Large ribosomal subunit protein uL23

RPL23A encodes the large ribosomal subunit protein uL23, a structural component of the 60S ribosomal subunit essential for protein synthesis (UniProt: P62750). The protein binds a specific region on 26S rRNA and may modulate p53 stability through promotion of MDM2-mediated polyubiquitination (UniProt: P62750). It functions as part of the core ribosomal machinery conserved across eukaryotes.

RPL23A is expressed broadly in cells and tissues where protein synthesis occurs. No primary disease associations are documented in UniProt records, though ribosomal dysfunction has been linked to various pathologies.

In Alzheimer's disease, RPL23A is significantly downregulated in post-mortem AD brain tissue compared to age-matched controls, with a mean log2 fold-change of −0.488 across subcellular fractions (Chaparral AD proteomics). This reduction in a key ribosomal component may reflect impaired protein synthesis capacity in AD-affected neurons, potentially contributing to proteostatic imbalance and neurodegeneration.