Comprehensive analysis of lumicrine secretory signal transduction through novel factor exploration

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K19263
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 44:Biology at cellular to organismal levels, and related fields
• Research Institution: Nagoya University (2023); Osaka University (2021-2022)
• Principal Investigator: Daiji Kiyozumi 名古屋大学, 環境医学研究所, 特任講師 (70452430)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-07-09 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: ルミクリン / 精巣上体 / 分泌シグナル伝達 / モルフォジェン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In multicellular organisms, secretory signal transduction plays an important role. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of a novel secretory signal transduction mechanism lumicrine, including the search for new factors. The results revealed the following points: The secretory protein NICOL forms a complex with NELL2 and functions as a ligand in lumicrine signal transduction.
The G protein-coupled receptor ADGRG2, expressed in the head of the epididymis, is not involved in the existing lumicrine signal transduction pathway mediated by NELL2/NICOL-ROS1.

Free Research Field

生化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまでのルミクリン研究は現象を観察するものにとどまりがちであったが、本研究の結果、ルミクリンシグナル伝達機構の分子レベルでの特性が明らかになった。また、生殖路におけるルミクリンの作用機序およびその下流での遺伝子発現機序を明らかにしたことによって、男性不妊の原因解明や不妊治療、ルミクリンシグナル伝達を基盤とした新しい男性避妊薬の開発の可能性が示唆された。