“The choroid plexus (CP) is a tissue in the brain that produces cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), a colorless body fluid whose functions is to provide mechanical protections against trauma, to supply nutrients and to remove waste from the central nervous system (CNS). CP lays at the interface between the peripheral blood and the brain and is also a primary entry site for immune cells into the CNS. Despite that CSF components interact with CNS cells, our understanding of the role of CP derived molecules in healthy and in neurodegenerative disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS) is still scarce. MS is an incurable neurodegenerative disorder that affects up to 2.5 million people wordwide. In MS, myelin produced by oligodendrocytes (OL) and essential for proper neuronal conduction is destroyed by immune cells. Myelin loss (or demyelination) disrupts nerve impulse conduction and leads to the motor symptoms of MS. Myelin repair (or remyelination) can occur early in disease through the differentiation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells into mature oligodendrocytes, the myelin-producing cells of the CNS. In this project we will investigate the role of CP in i) the myelination of the CNS, ii) the pathogenesis of MS and iii) as a mediator for remyelination.
By analyzing the transcriptome of all individual cells that compose the CPs in MS and comparing with controls, we aim to uncover new molecular players in MS. The ultimate goal is to find pathways to modulate CP-born molecules and CP cellular composition in order to restore homeostasis in CPs and consequently improve the clinical outcome of MS patients.”