2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Research on pharmacologically active molecule DIF found in the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoieum

Research Project

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Project/Area Number	15K07964
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Section	一般
Research Field	Pharmacology in pharmacy
Research Institution	Juntendo University
Principal Investigator	Kubohara Yuzuru 順天堂大学, スポーツ健康科学研究科, 教授 (00221937)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	大島吉輝東北大学, 医学系研究科, 特任教授(客員) (00111302)
Project Period (FY)	2015-04-01 – 2019-03-31
Keywords	細胞性粘菌 / 創薬 / がん / 糖尿病 / ミトコンドリア / 走化性運動 / トリパノソーマ
Outline of Final Research Achievements	DIF-1 is a differentiation-inducing factor and chemotaxis regulator in the cellular slime mold, Dictyostelium discoideum. We have found that DIF-1 and its derivatives possess antitumor activity and glucose-consumption promoting activity, and have advanced development of novel anticancer agents and anti-obesity/anti-diabetic agents using DIF as a seed. In this study, we proceeded with the followings; 1) Analysis of the mechanism underlying the antitumor actions of DIF derivatives, and development of novel anticancer drugs; 2) Analysis of the mechanism underlying the glucose-consumption promoting action of DIF derivatives, and development of novel anti-obesity/anti-diabetic drugs; and 3) analysis of the action mechanisms of DIF-1 in D. discoideum.
Free Research Field	細胞生物学・生化学
Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements	がんや肥満/糖尿病等に起因する生活習慣病は我が国の死亡原因の上位を占めており、これら疾病に対する新規薬剤開発（創薬）に対する社会的ニーズは大きい。しかしながら、新規な創薬資源の探索/開発は容易ではない。我々は土壌微生物の一群である「細胞性粘菌類」を「未利用創薬資源」と位置づけ、粘菌由来の化合物の探索と、それらをシードとした薬剤開発を進めてきた。とりわけ、本研究では粘菌由来のDIFをシードとしたまったく新しいタイプの抗がん剤と肥満/糖尿病治療薬の開発を進めており、社会的意義は大きいものと考えている。