Diet-dependent change in the mechanism of reproductive dormancy for acclimation to environmental stresses

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K15846
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 44050:Animal physiological chemistry, physiology and behavioral biology-related
• Research Institution: National Institute of Information and Communications Technology
• Principal Investigator: Hara Yusuke 国立研究開発法人情報通信研究機構, 未来ICT研究所 神戸フロンティア研究センター, 主任研究員 (20749064)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 脂肪酸 / インスリン / 生殖 / 休眠 / 順化 / ショウジョウバエ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We analyzed how temperature-dependent changes in dietary lipid preference observed in adult female Drosophila melanogaster modulate reproductive state and the function of IPCs, a neuroendocrine center of dormancy in this species. Ovarian development was suppressed in adult females reared on a diet enriched with unsaturated fatty acids. Feeding of unsaturated fatty acids also suppressed the excitatory cold response of IPCs which was observed in females reared on a normal diet. A specific fatty acid was involved in this suppression. In addition, several differentially expressed genes were identified in IPCs between files fed on saturated fatty acid and unsaturated fatty acid-enriched diets. These results suggest that changes in dietary lipid preference dramatically alter the electrical properties and gene expression of IPCs to regulate reproductive function.

Free Research Field

神経生理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究成果により、餌として食べた脂肪酸が、特定の中枢ニューロン（IPC）をターゲットとすることで、内分泌ネットワークと神経ネットワークの機能を一気に切り替え、個体丸ごとの代謝と行動の適応的変化とを惹き起こすという、ホメオスタシス制御の新しいフレームワークが見えてきた。IPCは哺乳類の膵β細胞や視床下部ニューロンとの機能的類似性が示唆されていることから、本成果は我々ヒトを含む多様な生物の適応機構を模索する上でも重要な知的基盤となり得る。