New perspectives of the role of skeletal muscle derived extracellular vesicles in the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: the ‘dying back’ hypothesis

Abstract

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord, and is characterized by muscle weakness, paralysis and ultimately, respiratory failure. The exact causes of ALS are not understood, though it is believed to combine genetic and environmental factors. Until now, it was admitted that motor neurons (MN) in the brain and spinal cord degenerate, leading to muscle weakness and paralysis. However, as ALS symptoms typically begin with muscle weakness or stiffness, a new hypothesis has recently emerged to explain the development of the pathology, that is, the ‘dying back hypothesis’, suggesting that this degeneration starts at the connections between MN and muscles, resulting in the loss of muscle function. Over time, this damage extends along the length of the MN, ultimately affecting their cell bodies in the spinal cord and brain. While the dying back hypothesis provides a potential framework for understanding the progression of ALS, the exact mechanisms underlying the disease remain complex and not fully understood. In this review, we are positioning the role of extracellular vesicles as new actors in ALS development.