Life Sciences & Biotechnology
Title : | Exploring differential gene regulation in brain of normal rats deprived of Rapid Eye Movement (REM) Sleep and Parkinson’s -induced REM Sleep deprived rat models |
Area of research : | Life Sciences & Biotechnology |
Principal Investigator : | Dr. Rachna Monga Mehta, Amity University, Noida, Uttar pradesh |
Timeline Start Year : | 2022 |
Timeline End Year : | 2025 |
Contact info : | rachnasun.27@gmail.com |
Details
Executive Summary : | Sleep is classified into Rapid Eye Movement Sleep (REMS) and non-REMS, with REMS maintaining brain housekeeping functions. Loss of REMS is associated with neurological and psychological issues, such as Parkinson's disease (PD). The expression of REMS decreases with age, with its least expression during old age. Modern lifestyles threaten sleep patterns, increasing the likelihood of predisposition to PD. Gradual deterioration of sleep patterns with age causes precipitation of PD in predisposed patients, and loss of REMS could be one reason for PD occurring only during old age. Research has shown that REMS deprivation affects neuronal cytomorphology, structural proteins leading to neuronal apoptosis, and these effects can be mediated by REMSD-associated elevation in brain noradrenaline (NA) levels. The loss of locus coeruleus-NAergic neurons has been seen in PD, but the cause of neurodegeneration during PD and whether NA is a common causative factor for both is unknown. Environmental exposure and the epigenome play a significant role in the etiology of PD. The study hypothesizes that REMS loss-induced elevation in brain NA level could be the etiologic biomolecule causing neurodegenerative changes seen during PD. Transcriptional regulation of genes involved in NA levels may have a crucial role in predisposition to PD. Rats will be REMS deprived for 96 hours, and gene expression and histone modifications will be analyzed using qPCR, Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay, and western blotting. A PD rat model will be prepared using the rotenone method to understand whether the neurodegeneration observed during REMS loss corroborates with the PD rat model. |
Co-PI: | Prof. Birendra Nath Mallick, Amity University, Noida, Uttar pradesh-201313 |
Total Budget (INR): | 33,00,264 |
Organizations involved