Work

NFATs and Alzheimer's Disease.

Year: 2010

Type: article

Abstract: Nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) is a transcription factor that translocates from cytosol to nucleus following dephosphorylation by the Ca(2+)/calmodulin dependent protein phosphatase calcineurin (CN). In nervous tissue, aberrant CN signaling is increasingly linked to a variety of pathologic features associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD), including synaptic dysfunction, glial activation, and neuronal death. Consistent with this linkage, our recent work on postmortem human hippocampal tissue discovered increased nuclear accumulation of select NFAT isoforms at different stages of AD. Some of these changes occurred at the early stages of the disease process and/or paralleled diminishing cognitive status. In addition, inhibition of astrocytic NFAT activity in primary cultures of neurons and glia dampened glutamate levels and alleviated neuronal death in response to pathogenic amyloid-β peptides. In this article, we discuss our recent findings and expand upon the possible isoform specific contributions of NFATs to the progression of AD. We also consider the possible benefits of using NFAT inhibitors to treat AD and other neurodegenerative disorders, as well.

Source: PubMed

Authors: Hafiz Mohmmad Abdul, Jennifer L Furman, Michelle A Sama, Diana M Mathis, Christopher M Norris

Institution: University of Kentucky

Language: English

Topic: Signaling Pathways in Disease

Subfield: Molecular Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Institute on Aging

Awards: University of Kentucky Alzheimer's Disease Core Center, Calcium Regulation in Brain Aging and Alzheimer's Disease, Calcineurin and Biobehavioral Markers of Brain Aging, Calcineurin and inflammatory signaling processes in aging and Alzheimer's Disease, Calcineurin and inflammatory signaling processes in aging and Alzheimer's Disease