Study on brain functional recovery by an ionotropic receptor-mediated chemogenetic technology

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K22474
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 46:Neuroscience and related fields
• Research Institution: Fukushima Medical University
• Principal Investigator: Kobayashi Kazuto 福島県立医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (90211903)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-06-28 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 化学遺伝学 / 神経活動促進 / 機能回復 / パーキンソン病 / 認知症

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Certain neurological diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease and dementia are caused by degeneration of selective neuronal types, resulting in the impairments in brain functions. Recently, we developed a new strategy for selective activation of target neurons of interests by using ionotropic receptor-mediated chemogenetic technology with the insect IR84a/IR8a complex. In the present study, we will activate target neurons in the brain by using the peripheral injections of a ligand precursor for IR84a/IR8a receptors and control the activity of striatal indirect pathway neurons as targets, inducing the behavioral modulation. The results obtained from this study will lead to the development of a new strategy for the recovery and treatment of some symptoms in the diseases by the facilitation of target neuron activity.

Free Research Field

分子神経生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の成果は、今後、パーキンソン病、認知症の病態モデル動物に対して、これらの症状の原因となる神経細胞種の機能を亢進し、病態の改善・回復を目指す新たなストラテジーの開発に繋がる。