Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UNIPROT:P06889 (Mol)
 630,302 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We investigated clinical and cellular phenotypes of 24 children with mutations in the catalytic (alpha) subunit of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) gamma polymerase (POLG1). Twenty-one had Alpers syndrome, the commonest severe POLG1 autosomal recessive phenotype, comprising hepatoencephalopathy and often mtDNA depletion. The cellular mtDNA content reflected the genotype more closely than did clinical features. Patients with tissue depletion of mtDNA all had at least one allele with either a missense mutation in a catalytic domain or a nonsense mutation. Four out of 12 patients exhibited a progressive, mosaic pattern of mtDNA depletion in cultured fibroblasts. All these patients had mutations in a catalytic domain in both POLG1 alleles, in either the polymerase or exonuclease domain or both. The tissue mtDNA content of patients who had two linker mutations was normal, and their phenotypes the mildest. Epilepsy and/or movement disorder were major features in all 21. Previous studies have implicated replication stalling as a mechanism for mtDNA depletion. The mosaic cellular depletion that we have demonstrated in cell cultures may be a manifestation of severe replication stalling. One patient with a severe cellular and clinical phenotype was a compound heterozygote with POLG1 mutations in the polymerase and exonuclease domain intrans. This suggests that POLG1 requires both polymerase and 3'-5' exonuclease activity in the same molecule. This is consistent with current functional models for eukaryotic DNA polymerases, which alternate between polymerizing and editing modes, as determined by competition between these two active sites for the 3' end of the DNA.
Hum Mol Genet 2008 Aug 15
PMID:Depletion of mitochondrial DNA in fibroblast cultures from patients with POLG1 mutations is a consequence of catalytic mutations. 1848 44

Neuroinflammatory processes have been implicated in the progressive loss of ventral midbrain dopaminergic (DA) neurons that give rise to Parkinson's disease (PD), a late-onset movement disorder that affects 2% of the population over the age of 70 years. We have shown earlier, in two rat models of PD, that inhibition of the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF) through nigral infusion of dominant-negative (DN-TNF) protein (XENP345) attenuates DA neuron loss. The objectives of this study were to develop a constitutive lentiviral vector encoding dominate-negative TNF, and to determine whether a gene therapy approach to deliver DN-TNF directly into the rodent substantia nigra could prevent or attenuate neurotoxin-induced DA neuron loss and associated behavioral deficits. Here we demonstrate that a single injection of lentivirus-expressing DN-TNF into rat substantia nigra, administered concomitant with a striatal 6-hydroxydopamine lesion, results in sufficiently high expression of inhibitor in vivo to attenuate both DA neuron loss and behavioral deficits resulting from striatal dopamine depletion. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility and efficacy of dominant-negative TNF gene transfer as a novel neuroprotective strategy to prevent or delay nigrostriatal pathway degeneration. This strategy holds the potential for therapeutic application in the treatment of PD.
Mol Ther 2008 Sep
PMID:Intranigral lentiviral delivery of dominant-negative TNF attenuates neurodegeneration and behavioral deficits in hemiparkinsonian rats. 1862 56

Paroxysmal non-kinesigenic dyskinesia (PNKD) is an autosomal-dominant movement disorder characterized by attacks of dystonia, chorea and athetosis. Myofibrillogenesis regulator-1 (MR-1), the gene responsible for PNKD, is transcribed into three alternatively spliced forms: long (MR-1L), medium (MR-1M) and small (MR-1S). Two mutations, A7V and A9V, were previously discovered in the N-terminal region common to MR-1L and MR-1S. We now found a third mutation, A33P, in a new PNKD patient in the same region. Contrary to previous reports, we show here that the mutation-free MR-1M is localized in the Golgi apparatus, ER and plasma membrane, whereas both MR-1L and MR-1S isoforms are mitochondrial proteins, imported into the organelle thanks to a 39 amino acid-long, N-terminal mitochondrial targeting sequence (MTS). The MTS, which contains all three PNKD mutations, is then cleaved off the mature proteins before their insertion in the inner mitochondrial membrane. Therefore, mature MR-1S and MR-1L of PNKD patients are identical to those of normal subjects. We found no difference in import efficiency and protein maturation between wild-type and mutant MR-1 variants. These results indicate that PNKD is due to a novel disease mechanism based on a deleterious action of the MTS.
Hum Mol Genet 2009 Mar 15
PMID:Paroxysmal non-kinesigenic dyskinesia is caused by mutations of the MR-1 mitochondrial targeting sequence. 1912 34

The final step in production of the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin is catalyzed by aromatic l-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC). AADC deficiency is a debilitating genetic condition that results in a deficit in these neurotransmitters, and manifests in infancy as a severe movement disorder with developmental delay. Response to current treatments is often disappointing. We have reviewed the literature to look for improvements to the current treatment strategy and also for new directions for AADC deficiency treatment. There may be differences in the mode of action, side-effect risk and effectiveness between different dopamine agonists and monoamine oxidase inhibitors currently used for AADC deficiency treatment. The range of these drugs used requires re-evaluation as some may have greater efficacy than others. Pyridoxal 5'-phosphate, the AADC cofactor may stabilize AADC and could increase AADC activity. Pyridoxal 5'-phosphate could have advantages as a treatment instead of pyridoxine. Atypical neuroleptics and peripheral AADC inhibitors both increase AADC activity in vivo and could be a future direction for AADC deficiency treatment and related conditions. Parkinson's disease gene therapy to deliver and express the human AADC gene in striatum is being tested in humans. Consequently gene therapy for AADC deficiency could be a realistic aim however an animal model of AADC deficiency is important for further progression.
Mol Genet Metab 2009 May
PMID:A new perspective on the treatment of aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase deficiency. 1923 Dec 66

Huntingtin (Htt) localizes to endosomes, but its role in the endocytic pathway is not established. Recently, we found that Htt is important for the activation of Rab11, a GTPase involved in endosomal recycling. Here we studied fibroblasts of healthy individuals and patients with Huntington's disease (HD), which is a movement disorder caused by polyglutamine expansion in Htt. The formation of endocytic vesicles containing transferrin at plasma membranes was the same in control and HD patient fibroblasts. However, HD fibroblasts were delayed in recycling biotin-transferrin back to the plasma membrane. Membranes of HD fibroblasts supported less nucleotide exchange on Rab11 than did control membranes. Rab11-positive vesicular and tubular structures in HD fibroblasts were abnormally large, suggesting that they were impaired in forming vesicles. We used total internal reflection fluorescence imaging of living fibroblasts to monitor fluorescence-labeled transferrin-carrying transport intermediates that emerged from recycling endosomes. HD fibroblasts had fewer small vesicles and more large vesicles and long tubules than did control fibroblasts. Dominant active Rab11 expressed in HD fibroblasts normalized the recycling of biotin-transferrin. We propose a novel mechanism for cellular dysfunction by the HD mutation arising from the inhibition of Rab11 activity and a deficit in vesicle formation at recycling endosomes.
Mol Cell Biol 2009 Nov
PMID:Mutant huntingtin impairs vesicle formation from recycling endosomes by interfering with Rab11 activity. 1975 98

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the most common neurodegenerative movement disorder that affects about 1% of the population worldwide. Despite significant advances in the identification of genetic mutations and signaling pathways that are associated with the disease, the precise mechanisms implicated in the pathophysiology of the disease are not well understood. More importantly, treatments that are effective in reversing the progression of the disease is essentially lacking. Further investigation into the pathogenic mechanisms of PD thus presents a pressing concern for neuroscientists. Recently, deregulation of the autophagic pathway is observed in the brains of PD patients and in models of PD. In this review we summarize current literature on the emerging involvement of autophagy in PD, and the implication for future development of treatment against the disorder.
Mol Brain 2009 Sep 16
PMID:The emerging role of autophagy in Parkinson's disease. 1975 77

Isaac's syndrome is a movement disorder characterized by hyperexcitability of peripheral motor nerves. Patients with Isaac's syndrome often develop auto-antibodies to voltage-gated potassium channels (VGKCs) which block their function. However, anti-VGKC antibodies are not detected in all patients with Isaac's syndrome, suggesting the existence of another etiology. In this study, we performed immunoscreening using the serum from a patient with Isaac's syndrome and identified the novel gene named Kenae/CCDC125. Expression analysis of Kenae/CCDC125 revealed that its transcript was highly expressed in tissues associated with the immune system, such as the thymus, spleen and bone marrow. In cells stably expressing Kenae/CCDC125, delay in cell motility and deregulation of RhoGTPase (RhoA, Rac1 and cdc42) activity to extracellular stimuli were demonstrated. These results suggest that the novel gene, Kenae/CCDC125, acts as a regulator of cell motility through RhoA, Rac1 and cdc42.
Int J Mol Med 2009 Nov
PMID:Role of Kenae/CCDC125 in cell motility through the deregulation of RhoGTPase. 1978 94

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the most common neurodegenerative movement disorder. A pathological hallmark of PD is the presence of intraneuronal inclusions composed of fibrillized alpha-synuclein (alpha-syn) in affected brain regions. Mutations in the gene, PARK7, which encodes DJ-1, can cause autosomal recessive early-onset PD. Although DJ-1 has been shown to be involved in diverse biological processes, several in vitro studies suggest that it can inhibit the formation and protect against the effects of alpha-syn aggregation. We previously established and characterized transgenic mice expressing pathogenic Ala53Thr human alpha-syn (M83 mice) that develop extensive alpha-syn pathologies in the neuroaxis resulting in severe motor impairments and eventual fatality. In the current study, we have crossbred M83 mice on a DJ-1 null background (M83-DJnull mice) in efforts to determine the effects of the lack of DJ-1 in these mice. Animals were assessed and compared for survival rate, distribution of alpha-syn inclusions, biochemical properties of alpha-syn protein, demise and function of nigral dopaminergic neurons, and extent of gliosis in the neuroaxis. M83 and M83-DJnull mice displayed a similar onset of disease and pathological changes, and none of the analyses to assess for changes in pathogenesis revealed any significant differences between M83 and M83-DJnull mice. These findings suggest that DJ-1 may not function to directly modulate alpha-syn nor does DJ-1 appear to play a role in protecting against the deleterious effects of expressing pathogenic Ala53Thr alpha-syn in vivo. It is possible that alpha-syn and DJ-1 mutations may lead to PD via independent mechanisms.
Hum Mol Genet 2010 Apr 15
PMID:DJ-1 deficient mice demonstrate similar vulnerability to pathogenic Ala53Thr human alpha-syn toxicity. 2008 32

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic progressive neurodegenerative movement disorder characterized by the selective loss of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons. However, the molecular pathways leading to the dopaminergic neuron degeneration have remained obscure until recently. Reports demonstrated that reduction of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was involved in the etiology and pathogenesis of PD, but its mechanism has not been elucidated. alpha-Synuclein has a causal role in Parkinson's disease, and could interfere with transcriptional regulation of dopamine neurons. In this study, alpha-synuclein overexpression was found to decrease the expression of BDNF, and also to suppress the transactivation of nuclear factors of activated T-cells (NFAT) and cAMP response element binding protein (CREB), both of which regulate BDNF expression. Furthermore, overexpressed alpha-synuclein could associate with protein kinase C (PKC) and impair its activity. Meanwhile glycogen synthase kinase-3beta (GSK3beta) was activated and extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) activity was inhibited by overexpression of alpha-synuclein; both of them were downstream kinases of PKC. Therefore, the impaired PKC signal pathway caused by alpha-synuclein overexpression might account at least partially for the down-regulation of BDNF.
Cell Mol Neurobiol 2010 Aug
PMID:Overexpression of alpha-synuclein down-regulates BDNF expression. 2040

Early-onset torsion dystonia is the most severe heritable form of dystonia, a human movement disorder that typically starts during a developmental window in early adolescence. Deletion in the DYT1 gene, encoding the torsinA protein, is responsible for this dominantly inherited disorder, which is non-degenerative and exhibits reduced penetrance among carriers. Here, we explore the hypothesis that deficits in torsinA function result in an increased vulnerability to stress associated with protein folding and processing in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), where torsinA is located. Using an in vivo quantitative readout for the ER stress response, we evaluated the consequences of torsinA mutations in transgenic nematodes expressing variants of human torsinA. This analysis revealed that, normally, torsinA serves a protective function to maintain a homeostatic threshold against ER stress. Furthermore, we show that the buffering capacity of torsinA is greatly diminished by the DYT1-associated deletion or mutations that prevent its translocation to the ER, block ATPase activity, or increase the levels of torsinA in the nuclear envelope versus ER. Combinations of transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans designed to mimic clinically relevant genetic modifiers of disease susceptibility also exhibit a direct functional correlation to changes in the ER stress response. Furthermore, using mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) from torsinA knockout mice, we demonstrated that loss of endogenous torsinA results in enhanced sensitivity to ER stress. This study extends our understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying dystonia, and establishes a new functional paradigm to evaluate therapeutic strategies to compensate for reduced torsinA activity in the ER as a means to restore homeostatic balance and neuronal function.
Hum Mol Genet 2010 Sep 15
PMID:The early-onset torsion dystonia-associated protein, torsinA, is a homeostatic regulator of endoplasmic reticulum stress response. 2058 26


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