Dr Kadri Seppa

Kadri obtained her doctoral degree in Neuroscience in 2021 from University of Tartu, Estonia. Her thesis focused on the development and evaluation of novel neuroprotective strategies using a rat model of Wolfram syndrome (WS). Kadri’s work in Plaas’ lab contributed to the field of Wolfram Syndrome research by (i) validating Wfs1 KO rat as a Wolfram syndrome animal model and (ii) by using the Wolfram syndrome animal model they found that liraglutide treatment could be a promising treatment strategy for Wolfram syndrome patients. Inspired by their preclinical studies, a liraglutide clinical trial has been initiated at the University of Washington, and further investigations will clarify the effect of liraglutide in Wolfram syndrome patients.

Toxic injury leads to global transcriptional downregulation. The Sawarkar lab has generated mouse strains lacking specific domains of proteins that play a role in global downregulation of transcription. Kadri has joined the Sawarkar lab as a postdoc to study how these mice are sensitive to toxic insults.

1. Plaas, M., Seppa, K., Reimets, R., Jagomäe, T., Toots, M., Koppel, T., Vallisoo, T., Nigul, M., Heinla, I., Meier, R., Kaasik, A., Piirsoo, A., Hickey, M.A., Terasmaa, A., Vasar, E., 2017. Wfs1- deficient rats develop primary symptoms of Wolfram syndrome: insulin-dependent diabetes, optic nerve atrophy and medullary degeneration. Sci. Rep. 7, 10220. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-09392-x 
2. Toots, M., Seppa, K., Jagomäe, T., Koppel, T., Pallase, M., Heinla, I., Terasmaa, A., Plaas, M., Vasar, E., 2018. Preventive treatment with liraglutide protects against development of glucose intolerance in a rat model of Wolfram syndrome. Sci. Rep. 8, 10183. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-28314-z 
3. Seppa, K., Toots, M., Reimets, R., Jagomäe, T., Koppel, T., Pallase, M., Hasselholt, S., Krogsbæk Mikkelsen, M., Randel Nyengaard, J., Vasar, E., Terasmaa, A., Plaas, M., 2019. GLP-1 receptor agonist liraglutide has a neuroprotective effect on an aged rat model of Wolfram syndrome. Sci. Rep. 9, 15742. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-52295-2 
4. Seppa, K., Jagomäe, T., Kukker, K.G., Reimets, R., Pastak, M., Vasar, E., Terasmaa, A., Plaas, M., 2021. Liraglutide, 7,8-DHF and their co-treatment prevents loss of vision and cognitive decline in a Wolfram syndrome rat model. Sci. Rep. 11, 2275. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-81768-6 
5. Jagomäe, T.; Seppa, K.; Reimets, R.; Pastak, M.; Plaas, M.; Hickey, M.A.; Kukker, K.G.; Moons, L.; De Groef, L.; Vasar, E.; Kaasik, A.; Terasmaa, A.; Plaas, M. Early Intervention and Lifelong Treatment with GLP1 Receptor Agonist Liraglutide in a Wolfram Syndrome Rat Model with an Emphasis on Visual Neurodegeneration, Sensorineural Hearing Loss and Diabetic Phenotype. Cells 2021, 10, 3193. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10113193 
6. Punapart, M.; Seppa, K.; Jagomäe, T.; Liiv, M.; Reimets, R.; Kirillov, S.; Kaasik, A.; Moons, L.; De Groef, L.; Terasmaa, A.; Vasar, E.; Plaas, M. The Expression of RAAS Key Receptors, Agtr2 and Bdkrb1, Is Downregulated at an Early Stage in a Rat Model of Wolfram Syndrome. Genes 2021, 12, 1717. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes12111717