β-N-methylamino-L-alanine induces changes in both GSK3 and TDP-43 in human neuroblastoma

J Toxicol Sci. 2013;38(3):425-30. doi: 10.2131/jts.38.425.

Abstract

β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (L-BMAA) is a neurotoxic amino acid produced by most cyanobacteria, which are extensively distributed in different environments all over the world. L-BMAA has been linked to a variety of neurodegenerative diseases. This work aims to analyze the toxicological action of L-BMAA related to alterations observed in different neurodegenerative illness as Alzheimer disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Our results demonstrate that neuroblastoma cells treated with L-BMAA show an increase in glycogen synthase kinase 3 β (GSk3β) and induce accumulation of TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) truncated forms (C-terminal fragments), phosphorylated and high molecular weight forms of TDP-43, that appears frequently in some neurodegenerative diseases.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acids, Diamino / toxicity*
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Cyanobacteria Toxins
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 / metabolism*
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta
  • Humans
  • Molecular Weight
  • Neuroblastoma / metabolism*
  • Neuroblastoma / pathology
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases / etiology
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases / metabolism
  • Phosphorylation
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Amino Acids, Diamino
  • Cyanobacteria Toxins
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • beta-N-methylamino-L-alanine
  • GSK3B protein, human
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3