LIPIDS AND SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION IN NEURONS

该计划项目有一个中心主题-脂质的作用， 类花生酸，作为神经递质，细胞内第二信使和 突触可塑性的调节剂。我们通过之前的调查 生物化学和电生理学的工作和初步研究 支持这些脂质在神经信号传导中的作用的证据。在 过程中，我们已经确定了新的神经脂质代谢途径， 代谢产物8（R）-脂氧合酶和8-KETE，确定了“不寻常的”尼古丁 与前列腺素序列相似的乙酰胆碱受体 受体，并确定了脂质代谢和 哺乳动物海马LTP和LTD模型的突触可塑性 以及类花生酸生物化学、神经生理学和 分子生物学这些方法结合起来解决三个主要问题 努力： 1)脂质调节剂在长时程突触可塑性中的作用是什么？ 2)脂质代谢物在突触前易化中的作用是什么？ 尼古丁？ 3)类花生酸是哺乳动物的信息素吗？ 这些单位由来自5个独立实验室的研究人员组成 并由一个致力于脂质生物化学的核心单位提供支持。

This Program Project has a central theme-the role of lipids, particularly eicosanoids, as neurotransmitters, intracellular second messengers and modulators of synaptic plasticity. We have identified through previous work and preliminary studies both biochemical and electrophysiological evidence that supports a role for these lipids in neural signaling. In the process, we have identified new neural lipid metabolic pathways and metabolites, 8(R)-lipoxygenase and 8-KETE, identified "unusual" nicotine acetylcholine receptors with sequence similarity to prostaglandin receptors, and identified strong links between lipid metabolism and synaptic plasticity in models of LTP and LTD in the mammalian hippocampus and in components in eicosanoid biochemistry, neural physiology and molecular biology. These methods are combined to address three major efforts: 1) What is the role of lipid modulators in long-term synaptic plasticity? 2) What is the role of lipid metabolites in presynaptic facilitation by nicotine? 3) Are eicosanoids pheromones in mammals? These Units are composed of investigators from 5 independent laboratories and are supported by a Core Unit devoted to lipid biochemistry.