Unit:
Κατεύθυνση Κλινική Βιοχημεία - Μοριακή ΔιαγνωστικήLibrary of the School of Science
Supervisors info:
Αντώνης Σταματάκης, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής Βιολογίας, Τμήμα Νοσηλευτικής, ΕΚΠΑ
Σπυρίδων Γεωργόπουός, Ερευνητής Β, Ίδρυμα Ιατροβιολογικών Ερευνών Ακαδημίας Αθηνών
Original Title:
Ανάλυση του φαινοτύπου της μικρογλοίας σε διαγονιδιακά ποντίκια με αδρανοποίηση των γονιδίων του μεταβολισμού της χοληστερόλης, ΑΡΟΕ, LDLR και SR-BI
Translated title:
‘Phenotypic analysis of microglia in murine models lacking molecules associated with cholesterol: APOE, SR-BI, LDLR
Summary:
Microglia cells are the resident macrophage population of the central nervous system (CNS). They play an important part during CNS development and homeostasis during adulthood. Furthermore, their contribution during neurogenesis and neuroinflammation is significant. These functions render microglia a key player in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease.
It has been proved that cholesterol metabolism is involved in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Apolipoprotein E is one of the molecules in cholesterol metabolism whose allele E4 constitutes a risk factor for AD. Other molecules that are implicated in cholesterol’s metabolism are the scavenger receptor- class B type 1 (SR-BI) and the Low Density Lipoprotein Receptor (LDLR). As these molecules are expressed in microglia cells and the cells’ function is in direct correlation to their morphology, we examined the effect these molecules have on the microglia morphology.
For this project we examined transgenic mice groups lacking the genes encoding APOE, LDLR and SR-BI (11 months old), lacking one allele for SR-BI (4 months old) and two control groups (Wild type and CX3CR1 GFP, 4 months old). Each group consisted of two mice. Finally, we observed some significant differences between the transgenic mice lacking both alleles and the control group, both in the cell processes and the soma. The aforementioned differences were quantified using computer softwares.
Main subject category:
Science
Keywords:
microglia, cholesterol, phenotype, SR-BI, APOE, LDLR
Number of references:
152
