Prof. Dr. Dr. Abdelhaq Rami
Dr. Senckenbergische Anatomie
Institute for Experimental Neurobiology
Anatomie II, Universitätsklinikum
Theodor-Stern-Kai 7
60590 Frankfurt am MaD-in
Tel ++49 69-6301-6929
Fax ++49 69-6301-6920
E-Mail: Rami@em.uni-frankfurt.de
Scientific Focus
Recent studies have suggested that pharmacological activation of autophagy offers an exciting therapeutic prospect for certain chronic neurodegenerative conditions. However, in contrast to its life-promoting role, autophagy also controls a distinct form of apoptosis and may even contribute to pathological cell death, thereby complicating its function in health and disease. Although apoptosis and autophagic cell death evoke clearly distinct features of the cell death mechanisms, the border between the two types of cell demise is not completely understood. Our research aims to screen the regulation and role of autophagy in neurons in response to cerebral ischemia. The extent of autophagy may represent a master switch between cell survival and cell death. A profound understanding of the biological effects and the mechanisms underlying ischemia-induced autophagy in neurons might be helpful in seeking effective new treatments for cerebral ischemia.
Methods
Focal and global ischemia in vivo
Models of neurotoxicity and apoptosis in vitro
Organotypic slice cultures, dissociated neuronal cultures, imaging (confocal microscopy),
Light Microscopy.
Selected Publications
Hanke N, Rami A. Inhibition of autophagy rescues HT22 hippocampal neurons from erastin-induced ferroptosis. Neural Regen Res. 2023 Jul;18(7):1548-1552. doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.360246. PMID: 36571361; PMCID: PMC10075118.
Rami A, Niquet J, Konoplew A. Early Aberrant Growth of Mossy Fibers after Status Epilepticus in the Immature Rat Brain. Mol Neurobiol. 2019 Jul;56(7):5025-5031. doi: 10.1007/s12035-018-1432-y. Epub 2018 Nov 17. PMID: 30448889.
Fekadu J, Rami A. Beclin-1 Deficiency Alters Autophagosome Formation, Lysosome Biogenesis and Enhances Neuronal Vulnerability of HT22 Hippocampal Cells. Mol Neurobiol. 2016 Oct;53(8):5500-9. doi: 10.1007/s12035-015-9453-2. Epub 2015 Oct 12. PMID: 26456737.
Benz AP, Niquet J, Wasterlain CG, Rami A. Status epilepticus in the immature rodent brain alters the dynamics of autophagy. Curr Neurovasc Res. 2014 May;11(2):125-35. doi: 10.2174/1567202611666140305215009. PMID: 24597603.
Rami A, Bechmann I, Stehle JH. Exploiting endogenous anti-apoptotic proteins for novel therapeutic strategies in cerebral ischemia. Prog Neurobiol. 2008 Jul;85(3):273-96. doi: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2008.04.003. Epub 2008 Apr 23. PMID: 18511172.