Analysis of function of glycogen metabolism in the neural stem cell

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K18396
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Neurochemistry/Neuropharmacology
• Research Institution: Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Gotoh Hitoshi 京都府立医科大学, 医学(系)研究科(研究院), 助教 (20462202)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): Ono Katsuhiko 京都府立医科大学, 大学院 医学研究科・神経発生生物学, 教授 (30152523) ; Nomura Tadashi 京都府立医科大学, 大学院 医学研究科・神経発生生物学, 准教授 (10323007)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 神経発生 / 大脳皮質 / 発生 / エネルギー代謝 / グリコーゲン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Glycogen is formed from glucose and its metabolism is known to play a role in energy supply. In this study, we focused on Glycogenin (Gyg), which is the core enzyme of glycogen synthesis, and analyzed its role in the brain development. When we examined the expression of the Gyg gene in the cerebral cortex, it was strongly expressed in the neural stem cells. We introduced knockdown construct by in utero electroporation, and found that differentiation and migration of neurons were disturbed. We further established Gyg KO mice using Crispr/Cas9 method. However, Gyg KO mice showed early postnatal lethality and showed similar abnormality in cortical layer formation.
From these observation, it was suggested that the glycogen metabolic pathway is important for the development of the cerebral cortex.

Free Research Field

神経発生学