Elucidation of the neural mechanisms underlying sleep bruxism using iPS cells

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K23092
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0907:Oral science and related fields
• Research Institution: Showa University
• Principal Investigator: Nakai Kento 昭和大学, 歯学部, 兼任講師 (00880444)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-09-11 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 睡眠時ブラキシズム / ヒトiPS細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The pathogenesis of sleep bruxism (SB) is still unclear. Our previous studies reported that a single nucleotide polymorphism in the serotonin 2A receptor gene (HTR2A) is involved in the risk of developing SB. In this study, we performed quantitative and qualitative analysis of HTR2A-positive neurons derived from SB-specific iPS cells. About 24% of all HTR2A-positive neurons were found to be glutamatergic, GABAergic, and cholinergic neurons. Significant differences were observed in some parameters of active membrane properties, suggesting increased excitability of neurons derived from iPS cells of SB patient with risk alleles.

Free Research Field

歯科補綴学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

睡眠時ブラキシズム(SB)は睡眠関連運動障害の一種であり,その過大な咬合力は患者のQOLを著しく損なう可能性がある．そのため，歯科治療の予後を考える上でSBのマネジメントは非常に重要であると言える.本研究成果は，リスクアレルを有するSB患者の一部ニューロンの興奮性の変化を示唆するものであった．今後これらの異常パラメーターが細胞間ネットワークに及ぼす影響を検証, 再現することができれば, 治療薬開発など将来的な臨床応用にも寄与できると考える．また,セロトニン2A受容体は様々な神経系疾患との関連も報告されていることから,本研究成果は歯科領域のみならず,医科領域への波及効果も大きいと考えられる.