 increases aberrant
RNAs in the cell. We will do so by determining the mechanism of DUX4-induced aberrant splicing (Aim 1) and
identifying factors that induce loss of RNA quality control via the ubiquitin-proteasome system upon DUX4
expression (Aim 2). We will use a combination of biochemistry, genome engineering, proteomics, and
genomics to address these questions in a temporally controlled, inducible DUX4 expression system.
Successful completion of these studies will allow us to determine how DUX4, a transcription factor, rewires the
post-transcriptional gene regulatory network of muscle cells. Given that perturbed RNA metabolism is a
common mechanism underlying many muscle diseases, a better understanding of its role in FSHD could also
aid in novel therapeutic discovery.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10978959
- **Project number:** 1R01AR083381-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER
- **Principal Investigator:** Sujatha Jagannathan
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $522,001
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-08-01 → 2029-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10978959

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10978959, Mechanisms of DUX4-induced misregulation of RNA processing and quality control (1R01AR083381-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10978959. Licensed CC0.

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