Suppression of NCALD protects against spinal muscular atrophy by restoring impaired endocytosis

ABSTRACT: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a common genetic motor neuron (MN) disease caused by low levels of the ubiquitously expressed housekeeping survival motor neuron (SMN) protein, whereas concomitant overexpression of plastin 3 (PLS3) protects from SMA. Here we identify neurocalcin delta (NCALD), a neuronal calcium sensor, as a second fully protective SMA modifier, which counteracts SMA pathology when downregulated. We show reduced Ca2+ influx and impaired endocytosis in SMA, which are crucial processes in synaptic vesicle recycling and neurotransmission. Remarkably, both reduced NCALD or increased PLS3 restore endocytosis in cell culture and MN function across species in zebrafish, worm and mouse SMA models, whereas Ca2+ influx remains disturbed. Furthermore, NCALD physically binds clathrin

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

SUBMITTER: Michael Walter 

PROVIDER: E-GEOD-58316 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress