This proposal describes a 5-year training program for the candidate, Catherine Hagan, D.V.M., to become an independent investigator in comparative experimental neuropathology. She is pursuing a Ph.D. in the Molecular and Cellular Biology graduate program at the University of Washington, Seattle;her dissertation work focuses on mechanisms of extracellular serotonin regulation in the brain. With this SERCA, Dr. Hagan will build on her foundation in brain serotonin biology to investigate serotonergic immunomodulation of microglial-mediated neuroinflammation with co-mentor Dr. John Neumaier, M.D., Ph.D., co-mentor Dr. Thomas Montine, M.D., Ph.D., and collaborator Dr. Thomas Moeller, Ph.D. Their combined expertise in serotonin pharmacology, neuropathology, and microglial biology is a unique feature of the rich training environment at the University of Washington. Career development activities will include specialized courses, such as the Molecular Neuropathology course at Cold Spring Harbor, and regular didactic activities such as a journal clubs focused on microglial biology, inflammation, and neuroscience. Microglia are the immune system of the brain and are critically involved in responses to injury and various diseases. These responses can be either beneficial or detrimental. Conditions leading to these dichotomous responses are poorly understood. The long term goal of the proposed research is to understand how serotonin and serotonin receptor mediated signaling between neurons and microglia contribute to pathogenesis of neuroinflammatory diseases.
Aim 1 focuses on how the serotonin signal to microglia may be disrupted by inflammation. Rotating disk voltammetry will be used to study whether stimulating cerebral innate immunity in vivo alters neuronal serotonin transporter kinetics. This may be an underlying mechanism for how changes in serotonin lead to changes in microglial function.
Aim 2 explores the possibility that microglia have an important functional capacity to take up serotonin and the mechanisms by which occurs.
Aim 3 focuses on microglial serotonin receptor expression and function. Results will be used to test the hypothesis that impaired serotonergic neurotransmission and signaling potentiates microglial-mediated neurotoxicity. Immunomodulation of microglia has the potential to improve clinical outcomes in a variety of disorders, including neuroinflammatory disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, and chronic pain disorders. Accomplishing the aims of the proposed studies will determine if targeting serotonin signaling between neurons and microglia offers a new therapeutic approach to neuroinflammation through modulation of microglial responses to injury.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Center for Research Resources (NCRR)
Type
Research Scientist Development Award - Research & Training (K01)
Project #
5K01RR024471-03
Application #
7883558
Study Section
National Center for Research Resources Initial Review Group (RIRG)
Program Officer
Contreras, Miguel A
Project Start
2008-09-15
Project End
2013-06-30
Budget Start
2010-07-01
Budget End
2011-06-30
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2010
Total Cost
$121,878
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Washington
Department
Veterinary Sciences
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
605799469
City
Seattle
State
WA
Country
United States
Zip Code
98195
Hagan, Catherine E; McDevitt, Ross A; Liu, Yusha et al. (2012) 5-HT(1B) autoreceptor regulation of serotonin transporter activity in synaptosomes. Synapse 66:1024-34
Hagan, Catherine E; Schenk, James O; Neumaier, John F (2011) The contribution of low-affinity transport mechanisms to serotonin clearance in synaptosomes. Synapse 65:1015-23
Hagan, Catherine E; Neumaier, John F; Schenk, James O (2010) Rotating disk electrode voltammetric measurements of serotonin transporter kinetics in synaptosomes. J Neurosci Methods 193:29-38