The molecular and cellular pathology of α₁-antitrypsin deficiency

TY - JOUR

T1 - The molecular and cellular pathology of α₁-antitrypsin deficiency

AU - Gooptu, Bibekbrata

AU - Dickens, Jennifer A

AU - Lomas, David A.

PY - 2014/2

Y1 - 2014/2

N2 - Since its discovery 50 years ago, α1-antitrypsin deficiency has represented a case study in molecular medicine, with careful clinical characterisation guiding genetic, biochemical, biophysical, structural, cellular, and in vivo studies. Here we highlight the milestones in understanding the disease mechanisms and show how they have spurred the development of novel therapeutic strategies. α1-Antitrypsin deficiency is an archetypal conformational disease. Its pathogenesis demonstrates the interplay between protein folding and quality control mechanisms, with aberrant conformational changes causing liver and lung disease through combined loss- and toxic gain-of-function effects. Moreover, α1-antitrypsin exemplifies the ability of diverse proteins to self-associate into a range of morphologically distinct polymers, suggesting a mechanism for protein and cell evolution.

AB - Since its discovery 50 years ago, α1-antitrypsin deficiency has represented a case study in molecular medicine, with careful clinical characterisation guiding genetic, biochemical, biophysical, structural, cellular, and in vivo studies. Here we highlight the milestones in understanding the disease mechanisms and show how they have spurred the development of novel therapeutic strategies. α1-Antitrypsin deficiency is an archetypal conformational disease. Its pathogenesis demonstrates the interplay between protein folding and quality control mechanisms, with aberrant conformational changes causing liver and lung disease through combined loss- and toxic gain-of-function effects. Moreover, α1-antitrypsin exemplifies the ability of diverse proteins to self-associate into a range of morphologically distinct polymers, suggesting a mechanism for protein and cell evolution.

U2 - 10.1016/j.molmed.2013.10.007

DO - 10.1016/j.molmed.2013.10.007

M3 - Article

SN - 1471-4914

VL - 20

SP - 116

EP - 127

JO - TRENDS IN MOLECULAR MEDICINE

JF - TRENDS IN MOLECULAR MEDICINE

IS - 2

ER -