title: Myristoyltransferase and calcineurin: novel molecular therapeutic target for epilepsy.
abstract: N-myristoylation is a co-translational, irreversible addition of a fatty acyl moiety to the amino terminus of many eukaryotic cellular proteins. These myristoylated proteins in the cell have diverse biological functions such as signal transduction, cellular transformation and oncogensis. Known myristoylated proteins [Src family kinases, the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase and calcineurin (CaN)] are either protein kinases or a protein phosphatases which modulate various cellular metabolic processes. Myristoylation is catalyzed by N-myristoyltransferase (NMT) and is recognized to be a widespread and functionally important modification of proteins. The main objective of this review is to focus on the potential role of NMT and CaN in epileptic brain and its involvement in neuronal apoptosis. The findings on the interaction of NMT and CaN with various signaling molecules in epileptic chickens adds to our understanding of the mechanism of CaN signaling in neuronal apoptosis. Understanding the regulation of NMT by specific inhibitors may help us to control the action of this enzyme on its specific substrates and may lead to improvements in the management of various neurological disorders like Alzheimer's disease, ischemia and epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan and Health Research Division, Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 4H4, Canada.
authors.forename: Ashakumary
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lakshmikuttyamma
authors.forename: Ponniah
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Selvakumar
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tuchek
authors.forename: Rajendra K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Sharma
mesh_terms: D000217:Acyltransferases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D019703:Calcineurin / Q000378:metabolism*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D000217:Acyltransferases; C050480:glycylpeptide N-tetradecanoyltransferase; D019703:Calcineurin