Thioredoxins are a family of small redox proteins that undergo NADPH-dependent reduction by thioredoxin reductase. This results in a supply of reducing equivalents that cells use in a wide variety of biological reactions- the regulation of transcription factor activity, the inhibition of apoptosis and maintaining reduced forms of the enzymes important for protection against damage from high-energy oxygen radicals. The 16-kDa thioredoxins that occur widely occur in nematodes interestingly, an allelic form of Wb-TRX-1 was identified with an active site sequence WCPPC, which appears to be unique to the thioredoxins from filarial species. Wb-TRX-1 was constitutively transcribed throughout the W.bancrofti life cycle, and Wb-TRX protein detectable in somatic extracts and excretory-secretory products from adults and microfilaria. Recombinant Wb-TRX-1 had thiosulfide reductase activity, as measured by the reduction of insulin, and protected DNA from nicking activity of oxygen radicals. Over expression of Wb-TRX-1 in a human monocyte cell line negatively regulated tumor necrosis protein kinase activity, suggesting a possible role of the 16-kDa Wb-TRX-1 in immunomodulation.

The members of the thioredoxin family of proteins contain a conserved catalytic site that undergoes reversible oxidation to the cysteine disulfide through the transfer of reducing equivalents from the cysteins in the catalytic site to a disulfide substrate. The oxidized form of thioredoxin is reduced by an NADPH-dependent, thioredoxin reductase-mediated reaction.

"Regulation of Bdm1 gene in mouse neuronal cell lines C2.2 and P40H1 in presence of homocysteine and defining its role in hot water epilepsy"

under the guidance of Dr.Mitradas M. Panicker at the National Centre For Biological Sciences, Bangalore.

Bdm1 (Brain Development molecule1) and homocysteine have separately been identified as being involved in the onset of hot water epilepsy. Experiments also proved Bdm1 transcripts to be significantly up-regulated in the cortex of a rat model for hot water epilepsy. This protein is a part of a family of proteins, which are expressed in a number of tissues and are up regulated during chemical stress, e.g. high extracellular concentrations of reducing agents such as ß-mercaptoethanol or homocysteine. Homocysteine has been shown to cause epilepsy under some conditions in rats and high frequency electrical stimulation of brain slices releases homocysteine, which in turn can be excitotoxic. This study aimed at elucidating a relation between the two seemingly distinct phenomenons; both of whose paths of action are not known. The preliminary part of this study was carried out in two endogenous mouse neuronal cell lines: C2.2 and P40H1.

For further details on the project do refer to the project report.