Universitat Internacional de Catalunya - Barcelona

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Neurosciencies

Team

• Dr. Núria Durany
• Dr. Alex Gella
• Miss. Ana Martínez Passarell

Projects 

• Project 1: “Study and manipulation of individual biomolecules with an atomic force microscope”. Financed by the Ministry of Science and Technology.
• Project 2: “Atomic force microscope studies to investigate the conversion of aggregation-prone proteins to protofibrils and fibrils”. Financed by SCHERING.

These projects focus on the study of the formation process for amyloid-b peptide aggregates, characteristics of senile plaques of Alzheimer’s Disease, using an atomic force microscope (AFM) and the effect of advanced glycation endproducts in the toxicity induced by the amyloid with the purpose of developing therapeutic agents to treat Alzheimer’s.

• Project 3: “Effect of Núcleo CMP Forte in the regeneration of nerve cells in an in-vitro model”. Financed by Ferrer Pharma International S.A.
  Núcleo CMP Forte is a medicine comprised of two nucleotides, uridine monophosphate and cytidine monophosphate, used in the treatment of neuropathologies with an osteoarticuar, metabolic or infectious origin. The objective of this study is to determine the effect of Núcleo CMP Forte in the regeneration of neurones and to study the protective effect of the medicine against the toxicity induced by molecules such as NO, MPP+, etc.

Publications

• DURANY N., MUENCH G., MITCHEL T. & RIEDERER P. Investigations on oxidative stress and therapeutical implications in dementia. Eur Arch Psy Clin N, 249(suppl 3): 68-73 (1999).
• DURANY N. & DOUBLE K. (2000) Técnicas actuales en Neuropatología y en la investigación de las funciones del Sistema Nervioso Central. En: Neuropatología. Diagnóstico y clínica. Cruz Sánchez F.F. (ed.). EDIMSA, Barcelona, Cáp. 6, pp. 147-174.
• RETZ, W.; THOME, J.; DURANY, N.; HARSÁNYI, A.; HÖHN, H.; KORNHUBER, J.; RIDERER, P.; RÖSLER, M. Potential genetic markers of sporadic Alzheimer’s dementia. Psychiat. Gen. 11:115 – 122 (2000).
• DURANY N., MICHEL, T., JELLINGER K., CRUZ-SÁNCHEZ F.F., CERVÓS NAVARRO J. & RIEDERER P. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurotrophin-3 levels in Alzheimer’s disease brains. Int J. Devl. Neurosci. 18:807-813 (2000).
• ARIMON M., DIEZ PÉREZ I., KOGAN M., DURANY N., GIRALT E., SANZ F., FERNÁNDEZ BUSQUETS, X. Fine structure study of Abeta1-42 fibrils with atomic force microscopy. FASEB J 19:1344-1346 (2005).
• PONCE, J., REGOT, S., BRAVO, R., CASALS, N., CLADERA J., FERNANDEZ-BUSQUETS, X., DURANY, N. Advanced glycation endproducts protect amyloid beta peptide 1-42 induced toxicity cell culture. (2007) (submitted for publication).
• RADAD K., GILLE G., XIAOJING J., DURANY N., RAUSCH W-D. Citicholine reduces dopaminergic cell loss induced by MPP+ and glutamate in primary mesencephalic cell culture. Int. J. Neurosci. 117:985-998 (2007)