The effects of environmental chemicals on thyroid hormone systems during the critical period of developing cerebellum

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K00557
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Risk sciences of radiation and chemicals
• Research Institution: Gunma University
• Principal Investigator: Miyazaki Wataru 群馬大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 准教授 (90512278)
• Research Collaborator: Amano Izuki ; Haijima Asahi ; Koibuchi Noriyuki ; Hollenberg Anthony N
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 環境化学物質 / 甲状腺ホルモン / 脳発達

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Thyroid hormone (TH) and the systems have important roles on brain development including cerebellum. However, the mechanisms of several adverse effects on the development by environmental chemicals are still unclear. In this study, to clarify the mechanisms, we focused on the interaction between TH receptors (TRs) and TH response elements (TREs) during the critical period of developing cerebellum.
To identify the TREs which were responsible for the expression of target genes on cerebellum development, we performed chromatin immune precipitation assay with anti-TR antibodies. In addition, microarray analysis was performed to realize the target genes induced or suppressed by TH stimulation during the critical period.
These results may be one of the important information to clarify the mechanism.

Free Research Field

衛生学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、小脳の発達において、甲状腺ホルモン（TH）の刺激によって大きく発現が変動する遺伝子群を明らかにするとともに、その中でも特に化学物質によって異常な変化が引き起こされる可能性のあるものを同定した。
これらの結果はヒトの脳発達に重要な甲状腺ホルモン（TH）系の役割の解明につながり、さらに環境化学物質によるヒトへの影響を防ぐ上で必要不可欠な基礎データである。