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Developing novel heart failure therapy targeting DEAD-box RNA helicase

Research Project

Project/Area Number 20K08488
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

Allocation TypeMulti-year Fund
Section一般
Review Section Basic Section 53020:Cardiology-related
Research InstitutionThe University of Tokyo

Principal Investigator

Higashikuni Yasutomi  東京大学, 医学部附属病院, 助教 (10586481)

Project Period (FY) 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 2022)
Budget Amount *help
¥4,290,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥990,000)
Fiscal Year 2022: ¥1,170,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥270,000)
Fiscal Year 2021: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
Fiscal Year 2020: ¥1,690,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥390,000)
Keywords心不全 / RNA代謝 / RNAヘリカーゼ / 炎症 / DNA損傷 / ミトコンドリア機能障害 / 遺伝子治療 / ヘリカーゼ
Outline of Research at the Start

多因子疾患である心不全は、複雑な生物学的プログラム全体の偏移により引き起こされる。生物学的プログラムはゲノム情報が蛋白質合成に変換されることで実行される。その変換はRNAを介して行われる。RNAは転写から翻訳の過程において様々な代謝調節を受ける。代謝調節機構はRNAの機能発現を変化させ、最終的に生体機能を変化させる。しかし、心不全におけるRNA代謝調節の役割とその機序は十分に解明されていない。
本研究ではRNA代謝調節因子DEAD-box型RNAヘリカーゼに着目し、その心不全の病態生理における役割と機序を明らかにする。さらに、RNAヘリカーゼを標的とする新規心不全治療の開発を目指す。

Outline of Final Research Achievements

RNA metabolism is a fundamental mechanism that controls protein synthesis. Changes in RNA metabolism have been implicated in the pathogenesis of heart failure. However, their mechanisms remain largely unknown. Ddx41 is an RNA helicase that binds to RNA and regulates RNA metabolism. This study sought to elucidate the role and mechanism of Ddx41-mediated RNA metabolism in the pathophysiology of heart failure. Ddx41 was upregulated in human failing hearts. Mice with cardiomyocyte-specific overexpression of Ddx41 showed worse survival rate and cardiac remodeling during pressure overload or after myocardial infarction than wild-type mice. We found that Ddx41 binds to mRNAs and proteins related to inflammatory responses, which leads to DNA damage and mitochondrial dysfunction in cardiomyocytes. Inhibition of Ddx41 protected cardiomyocytes against DNA damage and mitochondrial dysfunction. Collectively, our results suggest that Ddx41 might be a promising therapeutic target for heart failure.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

予後不良の病態である心不全は超高齢化社会である我が国において急増しており、新規治療法の開発が急務である。本研究により、RNA代謝の担い手であるRNAヘリカーゼDdx41が心不全の病態に深く寄与することを解明した。心不全発症におけるRNA代謝の変容の重要性とその治療的介入点が明らかとなった。
学術的には、Ddx41が炎症関連因子のRNA及び蛋白質と結合し、DNA損傷とミトコンドリア機能障害を誘導することを解明した。心不全発症におけるRNA代謝と炎症誘導機構をつなぐ機序の一端が明らかとなった。Ddx41はがん等の疾患の発症にも寄与しており、本研究成果は心不全以外の疾患の病態生理の解明につながる。

Report

(4 results)
  • 2022 Annual Research Report   Final Research Report ( PDF )
  • 2021 Research-status Report
  • 2020 Research-status Report
  • Research Products

    (11 results)

All 2023 2022 2020 Other

All Int'l Joint Research (3 results) Journal Article (3 results) (of which Peer Reviewed: 3 results,  Open Access: 3 results) Presentation (3 results) (of which Int'l Joint Research: 2 results,  Invited: 2 results) Remarks (2 results)

  • [Int'l Joint Research] Massachusetts Institute of Technology(米国)

    • Related Report
      2022 Annual Research Report
  • [Int'l Joint Research] Massachusetts Institute of Technology(米国)

    • Related Report
      2021 Research-status Report
  • [Int'l Joint Research] Massachusetts Institute of Technology(米国)

    • Related Report
      2020 Research-status Report
  • [Journal Article] Optimizing antihypertensive therapy in patients with diabetes mellitus2023

    • Author(s)
      Wenhao Liu, Yasutomi Higashikuni, Masataka Sata
    • Journal Title

      Hypertension Research

      Volume: 46 Issue: 3 Pages: 797-800

    • DOI

      10.1038/s41440-022-01150-5

    • Related Report
      2022 Annual Research Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
  • [Journal Article] Give a Leg Up: Screening for Peripheral Artery Disease after Acute Myocardial Infarction2022

    • Author(s)
      Higashikuni Yasutomi、Liu Wenhao、Sata Masataka
    • Journal Title

      Journal of Atherosclerosis and Thrombosis

      Volume: 29 Issue: 7 Pages: 989-991

    • DOI

      10.5551/jat.ED186

    • NAID

      130008123408

    • ISSN
      1340-3478, 1880-3873
    • Year and Date
      2022-07-01
    • Related Report
      2022 Annual Research Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
  • [Journal Article] Linking RNA dynamics to heart disease: the lncRNA/miRNA/mRNA axis in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury2022

    • Author(s)
      Wenhao Liu, Yasutomi Higashikuni, Masataka Sata
    • Journal Title

      Hypertension Research

      Volume: 45 Issue: 6 Pages: 1067-1069

    • DOI

      10.1038/s41440-022-00905-4

    • Related Report
      2022 Annual Research Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
  • [Presentation] Homeostatic Inflammation in Heart Disease2022

    • Author(s)
      Yasutomi Higashikuni
    • Organizer
      The 86th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Japanese Circulation Society
    • Related Report
      2021 Research-status Report
    • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
  • [Presentation] Next-Generation Gene Therapy for Heart Failure2020

    • Author(s)
      Yasutomi Higashikuni
    • Organizer
      84th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Japanese Circulation Society
    • Related Report
      2020 Research-status Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] 次世代循環器病治療プラットフォーム開発の展望2020

    • Author(s)
      東邦 康智
    • Organizer
      日本麻酔科学会 第67回学術集会
    • Related Report
      2020 Research-status Report
    • Invited
  • [Remarks] Higashikuni Lab

    • URL

      https://www.higashikuni-lab.org

    • Related Report
      2022 Annual Research Report
  • [Remarks] Higashikuni Lab

    • URL

      https://www.higashikuni-lab.org/

    • Related Report
      2021 Research-status Report

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Published: 2020-04-28   Modified: 2024-01-30  

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