Signaling pathways involved in endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced neuronal apoptosis.

In eukaryotic cells, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a very critical site for synthesis, folding, modification of protein, and calcium homeostasis. The ER responds to factors that perturb ER function such as the accumulation of unfolded proteins (ER stress) by activating unfolded protein response to relieve the stress. However, chronic or unresolved ER stress can induce neuronal apoptosis by activating c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), glycogen synthase kinase 3/3β (GSK3/3β), CAAT/enhancer binding protein homologous protein (CHOP), and caspase-12 pathway. Research related to ER stress will provide therapeutic implications in neurological diseases.