Dr Alison Loughlin

IIH is a neurological condition characterized by increased intracranial pressure in the absence of a tumor or other diseases but whose cause remains elusive although a possible role for leptin and inflammatory mediators such as CCL2 has been suggested. The objectives for this project are: Year 1 (to be based at KCL). To determine, first, the protein composition of CSF from IIH and control patients using proteomic analysis and, second, the effect of IIH CSF on the secretory and transport activity of cultures of porcine choroid plexus epithelium Year 2 (to be based at the OU with occasional trips to Sheffield). First, to establish an in vitro human model of the blood-CSF barrier and, second, to determine , using transcriptomic analysis, the effect of CSF from IIH and control patients on gene profile of cultures of human choroid plexus epithelium (both cell lines and primary cultures) Year 3 (based at the OU). To select candidates from the proteomic/transcriptomic analysis that are differentially regulated in IIH CSF/choroid plexus epithelium and investigate their effects on the secretory and transport activity of human choroid plexus epithelium in order to identify potential therapeutic molecular targets mediating these effects