Therapeutic potential of proteolytically generated prion protein fragments to treat dementia (A12)

• Subject Area: Molecular Biology and Physiology of Neurons and Glial Cells
• Term: from 2014 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 125440785

The project addresses the biology of cellular prion protein. It was shown that ADAM10 is the exclusive prion protein sheddase with in vivo relevance. Shedding helps to control prion protein homeostasis and altering shedding leads to spontaneous fatal neurodegeneration. Using cellular and animal models, the project wants to decipher the possible protective contribution of soluble prion protein forms to the pathogenesis of dementias such as Alzheimer’s disease and prion diseases. This knowledge will be used to test novel therapeutic approaches to treat these diseases.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 877: Proteolysis as a Regulatory Event in Pathophysiology
• Applicant Institution: Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Markus Glatzel, since 1/2018; Professor Dr. Paul Saftig, from 1/2018 until 6/2018