Understanding how amino acid handling influences protein synthesis: a new paradigm in back pain research

Back pain caused by intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration is a major health problem in both the UK and Canada, for which there is no successful treatment. With degeneration there is loss of IVD tissue which impairs function and causes pain. This project will initiate a collaboration to investigate an unstudied area of IVD biology: whether changes in how cells handle amino acids, the building blocks of protein, might cause or contribute to disease and whether ‘rescue’ of amino acid handling might be a potential treatment for IVD degeneration. This will be done initially in skeletal muscle where the mechanisms of amino acid handling are better understood. The project aims to determine how inhibiting transport of the essential amino acid leucine into cells affects protein production by muscle cells and whether high amounts of other amino acids can rescue any damaging effects of transporter inhibition. The findings will provide vital information on how leucine transport and protein production are controlled in muscle and allow the techniques and knowledge to be applied in IVD research.

Faculty Supervisor:

Daniel Moore

Student:

Partner:

University of Manchester

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Education

University:

University of Toronto

Program: