Biological roles of a new family of phospholipids

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K19329
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 47:Pharmaceutical sciences and related fields
• Research Institution: Tokyo Medical and Dental University
• Principal Investigator: Sasaki Takehiko 東京医科歯科大学, 難治疾患研究所, 教授 (50333365)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-07-09 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: リン脂質 / 生理活性物質

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Phospholipids are a group of molecules that perform functions that cannot be replaced by water-soluble substances, such as the composition of cell membranes, and are classified according to their hydrophilic head structure. About ten types of hydrophilic heads have been identified and studied, but it is believed that there are still a wealth of unknown lipids in living organisms. In this study, we identified a novel phospholipid. We searched for and found a synthase whose knockdown markedly reduces the level of the novel intracellular lipid. We have obtained a knockout mouse strain of this synthase and are analyzing them, and so far, we have observed a marked abnormality that results in death shortly after birth.

Free Research Field

生命科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の企図は、新種リン脂質の発見が幅広い生命科学分野で未解明な生命現象の理解を導く新しい切り口となり、研究のブレイクスルーをもたらす可能性にあった。本研究の成果は、新しい生体分子の発見であり、その神経系における重要な生理機能を示す知見が得られた。さらに、生成に関わる新規の酵素をさらに見出した。いくつかの新規脂質候補を見出しているが、学術的意義を明確にするにはインパクトのあるジャーナルで公表する必要がある。このために生理活性物質の化学合成が必須であり、現在進めている。新しい研究の糸口がつかめたので、医薬応用も見据えた基礎研究を今後さらに展開したい。