A Case for Microtubule Vulnerability in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Altered Dynamics During Disease
- PMID: 27679561
- PMCID: PMC5020100
- DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2016.00204
A Case for Microtubule Vulnerability in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Altered Dynamics During Disease
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an aggressive multifactorial disease converging on a common pathology: the degeneration of motor neurons (MNs), their axons and neuromuscular synapses. This vulnerability and dysfunction of MNs highlights the dependency of these large cells on their intracellular machinery. Neuronal microtubules (MTs) are intracellular structures that facilitate a myriad of vital neuronal functions, including activity dependent axonal transport. In ALS, it is becoming increasingly apparent that MTs are likely to be a critical component of this disease. Not only are disruptions in this intracellular machinery present in the vast majority of seemingly sporadic cases, recent research has revealed that mutation to a microtubule protein, the tubulin isoform TUBA4A, is sufficient to cause a familial, albeit rare, form of disease. In both sporadic and familial disease, studies have provided evidence that microtubule mediated deficits in axonal transport are the tipping point for MN survivability. Axonal transport deficits would lead to abnormal mitochondrial recycling, decreased vesicle and mRNA transport and limited signaling of key survival factors from the neurons peripheral synapses, causing the characteristic peripheral "die back". This disruption to microtubule dependant transport in ALS has been shown to result from alterations in the phenomenon of microtubule dynamic instability: the rapid growth and shrinkage of microtubule polymers. This is accomplished primarily due to aberrant alterations to microtubule associated proteins (MAPs) that regulate microtubule stability. Indeed, the current literature would argue that microtubule stability, particularly alterations in their dynamics, may be the initial driving force behind many familial and sporadic insults in ALS. Pharmacological stabilization of the microtubule network offers an attractive therapeutic strategy in ALS; indeed it has shown promise in many neurological disorders, ALS included. However, the pathophysiological involvement of MTs and their functions is still poorly understood in ALS. Future investigations will hopefully uncover further therapeutic targets that may aid in combating this awful disease.
Keywords: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; axon transport; dynamics; microtubules.
Figures

Similar articles
-
In silico analysis of TUBA4A mutations in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis to define mechanisms of microtubule disintegration.Sci Rep. 2023 Feb 6;13(1):2096. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-28381-x. Sci Rep. 2023. PMID: 36747013 Free PMC article.
-
Omics Approach to Axonal Dysfunction of Motor Neurons in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).Front Neurosci. 2020 Mar 25;14:194. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00194. eCollection 2020. Front Neurosci. 2020. PMID: 32269505 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Epothilone D accelerates disease progression in the SOD1G93A mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol. 2018 Oct;44(6):590-605. doi: 10.1111/nan.12473. Epub 2018 Mar 27. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol. 2018. PMID: 29380402
-
Driven to decay: Excitability and synaptic abnormalities in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.Brain Res Bull. 2018 Jun;140:318-333. doi: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2018.05.023. Epub 2018 Jun 2. Brain Res Bull. 2018. PMID: 29870780 Review.
-
Aberrant axon branching via Fos-B dysregulation in FUS-ALS motor neurons.EBioMedicine. 2019 Jul;45:362-378. doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2019.06.013. Epub 2019 Jun 29. EBioMedicine. 2019. PMID: 31262712 Free PMC article.
Cited by
-
Nearly 30 Years of Animal Models to Study Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Historical Overview and Future Perspectives.Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Nov 12;22(22):12236. doi: 10.3390/ijms222212236. Int J Mol Sci. 2021. PMID: 34830115 Free PMC article. Review.
-
The Role of TDP-43 in Neurodegenerative Disease.Mol Neurobiol. 2022 Jul;59(7):4223-4241. doi: 10.1007/s12035-022-02847-x. Epub 2022 May 2. Mol Neurobiol. 2022. PMID: 35499795 Review.
-
Neurobiology of axonal transport defects in motor neuron diseases: Opportunities for translational research?Neurobiol Dis. 2017 Sep;105:283-299. doi: 10.1016/j.nbd.2017.02.004. Epub 2017 Feb 22. Neurobiol Dis. 2017. PMID: 28235672 Free PMC article. Review.
-
A cellular taxonomy of the adult human spinal cord.Neuron. 2023 Feb 1;111(3):328-344.e7. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.01.007. Neuron. 2023. PMID: 36731429 Free PMC article.
-
Genomic Portrait of a Sporadic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Case in a Large Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 1 Family.J Pers Med. 2020 Dec 2;10(4):262. doi: 10.3390/jpm10040262. J Pers Med. 2020. PMID: 33276461 Free PMC article.
References
-
- Ahlijanian M. K., Barrezueta N. X., Williams R. D., Jakowski A., Kowsz K. P., McCarthy S., et al. . (2000). Hyperphosphorylated tau and neurofilament and cytoskeletal disruptions in mice overexpressing human p25, an activator of cdk5. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U S A 97, 2910–2915. 10.1073/pnas.040577797 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
Publication types
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources
Miscellaneous