Cel Autophagy is a fundamental cellular catabolic process deputed to the degradation and recycling of a variety of intracellular materials. Autophagy plays a significant role in multiple human physio-pathological processes and is now emerging as a critical regulator of skeletal development and homeostasis. We have discovered that during postnatal development in mice, the growth factor FGF18 induces autophagy in the chondrocyte cells of the growth plate to regulate the secretion of type II collagen, a major component of cartilaginous extracellular matrix. The FGF signaling pathways play crucial roles during skeletal development and maintenance and are deregulated in many skeletal disorders. Hence our findings may offer the unique opportunity to uncover new molecular mechanisms through which FGF pathways regulate skeletal development and maintenance and to identify new targets for the treatment of FGF-related skeletal disorders. In this grant application we propose to study the role played by the different FGF ligands and receptors on autophagy regulation and to investigate the physiological relevance of these findings in the context of skeletal growth, homeostasis and maintenance. We will also investigate the intracellular machinery that links FGF signalling pathways to the regulation of autophagy. In addition, we generated preliminary data showing an impairment of autophagy in chondrocyte models of Achondroplasia (ACH) and Thanathoporic dysplasia, two skeletal disorders caused by mutations in FGFR3. We propose to study the role of autophagy in the pathogenesis of FGFR3-related dwarfisms and explore the pharmacological modulation of autophagy as new therapeutic approach for achondroplasia. This application, which combines cell biology, mouse genetics and pharmacological approaches, has the potential to shed light on new mechanisms involved in organismal development and homeostasis, which could be targeted to treat bone and cartilage diseases. Dziedzina nauki engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwaste managementwaste treatment processesrecyclingnatural sciencesbiological sciencescell biologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsmutationmedical and health sciencesbasic medicinephysiologyhomeostasis Słowa kluczowe Autophagy Lysosome Fibroblast Growth Factors Bone Cartilage Program(-y) H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme Temat(-y) ERC-2016-STG - ERC Starting Grant Zaproszenie do składania wniosków ERC-2016-STG Zobacz inne projekty w ramach tego zaproszenia System finansowania ERC-STG - Starting Grant Instytucja przyjmująca FONDAZIONE TELETHON ETS Wkład UE netto € 1 586 430,00 Adres VIA VARESE 16/B 00185 Roma Włochy Zobacz na mapie Region Centro (IT) Lazio Roma Rodzaj działalności Research Organisations Linki Kontakt z organizacją Opens in new window Strona internetowa Opens in new window Uczestnictwo w unijnych programach w zakresie badań i innowacji Opens in new window sieć współpracy HORIZON Opens in new window Koszt całkowity € 1 586 430,00 Beneficjenci (1) Sortuj alfabetycznie Sortuj według wkładu UE netto Rozwiń wszystko Zwiń wszystko FONDAZIONE TELETHON ETS Włochy Wkład UE netto € 1 586 430,00 Adres VIA VARESE 16/B 00185 Roma Zobacz na mapie Region Centro (IT) Lazio Roma Rodzaj działalności Research Organisations Linki Kontakt z organizacją Opens in new window Strona internetowa Opens in new window Uczestnictwo w unijnych programach w zakresie badań i innowacji Opens in new window sieć współpracy HORIZON Opens in new window Koszt całkowity € 1 586 430,00