Roles of novel GnRH neurons in the hindbrain, spinal cord, and retina

• Project/Area Number: 25650118
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Animal physiology/Animal behavior
• Research Institution: Konan University
• Principal Investigator: KUSAKABE Takehiro 甲南大学, 理工学部, 教授 (40280862)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): KUHARA Atsushi 甲南大学, 理工学部, 准教授 (00402412)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2015)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,160,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥960,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥2,080,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥480,000); Fiscal Year 2013: ¥2,080,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥480,000)
• Keywords: GnRH / メダカ / ホヤ / 中枢神経系 / プラコード / 網膜

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is a neuroendocrine peptide that plays a central role in the control of vertebrate reproductive functions. Three major GnRH systems have been characterized in vertebrates: the conventional hypophysiotropic GnRH system and two extrahypothalamic GnRH systems. Whether hypophysiotropic or extrahypothalamic, most functions of the GnRH systems have been implicated in the control of reproductive activities. The tunicate Ciona intestinalis has in its non-reproductive larval stage a prominent GnRH system spanning the entire length of the nervous system. We have found evidence for localization of cells producing GnRH in the hindbrain, spinal cord, and retina of vertebrates, suggesting that GnRH also plays a non-reproductive role in vertebrates. Our results demonstrate that the GnRH system is deeply associated with the chordate-specific characteristics and suggest a non-reproductive role of GnRH both in tunicates and vertebrates.

Research Products

• [Int'l Joint Research] カリフォルニア大学バークレー校(米国)
• [Int'l Joint Research] パリ第６大学(フランス)
• [Journal Article] 太古に遡る嗅覚と生殖のつながり ―ホヤを使った研究から― (2016)
  • Author(s): 島井光太郎、日下部岳広
  • Journal Title: AROMA RESEARCH Volume: 17 Pages: 42-44
• [Journal Article] The pre-vertebrate origins of neurogenic placodes (2015)
  • Author(s): Abitua, P. B., Gainous, T. B., Kaczmarczyk, A. N., Winchell, C. J., Hudson, C., Kamata, K., Nakagawa, M., Tsuda, M., Kusakabe, T. G., and Levine, M.
  • Journal Title: Nature Volume: 524 Issue: 7566 Pages: 462-465
  • DOI: 10.1038/nature14657
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Journal Article] Nonreproductive role of gonadotropin-releasing hormone in the control of ascidian metamorphosis. (2014)
  • Author(s): Kamiya C, Ohta N, Ogura Y, Yoshida K, Horie T, Kusakabe TG, Satake H, Sasakura Y.
  • Journal Title: Ｄｅｖｅｌｏｐｍｅｎｔａｌ Ｄｙｎａｍｉｃｓ Volume: 243 Issue: 12 Pages: 1524-1535
  • DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24176
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] Transcriptional co-regulation of evolutionarily conserved microRNA/cone opsin gene pairs: implications for photoreceptor subtype specification. (2014)
  • Author(s): Yutaka Daido, Sakurako Hamanishi, Takehiro G. Kusakabe
  • Journal Title: Developmental Biology Volume: 392 Issue: 1 Pages: 117-129
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2014.04.021
  • Peer Reviewed / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Presentation] オプシンがメダカ視細胞の形態多様性に及ぼす影響の解析 (2014)
  • Author(s): 細川恵梨華、赤澤菜摘、柏木洋貴、大道裕、久原篤、本多大輔、日下部岳広
  • Organizer: 第37回日本分子生物学会年会
  • Place of Presentation: パシフィコ横浜（神奈川県横浜市）
  • Year and Date: 2014-11-27
• [Presentation] メダカ視細胞の形態多様性を生み出す要因の検討 (2014)
  • Author(s): 細川恵梨華、赤澤菜摘、柏木洋貴、大道裕、久原篤、本多大輔、日下部岳広
  • Organizer: 日本動物学会第85回大会
  • Place of Presentation: 東北大学川内キャンパス（宮城県仙台市）
  • Year and Date: 2014-09-13
• [Presentation] Ciona and medaka as model organisms for studying neural development and function (2014)
  • Author(s): Take Kusakabe
  • Organizer: Seminar at Department of Molecular & Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley
  • Place of Presentation: バークレー（米国カリフォルニア州）
  • Year and Date: 2014-08-07
• [Presentation] Structural and physiological analysis for a central pattern generator controlling swimming locomotion of the ascidian larva (2014)
  • Author(s): Takeo Horie, Masamichi Ohkura, Takehiro G. Kusakabe, Junichi Nakai, Masashi Nakagawa
  • Organizer: 第91回日本生理学会大会 シンポジウム「無脊椎動物から哺乳類へとつながる運動制御の神経回路 －Central Pattern Generator研究の最前線－」
  • Place of Presentation: 鹿児島
  • Invited
• [Presentation] Cone subtype-specific microRNAs as putative regulators for photoreceptor subtypes: evidence from primary transcripts localization and target prediction in medaka (2013)
  • Author(s): Yutaka Daido, Takehiro G. Kusakabe
  • Organizer: 19th Japanese Medaka and Zebrafish Meeting
  • Place of Presentation: 仙台
• [Presentation] Shared cis-regulatory modules regulate transcription of evolutionarily conserved and bidirectionally transcribed miRNA-opsin gene pairs in the medaka retina (2013)
  • Author(s): Yutaka Daido, Takehiro G. Kusakabe
  • Organizer: 17th International Congress of Developmental Biology
  • Place of Presentation: Cancun, Mexico
• [Presentation] Functional and structural evidence for a central pattern generator controlling swimming locomotion of the Ciona intestinalis larva (2013)
  • Author(s): Takehiro G. Kusakabe, Koki Nishitsuji, Daisuke Moriguchi, Hiroki Kashiwagi, Kotaro Shimai, Daiske Honda, Masashi Nakagawa, Masamichi Ohkura, Junichi Nakai, Yasunori Sasakura, Takeo Horie
  • Organizer: 7th International Tunicate Meeting
  • Place of Presentation: Naples, Italy
• [Presentation] 錐体オプシン遺伝子と共発現するマイクロRNAの役割 (2013)
  • Author(s): 大道裕、日下部岳広
  • Organizer: 日本動物学会第84回大会
  • Place of Presentation: 岡山
• [Presentation] Development and function of the sensory and motor systems in the simple chordate Ciona intestinalis (2013)
  • Author(s): Take Kusakabe
  • Organizer: OIST Winter Course “Evolution of Complex Systems”
  • Place of Presentation: Onna, Okinawa, Japan
  • Invited