Elucidation of molecular mechanisms involved in the formation of functional neuronal network by neuron-microglia interaction

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project Area: Glial assembly: a new regulatory machinery of brain function and disorders
• Project/Area Number: 25117009
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas (Research in a proposed research area)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Review Section: Biological Sciences
• Research Institution: National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry
• Principal Investigator: Kohsaka Shinichi 国立研究開発法人国立精神・神経医療研究センター, 神経研究所, 名誉所長 (50112686)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 一戸 紀孝 国立研究開発法人国立精神・神経医療研究センター, 神経研究所 微細構造研究部, 部長 (00250598) ; 内野 茂夫 帝京大学, 理工学部, 教授 (30392434)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): ICHINOHE Noritaka 国立研究開発法人国立精神・神経医療研究センター, 神経研究所・微細構造研究部, 部長 (00250598)
• Research Collaborator: SANAGI Tomomi 国立研究開発法人国立精神・神経医療研究センター, 神経研究所・微細構造研究部, 研究員 (00527012) ; SASAKI Tetsuya 国立研究開発法人国立精神・神経医療研究センター, 神経研究所・微細構造研究部, 研究員 (10634066)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-06-28 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: ミクログリア / マーモセット / 自閉症 / 刈り込み

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have studied to clarity the role of microglia in the formation of functional neural circuit, especially the role in the synaptic pruning by using common marmosets, non-human primate models, because they showed clear synaptic pruning in the brain during developmental phase. In the cerebral cortex of the normal marmosets, we showed the possibility that the microglia was involved in synaptic pruning at the age of 3 months old. Furthermore, we prepared the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) model marmosets and demonstrated the insufficient synaptic pruning observed in the ASD patients. We have also suggested the abnormal function of microglia judged from the morphological changes of the cells. We speculated that the abnormal synaptic pruning observed in the ASD patients might be caused by the abnormal function of microglia.

Free Research Field

神経化学