TITLE
Ankyrin-G and Ion Channel Pathway Cell Model for Testing Psychiatric Therapeutics
CASE NUMBER
C13171
ABSTRACT
L-Type calcium channel loci and the Ankyrin-G locus have emerged from Genome-Wide Association Studies as among the major risk factors for human psychiatric disorders, and Johns Hopkins researchers have developed a cell model that may be useful to screen for new small molecule therapeutics for psychiatric disorders. They have hypothesized, based on past and current data that these gene product are linked in a signaling pathway in the cerebral cortex and other forebrain structures relevant to psychiatric disorders.
FEATURES
Johns Hopkins researchers have developed a cell model that may be useful to screen for new small molecule therapeutics for psychiatric disorders base on the hypothesis is that calcium entry into voltage-gated calcium channels downregulates Ankyrin-G. Using primary cortical or hippocampal mouse or rat neurons, the voltage-gated calcium channels are stimulated with KCl-induced depolarization, or channel opening drugs with levels of Ankyrin-G by immunofluorescence as the readout. They found:
approximately 50% decrease in Ankyrin-G, which has been replicated.
Alternative readouts could be the voltage-gated sodium or potassium channels.
Potentially use the interaction between Ankyrin-G and these voltage-gated channels as readout
This assay could be used to screen for novel small molecules therapeutics that could block the alteration in these readouts
STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT
Tangible material, Ankyrin-G and Ion Channel Pathway cell model.
DISEASE INDICATION
Psychiatric Disorders
ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS
- None -
TECHNOLOGY CLASSIFICATION
Primary Category: Discovery/Research Tools
Primary Subcategory: Research Reagent
