MOUSE MODEL FOR DISEASES OF PROTEIN MISFOLDING

Oregon Health & Science University, Portland OR

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Abstract

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. Primary support for the subproject and the subproject's principal investigator may have been provided by other sources, including other NIH sources. The Total Cost listed for the subproject likely represents the estimated amount of Center infrastructure utilized by the subproject, not direct funding provided by the NCRR grant to the subproject or subproject staff. This project is designed to develop, characterize, compare and contrast two prototypes for a genetically modified mouse model for a human disease of protein folding. Diseases caused by misfolding include cystic fibrosis, hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, retinitis pigmentosa, hypercholesterolemia, cataracts, neurodegenerative diseases (Huntington's, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's), particular cancers and a number of digestive disorders resulting from enzyme mutation. It is fair to say that virtually every person will be affected by protein folding diseases during his or her lifetime, either directly or due to the illness of a loved one. In spite of this, there are few model systems, and none in rodents, that allow the translation of the available cell-culture data on protein rescue into in vivo systems. A convenient laboratory model for the use of pharmacoperones will be designed in order to translate pharmacoperone use to treatment of human disease.