scholarly journals Metabolic and Nutritional Issues Associated with Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 3842
Author(s):  
Yang-Jean Li ◽  
Tai-Heng Chen ◽  
Yan-Zhang Wu ◽  
Yung-Hao Tseng
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Muscular Atrophy ◽  
Motor Neurons ◽  
Nutritional Assessment ◽  
Muscular Atrophy ◽  
Nutritional Therapy ◽  
Survival Motor Neuron ◽  
Nutrition Support ◽  
Metabolic Abnormalities ◽  
Survival Motor Neuron Protein ◽  
The Impact

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), the main genetic cause of infant death, is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the selective loss of motor neurons in the anterior horn of the spinal cord, accompanied by muscle wasting. Pathomechanically, SMA is caused by low levels of the survival motor neuron protein (SMN) resulting from the loss of the SMN1 gene. However, emerging research extends the pathogenic effect of SMN deficiency beyond motor neurons. A variety of metabolic abnormalities, especially altered fatty acid metabolism and impaired glucose tolerance, has been described in isolated cases of SMA; therefore, the impact of SMN deficiency in metabolic abnormalities has been speculated. Although the life expectancy of these patients has increased due to novel disease-modifying therapies and standardization of care, understanding of the involvement of metabolism and nutrition in SMA is still limited. Optimal nutrition support and metabolic monitoring are essential for patients with SMA, and a comprehensive nutritional assessment can guide personalized nutritional therapy for this vulnerable population. It has recently been suggested that metabolomics studies before and after the onset of SMA in patients can provide valuable information about the direct or indirect effects of SMN deficiency on metabolic abnormalities. Furthermore, identifying and quantifying the specific metabolites in SMA patients may serve as an authentic biomarker or therapeutic target for SMA. Here, we review the main epidemiological and mechanistic findings that link metabolic changes to SMA and further discuss the principles of metabolomics as a novel approach to seek biomarkers and therapeutic insights in SMA.

scholarly journals Survival Motor Neuron Protein in Motor Neurons Determines Synaptic Integrity in Spinal Muscular Atrophy

2012 ◽  
Vol 32 (25) ◽  
pp. 8703-8715 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. L. Martinez ◽  
L. Kong ◽  
X. Wang ◽  
M. A. Osborne ◽  
M. E. Crowder ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Muscular Atrophy ◽  
Motor Neuron ◽  
Motor Neurons ◽  
Muscular Atrophy ◽  
Survival Motor Neuron ◽  
Survival Motor Neuron Protein ◽  
Motor Neuron Protein

scholarly journals Salbutamol inhibits ubiquitin-mediated survival motor neuron protein degradation in spinal muscular atrophy cells

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 351-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nur Imma Fatimah Harahap ◽  
Dian Kesumapramudya Nurputra ◽  
Mawaddah Ar Rochmah ◽  
Ai Shima ◽  
Naoya Morisada ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Muscular Atrophy ◽  
Motor Neuron ◽  
Protein Degradation ◽  
Muscular Atrophy ◽  
Survival Motor Neuron ◽  
Survival Motor Neuron Protein ◽  
Motor Neuron Protein

scholarly journals Molecular Mechanisms of Neurodegeneration in Spinal Muscular Atrophy

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. JEN.S33122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saif Ahmad ◽  
Kanchan Bhatia ◽  
Annapoorna Kannan ◽  
Laxman Gangwani
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Muscular Atrophy ◽  
Motor Neuron ◽  
Motor Neurons ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Muscular Atrophy ◽  
Survival Motor Neuron ◽  
Skeletal Muscle Atrophy ◽  
Spinal Motor Neurons ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Smn Protein

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive motor neuron disease with a high incidence and is the most common genetic cause of infant mortality. SMA is primarily characterized by degeneration of the spinal motor neurons that leads to skeletal muscle atrophy followed by symmetric limb paralysis, respiratory failure, and death. In humans, mutation of the Survival Motor Neuron 1 (SMN1) gene shifts the load of expression of SMN protein to the SMN2 gene that produces low levels of full-length SMN protein because of alternative splicing, which are sufficient for embryonic development and survival but result in SMA. The molecular mechanisms of the (a) regulation of SMN gene expression and (b) degeneration of motor neurons caused by low levels of SMN are unclear. However, some progress has been made in recent years that have provided new insights into understanding of the cellular and molecular basis of SMA pathogenesis. In this review, we have briefly summarized recent advances toward understanding of the molecular mechanisms of regulation of SMN levels and signaling mechanisms that mediate neurodegeneration in SMA.

scholarly journals Decreased function of survival motor neuron protein impairs endocytic pathways

2016 ◽  
Vol 113 (30) ◽  
pp. E4377-E4386 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Dimitriadi ◽  
Aaron Derdowski ◽  
Geetika Kalloo ◽  
Melissa S. Maginnis ◽  
Patrick O’Hern ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Motor Neuron ◽  
Muscular Atrophy ◽  
Ultrastructural Level ◽  
Synaptic Function ◽  
Survival Motor Neuron ◽  
Endosomal Trafficking ◽  
Survival Motor Neuron Protein ◽  
Ribonucleoprotein Complexes ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Endocytic Pathways

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is caused by depletion of the ubiquitously expressed survival motor neuron (SMN) protein, with 1 in 40 Caucasians being heterozygous for a disease allele. SMN is critical for the assembly of numerous ribonucleoprotein complexes, yet it is still unclear how reduced SMN levels affect motor neuron function. Here, we examined the impact of SMN depletion in Caenorhabditis elegans and found that decreased function of the SMN ortholog SMN-1 perturbed endocytic pathways at motor neuron synapses and in other tissues. Diminished SMN-1 levels caused defects in C. elegans neuromuscular function, and smn-1 genetic interactions were consistent with an endocytic defect. Changes were observed in synaptic endocytic proteins when SMN-1 levels decreased. At the ultrastructural level, defects were observed in endosomal compartments, including significantly fewer docked synaptic vesicles. Finally, endocytosis-dependent infection by JC polyomavirus (JCPyV) was reduced in human cells with decreased SMN levels. Collectively, these results demonstrate for the first time, to our knowledge, that SMN depletion causes defects in endosomal trafficking that impair synaptic function, even in the absence of motor neuron cell death.

scholarly journals Self-oligomerization regulates stability of survival motor neuron protein isoforms by sequestering an SCFSlmb degron

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 96-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelsey M. Gray ◽  
Kevin A. Kaifer ◽  
David Baillat ◽  
Ying Wen ◽  
Thomas R. Bonacci ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Muscular Atrophy ◽  
Motor Neuron ◽  
Muscular Atrophy ◽  
Survival Motor Neuron ◽  
Protein Isoforms ◽  
Survival Motor Neuron Protein ◽  
Protein Levels ◽  
Motor Neuron Protein ◽  
Smn Protein ◽  
Oligomerization Domain

SMN protein levels inversely correlate with the severity of spinal muscular atrophy. The SCFSlmbE3 ligase complex interacts with a degron embedded within the C-terminal self-oligomerization domain of SMN. The findings elucidate a model whereby accessibility of the SMN degron is regulated by self-multimerization.

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