Neuronal plasticity in neurodegenerative diseases. PI: Jordi Alberch Vié

Jordi Alberch Vié
Full professor
alberch@ub.edu

 

Alba Ramón Lainez
Predoctoral researcher
ramon-lainez@ub.edu

 

Gisela Besa Selva
Predoctoral researcher
giselabesa@ub.edu

 

Ana Lopez Alonso
technique
a.lopez@ub.edu

• Study of the convergent pathogenic mechanisms in Huntington's disease and chorea acanthocytosis
• Study of the dynamics and integration of neuronal circuits in basal ganglia diseases
• Development of modifying therapies for neurodegenerative diseases

Unit of Excellence Maria de Maeztu

Institute of Neurosciences of the University of Barcelona (UBNEURO)
Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación
PI: Jordi Alberch
MDM-2017-0729: 01/07/2018 - 30/06/2022. 2.000.000 €
CEX2021-001159: 01/01/2023 - 31/12/2026. 2.000.000 €

Enfermedades neurodegenerativas: enfermedad de Huntington. CIBER en enfermedades neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED)

Instituto de Salud Carlos III
PI: Jordi Alberch. 2006 - 2026. 960.000 €

To identify the convergent mechanisms activated by mutant huntingtin and the lack of VPS13A responsible for the selective neurodegeneration of striatal neurons to develop neuroprotective approaches

Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación
PI: Jordi Alberch / Manuel Jose Rodriguez Allue
PID2020-119386RB-I00. 01/09/2021 - 31/08/2024. 278.300 €

Identification of chorein function in neurodegeneration of the basal ganglia for developing new therapeutical approaches in Chorea-Acanthocytosis

Fundació ChAc (Patient Association with Chorea Acanthocytosis)
PI: Jordi Alberch; Manuel Jose Rodriguez Allue; Merce Masana Nadal
UB 01/07/2018 - 01/07/2023. 140.000 €

Non-invasive dynamic neural control by laser-based technology (NEUROPA)

Horizon 2020. FET-OPEN
PI: Merce Masana Nadal
863214. 01/01/2020 - 31/12/2022. 451.070 €

European Joint Programme Rare Diseases

10th International Meeting on Neuroacanthocytosis Syndromes.
PI: Jordi Alberch
Networking Support Scheme EJP-RD
40-46300-98-1016. 04/09/2020 - 10/03/2021. 36,000 €

European Training Network for Cell-Based Regenerative Medicine (Training4CRM)

Horizon 2020. MCA. Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions
PI: Jordi Alberch / Josep M Canals
722779. 01/01/2016 - 31/12/2020. 247.872 €

Custom architecturally defined 3D stem cell derived functional human neural networks for transformative progress in neuroscience and medicine (MESO_BRAIN)

Horizon 2020. FET-OPEN
PI: Jordi Soriano
713140. 01/09/2016 - 29/02/2020. 466,236 €

Validation of two pharmaceutical compounds provided by Esteve Pharmaceuticals, S.A. in models of Huntington's disease (HD)

PI: Jordi Alberch / Merce Masana / Manuel Jose Rodríguez Allue
Esteve Pharmaceutics, S.A. (Universitat de Barcelona)
310450. 2019 - 2020. 58.850 €

For more information for PI publications click in the link:
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8684-2721
ResearcherID: http://www.researcherid.com/rid/K-5702-2014
Scopus Author ID: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=7003644890

 

Selected publications:

 

Rodríguez-Urgellés E, Casas-Torremocha D, Sancho-Balsells A, Ballasch I, García-García E, Miquel-Rio L, Manasanch A, Del Castillo I, Chen W, Pupak A, Brito V, Tornero D, Rodríguez MJ, Bortolozzi A, Sanchez-Vives MV, Giralt A, Alberch J. Thalamic Foxp2 regulates output connectivity and sensory-motor impairments in a model of Huntington's Disease. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2023 Nov 21; 80(12):367. doi: 10.1007/ s00018-023-05015-z. PMID: 37987826

 

Ballasch I, García-García E, Vila C, Pérez-González A, Sancho-Balsells A, Fernández J, Soto D, Puigdellívol M, Gasull X, Alberch J, Rodríguez MJ, Canals JM, Giralt A. Ikzf1 as a novel regulator of microglial homeostasis in inflammation and neurodegeneration. Brain Behav Immun. 2023 Mar: 109:144-161. doi: 10.1016/ j.bbi.2023.01.016. Epub 2023 Jan 23. PMID: 36702234

 

García-García E, Ramón-Lainez A, Conde-Berriozabal S, Del Toro D, Escaramis G, Giralt A, Masana M, Alberch J, Rodríguez MJ. VPS13A knockdown impairs corticostriatal synaptic plasticity and locomotor behavior in a new mouse model of chorea-acanthocytosis. Neurobiol Dis. 2023 Oct 15:187: 106292. doi: 10.1016/ j.nbd.2023.106292. Epub 2023 Sep 13. PMID: 37714309

 

Garrido A, Pérez-Sisqués L, Simonet C, Campoy-Campos G, Solana-Balaguer J, Martín-Flores N, Fernández M, Soto M, Obiang D, Cámara A, Valldeoriola F, Muñoz E, Compta Y, Pérez-Navarro E, Alberch J, Tolosa E, Martí MJ, Ezquerra M, Malagelada C, Fernández-Santiago R. Increased Phospho-AKT in Blood Cells from LRRK2 G2019S Mutation Carriers. Ann Neurol. 2022 Nov;92(5): 888-894. doi: 10.1002/ ana.26469. Epub 2022 Sep 26. PMID: 35929078

 

Brito V, Montalban E, Sancho-Balsells A, Pupak A, Flotta F, Masana M, Ginés S, Alberch J, Martin C, Girault JA, Giralt A. Hippocampal Egr1-Dependent Neuronal Ensembles Negatively Regulate Motor Learning. J Neurosci. 2022 Jul 6;42(27):5346-5360. doi: 10.1523/ JNEUROSCI.2258- 21.2022. Epub 2022 May 24. PMID: 35610044

 

Rodríguez-Urgellés E, Rodríguez-Navarro I, Ballasch I, Del Toro D, Del Castillo I, Brito V, Alberch J, Giralt A. Postnatal Foxp2 regulates early psychiatric-like phenotypes and associated molecular alterations in the R6/1 transgenic mouse model of Huntington's disease. Neurobiol Dis. 2022 Oct 15:173: 105854. doi: 10.1016/ j.nbd.2022.105854. Epub 2022 Aug 24. PMID: 36029989.

 

Pérez-Sisqués, L.; Sancho-Balsells, A.; Solana-Balaguer, J.; Campoy-Campos, G.; Vives-Isern, M.; Soler-Palazón, F.; Anglada-Huguet, M.; López-Toledano, MÁ.; Mandelkow, EM.; Alberch, J.; Giralt, A.; Malagelada, C. RTP801/REDD1 contributes to neuroinflammation severity and memory impairments in Alzheimer's disease. Cell Death Dis. 2021 Jun 15; 12(6): 616. doi: 10.1038/ s41419-021-03899-y. PMID: 34131105

 

Unraveling the García‐García, E.; Chaparro‐Cabanillas, N.; Coll‐Manzano, A.; Carreras‐Caballé, M.; Giralt, A.; Del Toro, D.; Alberch, J.; Masana, M.; Rodríguez, M.J. Unraveling the spatiotemporal distribution of VPS13A in the mouse brain. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Dec 1; 22(23): 13018. doi: 10.3390/ ijms222313018. PMID: 34884823

 

Fernández-García S, Conde-Berriozábal S, García-García E, Gort-Paniello C, Bernal-Casas D, García-Díaz Barriga G, López-Gil J, Muñoz-Moreno E, Sòria G, Campa L, Artigas F, Rodríguez-Allué MJ, Alberch J and Masana M. M2 cortex-dorsolateral striatum stimulation reverses motor symptoms and synaptic deficits in Huntington's Disease. Elife. 2020 Oct 5; 9:e57017. doi: 10.7554/ eLife.57017. PMID: 33016873 

 

Moreno-Delgado, D.; Puigdellívol, M.; Moreno, E.; Rodríguez-Ruiz, M.; Botta, K.; Gasperini, P.; Chiarlone, A.; Howell, L.A.; Scarselli, M.; Casado, V.; Cortés, A.; Ferré, S.; Guzmán, M.; Lluís, C.; Alberch, J.; Canela, E.I.; Ginés, S.; McCormick, P.J. Modulation of dopamine D1 receptors via histamine H 3 receptors is a novel therapeutic target for Huntington's disease. Elife. 2020 Jun 9; 9:e51093. doi: 10.7554/ eLife.51093. PMID: 32513388

 

Fernandez-Garcia, S.; Sancho-Balsells, A.; Longueville, S; Herve, D; Gruart, A; Delgado-Garcia MJ; Alberch, J; Giralt, A. Astrocytic BDNF and TrkB regulate severity and neuronal activity in mouse models of temporal lobe epilepsy. Cell Death Dis. 2020 Jun 1;11 (6):411. doi: 10.1038/ s41419-020-2615-9. PMID: 32483154.

 

Fernández-García, S.; Orlandi, J.G.; García-Díaz Barriga, G.A.; Rodríguez, M.J.; Masana, M.; Soriano, J.; Alberch, J. Deficits in coordinated neuronal activity and network topology are striatal hallmarks in Huntington's disease. BMC Biol. 2020 May 28;18(1):58. doi: 10.1186/s12915-020-00794-4. PMID: 32466798

 

Kim, A.; García-García, E.; Straccia, M.; Comella-Bolla, A.; Miguez, A.; Masana, M.; Alberch, J.; Canals, J.M.; Rodríguez, M.J. Reduced fractalkine levels lead to striatal synaptic plasticity deficits in Huntington's disease. Front Cell Neurosci. 2020 Jun 18; 14:163. doi: 10.3389/ fncel.2020.00163. eCollection 2020. PMID: 32625064 

 

Creus-Muncunill, J.; Badillos-Rodríguez, R.; Garcia-Forn, M.; Masana, M.; Garcia-Díaz Barriga, G.; Guisado-Corcoll, A.; Alberch, J.; Malagelada, C.; Delgado-García, J.M.; Gruart, A.; Pérez-Navarro, E. Increased translation as a novel pathogenic mechanism in Huntington's disease. Brain. 2019 Oct 1; 142(10): 3158-3175. doi: 10.1093/ brain/ awz230. PMID: 31365052

 

de Pins B, Cifuentes-Díaz C, Farah AT, López-Molina L, Montalban E, Sancho-Balsells A, López A, Ginés S, Delgado-García JM, Alberch J, Gruart A, Girault JA, Giralt A. Conditional BDNF Delivery from Astrocytes Rescues Memory Deficits, Spine Density, and Synaptic Properties in the 5xFAD Mouse Model of Alzheimer Disease. J Neurosci. 2019 Mar 27; 39(13): 2441-2458. doi: 10.1523/ JNEUROSCI. 2121-18.2019. Epub 2019 Jan 30. PMID: 30700530

 

Brito, V; Giralt, A; Masana, M; Royes, A; Espina, M; Sieiro, E; Alberch, J; Castane, A; Girault, JA; Gines, S. Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 5 Dysfunction Contributes to Depressive-like Behaviors in Huntington's Disease by Altering the DARPP-32 Phosphorylation Status in the Nucleus Accumbens. Biol Psychiatry. 2019 Aug 1; 86(3): 196-207. doi: 10.1016/ j.biopsych. 2019.03.001. Epub 2019 Mar 13. PMID: 31060804

 

Giralt A, Brito V, Chevy Q, Simonnet C, Otsu Y, Cifuentes-Díaz C, de Pins B, Coura R, Alberch J, Ginés S, Poncer JC, Girault JA. Pyk2 modulates hippocampal excitatory synapses and contributes to cognitive deficits in a Huntington's disease model. Nat Commun. 2017 May 30;8:15592. doi: 10.1038/ncomms15592. PMID: 28555636

 

García-Díaz Barriga G, Giralt A, Anglada-Huguet M, Gaja-Capdevila N, Orlandi JG, Soriano J, Canals JM, Alberch J. 7,8-dihydroxyflavone ameliorates cognitive and motor deficits in a Huntington's disease mouse model through specific activation of the PLCγ1 pathway. Hum Mol Genet. 2017 Aug 15;26(16): 3144-3160. doi: 10.1093/ hmg/ ddx198. PMID: 28541476

 

HD iPSC Consortium. Developmental alterations in Huntington's disease neural cells and pharmacological rescue in cells and mice. Nat Neurosci. 2017 May;  20(5): 648-660. doi: 10.1038/ nn.4532. Epub 2017 Mar 20. PMID: 28319609

 

Fernández-Santiago R, Carballo-Carbajal I, Castellano G, Torrent R, Richaud Y, Sánchez-Danés A, Vilarrasa-Blasi R, Sánchez-Pla A, Mosquera JL, Soriano J, López-Barneo J, Canals JM, Alberch J, Raya Á, Vila M, Consiglio A, Martín-Subero  JI, Ezquerra M, Tolosa E. Aberrant epigenome in iPSC-derived dopaminergic neurons from Parkinson's disease patients. EMBO Mol Med. 2015 Dec; 7(12): 1529-46. doi: 10. 15252/ emmm. 201505439. PMID: 26516212

 

Fingolimod (FTY720) enhances hippocampal synaptic plasticity and memory in Huntington's disease by preventing p75NTR up-regulation  and astrocyte-mediated inflammation. Hum Mol Genet. 2015 Sep 1; 24(17): 4958-70. doi: 10.1093/ hmg/ ddv218. Epub 2015 Jun 10. PMID: 26063761

 

Brito V, Giralt A, Enriquez-Barreto L, Puigdellívol M, Suelves N, Zamora-Moratalla A, Ballesteros JJ, Martín ED, Dominguez-Iturza N, Morales M, Alberch J, Ginés S. Neurotrophin receptor p75(NTR) mediates Huntington's disease-associated synaptic and memory dysfunction. J Clin Invest. 2014 Oct; 124(10): 4411-28. doi: 10.1172/ JCI74809. Epub 2014 Sep 2. PMID: 25180603

 

Marco S, Giralt A, Petrovic MM, Pouladi MA, Martínez-Turrillas R, Martínez-Hernández J, Kaltenbach LS, Torres-Peraza J, Graham RK, Watanabe M, Luján R, Nakanishi N, Lipton SA, Lo DC, Hayden MR, Alberch J, Wesseling JF, Pérez-Otaño I. Suppressing aberrant GluN3A expression rescues synaptic and behavioral impairments in Huntington's disease models. Nat Med. 2013 Aug;19(8):1030-8. doi: 10.1038/ nm.3246. Epub 2013 Jul 14. PMID: 23852340

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