The study we propose will explore the functions of the various domains of the NF(M) subunit by using recombinant DNA technology to produce truncated forms of the neurofilament protein. We will express these proteins first in cultured fibroblasts lacking other intermediate filament proteins, secondly, in transgenic mice and in mice in which the endogenous NF(M) gene has been""""""""knocked out"""""""" by homologous recombination. The participation of the truncated proteins in assembly, processing and transport will be assessed by immunofluorescence, immuno-election microscopy and biochemical techniques. It is expected that some truncated forms will show abnormal assembly, phosphorylation or transport, and some may interfere with the processing of the native NFs or of other cytoskeletal elements as well. Ultimately, this work will allow the description of functional domains of NF(M) and yield insight into the biological functions of the NFs. Specifically, we will: 1. Alter copies of the human NF(M) gene so that they encode proteins containing a heterologous eleven amino acid """"""""tag"""""""" at either the N terminus or at an internal position so that they can be immunocytochemically identified. Because of this tag, further alterations can be made, in principle, in any part of the NF(M) sequence without abrogating the immunodetection. We will verify the functional neutrality of the """"""""tag"""""""" by shoeing that the tagged NF(M)'s behave the same as the unaltered human (NF(M) in transgenic mice. 2. Prepare and analyze the behavior of """"""""tagged"""""""" NF(M) proteins carrying deletions in either their amino terminus, carboxy terminus, acidic domain, or the tandemly repeated polyphosphorylation site. Genes encoding these altered forms of the NF(M) will be introduced into fibroblast cells and the patterns of expression studied using immunomicroscopy. We will examine the character and localization of the immunofluorescence to assess filament formation, association with organelles, lysosomes, vacuoles and nuclear or cytoplasmic membranes. Altered NF(M)'s showing interesting phenotypes in fibroblast cells will be studied in detail in the neurons of transgenic mice or mice in which the NF(M) gene has been inactivated by a homologous recombination """"""""knock out"""""""" event. These latter mice are being created by us in a research program funded elsewhere. We anticipate that the expression of the altered (NF(M) proteins in normal transgenic mice and in mice carrying an NF(M) null mutation will offer us an unobstructed view of the contributions of each protein domain to the assembly, processing, transport and function of neurofilaments in their normal cellular context, the neuron.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Type
Specialized Center (P50)
Project #
5P50AG005138-12
Application #
3726288
Study Section
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
Budget End
Support Year
12
Fiscal Year
1995
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
New York
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
10029
Gallagher, Damien; Kiss, Alex; Lanctot, Krista et al. (2018) Depression and Risk of Alzheimer Dementia: A Longitudinal Analysis to Determine Predictors of Increased Risk among Older Adults with Depression. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 26:819-827
Silverman, Jeremy M; Schmeidler, James (2018) Outcome age-based prediction of successful cognitive aging by total cholesterol. Alzheimers Dement 14:952-960
Haaksma, Miriam L; Calderón-Larrañaga, Amaia; Olde Rikkert, Marcel G M et al. (2018) Cognitive and functional progression in Alzheimer disease: A prediction model of latent classes. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 33:1057-1064
Lin, Ming; Gong, Pinghua; Yang, Tao et al. (2018) Big Data Analytical Approaches to the NACC Dataset: Aiding Preclinical Trial Enrichment. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord 32:18-27
Ramsey, Christine M; Gnjidic, Danijela; Agogo, George O et al. (2018) Longitudinal patterns of potentially inappropriate medication use following incident dementia diagnosis. Alzheimers Dement (N Y) 4:1-10
Warren, Noel A; Voloudakis, Georgios; Yoon, Yonejung et al. (2018) The product of the ?-secretase processing of ephrinB2 regulates VE-cadherin complexes and angiogenesis. Cell Mol Life Sci 75:2813-2826
Tsartsalis, Stergios; Xekardaki, Aikaterini; Hof, Patrick R et al. (2018) Early Alzheimer-type lesions in cognitively normal subjects. Neurobiol Aging 62:34-44
Ridge, Perry G; Karch, Celeste M; Hsu, Simon et al. (2018) Correction to: Linkage, whole genome sequence, and biological data implicate variants in RAB10 in Alzheimer's disease resilience. Genome Med 10:4
Pimenova, Anna A; Raj, Towfique; Goate, Alison M (2018) Untangling Genetic Risk for Alzheimer's Disease. Biol Psychiatry 83:300-310
Kirson, Noam Y; Scott Andrews, J; Desai, Urvi et al. (2018) Patient Characteristics and Outcomes Associated with Receiving an Earlier Versus Later Diagnosis of Probable Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 61:295-307

Showing the most recent 10 out of 555 publications