PD Dr. Dietmar Benke

 

Main Goals, Keywords

We are interested in the regulation of GABA receptors via trafficking mechanisms (exocytosis, endocytosis, recycling, and degradation) as well as interacting proteins. Our ultimate goal is to uncover changes in these parameters under pathological conditions and use this information for the design of novel therapeutic strategies.

Keywords: Receptor trafficking, GABA receptor, endocytosis, recycling, degradation, interacting proteins, neurological disorders.

Group Members

1 Group leader, 1 technician, 2 PhD students, 1-2 Master students

Previous and Current Research

Receptor trafficking is considered as a main mechanism regulating signaling circuits and is increasingly recognized to be affected under pathological conditions. Our research focuses on the mechanisms of GABA_B receptor exocytosis, endocytosis, recycling as well as degradation under physiological and pathological conditions. Currently, we analyze the contribution of GABA_B receptor recycling / degradation / exocytosis to neuronal plasticity and neurological diseases.

Current and future Projects

- Regulation of GABA_B receptor trafficking by phosphorylation

- Regulation of GABA_B receptor trafficking by ubiquitination

- Involvement of GABA_B receptor trafficking in neuronal plasticity

- Involvement of GABA_B receptor trafficking in neurological disorders
  (e. g. ischemia,chronic pain)

Techniques and Equipment

Basic biochemical and molecular cloning methods, production of polyclonal antibodies, pharmacological characterization of receptors using radioligand binding studies, receptor autoradiography, cell culture, brain slice culture, protein purification techniques, Yeast two-hybrid screenings, multiple immunofluorescence staining, confocal laser scanning microscopy.

Selected Publications

• Benke D, Zeilhofer HU. Divorce of obligatory partners in pain: disruption of GABA(B) receptor heterodimers in neuralgia. EMBO J. 2012 Jun 26;31(15):3234-6.
• Benke D, Zemoura K, Maier PJ. Modulation of cell surface GABA(B) receptors by desensitization, trafficking and regulated degradation. World J Biol Chem. 2012 Apr 26;3(4):61-72
• Maier PJ, Marin I, Grampp T, Sommer A, Benke D. Sustained glutamate receptor activation down-regulates GABAB receptors by shifting the balance from recycling to lysosomal degradation. J Biol Chem. 2010 Nov 12;285(46):35606-14.

Selected Lectures, Seminars, Colloquia

Methods in experimental and clinical pharmacology (Bio 405)

Postgraduate course in pharmacology and toxicology

Pharmakologie-Vorlesung für Zahnmediziner

Advanced course in neuroscience (ZNZ PhD program)

Funding

Swiss National Science Foundation

URL

http://www.pharma.uzh.ch