Physiological and pathophysiological functions of Swiprosin-1/EFhd2 in the nervous system
Abstract
Synaptic dysfunction and dysregulation of Ca2+ are linked to neurodegenerative processes and behavioural disorders. Our understanding of the causes and factors involved in behavioural disorders and neurodegeneration, especially Alzheimer's disease (AD), a tau-related disease, is on the one hand limited and on the other hand controversial. Here, we review recent data about the links between the Ca2+-binding EF-hand-containing cytoskeletal protein Swiprosin-1/EFhd2 and neurodegeneration. Specifically, we summarize the functional biochemical data obtained in vitro with the use of recombinant EFhd2 protein, and integrated them with in vivo data in order to interpret the emerging role of EFhd2 in synaptic plasticity and in the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative disorders, particularly involving the tauopathies. We also discuss its functions in actin remodelling through cofilin and small GTPases, thereby linking EFhd2, synapses and the actin cytoskeleton. Expression data and functional experiments in mice and in humans have led to the hypothesis that down-regulation of EFhd2, especially in the cortex, is involved in dementia.
Citation
Mielenz , D & Gunn-Moore , F J 2016 , ' Physiological and pathophysiological functions of Swiprosin-1/EFhd2 in the nervous system ' , Biochemical Journal , vol. 473 , no. 16 , pp. 2429-2437 . https://doi.org/10.1042/BCJ20160168
Publication
Biochemical Journal
Status
Peer reviewed
ISSN
0264-6021Type
Journal item
Description
This work was supported by grants of the German Science Foundation (DFG, TRR130, to D.M.) and the Interdisciplinary Clinical Research Center Erlangen (E22, to D.M.); and to the Alzheimer’s Society UK (188, to F.G-M).Collections
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