Skip to main content
Ir a la página de inicio de la Comisión Europea (se abrirá en una nueva ventana)
español es
CORDIS - Resultados de investigaciones de la UE
CORDIS

Blocking the prion-like disease propagation in Parkinson’s disease and related disorders – model development and identification of cell-autonomous and cell non-autonomous factors.

Descripción del proyecto

Desvelar la naturaleza priónica de la enfermedad de Parkinson: un cambio de paradigma

El movimiento incontrolable asociado a la enfermedad de Parkinson (EP) es el resultado de una degeneración neuronal crónica. Uno de los rasgos distintivos de la fisiopatología de la EP es la acumulación de agregados de la proteína α-sinucleína (AS). El equipo del proyecto Alpha-Synuclein, financiado por las acciones Marie Skłodowska-Curie, trabaja con la hipótesis de que la AS se comporta como un prión, extendiéndose desde el sistema nervioso periférico al central, lo que exacerba el estrés oxidativo, así como la disfunción y conduce a la pérdida de neuronas en el cerebro. Para prevenir esta neurotoxicidad y degeneración, los investigadores sugieren crear un nuevo modelo para estudiar la propagación de la AS, centrándose en el papel de genes específicos en su propagación y toxicidad.

Objetivo

A prion-like behavior of α-synuclein (AS) protein has been hypothesized in the pathogenesis of Parkinson disease (PD). According to this hypothesis, pathogenic forms “seeds” of AS propagate from periphery into the neurons of central nervous system (CNS), where they recruit endogenous AS in the first receiving neurons, exit the cell and enter connected neurons. The ongoing AS aggregation and cell-cell propagation is considered to induce oxidative stress, neuronal dysfunction and neuronal loss in CNS. Therefore, blocking the neuronal propagation of AS will prevent AS neurotoxicity and neurodegeneration. I propose to develop and validate a novel in vivo model of prion-like AS propagation, in which I will selectively modify the genetic makeup of first receiving neurons, and use this model for mechanistic investigations. I will use a transgenic M83 mouse model overexpressing mutant A53T human AS in which prion-like spreading is initiated by injecting preformed AS aggregates into the hindlimb musculus femoris. These AS aggregates are taken up by sensory and/or motor nerve endings in the muscle, are retrogradely transported through the sciatic nerve into spinal cord, and rostrally into the brainstem and higher brain areas over time. I will refine this model by transducing the sciatic nerve endings with intramuscular delivery of rAAV viral vectors- containing novel CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing tools targeting genes of interest- to prevent in vivo prion-like AS spreading and/or toxicity. As proof of concept, I will silence AS in the receiving neurons to demonstrate this slows the disease development in the model. Once validated, I will use the model for hypothesis-driven mechanistic investigations of candidate genes, which initially include: 1) ubiquitin specific peptidase 19 (USP19)- since it has been implicated in cellular excretion of misfolded AS in vitro, and 2) eukaryotic elongation factor-2 kinase (eEF2K)- since it is abnormally activated in postmortem PD brain tissue.

Ámbito científico (EuroSciVoc)

Programa(s)

Tema(s)

Régimen de financiación

MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EF

Ver todos los proyectos financiados en el marco de este régimen de financiación

Convocatoria de propuestas

(se abrirá en una nueva ventana) H2020-MSCA-IF-2017

Ver todos los proyectos financiados en el marco de esta convocatoria

Coordinador

AARHUS UNIVERSITET
Aportación neta de la UEn
€ 200 194,80
Dirección
NORDRE RINGGADE 1
8000 Aarhus C
Dinamarca
Región
Danmark Midtjylland Østjylland
Tipo de actividad
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Enlaces
Coste total
€ 200 194,80