Principal Investigators

    M.Zeviani, P.Heutink

    Institution

    Multiple

    Contact information of lead PI

    Country

    United Kingdom|Germany

    Title of project or programme

    Mito-ND: Mitochondrial Neurodegeneration

    Source of funding information

    CoEN

    Total sum awarded (Euro)

    € 405,779

    Start date of award

    01/06/2018

    Total duration of award in years

    2

    Keywords

    Research Abstract

    The brain is a major target in primary, genetically determined mitochondrial disease. Mitochondrial dysfunction is also a prominent feature in more prevalent neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s dementia (AD). AD is characterized
    by the accumulation of Amyloid beta (A-beta) in the neuropil. A fraction of A-beta is deemed to be present in the inner compartment of mitochondria, where it is quantitatively digested by the pitrilysin metallopeptidase 1 (PITRM1). PITRM1 is
    also responsible for clearing mitochondria from toxic mitochondrial targeting sequences (MTS) derived from proteins imported within the organelle. We recently found a family carrying a missense mutation in PITRM1 associated with
    progressive neurodegeneration. Investigation in a PITRM1 KO mouse model showed that whilst the Pitrm1-/- genotype is embryonic lethal, Pitrm1+/- mice develop progressive neurological symptoms and accumulation of A-beta-immunoreactive
    material in brain. This suggests that not only recessive variants, but also dominant or sporadic mutations in PITRM1 could cause adult-onset neurodegeneration, characterized by accumulation of A-beta deposits. Mito-ND will test whether PITRM1 variants are indeed associated with human amyloidotic neurodegeneration, including AD, and elucidate the long-debated, but still unresolved, involvement of altered mitochondrial proteostasis in neurodegenerative dementia.

    Further information available at:

Types: Investments < €500k
Member States: Germany, United Kingdom
Diseases: N/A
Years: 2016
Database Categories: N/A
Database Tags: N/A

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