Developments of fluorescent molecular probes for the simultaneous detections of various neurotransmitters and application to medical diagnosis

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K06592
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Biofunction/Bioprocess
• Research Institution: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: Suzuki Yoshio 国立研究開発法人産業技術総合研究所, 生命工学領域, 主任研究員 (60321907)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 蛍光 / センサー / 分子プローブ / 神経伝達物質 / 分子設計

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Fluorescent reagents, which have transition metal complex as recognition site for dopamine, peptides as recognition site of oxytocin and fluorophore such as cyanopyranyl moiety have been developed for the selective detection of neurotransmitters. These compounds indicated weak fluorescence, whereas strong emission was observed after addition of target neurotransmitters. The increases of fluorescence intensities were concentration-dependent, from which a good linear relationships were observed by plotting the data as a function of neurotransmitters concentrations. The bindings and detections of fluorescent probes with target neurotransmitters were not affected by the presence of foreign substances, thereby allowing for the highly selective detection of neurotransmitters. These fluorescent probes can be broadly employed in detection protocols of neurotransmitters by the scientific community in diverse areas of research.

Free Research Field

ケミカルバイオロジー

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究成果は、開発した分析試薬を用いることにより、これまで計測が困難であった神経伝達物質の高感度かつ高選択的検出が可能になったという分析化学分野の発展に繋がる学術的に意義のある成果である。さらに、神経伝達物質の動的挙動をリアルタイムで計測出来る技術にも繋がり、現在根本的な治療法が確立していない神経変性疾患に対する理解が深まる可能性を秘めている。