Protein Kinase Pathways that Regulate Neuronal Survival and Death
Abstract
Loss of post-mitotic neurons from the adult brain underlies the pathology of neurodegenerative diseases and neurotoxin exposure. Neuronal cell death occurs by two mechanisms: necrosis and apoptosis. Apoptosis is a process whereby developmental cues and environmental stimuli activate a genetic program to implement a series of steps that culminate in cell death. An important aspect of apoptosis is that it can be halted and such interventions may rescue dying neurons. The overall goal of this project is to identify key protein kinases that regulate neuronal survival and apoptosis. The aims, as described in the Statement of Work, are to: (1) Define key protein kinase cascades regulated by neurotrophic factors, (2) Modulate the protein kinase cascades regulated by neurotrophic factors and determine the consequence on neuronal survival and death, and (3) Examine the cross-talk between pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic protein kinase pathways. Our key research accomplishments over the last year lie in several areas. One is identifying transcription factors downstream of the protein kinases that regulate neuronal survival and death. The second area is defining the role of Rho/Rac GTPases in regulating neuronal cell death. The third area is understanding how various pathways known to regulate neuronal apoptosis operate together to direct the fate of neurons. The progress made in these areas has resulted in 4 manuscripts (1 article under revision) and S abstracts presented at national and international meetings this past year.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA398091
Entities
People
- Kin A. Heidenreich
Organizations
- University of Colorado Health