Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2B and leukoencephalopathy with vanishing white matter / 北京大学学报(医学版)

ABSTRACT

Leukoencephalopathy with vanishing white matter(VWM) is one of the most prevalent inherited white matter disorders in childhood,and it′s the only known hereditary human disease due to the direct defects in protein synthesis process,with the gene defects in EIF2B1-5,encoding the five subunits of eukaryotic translation initiation factor(eIF2B ?,?,?,? and ?) respectively.eIF2B is essential for the protein translation initiation process,and its action is realized via eukaryotic translation initiation factor2(eIF2).Phosphorylation of eIF2? and eIF2B? is an important way to regulate eIF2B function,and thus play a key role in control of the protein translation level under physiological condition.Mutant eIF2B results in functional defects and decrease of the overall protein translation in cells,but in increase the translation of proteins with multiple upstream open reading frames,such as activating transcription factor 4(AFT4),which leads to the susceptibility to un-folded protein response under stress,and the following apoptosis.The exact pathogenic mechanisms of VWM are far from well understood.It′s suggested that level of AFT4 in cells with eIF2B mutations is higher than in wild type cells under physiological condition,which makes the mutant cells more susceptible to endoplasmic reticulum(ER) stress and unfolded protein response(UPR).Under stress,the defect eIF2B leads to a vicious cycle of UPR activation,which may underlie the neurological aggravation in VWM patients after minor stress,a specific cli-nical feature of VWM.Elucidating the pathogenesis of VWM will be helpful to further understand the protein translation process in eukaryotic cells,and provide a clue for possible therapeutic targets and treatment strategies in the future.AbstractSUMM ARY Leukoencephalopathy with vanishing white matter(VWM) is one of the most prevalent in-herited white matter d isorders in childhood,and i′ts the only known hered itary human d isease due to the d irect defects in protein synthesis process,with the gene defects inEIF2B1-5,encod ing the five sub-units of eukaryotic translation initiation factor(eIF2B?,?,?,?and?) respectively.eIF2B is essential for the protein translation initiation process,and its action is realized via eukaryotic translation initiation factor2(eIF2).Phosphorylation of eIF2?and eIF2B?is an important way to regulate eIF2B function,and thus play a key role in control of the protein translation level under physiological cond ition.Mutant eIF2B results in functional defects and decrease of the overall protein translation in cells,but in increase the translation of proteins with multiple upstream open read ing frames,such as activating transcription factor 4(AFT4),which leads to the susceptibility to un-folded protein response under stress,and the following apoptosis.The exact pathogenic mechanisms ofVWM are far from well understood.I′ts sugges-ted that level ofAFT4 in cells with eIF2B mutations is higher than in wild type cells under physiological cond ition,which makes the mutant cellsmore susceptible to endoplasm ic reticulum(ER) stress and un-folded protein response(UPR).Under stress,the defect eIF2B leads to a vicious cycle ofUPR activa-tion,which may underlie the neurological aggravation in VWM patients afterm inor stress,a specific cli-nical feature ofVWM.E lucidating the pathogenesis ofVWM will be helpful to further understand the pro-tein translation process in eukaryotic cells,and provide a clue for possible therapeutic targets and treat-ment strategies in the future.