Towards a comprehensive understanding of the contributions of mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress in the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of Huntington's disease.

Abstract

Huntington's disease (HD) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder affecting the corticostriatal area of the brain. HD is driven by elongated cytosine-adenine-guanine (CAG) repeat (36 repeats or more) on the short arm of chromosome 4p16.3 in the Huntingtin gene (HTTg) which encode the huntingtin protein (HTT). Although the polyglutamine expansion within HTT is the causative factor in the pathogenesis of HD, the underlying mechanisms that provoke this expansion and the resulting neurodegeneration and clinical symptoms are not fully understood. In this paper, the critical role played by mitochondria dysfunction and oxidative stress in HTT expansion, HD progression, and clinical symptoms are elucidated. Their interactions with the key factors in the disease, as well as treatment strategies, are discussed.