Project description DEENESFRITPL Role of glial cells tanycytes in healthy ageing The organisms' survival depends on energy homeostasis, involving the control of neuroendocrine functions that integrate metabolic feedback. Tanycytes are glial cells lining the floor of the third ventricle in the median eminence of the hypothalamus which control the secretion of neuropeptides by hypothalamic neurons into the pituitary portal circulation and regulate blood-brain and blood-cerebrospinal fluid exchanges. Tanycytes actively shuttle metabolic signals to hypothalamic neurons that control food intake. The goal of the EU-funded WATCH project is to employ state-of-the-art technologies in systems neuroscience, mouse genetics, and translational research, to elucidate the role of tanycytes and provide new directions in biomarker research and therapeutic approaches for a variety of disorders that impair healthy ageing. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective The survival of an organism depends on energy homeostasis, involving the control of neuroendocrine functions that integrate metabolic feedback and adapt the response of the organism to physiological demands. Tanycytes, specialized glial cells lining the floor of the third ventricle in the median eminence of the hypothalamus, act as linchpins of these processes, dynamically controlling the secretion of neuropeptides by hypothalamic neurons into the pituitary portal circulation and regulating blood-brain and blood-cerebrospinal fluid exchanges, both processes that depend on their morphological plasticity in response to the physiological state. In addition to their barrier properties, they actively shuttle circulating metabolic signals to hypothalamic neurons that control food intake. The overarching goal of WATCH is to synergistically employ state-of-the-art technologies in systems neuroscience, mouse genetics and bench-to-bedside research, to explore the role of these unique and versatile cells, providing new directions in biomarker research and new therapeutic approaches for a variety of disorders that impair well-aging. Our specific aims are:1. Genetic dissection of the in vivo regulation, pathophysiological function and molecular markers of tanycytes classified according to their anatomical location.2. Identification of novel heterogeneous, molecularly distinct tanycytes and associated endothelial cells and determining how these characteristics evolve under distinct physiological and pathological conditions.3. Functional validation of newly classified subgroups of tanycytes and the specific modulation of the activity of these subgroups at the experimental level.4. Exploration of the functional consequences of pharmacologically activating pathways required for the tanycytic shuttling of metabolic signals on their CSF levels of these factors, hypothalamic activity and cognition in animal models and patients with morbid obesity or age-related cognitive deficits. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesneurobiologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsmedical and health sciencesbasic medicinephysiologyhomeostasismedical and health scienceshealth sciencesnutritionobesity Keywords Tanycytes energy homeostasis hypothalamo-pituitary neuroedocrine axis aging neurodegenerative disorders hypothalamus Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme Topic(s) ERC-2018-SyG - ERC Synergy Grant Call for proposal ERC-2018-SyG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-SyG - Synergy grant Host institution INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA SANTE ET DE LA RECHERCHE MEDICALE Net EU contribution € 4 243 750,00 Address RUE DE TOLBIAC 101 75654 Paris France See on map Region Ile-de-France Ile-de-France Paris Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 4 493 750,00 Beneficiaries (4) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA SANTE ET DE LA RECHERCHE MEDICALE France Net EU contribution € 4 243 750,00 Address RUE DE TOLBIAC 101 75654 Paris See on map Region Ile-de-France Ile-de-France Paris Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 4 493 750,00 Third-party Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure. CENTRE HOSPITALIER REGIONAL ET UNIVERSITAIRE DE LILLE France Net EU contribution € 250 000,00 Address AVENUE OSCAR LAMBRET 2 59037 Lille See on map Region Hauts-de-France Nord-Pas de Calais Nord Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 250 000,00 UNIVERSITAET zu LUEBECK Germany Net EU contribution € 2 875 000,00 Address RATZEBURGER ALLEE 160 23562 Lubeck See on map Region Schleswig-Holstein Schleswig-Holstein Lübeck, Kreisfreie Stadt Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 2 875 000,00 UNIVERSIDAD DE SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA Spain Net EU contribution € 2 497 500,00 Address COLEXIO DE SAN XEROME PRAZA DO OBRADOIRO S/N 15782 Santiago De Compostela See on map Region Noroeste Galicia A Coruña Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 2 497 500,00