DNA repair dysfunction in neurodegeneration

National Institute On Aging

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Abstract

We have studied DNA repair in individual primary rat neurons. These neurons repair many kinds of DNA damage, and it is particularly novel that they repair UV induced DNA damage. This is important because UV damage to DNA is removed by the DNA repair process called nucleotide excision repair, which is generally thought to be deficient in the CNS. We also find attenuation of oxidative DNA damage repair in differentiating neurons and we find that the DNA repair in the synaptic region is quite robust after oxidative stress. Furthermore, there seems to be a connection between neurotransmission and DNA repair because the addition of neurotransmitters to neurons incraeses the DNA damage and repair. Specifically, Glutamate, the most abundant neurotransmitter directly stimulates DNA repair in a pathway that we are currently exploring. This raises the possibility that a connection exists between DNA repair and learning.