Expression and subcellular localization of circRNAs dysregulated ALS that are encoded in cytoskeletal protein genes

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal and progressive neurodegenerative disorder that causes the death of motor neurons. While alterations in the metabolism of RNA, including RNA-binding proteins have been linked to the pathogenesis of ALS, our understanding of the role of non-coding RNAs including circRNAs is less well developed. In this study, using a combination of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and immunofluorescence (IF) with markers of RNP granules, I investigated the effect of osmotic stress on the localization and expression of a selection of circRNAs whose expression is dysregulated in ALS. Alteration in the number of granules for two circRNAs was observed in HEK293T cells under osmotic stress. I also have observed that circRNAs are present in RNP granules under a stress condition. This finding is consistent with the hypothesis that circRNAs might participate in the biology of ribonucleprotein (RNP) granules under pathological conditions such as those observed in ALS