Abstract

GFA protein is the subunit of glio-specific filaments and a major product of astroglial differentiation. GFA protein is of particular interest for studies of the astroglial response to injury characterized by the accumulation of cytoplasmic filaments (fibrous gliosis). The study proposes: i, to conduct comparative biochemical, biophysical and immunological investigations of GFA protein and other intermediate filament proteins also present in astroglia; ii, to study turnover of GFA protein in vivo and in vitro; iiim to conduct experiments aimed at characterizing cytoskeletal transitions during differentiation in vivo and in vitro and following brain injury; iv, to conduct detailed morphological studies of glio-axonal interactions in CNS regeneration induced by peripheral nerve implants. Finally, the specificity of GFA protein for astroglia will be re-assessed following a recent report describing the presence of GFA protein in Schwann cells (peripheral glia). It is hoped that these studies will lead to a greater understanding of the role of neuroglia in neurological diseases.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01NS013034-11
Application #
3395070
Study Section
Pathology A Study Section (PTHA)
Project Start
1979-05-01
Project End
1987-04-30
Budget Start
1985-05-01
Budget End
1986-04-30
Support Year
11
Fiscal Year
1985
Total Cost
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
Harvard University
Department
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
082359691
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code

  Publications

Asher, R A; Scheibe, R J; Keiser, H D et al. (1995) On the existence of a cartilage-like proteoglycan and link proteins in the central nervous system. Glia 13:294-308
Perides, G; Asher, R A; Lark, M W et al. (1995) Glial hyaluronate-binding protein: a product of metalloproteinase digestion of versican? Biochem J 312 ( Pt 2):377-84
Bignami, A; LeBlanc, A; Perides, G (1994) A role for extracellular matrix degradation and matrix metalloproteinases in senile dementia? Acta Neuropathol 87:308-12
Perides, G; Safran, R M; Downing, L A et al. (1994) Regulation of neural cell adhesion molecule and L1 by the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily. Selective effects of the bone morphogenetic proteins. J Biol Chem 269:765-70
Charness, M E; Safran, R M; Perides, G (1994) Ethanol inhibits neural cell-cell adhesion. J Biol Chem 269:9304-9
Tona, A; Perides, G; Rahemtulla, F et al. (1993) Extracellular matrix in regenerating rat sciatic nerve: a comparative study on the localization of laminin, hyaluronic acid, and chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans, including versican. J Histochem Cytochem 41:593-9
Perides, G; Erickson, H P; Rahemtulla, F et al. (1993) Colocalization of tenascin with versican, a hyaluronate-binding chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan. Anat Embryol (Berl) 188:467-79
Perides, G; Hu, G; Rueger, D C et al. (1993) Osteogenic protein-1 regulates L1 and neural cell adhesion molecule gene expression in neural cells. J Biol Chem 268:25197-205
Tona, A; Bignami, A (1993) Effect of hyaluronidase on brain extracellular matrix in vivo and optic nerve regeneration. J Neurosci Res 36:191-9
Bignami, A; Hosley, M; Dahl, D (1993) Hyaluronic acid and hyaluronic acid-binding proteins in brain extracellular matrix. Anat Embryol (Berl) 188:419-33

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