Kana
Fakultäten » Medizinische Fakultät » Neuropathologie, Institut für » Prof. Dr. Adriano Aguzzi » Kana
Current research project
| Title / Titel | Detection of ordered protein aggregates using luminescent conjugated polymers | ||
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| Abstract (PDF, 14 KB) | |||
| Summary / Zusammenfassung | Highly ordered protein aggregates are the common denominator of many neurodegenerative diseases, such as prion diseases and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Prion diseases are caused by an infectious agent termed prion which consists of the misfolded protein PrPSc. Recent findings indicate that also non-infectious protein aggregates can propagate through the brain. Luminescent conjugated polymers (LCPs) have recently been shown to sensitively detect and characterize amyloids. In a first project, we are establishing an LCP-based method for staining and sorting of PrPSc positive cells. Selective sorting of prion infected cells will enable us to study the mechanism of PrPSc accumulation on a molecular level and to screen for a dominant negative PrP mutant, which could lead to the inhibition of the PrPC-PrPSc conversion. Protein aggregation is also common in the eye lens, where conformational changes of the proteins lead to cataract. Amyloid beta (Aβ), the key molecule in the pathogenesis of AD, has been detected in the lenses of AD patients. Therefore, we want to test the hypothesis in an LCP-based in vivo assay, whether the eye could help us to diagnose neurodegenerative diseases. |
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| Keywords / Suchbegriffe | protein aggregates, luminescent conjugated polymers, prion diseases, Alzheimer’s disease | ||
| Project leadership and contacts / Projektleitung und Kontakte |
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| Other links to external web pages | http://www.neuropathologie.usz.ch/Seiten/default.aspx | ||
| Funding source(s) / Unterstützt durch |
SNF (Personen- und Projektförderung) |
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| Duration of Project / Projektdauer | Oct 2009 to Sep 2012 |