Goldmine of drug targets for autism treatments

Credit: Martin lab/UCLA

• UCLA researchers found a region in the brain providing a goldmine of drug targets for autism 
• They focused on Rbfox1, which regulates how the cell makes proteins
• Nuclear and cytoplasmic Rbfox1 isoforms regulate specific neuronal mRNAs
• Cytoplasmic Rbfox1 regulates the dependability of its target mRNAs
• Rbfox1 and miRNA binding sites overlay extensively with target mRNA 3′ UTRs
• Cytoplasmic Rbfox1 targets are improved in cortical development and autism genes
• Published in Neuron