| First Author | Thompson M | Year | 2012 |
| Journal | J Neurochem | Volume | 120 |
| Issue | 4 | Pages | 598-610 |
| PubMed ID | 22117694 | Mgi Jnum | J:182278 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:5315089 | Doi | 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2011.07601.x |
| Citation | Thompson M, et al. (2012) Paradoxical roles of serine racemase and D-serine in the G93A mSOD1 mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. J Neurochem 120(4):598-610 |
| abstractText | 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. |
