Structure and function of alpha2 tanycyte and expression of nectin

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K22656
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0702:Biology at cellular to organismal levels, and related fields
• Research Institution: Kobe University
• Principal Investigator: Shimizu Tatsuhiro 神戸大学, 医学研究科, 学術研究員 (70882869)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-09-11 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 老化 / 視床下部 / タニサイト / 神経幹/前駆細胞 / 細胞接着分子 / ネクチン / Sox2

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Although the lifespan of various animals is prolonged by dietary restriction, the mechanisms that regulate aging and lifespan are largely unexplored. The tanycytes lining the lateral wall of the third ventricle of the hypothalamus sense glucose concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid and also have neural stem/progenitor cell functions in adults. Recently, it has been suggested that tanycytes are involved in extending the lifespan. However, the mechanisms that maintain neural stem/progenitor cell function of tanycytes during aging are unknown. In this research project, we identified one of the cell adhesion molecules nectin, which is specifically expressed in α2 tanycytes with high neural stem cell function and may be involved in the maintenance of neural stem cell function. We also found the presence of Sox2 and NeuN double-positive cells in the mouse arcuate nucleus and reported that the number of these cells decreases with age.

Free Research Field

細胞生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまでにタニサイトが個体の寿命延長に関与することが示されているが、成体においてタニサイトの機能がどのように維持されているのかはほとんど解明されていない。本研究ではタニサイトの神経幹細胞機能の維持に細胞接着分子ネクチンの一種が関与する可能性を見出した。今後はこのネクチンがどのようにして神経幹細胞機能を維持するのかを明らかにすることで、個体の老化制御に重要なタニサイトの機能維持機構の解明につながることが期待される。