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Molecular mechanism of tight junction maintenance by proteases

Research Project

Project/Area Number 21K06156
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

Allocation TypeMulti-year Fund
Section一般
Review Section Basic Section 44010:Cell biology-related
Research InstitutionFukushima Medical University

Principal Investigator

Higashi Tomohito  福島県立医科大学, 医学部, 准教授 (70515072)

Project Period (FY) 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 2023)
Budget Amount *help
¥4,290,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥990,000)
Fiscal Year 2023: ¥1,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000)
Fiscal Year 2022: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
Fiscal Year 2021: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000)
Keywords密着結合(タイトジャンクション) / クローディン / ZnUMBA / バリア機能 / 上皮細胞 / EpCAM / セリンプロテアーゼ / 膜繋留型セリンプロテアーゼ(MASP) / タイトジャンクション / 密着結合 / プロテアーゼ / バリア機構
Outline of Research at the Start

密着結合(タイトジャンクション)は、上皮細胞のバリア機能を司る細胞間接着である。これまで、密着結合を主体的に構成するクローディン分子が上皮細胞の管腔側だけで重合して密着結合を形成する仕組みや、密着結合が細胞周囲の力学的な環境変化によって生じる微細な損傷を感知し修復する仕組みは明らかになっていなかった。
本研究は、これまで密着結合における役割の知られてこなかった膜繋留型セリンプロテアーゼとその基質を切り口として、動的な密着結合の形成・修復過程におけるこれらの分子の役割を解明することにより、上皮細胞のバリア機能が恒常的に保たれる仕組みの一端を明らかにすることを目的とする。

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Epithelial tight junctions (TJs) regulate the paracellular permeability of substances and maintain barrier function. Although TJs are challenged by cell movements and tension changes and undergo small breaks, the mechanisms that repair and maintain TJs have not been clarified. In this study, I discovered that a transmembrane protein EpCAM is complexed with claudin-7, a building block of TJs, and that EpCAM-claudin 7 complex is maintained on the basolateral membranes. Upon TJ break, membrane-anchored serine proteinase family proteinases cleave EpCAM and release the complexed claudin-7, which participates in the repair process of TJ breaks. This study uncovered a novel mechanism of epithelial barrier maintenance.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

細胞間接着装置の一つである密着結合は、体の中の異なる区画の間の液性成分の移動を制限・制御することによって上皮組織が正常な生理機能を果たせるようにしています。本研究は密着結合が、生じてしまった小さなキズを常に修復しているという新しい概念に基づき密着結合の維持機構の一端を解明しました。本研究成果は、密着結合関連疾患の病態解明につながるとともに、この維持機構を一過的に阻害することにより、鼻腔や消化管などの密着結合を一時的にゆるめて効率的に薬剤を送達する手法の開発などにつながる可能性があります。

Report

(4 results)
  • 2023 Annual Research Report   Final Research Report ( PDF )
  • 2022 Research-status Report
  • 2021 Research-status Report
  • Research Products

    (10 results)

All 2024 2023 2022 Other

All Int'l Joint Research (2 results) Journal Article (4 results) (of which Int'l Joint Research: 1 results,  Peer Reviewed: 4 results,  Open Access: 2 results) Presentation (4 results) (of which Int'l Joint Research: 2 results,  Invited: 3 results)

  • [Int'l Joint Research] Institute of Science and Technology(オーストリア)

    • Related Report
      2023 Annual Research Report
  • [Int'l Joint Research] University of Michigan(米国)

    • Related Report
      2023 Annual Research Report
  • [Journal Article] Damage control of epithelial barrier function in dynamic environments2024

    • Author(s)
      Higashi Tomohito、Saito Akira C.、Chiba Hideki
    • Journal Title

      European Journal of Cell Biology

      Volume: 103 Issue: 2 Pages: 151410-151410

    • DOI

      10.1016/j.ejcb.2024.151410

    • Related Report
      2023 Annual Research Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
  • [Journal Article] ZnUMBA - a live imaging method to detect local barrier breaches2023

    • Author(s)
      Higashi Tomohito、Stephenson Rachel E.、Schwayer Cornelia、Huljev Karla、Higashi Atsuko Y.、Heisenberg Carl-Philipp、Chiba Hideki、Miller Ann L.
    • Journal Title

      Journal of Cell Science

      Volume: 136 Issue: 15

    • DOI

      10.1242/jcs.260668

    • Related Report
      2023 Annual Research Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
  • [Journal Article] Tight-junction strand networks and tightness of the epithelial barrier2023

    • Author(s)
      Saito Akira C、Higashi Tomohito、Chiba Hideki
    • Journal Title

      Microscopy

      Volume: 72 Issue: 3 Pages: 213-225

    • DOI

      10.1093/jmicro/dfad008

    • Related Report
      2023 Annual Research Report
    • Peer Reviewed
  • [Journal Article] EpCAM proteolysis and release of complexed claudin-7 repair and maintain the tight junction barrier2022

    • Author(s)
      Higashi Tomohito、Saito Akira C.、Fukazawa Yugo、Furuse Mikio、Higashi Atsuko Y.、Ono Masahiro、Chiba Hideki
    • Journal Title

      Journal of Cell Biology

      Volume: 222 Issue: 1

    • DOI

      10.1083/jcb.202204079

    • Related Report
      2022 Research-status Report
    • Peer Reviewed
  • [Presentation] Proteinase-mediated tight junction damage surveillance and repair.2023

    • Author(s)
      Higashi T.
    • Organizer
      Shenyang Brain Science and Disease Symposium
    • Related Report
      2023 Annual Research Report
    • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
  • [Presentation] Proteinase-mediated tight junction damage surveillance and repair.2023

    • Author(s)
      Higashi T, Saito AC, Fukazawa Y, Furuse M, Higashi AY, Ono M, Chiba H.
    • Organizer
      Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Cell Contact and Adhesion
    • Related Report
      2023 Annual Research Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] EpCAMの限定分解による密着結合の修復機構2023

    • Author(s)
      東 智仁
    • Organizer
      生理学研究所上皮研究会
    • Related Report
      2023 Annual Research Report
    • Invited
  • [Presentation] プロテアーゼによる密着結合の破綻の検知・修復の仕組み2022

    • Author(s)
      東智仁、齋藤明、深澤有吾、古瀬幹夫、東淳子、小野将寛、千葉英樹
    • Organizer
      日本分子生物学会
    • Related Report
      2022 Research-status Report
    • Invited

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Published: 2021-04-28   Modified: 2025-01-30  

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