Endoplasmic reticulum storage diseases

The endoplasmic reticulum represents the cell's quality control site for accurate folding of secretory and membrane proteins. Quality control is achieved through the association of ER chaperones with unfolded or misfolded polypeptide chains. In the ER stress response, upregulation of chaperones occurs as a consequence of misfolded proteins accumulating in the ER lumen; if these proteins fail to assume their native structure, they are retained in the ER and targeted for degradation by the proteasome. ER storage diseases (ERSDs) are a group of genetically based disorders in which mutant proteins fail to pass the ER quality control. Because all eukaryotic cells contain the ER, the clinical phenotype of ERSDs is very heterogeneous. Disease may result from the mere lack of the mutant protein in question and/or may be caused indirectly by toxic effects of the misfolded protein or aggregates thereof on the cell. Additionally, the cell's reaction to the ER stress may include signaling pathways which are ultimately detrimental. Experimentally, ERSDs serve as models to study the cellular reactions to a variety of perturbations. In particular, understanding the links between ER stress and cell degeneration may give valuable insights into the pathogenesis of other diseases where the accumulation of indigestible toxic material leads to cell injury.