Glial Fibrillary acidic protein: From intermediate filament assembly and gliosis to neurobiomarker

By Zhihui Yang, Kevin K. W. Wang. Trends in Neurosciences, 2015

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Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is an intermediate filament-III protein uniquely found in astrocytes in the CNS, non-myelinating Schwann cells in the PNS and enteric glial cells. GFAP mRNA expressions are regulated by several nuclear-receptor hormones, growth factors and lipopolysaccharides. GFAP is also subjected to a number of post-translational modifications while GFAP mutations result in protein deposits known as Rosenthal fibers in Alexander disease. GFAP gene activation and protein induction appear to play a critical role in astroglia cell activation (astrogliosis) following CNS injuries and neurodegeneration. Emerging evidence also suggests that, following traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries and stroke, GFAP protein and its breakdown products are rapidly released into biofluids, making them strong candidate biomarkers for such neurological disorders.

Subfields: Immunology, Molecular Biology

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/17566d8ae8ec21e3ace8d9db22e9502092caffe3