Dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy (DRPLA).

Abstract

Dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy (DRPLA) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by expansion of CAG repeats coding for a polyglutamine stretch. The prominent anticipation and broad spectrum in the clinical presentations of DRPLA have been demonstrated to be tightly correlated with the instability of CAG repeats in the DRPLA gene. Discovery of the causative gene for DRPLA has made it possible to investigate molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration caused by expanded polyglutamine stretches. Recent investigations suggest that nuclear transport of mutant proteins containing expanded polyglutamine stretches and intranuclear aggregate formation play important roles in neuronal degeneration. We have recently demonstrated that the aggregate formation and apoptosis are partially suppressed by transglutaminase inhibitors, raising the possibility that transglutaminase is involved in the aggregate body. The results may open new prospects for developing therapeutic measures for the polyglutamine diseases.