Determining how FUS controls the packaging and release of microRNAs in MND.
Principal Investigator: Professor Rob Layfield
Lead Institution: University of Nottingham
MND Association Funding: £163,605
Funding dates: March 2024 - December 2025
About the project
Mutations (changes) is a gene called FUS are a known cause of MND. The FUS protein plays a critical role in the release of tiny structures called extracellular vesicles (EVs) from cells. These vesicles often contain microRNAs, which are tiny molecules that can regulate the activity of genes, influencing important processes in the cell and around the body. Using cell cultures of motor neurons and astrocytes, which are two of the key cell types affected in MND, this project will examine how the FUS protein behaves and affects the packaging and release of microRNAs through EVs in healthy and MND cells. This information will help determine whether faulty FUS produces a specific microRNA signature that could be used as a biomarker (indicator) in MND.
What could this mean for MND research?
Biomarkers are a biological fingerprint of the disease. This project could lead to the development of a new biomarker that will enable improved diagnosis, disease monitoring and assessment of individual responses to treatments for people living with MND. It may also lead to future research into the manipulation of microRNAs for therapeutic benefit.
Resources
Project code: 2349-791