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Developing Tools to Probe DnaJB6 Dynamics in Spinobulbular Muscular Atrophy

Award Number: R00NS128717
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 08/15/2022
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 11/30/2027

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Developing Tools to Probe DnaJB6 Dynamics in Spinobulbular Muscular Atrophy - PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Spinobulbar Muscular Atrophy (SBMA) is an incurable neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by the toxic accumulation of mutated androgen receptor (polyQ-AR) proteins. The molecular chaperone protein DnaJB6 is specialized to prevent polyQ-AR aggregation in cells and suppress disease phenotypes by preventing polyQ-AR aggregation and recruiting another chaperone protein, Hsp70 to polyQ-AR. While DnaJB6 represents an exciting target for developing SBMA chemotherapeutics, its dynamic protein-protein interactions and complex structure present significant challenges for efforts to discover and design DnaJB6 chemical ligands. DnaJB6 associates with itself to form complexes that appear to exchange between larger and smaller oligomeric states over time. I hypothesize that binding to either polyQ-AR or Hsp70 causes changes in the stability of DnaJB6 complexes, and that these changes in DnaJB6 dynamics can be exploited to discover chemical probes. DnaJB6 chemical probes could then be used to probe pathological aggregation in SBMA. To test this hypothesis, I will characterize DnaJB6 complex stability and discover chemical matter that tunes DnaJB6 activity in the K99 phase of this award. In the R00 phase, I will use these molecules to probe SBMA in cell and animal models. This work is significant because the tools resulting from my studies will not only have applicability for studying SBMA, but also for other neurodegenerative disease where DnaJB6 can suppress protein aggregation (i.e. Huntington's Disease, Spinocerebellar Ataxias, and Parkinson's Disease) and chaperone biology more broadly. My proposed studies are innovative, as they will yield the first DnaJB6-targeted chemical probes and a novel strategy to understand the molecular underpinnings of SBMA.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $224,100 )
2026	2026	MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY	77 MASSACHUSETTS AVE	CAMBRIDGE	MA	02139	MIDDLESEX	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	3	12/15/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$224,100
														Subtotal = $224,100

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $224,099 )
2025	2025	MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY	77 MASSACHUSETTS AVE	CAMBRIDGE	MA	02139	MIDDLESEX	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	001	2	1/3/2025	EXTENSION WITH OR WITHOUT FUNDS	$0
2025	2025	MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY	77 MASSACHUSETTS AVE	CAMBRIDGE	MA	02139	MIDDLESEX	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	2	12/20/2024	EXTENSION WITH OR WITHOUT FUNDS	$224,099
														Subtotal = $224,099

Grand Total All Awards = $448,199

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Developing Tools to Probe DnaJB6 Dynamics in Spinobulbular Muscular Atrophy

Award Number: R00NS128717

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 08/15/2022

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 11/30/2027

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