Student Theses and Dissertations
Date of Award
Spring 5-18-2024
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
B.A. with honors
Honors Designation
yes
Program of Study
Biology
Language
English
First Advisor
Pablo M. Peixoto
Second Advisor
Rebecca F. Spokony
Third Advisor
Jean P. Gaffney
Abstract
Mitochondrial dysfunction is a common denominator of neurodegenerative diseases, including hereditary and non-hereditary Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Ten percent of ALS cases are hereditary while a majority are sporadic, with no known hereditary link. For effective therapeutic approaches to be developed, there is a need for development of a sporadic animal model to better understand disease mechanism. In previous work, our laboratory developed an animal model (known as mitokiller flies) to study sporadic cases of ALS. The work reported in this honors thesis focuses on the use of optogenetics and electrophysiology recording to study the formation of excessive hydrogen peroxide emission using mitokiller flies as a model system. Hydrogen peroxide is a form of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which can affect synaptic plasticity. Synaptic plasticity is the ability for neurons to adapt to new information, and transmission- release of chemicals signals called neurotransmitters). Future studies will investigate protective factors such as glutathione peroxidase, an antioxidant enzyme that neutralizes hydrogen peroxide into oxygen and water. By assessing their effect in combating the hydrogen peroxide induced dysfunction and potentially restoring normal synaptic activity, we can build the case for mitokiller flies being an effective sporadic model.
Recommended Citation
Alam, Samia, "Optogenetic Induction of Mitochondrial Oxidative Stress as a Potential Model to Study Non-Hereditary ALS" (2024). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/bb_etds/194