Analysis of Post-Translational Modifications of a Critical Protein Implicated in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Completed

• Conditions: ALS

• Registration Number: NCT02228915
• Lead Sponsor: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Brief Summary

The purpose of this research study is to discover and quantitate the differences in post-translational modifications found in the Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) as compared to healthy individuals. SOD1 is a known genetic cause of ALS. With certain mutations, SOD1 gains a toxic function which leads to motor neuron death.

Detailed Description

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease in which mutations in human Cu, Zn Superoxide Dismutase (SOD1) have been identified as a cause of familial ALS (FALS) cases.1-2 It has been shown that mutant SOD1 develops a novel toxic function through experiments demonstrating that many disease mutants maintain enzymatic activity, SOD1-null mice do not exhibit ALS symptoms, and co-expressed wild type protein does not rescue the disease-state.7-11 The majority of cases, however, are not caused directly by mutations of SOD1, instead being caused by a poorly understood interplay of several genes as well as environmental factors, which is often referred to as sporadic ALS (SALS).3 It has been found that FALS and SALS share similar pathology. 4-6 The hSOD1 protein aggregates characteristic of FALS have also been found in SALS patients, furthering the evidence that hSOD1 has an important role in the etiology of ALS in sporadic ALS patients.16-19 The exact mechanism of SOD1-associated toxicity has not yet been elucidated though many disease mutants have been shown to destabilize the SOD1 dimer. In this study we aim to compare the levels of SOD1 post-tra slational modifications in ALS patients to levels in healthy donors and to determine if there are distinct patterns of protein glutathionylation or phosphorylation. Our overall goal is to elucidate a direct mechanism of toxicity in SALS as well as identify potentially critical triggers

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2014-08
• Study First Submitted: 2014-08-27
• Study First Submitted QC: 2014-08-28
• Study First Posted: 2014-08-29
• Status Verified: 2017-11
• Primary Completion: 2018-10-14
• Study Completion: 2018-10-16
• Last Update Submitted: 2018-10-16
• Last Update Posted: 2018-10-17

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 21

Inclusion Criteria

• SALS patients
• SOD1 associated FALS patients
• Healthy control

Exclusion Criteria

none

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Post-translational modifications (PTMs) of Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase 1	6 months

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

UNC Neurology ALS clinic; 🇺🇸 Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States