Reference:
ETF8844
Abstract:
Neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a growth factor that has important roles in the development and functioning of nervous system by promoting the survival, differentiation and synaptic plasticity of specific neuronal populations. BDNF has received particular interest for its dysregulation in nervous system disorders. Decreases of BDNF and its receptor TrkB levels and activity are accompanied by and are believed to lead to several pathologies, particularly nervous system diseases like neurodegenerative, psychiatric and cognitive diseases. It is widely accepted that signaling of BDNF is involved in the mechanism of action of many drugs and that the BDNF protein could be a powerful drug. Unfortunately, BDNF protein has a number of suboptimal pharmacological properties. One potentially powerful approach to overcome these limitations is to regulate endogenous expression of BDNF gene. Therefore knowledge about the regulatory mechanisms of BDNF gene is important both for understanding of nervous system function and for finding new drug targets. The aim of this proposal is to study the mechanisms of BDNF gene expression in health and disease in human and in different rodent animal and cell models. More specifically we aim to study (1) Regulation of BDNF transcription by neuronal activity; (2) Regulation of BDNF transcription in Huntingtonﾴs disease; (3) Regulation of BDNF expression in human prefrontal cortex during postnatal development and in schizophrenia with the focus on the role of antisense BDNF transcripts and a complex polymorphic region of BDNF gene.
PROJECT DETAILS
beginning: 2011.
end: 2014.
Country of research: Estonia
Counry of funding source: Estonia
Funding organization: Estonian Science Foundation
Financing: NATIONAL FUNDINGS – 331 902 €