Molecular mechanisms of amyloid beta metabolism by a cell survival factor

• Project/Area Number: 24890236
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Neurology
• Research Institution: Sophia University
• Principal Investigator: NIIKURA Takako 上智大学, 理工学部, 准教授 (10301491)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-08-31 – 2014-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2013)
• Budget Amount: ¥2,990,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥690,000); Fiscal Year 2013: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000); Fiscal Year 2012: ¥1,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000)
• Keywords: アルツハイマー病 / アミロイドベータ / 生理活性分子 / シグナル伝達 / 脳神経疾患

Research Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia. Humanin (HN) is a novel neuroprotective factor and suppresses the neuronal death caused by AD-related insults in test tubes. A highly potent HN derivative ameliorated cognitive deficits and sustained the increase of amyloid burden in an AD mouse model, which exhibits complex AD-relevant pathology. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms how HN suppresses amyloid accumulation, particularly focusing on an amyloid degradation enzyme and amyloid clearance by glial cells.

Research Products

• [Presentation] Signaling cascades of Humanin and the derivatives through Formyl peptide receptor like-1 (FPRL-1) (2013)
  • Author(s): Y Kita, T Arakawa, T Niikura
  • Organizer: Society for Neuroscience 42nd Annual Meeting
  • Place of Presentation: San Diego CA, USA
• [Presentation] Humanin and its derivatives activate ERK via FPRL-1 similarly despite the quite difference neuroprotective-potency between the derivatives (2013)
  • Author(s): T Niikura, T Arakawa, Y Kita
  • Organizer: The 11^<th> International Conference on Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases
  • Place of Presentation: Florence, Italy
• [Presentation] Signaling cascades of Humanin and the derivatives through Formyl peptide receptor like-1 (FPRL-1). (2013)
  • Author(s): Y Kita, T Arakawa, T Niikura.
  • Organizer: Society for Neuroscience 42nd Annual Meeting
  • Place of Presentation: San Diego CA, USA
• [Presentation] Humanin and its derivatives activate ERK via FPRL-1 similarly despite the quite difference neuroprotective-potency between the derivatives. (2013)
  • Author(s): Takako Niikura
  • Organizer: The 11th International Conference on Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases
  • Place of Presentation: Florence, Italy
• [Presentation] Aggregation analysis of short neuroprotective peptide (2013)
  • Author(s): Tsutomu Arakawa
  • Organizer: American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists Annual Meeting 2013
  • Place of Presentation: San Antonio TX, USA
• [Presentation] Is the difference in neuro-protective activity between Humanin analogs conserved in FPRL-1 mediated activation? (2012)
  • Author(s): Y Kita, T Arakawa, T Niikura
  • Organizer: Society for Neuroscience 42nd Annual Meeting2012
  • Place of Presentation: New Orleans LA, USA
• [Presentation] Is the difference in neuro-protective activity between Humanin analogs conserved in FPRL-1 mediated activation? (2012)
  • Author(s): Yoshiko Kita
  • Organizer: Society for Neuroscience 42nd Annual Meeting 2012
  • Place of Presentation: New Orleans LA, USA
• [Remarks]
  • URL: http://www.sophia.ac.jp/ezpublish/index.php/jpn/research/sangaku-chizai/ROR/RORc01_12