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Content archived on 2024-05-28

Role of gene silencing pathways in C. elegans nicotine dependence

Objective

"Drug dependence is a complex behavior induced by psychostimulatory drugs, which affect the central brain reward circuitry by associating themselves with environmental cues. Long-term administration of the drugs results in the development of neural and behavioral plasticity, leading to addiction relapse even after long-term abstinence. Very little is known about the molecular and cellular adaptation that takes place during the processes.
There is increasingly growing evidence indicating that small RNA pathways (microRNA and small interfering RNA) modulate drug-dependent behaviors however not much is known about the small RNAs and up or downstream targets of these pathways in these behaviors.
C. elegans is a well established model for nicotine dependence and exhibits a variety of behavioral responses to nicotine, including acute response, adaptation, withdrawal and sensitization. In addition to that gene silencing pathways are also well studied in C. elegans thereby making it a perfect experimental model for this project.
This project will focus on investigating the role of gene silencing pathways in nicotine dependence using C. elegans as model organism. The project will exploit the power of both forward/reverse genetic methods, and microarray technology along with mass spectrometry (MS) technique to eventually identify the genes that are up- or downregulated during nicotine dependence. Latest imaging techniques such as calcium-imaging for monitoring neuronal activity, and photo-activation or inhibition to stimulate or inhibit specific neurons, will be also utilized to better understand the function of the small RNA pathways at the subcellular level. The findings of this project will help in understanding the role of gene silencing pathways and its targets during nicotine dependence. In the long run the results could have a medical application, in developing therapeutics aimed to lessen withdrawal symptoms and thereby reducing drug dependence relapses."

Call for proposal

FP7-PEOPLE-2011-IIF
See other projects for this call

Coordinator

GOETEBORGS UNIVERSITET
EU contribution
€ 241 042,40
Address
VASAPARKEN
405 30 Goeteborg
Sweden

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Region
Södra Sverige Västsverige Västra Götalands län
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Administrative Contact
Annika Bergman (Dr.)
Links
Total cost
No data