Glial Cells in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an adult motor neuron disease characterized by premature death of upper and lower motor neurons. Two percent of ALS cases are caused by the dominant mutations in the gene for superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) through a gain of toxic property of mutant protein. Gene...

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Main Authors: Jurate Lasiene, Koji Yamanaka
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2011-01-01
Series:Neurology Research International
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2011/718987
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author Jurate Lasiene
Koji Yamanaka
author_facet Jurate Lasiene
Koji Yamanaka
author_sort Jurate Lasiene
collection DOAJ
description Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an adult motor neuron disease characterized by premature death of upper and lower motor neurons. Two percent of ALS cases are caused by the dominant mutations in the gene for superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) through a gain of toxic property of mutant protein. Genetic and chimeric mice studies using SOD1 models indicate that non-neuronal cells play important roles in neurodegeneration through non-cell autonomous mechanism. We review the contribution of each glial cell type in ALS pathology from studies of the rodent models and ALS patients. Astrogliosis and microgliosis are not only considerable hallmarks of the disease, but the intensity of microglial activation is correlated with severity of motor neuron damage in human ALS. The impaired astrocytic functions such as clearance of extracellular glutamate and release of neurotrophic factors are implicated in disease. Further, the damage within astrocytes and microglia is involved in accelerated disease progression. Finally, other glial cells such as NG2 cells, oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells are under the investigation to determine their contribution in ALS. Accumulating knowledge of active role of glial cells in the disease should be carefully applied to understanding of the sporadic ALS and development of therapy targeted for glial cells.
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spelling doaj-art-db9dd9acc1ed46139e8da26a134f3cee2025-08-20T03:24:21ZengWileyNeurology Research International2090-18522090-18602011-01-01201110.1155/2011/718987718987Glial Cells in Amyotrophic Lateral SclerosisJurate Lasiene0Koji Yamanaka1Laboratory for Motor Neuron Disease, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-Shi, Saitama 351-0198, JapanLaboratory for Motor Neuron Disease, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-Shi, Saitama 351-0198, JapanAmyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an adult motor neuron disease characterized by premature death of upper and lower motor neurons. Two percent of ALS cases are caused by the dominant mutations in the gene for superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) through a gain of toxic property of mutant protein. Genetic and chimeric mice studies using SOD1 models indicate that non-neuronal cells play important roles in neurodegeneration through non-cell autonomous mechanism. We review the contribution of each glial cell type in ALS pathology from studies of the rodent models and ALS patients. Astrogliosis and microgliosis are not only considerable hallmarks of the disease, but the intensity of microglial activation is correlated with severity of motor neuron damage in human ALS. The impaired astrocytic functions such as clearance of extracellular glutamate and release of neurotrophic factors are implicated in disease. Further, the damage within astrocytes and microglia is involved in accelerated disease progression. Finally, other glial cells such as NG2 cells, oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells are under the investigation to determine their contribution in ALS. Accumulating knowledge of active role of glial cells in the disease should be carefully applied to understanding of the sporadic ALS and development of therapy targeted for glial cells.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2011/718987
spellingShingle Jurate Lasiene
Koji Yamanaka
Glial Cells in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Neurology Research International
title Glial Cells in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
title_full Glial Cells in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
title_fullStr Glial Cells in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
title_full_unstemmed Glial Cells in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
title_short Glial Cells in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
title_sort glial cells in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2011/718987
work_keys_str_mv AT juratelasiene glialcellsinamyotrophiclateralsclerosis
AT kojiyamanaka glialcellsinamyotrophiclateralsclerosis