Stress granules: neuroprotective or neurotoxic in ALS pathogenesis?

When healthy cells are stressed, they produce stress granules, which are structures that protect vulnerable RNA molecules that play a vital role in translating genetic instructions and overseeing protein production. ALS places constant stress on motor neurons, the nerve cells responsible for voluntary muscle movement, causing them to eventually deteriorate and die. Recent evidence suggests that the disruption of proper stress granule dynamics may play a central role in the processes underlying ALS.

In her research, Dr. Vande Velde aims to test if disrupting stress granules alone causes neuron loss under normal conditions. Additionally, her team will study how disrupting stress granules affect neurons in ALS models with a pathogenic variant (mutation) in the TDP-43 gene. They will explore whether this makes the disease worse and aim to clarify the link between TDP-43 and stress granule dynamics.

This work could provide crucial insights into stress granules, environment factors, and potential therapeutic avenues for the development of future ALS treatments.

Collaborators: Dr. Richard Robitaille

Extensive research investigating stress granules in ALS has been funded through the ALS Canada Research Program, with each grant bringing us closer to a potential new therapeutic avenue. Dr. Christine Vande Velde is an internationally recognized researcher in the ALS field who has been supported multiple times by our program. Read more about her lab’s work here.