Hanna Bayer, Kerstin Lang, Eva Buck, Julia Higelin, Lara Barteczko, Noemi Pasquarelli, Jasmin Sprissler, Tanja Lucas, Karlheinz Holzmann, Maria Demestre, Katrin S Lindenberg, Karin M Danzer, Tobias Boeckers, Albert C Ludolph, Luc Dupuis, Patrick Weydt, Anke Witting
BACKGROUND: Monogenetic forms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) offer an opportunity for unraveling the molecular mechanisms underlying this devastating neurodegenerative disorder. In order to identify a link between ALS-related metabolic changes and neurodegeneration, we investigated whether ALS-causing mutations interfere with the peripheral and brain-specific expression and signaling of the metabolic master regulator PGC (PPAR gamma coactivator)-1α (PGC-1α). METHODS: We analyzed the expression of PGC-1α isoforms and target genes in two mouse models of familial ALS and validated the stimulated PGC-1α signaling in primary adipocytes and neurons of these animal models and in iPS derived motoneurons of two ALS patients harboring two different frame-shift FUS/TLS mutations...
January 2017: Neurobiology of Disease