The experiments outlined in this proposal seek to isolate and characterize the gene and gene product, responsible for the mutation of the wobbler (wr) mouse, a model of spinal muscular atrophy. A novel approach will be used, applying subtractive and differential hybridization, to isolate ventral spinal cord-specific cDNAs. These probes will then be used to isolate candidate wr cDNA clones by screening a spinal cord cDNA library of normal mice, and a cDNA library made from the ventral cord of the wr mouse. Northern blots of control and wobbler mRNA of developing and adult mice will be hybridized with the candidate wr cDNAs to determine differences in size and time of expression. This will help further narrow down the potential wr clones. Southern blots of control, heterozygote, and wobbler DNA will also be hybridized to the potential wr cDNAs to determine whether them are structural differences between normal and affected animals at the DNA level. The nucleotide sequence of the putative wr cDNA will be determined and antino acid sequence will be deduced. If the protein is already known, antibodies and probes will be used to further characterize its role in the wr phenotype. If it is an unknown protein, synthetic peptides will be made and antibodies will be raised to isolate and characterize the wr protein. Chromosomal analysis will also be performed using mapping techniques, and genomic libraries will be screened for the putative gene. This work will lead to an improved understanding of anterior horn cell physiology and pathology, and hopefully give new insight into human motor neuron disease.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Clinical Investigator Award (CIA) (K08)
Project #
5K08NS001596-03
Application #
2259564
Study Section
NST-2 Subcommittee (NST)
Project Start
1992-08-01
Project End
1997-07-31
Budget Start
1994-08-01
Budget End
1995-07-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
1994
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California Los Angeles
Department
Neurology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
119132785
City
Los Angeles
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
90095
Tiwari-Woodruff, Seema; Beltran-Parrazal, Luis; Charles, Andrew et al. (2006) K+ channel KV3.1 associates with OSP/claudin-11 and regulates oligodendrocyte development. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 291:C687-98
Chow, E; Mottahedeh, J; Prins, M et al. (2005) Disrupted compaction of CNS myelin in an OSP/Claudin-11 and PLP/DM20 double knockout mouse. Mol Cell Neurosci 29:405-13
Tiwari-Woodruff, Seema K; Kaplan, Roman; Kornblum, Harley I et al. (2004) Developmental expression of OAP-1/Tspan-3, a member of the tetraspanin superfamily. J Neurosci Res 77:166-73
Tiwari-Woodruff, S K; Myers, L W; Bronstein, J M (2004) Cerebrospinal fluid immunoglobulin G promotes oligodendrocyte progenitor cell migration. J Neurosci Res 77:363-6
Vu, T; Myers, L W; Ellison, G W et al. (2001) T-cell responses to oligodendrocyte-specific protein in multiple sclerosis. J Neurosci Res 66:506-9
Bronstein, J M (2000) Function of tetraspan proteins in the myelin sheath. Curr Opin Neurobiol 10:552-7
Bronstein, J M; Tiwari-Woodruff, S; Buznikov, A G et al. (2000) Involvement of OSP/claudin-11 in oligodendrocyte membrane interactions: role in biology and disease. J Neurosci Res 59:706-11
Bronstein, J M; Chen, K; Tiwari-Woodruff, S et al. (2000) Developmental expression of OSP/claudin-11. J Neurosci Res 60:284-90
Gow, A; Southwood, C M; Li, J S et al. (1999) CNS myelin and sertoli cell tight junction strands are absent in Osp/claudin-11 null mice. Cell 99:649-59
Bronstein, J M; Lallone, R L; Seitz, R S et al. (1999) A humoral response to oligodendrocyte-specific protein in MS: a potential molecular mimic. Neurology 53:154-61

Showing the most recent 10 out of 14 publications