Page 55 - GPD-3-3

Gene & Protein in Disease

REVIEW ARTICLE
The role of amino acid metabolism in

neurodegenerative diseases

1
Christina Bitsina , Paschalis Theotokis 1 , Evangelia Kesidou ,
1
Iliana Michailidou , Ofira Einstein , Marina Boziki , Christos Bakirtzis *, and
1
1
1
2
1
Nikolaos Grigoriadis *
2 Department of Neurology, AHEPA General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki,
1 nd
Thessaloniki, Greece
2 Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ariel University, West Bank, Israel
Abstract
The exact etiologies of most neurodegenerative disorders remain poorly
understood, therefore hampering the identification of molecular targets with
clinical therapeutic potential. Recent clinical and experimental evidence supports
the notion that amino acid metabolism could be implicated in the pathophysiology
and disease progression of neurodegenerative diseases. This review aims to present
the most common neurological diseases that lead to axonal degeneration and to
examine the potential role of amino acid metabolism, with a particular focus on
multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease,
and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The primary objective of this study is to identify
potential amino acid biomarkers through metabolomics research and to propose
therapeutic approaches by modulating amino acid-sensing signaling pathways
*Corresponding authors:
Christos Bakirtzis to effectively monitor disease progression in neurodegenerative disorders. In this
(cbakirtzis@auth.gr) context, two distinct cellular signaling pathways are examined: the mechanistic
Nikolaos Grigoriadis target of rapamycin signaling pathway and the general control non-derepressible
(ngrigoriadis@auth.gr)
protein-integrated stress response pathway. These signaling cascades are analyzed
Citation: Bitsina C, Theotokis P, in relation to each of the aforementioned neurological disorders to identify their
Kesidou E, et al. The role of potential regulatory roles in disease progression and pathophysiology. The review
amino acid metabolism in
neurodegenerative diseases. Gene concludes by considering emerging amino acid biomarkers with potential clinical
Protein Dis. 2024;3(3):3294. and diagnostic value, exploring signaling cascades for therapeutic manipulation to
doi: 10.36922/gpd.3294 improve clinical outcomes in neurodegeneration, and providing insights for future
Received: March 27, 2024 research in the biomedical field.
Accepted: June 19, 2024
Published Online: September 13,
2024 Keywords: Neurodegenerative disorders; Amino acid metabolism; Mechanistic target
Copyright: © 2024 Author(s). of rapamycin signaling pathway; General control non-derepressible protein signaling
This is an Open-Access article pathway; Metabolomics studies; Amino acid biomarkers
distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution
License, permitting distribution,
and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original work is 1. Introduction
properly cited.
Publisher’s Note: AccScience Neurodegenerative diseases represent a distinct category of disabling disorders that
Publishing remains neutral with affect both the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system. A key
regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional characteristic of these conditions is the progressive loss of neurons, which results in
affiliations. various neurological and motor dysfunctions, severely affecting the quality of life of

Volume 3 Issue 3 (2024) 1 doi: 10.36922/gpd.3294