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2003 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

Mouse Motoneuron Culture Systems -Identification of a novel neurotrophic factor-

Research Project

Project/Area Number 14570595
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Section一般
Research Field Neurology
Research InstitutionOsaka University

Principal Investigator

YAMAMOTO Yoichi  Osaka University, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Assistant Professor (20335342)

Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) NAKAMURA Hideji  Hyogo Medical College, Internal Medicine, Associate Professor (20237423)
Project Period (FY) 2002 – 2003
Keywordsmotor neuron disease / motoneuron / amyotrophic lateral sclerosis / tissue culture / spinal cord / neurotrophic factor / valproic acid / hepatoma-derived growth factor
Research Abstract

We devised an organotypic mouse spinal cord culture, based on the conventional protocols using rat The lumbar spinal cords of the mouse pups at postnatal day 2 were used. Neuroprotective effects of one of the most commonly used anticonvulsants, valproic acid (VPA), against glutamate toxicity, were clearly observed. To test the benefit of VPA in vivo, ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) model mice (G93A low copy) were treated with VPA (0.26% w/v) from 45 days of age until endpoint We found that VPA treatment led to significant prolongation of the disease duration (36 days). VPA is considered to show the beneficial effect through upreguration of Bcl2, HSP70, and inhibition of HDAC(histone deacetylase), GSK3 β. VPA has long been used with safety and good tolerance in humans, our findings suggest that a good outcome of VPA clinical trials in ALS patients can be expected. Furthermore, neuroprotective effects of VPA might be beneficial to other neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.
Hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF) is a heparin-binding proliferating factor originally isolated from conditioned medium of the hepatoma-derived cell line HuH-7. HDGF is reported to be widely expressed and act as a growth factor in many kinds of cells. However, it has not been investigated in the nervous system. We revealed that HDGF was expressed mainly in neurons, and localized to the nucleus. HDGF was secreted under physiological conditions, and released extracellularly in necrotic conditions. Furthermore, we showed that exogenously supplied HDGF had a neurotrophic effect, and was able to partially prevent the cell death of neurons in which endogenous HDGF was suppressed. Therefore, we propose that HDGF is a novel type of neurotrophic factor, on account of its localization in the nucleus and its potential to function in an autocrine manner under both physiological and pathological conditions.

  • Research Products

    (5 results)

All 2004 2003

All Journal Article (4 results) Book (1 results)

  • [Journal Article] Hepatoma-derived growth factor is a neurotrophic factor harbored in the nucleus.2004

    • Author(s)
      Zhou Z, Yamamoto Y, Sugai F, Yoshida K, Kishima Y, Sumi H, Nakamura H, Sakoda S.
    • Journal Title

      J.Biol.Chem. 279(26)

      Pages: 27320-27326

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Journal Article] Identification of two novel mutations in the Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase gene with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis : massspectrometric and genomic analyses.2004

    • Author(s)
      Sato T, Yamamoto Y, Nakanishi T, Fukada K, Sugai F, Zhou Z, Okuno T, Nagano S, Hirata S, Shimizu A, Sakoda S.
    • Journal Title

      J.Neurol.Sci. 218(1-2)

      Pages: 79-83

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
  • [Journal Article] Hepatoma-derived growth factor is a neurotrophic factor harbored in the nucleus.2004

    • Author(s)
      Thou Z, Yamamoto Y, Sugai F, Yoshida K, Kishima Y, Sumi H, Nakamura H, Sakoda S.
    • Journal Title

      J.Biol.Chem. 279(26)

      Pages: 27320-27326

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Journal Article] Identification of two novel mutations in the Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase gene with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: mass spectrometric and genomic analyses.2004

    • Author(s)
      Sato T, Yamamoto Y, Nakanishi T, Fukada K, Sugai F, Thou Z, Okuno T, Nagano S, Hirata S, Shimizu A, Sakoda S.
    • Journal Title

      J.Neurol.Sci. 218(1-2)

      Pages: 79-83

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
  • [Book] 脳212003

    • Author(s)
      山本洋一, 須貝文宣, 佐古田三郎
    • Total Pages
      4
    • Publisher
      金芳堂
    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より

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Published: 2011-06-18  

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