Author
Michael Benatar
Other affiliations: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Columbia University Medical Center ...read more
Bio: Michael Benatar is an academic researcher from University of Miami. The author has contributed to research in topics: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis & Medicine. The author has an hindex of 43, co-authored 117 publications receiving 10569 citations. Previous affiliations of Michael Benatar include Howard Hughes Medical Institute & St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Papers published on a yearly basis
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National Institutes of Health1, Cardiff University2, Erasmus University Rotterdam3, VU University Amsterdam4, University of Manchester5, University College London6, University of Helsinki7, University of Oulu8, Johns Hopkins University9, Georgetown University10, Illumina11, University Hospital of Wales12, University of Eastern Finland13, University of Miami14, University of Turin15, University of Cagliari16, The Catholic University of America17, Microsoft18, University of Toronto19, University of Würzburg20, University of Washington21, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board22
TL;DR: The chromosome 9p21 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-frontotemporal dementia (ALS-FTD) locus contains one of the last major unidentified autosomal-dominant genes underlying these common neurodegenerative diseases, and a large hexanucleotide repeat expansion in the first intron of C9ORF72 is shown.
3,784 citations
University of Pennsylvania1, Colorado State University2, Mayo Clinic3, Harvard University4, National Institutes of Health5, King's College London6, University of Freiburg7, Washington University in St. Louis8, Stanford University9, University of Miami10, Boston Biomedical Research Institute11, University of California, Irvine12
TL;DR: Dysregulated polymerization caused by a potent mutant steric zipper motif in a PrLD can initiate degenerative disease and related proteins with PrLDs should be considered candidates for initiating and perhaps propagating proteinopathies of muscle, brain, motor neuron and bone.
Abstract: Algorithms designed to identify canonical yeast prions predict that around 250 human proteins, including several RNA-binding proteins associated with neurodegenerative disease, harbour a distinctive prion-like domain (PrLD) enriched in uncharged polar amino acids and glycine. PrLDs in RNA-binding proteins are essential for the assembly of ribonucleoprotein granules. However, the interplay between human PrLD function and disease is not understood. Here we define pathogenic mutations in PrLDs of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs) A2B1 and A1 in families with inherited degeneration affecting muscle, brain, motor neuron and bone, and in one case of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Wild-type hnRNPA2 (the most abundant isoform of hnRNPA2B1) and hnRNPA1 show an intrinsic tendency to assemble into self-seeding fibrils, which is exacerbated by the disease mutations. Indeed, the pathogenic mutations strengthen a 'steric zipper' motif in the PrLD, which accelerates the formation of self-seeding fibrils that cross-seed polymerization of wild-type hnRNP. Notably, the disease mutations promote excess incorporation of hnRNPA2 and hnRNPA1 into stress granules and drive the formation of cytoplasmic inclusions in animal models that recapitulate the human pathology. Thus, dysregulated polymerization caused by a potent mutant steric zipper motif in a PrLD can initiate degenerative disease. Related proteins with PrLDs should therefore be considered candidates for initiating and perhaps propagating proteinopathies of muscle, brain, motor neuron and bone.
1,209 citations
University of Modena and Reggio Emilia1, Emory University2, University of Pennsylvania3, University College London4, National Institutes of Health5, Johns Hopkins University6, The Catholic University of America7, University of Turin8, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli9, University of Siena10, University of Palermo11, University of Cagliari12, Georgetown University13
TL;DR: Exome sequencing data broaden the phenotype of IBMPFD to include motor neuron degeneration, suggest that VCP mutations may account for ∼1%-2% of familial ALS, and provide evidence directly implicating defects in the ubiquitination/protein degradation pathway in motor neurons degeneration.
1,040 citations
Duke University1, University at Buffalo2, University of Miami3, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart4, University of Bergen5, Autonomous University of Barcelona6, Northwestern University7, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg8, Kyushu University9, University of Tübingen10, University of Western Ontario11, University of Oxford12, University of California, Davis13, Leiden University14, Harvard University15
TL;DR: An international formal consensus of MG experts intended to be a guide for clinicians caring for patients with MG worldwide is developed.
Abstract: Objective: To develop formal consensus-based guidance for the management of myasthenia gravis (MG). Methods: In October 2013, the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America appointed a Task Force to develop treatment guidance for MG, and a panel of 15 international experts was convened. The RAND/UCLA appropriateness methodology was used to develop consensus guidance statements. Definitions were developed for goals of treatment, minimal manifestations, remission, ocular MG, impending crisis, crisis, and refractory MG. An in-person panel meeting then determined 7 treatment topics to be addressed. Initial guidance statements were developed from literature summaries. Three rounds of anonymous e-mail votes were used to attain consensus on guidance statements modified on the basis of panel input. Results: Guidance statements were developed for symptomatic and immunosuppressive treatments, IV immunoglobulin and plasma exchange, management of impending and manifest myasthenic crisis, thymectomy, juvenile MG, MG associated with antibodies to muscle-specific tyrosine kinase, and MG in pregnancy. Conclusion: This is an international formal consensus of MG experts intended to be a guide for clinicians caring for patients with MG worldwide.
664 citations
University of Western Ontario1, University of Edinburgh2, King's College London3, California Pacific Medical Center4, University of Manchester5, University of East Anglia6, Northwestern University7, University of Miami8, University of Debrecen9, Loma Linda University10, University of Milan11, University of Sheffield12, University of Oxford13
TL;DR: These revised consensus criteria expand upon those of 2009 and embrace the concept of the frontotemporal spectrum disorder of ALS (ALS-FTSD), which is a re-conceptualisation that neuropsychological deficits in ALS fall along a spectrum.
Abstract: This article presents the revised consensus criteria for the diagnosis of frontotemporal dysfunction in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) based on an international research workshop on frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and ALS held in London, Canada in June 2015. Since the publication of the Strong criteria, there have been considerable advances in the understanding of the neuropsychological profile of patients with ALS. Not only is the breadth and depth of neuropsychological findings broader than previously recognised –– including deficits in social cognition and language – but mixed deficits may also occur. Evidence now shows that the neuropsychological deficits in ALS are extremely heterogeneous, affecting over 50% of persons with ALS. When present, these deficits significantly and adversely impact patient survival. It is the recognition of this clinical heterogeneity in association with neuroimaging, genetic and neuropathological advances that has led to the current re-conceptualisation that neu...
540 citations
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TL;DR: It is found that repeat expansion in C9ORF72 is a major cause of both FTD and ALS, suggesting multiple disease mechanisms.
4,153 citations
National Institutes of Health1, Cardiff University2, Erasmus University Rotterdam3, VU University Amsterdam4, University of Manchester5, University College London6, University of Helsinki7, University of Oulu8, Johns Hopkins University9, Georgetown University10, Illumina11, University Hospital of Wales12, University of Eastern Finland13, University of Miami14, University of Turin15, University of Cagliari16, The Catholic University of America17, Microsoft18, University of Toronto19, University of Würzburg20, University of Washington21, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board22
TL;DR: The chromosome 9p21 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-frontotemporal dementia (ALS-FTD) locus contains one of the last major unidentified autosomal-dominant genes underlying these common neurodegenerative diseases, and a large hexanucleotide repeat expansion in the first intron of C9ORF72 is shown.
3,784 citations
TL;DR: The wide range of immune-related adverse effects associated with immune checkpoint blockade can complicate this effective therapy and limit its use in patients with cancer.
Abstract: Side Effects of Immune Checkpoint Blockade The wide range of immune-related adverse effects associated with immune checkpoint blockade can complicate this effective therapy and limit its use in patients with cancer. This review surveys the adverse effects and their management.
2,658 citations
01 Jan 2011
TL;DR: The sheer volume and scope of data posed by this flood of data pose a significant challenge to the development of efficient and intuitive visualization tools able to scale to very large data sets and to flexibly integrate multiple data types, including clinical data.
Abstract: Rapid improvements in sequencing and array-based platforms are resulting in a flood of diverse genome-wide data, including data from exome and whole-genome sequencing, epigenetic surveys, expression profiling of coding and noncoding RNAs, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and copy number profiling, and functional assays. Analysis of these large, diverse data sets holds the promise of a more comprehensive understanding of the genome and its relation to human disease. Experienced and knowledgeable human review is an essential component of this process, complementing computational approaches. This calls for efficient and intuitive visualization tools able to scale to very large data sets and to flexibly integrate multiple data types, including clinical data. However, the sheer volume and scope of data pose a significant challenge to the development of such tools.
2,187 citations
TL;DR: It is proposed that liquid-like compartments carry the trade-off between functionality and risk of aggregation and that aberrant phase transitions within liquid- like compartments lie at the heart of ALS and, presumably, other age-related diseases.
1,988 citations