17/10/2014
The researchers combined modern mouse genetics to the systemic analysis of RNA:Elavl1-to-Elavl4 protein interactions and demonstrated that Elavl1/HuR protects hippocampal neurons from glutamatergic necrosis in vivo; to do so HuR was found to regulate the turnover and translation of mRNAs protecting against oxidative mitochondrial damage and balancing cellular energetic. These findings highlight the remarkable specificity of RBPs in controlling neuronal processes and pave the way for their exploitation in disease management and therapy.
Left: Histology of brain hippocampus in mice lacking Elavl1/HuR (CN-KO) in neurons demonstrating the extensive neurodegenerative response to overt glutamatargic activation relative to what is seen in control mice. Right: Proposed scheme of HuR’s interactions providing defense (blue) to oxidative networks (red) promoting neurodegeneration.