Alzheimer disease (AD) is an age-related progressive neurodegenerative disease. As a result of increases in the size of the aged population worldwide, AD has become an important social, economical and medical burden, affecting ~27 million individuals worldwide and 4-5 million individuals in the U.S. alone. Because the molecular mechanism of AD is not yet understood, there is no cure for the disease so far. The long-term objective of this application is to understand the molecular mechanism of the neurodegeneration in AD and, based on this knowledge, to develop strategies to prevent and treat the disease. The specific goal of this international research collaboration FIRCA grant (R03) is to foster international research collaboration between the applicant's laboratory in the U.S. and the foreign collaborator's laboratory in China. Because abnormal phosphorylation (a modification of protein by phosphate) and accumulation of neurofilaments (the major cytoskeletal proteins of the neuron) in the brain may contribute to degeneration of neurons in AD, the specific focus of the proposed studies is on understanding the role of O-GlcNAcylation (a modification of protein by sugar) in the phosphorylation and function of neurofilaments, which are abnormal in the brains of individuals with AD.
The Specific Aims of this project are to (1) study the functional impact of O-GlcNAcylation on filament assembly and on axonal transport of neurofilaments and (2) study the vulnerability of various brain regions to NF hyperphosphorylation induced by decreased O-GlcNAcylation in the brain. This project will not only elucidate the biological relevance of neurofilament O-GlcNAcylation and its functional roles, thus providing the fundamental understanding of the role of dysregulation of neurofilaments in neurodegeneration of AD, but also foster the ongoing international research collaboration between the U.S. and China. With ~6 million individuals with AD, China has a huge demand for adequate research on the disease. The foreign collaborator of this FIRCA application is Dr. Yanqiu Deng, an Associate Professor of Pathophysiology at Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China. The proposed studies will be carried out at both the applicant's and the foreign collaborator's laboratories. Studies proposed in this application will complement, extend and enhance the significance of the applicant's parent grant (NIH R01 AG027429, 03/01/06-02/28/11) that targets the mechanism of the involvement of O-GlcNAcylation of tau protein in the neurodegeneration of AD.

Public Health Relevance

Alzheimer disease is an age-related progressive neurodegenerative disease and is characterized by impaired memory, thinking, and behavior, leading to dementia and death. The objective of this project is to enhance international research collaboration on studies targeting the molecular mechanism of neurodegeneration of Alzheimer disease and, on the basis of this knowledge, to develop strategies to prevent and treat the disease.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Fogarty International Center (FIC)
Type
Small Research Grants (R03)
Project #
5R03TW008123-02
Application #
7918889
Study Section
International and Cooperative Projects - 1 Study Section (ICP1)
Program Officer
Michels, Kathleen M
Project Start
2009-09-01
Project End
2012-06-30
Budget Start
2010-07-01
Budget End
2011-06-30
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2010
Total Cost
$57,904
Indirect Cost
Name
Institute for Basic Research in Dev Disabil
Department
Type
DUNS #
167205090
City
Staten Island
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
10314
Shi, Jianhua; Gu, Jin-hua; Dai, Chun-ling et al. (2015) O-GlcNAcylation regulates ischemia-induced neuronal apoptosis through AKT signaling. Sci Rep 5:14500
Chen, Yanxing; Liang, Zhihou; Tian, Zhu et al. (2014) Intracerebroventricular streptozotocin exacerbates Alzheimer-like changes of 3xTg-AD mice. Mol Neurobiol 49:547-62
Xiong, Hui; Zheng, Chen; Wang, Jingjing et al. (2013) The neuroprotection of liraglutide on Alzheimer-like learning and memory impairment by modulating the hyperphosphorylation of tau and neurofilament proteins and insulin signaling pathways in mice. J Alzheimers Dis 37:623-35
Chen, Yanxing; Liang, Zhihou; Blanchard, Julie et al. (2013) A non-transgenic mouse model (icv-STZ mouse) of Alzheimer's disease: similarities to and differences from the transgenic model (3xTg-AD mouse). Mol Neurobiol 47:711-25
Dai, Chun-Ling; Shi, Jianhua; Chen, Yanxing et al. (2013) Inhibition of protein synthesis alters protein degradation through activation of protein kinase B (AKT). J Biol Chem 288:23875-83
Alfaro, Joshua F; Gong, Cheng-Xin; Monroe, Matthew E et al. (2012) Tandem mass spectrometry identifies many mouse brain O-GlcNAcylated proteins including EGF domain-specific O-GlcNAc transferase targets. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 109:7280-5
Chen, Yanxing; Tian, Zhu; Liang, Zhihou et al. (2012) Brain gene expression of a sporadic (icv-STZ Mouse) and a familial mouse model (3xTg-AD mouse) of Alzheimer's disease. PLoS One 7:e51432
Liu, Ying; Li, Xiaojing; Yu, Yang et al. (2012) Developmental regulation of protein O-GlcNAcylation, O-GlcNAc transferase, and O-GlcNAcase in mammalian brain. PLoS One 7:e43724
Shi, Jianhua; Wu, Shiliang; Dai, Chun-ling et al. (2012) Diverse regulation of AKT and GSK-3? by O-GlcNAcylation in various types of cells. FEBS Lett 586:2443-50
Yu, Yang; Zhang, Lan; Li, Xiaojing et al. (2012) Differential effects of an O-GlcNAcase inhibitor on tau phosphorylation. PLoS One 7:e35277

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