SARM1
Description
The SARM1 (sterile alpha and TIR motif containing 1) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 17.
SARM1 (Sterile alpha and TIR motif containing 1) is an enzyme encoded by the SARM1 gene in humans. It is the most evolutionarily conserved member of the Toll/Interleukin receptor-1 (TIR) family. SARM1's TIR domain has intrinsic NADase enzymatic activity that is highly conserved from archaea, plants, nematode worms, fruit flies, and humans. In mammals, SARM1 is highly expressed in neurons, where it resides in both cell bodies and axons, and can be associated with mitochondria.
While SARM1 has been studied as a Toll-like receptor adaptor protein in an immune context, its most well-studied function in mammals is as a sensor of metabolic stress and an executioner of neuronal cell body and axon death. Because SARM1 is highly expressed in the nervous system, most studies of SARM1 focus on neuron degeneration, but some SARM1 can be found in other tissues, notably macrophages and T cells. By generating cADPR or NAADP, SARM1 may function as a Ca2+-signaling enzyme similar to CD38.
SARM1's TIR domain is a multi-functional NAD(P)ase enzyme capable of hydrolyzing NAD+ or NADP, cyclizing NAD+ or NADP to form cADPR or cADPRP, and transglycosidation (base exchange) of NAD+ or NADP with free pyridines to form molecules such as NAADP. For NAD+, The transglycosidation (base exchange) activity of SARM1 extends beyond simple pyridines and includes many heterocyclic nucleophilic bases. SARM1's enzymatic activity can be regulated at the TIR domain orthosteric site by naturally occurring metabolites such as nicotinamide, NADP, and nicotinic acid riboside. Non-endogenous small chemical molecules have also been shown to inhibit SARM1's enzymatic activity at or near the orthosteric site.
SARM1 is a NAD(+) hydrolase that plays a key role in axonal degeneration following injury by regulating NAD(+) metabolism. It acts as a negative regulator of MYD88- and TRIF-dependent toll-like receptor signaling pathway by promoting Wallerian degeneration, an injury-induced form of programmed subcellular death which involves degeneration of an axon distal to the injury site. Wallerian degeneration is triggered by NAD(+) depletion: in response to injury, SARM1 is activated and catalyzes cleavage of NAD(+) into ADP-D-ribose (ADPR), cyclic ADPR (cADPR) and nicotinamide; NAD(+) cleavage promoting cytoskeletal degradation and axon destruction. It is also able to hydrolyze NADP(+), but not other NAD(+)-related molecules. SARM1 can activate neuronal cell death in response to stress. It regulates dendritic arborization through the MAPK4-JNK pathway. SARM1 is involved in innate immune response: it inhibits both TICAM1/TRIF- and MYD88-dependent activation of JUN/AP-1, TRIF-dependent activation of NF-kappa-B and IRF3, and the phosphorylation of MAPK14/p38.
SARM1 is also known as HsTIR, MyD88-5, SAMD2, SARM, hSARM1.
