To Determine The Role And Mechanism Of Action Of Tissue-type Plasminogen Activator In The Central Nervous System
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$504,097.00
Summary
Tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) is used clinically to remove blood clots. Recently, a role for t-PA in the brain was discovered where under pathological conditions it can promote ischaemic and excitotoxic brain injury. This project will examine the mechanisms by which t-PA promotes injury to brain cells. It is anticipated that results obtained could be used to devise a means to reduce t-PA toxicity in the brain that would be of therapeutic benefit for patients with ischaemic stroke.
Sorting Out The Synapse: The Role Of Intracellular Trafficking In NMDA Receptor Homeostasis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$631,966.00
Summary
When the normal levels of cell surface proteins in neurons are reduced this can lead to a variety of debilitating neurodegenerative and neuronal diseases. These levels are maintained by organelles inside the neuron called endosomes. In this project we will examine how cell surface receptors required for synapse formation are transported through endosomes by a protein machine called retromer, which is important in both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
The Effects Of Phencyclidine On The NMDA Receptor-neuregulin1 Signalling Complex: Implications For Schizophrenia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$433,872.00
Summary
Phencyclidine is the best known pharmacological agent that can induce schizophrenia-like symptoms in humans and animals. Recent research has strongly suggested that neuregulin1 and ErbB4 signalling are involved in schizophrenia pathology. This study will be the first to determine whether neuregulin1 is altered by phencyclidine, which will further our knowledge by re-evaluating the causal role of neuregulin1 in schizophrenia.