Paradoxical roles of serine racemase and D-serine in the G93A mSOD1 mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
J Neurochem
; 120(4): 598-610, 2012 Feb.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-22117694
ABSTRACT
D-serine is an endogenous neurotransmitter that binds to the NMDA receptor, thereby increasing the affinity for glutamate, and the potential for excitotoxicity. The primary source of D-serine in vivo is enzymatic racemization by serine racemase (SR). Regulation of D-serine in vivo is poorly understood, but is thought to involve a combination of controlled production, synaptic reuptake by transporters, and intracellular degradation by D-amino acid oxidase (DAO). However, SR itself possesses a well-characterized eliminase activity, which effectively degrades D-serine as well. D-serine is increased two-fold in spinal cords of G93A Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD1) mice--the standard model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). ALS mice with SR disruption show earlier symptom onset, but survive longer (progression phase is slowed), in an SR-dependent manner. Paradoxically, administration of D-serine to ALS mice dramatically lowers cord levels of D-serine, leading to changes in the onset and survival very similar to SR deletion. D-serine treatment also increases cord levels of the alanine-serine-cysteine transporter 1 (Asc-1). Although the mechanism by which SOD1 mutations increases D-serine is not known, these results strongly suggest that SR and D-serine are fundamentally involved in both the pre-symptomatic and progression phases of disease, and offer a direct link between mutant SOD1 and a glial-derived toxic mediator.
Full text:
1
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Serine
/
Superoxide Dismutase
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Racemases and Epimerases
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Disease Models, Animal
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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
/
Mutation
Limits:
Animals
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Female
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Humans
/
Male
Language:
En
Year:
2012
Type:
Article