Department of Neuropsychopharmacology

Research profile
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by movement disorders (bradykinesia, muscle rigidity, resting tremor) and co-existing non-motor symptoms, including depression. The disease may be accompanied by action tremor. The pathomechanisms of this disease are poorly understood, the diagnosis is possible only in the late, irreversible stages, and the available symptomatic therapies are not effective and cause undesirable side effects.
Our research is focused on neurodegeneration of dopamine neurons, the development of compensatory processes, and mechanisms responsible for the major symptoms of PD and essential tremor. Another priority is the search for markers of different stages of PD and potential new drug targets.
We use animal models involving dopamine neuron (6-OHDA, MPP +, lactacystin, pesticides) and glial (fluorocitrate) cell damage, inhibition of their function (reserpine, tetrabenazine), dopamine receptors blockade (neuroleptics) or action tremor induction (harmaline). The course of degenerative processes and their consequences are analyzed at behavioral (disturbances of motility and coordination, tremor, catalepsy, depressive behavior), histological (immunohistochemistry, stereology), neurotransmitter (microdialysis, HPLC), receptor and transporter (autoradiography), molecular (proteomics and transcriptomics) and metabolic (mitochondrial activity, energy substrates evaluation) levels.
The above models are used to examine the mechanism affecting PD progression and find potential treatment targets and tools.


Research methods

  • stereotaxic brain operations in rats and intracerebral administration of compounds
  • behavioral methods:
    - automatic measurement of locomotor activity, action tremor and other forms of rat motor behavior in actometers and tremorometers
    - automatic measurement of asymmetric behavior in rats following unilateral damage of the dopamine system (rotameters)
    - observation of rats’ behavior: catalepsy test (a model of akinesia, bradykinesia), measurement of tremulous jaw movements (a model of parkinsonian tremor), cylinder test (motor coordination test), dyskinesias

            - running as a regular physical exercise training in automatic runways

  • histological methods: histological and immunohistochemical staining of brain sections, light and fluorecence microscopy, stereology, morphology anlysis, Sholl method
  •  biochemical methods: HPLC, brain microdialysis, autoradiography of receptors and transporters, measurement of energy substrates concentration in tissues and blood plasma
  • molecular methods: Western blot, in situ hybridization, PCR, analysis of the mitochondrial respiratory complexes activity, 2-dimetional electrophoresis, DIGE
  • computer imaging of brain sections, densitometry


The most important discoveries of the last 3 years
We have demonstrated that the dopamine system lesion in rats can model depression associated with Parkinson's disease, and can be used to evaluate the efficacy and side effects of antidepressants as well as their interaction with L-DOPA.
It has been found, that changes in the protein complex composition and performance of the mitochondrial respiratory chain supercomplexes as well as the fluidity of mitochondrial membranes, observed following the dopamine system lesion in rats, might play an important role in the degenerative process and its compensation.

Retired Team Members:

Prof. dr hab. Krystyna Ossowska - head of Department for many years


More publications
  • Kuter, Cenci, Carta, The role of glia in Parkinson's disease: Emerging concepts and therapeutic applications, Progress in Brain Research Volume 252, 2020, Pages 131-168 Kuter K.Z., Cenci M.A., Carta A.R.

    "The role of glia in Parkinson's disease: Emerging concepts and therapeutic applications"

    Progress in Brain Research Volume 252, 2020, Pages 131-168

    part of Recent Advances in Parkinson's Disease, edited by Björklund and Cenci
    Elsevier
  • Astrocytes and microglia in Parkinson’s disease and its animal models. In: The Neuroscience of Parkinson's Disease. Vol 2. Genetics, neurology, behavior, and diet in Parkinson’s disease, 2020, Chapter 6, pp 83-101

    Katarzyna Kuter
    Astrocytes and microglia in Parkinson’s disease and its animal models. In: The Neuroscience of Parkinson's Disease. Vol 2. Genetics, neurology, behavior, and diet in Parkinson’s disease, 2020, Chapter 6, pp 83-101, Editors: Colin Martin and Victor Preedy, ISBN: 978-0-12-815950-7, published by Academic Press, Imprint of Elsevier, Published Date: 18th September 2020

More publications
  • grant NCN OPUS18 2019/35/B/NZ7/02862 Physical exercise as a natural mechanism inducing neuroregeneration. Search for the new protein markers and therapeutic targets for Parkinson’s disease, Katarzyna Kuter - Nowak, PhD

  • , Katarzyna Kuter - Nowak, PhD
    NCN grant, OPUS 14 [2018-08-03  -  2021-08-02]
    Title: "How microglia-astrocyte interaction affects neuronal functioning 
    in the dopaminergic system. Analysis of protective potential of drugs changing the glial phenotype"
  • , Katarzyna Kuter - Nowak, PhD
    “MOBILNOSC PLUS” scholarship sponsored by Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education.
    Title: „Protective role of astrocytes in the process of neurodegeneration of dopaminergic cells and during functional compensation of this process. Analysis of function and architecture of mitochondrial oxphos complexes and supercomplexes in animal models of early Morbus Parkinson.”
    Performed during three 6 month visits at Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany in group of Prof. Norbert A. Dencher.
  • NCN grant, OPUS 3, Katarzyna Kuter - Nowak, PhD
    OPUS 3 grant nr 2012/05/B/NZ4/02599 financed by National Science Centre (NCN).
    Title: „The role of astrocytes and cellular metabolism in functional compensation of degeneration of dopaminergic system in threats brain. Analysis of expression of AMPK and energy sensing proteins in aspect of Parkinson's disease.”
    Performed in the Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences – project leader.
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  • Team Scientific Award of the 5th Medical Sciences PAS for a series of 3 publications "The role of astrocytes in mechanisms compensating for the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons and in the regulation of cellular energy of the black-striatal system in an animal model of early Parkinson's disease"., Katarzyna Kuter - Nowak, PhD
    Wednesday, 11 December 2019
  • Award for publication woth high IF in 2018 granted by the Head of the Institute of Pharmacology, Katarzyna Kuter - Nowak, PhD
    Monday, 30 November -0001
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Head

Katarzyna Kuter - Nowak, PhD

Phone number: +48 12 6623226
E-mail: kuter@if-pan.krakow.pl

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