1997 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Intercelluar Bioactive Molecules in Neural Circuit
| Project/Area Number |
08044261
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for international Scientific Research
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | Joint Research |
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| Research Field |
Neurochemistry/Neuropharmacology
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| Research Institution | NIIGATA UNIVERSITY |
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Principal Investigator |
NAWA Hiroyuki Niigata Univ.Brain Res.Inst.Proffessor, 脳研究所, 教授 (50183083)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
熊 化保 新潟大学, 脳研究所, 日本学術振興会研究員
SAITO Mako Niigata Univ.Brain Res.Inst.Assistant, 脳研究所, 助手 (50283023)
OTSU Yo Niigata Univ.Brain Res.Inst.Assistant, 脳研究所, 助手 (40277504)
SHIBUKI Katsuei Niigata Univ.Brain Res.Inst.Proffessor, 脳研究所, 教授 (40146163)
NAGANO Takashi Niigata Univ.Brain Res.Inst.Assistant, 脳研究所, 助手 (70272854)
HUABAO Xiong Niigata Univ.Brain Res.Inst.Postdoctral Fellow
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| Project Period (FY) |
1996 – 1997
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| Keywords | Growth Factor / Neurotropic / BDNF / Neurotransmitter / Gene Targetting / Knockout Mouse / Synapse / Receptor |
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| Research Abstract |
Neurons communicate with each other using a large variety of neurotransmitters and receptors. Despite this enormous diversity, each functional neural pathway can be recognized by its distinctive set of transmitters and receptors employed. How is the neurotransmitter/peptide phenotype specified in each neural pathway during development? The importance of their phenotypic regulation has been argumented since abnormal expression of neurotransmitters or their receptors are often associated with various neurological diseases.
We have previously shown that diffusible intercellular factors such as nerve growth factor can regulate such neuronal phenotypes in cultured neurons. In this proposed project, we aimed at studying their in vivo influences on transmitter/receptor phenotypes using mutant mice whose genes of neurotrophins or related molecules are disrupted. Based on our previous friendship in Cold Spring Harbor Lovoratory, we have established this collaboration project with its neuroscience group to examine a large variety of these mutant mice. We have focused on genes of neurotropic factors as well as their target molecules ; brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), Fyn, CREB,alpha-CAMK2 and NOS.Molecular, biochemical and histochemical analyzes revealed that the neurotrophin mutant exhibited lower expression of various neurotransmitters, their receptors and the synaptic enzymes, and, in turn, the enzyme mutants contrained abnormal levels of neurotrophins. These observations suggest that neurotrophins and these synaptic receptors/enzymes interact with each other during brain development and regulate synergistic synaptic development.
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