Novel Etiological and Therapeutic Strategies for Neurodiseases: RNA Editing Enzyme Abnormality in Sporadic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Year: 2010
Type: review
Abstract: The motor neurons of patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) express abundant Q/R site-unedited GluR2 mRNA, whereas those of patients with other motor neuron diseases including familial ALS associated with mutated SOD1 (ALS1) and those of normal subjects express only Q/R site-edited GluR2 mRNA. Because adenosine deaminase acting on RNA type 2 (ADAR2) specifically catalyzes GluR2 Q/R site-editing, it is likely that ADAR2 activity is not sufficient to edit this site completely in motor neurons of patients with sporadic ALS. Because these molecular abnormalities occur in disease- and motor neuron-specific fashion and induce fatal epilepsy in mice, we have hypothesized that GluR2 Q/R site-underediting due to ADAR2 underactivity is a cause of neuronal death in sporadic ALS. We found that cytoplasmic fragile X mental retardation protein interacting protein 2 (CYFIP2) mRNA had an ADAR2-mediated editing position using RNA interference knockdown. Our review will include a discussion of new ADAR2 substrates that may be useful for research on sporadic ALS.
DOI: 10.1254/jphs.09r21fm
Institutions: The University of Tokyo, Keio University
Language: English
Topic: RNA regulation and disease
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2005698402