Investigating the function of astrocytes during neurotrophin-induced synaptogenesis and synaptic plasticity
Final Report Abstract
Recent work from several groups suggests that astrocytes directly influence the formation, function, and stability of synapses, thereby sculpting axonal and dendritic morphology and balancing the activity levels of neurons. These findings suggest an equal partnership between glia and neurons, both during development and after maturation. With GINCAT we have developed an approach that allows to distinguish between proteins derived from astrocytes or from neurons. Further, we demonstrate that astrocytes undergo an increase in protein synthesis as it has been shown for their neuronal counterparts. This finding may point towards a tight and interdependent relationship of both cell types as equitable players for synaptic plasticity. We are continuing our efforts to decipher and to understand this type of cellular communication by performing proteomic profiling of both the neuronal and the astroglial proteomes at different stages of development and under BDNF-induced synaptic plasticity. Joining the DFG Priority Program „The role of neuroglia for formation, function and plasticity of synapses“ has been an invaluable experience for me, and had a profound impact on the research in my newly established lab.
Publications
- (2009) Cell-selective metabolic labeling of proteins. Nat Chem Biol 5:715-717
Ngo JT, Champion JA, Mahdavi A, Tanrikulu IC, Beatty KE, Connor RE, Yoo TH, Dieterich DC, Schuman EM, Tirrell DA
- (2010) Chemical reporters for the illumination of protein and cell dynamics. Curr Opin Neurobiol 20:623-630
Dieterich DC
- (2010) Cleavable biotin probes for labeling of biomolecules via azide-alkyne cycloaddition. J Am Chem Soc 132:18351-18360
Szychowski J, Mahdavi A, Hodas JJ, Bagert JD, Ngo JT, Landgraf P, Dieterich DC, Schuman EM, Tirrell DA
- (2010) In situ visualization and dynamics of newly synthesized proteins in rat hippocampal neurons. Nat Neurosci 13:897-905
Dieterich DC, Hodas JJ, Gouzer G, Shadrin IY, Ngo JT, Triller A, Tirrell DA, Schuman EM
