Agrin - Chemistry
Research News and Information

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Identification of an agrin mutation that causes congenital myasthenia and affects synapse function.

21 Jul 2009 We report the case of a congenital myasthenic syndrome due to a mutation in AGRN, the gene encoding agrin, an extracellular matrix molecule released by the nerve and critical for formation of the neuromuscular junction. Gene analysis identified a ... Read more...

Agrin regulation of alpha3 sodium-potassium ATPase activity modulates cardiac myocyte contraction.

14 Apr 2009 Drugs that inhibit Na,K-ATPases, such as digoxin and ouabain, alter cardiac myocyte contractility. We recently demonstrated that agrin, a protein first identified at the vertebrate neuromuscular junction, binds to and regulates the activity of ... Read more...

Rescuing Z+ agrin splicing in Nova null mice restores synapse formation and unmasks a physiologic defect in motor neuron firing.

10 Feb 2009 Synapse formation at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) requires an alternatively spliced variant of agrin (Z(+) agrin) that is produced only by neurons. Here, we show that Nova1 and Nova2, neuron-specific splicing factors identified as targets in ... Read more...

Latest indexed articles for 'Agrin - Chemistry'

These are the very latest articles for this heading:

• Identification of an agrin mutation that causes congenital myasthenia and affects synapse function. 21 Jul 2009
• Agrin regulation of alpha3 sodium-potassium ATPase activity modulates cardiac myocyte contraction. 14 Apr 2009
• Rescuing Z+ agrin splicing in Nova null mice restores synapse formation and unmasks a physiologic defect in motor neuron firing. 10 Feb 2009
• Scaffold-forming and Adhesive Contributions of Synthetic Laminin-binding Proteins to Basement Membrane Assembly. 31 Jan 2009
• Neurotrypsin cleaves agrin locally at the synapse. 27 Jan 2008
• Thermodynamic and structural studies of carbohydrate binding by the agrin-G3 domain. 23 Jul 2007
• Specific cleavage of agrin by neurotrypsin, a synaptic protease linked to mental retardation. 20 Jun 2007
• Activation of muscle-specific receptor tyrosine kinase and binding to dystroglycan are regulated by alternative mRNA splicing of agrin. 27 Sep 2006
• Crystal structure of the agrin-responsive immunoglobulin-like domains 1 and 2 of the receptor tyrosine kinase MuSK. 10 Sep 2006
• Progesterone-induced agrin expression in astrocytes modulates glia-neuron interactions leading to synapse formation. 11 Jun 2006
• Identification and distribution of heparan sulfate proteoglycans in the white muscle of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) and spotted wolffish (Anarhichas minor). Feb 2006
• Lipid rafts are involved in C95 (4,8) agrin fragment-induced acetylcholine receptor clustering. 25 Dec 2005
• The effect of agrin and laminin on acetylcholine receptor dynamics in vitro. 24 Oct 2005
• Invasive growth and topoisomerase-switch induced by tumorous extracellular matrix in osteosarcoma cell culture. 18 Oct 2005
• Conjugation of LG domains of agrins and perlecan to polymerizing laminin-2 promotes acetylcholine receptor clustering. 9 Oct 2005
• Agrin binds alpha-synuclein and modulates alpha-synuclein fibrillation. 19 Jul 2005
• Structure and laminin-binding specificity of the NtA domain expressed in eukaryotic cells. 28 Dec 2004
• Agrin signaling in cortical neurons is mediated by a tyrosine kinase-dependent increase in intracellular Ca2+ that engages both CaMKII and MAPK signal pathways. 29 Nov 2004
• Glycosaminoglycan-dependent and -independent inhibition of neurite outgrowth by agrin. 29 Jun 2004
• Agrin is a chimeric proteoglycan with the attachment sites for heparan sulfate/chondroitin sulfate located in two multiple serine-glycine clusters. 26 May 2003

See a longer list of these articles.

Technical information about 'Agrin'

Definition: A protein component of the synaptic basal lamina. It has been shown to induce clustering of acetylcholine receptors on the surface of muscle fibers and other synaptic molecules in both synapse regeneration and development.

Registry Number: 0

Descriptor UI: D018171

Alternative terms: Agrin;

Allowable Qualifiers: supply & distribution; therapeutic use; toxicity; ultrastructure; urine; chemistry; contraindications; agonists; administration & dosage; adverse effects; analysis; antagonists & inhibitors; biosynthesis; blood; cerebrospinal fluid; chemical synthesis; classification; deficiency; diagnostic use; drug effects; economics; genetics; history; immunology; isolation & purification; metabolism; pharmacokinetics; pharmacology; physiology; poisoning; radiation effects; secretion; standards;

Tree Number: D12.776.641.050;

Online Note: use AGRIN (NM) to search AGRIN 1988-93

History Note: 94; was AGRIN (NM) 1988-93

Technical Notes: a nerve tissue protein