R01NS121604

TDP-43 acetylation, phase separation, aggregation, and clearance by antibody-mediated degradation - Cytoplasmic aggregation of TDP-43 has been reported in almost every age-dependent neurodegenerative disease, including in >40% of frontal temporal dementia (FTD), in the hippocampal neurons of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, in >90% of ALS, and in ~100% of a recently recognized AD-like dementia in the oldest of the elderly, an AD-like syndrome identified in 2019 and named limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy (LATE).

We have demonstrated that TDP-43 phase separation and aggregation can drive neuronal death independent of RNA binding, stress granule formation, and TDP-43 association with stress granules. We have subsequently identified that acetylation of TDP-43 (which abolishes its RNA binding) drives its separation into liquid spherical annular bodies. These nuclear annuli have liquid annular shells enriched in TDP-43 and liquid centers highly enriched in HSP70 family molecular chaperones.

Use of inhibitors of known deacetylases or the proteasome (to mimic the known age-dependent declines in deacetylase and proteasome activities) provokes cytoplasmic TDP-43 aggregation.

We propose to determine the biological and pathological role(s) of acetylated TDP-43 and how HSP70 chaperone activity regulates nuclear TDP-43 function and its aggregation in the cytoplasm. We will determine the regulation and biological consequences of acetylated TDP-43 in neurons by identifying the key regulatory enzymes (acetyltransferases and deacetylases) of acetylated TDP-43 and alter TDP-43's function in RNA splicing and its subcellular localization/aggregation.

To understand how HSP70 family molecular chaperones regulate phase transition of TDP-43, we will use HSC70 (encoded by the HSPA8 gene and the most abundant HSP70 in neurons) and determine how HSC70 interacts with TDP-43. We will also determine if enhancing the activity of HSP70 (such as HSPA8, which is highly expressed in neurons) ameliorates TDP-43 pathology.

We will also develop a potential therapeutic approach for TDP-43 proteinopathies in which rapid proteasome-mediated degradation of aggregated TDP-43 is achieved through an engineered E3 ubiquitin ligase linked to a synthetically evolved nanobody (a single chain antibody derived from an antibody heavy chain) recognizing either acetylated or phosphorylated TDP-43.

Outcomes of these efforts will provide key insights for understanding basic aspects of TDP-43 biology and pathobiology in common dementia, and for developing a new concept of therapy that specifically targets TDP-43 pathology that could potentially benefit aged patients with TDP-43-related dementia.

San Diego University Of California

(1) TO SUPPORT EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH FUNDED BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE (NINDS) INCLUDING: BASIC RESEARCH THAT EXPLORES THE FUNDAMENTAL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF THE BRAIN AND THE NERVOUS SYSTEM, RESEARCH TO UNDERSTAND THE CAUSES AND ORIGINS OF PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM WITH THE GOAL OF PREVENTING THESE DISORDERS, RESEARCH ON THE NATURAL COURSE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS, IMPROVED METHODS OF DISEASE PREVENTION, NEW METHODS OF DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT, DRUG DEVELOPMENT, DEVELOPMENT OF NEURAL DEVICES, CLINICAL TRIALS, AND RESEARCH TRAINING IN BASIC, TRANSLATIONAL AND CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCE. THE INSTITUTE IS THE LARGEST FUNDER OF BASIC NEUROSCIENCE IN THE US AND SUPPORTS RESEARCH ON TOPICS INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO: DEVELOPMENT OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM, INCLUDING NEUROGENESIS AND PROGENITOR CELL BIOLOGY, SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION IN DEVELOPMENT AND PLASTICITY, AND PROGRAMMED CELL DEATH, SYNAPSE FORMATION, FUNCTION, AND PLASTICITY, LEARNING AND MEMORY, CHANNELS, TRANSPORTERS, AND PUMPS, CIRCUIT FORMATION AND MODULATION, BEHAVIORAL AND COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE, SENSORIMOTOR LEARNING, INTEGRATION AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTION, NEUROENDOCRINE SYSTEMS, SLEEP AND CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS, AND SENSORY AND MOTOR SYSTEMS. IN ADDITION, THE INSTITUTE SUPPORTS BASIC, TRANSLATIONAL AND CLINICAL STUDIES ON A NUMBER OF DISORDERS OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM INCLUDING (BUT NOT LIMITED TO): STROKE, TRAUMATIC INJURY TO THE BRAIN, SPINAL CORD AND PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM, NEURODEGENERATIVE DISORDERS, MOVEMENT DISORDERS, BRAIN TUMORS, CONVULSIVE DISORDERS, INFECTIOUS DISORDERS OF THE BRAIN AND NERVOUS SYSTEM, IMMUNE DISORDERS OF THE BRAIN AND NERVOUS SYSTEM, INCLUDING MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, DISORDERS RELATED TO SLEEP, AND PAIN. PROGRAMMATIC AREAS, WHICH ARE PRIMARILY SUPPORTED BY THE DIVISION OF NEUROSCIENCE, ARE ALSO SUPPORTED BY THE DIVISION OF EXTRAMURAL ACTIVITIES, THE DIVISION OF TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH, THE DIVISION OF CLINICAL RESEARCH, THE OFFICE OF TRAINING AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, THE OFFICE OF PROGRAMS TO ENHANCE NEUROSCIENCE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND THE OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES. (2) TO EXPAND AND IMPROVE THE SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PROGRAM, TO INCREASE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, TO INCREASE SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION IN FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND TO FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OF SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION. TO UTILIZE THE SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER (STTR) PROGRAM, TO STIMULATE AND FOSTER SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION THROUGH COOPERATIVE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CARRIED OUT BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, TO FOSTER TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, TO INCREASE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND TO FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OF SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION.

93.866 - Aging Research

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NNDS) [HHS - NIH]

National Institute on Aging (NIA) [HHS - NIH]

La Jolla, California 920930041 United States

Single Zip Code

NIH Research Project Grant (Parent R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) (PA-20-185)

Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 2765% from $132,860 to $3,806,187.