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Identification Of Proteins Potentially Involved In The Formation Of Lafora Bodies, A Hallmark Of Lafora Disease, Elham Schokraie, Oliver Kötting, Matthew S. Gentry

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Presentations

Lafora Disease (LD) is a fatal teenage-onset progressive myoclonus epilepsy. It is characterized by the formation of Lafora bodies (LBs), deposits of abnormally branched, insoluble, hyperphosphorylated glycogen-like polymers that are generally believed to trigger the development of the clinical symptoms of LD. 58% and 35% of the LD cases are caused by mutations in EPM2A (laforin) and EPM2B (malin), respectively. However, little is known about their function in LB formation. Two different mechanisms have been proposed to explain the accumulation of insoluble LBs: first, excessive glycogen phosphorylation and, second, an imbalance between glycogen synthesizing enzymes. The present study aims at …