Relationship among Semaphorin-3A, Beta-site Amyloid Precursor Protein-cleaving Enzyme 1, and Growth Cone Collapse in the Developing Chick Visual System
Poster Number
11
College
College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Biology
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Eric Birgbauer
Abstract
Semaphorin-3A (Sema3A) is widely known to be an important axon guidance molecule in the developing nervous system. Specifically, it has been found to be involved in distinct pathways in chick dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cells and olfactory axons in the chick olfactory bulb. Recently, researchers found that a potential drug to treat Alzheimer’s disease, an inhibitor of beta-site amyloid precursor protein-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1), may interfere with Sema3A mechanisms to regulate axon guidance in thalamic and hippocampal neurons in mice (Barão et al., 2015). There is limited information about the relationship between BACE1 and Sema3A in the developing chick visual system. The present study seeks to examine the effects of varying concentrations of Sema3A in retinal ganglion cells in the chick model. We hypothesize that higher concentrations of Sema3A will result in proportionately higher growth cone collapse and plateau at a certain concentration, as seen in a previous study on DRGs (Manns et al., 2012). We also seek to examine the effects of the inhibition of BACE1 on Sema3A in retinal ganglion cells. Our findings will improve the understanding of the role of Sema3A in the visual system and hopefully shed light on the importance of caution when using inhibitors, such as BACE1, for treatment.
Grant Support?
Supported by a grant from the National Eye Institute of the National Institutes of Health
Start Date
22-4-2016 12:00 PM
End Date
22-4-2016 2:00 PM
Relationship among Semaphorin-3A, Beta-site Amyloid Precursor Protein-cleaving Enzyme 1, and Growth Cone Collapse in the Developing Chick Visual System
Rutledge
Semaphorin-3A (Sema3A) is widely known to be an important axon guidance molecule in the developing nervous system. Specifically, it has been found to be involved in distinct pathways in chick dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cells and olfactory axons in the chick olfactory bulb. Recently, researchers found that a potential drug to treat Alzheimer’s disease, an inhibitor of beta-site amyloid precursor protein-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1), may interfere with Sema3A mechanisms to regulate axon guidance in thalamic and hippocampal neurons in mice (Barão et al., 2015). There is limited information about the relationship between BACE1 and Sema3A in the developing chick visual system. The present study seeks to examine the effects of varying concentrations of Sema3A in retinal ganglion cells in the chick model. We hypothesize that higher concentrations of Sema3A will result in proportionately higher growth cone collapse and plateau at a certain concentration, as seen in a previous study on DRGs (Manns et al., 2012). We also seek to examine the effects of the inhibition of BACE1 on Sema3A in retinal ganglion cells. Our findings will improve the understanding of the role of Sema3A in the visual system and hopefully shed light on the importance of caution when using inhibitors, such as BACE1, for treatment.
