title: Altered functional properties of a TRPM2 variant in Guamanian ALS and PD.
abstract: Two related neurodegenerative disorders, Western Pacific amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and parkinsonism-dementia (PD), originally occurred at a high incidence on Guam, in the Kii peninsula of Japan, and in southern West New Guinea more than 50 years ago. These three foci shared a unique mineral environment characterized by the presence of severely low levels of Ca(2+) and Mg(2+), coupled with high levels of bioavailable transition metals in the soil and drinking water. Epidemiological studies suggest that genetic factors also contribute to the etiology of these disorders. Here, we report that a variant of the transient receptor potential melastatin 2 (TRPM2) gene may confer susceptibility to these diseases. TRPM2 encodes a calcium-permeable cation channel highly expressed in the brain that has been implicated in mediating cell death induced by oxidants. We found a heterozygous variant of TRPM2 in a subset of Guamanian ALS (ALS-G) and PD (PD-G) cases. This variant, TRPM2(P1018L), produces a missense change in the channel protein whereby proline 1018 (Pro(1018)) is replaced by leucine (Leu(1018)). Functional studies revealed that, unlike WT TRPM2, P1018L channels inactivate. Our results suggest that the ability of TRPM2 to maintain sustained ion influx is a physiologically important function and that its disruption may, under certain conditions, contribute to disease states.
authors.affiliation: Pacific Biosciences Research Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA. meredith@pbrc.hawaii.edu
authors.forename: Meredith C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Hermosura
authors.forename: Aaron M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Ramon Christopher V
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Go
authors.forename: Bennett
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Davenport
authors.forename: Cory M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Shetler
authors.forename: Justin W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Heizer
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schmitz
authors.forename: Gabor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mocz
authors.forename: Ralph M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Garruto
authors.forename: Anne-Laure
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Perraud
mesh_terms: D000246:Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose / Q000494:pharmacology; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000599:Amino Acids, Diamino / Q000494:pharmacology; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000187:drug effects; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D000087522:Cyanobacteria Toxins; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D006141:Guam; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000187:drug effects; D007930:Leucine / Q000235:genetics; D008274:Magnesium / Q000494:pharmacology; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D050505:Mutant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D020734:Parkinsonian Disorders / Q000378:metabolism*; D011392:Proline / Q000235:genetics; D050053:TRPM Cation Channels / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D000599:Amino Acids, Diamino; D000087522:Cyanobacteria Toxins; D050505:Mutant Proteins; D050053:TRPM Cation Channels; C121934:TRPM2 protein, human; C001824:beta-N-methylamino-L-alanine; D000246:Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose; D011392:Proline; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D007930:Leucine; D008274:Magnesium; D002118:Calcium