Trimethylation of histone H3K4 in the respiratory nuclei in the 6-OHDA animal model of Parkinsons Disease

• Grant number: 24/21499-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2025
• End date: June 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - Biochemical and Molecular Pharmacology
• Principal Investigator: Bárbara Falquetto
• Grantee: Maria Eduarda Portella Viana
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 23/00980-7 - Epigenetic characterization in respiratory nuclei in the 6-OHDA animal model of Parkinson's disease, AP.R

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common and complex neurological disorder. Despite extensive studies, many aspects of PD remain poorly understood and underexplored, such as its etiology, potential treatments, and the impact of neuronal cell depletion on respiratory processes. Previous studies have shown that damage to the respiratory nuclei, particularly the retrotrapezoid nucleus (RTN), the pre-Bötzinger complex (preBötC), and the rostral portion of the ventral respiratory group (rVRG), are responsible for respiratory deficits. However, the exact molecular processes underlying cell loss remain unknown. Several hypotheses have been proposed regarding the causes of PD onset, including oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, misfolded protein accumulation, and epigenetics. Epigenetics involves phenotypic changes related to the regulation of gene expression. To better understand the neurodegenerative process, this project aims to investigate the epigenetic mechanisms associated with PD, specifically the trimethylation of histone H3K4 in the modulation of genes related to neurodegeneration in the respiratory nuclei, using 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) in the striatum. (AU)