| First Author | Agbaga MP | Year | 2008 |
| Journal | Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A | Volume | 105 |
| Issue | 35 | Pages | 12843-8 |
| PubMed ID | 18728184 | Mgi Jnum | J:139131 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3807353 | Doi | 10.1073/pnas.0802607105 |
| Citation | Agbaga MP, et al. (2008) Role of Stargardt-3 macular dystrophy protein (ELOVL4) in the biosynthesis of very long chain fatty acids. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 105(35):12843-8 |
| abstractText | Stargardt-like macular dystrophy (STGD3) is a dominantly inherited juvenile macular degeneration that eventually leads to loss of vision. Three independent mutations causing STGD3 have been identified in exon six of a gene named Elongation of very long chain fatty acids 4 (ELOVL4). The ELOVL4 protein was predicted to be involved in fatty acid elongation, although evidence for this and the specific step(s) it may catalyze have remained elusive. Here, using a gain-of-function approach, we provide direct and compelling evidence that ELOVL4 is required for the synthesis of C28 and C30 saturated fatty acids (VLC-FA) and of C28-C38 very long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLC-PUFA), the latter being uniquely expressed in retina, sperm, and brain. Rat neonatal cardiomyocytes and a human retinal epithelium cell line (ARPE-19) were transduced with recombinant adenovirus type 5 carrying mouse Elovl4 and supplemented with 24:0, 20:5n3, or 22:5n3. The 24:0 was elongated to 28:0 and 30:0; 20:5n3 and 22:5n3 were elongated to a series of C28-C38 PUFA. Because retinal degeneration is the only known phenotype in STGD3 disease, we propose that reduced VLC-PUFA in the retinas of these patients may be the cause of photoreceptor cell death. |
