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

Over the past decade, it has become clear that there is a significant overlap in the clinical spectrum of frontotemporal lobar degeneration and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The identification of TDP-43 as the major disease protein in the pathology of both frontotemporal lobar degeneration with ubiquitin inclusions and ALS provides the first molecular link for these diseases. Pathological TDP-43 is abnormally phosphorylated, ubiquitinated, and cleaved to generate carboxy-terminal fragments in affected brain regions. The normal nuclear expression of TDP-43 is also reduced leading to the hypothesis that sequestration of TDP-43 in pathological inclusions contributes to disease pathogenesis. Thus, TDP-43 is the newest member of the growing list of neurodegenerative proteinopathies, but unique in that it lacks features of brain amyloidosis.
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PMID:TDP-43: a novel neurodegenerative proteinopathy. 1793 12

The high incidence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in the residents of Hohara and Kozagawa in the Kii peninsula was reported to have disappeared by early 1980 with its etiology unsolved. However, we found continuous high incidence in Hohara that was neuropathologically characterized by ALS pathology associated with many neurofibrillar tangles (NFTs) similar to Guam ALS. We confirmed existence of neuropathologically-verified parkinsonism-dementia complex (PDC) identical to Guamanian PDC clinically and neuropathologically. The core clinical features consisted of motor neuron signs, parkinsonism and dementia, and patients presented with clinical manifestations of ALS, PDC or PDC followed by ALS. PDC predominated over ALS in incidence. Approximately 70% of patients had family history of ALS/PDC. Neuropathological findings of 12 cases revealed that they were very similar to each others, consisting of many NFTs, no or scanty amyloid plaques, and ALS pathology affecting the upper and lower motor neurons. These findings suggest that ALS and PDC may be different clinical manifestations of a single entity "ALS-parkinsonism-dementia complex". TDP-43 positive inclusions were seen in the neurons of the dentate gyrus and spinal cord in all 6 cases examined. A comparison of age-adjusted prevalence rates in 1967 and 1998 revealed moderate decline of ALS and marked increase of PDC in the latter. The age-adjusted 5-year average incidence rates during 1950 and 2000 showed gradual decline of ALS for 50 years and dramatic increase of PDC after 1990. These findings suggest that the clinical manifestations may have changed in Kii ALS/PDC as in ALS/PDC on Guam, partly because of rapid aging of the population. Gene analyses have so far failed to demonstrate mutations of SOD1, parkin, alpha-synuclein, tau, progranulin, TDP-43 and other genes related to dementia, parkinsonism and motor neuron disease. There have been no differences in drinking water and food between the residents in the high incidence area and those in the neighboring low incidence areas, and none of the patients had habits of eating the cycad, flying fox or any other odd materials. These findings suggest that genetic factors may be etiologically primary and environmental factors may modify the clinical phenotypes.
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PMID:[Revisit to Kii ALS--the innovated concept of ALS-Parkinsonism-dementia complex, clinicopathological features, epidemiology and etiology]. 1796 46

The endosomal sorting complexes required for transport (ESCRTs) are required to sort integral membrane proteins into intralumenal vesicles of the multivesicular body (MVB). Mutations in the ESCRT-III subunit CHMP2B were recently associated with frontotemporal dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), neurodegenerative diseases characterized by abnormal ubiquitin-positive protein deposits in affected neurons. We show here that autophagic degradation is inhibited in cells depleted of ESCRT subunits and in cells expressing CHMP2B mutants, leading to accumulation of protein aggregates containing ubiquitinated proteins, p62 and Alfy. Moreover, we find that functional MVBs are required for clearance of TDP-43 (identified as the major ubiquitinated protein in ALS and frontotemporal lobar degeneration with ubiquitin deposits), and of expanded polyglutamine aggregates associated with Huntington's disease. Together, our data indicate that efficient autophagic degradation requires functional MVBs and provide a possible explanation to the observed neurodegenerative phenotype seen in patients with CHMP2B mutations.
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PMID:Functional multivesicular bodies are required for autophagic clearance of protein aggregates associated with neurodegenerative disease. 1798 23

Recently, TDP-43, a 43 kDa nuclear TAR DNA-binding protein, was identified as the major disease protein in frontotemporal lobar degeneration with ubiquitinated inclusions (FTLD-U), FTLD-U with motor neuron disease (FTLD-MND), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. To date, TDP-43 pathology in sporadic FTLD-MND has been reported only in select central nervous system areas. However, this distribution of lesions is insufficient to explain all clinical signs of FTLD-MND and the extent of TDP-43 pathology, throughout the brain, remains unknown. Therefore, as a pilot study, we performed an immunohistochemical whole brain scan of two cases diagnosed clinically as FTLD-MND and two control subjects. We found evidence of both neuronal and glial TDP-43 pathology in multiple brain areas including the nigro-striatal system, neo- and allocortical brain areas, with varying frequency, morphology, and degree, and nowhere in control tissue. The finding of a distinct cytopathological profile consisting of a cell nucleus devoid of endogenous TDP-43 staining coupled with diffuse/granular cytoplasmic staining ("pre-inclusion") was prominent in a couple of brain areas. These pre-inclusions were not or only weakly ubiquitin-immunoreactive. While the findings of severe involvement of extracortical or extrapyramidal areas are strongly suggestive for FTLD-MND being a TDP-43 multisystem proteinopathy rather than a disease predominantly affecting the cortex and spinal cord, more detailed clinicopathological studies of larger cohorts are needed to fully elucidate the distribution and severity of pathological TDP-43 in this disease.
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PMID:Severe subcortical TDP-43 pathology in sporadic frontotemporal lobar degeneration with motor neuron disease. 1803 49

The nuclear TAR DNA binding protein (TDP-43) is deposited in ubiquitin-positive inclusions in frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), two clinicopathologically overlapping neurodegenerative diseases. In this study we excluded mutations and copy number variations in the gene encoding TDP-43 (TARDBP) from an extended series of 173 FTD and 237 ALS patients. Further, we did not identify association of common genetic variants in these patients. Our data implicate that TDP-43 has no primary genetic role in the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying central nervous system neurodegeneration in these diseases.
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PMID:Neuronal inclusion protein TDP-43 has no primary genetic role in FTD and ALS. 1806 72

There is increasing recognition of a clinical overlap between frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Recent advances in our understanding of the neuropathologic, biochemical, and genetic basis of these conditions provides evidence for a common underlying pathogenesis. The neuropathology in most cases of FTD with ALS is a subtype of frontotemporal lobar degeneration, characterized by neuronal inclusions that are immunoreactive for ubiquitin but not tau (frontotemporal lobar degeneration with ubiquitinated inclusions). These cases show significant pathologic overlap with clinically pure FTD and those with classic ALS. Moreover, the ubiquitinated pathologic protein in all these conditions has recently been identified as TDP-43. A number of families have been reported with autosomal dominant FTD-ALS linked to chromosome 9p and these also have TDP-43-positive frontotemporal lobar degeneration with ubiquitinated inclusions pathology. Together, these findings suggest that FTD-ALS is part of a clinicopathologic spectrum of disease, now identified as TDP-43 proteinopathies.
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PMID:The neuropathology of FTD associated With ALS. 1809 Apr 23

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an adult-onset neurodegenerative disease characterized by the presence of various types of ubiquitinated inclusions in the cytoplasm of affected motor neurons. The identification of the ubiquitinated targets within these inclusions has represented a major challenge, as this may provide new gene candidates and/or clues to understanding the neurodegenerative mechanism(s) underlying the disease. As such, the nuclear factor TAR DNA-binding protein (TDP-43) was recently identified as a component of ubiquitinated skein-like inclusions and round inclusions in ALS. This identification combined with biochemical evidence led to the suggestion that TDP-43 is the key ubiquitinated target and major disease protein in ALS. Here, using 3-dimensional deconvolution imaging, we have obtained remarkable resolution of skein-like inclusions and round inclusions in ALS. Surprisingly we have found that in contrast to current thinking, TDP-43 is not the major ubiquitinated target within these types of inclusions. These findings raise the possibility that TDP-43 may not necessarily be the key disease protein in ALS and indicate that the major target(s) of ubiquitination remain to be identified.
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PMID:Evidence that TDP-43 is not the major ubiquitinated target within the pathological inclusions of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. 1809 Sep 23

"Muro disease" is an endemic ALS in the Muro district that includes the southern coastal mountainous areas of the Kii peninsula of Japan. Epidemiological survey in 1960s disclosed extremely high incidence of ALS in two villages, Hohara and Kozagawa, and disappearance of high incidence by early 1980s was reported with its etiology unsolved. We resurveyed for neurodegenerative diseases in Hohara and found continuous high ALS incidence. We also found parkinsonism-dementia complex (PDC) verified neuropathologically. ALS and PDC frequently occurred in one individual simultaneously and affected many members in the same family, and neuropathological findings of ALS and PDC were similar to each other, showing a combination of upper and lower motor neuron involvements and many neurofibrillar tangles (NFTs) in the brainstem and cerebral cortex, resembling those of ALS/PDC on Guam. TDP-43 positive inclusions were found in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus and spinal motor neurons in all cases examined. Age-adjusted incidence rates during 1950 and 2000 have showed that incidence of ALS was gradually declining for 50 years while that of PDC rose up steeply in 1990s. No particular environmental factors were confirmed and gene analyses of candidate genes of ALS, parkinsonism and dementia failed to reveal any mutations. Continuing high incidence and high rates of familial occurrence suggest that primary cause of Kii ALS/PDC may be genetic rather than environmental.
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PMID:[Muro disease or ALS-parkinsonism-dementia complex of the Kii peninsula of Japan]. 1821 Jul 79

The Muro district includes the southern coastal mountainous areas of the Kii peninsula of Japan where high incidence foci of ALS and parkinsonism-dementia complex (PDC) exist. "Muro disease" refers to the endemic ALS in Muro, and the oldest description is in a book published in 1689. Miura reported high prevalence of ALS in Muro in 1911, and the first epidemiological survey by Kimura and Yase in 1960s disclosed extremely high prevalence of ALS in Hohara and Kozagawa. The high incidence was, however, reported to have disappeared by early 1980s as in Guam. In 1990s we resurveyed and found not only continuous high ALS incidence but also neuropathologically-verified PDC in Hohara. ALS and PDC here frequently affected one individual simultaneously and members in a family. Neuropathological changes were common to ALS and PDC, showing a combination of ALS changes and many neurofibrillar tangles (NFTs) in the brainstem and cerebral cortex, suggesting ALS/PDC may be a single entity with different clinical manifestations, "ALS-parkinsonism-dementia complex". TDP-43-positive inclusions were confirmed in all cases examined. Age-adjusted incidence rates during 1950 and 2000 have showed that incidence of ALS gradually declined for 50 years while that of PDC rose up steeply in 1990s, suggesting changing pattern of ALS/PDC that had occurred in Guam in 1970s. Continuing high incidence of ALS/PDC and high familial occurrence suggest that primary cause of Kii ALS/PDC may be genetic rather than environmental.
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PMID:[ALS-parkinsonism-dementia complex of the Kii peninsula of Japan (Muro disease). Historical review, epidemiology and concept]. 1821 Aug 49

During 1996 and 2006, we examined clinically 37 patients and neuropathologically 13 autopsy cases with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/parkinsonism-dementia complex of the Kii peninsula (Kii ALS/PDC). The ages of onset were between 52 years and 74 years (mean age: 65.3 years). The male to female ratio was 1:1.85. The ratio of positive family history where ALS or PDC occurred within the fourth degree of the relatives was 78.4% in the patients with Kii ALS/PDC. The average duration of the illness was 6.47 years. Kii ALS/PDC was divided into five clinical subtypes, pure ALS form, ALS with dementia form, PDC with parkinsonism predominant form, PDC with dementia predominant form (that is called late-life dementia in Guam) and PDC with ALS features form. Unique pigmentary retinopathy was found in 33.3% of the patients with Kii ALS/PDC. CT/MRI images showed atrophy of the frontal and temporal lobes and SPECT images showed a decrease in the blood flow of the frontal and temporal lobes. The cardiac 123I-MIBG uptake was decreased in 4 out of 8 patients with ALS/PDC and the decrease in uptake correlated with the modified Hoehn-Yahr staging. The cardinal neuropathological features of Kii ALS/PDC were abundant neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) associated with loss of nerve cells in the cerebral cortex and the brain stem, and findings of ALS neuropathology. Ultrastructurally, NFTs consisted of paired helical filaments. Tau protein, a main component of NFTs, was consisted of 3R and 4R tau isoforms, and phosphoryrated at 18 sites of tau phosphoryrated sites. The neurons of dentate gyrus of hippocampus and anterior horn cells were stained with anti-TDP-43 antibody. The clinical and neuropathological aspects of Kii ALS/PDC are regarded as being identical with those of Guam ALS/PDC.
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PMID:[Clinical aspects, imaging and neuropathology of Kii ALS/PDC]. 1821 Aug 50


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