title: A ubiquitous membrane fusion protein alpha SNAP: a potential therapeutic target for cancer, diabetes and neurological disorders?
abstract: Alpha soluble NSF attachment protein (alphaSNAP) is a ubiquitous and indispensable component of membrane fusion machinery. Deletion of alphaSNAP is embryonically lethal. Yet, there is accumulating evidence that milder alterations in expression levels of alphaSNAP may be associated with a number of specific pathological conditions, such as several neurological disorders, Type 2 diabetes and aggressive neuroendocrine tumours. Here, the authors review the evidence available for animal models and for humans, and discuss possible therapeutic approaches that may target alphaSNAP.
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Pharmacology, 909 S. Wolcott Avenue, Chicago, IL, USA. aandreev@uic.edu
authors.forename: Alexandra V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Andreeva
authors.forename: Mikhail A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kutuzov
authors.forename: Tatyana A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Voyno-Yasenetskaya
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D050576:Membrane Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000378:metabolism; D050600:SNARE Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism; D052067:Soluble N-Ethylmaleimide-Sensitive Factor Attachment Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D050576:Membrane Fusion Proteins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D050600:SNARE Proteins; D052067:Soluble N-Ethylmaleimide-Sensitive Factor Attachment Proteins