# Non-coding RNA regulation of neuronal protein translation and appetite control

> **NIH NIH F31** · HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL · 2024 · $36,918

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with no cure. Individuals with PWS exhibit
feeding difficulties and failure-to-thrive in infancy followed by an insatiable appetite and hyperphagia in
adulthood. The smallest deletions known to cause PWS involve a paternally expressed cluster of neuron-specific
small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs), Snord116. The molecular targets and functions of Snord116 are not known.
Snord116 is highly expressed in brain regions critical for appetite control, but how Snord116 loss affects the
activity of appetite-regulating neurons is also not known. To determine how Snord116 loss alters feeding
behavior, it is critical to determine the molecular and cellular functions of Snord116 in appetite-regulating
neurons. Most snoRNAs play well conserved roles in ribosome biogenesis and are ubiquitously expressed
across tissues. Snord116, uniquely, is preferentially expressed in neurons. Neurons have unique translational
demands due to their size and complexity, and neuronal ribosomes have specialized properties to meet those
demands. It is not known if Snord116 may contribute to neuron-specific aspects of ribosome biogenesis or
protein translation. Therefore, I will investigate the effect of Snord116 loss on neuronal protein translation in parts
of the brain known to control appetite. Additionally, I will determine the effect of Snord116 loss on the activity of
appetite-regulating neurons and how dysfunction of these neurons may underlie hyperphagia. By delineating the
molecular function of a neuron-specific snoRNA, I expect to broadly contribute toward a better understanding of
how protein translation is regulated in neurons. Conducting these studies in a relevant population of appetite-
regulating neurons also allows us to examine the role of snoRNAs and translation in proper control of feeding
circuits in the brain. The insights gained into the molecular basis of appetite control will better inform not only
potential therapies for PWS but also obesity, an increasingly prevalent health problem among children.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10916282
- **Project number:** 5F31HD113399-02
- **Recipient organization:** HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL
- **Principal Investigator:** Courtney Michelle Whilden
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $36,918
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-09-30 → 2026-09-29

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10916282

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10916282, Non-coding RNA regulation of neuronal protein translation and appetite control (5F31HD113399-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10916282. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*