Molecular mechanisms underlying gut microbiome-mediated change in the behaviors associated with autism spectrum disorder

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K22913
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0902:General internal medicine and related fields
• Research Institution: Tokai University
• Principal Investigator: Hanno-iijima Yoko 東海大学, 医学部, 奨励研究員 (50451860)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-09-11 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 自閉スペクトラム症 / 環境的要因 / 腸内細菌叢

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Gut microbiota has been attracting attention as an environmental factor of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) because it has been reported that changes in that affect the symptoms of ASD. In this study, germ-free (GF) mice were introduced as a model for investigating the difference between the presence and absence of gut microbiota. However, no ASD-like abnormal behwavior or morphological phenotype was observed in GF mice. Therefore, we prepared model mice in which the environmental factors of ASD were exposed to the pregnant female of GF mice, and compared them with the ASD model mice in the specific pathogen free (SPF). As a result, ASD-like behavior was observed more strongly in GF mice that were stimulated to mimic virus infection, suggesting that the gut microbiota affects ASD-like behavior.

Free Research Field

神経科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究で作製したGFマウスを用いたASDモデルマウス（GF-ASD）において、これまでに確立されたASDモデルマウスで報告されてきた異常と共通した変化が見出されれば、その変化はASD患者内で共通して起こる可能性がより高いものであると考えられる。その変化に着目して研究を進めることで将来ASDの普遍的メカニズムの解明に繋がっていく可能性がある。また、このGF-ASDモデルマウスは、SPFベースのモデルよりも更にASDの行動が顕著な新たなモデルと成り得る。これまでに確立されてきたASDモデル動物と共に発症機構の解明や治療薬の開発に役立つことが期待される。