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. Mechanisms of GABA_B receptor exocytosis, endocytosis, anddegradation. Adv. Pharmacol. 58, 93-111 (2010).
• Maier, P. J., Marin, I., Grampp T., Sommer, A. and Benke D. Sustained glutamate activation downregulates GABA_B receptors by shifting the balance from recycling to lysosomal degradation. J. Biol. Chem. 285, 35606-35614 (2010).
• Grampp, T., Notz, V., Broll, I., Fischer, N. and Benke, D. Constitutive, agonist-accelerated, recycling and lysosomal degradation of GABA_B receptors in cortical neurons. Mol. Cell. Neurosci. 39, 628-637 (2008).

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