Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0004134 (ataxia)
 15,886 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Nova is a neuron-specific RNA binding protein targeted in patients with the autoimmune disorder paraneoplastic opsoclonus-myoclonus ataxia, which is characterized by failure of inhibition of brainstem and spinal motor systems. Here, we have biochemically confirmed the observation that splicing regulation of the inhibitory GABA(A) receptor gamma2 (GABA(A)Rgamma2) subunit pre-mRNA exon E9 is disrupted in mice lacking Nova-1. To elucidate the mechanism by which Nova-1 regulates GABA(A)Rgamma2 alternative splicing, we systematically screened minigenes derived from the GABA(A)Rgamma2 and human beta-globin genes for their ability to support Nova-dependent splicing in transient transfection assays. These studies demonstrate that Nova-1 acts directly on GABA(A)Rgamma2 pre-mRNA to regulate E9 splicing and identify an intronic region that is necessary and sufficient for Nova-dependent enhancement of exon inclusion, which we term the NISE (Nova-dependent intronic splicing enhancer) element. The NISE element (located 80 nucleotides upstream of the splice acceptor site of the downstream exon E10) is composed of repeats of the sequence YCAY, consistent with previous studies of the mechanism by which Nova binds RNA. Mutation of these repeats abolishes binding of Nova-1 to the RNA in vitro and Nova-dependent splicing regulation in vivo. These data provide a molecular basis for understanding Nova regulation of GABA(A)Rgamma2 alternative splicing and suggest that general dysregulation of Nova's splicing enhancer function may underlie the neurologic defects seen in Nova's absence.
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PMID:Nova regulates GABA(A) receptor gamma2 alternative splicing via a distal downstream UCAU-rich intronic splicing enhancer. 1280 7

Synaptic plasticity, the cellular correlate for learning and memory, involves signaling cascades in the dendritic spine. Extensive studies have shown that long-term potentiation (LTP) of the excitatory postsynaptic current (EPSC) through glutamate receptors is induced by activation of N-methyl-D-asparate receptor (NMDA-R)--the coincidence detector--and Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII). Here we report that the same signaling pathway in the postsynaptic CA1 pyramidal neuron also causes LTP of the slow inhibitory postsynaptic current (sIPSC) mediated by metabotropic GABA(B) receptors (GABA(B)-Rs) and G protein-activated inwardly rectifying K(+) (GIRK) channels, both residing in dendritic spines as well as shafts. Indicative of intriguing differences in the regulatory mechanisms for excitatory and inhibitory synaptic plasticity, LTP of sIPSC but not EPSC was abolished in mice lacking Nova-2, a neuronal-specific RNA binding protein that is an autoimmune target in paraneoplastic opsoclonus myoclonus ataxia (POMA) patients with latent cancer, reduced inhibitory control of movements, and dementia.
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PMID:Common molecular pathways mediate long-term potentiation of synaptic excitation and slow synaptic inhibition. 1621 16

Two different mutations in the FMR1 gene may lead to autism. The full mutation, with >200 CGG repeats in the 5' end of FMR1, leads to hypermethylation and transcriptional silencing of FMR1, resulting in absence or deficiency of the protein product, FMRP. Deficiency of FMRP in the brain causes fragile X syndrome (FXS). Autism occurs in approximately 30% of those with FXS, and pervasive developmental disorders-not otherwise specified occur in an additional 30%. FMRP is an RNA binding protein that modulates receptor-mediated dendritic translation; deficiency leads to dysregulation of many proteins important for synaptic plasticity. Group I metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR1/5) activated translation is upregulated in FXS, and new targeted treatments that act on this system include mGluR5 antagonists and GABA agonists, which may reverse the cognitive and behavioral deficits in FXS. Matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) is one of the proteins elevated in FXS, and minocycline reduces excess MMP-9 activity in the Fmr1 knockout mouse model of FXS. Both minocycline and mGluR5 antagonists are currently being evaluated in patients with FXS through controlled treatment trials. The premutation (55-200 CGG repeats) may also contribute to the mechanism of autism in approximately 10% of males and 2-3% of females. Premutations with <150 repeats exert cellular effects through a different molecular mechanism, one that involves elevated levels of FMR1 mRNA, CGG-mediated toxicity to neurons, early cell death, and fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome. In those with large premutations (150-200), lowered levels of FMRP also occur.
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PMID:Fragile X: leading the way for targeted treatments in autism. 2064 79

Huntington's diseases (HD) is a very devastating disease caused by r(CAG) expansion in HTT gene, encoding the huntingtin protein. r(CAG) expansion causes disease via multiple pathways including, 1) loss of normal protein function like sequestration of RNA binding protein such as Muscleblind-like (MBNL) and nucleolin, 2) Gain of function for mutant proteins and 3) repeat-associated non-ATG (RAN) translation; in which expanded r(CAG) translates into toxic poly glu, poly ser, or poly ala without the use of any canonical start codon. Herein, we have rationally designed and synthesized a unique class of pyridocoumarin derivatives that target the r(CAG)exp involved in HD and spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) pathogenesis. Notably, compounds 3 and 15 showed higher affinity (nanomolar Kd) and selectivity for diseased r(CAG)exp RNA compared to regular duplex AU-paired RNA. Interestingly, both scaffolds are cell permeable, exhibit low toxicity to healthy fibroblast cells and are also capable of reducing the level of poly Q aggregation in cellular models. Indeed, our current study offers promising facet for selectively targeting repeats containing RNAs that cause severe diseases like HD and SCAs.
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PMID:Rationally designed small molecules targeting toxic CAG repeat RNA that causes Huntington's disease (HD) and spinocerebellar ataxia (SCAs). 3107 82

SAFB1 is a DNA and RNA binding protein that is highly expressed in the cerebellum and hippocampus and is involved in the processing of coding and non-coding RNAs, splicing and dendritic function. We analyzed SAFB1 expression in the post-mortem brain tissue of spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA), Huntington's disease (HD), Multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson's disease patients and controls. In SCA cases, the expression of SAFB1 in the nucleus was increased and there was abnormal and extensive expression in the cytoplasm where it co-localized with the markers of Purkinje cell injury. Significantly, no SAFB1 expression was found in the cerebellar neurons of the dentate nucleus in control or MS patients; however, in SCA patients, SAFB1 expression was increased significantly in both the nucleus and cytoplasm of dentate neurons. In HD, we found that SAFB1 expression was increased in the nucleus and cytoplasm of striatal neurons; however, there was no SAFB1 staining in the striatal neurons of controls. In PD substantia nigra, we did not see any changes in neuronal SAFB1 expression. iCLIP analysis found that SAFB1 crosslink sites within ATXN1 RNA were adjacent to the start and within the glutamine repeat sequence. Further investigation found increased binding of SAFB1 to pathogenic ATXN1-85Q mRNA. These novel data strongly suggest SAFB1 contributes to the etiology of SCA and Huntington's chorea and that it may be a pathological marker of polyglutamine repeat expansion diseases.
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PMID:Abnormal scaffold attachment factor 1 expression and localization in spinocerebellar ataxias and Huntington's chorea. 3258 Feb 38