title: Is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis a mitochondrial channelopathy?
abstract: SOD1 is a cause of the fatal, paralytic disorder ALS. Although mechanisms underlying mutant SOD1 neurotoxicity remain uncertain, this protein associates with mitochondria. In this issue of Neuron, Israelson et al. show that mutant SOD1 binds and inhibits the mitochondrial channel VDAC1. This finding sheds light onto possible molecular links between mutant SOD1, mitochondrial dysfunction, and spinal motor neuron degeneration in inherited ALS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Pathology, and Cell Biology and the Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Le Verche
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Przedborski
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