Li Laboratory - Neurodegenerative Disease Group
| Contact: | Qiao-Xin Li |
|---|---|
| Phone: | +61 3 8344 5878 |
| Fax: | +61 3 8344 4004 |
| Email: | q.li@unimelb.edu.au |
The Li laboratory is studying the molecular pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and Motor Neuron disease. All of these diseases share a common feature of abnormal protein aggregation. They are specifically working in the areas of development of diagnostic test for Alzheimer's disease and other related neurodegenerative diseases, development and utilisation of the mouse model to examine potential environmental risk factors and potential therapeutic compounds for these neurodegenarative diseases.
Objectives
- To improve and validate the blood test for Alzheimer's disease and other related neurodegenerative diseases.
- To develop better mouse models for Alzheimer's disease.
- To identify new gene/protein targets associated with Alzheimer's disease.
- To investigate mechanism of synuclein/SOD1 aggregation and search for factors/compounds that prevent/slow the aggregation using transgenic mouse models and human tissues.
Recent Achievements
- Establishing blood platelets as an ex vivo model system for Alzheimer's disease
- Developing Abeta and alpha-synuclein blood test for Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease respectively.
- Identifying alpha-synuclein aggregation in the brains of Lewy bodies diseases including Parkinson's disease, Dementia with Lewy Bodies, and Multiple System Atrophy.
- Identifying superoxide dismutase (SOD1) aggregation in a mouse model.
- Establishing an association between phosphatidylethanolamine binding protein and amyloid formation in a mouse model
Techniques
- ELISA/Immunoprecipitation
- Antibody production/purification
- Western blot
- Immunohistochemistry
- Tissue culture
- Gene expression (Real-time PCR)
Collaborations
Departmental:
Dr Janetta Culvenor, A/Prof Roberto Cappai, Dr Genevieve Evin, Dr Robert Cherny, Prof Ashley Bush, A/Prof Kevin Barnham
External:
- Department of Biochemistry: Dr Andrew Hill
- The Alfred Hopistal: Dr Catriona McLean
- Howard Florey Institute: Drs Mal Horne and David Finkelstein
- Walter and Elisa Hall Institute: Dr Hamish Scott
- Overseas: ZMBH, University of Heidelberg , Germany
Funding
- NH&MRC
- Brain foundation of Australia
- Bethlehem Griffiths Research Foundation
Recent Publications
- Li Q-X, Mok SS, Laughton KM, McLean CA , Cappai R, Masters CL, Culvenor JG and Horne MK (2007). Plasma a -synuclein is decreased in subjects with Parkinson's disease. Exp Neurol. 204: 583-588.
- Li Q-X, Mok SS, Laughton KM, McLean CA , Volitakis I, Cherny RA, Cheung NS, White AR and Masters CL (2006). Overexpression of A b is associated with acceleration of onset of motor impairment and superoxide dismutase 1 aggregation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis mouse models Aging Cell 5:153-165
- George AJ, Holsinge RMD, McLean CA , Tan SS, Scott HS, Cardamone T, Cappai R. Masters CL and Li QX (2005) Decreased phosphatidylethanolamine binding protein expression correlates with Ab accumulation in the Tg2576 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Neurobiol Aging June 4 (Epub ahead of print).
- Maynard CJ, Cappai R, Volitakis I, Cherny RA, White AR, Beyreuther K, Masters CL, Bush AI, Li Q-X. (2002) Over-expression of Alzheimer's Disease amyloid-beta opposes the age-dependent elevations of brain copper and iron levels. J. Biol. Chem. 277:44670-6.
- Campbell BCV, McLean CA, Culvenor JG, Gai WP, Blumberg PC, Jälälä P, Beyreuther K, Masters CL and Li Q-X (2001) Solubility of alpha-synuclein differs between multiple system atrophy and Dementia with Lewy bodies. J. Neurochem. 76: 87-96.
- Culvenor JG, McLean CA , Cutt S, Campbell BCV, Maher F, Jälälä P, Hartmann T, Beyreuther K, Masters CL, and Li Q-X (1999) Non-Abeta component of Alzheimer's disease amyloid (NAC) revisited: NAC and alpha-synuclein are not associated with Abeta amyloid. Am. J. Path.155:1173-1181.
- Li Q-X, Maynard C, Cappai R, McLean CA, Cherny R, Lynch T, Culvenor JG, Trevaskis J, Tanner JE, Bailey KA, Czech C, Bush AI, Beyreuther K, and Masters CL (1999) Intracellular accumulation of detergent-soluble amyloidogenic Abeta fragment of Alzheimer's disease precursor protein in the hippocampus of aged transgenic mice. J. Neurochem. 72:2479-2487.