Stress granules may help diagnose brain diseases

When cells are stressed, they form special formations – stress granules. These temporary structures consist of RNA molecules and proteins involved in gene regulation and protein synthesis. They help the cell to cope with unfavorable conditions, but if their work is disturbed, serious consequences are possible. For example, scientists have recently increasingly linked changes in stress granules to the development of severe diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontal temporal dementia.

Recently, experts from the Center for Medical Sciences at Peking University, China, studied the interaction of stress granules with other cellular structures. Using advanced techniques such as biochemical fractionation and labeling of proteins near these entities, they were able to discover common elements between stress granules and other cellular organelles. These included structures responsible for RNA processing, as well as lysosomes and the endoplasmic reticulum, key components of the cellular renewal system.

Particular attention was drawn to the role of PML nuclear corpuscles, which help to break down toxic protein inclusions. The Annexin A11 protein was also found to be involved in connecting stress granules to lysosomes, affecting their movement and stability. These findings provide further insight into the mechanisms leading to cellular destruction in neurodegenerative diseases.

In addition to studying disease mechanisms, the researchers see stress granules as a promising diagnostic tool. Their changes could serve as a marker for early stages of ALS and frontal temporal dementia, which would pave the way for more accurate and less invasive methods of detecting these diseases.

According to Dr. Peipei Zhang, one of the study’s authors, understanding the role of stress granules in neurodegeneration may not only help in diagnosis, but also open new avenues of treatment. If ways can be developed to regulate these structures, there is a chance to slow or even halt disease progression.

The new study emphasizes the need for further work in this area. Identification of cellular mechanisms responsible for the development of neurodegeneration may lead to the creation of more effective methods of fighting brain diseases.