E163L HOMOZYGOUS DJ-1 MUTATION IN A FAMILY FROM SOUTHERN ITALY WITH AMIOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS-PARKINSONISM-DEMENTIA COMPLEX.

Elevated cerebrospinal fluid and plasma homocysteine levels in ALS

BACKGROUND: High cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma levels of homocysteine (HC) have been reported in certain neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's diseases and, recently, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). OBJECTIVES: To assay the CSF and plasma levels of HC in ALS patients and controls, and to evaluate the relationship between HC levels and clinical variables of the disease. METHODS: Cerebrospinal fluid from sixty-nine (M/F 1.87) and plasma from sixty-five ALS patients (M/F 1.83) were taken and stored at -80 degrees C until use. Controls (CSF = 55; plasma = 67) were patients admitted to our hospital for neurological disorders with no known relationship to HC ch…

ALS-Related Mutant FUS Protein Is Mislocalized to Cytoplasm and Is Recruited into Stress Granules of Fibroblasts from Asymptomatic FUS P525L Mutation Carriers

Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) shows a strong genetic basis, with SOD1, FUS, TARDBP, and C9ORF72 being the genes most frequently involved. This has allowed identification of asymptomatic mutation carriers, which may be of help in understanding the molecular changes preceding disease onset. Objectives: We studied the cellular expression of FUS protein and the effect of heat-shock-and dithiothreitol-induced stress in fibroblasts from FUS P525L mutation carriers, healthy controls, and patients with sporadic ALS. Methods: Western blots and immunocytochemistry were performed to study the subcellular localization of FUS protein. Control and stressed cells were double stained with…