Huntingtin-protein interactions and the pathogenesis of Huntington's disease

Trends Genet. 2004 Mar;20(3):146-54. doi: 10.1016/j.tig.2004.01.008.

Abstract

At least nine inherited neurodegenerative diseases share a polyglutamine expansion in their respective disease proteins. These diseases show distinct neuropathological changes, suggesting that protein environment and protein-protein interactions play an important role in the specific neuropathology. A gain of toxic function as a result of an expanded polyglutamine tract can cause the protein huntingtin to interact abnormally with a variety of proteins, resulting in the complex of neuropathological changes seen in Huntington's disease. Recent studies have identified several huntingtin-interacting proteins that might be associated with the normal function of huntingtin and/or involved in the pathology of Huntington's disease. In this article, we focus on the potential roles of huntingtin-protein interactions in the pathogenesis of Huntington's disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Huntingtin Protein
  • Huntington Disease / etiology
  • Huntington Disease / metabolism*
  • Huntington Disease / pathology*
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism*
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism*
  • Peptides
  • Protein Binding
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Trinucleotide Repeats

Substances

  • HTT protein, human
  • Huntingtin Protein
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Peptides
  • Transcription Factors
  • polyglutamine