Establishment of novel protocols for establishing insect cell lines

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K06083
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 39050:Insect science-related
• Research Institution: National Agriculture and Food Research Organization
• Principal Investigator: Watanabe Kazuyo 国立研究開発法人農業・食品産業技術総合研究機構, 生物機能利用研究部門, 契約研究員 (80835116)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 粥川 琢巳 国立研究開発法人農業・食品産業技術総合研究機構, 生物機能利用研究部門, 上級研究員 (70580463)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 昆虫 / 培養細胞 / 初代培養

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Cultured insect cells have been used as a useful tool in many research areas, including gene function analysis, insect microbiology research, and drug screening. Their importance and need are increasing. However, a method for the establishment of cultured cell lines from any insect has not been established. Therefore, we aimed to establish a new method for the establishment of cultured insect cells. Subsequently, we found that changing the amount of culture medium during primary culture enhanced cell proliferation. We also developed a new culture medium for primary culture and obtained good effects. In addition, we compared gene expression between the established cultured cells and their derived tissues and found that genes related to oncogenesis were highly expressed in the cultured cells.

Free Research Field

応用昆虫学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

昆虫培養細胞を用いた様々な研究において、研究対象とする昆虫由来のものを用いることがベストであるが、現時点では培養細胞を樹立できない昆虫が多く、他の昆虫の培養細胞を利用しなければならないことが多い。しかし、害虫防除に応用できる分野である昆虫ウイルスや共生微生物などの研究では、ホストとなる昆虫由来の培養細胞であることが求められる。どんな昆虫からでも培養細胞を樹立できる方法があれば、今まで培養細胞がなく他の研究手法を取らなければならなかった農業害虫をはじめとする様々な昆虫の研究促進に貢献できる。