2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Function of long non-coding RNA in the development and regeneration of inner ears
| Project/Area Number |
18K19611
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
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| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
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| Review Section |
Medium-sized Section 56:Surgery related to the biological and sensory functions and related fields
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| Research Institution | Kyoto University |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
中川 隆之 京都大学, 医学研究科, 研究員 (50335270)
岡野 高之 京都大学, 医学研究科, 講師 (60642931)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2018-06-29 – 2021-03-31
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| Keywords | non-coding RNA / 内耳 / 再生 |
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
We investigated the expression and function of long non-coding RNA (lnc RNA) in the cochlea. Among several types of lnc RNA, we picked up two molecules, Gomafu and Malat1, which are considered relevant with cochlear development and regeneration in our preliminary experiments. Regarding the expression level of Gomafu and Malat1, there were stable expression levels throughout the developmental and postnatal stages. The expression of Gomafu was highest at the middle stage of cochlear development and decreased after birth. On the other hand, Malat1 expression increased after birth until postnatal days ten and decreased at postnatal days 21.
Regarding the function of Gomafu, we measured the hearing level of Gomafu knockout mice using auditory brainstem response. At six and twelve weeks old, we did not find any difference in the thresholds of examined frequencies. However, at twenty-four weeks old, 20 and 40 kHz thresholds were significantly higher in knockout mice than in heterozygous mice.
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| Free Research Field |
耳鼻咽喉科学
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| Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements |
これまで蝸牛における発現や機能が研究されていなかったlnc RNAのうち、Gomafuはその機能が失われると加齢性難聴が加速することが本研究で示された。これまでは、難聴の治療を目指した研究はタンパク質やメッセンジャーRNAが対象であったが、lnc RNAもその対象となることを示した。超高齢社会を迎えた本邦において、加齢に伴う難聴に関わることが予想される新たな研究対象を発見できたことは、加齢性難聴の克服と高齢者の生活の質の改善につながる治療法の開発の可能性が広がったといえる。
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