Florida Atlantic University has received a $2.4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to investigate how immune-related receptors in neurons play fundamental roles in brain function, behavior, and psychiatric health. The award, funded by the NIH’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, supports groundbreaking research that challenges long-held assumptions about how the brain works.
The project, led by principal investigator Dr. Neiquan, a professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at FAU’s Charles E. Schmidt School of Medicine and a member of the FAU Stiles Nicholson Brain Institute, focuses on a receptor called interleukin-1 receptor type 1 (IL-1R1). Although IL-1R1 has traditionally been studied for its role in inflammation and immune responses, recent findings indicate that this receptor is also expressed in selected neurons, and its normal function is largely unknown.
Previous work by the research team demonstrated that neuronal IL-1R1 is essential for behavioral changes induced by chronic social stress, pointing to a broader, previously unrecognized role in the healthy brain.
This new NIH grant gives us the opportunity to fully define the physiological role of neuronal IL-1R1 in the brain, which has remained unknown for decades. This funding will allow us to move from behavioral observations to a detailed understanding of how this receptor dynamically regulates synaptic activity, circuit remodeling, and experience-dependent plasticity. Ultimately, this work will allow us to link molecular signaling events in specific neurons with complex social behaviors, providing deeper insight into how the brain adapts to social environments. ”
Dr. Ning Quan, Principal Investigator, Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences, FAU Charles E. Schmidt School of Medicine
The researchers will examine where and when IL-1R1 is expressed in the brain, how its expression changes in response to experience, and how it affects communication between neurons. In particular, we will focus on hippocampal circuits involved in social discrimination, a core component of normal social interactions.
In particular, this study revealed that neurons expressing IL-1R1 can change their activity and plasticity as long as neighboring neurons, which do not express the receptor themselves, are directly connected. This finding suggests that IL-1R1 functions at the level of neural circuits rather than individual cells, redefining how neuroscience understands immune-related signaling molecules.
“This study is particularly attractive to the fields of neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders because it challenges the traditional separation between immune signaling and neurotransmission,” said project co-investigator Randy D. Blakely, Ph.D., executive director of the FAU Stiles Nicholson Brain Institute, David J. S. Nicholson Distinguished Professor of Neuroscience, and professor of biomedical sciences at the Schmidt School of Medicine. “By demonstrating that IL-1R1 actively shapes synaptic function and circuit connectivity, this study opens new conceptual avenues for understanding disorders in which brain networks and social behavior are disrupted. These insights may ultimately lead to more precise intervention strategies that target circuit dysfunction rather than just symptoms.”
This project is expected to change the current paradigm on the relationship between the immune system and the brain by uncovering the molecular mechanisms by which neuronal IL-1R1 shapes synaptic connections and behavior. The findings may also point to new therapeutic targets for psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism, in which social behavior and circuit development are impaired.
“This award from the NIH reflects the importance and promise of research that crosses disciplinary boundaries to address some of the most complex questions in brain science,” said Lewis S. Nelson, M.D., dean and director of health at the FAU Schmidt School of Medicine. “Our researchers will be able to pursue discoveries that not only advance fundamental knowledge but have meaningful impacts on human health. This investment highlights Florida Atlantic University’s growing role as a leader in innovative neuroscience research.”
Co-investigators on this grant are Jianning “Jenny” Wie, Ph.D., associate professor in the FAU School of Biomedical Sciences;
sauce:
florida atlantic university
