Oxidative stress is proposed to play a central role in the pathogenesi
s of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Anti-oxidant enzymes and DNA
repair proteins are two major mechanisms by which cells counteract th
e deleterious effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Neurons may be
particularly vulnerable to ROS-induced oxidative DNA damage; this is
repaired by the base-excision repair (BER) pathway. Frontal cortical l
evels and activity of the pivotal BER protein apurinic/apyrimidinic en
donuclease (APE) were determined in 11 patients with sporadic ALS and
six age-matched control subjects. APE levels (p < 0.003) and activity
(p < 0.000007) were significantly lower in ALS subjects than in contro
ls. These findings suggest that ALS brain tissue is inefficient in rep
airing oxidative DNA damage.