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Title [sv]
Livets kemiska mekanismer
Title [en]
Chemical mechanisms of Life
Abstract [sv]
Kemi och interaktioner mellan molekyler kontrollerar livet genom oavbrutna kemiska mekanismer som leder till generering av energi, proteiner, och signaler. I dessa processer är alla typer av molekyler involverade, men forskning fokuserar ofta enbart på DNA/RNA, proteiner/enzymer eller metaboliter/lipider. Med det föreslagna centret kommer vi att kombinera kunskaper inom de enskilda områdena för att förstå livets kemi på djupet. Till exempel så kan vi vidare förstå vad det är för kemiska mekanismer som kontrollerar dygnsrytmen - är det verkligen enstaka hormoner och vad ligger i så fall bakom deras ökningar och minskningar? Vidare kan vi i detaljnivå studera de kemiska interaktionerna mellan metaboliter och RNA för att förstå vad som styr cancerutveckling, och hur miljön reglerar apoptos och tillväxt. När vi ökar vår kunskap om de kemiska mekanismer som styr livet förstår vi hur kemin kan förändras för att behandla sjukdom och främja hälsa.Det föreslagna centret kommer att fungera som ett nav i ett forskningmaskineri där forskare med olika bakgrund och expertis kan hitta samarbetspartners över de traditionella ämnesområdena. Dessutom kommer en plattform för att kombinera data från olika molekyler och tekniker utvecklats. För att bidra till detta kommer en databas upprättas där forskare kan lägga in sin expertis och sina intressen, samt finna kompletterande expertis hos andra forskare för gemensamma satsningar. Centret kommer även att hålla seminarier och workshops, både för att utbilda men även för att diskutera hur utmaningar kan tacklas, samt anordna kurser för studenter och doktorander, med målet att skapa en masterutbildning inom livets kemi. Denna gemensamma satsning där specialister kommer tillsammans för att lösa större frågeställningar kommer leda till en ny funktion inom forskningen. Ju fler som förstår och vill utröna den kemiska komplexiteten som leder till liv ju snabbare kommer forskningen leda till insikter som kommer påverka liv.
Abstract [en]
At the scale of atoms, Life is controlled by chemical reactions between nucleic acids, proteins, and metabolites. However, there are large gaps of understanding on how the different biomolecules interact at the atomic scale. A series of methodological breakthroughs have made it possible to reveal, control, and predict the quantities, structure and dynamics of biomolecules with unprecedented precision. By combining these recent advances, we now aim to explore the complex interplay of nucleic acids, proteins, and metabolites. We propose an internationally leading and interdisciplinary research network focusing on mapping, understanding, and manipulating chemical mechanisms at the heart of Life.Founded by four research leaders in chemistry and biophysics, and physically located at the crossroads of chemistry, cell biology, and medicine, we will work through recruiting promising young scientists, invite international research leaders, and build an interactive on-line platform for catalyzing collaboration. We will establish a Master program called “Chemistry of Life” for long-term impact on education. We envisage a rapid growth of the network into a vibrant and open center, which brings research fields and data on different biomolecules together, combines cutting-edge methods, and catalyzes novel research for deciphering, understanding and controlling chemical mechanisms of Life. Advances are expected in education, research, pharma, and industry.
Publications (1 of 1) Show all publications
Hansen, C. E., Konings, J., Toth, G., Chornyi, S., Karsten, M., van het Hof, B., . . . Kooij, G. (2025). Spatial mapping of the AA-PGE2-EP axis in multiple sclerosis lesions. Acta Neuropathologica, 149(1), Article ID 39.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Spatial mapping of the AA-PGE2-EP axis in multiple sclerosis lesions
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2025 (English)In: Acta Neuropathologica, ISSN 0001-6322, E-ISSN 1432-0533, Vol. 149, no 1, article id 39Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Bioactive lipid mediators (LMs) derived from polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are key molecules in both the initiation and resolution of inflammatory responses. Previous findings suggest that a dysregulated LM balance, especially within the arachidonic acid (AA) pathway, may contribute to an impaired resolution response and subsequent chronic neuroinflammation in multiple sclerosis (MS). However, to date, the local biosynthesis and signaling of LMs within the brain of people with MS (PwMS) remains unexplored. In this study, we, therefore, mapped the distribution of AA and its key downstream LM prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in white matter MS brain tissue and of non-neurological controls (NNCs) for the first time using mass spectrometry imaging. We found that AA levels are lower in MS cases compared to NNCs and reduced in MS lesions compared to peri-lesional tissue. Furthermore, the PGE2/AA ratio, indicating the PGE2 synthesis from the AA substrate, was increased in lesion areas compared to fully myelinated regions in MS. In line with that, the expression of prostaglandin synthesizing enzymes as measured by RT-qPCR was partially increased in MS tissue compared to NNCs. In addition, the expression of prostaglandin E2 receptor 4 (EP4) decreased, while prostaglandin E2 receptor 2 (EP2) showed increased expression levels in MS lesions compared to NNCs and localized specifically to microglia. We also found that PGE2 addition to pro-inflammatory human-induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived microglia resulted in enhanced cytokine signaling pathways, but also the upregulation of its synthase PTGES and homeostatic/resolving signaling, the latter of which might mainly occur through EP2 signaling. Collectively, our results provide detailed information about the region-specific levels of AA and PGE2 in MS lesions and we propose enhanced PGE2-EP2 signaling in inflamed microglia in MS.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Springer, 2025
Keywords
Multiple sclerosis, Arachidonic acid, Prostaglandin E-2, Mass spectrometry imaging, Neuroinflammation, Microglia
National Category
Neurosciences Cell and Molecular Biology Neurology
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-556058 (URN)10.1007/s00401-025-02878-3 (DOI)001479495600001 ()40299057 (PubMedID)
Funder
Swedish Research Council, 2023-03384Swedish Research Council, 2022-06628EU, European Research Council, 101097983EU, Horizon 2020, 813294EU, European Research Council, 101041224-X CELL
Available from: 2025-05-09 Created: 2025-05-09 Last updated: 2025-05-09Bibliographically approved
Principal InvestigatorLanekoff, Ingela
Petzold, Katja
Westenhoff, Sebastian
Erdelyi, Mate
Coordinating organisation
Uppsala University
Funder
Period
2024-01-01 - 2028-12-31
National Category
Other Chemistry Topics
Identifiers
DiVA, id: project:8830Project, id: 2022-06628_VR

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