Ultrasonically specific amplification of amyloid fibril seeds of neurodegenerative proteins

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K22484
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0402:Nano/micro science, applied condensed matter physics, applied physics and engineering, and related fields
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Kichitaro Nakajima 大阪大学, 国際医工情報センター, 特任研究員(常勤) (20867337)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-09-11 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: アミロイド線維 / 超音波化学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Amyloid fibrils are causative matters of neurodegenerative diseases represented by Alzheimer's disease. Since recent studies revealed that patients with early-stage neurodegenerative diseases possess an ultra-trace amount of seeds in their body, detecting those amyloid seeds can provide an early-stage diagnosis method for neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, the effects of ultrasonic irradiation on amyloid seed detection were investigated experimentally. The experimental results suggested that ultrasonic irradiation can detect amyloid seeds more sensitive than a conventional shaking method and revealed that ultrasonic cavitation plays a crucial role in the mechanism.

Free Research Field

超音波化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、独自の超音波アミロイド装置の構築と超音波がアミロイド線維核検出過程に及ぼす影響を明らかにした。本研究で得られた成果は、パーキンソン病やアルツハイマー病などのアミロイド線維核検出に着目した早期診断法の確立に貢献すると期待される。