Another angiogenic gene linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
A new study by Greenway and colleagues links mutations in the angiogenin gene to patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)--a progressive and fatal motoneuron disease. This is an unexpected finding because angiogenin was originally identified as a molecule involved in the formation of blood vessels (angiogenesis). Angiogenin bears striking similarity to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which is the prototypic angiogenic factor that has recently emerged as a molecule with important neuroprotective activities. Besides VEGF, angiogenin is the second so-called angiogenic factor implicated in ALS, raising the question of whether additional angiogenic factors might have a role in ALS. Overall, these findings identify angiogenin as a novel candidate gene in the pathogenesis of ALS--a discovery that ultimately might lead to the development of new therapeutic strategies.
Lambrechts
Diether
D
The Center for Transgene Technology and Gene Therapy, Flanders Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology (VIB), KU Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
Lafuste
Peggy
P
Carmeliet
Peter
P
Conway
Edward M
EM
D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D012259:Ribonuclease, Pancreatic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C046366:angiogenin; D012259:Ribonuclease, Pancreatic