Processing of double-stranded RNA during recovery of the cell from the double-stranded RNA stress

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K07536
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 49070:Immunology-related
• Research Institution: University of Fukui
• Principal Investigator: Takeuchi Kenji 福井大学, 学術研究院医学系部門, 助教 (40236419)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 千原 一泰 福井大学, 学術研究院医学系部門, 准教授 (00314948) ; 定 清直 福井大学, 学術研究院医学系部門, 教授 (10273765)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 二重鎖RNA / ウイルス感染 / ストレス応答 / 自然免疫

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) is the first indication of viral infection. 　Detection of dsRNA triggers antiviral responses in virus-infected cells, and ultimately, the infected cell will either die or survive by successfully clearing the virus. For survival, viral dsRNA must be cleared from infected cells, but this process remains unclear. In this study, we investigated whether six RNA cleavage/modification enzymes, including Dicer, are involved in the processing of intracellular dsRNA, but found that none of them are involved. In addition, we aimed to develop a new method to measure dsRNA in living cells in order to search for and identify genes involved in dsRNA processing in a gene knockout library, but we were unable to develop this method and were unable to identify the relevant genes.

Free Research Field

ウイルス学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

今回の研究で我々が得たのはいずれもネガティブデータだが、それでも細胞内dsRNAの処理機構がどのようなものなのか、ある程度絞り込むことはできたと考えている。DicerなどのdsRNA切断酵素はこの過程に関与せず、dsRNA塩基配列のA-to-I変換も関係しない。また、オートファジーも無関係のように思われる。dsRNAの処理は細胞がdsRNAストレスから回復するのに必須の過程だと思われ、解明すべき問題であることに変わりはない。