Recently, we identified mutations within the profilin-1 (PFN1) gene that cause familial, or inherited, ALS (Wu, et al., Nature 2012). PFN1 encodes an actin-binding protein that modulates actin dynamics in the context of important neuronal processes such as growth, motility and signaling. Our preliminary data demonstrate that ALS-linked mutations induce PFN1 to misfold (i.e., adapt an aberrant and potentially pathogenic conformation). Protein misfolding is a hallmark feature of ALS and other neurodegenerative disorders, and may contribute to disease pathogenesis through either loss-of-normal or gain-of toxic function mechanisms. We posit that a misfolded conformation of PFN1 functions upstream in the pathogenic cascade that culminates in ALS. Therefore, a focus of this proposal is to characterize the misfolded conformation of ALS-PFN1 variants and to then target these misfolded species with small molecules. Our preliminary data also suggests that altered actin dynamics is a downstream consequence of ALS-PFN1 misfolding.
We aim to understand the mechanism of PFN1-mediated ALS, and to determine whether altered actin dynamics is relevant to this mechanism. The experiments proposed herein will allow us to achieve our ultimate goal, which is to move the ALS field forward towards effective therapies for this devastating disease.

Public Health Relevance

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease with no cure. We recently identified mutations in the gene encoding profilin-1 (PFN1) that cause ALS. Our preliminary data demonstrate that these mutations induce PFN1 to misfold and misfunction in the context of actin assembly. The goals of this proposal are to define and correct the misfolded conformation of ALS-PFN1 and to understand the mechanism for how mutations in PFN1 cause ALS.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01NS090352-03
Application #
9084682
Study Section
Cellular and Molecular Biology of Neurodegeneration Study Section (CMND)
Program Officer
Gubitz, Amelie
Project Start
2014-09-15
Project End
2019-06-30
Budget Start
2016-07-01
Budget End
2017-06-30
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2016
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester
Department
Neurology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
603847393
City
Worcester
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
Sama, Reddy Ranjith K; Fallini, Claudia; Gatto, Rodolfo et al. (2017) ALS-linked FUS exerts a gain of toxic function involving aberrant p38 MAPK activation. Sci Rep 7:115
Boopathy, Sivakumar; Silvas, Tania V; Tischbein, Maeve et al. (2015) Structural basis for mutation-induced destabilization of profilin 1 in ALS. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 112:7984-9