Research profile

– unconventional myosins and actin-binding proteins in cell migration and intracellular trafficking: studies on normal and transformed mammalian cells and tissues

– role of prion proteins in the development of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases associated with protein aggregation;

– muscle plasticity and skeletal and cardiac muscle pathology

– role of motor proteins in regulating chromatin organization and the biomechanics of myogenic cell nuclei

– role of calcium signaling in regulating cell motility

Isolation of Skeletal Muscle Satellite Cells for In Vitro Myogenesis Studies

Current research activities

– involvement of unconventional myosin VI in cell migration and intracellular trafficking of organelles and nuclear functions;

– involvement of myosin VI in cell metabolism

– design & development of therapy for Alzheimer’s disease, based on prion protein-derived peptides;

– the molecular mechanism of cross-induction of Alzheimer’s disease in type 2 diabetes);

– characterization of a new role for myosin VI in chromatin reorganization and mechanoreception in myogenic cells.

– non-calcium signaling from P2X7 nucleotide receptor

– crosstalk between calcium and small Rho GTPases signaling in glioma cells

Selected publications

Nieznanska H, Boyko S, Dec R, Rędowicz MJ, Dzwolak W, Nieznanski K. (2021) Neurotoxicity of oligomers of phosphorylated Tau protein carrying tauopathy-associated mutation is inhibited by prion protein. BBA Molecular Basis of Disease, 1867(11):166209; doi: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2021.166209.

Lehka L, Wojton D, Topolewska M, Chumak V, Majewski L, Redowicz MJ. (2022) Loss of unconventional myosin VI affects cAMP/PKA signaling in hindlimb skeletal muscle in an age-dependent manner. Frontiers in Physiology, 28;13:933963. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2022.933963

Karatsai O, Lehka L, Wojton D, Grabowska AI, Lenartowski R, Duda M, Rędowicz MJ. (2023) Unconventional myosin VI in the heart: Involvement in cardiac dysfunction progressing with age. BBA Mechanisms of Disease 1869:166748. doi.org/10.1016/j.bbadis.2023.166748

Wojton D, Dymkowska D, Matysniak D, Topolewska M, Redowicz MJ, Lehka L. (2025) Unconventional myosin VI is involved in the regulation of muscle energy metabolism. American Journal of Physiology – Cell Physiology, 329(4):C1004-C1021 doi: 10.1152/ajpcell.00300.2025.

Nowak J, Alvarez-Suarez P, Włodarczyk T, Zakrzewska R, Boguszewski PM, Rędowicz MJ, Gawor M. (2025) Myosin VI depletion delays neuromuscular junction maturation and exacerbates muscle performance. Scientific Reports, 29;15(1):44863. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-28650-x.