Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
The Pierchala lab developed an unbiased screen for genes specific to motor neurons that are upregulated in the regenerative response to nerve injury, and compared these with genes whose expression is altered during neurodegeneration in mouse models of ALS. Some of the most significantly upregulated genes after injury and in the SOD1-G93A model of ALS are chemokines and other neuroimmune modulators. A number of genes were upregulated specifically in ALS models, including components of cell death receptors and neurotrophic factors. An important research direction of the lab is in the investigation of mechanisms of ALS degeneration in spinal motor neurons.