Molecular mechanism of pregnancy failure with aging: possible role of inflammasome

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K07783
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Integrative animal science
• Research Institution: Tokyo University of Agriculture
• Principal Investigator: SHIRASUNA Koumei 東京農業大学, 農学部, 准教授 (20552780)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 岩田 尚孝 東京農業大学, 農学部, 教授 (50385499) ; 桑山 岳人 東京農業大学, 農学部, 教授 (40215124)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 加齢 / 妊娠 / 卵管 / 子宮 / 炎症

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we hypothesized that the decrease in pregnancy rate might be caused by the fall of the oviduct and uterine function and the excessive inflammatory state with aging, and the cow was verified as a model. From analysis of next-generation sequencers, old-derived oviduct cells had higher expression of inflammation-related gene groups (IL-1, S100A, etc.) than younger-derived oviduct cells. Aging induction candidate factors has been shown to induce inflammation of oviduct cells and abnormalities of fertilization and embryogenesis.

Free Research Field

生殖生理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

加齢に伴う過剰な老化因子の蓄積が子宮・卵管細胞の慢性炎症を引き起こした。また、老化誘導候補因子が細胞の機能異常や発生異常を引き起こすことが分かった。以上から、妊娠に重要な卵管・子宮は加齢に伴い機能異常が起きることが判明し、その機序の一端を明らかにできたことから、これらの成果が老化制御法や治療法の開発に繋がることが期待できる。