Descripción del proyecto
Un nuevo estudio investiga las interacciones que interrumpen la síntesis de mielina
La interrupción de la síntesis de mielina en nuestro cuerpo deriva en enfermedades graves como la esclerosis múltiple. El proyecto financiado con fondos europeos OLI.VAS estudiará las interacciones moleculares entre vasos sanguíneos y oligodendrocitos: células gliales que sintetizan mielina en el sistema nervioso central. Investigaciones recientes señalan que los vasos sanguíneos no solo suministran oxígeno y nutrientes, sino que también regulan de forma activa el desarrollo y el funcionamiento de los órganos. En este sentido, los investigadores de OLI.VAS han descubierto que las señales procedentes de los vasos sanguíneos controlan directamente la producción de células precursoras de oligodendrocitos en la denominada interfaz oligovascular. Mediante un enfoque multidisciplinar, los investigadores se proponen identificar las interacciones moleculares entre vasos sanguíneos y oligodendrocitos durante el desarrollo y la homeostasis, así como en condiciones de enfermedades desmielinizantes.
Objetivo
Oligodendrocytes (OLs) are the glia cells that produce myelin in the central nervous system (CNS). Despite the severe outcome of demyelinating diseases, like multiple sclerosis (MS), little is known about the mechanisms by which myelin is disrupted or why remyelination fails in disease. Thus, a substantial advance in the understanding of oligodendrocyte biology and myelin pathology is required in order to develop successful treatments for demyelinating diseases.
Recent research indicates that apart from delivering oxygen and nutrients, blood vessels are active regulators of organ function. Our recent work supports the existence of an oligo-vascular interface where vessels directly control oligodendrogenesis. However, mechanistic insights of the interaction between OLs and the vasculature are lacking. Based on the innovative hypothesis that proper generation and OL functionality depends on active crosstalk with the vasculature, the OLI.VAS project will now tackle the challenge to characterize in depth the interaction between OLs and the vasculature during development and demyelinating diseases.
To achieve this goal, two complementary multidisciplinary research tracks are pursued:
Research track 1: Deconstructing and reconstructing the oligo-vascular interface to unravel the relationship of oligodendrocyte lineage cells with the vasculature
Research track 2: Studying the oligo-vascular interface in white matter lesions. Modulating the vasculature to prevent de-myelination or promote of re-myelination
Both tracks combine cutting edge technology in single cell and spatial transcriptomics, bioinformatics, 3D imaging, in vitro and ex vivo tissue culture, mouse genetics and MS patient samples.
OLI.VAS will deliver new insights into the role of the vasculature as a regulator of oligodendrogenesis and myelination and thus generate major scientific breakthroughs in an area that is highly relevant for diseases such as MS, which affects more than 600000 patients in Europe.
Ámbito científico
Palabras clave
Programa(s)
Régimen de financiación
ERC-COG - Consolidator GrantInstitución de acogida
53127 Bonn
Alemania