VDAC1 and the Decision Between Celular Life and Death in Neurodegenerative Disorders

• Grant number: 13/07424-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: February 01, 2014
• End date: August 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology - Physiology of Organs and Systems
• Principal Investigator: Alexandre Hiroaki Kihara
• Grantee: Erica de Sousa
• Host Institution: Centro de Matemática, Computação e Cognição (CMCC). Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC). Ministério da Educação (Brasil). Santo André , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 08/55210-1 - Cell coupling in the arc of life: development, adaptation and degeneration of the nervous system, AP.JP

Abstract

The voltage-dependet anion channel variant 1 (VDAC1) is a porin located in the outer mitochondrial membrane and establishes the main route between the organelle and cytosol: through the 3nm channel pass ions, sucrose and nucleotides. Beyond the regulation of mitochondrial metabolic functions, VDAC1 is a point of convergence of a myriad of cellular death and survival signals, interacting with diverse ligands and proteins. Several evidences suggest VDAC1 being the major factor controlling the release of citocrome c from the mitochondrial intermembrane space to cytosol, triggering caspase activation and apoptosis through oligomerization and setting of a bigger channel, allowing the passage of pro-apoptotic molecules. Our goal is to evaluate oligomerization of VDAC1 and its role in apoptosis in acute neurodegeneration.