Development of a new optogenetic system for tracking the dynamics of immune cells

• Project/Area Number: 26890028
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Laboratory animal science
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: Ishigame Harumichi 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 統合生命医科学研究センター, 研究員 (70729227)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-08-29 – 2016-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2015)
• Budget Amount: ¥2,730,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥630,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
• Keywords: 光遺伝学 / 細胞動態 / 腸管免疫

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Optogenetic approaches using a photo-activatable Cre recombinase to manipulate the expression of specific gene is an ideal tool to understand the regulation of cellular dynamics as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms. Here we tried to develop a new mouse strain (Opt-Cre) that allows permanent and spatiotemporal labeling of immune cells in vivo. We found that blue light illumination in the skin of OptCre mice induced a light-dependent DNA recombination in the keratinocytes, albeit at a low efficiency. However, we could not observe DNA recombination in immune cells after light exposure. These results suggest that this system may allow light-dependent permanent gene modification and live-cell tracing in specific cell types such as keratinocytes.