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Modulation of mitochondrial function by reactive sulfur signaling

Research Project

Project/Area Number 20K21565
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)

Allocation TypeMulti-year Fund
Review Section Medium-sized Section 52:General internal medicine and related fields
Research InstitutionTohoku University

Principal Investigator

Wei Fan-Yan  東北大学, 加齢医学研究所, 教授 (90555773)

Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) 小川 亜希子  東北大学, 加齢医学研究所, 助教 (00868565)
Project Period (FY) 2020-07-30 – 2022-03-31
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 2021)
Budget Amount *help
¥6,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥5,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,500,000)
Fiscal Year 2021: ¥3,250,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥750,000)
Fiscal Year 2020: ¥3,250,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥750,000)
KeywordsRNA修飾 / ミトコンドリア / 代謝 / 硫黄 / エネルギー代謝
Outline of Research at the Start

活性硫黄はタンパク質翻訳と電子伝達といったミトコンドリア基幹機能を支える分子であり、その低下がミトコンドリア病の発症に関わる可能性が高い。本研究では活性硫黄を標的とする機能的スクリーニングを行い、活性硫黄の内在性調節因子を同定しその調節機構と病態との関連を解明する。更にはその機序に基づき活性硫黄を増やすことが翻訳と代謝といったミトコンドリアの根幹機能の再生と個体機能の回復につながるかを検証する。

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Mitochondrial disease is a rare genetic disease characterized by the catastrophic impairment of mitochondrial metabolism caused by pathogenic mutations in mitochondrial DNA or nuclear DNA. However, there is no effective treatment for mitochondrial disease. Recently, our research has discovered that the reactive sulfur species-mediated signaling is involved in the pathogenesis of mitochondrial disease. We found that the reactive sulfur species donate sulfur atoms to mitochondrial tRNA to form tRNA thiolation. Decrease of mitochondrial tRNA thiolation is responsible for the alteration of mitochondrial protein translation and the subsequent metabolic dysfunction. In the current study, we performed a comprehensive genetic screening using shRNA library targeting genes that are related to mitochondrial functions. We identified that knockdown of several genes can lead to the recovery of mitochondrial membrane potential and cell growth in a mitochondrial disease cell model.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究により、活性硫黄に由来するシグナルへの介入がミトコンドリアの機能回復につながることが示された。これにより、将来的に同調節因子を標的とする革新的なミトコンドリア病治療薬の創出、そしてミトコンドリア病の根本的な改善が可能であり、難病治療にブレークスルーをもたらすことが期待される。

Report

(1 results)
  • 2021 Final Research Report ( PDF )

URL: 

Published: 2020-08-03   Modified: 2023-01-30  

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