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 The
long-term objective of Dr. LeBlanc’s research is to investigate
the mechanisms responsible for the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative
diseases in aging individuals. Her main research goal is to test
the hypothesis that unscheduled death of neurons may be the leading
physiological abnormality contributing to the loss of critical
a mass of functional neurons in the central nervous system (CNS),
and that this loss is the underlying cellular reason for the
CNS deficit in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative
diseases. Her laboratory investigates various cell death pathways
in human primary neuron cultures and their role in AD and prion
disease pathology. Information obtained from theses studies will
establish a platform from which a clear and direct strategic
plan can be formulated to stop the actions of pro-death proteins
and therefore prevent neuronal cell death. The ultimate purpose
of the research in Dr. LeBlanc’s laboratory is to provide
a molecular "handle" to prevent or slow down the process
of neuronal cell death in neurodegenerative diseases.
SOME RECENT PUBLICATIONS:
1. |
Andréa LeBlanc, Hui Liu, Cynthia Goodyer, Catherine
Bergeron, Jennifer Hammond*. Caspase-6 alters amyloid precursor
protein metabolism in apoptotic human neurons and is expressed
and activated in Alzheimer's Disease. J. Biol. Chem. 274,
1999 23426-23436.
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2. |
Yan Zhang, Cynthia Goodyer, and Andréa LeBlancÝSelective
and prolonged apoptosis in human primary neurons microinjected
with active caspase-3, 6, 7 and 8. J. Neurosci. 20 (22),2000:
8384-8389.
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3. |
Jennifer Hammond, Quynh Le, Cindy Goodyer, Morie Gelfand,
Mark Trifiro, Andrea LeBlanc. Testosterone-mediated neuroprotection
through the androgen receptor in human primary neurons.
J. Neurochem. 77, 1-9, 2001.
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4. |
Yan Zhang, Omar Tounekti, Beverly Akerman, Cynthia G.
Goodyer, and Andréa LeBlanc. 17-ß-Estradiol
induces an inhibitor of active caspases. J. Neurosci. 21:RC176,
1-6, 2001.
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5. |
Younes Bounhar and Yan Zhang (first co-authors), Cynthia
Goodyer, Andrea LeBlanc. Prion protein protects human neurons
against Bax-mediated apoptosis. J. Biol. Chem 2001 , 276,
39145-39149. |
6. |
Yan Zhang*Ý, Richard McLaughlinfΦ, Cynthia
Goodyerý, and Andréa LeBlanc*Ý.Selective
Cytotoxicity of Intracellular Amyloid ß Peptide1-42
through p53 and Bax in Cultured Primary Human Neurons.
J. Cell Biol. 2002, 156 (3), 519-529. Featured in News.
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7. |
Neuromethods: Apoptosis Techniques and Protocols, second
edition, edited by Andrea LeBlanc, Series Editor, G. Baker
and A. Boulton, Humana Press, 2002,
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8. |
Megan Blacker, Mark C. Noe, Thomas J. Carty, Cynthia
G. Goodyer, Andrea C. LeBlanc. TACE inhibitor prevents
regulated secretion of amyloid precursor protein without
altering amyloid ß peptide production in human neurons.
J. Neurochem. 83(6) 2002, 1349-1357. |
9. |
Yan Zhang, Yanguo Hong, Younes Bounhar, Emily Vereker,
Xavier Roucou, Megan Blacker, Omar Tounekti, William J.
Bowers, Howard J. Federoff, Cynthia G. Goodyer, Andréa
LeBlanc. p75NTR protects primary cultures of human neurons
against extracellular amyloid ß-peptide cytotoxicity.
J. Neurosci. 2003, 23: 7385-7394.
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10. |
Andrea LeBlanc and Xavier Roucou. The perspective “A
view form the top. Science, 301, 2003, 168-169.
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11. |
*Xavier Roucou, Qi Guo, Yan Zhang, Cynthia G. Goodyer
and Andréa C. LeBlanc. Cytosolic prion protein is
not toxic and protects against Bax-mediated cell death
in human primary neurons. J. Biol. Chem. 278, 2003, 40877-40881. |
12. |
Roucou, X., Gains, M. LeBlanc, A. The Neuroprotective
Functions of Prion Protein. J. Neurosci. Res. 75, 2004,
153-161. |
13. |
Omar Tounekti, Yan Zhang, Cynthia G. Goodyer, and Andréa
LeBlanc. Proteasomal degradation of caspase-6 in 17ß-estradiol-treated
neurons. J. Neurochem. 2004 89(3):561-8.
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14. |
Huishan Guo,
Steffen Albrecht, Martine Bourdeau, Tracy Petzke, Catherine
Bergeron and Andrea C. LeBlanc. Active Caspase-6 and
Caspase-6 cleaved Tau in neuropil threads, senile plaque
associated neurites and neurofibrillary tangles in Alzheimer’s
Disease. Am. J. Pathol. 2004, 165: 523-531 (Commentary
by Cribbs et al., Am. J. Pathol., 165, 2004, 353-355).
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15. |
Yan Zhang,
Nathalie Champagne, Lenore Beitel, Cynthia Goodyer, Mark
Trifiro and Andréa LeBlanc. Estrogen
and androgens protection of human neurons against intracellular
Aß1-42 toxicity through Hsp70. J. Neurosci. 2004
24: 5315 – 5321. |
16. |
Xavier Roucou
and Andrea LeBlanc. Cellular Prion Protein Neuroprotective
Function: Implications in Prion Diseases. J. Mol.
Med. 2005 83(1) p3-11. |
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Accepted
/ In press Refereed Papers
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1. |
LeBlanc AC (2005) The role of apoptotic pathways
in Alzheimer's disease neurodegeneration and cell death.
Current Alzheimer Research 2005 (in press).
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2. |
Xavier Roucou,
Yan Zhang, Cynthia G. Goodyer, and Andrea LeBlanc. The
cellular prion protein suppresses Bax activation in human
primary neurons. Cell Death and Differentiation. 2005
(in press: E-pub).
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