Effects of Teneurin-4 knockdown in prefrontal cortex of mice

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K22702
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0801:Pharmaceutical sciences and related fields
• Research Institution: University of Toyama
• Principal Investigator: Asano Takashi 富山大学, 学術研究部薬学・和漢系, 助教 (00884751)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-09-11 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 双極性障害 / 前頭前皮質 / うつ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Bipolar disorder is a psychiatric disorder characterized by recurrent manic and depressive episodes. Genome-wide association study has revealed mutations in the ODZ4 gene in bipolar patients, and Teneurin-4, a protein encoded by ODZ4, contributes to nerve axons and the formation of myelin. However, the detailed relationship between Teneurin-4 and the development of bipolar disorder has not been clarified. In this study, we generated mice in which Teneurin-4 was knocked-down in the prefrontal cortex and examined changes in behavior. These results suggest that Teneurin-4 knockdown mouse exhibited depressive, manic, and anxiety-like behaviors.

Free Research Field

神経精神薬理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の学術的特色は、これまでなかった双極性障害モデル動物の創出を目的とし、ゲノムワイド関連解析で関連が示唆されている特定遺伝子に着目し、前頭前皮質特異的に目的遺伝子をノックダウンしたマウスを作成し、その行動表現型に与える影響を検証した。申請者の研究成果により、適切な双極性障害モデル動物を作成することで、様々な病態を複雑に繰り返す双極性障害の新たな治療法・治療薬の開発に貢献できる可能性が示唆された。