Understanding the mechanism of age-associated inflammaging in tissues at the chromatin level

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20H03692
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 53030:Respiratory medicine-related
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: Minoda Aki 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 生命医科学研究センター, チームリーダー (40721569)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 老化 / １細胞解析 / エピゲノム / 遺伝子発現 / scRNA-seq / scATAC-seq

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Low-level chronic inflammation associated with aging is one of the hallmarks of aging and is thought to be one of the causes of organ and tissue dysfunction, but its molecular mechanism is not clear. The purpose of this study was to test our hypothesis that normal expression of immune response genes cannot be maintained as a result of epigenome-mediated gene control function deterioration with aging. Furthermore, we set out to verify whether the introduction of a low-protein diet from middle age can lower the level of inflammation. We applied state-of-the-art technology (single-cell RNA-seq and single-cell epigenome analysis) and mice to answer these questions. Due to the corona pandemic, experiments were grossly delayed, but we succeeded in obtaining sequencing data for single cell analysis. We have not reached the point of meaningful analysis, but we will continue the analysis in the future.

Free Research Field

１細胞解析技術を用いた老化研究

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

高齢化社会においての健康長寿実現には体内の老化現象を分子レベルで理解する必要がある。加齢に伴う臓器機能低下(老化)は様々な加齢性疾患発症の原因の一つであると考えられている。老化の特徴の一つと言える免疫力の低下は、感染リスク、癌、自己免疫疾患や慢性炎症性疾患などの発症要因である。Inflammaging (低レベルの慢性炎症) は老化特徴のひとつであり、臓器・組織機能低下の一因だと考えられているが、その分子機構は分かっていない。本研究は最先端技術を用い組織が細胞レベルでどう老化していくか、さらには低タンパク食が炎症を抑える効果があるのかを分子レベルで検証した。