RNA as a source of biomarkers for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal neurodegenerative disease, leads to the loss of motor neurons. There are currently no effective therapies to treat this disease as the molecular mechanisms of motor neuron degeneration are largely unknown. The diagnosis of ALS, or motor neuron disease, is not a simple process that can be carried out with one doctor visit or a single simple test. This has created a major problem for patients with ALS and their physicians since they are often not diagnosed until about a year into the disease. In order to combat this issue, new techniques of detecting the clinical and pathological changes of the disease are critical. These techniques are currently being studied and developed which can revolutionize the diagnosis of ALS. Once this technology is established, it may have application to monitor the progression of the disease. RNA-Seq is a powerful tool that has potential to identify RNA as small molecules in patients' biological samples (Plasma, Cerebral Spinal Fluid) which can be used to inform the system changes in patients with ALS. In this review, we will explore and discuss our current work on RNA-Seq and its development of biomarkers to diagnose and assess the rate of progression in the disease.