Selective death of motor neurons beginning in mid life is the hallmark of the most abundant motor-neuron disease of adults, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). An unexpected insight into potential causes of the disorder is now provided by mice lacking the hypoxia response element of the promoter of the gene encoding the vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF). This elicits age-dependent, selective degeneration of motor neurons, and indicates that a primary cause of ALS may be chronic deficits in VEGF-dependent vascular perfusion or a direct neurotrophic effect of VEGF on motor neurons.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Rosen, D.R. et al. Nature 362, 59–62 (1993).
Cleveland, D.W. Neuron 24, 515–520 (1999).
Julien, J.P. Cell 104, 581–591 (2001).
Oosthuye, B. et al. Nature Genet. 131–138 (2001).
Carmeliet, P. Nature Med. 6, 389–395 (2000).
Ivan, M. et al. Science 292, 464–468 (2001).
Jaakkola, P. et al. Science 292, 468–472 (2001).
Carmeliet, P. & Jain, R.K. Nature 407, 249–257 (2000).
Jin, K. L., Mao, X.O. & Greenberg, D.A. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 97, 10242–10247 (2000).
Sondell, M., Lundborg, G. & Kanje, M. J. Neurosci. 19, 5731–5740 (1999).
Soker, S., Takashima, S., Miao, H. Q., Neufeld, G. & Klagsbrun, M. Cell 92, 735–745 (1998).
Klivenyi, P. et al. Nature Med. 5, 347–350 (1999).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Skene, J., Cleveland, D. Hypoxia and Lou Gehrig. Nat Genet 28, 107–108 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/88805
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/88805
- Springer Nature America, Inc.
This article is cited by
-
Mitochondrial dynamics in exercise physiology
Pflügers Archiv - European Journal of Physiology (2020)
-
VEGF is a modifier of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in mice and humans and protects motoneurons against ischemic death
Nature Genetics (2003)