期刊名称:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
印刷版ISSN:0027-8424
电子版ISSN:1091-6490
出版年度:2001
卷号:98
期号:25
页码:14687-14692
DOI:10.1073/pnas.251531398
语种:English
出版社:The National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
摘要:In mammals, RNA editing by site-selective adenosine deamination regulates key functional properties of neurotransmitter receptors in the central nervous system. Glutamate receptor subunit B is nearly 100% edited at one position (the Q/R-site), which is essential for normal receptor function. Its significance is apparent from mouse models in which a slightly reduced rate of Q/R-site editing is associated with early onset epilepsy and premature death. Here we report that in tissues from malignant human brain tumors, this editing position of glutamate receptor subunit B is substantially underedited compared with control tissues. We also observe alterations in editing and alternative splicing of serotonin receptor 5-HT2C transcripts. These changes correlate with a decrease in enzymatic activity of the editing enzyme adenosine deaminase acting on RNA (ADAR) 2, as deduced from analysis of ADAR2 self-editing. Our results suggest a role for RNA editing in tumor progression and may provide a molecular model explaining the occurrence of epileptic seizures in association with malignant gliomas.