Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis 8 (ALS8) is one of a heterogeneous group of progressive neurodegenerative disorders characterized by the death of motor neurons. ALS8 is caused by mutations in VAPB, a protein that acts at multiple membrane contact sites between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and almost all other organelles and thus affects functions at diverse cellular locations. One prominent function mediated by VAPB at these sites is lipid exchange, and a recurrent phenotype observed in all models investigating knockout or knockdown of VAPs is a significant increase in the levels of phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate (PI4P). Here we consider the relevance of this PI4P deregulation in the development of ALS8 that might represent a potential target for therapeutic intervention.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jbior.2020.100779 | DOI Listing |
Cell Death Discov
January 2025
Bioinnovation Center, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien, Taiwan.
The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is essential for transmitting signals from motor neurons (MNs) to skeletal muscles (SKMs), and its dysfunction can lead to severe motor disorders. However, our understanding of the NMJ is limited by the absence of accurate human models. Although human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived models have advanced NMJ research, their application is constrained by challenges such as limited differentiation efficiency, lengthy generation times, and cryopreservation difficulties.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLancet Neurol
February 2025
Department of Neurosciences, and Leuven Brain Institute, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Laboratory of Neurobiology, Center for Brain & Disease Research, VIB, Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address:
Autosomal dominant mutations in the gene encoding the DNA and RNA binding protein FUS are a cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and about 0·3-0·9% of patients with ALS are FUS mutation carriers. FUS-mutation-associated ALS (FUS-ALS) is characterised by early onset and rapid progression, compared with other forms of ALS. However, different pathogenic mutations in FUS can result in markedly different age at symptom onset and rate of disease progression.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Clin Med
January 2025
Faculty of Physical Culture and Health, Institute of Physical Culture Sciences, University of Szczecin, Al. Piastów 40B blok 6, 71-065 Szczecin, Poland.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a complex, progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the degeneration of motor neurons in the brain, brainstem, and spinal cord. Several neuroimaging techniques can help reveal the pathophysiology of ALS. One of these is the electroencephalogram (EEG), a noninvasive and relatively inexpensive tool for examining electrical activity of the brain with excellent temporal precision.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Mol Sci
January 2025
School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) crucial for regulating gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. Recent evidence has shown that miRNAs are also found in mitochondria, organelles that produce energy in the cell. These mitochondrial miRNAs, also known as mitomiRs, are essential for regulating mitochondrial function and metabolism.
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