Screening and functional analysis of cardiac mitogenic factor for heart regeneration

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K20939
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0905:Surgery of the organs maintaining homeostasis and related fields
• Research Institution: Asahikawa Medical College
• Principal Investigator: Ushioda Ryohei 旭川医科大学, 大学病院, 助教 (50910270)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-08-30 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 心筋細胞 / RNA結合タンパク質 / Csdc2 / 細胞分化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Since terminally differentiated cardiomyocytes have a limited ability to divide, the heart does not have regenerative capacity, but the reason for this is not fully understood. In this study, we investigated whether the RNA-binding protein Csdc2 is involved in cell differentiation and mitotic arrest using mouse tissue and cell culture models. In adult mice, Csdc2 gene expression was high in non-dividing tissues such as the heart and brain. In cardiomyocytes, expression of Csdc2 was increased in non-mitotic mature cardiomyocytes compared to fetal cardiomyocytes where mitotic activity was high. In C2C12 cells, Csdc2 was upregulated according to skeletal muscle differentiation. These results suggest that Csdc2 is involved in differentiation and cell cycle exit.

Free Research Field

心筋再生

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

心臓は再生しない臓器であるため、心不全の治療は機能の維持を目的とした保存的治療法のみである。心筋細胞の分裂や終末分化は複雑な遺伝子ネットワークにより制御されているため、未知な遺伝子の機能を1つずつ解明していくことで、最終的に心不全の根本的治療法の開発に繋がる。本研究では初めて、分化や分裂制御に対するCsdc2の機能解析を行った。