The Key Role of Astrocytes in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Their Commitment to Glutamate Excitotoxicity.

Abstract

In the last two decades, there has been increasing evidence supporting non-neuronal cells as active contributors to neurodegenerative disorders. Among glial cells, astrocytes play a pivotal role in driving amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) progression, leading the scientific community to focus on the "astrocytic signature" in ALS. Here, we summarized the main pathological mechanisms characterizing astrocyte contribution to MN damage and ALS progression, such as neuroinflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, energy metabolism impairment, miRNAs and extracellular vesicles contribution, autophagy dysfunction, protein misfolding, and altered neurotrophic factor release. Since glutamate excitotoxicity is one of the most relevant ALS features, we focused on the specific contribution of ALS astrocytes in this aspect, highlighting the known or potential molecular mechanisms by which astrocytes participate in increasing the extracellular glutamate level in ALS and, conversely, undergo the toxic effect of the excessive glutamate. In this scenario, astrocytes can behave as "producers" and "targets" of the high extracellular glutamate levels, going through changes that can affect themselves and, in turn, the neuronal and non-neuronal surrounding cells, thus actively impacting the ALS course. Moreover, this review aims to point out knowledge gaps that deserve further investigation.

• Authors: Francesca Provenzano, Carola Torazza, Tiziana Bonifacino, Giambattista Bonanno, Marco Milanese
• Journal: International journal of molecular sciences (Int J Mol Sci) Vol. 24 Issue 20 (Oct 21 2023) ISSN: 1422-0067 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 37895110 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Glutamic Acid

Topics

• Humans
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (metabolism)
• Glutamic Acid (metabolism)
• Astrocytes (metabolism)
• Neuroglia (metabolism)
• Neurons (metabolism)