Unraveling gene expression profiles in peripheral motor nerve from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients: insights into pathogenesis.

ABSTRACT: The aim of the present study is to investigate the molecular pathways underlying amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) pathogenesis within the peripheral nervous system. We analyzed gene expression changes in human motor nerve diagnostic biopsies obtained from eight ALS patients and seven patients affected by motor neuropathy as controls. An integrated transcriptomics and system biology approach was employed. We identified alterations in the expression of 815 genes, with 529 up-regulated and 286 down-regulated in ALS patients. Up-regulated genes clustered around biological process involving RNA processing and protein metabolisms. We observed a significant enrichment of up-regulated small nucleolar RNA transcripts (p = 2.68*10-11) and genes related to endoplasmic reticulum unfolded protein re

SUBMITTER: Riva N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5159906 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature