Analysis of the mechanism of exacerbation of neurodegeneration by innate immunity

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K06445
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 42030:Animal life science-related
• Research Institution: Rikkyo University
• Principal Investigator: Goto Satoshi 立教大学, 理学部, 教授 (60280575)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 山本 美紀 (日野美紀) 立教大学, 理学部, 助教 (40301783)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 神経変性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Living organisms have an innate defense response called innate immunity to protect themselves from various pathogens. Recently, it has been shown that innate immunity is activated not only during infection but also in neurodegenerative diseases, but it is not well understood whether the activation of innate immunity is involved in the progression of neurodegeneration. Using a fly model of neurodegenerative disease, we have shown that a molecule induced during innate immune activation acts in a pro-neurodegenerative manner, and we have named this molecule D-knif. In this study, we investigated whether the same phenomenon is observed in mammals and the effect of the human D-knif family on human neurons, and were able to show that the D-knif family molecules also act to promote neurodegeneration in humans.

Free Research Field

細胞生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

すべての多細胞生物に備わる自然免疫システムは生体防御を実行する。しかし、神経変性の過程においても自然免疫が活性化する。私達はショウジョウバエを用い、その自然免疫の活性化は神経変性を増悪化することをも見出した。さらに、それがショウジョウバエに留まらず哺乳動物でも保存されているかを検討し、培養細胞レベルで保存されていることを見出した。本研究の成果は、ヒトにおける神経変性疾患の理解に貢献する。