Objective
The aim of the study is test the hypotheses that NO from nNOS or iNOS sensitises brain neurons to hypoxic damage, and if so whether this is mediated by NO/O2 competition at cytochrome c oxidase. The work will use isolated brain cells (neurons, astrocytes, and microglia) from neonatal rats, cultured together or separately, to test whether NO from glial iNOS or neuronal nNOS synergises with hypoxia to induce neuronal death. Nitric oxide (NO) inhibits mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase (COX) in competition with oxygen. Thus, NO may sensitise cells to hypoxic damage, as inhibition of COX rapidly causes neuronal death (e. g. during stroke).
The brain produces low levels of NO from nNOS in neurons activated by glutamate, and produces high levels of NO from iNOS after inflammatory activation of glial cells. Activated glia can kill neurons in culture, and may do so in vivo in a wide range of CNS pathologies. This may be the common cause of neuronal death in many brain diseases. Inflamed glia can kill co-cultured neurons in part via NO from glial iNOS inhibiting neuronal COX. Because this NO inhibition is competitive with oxygen it follows that neurons surrounded by inflamed glia may be more sensitive to hypoxia.
This project thus tests whether NO from nNOS or iNOS sensitises neurons to hypoxic damage via NO/O2 competition at COX. Cultured neurons or brain slices will be exposed to either exogenous or endogenous NO, and at the same time exposed to hypoxia, in order to test whether NO sensitises neurons to hypoxia. The mechanism of such sensitisation will be investigated using NOS inhibitors and interventions such as light that block NO binding to COX.
The ability of inflammation induced by bacterial endotoxin, cytokines, ?-amyloid and hypoxia itself to sensitise neurons to subsequent hypoxia will be studied. A range of chemicals will be tested for their ability to block such death, and thus potentially be developed as therapeutic drugs or strategies.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pathology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine neurology stroke
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
FP6-2002-MOBILITY-5
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Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
IIF - Marie Curie actions-Incoming International Fellowships
Coordinator
CAMBRIDGE
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.