Medizinische Universität Graz Austria/Österreich - Forschungsportal - Medical University of Graz
Gewählte Publikation:
Seiberl, M.
SUMOylation in neurodegeneration
Humanmedizin; [ Diplomarbeit ] Graz Medical University; 2018. pp. 126
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- Autor*innen der Med Uni Graz:
- Betreuer*innen:
- Haybäck Johannes
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- Abstract:
- The recent years have seen a growing interest in post-translational modifications. The SUMO protein or small-ubiquitin like modifier was first described 1996, but its clear roles and functions are still not understood. However, there is growing evidence that SUMO is involved in basal cellular mechanisms and disease progression. This work focuses on the SUMO 2/3 subfamily, as it is the only one that can be investigated at the immunohistochemical level. Growing evidence shows that SUMO might play a role in neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, as well as in HIV-induced encephalitis. Furthermore SUMO seems to be involved in fetal brain development. For this purpose, immunohistochemistry was used to investigate the levels of SUMO 2/3 in brain tissue of patients affected by those neurodegenerative disorders, as well as by HIV encephalitis and fetal brain tissue. It was possible to show different levels of SUMO 2/3 in different subregions and different cell types. The study focused on 3 different disease groups compared to a healthy control group of aging brains, but were also compared with each other. Additional investigated was a group of fetal brains in which different regions of development were compared to each other. The data concerning Alzheimer’s disease showed decreased levels of SUMO, which supports the hypothesis of a protective role of SUMO in AD. The data in glial cells in brain samples of patients with HIV encephalitis showed high levels of SUMO. This is maybe caused by the role of SUMO in apoptotic and viral repressive steps. In the case of Parkinson’s disease we found on clear coherence. In fetal brain development, levels of SUMO are high in the ependyma and the marginal zone, which supports the theory that SUMO plays a role in developmental processes and the evolvement of cells. Taken together, my results support current hypotheses about SUMO proteins in the pathogenesis and treatment of the disease groups investigated.