title: A novel therapeutic target for peripheral nerve injury-related diseases: aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases.
abstract: Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (AminoARSs) are essential enzymes that perform the first step of protein synthesis. Beyond their original roles, AminoARSs possess non-canonical functions, such as cell cycle regulation and signal transduction. Therefore, AminoARSs represent a powerful pharmaceutical target if their non-canonical functions can be controlled. Using AminoARSs-specific primers, we screened mRNA expression in the spinal cord dorsal horn of rats with peripheral nerve injury created by sciatic nerve axotomy. Of 20 AminoARSs, we found that phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase beta chain (FARSB), isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase (IARS) and methionyl-tRNA synthetase (MARS) mRNA expression was increased in spinal dorsal horn neurons on the injured side, but not in glial cells. These findings suggest the possibility that FARSB, IARS and MARS, as a neurotransmitter, may transfer abnormal sensory signals after peripheral nerve damage and become a new target for drug treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Byung Sun
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngolgy, Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seung Geun
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Yeo
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Junyang
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-3946-5406
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, Dong-A University, Busan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Na Young
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-7922-9793
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Jeong
keywords: aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases; dorsal horn; in situ hybridization; nerve regeneration; neural regeneration; peripheral nerve injury