Pericyte imaging for the early detection of psychiatric diseases

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16KT0192
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 特設分野
• Research Field: Complex Systems Disease Theory
• Research Institution: Okayama University
• Principal Investigator: Takarada Takeshi 岡山大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科, 研究教授 (30377428)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 小川 数馬 金沢大学, 新学術創成研究機構, 准教授 (30347471)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-07-19 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 体内時計 / グリア / PET/SPECT

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we focused on the loss of pericyte existing around the cerebrovascular in Bmal1 KO mice, and tried to develop the tools for visualizing the pericyte for the purpose of directing early detection of the disease. As a result, we have found that the circadian clock system regulates PDGFRβ expression in the pericyte, followed by the regulation of the astrocyte activation state through modulation of cerebral vascular permeability. In addition, we have developped a PET/SPECT imaging probe using IQP, which is a compound having high affinity to PDGFRβ .

Free Research Field

幹細胞生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

精神疾患の客観的な診断マーカーが存在せず、疾病発症や病態進行の予測を行うことは難しく、治療への早期介入が難しい。この点において本研究は、ペリサイトロスが可視化可能な精神疾患マーカーである可能性を見出し、そのイメージングプローブを開発した点において、社会的意義は高いと考えられる。