Elucidation of the functional regulatory mechanism of pancreatic islets via monoamine signaling

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K08325
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 53010:Gastroenterology-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: SAKANO DAISUKE 東京工業大学, 生命理工学院, 助教 (40571039)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 膵臓 / インスリン / ドパミン / ヘテロ性 / β細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In order to use pancreatic β cells　derived from ES cells and iPS cells to more efficiently perform regenerative medicine for diabetes, it is necessary to understand how pancreatic β cells maintain their functions in vivo.
Our research team recently revealed that the heterogeneity of dopamine-producing ability in pancreatic β cells maintains their function as a cell population by controlling the generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this project, in order to analyze this mechanism in more detail, we focused on the regulation of the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) which is required for dopamine synthase, in β cells.

Free Research Field

細胞生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまでの再生医療研究では、より均質な細胞集団を分化誘導させることを目指すことが多かった。今回の研究成果は、生体内では細胞個々の異なる性質が重要であり、これらの“ヘテロ性”をも再現することがより効果的な再生医療での細胞治療につながることを示唆するものであった。