PROTEIN TARGETS FOR THE STEROID RECEPTOR MODULATOR, CYCLOPHILIN 40 [ 2000 - 2002 ]

Research Grant

Researchers: Prof Thomas Ratajczak (Principal investigator)

Brief description Steroids bind to specific receptor proteins in steroid responsive cells. These receptors are kept in a steroid-binding ready state by chaperone proteins which function to fold the receptors appropriately. The major chaperone protein is heat shock protein, hsp90. A second family of proteins called immunophilins, cooperate with hsp90 in receptor folding. These immunophilins can bind to immunosuppressant drugs, which may result in a change in receptor function. We have identified one of these immunophilins as cyclophilin 40 ( CyP40), a protein that binds the immunosupressant drug, cyclosporin A. We have recently found that, in addition to binding to hsp90, CyP40 may bind to and regulate the function of other proteins which are important in how cells grow and die. The aims of this project are to study how CyP40 binds to hsp90 and to these other proteins and to determine the functional outcomes of these interactions.

Funding Amount $AUD 374,828.14

Funding Scheme NHMRC Project Grants

Notes Standard Project Grant