Analysis of physiological roles of protein degradation pathways in blood

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20H03249
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 44010:Cell biology-related
• Research Institution: Chiba University
• Principal Investigator: Itakura Eisuke 千葉大学, 大学院理学研究院, 准教授 (90754218)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: タンパク質分解 / 細胞外タンパク質 / 異常タンパク質

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The progress of this research project has revealed some aspects of various protein quality control mechanisms, including the identification of various compounds that induce mitochondrial stress, elucidation of molecular mechanisms related to autophagy, the degradation of abnormal extracellular proteins by α2-macroglobulin. The results of these studies have been published in J. Biol. Chem., Cell Death Discovery, Molecular Biology of the Cell, Molecular Biology of the Cell, Star Protocols, and Scientific Reports. Furthermore, we identified novel extracellular chaperones CRED1&2 and established the foundation for future extracellular protein degradation systems.

Free Research Field

タンパク質分解

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究成果は、異常なタンパク質が細胞内や細胞外に生じた場合に異なるメカニズムによって、認識され、分解へ導く、その機構の一旦を明らかとした。異常タンパク質は形、場所、時期など異なり、それぞれの応じたタンパク質品質管理がはたらくことで、生体内の恒常性を保つことがわかった。特に細胞外のタンパク質分解系の重要性が示唆され、今後更なるタンパク質品質管理システムの詳細な機構の解明や、タンパク質蓄積疾患への応用へと期待される。