Development of virus-based vector for local translatino in neuron to analyze high-order brain function

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K22353
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 42:Veterinary medical science, animal science, and related fields
• Research Institution: Nagasaki University
• Principal Investigator: YOSHII Kentaro 長崎大学, 感染症共同研究拠点, 教授 (50421988)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-06-28 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 局所翻訳 / フラビウイルス / ウイルスベクター / 脳の高次機能

Outline of Final Research Achievements

It has been reported that mRNAs are transported and locally translated in neuronal dendrites. Transport of the mRNA and local translation in neuronal dendrites have been shown to be important for neurogenesis and the plasticity of the synaptic communication. Furthermore, disruption of the neuronal granule system has been shown to be involved in mental retardation and neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we focused on a neuro-tropic flavivirus which uses the mRNA transport mechanism for the viral RNA transport in dendrites, and tried to apply it to vector for local protein translation in neurons. We constructed a reported virus which expressed heterologous genes, and mice were infected with the virus. The heterologous gene was successfully expressed in the brain indicating that the virus can be applied for the development of the virus vector for local translation in dendrites of neurons.

Free Research Field

獣医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまで脳の高次機能における局所翻訳の重要性は指摘されていたものの、生体レベルで諸因子の機能を解析するには遺伝子改変動物の使用以外に方法は無く、解析が困難であった。本研究の成果を基盤として任意の局所翻訳因子の発現が可能になれば、これまで解析が困難であった諸因子の局所翻訳における詳細な機能解析が容易に行えるようになり、脳の高次機能制御に関わる重要な基盤情報収集が飛躍的に進むと期待される。