Is ALS caused by a virus or bacteria? “Mutations in many genes can cause ALS, and UBQLN2 is one of them. We found that when UBQLN2 is mutated, the strange virus-like protein called PEG10 accumulates in the cell. PEG10 looks like a virus, but it’s a human gene. Stranger still, we found that PEG10 behaves like a virus, too. It can form a virus-like particle, and it cleaves itself into smaller pieces like some viruses do. We found that one of those pieces moves into the nucleus and changes gene expression in the cell; specifically, genes involved in neuron function and communication.” “These data represent a new potential pathway of disease where PEG10 may contribute to neuron dysfunction through these virus-like actions,” Dr. Whiteley explained. “And perhaps most importantly, we found that PEG10 protein levels are high in both UBQLN2-mediated, as well as sporadic ALS tissue samples compared to healthy individuals,” Dr. Whiteley said. ‘A significant finding; Dr. Mo janson, a doctor and medical content creator at Welzo, not involved in this research, told MNT that this research “provides valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying ALS, specifically the role of UBQLN2 and its regulation of the retrotransposon PEG10.” “The identification of PEG10 as a contributor to ALS through its influence on gene expression and axon remodeling is a significant finding,” Dr. Janson said. “This study adds to our understanding of the complex pathogenesis of ALS and highlights the importance of investigating non-coding elements and retrotransposons in neurodegenerative diseases,” he added. Dr. santosh Kesari, a neurologist, neuro-oncologist, and director of neuro-oncology at Providence Saint John’s Health Center, also not involved in the study, agreed, saying that “this paper opens a new mechanism of how hereditary ALS due to mutations in UBQLN2 can lead to accumulation of PEG10, which leads to neuronal dysfunction.”