How desmosomes guide mRNA placement and protein production in cells
Roles for desmsomes in mRNA localization and translational regulation
This research tests whether cell-adhesion structures called desmosomes control where mRNA and protein-making machinery sit in skin and heart cells, which may matter for people with blistering skin disease or certain cardiomyopathies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11171625 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team will study how desmosomes help position messenger RNAs and the machines that make proteins at the cell edge. They will look at what happens to these RNA and protein-making patterns when desmosomes are disrupted by wounding or by antibodies that cause pemphigus. Methods include molecular experiments and live single-molecule imaging to watch RNA and translational regulators move in cells. The work aims to map the molecular steps that recruit mRNAs and translation factors to the cortex and to measure the immediate changes in protein production after desmosome loss.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with autoimmune pemphigus, inherited desmosomal cardiomyopathies, or those willing to donate skin or tissue samples would be most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: Patients whose conditions are unrelated to desmosome defects or translational control are unlikely to benefit directly from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reveal new molecular targets to prevent or treat desmosome-related skin blistering and some heart disorders.
How similar studies have performed: Previous basic studies have linked cell adhesion and RNA localization, but applying these findings to translational control in pemphigus and desmosome-related disease is largely new.
Where this research is happening
Durham, United States
- Duke University — Durham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lechler, Terry H — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Lechler, Terry H
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.