2011 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Molecular and morphological analysis of RNA helicase that shows an unique expression in the nervous system by utilizing genetically modified animals

Research Project

Project/Area Number	21590198
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Section	一般
Research Field	General anatomy (including Histology/Embryology)
Research Institution	Wakayama Medical University
Principal Investigator	TSURUO Yoshihiro 和歌山県立医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (90207449)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	UEYAMA Takashi 和歌山県立医科大学, 医学部, 准教授 (50264875) ITO Takao 和歌山県立医科大学, 医学部, 助教
Project Period (FY)	2009 – 2011
Keywords	RNAヘリカーゼ / 神経系 / オリゴデンドロサイト / 遺伝子改変動物 / 分子形態学
Research Abstract	The monoclonal antibody(4F2) that specifically identifies oligodendrocytes was generated, and the molecule recognized by this antibody proved to be Ddx54, a member of RNA helicase. In the transgenic animals with forced expression of Ddx54, myelination appeared to be accelerated. The 4F2-positive cells were observed in the rat central nervous system from early embryonal to adult stages, and they were specifically expressed in oligodendrocytes using primary cultures of neural tissues. Ddx54 bound to 4 types of MBP isoforms, and especially the 21. 5 kDa isoform of MBP was transported into the nucleus, suggesting its involvement in the signal transduction during the process of myelination in oligodendrocytes.