Isoform 17 of Dystrobrevin alpha

Dystrobrevin alpha (DTNA) isoform 17 is a 770 amino acid cytoplasmic protein with a molecular mass of approximately 86.8 kDa (UniProt: Q9Y4J8-17). Dystrobrevins are integral components of the dystrophin-associated protein complex, linking the cytoskeleton to the cell membrane and playing roles in cell adhesion and structural integrity across multiple tissue types.

DTNA is expressed broadly across tissues and localizes to subcellular compartments including membrane and cytoplasmic fractions. The protein associates with the dystrophin complex, which has documented roles in neuromuscular and neuronal homeostasis, though specific UniProt disease annotations are not currently available for this isoform.

In Alzheimer's disease, DTNA isoform 17 is significantly upregulated in post-mortem brain tissue compared to age-matched controls (Chaparral AD proteomics). Analysis of human post-mortem AD brain tissue using TMT-labeled DDA proteomics across four subcellular fractions (P2, P3, S2, S3) demonstrated mean log2 fold-change of +0.963, indicating elevated protein levels in AD brain. This upregulation suggests altered cytoskeletal dynamics or compensatory structural changes in the AD pathological state.