Research Summary
The goal of our laboratory is to understand disease pathogenesis, and develop therapeutics and biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases with focus on Huntington’s disease (HD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). We use a variety of cellular, molecular, and biochemistry approaches to study aspects of neuronal survival signaling in both in vitro and in vivo models.
Lab
Lab Website: Translational Neurobiology Laboratory
Selected Publications
Jiang M, Peng Q, Liu X, Jin J, Hou Z, Zhang J, Mori S, Ross CA, Ye K and Duan W. Small molecule TrkB receptor agonists improve motor function and extend survival in a mouse model of Huntington’s disease. Hum Mol Genet 2013, 22(12):2462-2470.
Duan W. Sirtuins: from metabolic regulation to brain aging. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience 2013, 5(36): 1-13
Jin J, Cheng Y, Zhang Y, Wood W, Peng Q, Hutchison E, Mattson MP, Becker KG, Duan W. Interrogation of brain miRNA and mRNA expression profiles reveals a molecular regulatory network that is perturbed by mutant huntingtin. J Neurochem, 2012, 123(4): 477-90.
Fu J, Jin J, Cichewicz RH, Hageman SA, Ellis TK, Xiang L, Peng Q, Jiang M, Arbez N, Hotaling K, Ross CA and Duan W. Trans-(-)-ε-viniferin increases mitochondrial sirtuin 3 (SIRT3), activates AMPK, and protects cells in models of Huntington’s disease. J. Bio Chem, 2012, 287(29):24460-72.
Jiang M, Wang J, Fu J, Du L, Jeong H, West T, Xiang L, Peng Q, Hou Z, Cai H, Seredenin T, Arbez N, Zhu S, Sommers K, Qian J, Zhang J, Mori S, Yang XW, Tamashiro KLK, Aja S, Moran TH, Luthi-Carter R, Martin B, Maudsley S, Mattson MP, Cichewicz RH, Ross CA, Holtzman DM, Krainc D, Duan W. Neuroprotective role of Sirt1 in mammalian models of Huntington’s disease through activation of multiple Sirt1 targets. Nature Medicine, 2011, 18(1): 153-158.
Cheng Y, Peng Q, Hou Z, Aggarwal M, Zhang J, Mori S, Ross CA, Duan W. Structural MRI detects progressive regional brain atrophy and neuroprotective effects in N171-82Q Huntington’s disease mouse model. Neuroimage, 2011, 56:1027-1034.
Jiang M, Porat-Shliom Y, Pei Z, Cheng Y, Xiang L, Sommers K, Li Q, Gillardon F, Hengerer B, Berlinicke C, Smith WW, Zack D, Poirier MA, Ross CA, Duan W. Baicalein reduces E46K alpha-synuclein aggregation in vitro and protects cells against E46K alpha-synuclein toxicity in cell models of familiar Parkinsonism. J Neurochem, 2010, 114(2):419-29.
Zhang J, Peng Q, Li Q, Jahanshad N, Hou Z, Jiang M, Masuda N, Langbehn DR, Miller MI, Mori S, Ross CA, Duan W. Longitudinal characterization of brain atrophy of a Huntington’s disease mouse model by automated morphological analyses of magnetic resonance images. Neuroimage, 2010, 49(3):2340-51.
Jin J, Peng Q, Hou Z, Jiang M, Wang X, Langseth AJ, Tao M, Barker PB, Mori S, Bergles DE, Ross CA, Detloff PJ, Zhang J, Duan W. Early white matter abnormalities, progressive brain pathology and motor deficits in a novel knock-in mouse model of Huntington’s disease. Hum Mol Genet 2015, 24(9):2508-2527.
Jiang M, Zheng J, Peng Q, Hou Z, Zhang J, Mori S, Ellis JL, Vlasuk GP, Fries H, Suri V, Duan W. Sirtuin 1 activator SRT2104 protects Huntington’s disease mice. Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology 2014, 1(12):1047-1052.