The Role of ADF/Cofilin in Synaptic Physiology and Alzheimer’s Disease

Autor: Youssif Ben Zablah, Neil Merovitch, Zhengping Jia
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2020
Předmět:
Zdroj: Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, Vol 8 (2020)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2296-634X
DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.594998
Popis: Actin-depolymerization factor (ADF)/cofilin, a family of actin-binding proteins, are critical for the regulation of actin reorganization in response to various signals. Accumulating evidence indicates that ADF/cofilin also play important roles in neuronal structure and function, including long-term potentiation and depression. These are the most extensively studied forms of long-lasting synaptic plasticity and are widely regarded as cellular mechanisms underlying learning and memory. ADF/cofilin regulate synaptic function through their effects on dendritic spines and the trafficking of glutamate receptors, the principal mediator of excitatory synaptic transmission in vertebrates. Regulation of ADF/cofilin involves various signaling pathways converging on LIM domain kinases and slingshot phosphatases, which phosphorylate/inactivate and dephosphorylate/activate ADF/cofilin, respectively. Actin-depolymerization factor/cofilin activity is also regulated by other actin-binding proteins, activity-dependent subcellular distribution and protein translation. Abnormalities in ADF/cofilin have been associated with several neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore, investigating the roles of ADF/cofilin in the brain is not only important for understanding the fundamental processes governing neuronal structure and function, but also may provide potential therapeutic strategies to treat brain disorders.
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