SOD1 Aggregation and ALS: Role of Metallation States and Disulfide Status

Title:SOD1 Aggregation and ALS: Role of Metallation States and Disulfide Status

Volume: 12 Issue: 22

Author(s): Yuewei Sheng, Madhuri Chattopadhyay, Julian Whitelegge and Joan Selverstone Valentine

Affiliation:

Keywords: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, copper-zinc superoxide dismutase, protein aggregation, metallation state, disulfide status.

Abstract: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by the death of motor neurons. About 10% of ALS cases are inherited (familial), and a large subset of them are caused by mutations in the gene encoding the copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD1). The detection of SOD1-positive inclusions in familial ALS patients suggests the role of SOD1 aggregation underlying the pathology of familial ALS. Although SOD1 mutant proteins are different in structure, stability and activity, they all exhibit a higher aggregation propensity than wild-type SOD1. We here review the recent studies on the role of metallation states and disulfide status in the unfolding, misfolding, and aggregation of SOD1. Investigations of the mechanism of SOD1 aggregation enhance our understanding of onset and progression of ALS and have implications for therapeutic approaches for treating ALS.

Cite this article as:

Sheng Yuewei, Chattopadhyay Madhuri, Whitelegge Julian and Selverstone Valentine Joan, SOD1 Aggregation and ALS: Role of Metallation States and Disulfide Status, Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry 2012; 12 (22) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1568026611212220010