Role of Nlrx1 in neuronal death

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Neuronal cell death is a fundamental process that shapes the central nervous system during development and throughout adulthood. To overcome cellular stress during inflammation or starvation, neurons can activate molecular pathways that will redirect cellular energy for optimal survival. Alternatively, neurons can activate pathways, which lead to programmed cell death (or cellular suicide). I propose to study a role of the novel protein named Nlrx1 in mechanisms of cellular survival and cellular suicide. Nlrx1 is a member of recently discovered family of proteins, which regulate immune responses in plants and mammals. Previous reports suggest that Nlrx1 plays crucial role in suppressing immune response. Our preliminary data suggests that Nlrx1 plays a role in neuronal death and survival. We observed that a significantly larger number of neurons died in the absence of Nlrx1. Using modern techniques of contemporary cellular biology, we will find key features that underline neuronal homeostasis. The precise mechanism of neuronal cell death and survival is unknown. Canadian scientific community is putting a lot of effort to understand molecular basis of neuronal survival. This proposal is aimed to study role of a novel protein in the molecular pathway of the cellular suicide. The results of these studies will help to understand mechanisms of how neurons make a decision between life and death. The lesson learned from proposed work will advance our knowledge of how central nervous system homeostasis is maintained during inflammation.