Decreased mRNA Expression of PGC-1α and PGC-1α–Regulated Factors in the SOD1G93A ALS Mouse Model and in Human Sporadic ALS

• Published in: Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology 2012-12, Vol.71 (12), p.1064-1074
• Main Authors: Thau, Nadine, Knippenberg, Sarah, Körner, Sonja, Rath, Klaus Jan, Dengler, Reinhard, Petri, Susanne
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis - genetics; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis - metabolism; Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis - pathology; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Disease Models, Animal; DNA-Binding Proteins - genetics; DNA-Binding Proteins - metabolism; Female; Gene Expression Regulation - genetics; Heat-Shock Proteins - genetics; Heat-Shock Proteins - metabolism; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Mice; Mice, Transgenic; Middle Aged; Mitochondrial Proteins - genetics; Mitochondrial Proteins - metabolism; Muscle, Skeletal - metabolism; Muscle, Skeletal - pathology; Nerve Tissue Proteins - metabolism; Neurology; NF-E2-Related Factor 1 - genetics; NF-E2-Related Factor 1 - metabolism; Nuclear Respiratory Factors - genetics; Nuclear Respiratory Factors - metabolism; Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Spinal Cord - metabolism; Spinal Cord - pathology; Statistics, Nonparametric; Superoxide Dismutase - genetics; Transcription Factors - genetics; Transcription Factors - metabolism; Tumors of the nervous system. Phacomatoses
• ISSN: 0022-3069; 1554-6578
• DOI: 10.1097/NEN.0b013e318275df4b

ABSTRACTAmyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by selective motoneuron loss. Although the cause of ALS is unknown, oxidative stress, inflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction have been identified as important components of its pathogenesis. Peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor-γ coactivator 1α (PGC-1α) plays a central role in the regulation of mitochondrial metabolism and biogenesis via activation of transcription factors, such as nuclear respiratory factors 1 and 2 and mitochondrial transcription factor A (Tfam). Alterations in PGC-1α expression and function have previously been described in models of Huntington and Alzheimer diseases. Moreover, the protective effects of PGC-1α have been shown in animal models of ALS. Levels of PGC-1α correlate with the number of acetylcholine receptor clusters in muscle. This is of particular interest because neurodegeneration in ALS may be a dying-back process. We investigated mRNA and protein expressions of PGC-1α and PGC-1α–regulated factors in the spinal cord and muscle tissues of SOD1 ALS mice and in ALS patients. We detected significant alterations in mRNA expression of PGC-1α and downstream factors with their earliest occurrence in muscle tissue. Our data provide evidence for a role of PGC-1α in mitochondrial dysfunction both in the ALS mouse model and in human sporadic ALS that is probably most relevant in the skeletal muscle.