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Abstract

Grant Number:	5R44NS034591-04
PI Name:	LAPPI, DOUGLAS A.
PI Email:	targeting@atsbio.com
PI Title:
Project Title:	A Specific Tool for Targeting Neurodegeneration

Abstract: DESCRIPTION: (Adapted from the Applicant's Abstract) The Mouse is the species of choice for many neuroscientists because of well-characterized molecular biology and chemistry of its brain, the recent widespread use of transgenic and knockout techniques, and the low cost and rapid breeding of the animal. Mice will become more important upon completion of the sequencing of the mouse genome. In 1994, Advanced Targeting Systems commercialized 192-Saporin, a reagent that causes death of cholinergic basal forebrain (CBF) neurons in the rat. A major detriment to the reagent is its lack of activity in the mouse. In our Phase I work, we created an agent that removes CBF neurons in the mouse without affecting other neurons or systems. In Phase II, it is proposed to characterize this lesioning agent and to demonstrate its usefulness as a reagent for modeling and studying neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). AD is a common, devastating neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive cognitive decline. Loss of cholinergic innervation occurs frequently and severely in patients with AD. The degree of cognitive decline has been correlated to the extent of cholinergic degeneration in the neocortex and loss of cholinergic neurons from CBF. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: The primary market for a mouse p75-Saporin immunotoxin includes scientists in both academic and pharmaceutical laboratories who are involved in the study of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other disorders of the brain. These researchers are studying neuronal controls, behavior and/or treatments that affect a wide population suffering from AD. The new mouse-specific immunotxin described in this application will be key in the discovery process because the mouse is the only other mammal, besides humans, scheduled for complete genetic sequencing. Another important asset of a mouse-specific research tool is the ability of the researcher to combine their use with transgenic models.

Thesaurus Terms:
brain disorder diagnosis, disease /disorder model, neocortex, neural degeneration, neuron, prosencephalon, reagent /indicator
Alzheimer's disease, immunotoxicity
autoradiography, behavior test, histology, immunocytochemistry, laboratory mouse, molecular cloning, neurochemistry, polymerase chain reaction, stereotaxic technique, transgenic animal, western blotting

Institution:	ADVANCED TARGETING SYSTEMS, INC.
	11175-A FLINTKOTE AVE
	SAN DIEGO, CA 92191
Fiscal Year:	2003
Department:
Project Start:	15-SEP-1995
Project End:	31-AUG-2004
ICD:	NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE
IRG:	ZRG1

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