title: The innate immune response transcription factor relish is necessary for neurodegeneration in a Drosophila model of ataxia-telangiectasia.
abstract: Neurodegeneration is a hallmark of the human disease ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) that is caused by mutation of the A-T mutated (ATM) gene. We have analyzed Drosophila melanogaster ATM mutants to determine the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration in A-T. Previously, we found that ATM mutants upregulate the expression of innate immune response (IIR) genes and undergo neurodegeneration in the central nervous system. Here, we present evidence that activation of the IIR is a cause of neurodegeneration in ATM mutants. Three lines of evidence indicate that ATM mutations cause neurodegeneration by activating the Nuclear Factor-κB (NF-κB) transcription factor Relish, a key regulator of the Immune deficiency (Imd) IIR signaling pathway. First, the level of upregulation of IIR genes, including Relish target genes, was directly correlated with the level of neurodegeneration in ATM mutants. Second, Relish mutations inhibited upregulation of IIR genes and neurodegeneration in ATM mutants. Third, overexpression of constitutively active Relish in glial cells activated the IIR and caused neurodegeneration. In contrast, we found that Imd and Dif mutations did not affect neurodegeneration in ATM mutants. Imd encodes an activator of Relish in the response to gram-negative bacteria, and Dif encodes an immune responsive NF-κB transcription factor in the Toll signaling pathway. These data indicate that the signal that causes neurodegeneration in ATM mutants activates a specific NF-κB protein and does so through an unknown activator. In summary, these findings suggest that neurodegeneration in human A-T is caused by activation of a specific NF-κB protein in glial cells.
authors.affiliation: Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology Program, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: Rebeccah J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Katzenberger
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Wassarman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001260:Ataxia Telangiectasia / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D064007:Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D016923:Cell Death; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000235:genetics; D008136:Longevity; D009043:Motor Activity; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C101626:Rel protein, Drosophila; D014157:Transcription Factors; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; C576324:ATM protein, human; D064007:Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases