title: Dietary supplementation with S-adenosyl methionine delays the onset of motor neuron pathology in a murine model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
abstract: The full range of causative factors in Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) remains elusive, but oxidative stress is recognized as a contributing factor. Mutations in Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD-1), associated with familial ALS, promote widespread oxidative damage. Mice-expressing G93A mutant human SOD-1 mice display multiple pathological changes characteristic of ALS and are therefore useful for therapeutic development. Dietary supplementation with S-adenosyl methionine (SAM) has provided multiple neuroprotective effects in mouse models of age-related cognitive pathology. We examined herein whether SAM supplementation could affect the course of motor neuron pathology in mice-expressing mutant human SOD-1. SAM delayed disease onset by 2-3 weeks. SAM also delayed hallmarks of neurodegeneration in these mice and in ALS, including preventing loss of motor neurons, and reducing gliosis, SOD-1 aggregation, protein carbonylation, and induction of antioxidant activity. SAM did not increase survival time. These preliminary findings, using a single concentration of SAM, suggest that SAM supplementation maybe useful as part of a comprehensive therapeutic approach for ALS.
authors.affiliation: Center for Cellular Neurobiology and Neurodegeneration Research, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA 01854, USA.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Suchy
authors.forename: Sangmook
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ambar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Thomas B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Shea
mesh_terms: D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D012436:S-Adenosylmethionine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000072105:Superoxide Dismutase-1
chemical_list: C000606290:SOD1 protein, human; D012436:S-Adenosylmethionine; C000606291:Sod1 protein, mouse; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D000072105:Superoxide Dismutase-1