Analyses of the mechanism of neurodegeneration in the brain by organic arsenic compounds-focusing on DNA methylation

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K07240
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 48010:Anatomy-related
• Research Institution: Mejiro University (2023); University of Tsukuba (2020-2022)
• Principal Investigator: MASUDA Tomoyuki 目白大学, 保健医療学部, 教授 (70372828)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 文東 美紀 熊本大学, 大学院生命科学研究部(医), 准教授 (00597221)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 神経変性疾患 / DNAメチル化 / 有機ヒ素

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Artificial organic arsenic compounds diphenylarsinic acid (DPAA) have caused health problems in Kamisu City, Ibaraki Prefecture. By using non-human primate brains, this study aimed to elucidate the mechanism of DPAA-induced neurodegeneration in the brain at the molecular level. As a result, we established the applicability of DNA methylation array probes for the human genome to the crab-eating macaque (Macaca fascicularis) genome and revealed that alterations of DNA methylation in the cerebellum and lateral temporal lobes have different profiles compared to those in other brain regions, respectively.

Free Research Field

神経科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究で確定したヒトゲノム用DNAメチル化アレイのカニクイザル（Macaca fascicularis）ゲノムへの適用可能なプローブの情報は、非ヒト霊長類を実験動物として用いる様々な解析に役立つため、今後広く使用されることが期待できる。また、非ヒト霊長類の脳を十分な例数確保し、長期に亘ってDNAメチル化の推移を調べた研究は世界で類をみないものであり、人工有機ヒ素化合物DPAAのもたらす遺伝子発現のオン・オフについて、多くの示唆を与えるものである。