title: Motor neuron death in ALS: programmed by astrocytes?
abstract: Motor neurons in ALS die via cell-autonomous and non-cell-autonomous mechanisms. Using adult human astrocytes and motor neurons, Re et al. (2014), in this issue of Neuron, discover that familial and sporadic ALS-derived human adult astrocytes secrete neurotoxic factors that selectively kill motor neurons through necroptosis, suggesting a new therapeutic avenue.
authors.affiliation: Neuroregeneration and Stem Cell Programs, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
authors.forename: Sheila K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Pirooznia
authors.affiliation: Neuroregeneration and Stem Cell Programs, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Adrienne Helis Malvin Medical Research Foundation, New Orleans, LA, USA.
authors.forename: Valina L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Dawson
authors.affiliation: Neuroregeneration and Stem Cell Programs, Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Adrienne Helis Malvin Medical Research Foundation, New Orleans, LA, USA. Electronic address: tdawson@jhmi.edu.
authors.forename: Ted M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Dawson
mesh_terms: D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000473:pathology*; D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology*; D016923:Cell Death / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000166:cytology*