View article

There is emerging evidence for the existence of secretory pathways for superoxide dismutase (SOD1) mutants linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and for neurotoxicity of extracellular mutant SOD1. This evidence led us to test immunization protocols aiming to reduce the burden of extracellular SOD1 mutants in nervous tissue of mice models of ALS, by using bacterially purified recombinant SOD1 mutant protein as an immunogen. First, a vaccination was tested on a G37R SOD1 mouse strain with late-onset disease exhibiting levels of mutant SOD1 protein at 4-fold higher than normal SOD1 levels. Repeated injections of adjuvant/SOD1 mutant with a final booster injection before symptoms at 6 months of age were effective in delaying disease onset and extending the life span of G37R SOD1 mice by >4 weeks. Western blot analysis with a monoclonal antibody specific to mutant SOD1 forms provided …