title: Neuroferritinopathy: From ferritin structure modification to pathogenetic mechanism.
abstract: Neuroferritinopathy is a rare, late-onset, dominantly inherited movement disorder caused by mutations in L-ferritin gene. It is characterized by iron and ferritin aggregate accumulation in brain, normal or low serum ferritin levels and high variable clinical feature. To date, nine causative mutations have been identified and eight of them are frameshift mutations determined by nucleotide(s) insertion in the exon 4 of L-ferritin gene altering the structural conformation of the C-terminus of the L-ferritin subunit. Acting in a dominant negative manner, mutations are responsible for an impairment of the iron storage efficiency of ferritin molecule. Here, we review the main characteristics of neuroferritinopathy and present a computational analysis of some representative recently defined mutations with the purpose to gain new information about the pathogenetic mechanism of the disorder. This is particularly important as neuroferritinopathy can be considered an interesting model to study the relationship between iron, oxidative stress and neurodegeneration.
authors.affiliation: University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Division of Neuroscience, 20132 Milano, Italy; San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Division of Neuroscience, 20132 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: levi.sonia@hsr.it.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Levi
authors.affiliation: Institute for Genetic and Biomedical Research, National Research Council, Via Fantoli 16/15, 20138 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Ermanna
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rovida
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019295:Computational Biology; D005293:Ferritins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D019189:Iron Metabolism Disorders / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008958:Models, Molecular; D019150:Neuroaxonal Dystrophies / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D005293:Ferritins
keywords: Ferritin; Iron; Neurodegenerative disorder; Neuroferritinopathy; Oxidative damage