Molecular mechanism of porphyrin synthesis in the skin

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K08261
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 53050:Dermatology-related
• Research Institution: Hirosaki University
• Principal Investigator: Nakano Hajime 弘前大学, 医学研究科, 准教授 (90281922)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 澤村 大輔 弘前大学, 医学研究科, 教授 (60196334)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: ポルフィリン症 / 遺伝性ポルフィリン症 / ヘム生合成 / ポルフィリン / 表皮角化細胞 / 真皮線維芽細胞 / メラノサイト

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We investigated the expression of nine enzymes involved in the hem biosynthesis pathway in epidermal keratinized cells (KC), dermal fibroblasts (FB), and melanocytes (MC), which are the three major cells that make up human skin. Total RNA was extracted from each cultured cell and the gene expression of heme biosynthesis-related enzymes was examined by RT-PCR. The expression of all genes encoding eight enzymes other than ALAS2 was confirmed. Cytoplasmic proteins were extracted from KC, FB, and MC and Western blotting was performed. Protein expression of eight heme biosynthesis-related enzymes other than ALAS2 was confirmed, and ALAD, UROS, CPOX, and PPOX in MC, FECH protein expression level was found to be significantly higher than in other cells.

Free Research Field

遺伝性皮膚疾患

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ヒトの皮膚構成細胞における、ヘム生合成経路で働く9つの酵素の遺伝子およびタンパク発現レベルを世界で最初に解析した。メラノサイトでの高い発現が証明され、この事実がメラノサイトのどのような生理的活動と関連するのかを明らかにするために、更なる研究が必要となり、学術的発展が期待される。