Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0002736 (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis)
 19,048 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The mRNA levels of RET and GDNFR-alpha were studied in the spinal cord of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) by reverse transcription followed by polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and in situ hybridization (ISH). Semiquantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed that RET mRNA levels in the ALS spinal cord anterior horn were reduced to one fifth of controls in proportion to motor neuron loss, whereas GDNFR-alpha mRNA was unchanged. ISH analysis showed that RET mRNA was expressed in the anterior horn motor neurons of the spinal cord, but GDNFR-alpha mRNA was expressed widely in the spinal cord neurons and glial cells. The RET mRNA levels, measured using a CCD image analyzer, were substantially preserved in individual motor neurons of ALS, but varied among those neurons. Relatively high levels of RET mRNA were observed in a certain population of atrophic neurons. On the other hand, the GDNFR-alpha mRNA levels in the motor neurons were similar in ALS and controls. In addition, the RET protein was also well expressed in individual motor neurons in ALS. These results indicate that GDNF receptor expression persists at mRNA and protein levels in the degenerating motor neurons in ALS, supporting the view that GDNF is a candidate for therapeutic approach to ALS.
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PMID:Expression of GDNF receptor (RET and GDNFR-alpha) mRNAs in the spinal cord of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. 1002 33

Hypoglossal motoneurones (HMN) are selectively damaged in both human amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and corresponding mouse models of this neurodegenerative disease, a process which has been linked to their low endogenous Ca2+ buffering capacity and an exceptional vulnerability to Ca2+-mediated excitotoxic events. In this report, we investigated local Ca2+ profiles in low buffered HMNs by utilizing multiphoton microscopy, CCD imaging and patch clamp recordings in slice preparations. Bath application of caffeine induced highly localized Ca2+ release events, which displayed an initial peak followed by a slow 'shoulder' lasting several seconds. Peak amplitudes were paralleled by Ca2+-activated, apamin-sensitive K+ currents (IKCa), demonstrating a functional link between Ca2+ stores and HMN excitability. The potential involvement of mitochondria was investigated by bath application of CCCP, which collapses the electrochemical potential across the inner mitochondrial membrane. CCCP reduced peak amplitudes of caffeine responses and consequently IKCa, indicating that functionally intact mitochondria were critical for store-dependent modulation of HMN excitability. Taken together, our results indicate localized Ca2+ release profiles in HMNs, where low buffering capacities enhance the role of Ca2+-regulating organelles as local determinants of [Ca2+]i. This might expose HMN to exceptional risks during pathophysiological organelle disruptions and other ALS-related, cellular disturbances.
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PMID:Spatial profiles of store-dependent calcium release in motoneurones of the nucleus hypoglossus from newborn mouse. 1256 5