Laboratory of Neurobiology
Head: Leszek KACZMAREK
Staff: Małgorzata Bajor, Katarzyna Biegańska (PhD student), Monika Bijata (PhD student), Mayank Chaturvedi (PhD student), Magdalena Dziembowska, Izabela Figiel-Ożóg, Adam Filip, Robert Filipkowski, Krishnendu Ganguly, Dorota Gierej (PhD student), Aleksandra Janusz (PhD student), Paulina Jedynak (PhD student), Katarzyna Kalita-Bykowska, Ilona Kondratiuk (PhD student), Paulina Koza (PhD student), Bożena Kuźniewska (PhD student), Jewgeni Nikolajew, Katarzyna Radwańska, Emilia Rejmak, Błażej Ruszczycki, Michał Stawarski (PhD student), Bogusława Sudoł-Rutkowska, Zsuzsanna Szepesi (PhD student), Magda Szymańska (PhD student), Krystyna Tabeńska, Jakub Włodarczyk, Grażyna Woźniak, Katarzyna Żybura-Broda (PhD student)
Research profile:
The long-term goal of our work is to understand the molecular basis of persistent neuronal responses. Two sets of phenomena are under investigation: neural plasticity, including learning and memory formation, and neuro- degeneration bearing features of apoptosis. Both sets of conditions share similarities in involving excitatory amino acids acting on specific receptors. Furthermore, as a result of neuronal stimulation, transduction of a signal into cell nucleus leads to activation to at least partially overlapping sets of transcription factors, and their target genes. Thus, it appears that it is not possible to understand one of these processes separately from the other. More information about Laboratory on the web page
Methods:
Biochemistry and molecular biology of macromolecular interactions in a test-tube through in vitro cell culture (stable cell lines as well as primary dissociated and organotypic animal neuronal cultures) through transgenic rodents, and behavioral analyses up to human studies (gene polymorphisms and brain imaging), cell biology techniques-fluorescent cell imaging.
Current research activities:
• matrix metalloproteinases (especially MMP-9) and their endogenous inhibitors (e.g., TIMP-1) in neuronal plasticity (physiological and pathological: epilepsy, addiction) and cell death
• cyclin D2 in adult brain neurogenesis; the role of adult brain neurogenesis in neuronal plasticity, learning and memory, depression and addiction
• ICER, the endogenous CREB antagonist in neuronal apoptosis and plasticity
• SRE, serum response element and its transcriptional regulators in neuronal/synaptic plasticity
• morphological changes of dendritic spines in animal models of alcohol addiction
• behavioral phenotyping of genetically modified rodents
Selected publications:
Konopka W., Kiryk A., Novak M., Herwerth M., Parkitna J.R., Wawrzyniak M., Kowarsch A., Michaluk P., Dzwonek J., Arnsperger T., Wilczyński G.M., Merkenschlager M., Theis F., Kohr G., Kaczmarek L., Schutz G. (2010) microRNA loss enhances learning and memory in mice. Journal of Neuroscience, 30: 14835-14842.
Michaluk P., Mikasova L., Groc L, Frischknecht R, Choquet D., Kaczmarek L. (2009) Matrix metalloproteinase-9 controls NMDA receptor surface diffusion through integrin b1 signaling. Journal of Neuroscience, 29: 6007-6012.
Rylski M., Amborska A., Żybura K., Mioduszewska B., Michaluk P., Jaworski J., Kaczmarek L. (2008) Yin Yang 1 is a critical repressor of matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression in brain neurons. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 283: 35140-35153.
Wilczyński G.M., Konopacki F.A., Wilczek E., Lasiecka Z., Gorlewicz A., Michaluk P., Wawrzyniak M., Malinowska M., Okulski P., Kołodziej L.R., Konopka W., Duniec K., Mioduszewska B., Nikolaev E., Walczak A., Owczarek D., Górecki D.C., Zuschratter W., Ottersen O.P., Kaczmarek L. (2008) Important role of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) in epileptogenesis. Journal of Cell Biology, 180: 1021-1035.
