Fatema Mustafa Currim

Regulation of Exosomal biogenesis in PD conditions:

In recent years, the study of extracellular vesicles has mainly focused on a type of vesicles secreted into the extracellular compartment, termed as exosomes, which are small particles of 30-100nm with a membrane that is rich in lipids. These vesicles are now emerging as important mode of intercellular communication. The sequestration of specific molecules such as proteins, lipids, mRNA, and non-coding RNAs, including micro RNAs (miRNAs) is not understood. The exosomes have generated immense interest in the field of neurodegenerative disorders after their discovery as mediators delivering important proteins and miRNAs in intercellular communication.

miRNAs are 18-25 nucleotide small non-coding RNAs and they regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. The implication of miRNAs is now emerging in various pathological conditions including Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s disease is a chronic, second most common neurodegenerative disease, caused due to the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the brain. The dysregulation of miRNAs in dopaminergic neurons are now known. The intercellular communication through exosome is now emerging for the spread of the disease in bystander neurons. I am currently interested to understand if miRNAs are transferred through exosomes, to the bystander neurons, leading to cell death. Also, I will be studying how the mitochondrial functions of the affected neurons are going to be modulated by these miRNAs, which will provide better insight on the role of exosomes in this disease condition.